Will we later look back and realize the start of 2026 was the start of a new era of American dictatorship?

[markodochartaigh]

2. It was 2015

when the Republican party chose an authoritarian Strong Leader who was not committed to democracy to head their party.
They knew what they were doing, several Republican leaders refused to support Trump. They briefly entertained the idea of a brokered convention to choose another candidate. But they realized that they could not win without him because he was so wildly popular with the 80% of their base who are authoritarians.
So the Republicans put party before country and chose the authoritarian.

The threats though, except against European allies, aren't new. Even then we shouldn't ignore Operation Gladio, etc. Evil always exists in every society. Part of the reason that evil triumphs is that so many people who don't support evil refuse to acknowledge that evil exists right under our noses.