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LAS14

(13,783 posts)
Thu Jun 21, 2018, 08:21 PM Jun 2018

I used to think that Trump was stupid. And...

... I still do. But I think handlers of the Steve Bannon type are behind much of what he does, because it is what dictators do. One thing is to lie a lot so the populace doesn't know what to believe. Now we have another one. Give orders to your subordinates that are internally inconsistant. Not matter what they do, they are either violating the law or his orders. For example. Keep families together, but continue to prosecute all illegal immigrants. What are border patrol and ICE supposed to do??? He keeps reminding me of Idi Amin....

I tried to articulate to myself why giving inconsistent orders to one's staff helps a dictator and I wasn't able to do it. I believe it's true. Can some of you other DUers do this for me?

tia
las

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I used to think that Trump was stupid. And... (Original Post) LAS14 Jun 2018 OP
I think dictators are all grifters with a lot of power. Thomas Hurt Jun 2018 #1
If you watch the talking heads on the news Crutchez_CuiBono Jun 2018 #2
And they can't present evidence or bdamomma Jun 2018 #3
Well, if you read books on Hitler and Stalin, both horrific dictators PatrickforO Jun 2018 #4
I used to think this but its the opposite AlexSFCA Jun 2018 #5

Thomas Hurt

(13,903 posts)
1. I think dictators are all grifters with a lot of power.
Thu Jun 21, 2018, 08:24 PM
Jun 2018

The Pig seems smart because he has power and he is a great grifter.

Unfortunately, that is a virtue to the right.

Crutchez_CuiBono

(7,725 posts)
2. If you watch the talking heads on the news
Thu Jun 21, 2018, 08:24 PM
Jun 2018

if given long enough to spin on critical issues, end up taking both sides of an issue and therefore can't be held to account for anything. See R Ghouliani.

PatrickforO

(14,577 posts)
4. Well, if you read books on Hitler and Stalin, both horrific dictators
Thu Jun 21, 2018, 08:31 PM
Jun 2018

who killed millions, you'll hear that they enjoyed playing subordinates off against each other for one primary reason: by sowing distrust among subordinates, it prevented people from working together to unseat them.

But this technique, called 'divide and conquer,' isn't only used by dictators. The Koch brothers, the Mercers, right wing talk radio, Fox, Breitbart and many others routinely inject racist 'dog whistles' into their conversations, as well as phrases meant to dehumanize liberals and/or Democrats.

Of course, Russia did it to us as well in 2016, masterfully.

Sad thing is............it ALWAYS works.

ALWAYS.

No one has figured out a way to make it not work.

AlexSFCA

(6,139 posts)
5. I used to think this but its the opposite
Thu Jun 21, 2018, 08:46 PM
Jun 2018

He gets away playing dumb all the time. He knows exactly what he is doing and his goals are clear. He is making his own decisions and so far they are achieving the goals. This has potential to be much worse than Hitler.

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