The evidence presented by the House impeachment managers against Trump was overwhelming. It is true that his defense attorneys were incompetent — although in fairness the best legal minds in the world would have had a difficult time finding a way to exonerate Trump for his obvious crimes. But the outcome was preordained: Republicans in both the House and Senate repeatedly and publicly signaled weeks ago that they were going to acquit Donald Trump no matter what the evidence against him.
In refusing to convict Donald Trump for his crimes against democracy, the Republican Party has announced that Republican presidents are above the law and can act with impunity, as kings or dictators do — and that this is now true for Republican officials on the federal, local and state level as well.
In total, the Republican Party has created a precedent that right-wing political violence and terrorism, including coups and other attempts to overthrow legal elections, are now acceptable in the United States — as long as they are perpetrated by Republicans and their allies against Democrats and others deemed to be "un-American."
This is the essence of fascism and authoritarianism. Such beliefs and values have broad support among Republican voters and other members of the right wing more generally.
"They have fed the monster for so long that even when it turns on them, when the barbarians are literally at the gate ... when they were the targets and they were prey, they still will not turn on it. That's how dangerous is the societal threat that we are facing."
The Republican Party's embrace of Trumpism and now full-on endorsement of right-wing violence and terrorism should not be a surprise. Trump's 2016 presidential victory and fake right-wing "populist" movement was fueled by white supremacy, nativism, and other forms of bigotry and hate. That is violence.
White Christian nationalists and right-wing evangelicals are among the most loyal and fanatical members of the American right and the Trump movement. As a group, these Christian fascists are committed to overturning secular democracy and making real their "end times" eschatological and apocalyptic fantasies. That is violence.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...-this-is-a-surprise/ar-BB1dIYJI?ocid=msedgdhp
Just a few excerpts from a chilling article and IT'S SPOT-ON!!!!