Scholars Say America Under Trump Is Authoritarian, Not Democratic

America is well beyond democratic erosion and democratic backsliding and now approaching a form of authoritarianism with elements of fascism, says Brendan Nyhan, a professor of government at Dartmouth University. Other scholars are making similar arguments. In the latest episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon, Nyhan argued that the lack of opposition to Trump from the Supreme Court and Congress in particular has made the president much stronger. He said authoritarian takeovers in other countries happened more slowly, in part because there was more institutional opposition. Scholars and journalists, according to Nyhan, need to sound the alarm against Trump, even if it gets them accused of being partisan. Nyhan expressed concern that the divides between progressive and centrist Democrats were weakening the resistance to Trump, particularly since the Republican Party is so consolidated around the president. You can watch this episode here.