How to make America a weird and scary authoritarian state:
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Perhaps worst of all, Trump’s proposals expose how broad he thinks the powers of the presidency are: virtually infinite. There is never a glimmer of understanding that the government is bound by the Constitution, that the federal government has limited scope and authority, or that president is just one of three equal branches of the federal government.
Instead, it is Trump, and Trump alone, who will transform American laws, government, and society, from the top down. Trump will bomb and invade countries, Trump will steal their oil, Trump will kill deserters, torture suspects, bypass courts, ban Muslims, break treaties, and have the military do things like mass executions with bullets dipped in pigs' blood — all while getting Americans to say “Merry Christmas” again.
Well, all I can say is Merry Christmas, America. Here's what the primaries brought us this year.
June 2015
Make Ford to Scrap Expansion Plan in Mexico
August 2015
Deport 11 Million Immigrants
Triple Number of Deportation Agents
Force Cities and States to Help Deport Immigrants
Force Mexico to Pay for Wall on US Border
Strip US Citizenship from Babies Born to Immigrants
September 2015
Use FCC to Fine His Critic, Rich Lowry
Place 35% Tariff on Ford Cars Made in Mexico
"We Will Break" North American Free Trade Agreement
“Government Will Pay” for Health Care for “Everyone”
October 2015
Deport Syrian Refugees Legally in the US
Soldiers Who Desert Should Be Shot
Spend Tens of Billions on Border Wall
Keep Troops in Afghanistan
November 2015
Kill TPP Free Trade Agreement
Get Americans to Say "Merry Christmas"
Create Special Deportation Force to Remove Immigrants
“Bomb the S***” Out of Syria
Close Mosques in the United States
Create Database for Muslims
Bypass Courts in Mass Deportation Plan
December 2015
Restart Warrantless Surveillance, Metadata Collection
Kill Family Members of Terrorists
Washington Post Is a "Tax Shelter" for Amazon, Jeff Bezos
Ban All Muslim Travel to US
Shut Down "Parts" of the Internet
Issue Executive Order Mandating the Death Penalty for Killing Police
January 2016
Impose 45% Tariff on Chinese Products
Throw Bowe Bergdhal Out of a Plane in Afghanistan
February 2016
Tells Supporters to Knock Out Protesters
Use Eminent Domain for Economic Development
Tax Carrier-brand Air Conditioners Made in Mexico
Force Apple, Tim Cook to Break into iPhone for FBI
Keep Obamacare’s Individual Mandate for Health Insurance
Praises Mass Executions of Captured Soldiers with Bullets Dipped in Pigs Blood
Threatens Donor for Giving to Opponent’s Campaign
Prosecute Hillary Clinton
Proposes “Trade War” with China
“Open Up Libel Laws” to Sue Critical Press
March 2016
Force Apple to Make iPhones in US, not China
Force Military to Follow Illegal Orders
Prosecute Ed Snowden for "Spying" for Russia
“Torture” Terrorism Suspects
Increase Military Spending
Steal Iraqis' Oil
“Pause” Legal Immigration
Send 20,000 or 30,000 Troops to Middle East
Trump Could Envision a Nuclear First Strike
Appoint Supreme Court Justice to Investigate Clinton’s Email
April 2016
Raise Taxes on the Wealthy
May 2016
Threatens Pfizer, Carrier, Ford, and Nabisco With 35% Tariff
Increase Minimum Wage
“Go After” Amazon for Anti-Trust and Taxes
Bomb Libya
Threatens “Mexican” Federal Judge Trying His Case
June 2016
“Keep Business Out of Mexico”
Ban All People from Countries with "History of Terrorism"
Surveillance of US Mosques
Ban Guns for People on Secret "Watch Lists"
