Could it happen here? (In the USA)

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http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/20 ... trump.html

By: Loren J. Samons II (these paragraphs by her were printed by Time Magazine):

You can’t have democracy without demagogues.

Democracies breed demagogues.

This has been true since the beginning. Demagoguery emerged in Athens concurrently with the rise of democracy. One might argue that the Greek “tyrant”—a strong man with popular support who often circumvented or dominated the normal avenues of power in an ancient Greek city-state—offers a kind of precursor to the demagogue of democratic Athens. Except the Greek tyrant often relied on brute force as much as rhetoric. And it is the use of persuasive speech and the dependence on an electorate willing to be persuaded that marks the primary tool of the demagogue.

As such, in a democratic environment demagogues simply cannot be avoided. They are one of the natural products of a form of government that depends on elections. The most one can rationally hope for is that a majority of the (participating) electorate will identify the demagogue AND reject his or her message. But history, again, teaches us that such a reaction is unlikely.

In fact, the identification of a “demagogue” turns out, as often as not, to be an act of demagoguery itself, with those occupying each end of the political spectrum leveling the term against leaders springing from, or appealing to, the other side.

I would suggest that there remains one simple test that will allow voters to identify a demagogue: If the would-be leader promises to give, restore, provide, insure, or enhance a country but never asks the citizens to sacrifice, pay, serve, or simply work, then this leader is a potential demagogue.

if TheRump tells crowds, "we're all gonna have to get tougher," does that alter the demagogue quotient any?

Nope! I have been smiling today at some old ads, where Trump compares himself to Alexander the Great and Napoleon. What?

Also found some photos of DT "stuffing his face" (he was eating a pizza slice backwards, his nose is almost in it). Triggered a memory for me: didn't he attack John Kasich for swinish eating?

I think you folk need to look north of the border at Pierre Trudeau! How many Americans would choose him over either Donald or Hillary?

(clicky)prescient trump robot seems to predict the future under his presidency

"The roving gangs killing each other in the desert for cans of food love me!"

Australia is the most consistent admirer and ally of the USA, the last to criticise its "best friend" out of all the Five Eye countries. So the passing of this unprecendented motion about Trump as a disgusting slug signals that there may be some basis for my earlier surmise that the Five eyes allies have no interest in collaborating with Trump as leader.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37640145

New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key has weighed in, describing Trump's 2005 comments as "indefensible", which is diplomatic speak for "he's a lying slug".

Former Canadian PM (another eye country) states a dim view of Trump:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... l-predator