Is this 2024 or 1934?

Ah, springtime. A time of renewal, of blossoming, of light and warmth and … fascism? Like budding flowers, the ominous signs are sprouting everywhere.

A once great political party is in thrall to a leader with strong authoritarian inclinations. Independent party officials are replaced with the leader’s toadies and relatives.

In fear-inducing speeches, the leader rants about outsiders “poisoning the nation’s blood.” He calls his political opponents “vermin” who must be driven out and jailed. He predicts a “bloodbath” if he is not elected president and urges his followers to “defend the vote” — code for “do anything to win.”

The leader disparages democratic allies and consorts with the foreign autocrats that he emulates. Like them, he depends on a steady stream of lies and distortions to bend reality in his favor.

The leader’s supporters forgive his crimes, believe his lies and have demonstrated they are willing to fight police and storm the Capitol to preserve his power.

This spring, 2024 in the USA feels too much like 1934 in Germany.

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