Viktor Orban's Hungary is the model for the Trump/Musk playbook.

More accurate than calling Trump a fascist is describing him as a new authoritarian. There are plenty of far-right leaders in Europe and elsewhere who he can be compared to. The best possible comparison for what is now happening in America is what Viktor Orban's Fidesz Party did in Hungary. Albeit the Trump Whitehouse is moving much quicker.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy

A long read on what has happened in Hungary is here:

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/how-viktor-orban-wins/

I was worried about America before the election and I thought that the new administration would be more cohesive and united. It is. Also, I was concerned because of what Project 2025 said about 'Unitary Executive Theory.' This is worse than I expected though. Americans should be alarmed. Those who thought the criticism of Trump being authoritarian was hyperbolic are ignoring the fact that he didn't have a unified team behind him last time and was blocked from doing everything he wanted. It's not the case now.

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YourMomsSecretCrush · M

Gotta love democracy huh

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@YourMomsSecretCrush I'm talking about a politician from central Europe, who was duly elected within his nation's constitution and then preceded to effectively abolish it.

georgelong · 46-50, M

Understood. What are your thoughts about an unelected operating in the dark with no rules permanent bureaucracy answering to maybe nobody or maybe somebody(ies) unknown? That hasn’t worked out real well here in the US. Assuming Trump releases all the long closely guarded secrets he has promised to and we find out the truth about Fort Knox I personally would prefer to actually see what’s going on. Already we KNOW a “deep” (permanent) “state” has been operating with no known supervision can in no way be good. @Burnley123

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@georgelong Every country has a state bureaucracy that operates with lots of unelected officials. I'm not saying this is a good or bad thing: just describing it as it is.

The 'deep-state" narrative actually originated on the radical left.. I'm not sure Trump and his supporters realise that. It's the idea that unelected officials operate in what they see as the national interest but is really the interests of the ruling class.

I think that this is true.

However, Trump and Musk do not represent the interests of workers against the elite. They are a different faction of the elite in it for their own gain. Two billionaires: One the richest in the world. What they want is to destroy the few good things about the US administrative state for their own financial and political interests.

Note how Trump and Doge have not touched the MIC.

georgelong · 46-50, M

Guess we will see. I prefer optimism. The present bent of the imbedded bureaucracy here in the US is elite left. The majority of the US now favors working and middle class moderation which means the imbedded bureaucrats are putting the interests of a minority of US citizens. The majority don’t like it. DOGE is seen as a chance to replace that misplaced power of a minority.

Europe and the UK are way further along the path to governments not being able to keep all the juggling balls in the air. Open immigration, higher government spending (except military due to NATO), lower net wages will lead to national failures making all sorry they bailed out Greece.

The hope is that if DOGE is really what it claims to be that result will be put off longer or if one is really optimist prevented here in the US.

Russia and China are running into the same problems now that capitalism and socialism there are together running economies off cliffs. They don’t face the added expense of open immigration ….. YET.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@georgelong I get that you don't like the US elite. I really do and it's why my politics lean to the radical left.

What I don't get is why you think that Trump and Musk are on your side. I get that the culture war stuff is an issue.

It's libertarian economics that they are doing; Reaganism on steroids. The more free-market you make an economy (and the less safety-net) the worse it is for workers.

Thank you for being polite though and making honest arguments.

basilfawlty89 · 36-40, M

@georgelong the upper class by definition cannot be "elite left", because the left is against excessive wealth and promotes egalitarianism and equity.

georgelong · 46-50, M

Sure for others 😂🤣😂 @basilfawlty89

basilfawlty89 · 36-40, M

@georgelong name am "elite wealthy leftist". What maked then a leftist? Are they actively encouraging worker's ownership of the means of production? Are they for overthrowing the bourgeoisie state?

Saying "let's treat gay people and black people like human beings" isn't leftism, it's basic human decency.

georgelong · 46-50, M

@basilfawlty89 oh ok

georgelong · 46-50, M

Soros @basilfawlty89

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