Donald Trump's Dream is to Become the American Viktor Orbán

[Frodo]

Consider yourselves warned:

President Trump’s Dream Is to Become America’s Viktor Orbán

Is Hungary's illiberal democracy really a model that we would want to follow, regardless of your political affiliation? 

[Meclazine for Israel]

The US dream is nothing near what Hungary has become.

This style of politics is what I term the "pack of animals" effect.

A pack of fed up animals who get together because the outcome for the country, although politically correct, is completely inept in the real world.

The crazy clown faced Joker with red hair appears with a semi-violent resolution about immigration and the economy, and people get on board because the person promises a return to normality.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The Democrats are not the Hungarian opposition and Trump is not nearly as dominant as Victor Orban is. Trump is a mere discount Orban with less of many things, including political acumen and, yes, power.

[Fuzzy Bear]

The Democrats are not the Hungarian opposition and Trump is not nearly as dominant as Victor Orban is. Trump is a mere discount Orban with less of many things, including political acumen and, yes, power.

This, more or less.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

America's Viktor Orbán may be what he aspires to, but in reality he's closer to becoming America's Vidkun Quisling.

[junior chįmp]

Rofl....imagine thinking Trump is this much of a deep thinker/strategist. Trump's dream is just to get in dem sugar walls and con rubes

[Mopsus]

Nothing mentioned in that article is objectionable.

[Kingpoleon]

As long as we’re doing straw men: Andrzej Duda, too.

[Indy Texas]

Part of the problem is that Donald Trump's coalition isn't a majority of the country, and he is well aware of that.

What people like Orban and Modi are after is majoritarianism: running the country for the benefit of a dominant ethnic/religious majority.

Trump and the GOP have defined themselves as the party of and for White Christians, but White Christians are no longer the majority of the American population.

[The Mikado]

There's obviously a number of differences, but one very, very important one is how young Orban was when he started consolidating power. He was PM for the first time 20 years ago when he was in his mid-30s. He became PM this time 9 years ago when he was in his late 40s. He's in his mid-50s now with no sign that he's not going to continue being the dominant presence in Hungary for 30 more years. Donald Trump took office at 70, is 73 now, and is clearly not in the best of health. There's a lot of natural limits on how long he can remain in power even if "democracy doesn't hold" and such. Trying to try your hand at dictatorship starting in your 70s is a fool's errand.

[Person Man]

Part of the problem is that Donald Trump's coalition isn't a majority of the country, and he is well aware of that.

What people like Orban and Modi are after is majoritarianism: running the country for the benefit of a dominant ethnic/religious majority.

Trump and the GOP have defined themselves as the party of and for White Christians, but White Christians are no longer the majority of the American population.

As long as a majority of VOTERS are still that its a still a strategy.

[Santander]

Is Hungary's illiberal democracy really a model that we would want to follow, regardless of your political affiliation? 

Absolutely.

[Crumpets]

Sad that he doesn't even see himself as a great dictator, but rather as just another lowly illiberal stooge, another cog in Putin's anti-west machine.

[SnowLabrador]

Uh, we knew that already.

[Landslide Lyndon]

At least he nailed the racism and xenophobia part.

[Badger]

Of course. And in other breaking news water is wet.

But again, perhaps the most disappointing thing about this is a solid 40 to 45% of our voters would gladly embrace a future like hungry under Orban here in America under Trump. They would gladly sacrifice meaningful democracy in order to avoid liberals taking power.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

More like the American Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

https://youtu.be/-9QYu8LtH2E

[Cassius]

Of course. And in other breaking news water is wet.

But again, perhaps the most disappointing thing about this is a solid 40 to 45% of our voters would gladly embrace a future like hungry under Orban here in America under Trump. They would gladly sacrifice meaningful democracy in order to avoid liberals taking power.

Hungary is probably more meaningfully ‘democratic’ than the wheezing mess that constitutes ‘democracy’ in the United States.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Of course. And in other breaking news water is wet.

But again, perhaps the most disappointing thing about this is a solid 40 to 45% of our voters would gladly embrace a future like hungry under Orban here in America under Trump. They would gladly sacrifice meaningful democracy in order to avoid liberals taking power.

Hungary is probably more meaningfully ‘democratic’ than the wheezing mess that constitutes ‘democracy’ in the United States.

I mean, whatever you may say about America, the fact that it has a completely unbroken record of holding elections without - for example - military inteference or coups, while Hungary has spent its years since leaving the Hapsburg lurching from fascist dictatorship to communist regime, means this is a bit too much of a hot take for me.

[Progressive Pessimist]

This was always obvious since he first used European style nationalist politics to run his campaign on.