[grepexdev]

My concern about checking my own circle is that it is an inherently biased approach. I'll add that I'm not the biggest Trump fan. In fact, according to the political compass tool (take with a grain of salt, I guess) I'm quite liberal. If I go to a liberal circle, of course they're going to confirm this rhetoric that Trump is going to take the US in a dictatorship.

Al Green was being disruptive and frankly let his emotions get the best of him. There were even democrats who voted in favor of his censure.

Your point about removing bureaucracy and installing loyalists is solid. Though, to say it is exactly how a dictator becomes a dictator is of course an oversimplification. There's more to it than just that.

Also, keep in mind that this is happening within a democratic framework. Removing bureaucracy and installing loyalists can be done in pursuit of objectives other than obtaining dictatorial power:

- Margaret Thatcher in the UK reduced government size through privatizations and appointed conservative loyalists to implement her policies, operating within democracy and stepping down after her term.

- Nelson Mandela in South Africa transformed the bureaucracy from apartheid to a democratic system, installing officials loyal to the new democratic vision, and served two terms before stepping down.

- Ronald Reagan in the US cut regulations and appointed conservative officials to support his economic policies, also within democratic bounds.

In all of these, removing bureaucracy and installing loyalists was framed as efforts to enhance efficiency or fight corruption, not to consolidate absolute power.

Now, Trump is no Nelson Mandela. On the flip side, he is no Adolf Hitler.

There is a lot of alarmist rhetoric going around (such as "Trump will take the US in a dictatorship") that I think will prevent people from seeing what is actually happening (be it good or bad).

That is my attempt at being rational while being bombarded with propaganda from both left and right.