Jennifer Rosner

Because electing Harris-Walz will keep fascism at bay

Trump isn’t even trying to mask his authoritarian proclivities. Historians of 1930s Germany point to parallels in Trump’s rhetoric and proposed policies to those of Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Trump calls his political adversaries “liberal thugs” who “live like vermin.” He uses dehumanizing and debasing language in describing immigrants, and he has openly suggested a “bloody” deportation of fifteen to twenty million people currently living in the US. He has promised to prosecute his political opponents, including election officials, and has suggested deploying the military against US citizens he deems “radical left.” We know, from the events leading up to and culminating in the January 6 insurrection, that he does not believe in the peaceful transfer of power and, if installed in the White House again, he may not leave. Vance is as bad if not worse, and the fact that Republican politicians and a large percentage of the electorate are falling in line behind Trump-Vance is perhaps most disconcerting of all.

As a person with family who perished at the hands of Nazis, I am extremely worried about a second Trump presidency. (Note: Trump has said that, if he doesn’t win the election, it will be in large part the fault of the Jews.) Given the makeup of the Supreme Court, its recent presidential immunity ruling, and the majority’s beholdenness to Trump, little will be in the way of dismantling guardrails meant to limit presidential power. Additionally, Trump may have the opportunity to name further justices and create a Court that will be even more fully in his pocket. 

Harris-Walz has a plethora of positive strengths beyond the fact that they don’t threaten a slide into fascism, but in light of the stakes on November 5, it is perhaps most important that they will respect the Constitution, work on behalf of all people, defend democracy, and support the state of our nation.

Jennifer Rosner is the author of The Yellow Bird Sings and Once We Were Home.