Trump has pushed America across a very visible line, the border between democracy, no matter how flawed, and dictatorship, no matter how benign.

Even if the Trump era ends tomorrow and his policies are discredited and reversed, America has lost its innocence. These outrages will serve as precedent, and it will be so much easier for some future administration to try them again. And it need not just necessarily be some other neofascist brute, the next time the threat may just as easily come from the Left. I've already heard calls from Democratic Party leaders to systematically oppose all Republican policies, even if they happen to be in total agreement with them! Their hope is that the nation will collapse into a chaos that can be used against the Right. And I can see cynical leftist propaganda starting to creep into our media, slowly and quietly, but unchallenged by progressives who should know better.

Today our loss of democracy is due to the self-serving agenda of an opportunistic commercial elite exploiting the bigotry and apathy of an ignorant and fearful populace. These people will always be with us, and without strong non-governmental democratic institutions and constitutional safeguards we will be helpless against them. Tomorrow, the problem may arise from severe military, economic or political threats which demagogues of another stripe altogether may exploit to their advantage, perhaps not for the same reasons, but with ultimately the same result.

History has shown us that a certain critical mass of selfishness and stupidity is all that's necessary for a nation to lose its freedom. Unfortunately, that "critical mass" need not be a majority. And the chain reaction, when it comes, can explode unexpectedly with astonishing ferocity.

I'm not saying this will happen here, but I know that for the first time in my life I cannot rule it out. Even during the turbulent era of the nineteen sixties and seventies I never once feared for a collapse of the American experiment. I no longer have that confidence. Not only can I not say "it can't happen here", it appears to me to be right on schedule.

I can't tell you how depressed I feel, or how far I have succumbed to despair. I fear for my country. I am thankful I have no children and I am hopeful I will not live long enough to see it all play out.