Quo Vadimus?

The other day I had a discussion with an old High School classmate, who supports Trump's re-election. He dreads the thought of another liberal democrat in the White House.  He frames the contest as a fundamental choice between socialism (Biden-Harris) and capitalism (Trump and the other guy.)

 I said that it is more likely that we are heading towards Autocracy rather than Capitalism if Trump gets re-elected. He shows all the signs of a budding dictator:

• Raising the specter that he might not consider the election as legitimate (if he loses),
• rallying his followers to vague action, 
• making up stuff about ballots tossed in rivers  
• stoking fear that cities will burn if Biden is elected.  
• Repeating Nationalist propaganda pretending to be patriotism.
• Blaming immigrants and foreign powers for all ills. 
• Dumbing down the message to the least educated and most impressionable segment of society.
• Discrediting the Press if they print any criticism.  
• Being cozy with Hate groups.  
• Purging from the government positions anyone who might provide real  oversight and transparency.  
• Spreading misinformation and lies.  

When  Joe Biden gets elected president, the economy will be as strong as ever.  Kamala is not  AOC.  Joe is not Bernie.  I would agree that  there is a trope towards social democracy similar to some countries in western Europe. but that's not the end of the world as far as I'm concerned.  Universal health care is not an evil goal.  Affordable education seems like a good idea.   There is no plan to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400K per year.    Canada has universal health care and free college tuition.  They seem to have a thriving economy.

When people like Trump and Jeff Bezos,  and big profitable corporations can get away not paying any taxes there's something wrong with unrestrained Capitalism.   We are  already dangerously close to being an Oligarchy -- with the real strings of power being pulled by obscenely rich patrons of politicians.  

I prefer to think that America can help people who are less fortunate and without compromising anyone's ability to become financially successful, and I believe that will continue.  I don't know of any  popular push to totally eliminate wealth.  Moderate Liberals just want to have the wealthy pay more than they do now.   Don't forget,  they used to have a very high tax on wealth during the Go-Go years of the fifties, sixties and seventies and  this high earner tax rate in 1980 was 70% .  Those higher rates  didn't eliminate wealth and I don't think it will in the future. 

So the election is not about Capitalism vs Socialism; rather it is about Democracy vs Autocracy.