New York Times Talks About Trump’s ‘Problem With Democracy’
- 6 years ago
The New York Times recently broached the topic of President Trump’s apparently troubled relationship with democracy.
The New York Times on Sunday broached the topic of President Trump's apparently troubled relationship with democracy. In a piece titled 'Donald Trump Sure Has A Problem With Democracy,' the publication's editorial board notes the long-standing importance of limited terms of leadership and the nation's history of fighting against despots and dictators. It then writes, "But Donald Trump just doesn't get it. There's something in the man that impels him reflexively to celebrate the authoritarian model." As an example, the board offers Trump's Saturday comments on Chinese President Xi Jinping's efforts toward eternal rule. "[President Xi] is now president for life. President for life. No, he's great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day," the president stated, in part. The Times editors say of the statement, "That craven reaction is in line with Mr. Trump's consistent support and even admiration for men ruling with increasing brutal and autocratic methods — Vladimir Putin of Russia, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, to name a few." "When you consider that Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by almost three million ballots, claiming the presidency only through the antidemocratic mechanics of the Electoral College — not to mention with some help from Russia — it may be understandable that he would be uncomfortable with democracy," the board concludes.
The Times is not the first entity to associate Trump with authoritarian leaders. Amnesty International recently grouped the U.S. president with a number of them, noting, "leaders such as al-Sisi, Duterte, Maduro, Putin, Trump and Xi are callously undermining the rights of millions." The organization also said, "President Trump takes actions that violate human rights at home and abroad," and called his travel ban targeting a number of predominantly Muslim countries a "transparently hateful move."
The New York Times on Sunday broached the topic of President Trump's apparently troubled relationship with democracy. In a piece titled 'Donald Trump Sure Has A Problem With Democracy,' the publication's editorial board notes the long-standing importance of limited terms of leadership and the nation's history of fighting against despots and dictators. It then writes, "But Donald Trump just doesn't get it. There's something in the man that impels him reflexively to celebrate the authoritarian model." As an example, the board offers Trump's Saturday comments on Chinese President Xi Jinping's efforts toward eternal rule. "[President Xi] is now president for life. President for life. No, he's great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day," the president stated, in part. The Times editors say of the statement, "That craven reaction is in line with Mr. Trump's consistent support and even admiration for men ruling with increasing brutal and autocratic methods — Vladimir Putin of Russia, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines, to name a few." "When you consider that Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by almost three million ballots, claiming the presidency only through the antidemocratic mechanics of the Electoral College — not to mention with some help from Russia — it may be understandable that he would be uncomfortable with democracy," the board concludes.
The Times is not the first entity to associate Trump with authoritarian leaders. Amnesty International recently grouped the U.S. president with a number of them, noting, "leaders such as al-Sisi, Duterte, Maduro, Putin, Trump and Xi are callously undermining the rights of millions." The organization also said, "President Trump takes actions that violate human rights at home and abroad," and called his travel ban targeting a number of predominantly Muslim countries a "transparently hateful move."