> Even though there isn't a single moment in history they can point to that's similar
In US history, maybe. But you can look at the raise to power of almost any dictatorship, you'll find the same exact concep of cleptocrats taking unrestricted access to whatever entity used to fight them.
Yeah, a lot of folks think the USA is untouchable and "it can't happen here", but so many other countries felt the exact same way.
You're fine until one day, you aren't. There's no magical barrier making the USA immune to things other nations have experienced.
> But you can look at the raise to power of almost any dictatorship, you'll find the same exact concep of cleptocrats taking unrestricted access to whatever entity used to fight them.
Good point.