This question begs for an answer. In the past, when a dictator takes power, there is a brief respite prior to enacting mandates and edicts. There usually is a period of dismantlement, which in the case of the United States, began during trump’s first Presidency.

The Supreme Court was the first victims of trump’s dismantlement of American democracy, but what will be the next? It would seem, based on trump’s threats, that the Justice Department and the EPA may suffer the same fate. Trump’s disregard for science, particularly climate science means that environmental protection and the EPA itself will be neutered to ensure that the fossil fuel industry both in drilling and fracking can proceed, unobstructed and unconstrained.

Trump’s maniacal obsession with retribution, will, again, if he is elected, involve the firing of large numbers of government employees, especially those who were part of the democratic parties governing apparatus during the Biden years. His plan to find and deport millions of people would undermine the rule of law and political certainty. Chaos will prevail and, according to 23 Nobel Memorial Prize-winning economists, Trump’s plans for tariffs, tax cuts and an immigration crackdown would “lead to higher prices, larger deficits, and greater inequality.”

While Trump rails against waste in the federal bureaucracy, he suggests that the richest man on earth should decide who stays and who goes, – where fiscal cuts will be made, – to the tune of 2 trillion dollars! Of course, this will never extend to Trump’s friends and fellow kleptocrats. Musk cares little whether markets tumble and contraction occurs, as long as it doesn’t affect him. His response to that probability was, “sounds about right.”

Critics including Bob Elliott, chief investment officer at Unlimited Funds Investment Group, said the idea of cutting $2 trillion from the budget in any immediate timeframe was “totally implausible”, pointing out that it would equate to almost all discretionary funding – currently at …$1.7 trillion – which includes transportation, education, housing and environmental programs.

Trumps removal of American Armed Forces from NATO would have devastating consequences for European security, as Ukraine would almost certainly be unable to survive. The likelihood would be that a greater continental war would occur in Europe as Russia, now assured that the NATO would not intervene, would expand the war after Ukraine and seek to attack either Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia or all of them.

America’s ability to project power would likely be severely damaged as nations that now house American bases would likely discontinue doing so. America’s isolation would rapidly increase as most western nations would no longer trust America. This would extend into immigration, travel and more importantly, trade. Losing access to a market even larger than the United States itself, Europe would seek new alliances and trade agreements, further isolating America.

A scenario similar to 1930 would quickly develop, emboldening dictators, autocrats and demagogues globally, as America retracted from democracy. Potentially, the United States itself would fracture. Civil War and the creation of new states may well occur as the US disintegrates into chaos and violence.

Many Americans will leave the United States if Trump’s retributive tendencies occur unchecked. The best and the brightest will seek safety and security by emigrating to democracies where education, science and technology will thrive, benefiting from Trump’s sociopathic domestic behaviours. Industry does no like uncertainty, therefore sectors of the U.S. economy would and will seek stability abroad. The impacts of heavy tariffs and trade wars will shrink the U.S. economy, increase unemployment, increase civil strife and violence across the United States.

So what should you do? Vote now to save democracy, or prepare for the outcome of an unstable and dangerous kleptocracy to take control in America, returning America to a time after the Civil War when racism, inequality, unemployment, deprivation and chaos ruled.

The choice is yours America.