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Qualities of a dictator:

Illegally imposing tariffs that the Constitution holds  to be a responsibility of Congress. 

Ordering the criminal prosecution of his political enemies ( see social media post directing the AG to go after Comey and James).

Ordering National Guard into cities where crime rates are actually down. 

Blowing up other countries' fishing boats with warning or declaration of war. 

Deporting undocumented immigrants without allowing due process.

Taking gifts (bribes) from foreign leaders and business in exchange for favorable treatment. 

Tearing down the East Wing of the White House without a firm plan in place to replace it. 

Firing thousands of federal workers without due cause. 

Constantly denigrating the press, even though they are constitutionally protected under the First Amendment. 

Withholding FEMA funds based on political affiliation. 

nursej22 said:

Qualities of a dictator:

Illegally imposing tariffs that the Constitution holds  to be a responsibility of Congress. 

Ordering the criminal prosecution of his political enemies ( see social media post directing the AG to go after Comey and James).

Ordering National Guard into cities where crime rates are actually down. 

Blowing up other countries' fishing boats with warning or declaration of war. 

Deporting undocumented immigrants without allowing due process.

Taking gifts (bribes) from foreign leaders and business in exchange for favorable treatment. 

Tearing down the East Wing of the White House without a firm plan in place to replace it. 

Firing thousands of federal workers without due cause. 

Constantly denigrating the press, even though they are constitutionally protected under the First Amendment. 

Withholding FEMA funds based on political affiliation. 

Still getting your info from left wing media huh
just off the top of my head....

tariff outcome still pending (as far as I know) But I don't know why Dems have a problem with other Countries paying their fair share. 

Comey and James were investigated for allegations of breaking the law, much like Trump was (constantly) by the Dems. Republicans like law and order. 

Ordered National Guard to protect citizens bc Dem policies were creating unsafe communities. (and more than likely bc of left wing media/Dem rhetoric 2 just were shot in DC, we will see)

Here we go again with the fishing boats. Try narco terrorists!

A few mistakes made in deporting people who should not be in the Country bc of the overwhelming amount of work needing to be done thanks to Biden allowing so many illegals to enter.

Bribes? No idea what you are talking about 

Revamping the White House so our gov does not have to entertain foreign dignitaries under a tent at zero expense to taxpayers....priceless!

Federal workers along with private sector workers get fired all the time. I don't think we are privy to their work records.

Even President have freedom of speech, go figure. Nobody is stopping them from reporting. 

I think you are mistaken about which party was withholding FEMA funds. Last I heard it was Dem FEMA workers who wouldn't help flood victims in NC who had Trump signs in their yards. 

Daisy4RN said:

Still getting your info from left wing media huh
just off the top of my head....

My mistake, yet again. I thought you were interested in a serious discussion. I am not interested in the top of your head. 

Can you offer any credible sources about the FEMA rumor?

What proof is there that the fired-upon boats were "narco terrorists"? The only 2 survivors captured were returned with no charges filed. Why is that? 

I am not denying the president his freedom of speech. Freedom of the press is expressly called out in the First Amendment because they help to keep the populace informed. Dictators attempt to control the press in order to keep facts from citizens. 

Beerman said:

You're kidding, right?  The Democrats go-to strategy is to divide us.  They depend on class and race warfare and making victims out of practically any kind of group they can, etc.  Obama fully participated in this.  

I won't claim Trump is innocent of this and I do wish at times he'd tone it down.  However, the target in his cross-hairs is his political enemies.  Dividing us is hardly his "number 1 goal".

Simply speaking out isn't "TDS".  It's more about the obsession with him and any news about or action taken by him automatically viewed in the very worst possible light.  I think you know the difference.

10 years ago I would have agreed with you.  but what has happened since he was elected has driven me away from that side of the aisle. 

He floods the zone with his chaos strategy and then his followers mock anyone who opposes his actions by calling them deranged, and ask why they are obsessed with him. 

nursej22 said:

[...]

Can you offer any credible sources about the FEMA rumor?

[...]

I'm unsure whether this happened in Morth Carolina, but it did occur in Florida.

FEMA worker fired for telling hurricane responders to avoid homes with pro-Trump signs
FEMA fires employee who told workers to avoid homes with Trump signs after hurricane

Fema official ordered storm crews not to help Trump voters

chare said:

I'm unsure whether this happened in Morth Carolina, but it did occur in Florida.

FEMA worker fired for telling hurricane responders to avoid homes with pro-Trump signs
FEMA fires employee who told workers to avoid homes with Trump signs after hurricane

Fema official ordered storm crews not to help Trump voters

So one worker, who was fired, and about 20 homes were skipped. Now contrast that withholding $320 million from blue states .

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/30/judge-orders-trump-administration-to-preserve-233m-in-fema-grants-it-attempted-to-pull-from-blue-states-00588438

nursej22 said:

So one worker, who was fired, and about 20 homes were skipped. Now contrast that withholding $320 million from blue states .

[...]

The attempted withholding of $233M, not $320M.  From your cited article:

Quote

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration on Tuesday from permanently steering $233 million in FEMA disaster relief funds away from 12 blue states, issuing a restraining order just hours before a deadline that would have seen the funds lost for good.

U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, a Trump appointee to a Rhode Island-based court ...

[...]

In the end, this was one more failed attempt by the Trump administration to reallocate FEMA funds.

chare said:

The attempted withholding of $233M, not $320M.  From your cited article:

In the end, this was one more failed attempt by the Trump administration to reallocate FEMA funds.

Thank you. The "transposing numbers" bug hit me again. 

It seems like reallocating funds and overriding congress is the act of a dictator. 

nursej22 said:

Thank you. The "transposing numbers" bug hit me again. 

It seems like reallocating funds and overriding congress is the act of a dictator. 

No.  A court ruling against an administration isn't evidence that the president is a dictator.

While Biden trying to foregive student loans, and even trying to go around the Supreme Court to do so, or him failing to enforce immigration laws would both be better examples, even he wasn't a dictator.

mtmkjr said:

10 years ago I would have agreed with you.  but what has happened since he was elected has driven me away from that side of the aisle. 

He floods the zone with his chaos strategy and then his followers mock anyone who opposes his actions by calling them deranged, and ask why they are obsessed with him. 

I just said its not all opposition that is deranged.  It's the deranged rhetoric that leads to the mockery.  Such as comparisons to Hitler.  Or, when the National Guard was deployed, it was discussed in these threads how unarmed civilians would be used for target practice.

Beerman said:

No.  A court ruling against an administration isn't evidence that the president is a dictator.

While Biden trying to foregive student loans, and even trying to go around the Supreme Court to do so, or him failing to enforce immigration laws would both be better examples, even he wasn't a dictator.

My point was that dictator-like behavior includes playing favorites, such as withholding benefits from states do not support the dictator. 
If you want to talk about Biden, that is a separate thread.

nursej22 said:

My point was that dictator-like behavior includes playing favorites, such as withholding benefits from states do not support the dictator. 
If you want to talk about Biden, that is a separate thread.

Good then that you're acknowledging those states werent supporting his enforcement of immigration laws and his policies.

Your point then is taken. That also means every president has "dictator-like behavior".

More Biden examples:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-biden-family-planning-oklahoma-abortion-dispute-rcna167345

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/ag-paxton-sues-biden-administration-threatening-withhold-nutrition-assistance-school-programs-do-not

https://t-roosevelt.org/biden-administration-withholds-funding-for-schools-with-hunting-archery-programs/