http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/donald-trump-2016-authoritarian-213533

An interesting read and food for thought.

Donal Trump is the Republican frontrunner. "Thought" has nothing to do with it.

The article reminds me of pictures around 2004 or so, of rallies in Russia where people paraded with banners showing the hammer and sickle and pictures of Stalin.

Actually, I appreciate that article very much. It finally explains why otherwise sane people look to Donald F. Trump for salvation. I kept thinking that it was in spite of his bullying and smirking jingoism and xenophobia. Now I understand that it's because of that. It worked for W, right?

Dems and Reps are two sides of the same authoritarian coin.

Everyone with half a brain knows it.

Dems and Reps are two sides of the same authoritarian coin.

Bullshіt. That couldn't even be said of the rest of the Republican field. (Other than Cruz, a nutbag who has openly vowed to destroy the government, something which would have got him hanged at any other point in history.)

authoritarian
Pronunciation: /ɔːˌθɒrɪˈtɛːrɪən/
adjective

1: Favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom:
"the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic regime"

2:. Showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others; dictatorial:
"he had an authoritarian and at times belligerent manner"

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/authoritarian

Carson? Christie? Kasich? Rand Paul? Rubio? Even Jeb doesn't fit the definition. Which one of those candidates do you consider "authoritarian?"

More than anything, though, personally I'm surprised at your knee-jerk response. That's the lazy answer, which I consider far beneath you. Apparently I have more respect for your opinion than you do.

many people support banning things or making them compulsory, if people are free to make a different choice & they usually favour this in the name of freedom

In a way it's understandable and right-tilting people just aren't as stupid as the right-win political apparatus would like us to believe; they're not unlike European right-wing people.

They care about their nation, dislike immigration etc. etc. but they're not cretins who believe empty mantras about 'free-market capitalism' or are stupid enough to think a higher minimum wage will destroy the economy or raising Medicare and Medicaid will bankrupt the country and that it's necessary to destroy any kind of social services while the rich get bailed-out, get subsidized by the taxpayer etc. They also see the crumbling infrastructure around America, understanding that the Republican elites have become so cravenly devoted to private power they'll shift their taxpayer dollars to them before doing anything beneficial to the community.