Governing vs. Dictatorship

You have all seen this pattern from me before.  First let's define some words using a reputable source, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, so we can all agree on what these words mean.  Of course there are those that might say that Merriam-Webster Dictionary is 'fake' knowledge.  Those same people might suggest that there is alternate knowledge......you know, like breibart dictionary.  Anyway, enough humor for now, let's get statrted.

- Definition of govern
transitive verb

1a : to exercise continuous sovereign authority over; especially : to control and direct the making and administration of policy in <The country was governed by a king.>b : to rule without sovereign power and usually without having the authority to determine basic policy

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/govern

- Definition of dictate
transitive verb

1: to speak or read for a person to transcribe or for a machine to record <dictating a letter to her secretary>

2a : to issue as an order b : to impose, pronounce, or specify authoritatively <dictate the terms of surrender> < … the league will dictate policy for all teams … — Alex Yannis>c : to require or determine necessarily <injuries dictated the choice of players> <The weather will dictate how long we stay.>

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictate

- Definition of dictatorship

1: the office of dictator

2: autocratic rule, control, or leadership <people suffering under his dictatorship>

3a : a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small cliqueclique <Communism and dictatorship>b : a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated<rising up against a military dictatorship>c : a despotic state <establishing a dictatorship>

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictatorship

- Definition of dictator

1a : a person granted absolute emergency power; especially, history : one appointed by the senate (see senate 1a) of ancient Romeb : one holding complete autocratic control : a person with unlimited governmental powerc : one ruling in an absolute (see absolute 2) and often oppressive way <fascist dictators>

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictator

When I read the definition for govern, I see a fine line within its definition   Definition 1a) points out that governing involves "sovereign authority" and that authority has the responsibility to "control and direct the making and administration of policy".  Then, definition 1b) points out that it also means "to rule without sovereign power and usually without having the authority to determine basic policy".  As you can see a) defines authority to make and administer policy, while b) notes that it does not mean that there is sovereign "power" and that it does not give authority to "determine basic policy".  So......as I noted there is a fine line to be walked when governing.

Looking at the concept of dictatorship, I believe it is very telling to read that it is " a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique clique".  The real concern here is the "small clique".  I gotta tell you, between trump and the goebbels twins (steve bannon and kelly whatever her name is) I'm feeling like I'm back in high school.  These three people are emotionally  immature. They are bullies and as such they are attempting to dictate, as bullies do.

My reading and comparison of these two words, of these two styles of exercising authority indicate to me that governing is nuanced, it requires care so that authority does not become autocratic power.  Our constitution was designed to help us prevent autocratic rule, but nothing that humans produce is perfect because we are not perfect.  If, we have a confluence of circumstances, where all three branches of government become complicit in handing power over to the administrative branch, then we can throw The Constitution out the window.  Reality is that The Constitution is a guide for reasonable people.  If people become unreasonable at certaiin positions in our government then the Constitution can be disregarded.

Yesterday, two high level employees of our government were fired by trump. Sally Yates, the acting Attorney general until a trump nominee is approved by the Senate, and shortly after, the acting head of Immagration, Daniel Ragsdale.  This behavior on trump's part is leaving me feeling very unsafe.  These are actions that we saw in the USSR and in other dictatorships around the world.  In my 61 years, I don't recall anything like this in our country, in my country.

trump has fired these public servants because they would not uphold his "PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES" executive order. Yates and Ragsdale believed the order to be unConstitutional.  I have already started to read the full text of the order and will report on my findings in the next day or two.  I am not a lawyer, but I can read and understand the English language.  I also can follow the paths that are spelled out in legal documents.

The world is watching.  America has always been a beacon of light and hope, but trump and his clique are turning the light off. We have, in our past, gone through some xenophobic periods.  We will move past this, but as the world becomes a more global culture and watches the U.S., they will shut us out and isolate us, and for good reason.  We must fight to keep our standing as the moral high ground on our planet and not allow whatever elements of a dictatorship to take hold.  trump, either consciously or unconsciously wants to be a dictator and used to being a dictator.  We, the decent people of America will continue to resist the issues that trump is bringing to our nation.