“Regardless of what happens in 2020 Trump supporters will be a potent pro-authoritarian voting bloc in the years to come.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/10/12/trump-voter-authoritarian-research/

Study finds “shockingly high levels of anti-democratic beliefs and prejudicial attitudes among Trump backers.”

“They found a striking linear relationship between support for Trump and an authoritarian mind-set.”

“Many fervent Trump supporters, Altemeyer and Dean write, “are submissive, fearful, and longing for a mighty leader who will protect them from life’s threats. They divide the world into friend and foe”

This matters. We need to elect Joe Biden— but we also need to understand that combatting authoritarianism in the US will be the work of of a generation, not the work of a single election.

If Biden wins (VOTE!) and the Dems retake the Senate we will be off to a good start. But “build back better” applies to American culture as much as it applies to the economy.

We also need to rebuild civic education in a manner that supports democracy, embracing diversity, public service and an ethic of care.