WaPo's Milbank cheers Biden’s ‘semi-fascism’ smear of MAGA-Republicans: 'Taking us’ to ‘authoritarianism'

Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cheered on President Biden’s smear of Donald Trump-supporting Republicans as "semi-fascists," in a column on Friday.

In his piece, titled, "Biden just used the f-word — and he’s correct," Milbank recounted how Biden said at a recent fundraiser, "It’s not just Trump. It’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something: It’s like semi-fascism." 

The columnist also mentioned how Biden called MAGA Republicans "a threat to our very democracy," and stated, "They refuse to accept the will of the people. They embrace — embrace — political violence."

Milbank offered complete support for Biden’s statements, writing, "Good for him. Those who cherish democracy need to call out the proto-fascist tendencies now seizing the Trump-occupied GOP."

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The columnist then justified Biden’s claims by describing these "semi-fascist" tendencies among the Trump-supporting GOP. 

"Republican candidates up and down the November ballot reject the legitimate outcome of the last election — and are making it easier to reject the will of the voters in the next. Violent anti-government rhetoric from party leaders targets the FBI, the Justice Department and the IRS," he wrote, adding, "A systemic campaign of disinformation makes their supporters feel victimized by shadowy ‘elites.’"

Milbank declared, "These are hallmarks of authoritarianism."

The columnist cited polling to demonstrate that other Americans feel the same way. He wrote, "Americans are taking notice. A new NBC News poll finds that ‘threats to democracy’ has become the top concern of voters, replacing the cost of living as the No. 1 concern. The 21 percent who cite it as the "most important issue facing the country" include 29 percent of Democrats, and even 17 percent of Republicans."

Though the Republican Party seems to show no remorse or self-reflection, only deflection, according to Milbank. "The Republican response to Biden’s warning? ‘Despicable,’ Republican National Committee spokesman Nathan Brand said in a statement. ‘Biden forced Americans out of their jobs …’" he wrote, accusing the GOP of a flippant response to the topic.

"That’s emblematic of the GOP response generally when called out on its assaults on democracy: victimhood and fabrication," he added. 

Showcasing this further, Milbank mentioned how Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., pointed out that the real authoritarianism was under Dr. Anthony Fauci. "If you’re looking for authoritarianism, look no further than what happened under the watch of Anthony Fauci and his allies in the elite establishment," Rubio claimed.

Milbank also recounted how Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., said, "I’m just sick of seeing him [Fauci]. … Someone needs to grab that little elf and chuck him across the Potomac."

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"Dehumanizing a foe’s appearance and fantasizing about violence against him: Where have we seen this before?" the columnist asked, accusing DeSantis of having authoritarian tendencies. 

Comparing Dr. Fauci and DeSantis, he wrote, "All Fauci could do was give advice. Some governors followed it. DeSantis didn’t. Instead, he fueled conspiracy theories, dubious treatments, and hostility to masks and vaccines. And Florida, after vaccines became available, had by far the highest covid-19 death rate among big states."

Further trashing the Florida governor, he claimed, "Since then, DeSantis has devoted himself to book banning, voter intimidation and restrictions on what schools can teach about race, history and sexuality — all while DeSantis, a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, bashes ‘elites.’"

Continuing to accuse DeSantis of authoritarianism, Millbank added, "Such relentless attacks on facts, expertise, learning and voting, like fantasies of violence against a nefarious elite, are tools of the authoritarian. But don’t take Biden’s word for it."

He concluded his column with a quote from political philosopher Hannah Arendt: "The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e., the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e., the standards of thought) no longer exist."

He then asserted, "This is where the MAGA Republicans are taking us. It’s past time to call it what it is."

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