Enough to drive you to drink

I lie awake at night thinking about how closely what is going on in the US today parallels the rise of Hitler half a century ago.  An incompetent, egomaniacal leader is elected, who somehow comes to be worshiped as a god.  He remakes his political party in his own image.  All who disagree with him are harshly punished, all who oppose him lose their place in the public square.  A group of people is designated as less than human - in Germany, the Jews, in the US, hispanic immigrants.  So they are rounded up and thrown into prison camps, their children wrested from them and so poorly treated that 1500 of them have simply disappeared.  The right to a free press is attacked, and lies become the currency of political discourse.  Old norms of civility and fairness are tossed aside, as those in power stoke the fires of hatred and resentment, relying on jack-booted thugs to enforce their horrific endeavors.  Dreaming of being a dictator, our leader showers other dictators with admiration and favors.  He treats his country's long-term friends and allies as just so much wasted effort, not valuing them except insofar as they can enrich him and praise him.

And I am terrified, and I can't sleep.