Is Russia/Putin or Donald Trump and his allies a greater threat to American democracy as we know it?

My answer is: Both!  We still don't know the full extent of Russian interference and influence in our government and society, but that is not the subject of this blog.  It is obvious that our so-called democracy is far from democratic, and seems to be inexorably progressing down the slippery slope towards a sham of democracy (or at least more of one). Instead of trying to put the brakes on that process and draining the swamp as he promised, Donald Trump is pushing down on the accelerator in many ways.  He has unprecedented conflicts of interest.  His administration is a propaganda factory, with Trump the prime minister of propaganda.  Perhaps the most pernicious actions are his relentless attacks on a free and independent press, screaming “fake news” at every rally and specifically on any story critical of him, regardless of its accuracy.  Although it is hard for me and many others to understand, there is apparently a large minority segment of the population which believes our liar-in-chief more than the mainstream media, even when there is clear evidence to the contrary, a situation reinforced by his constant repetition of such attacks, and its echoing by his allies and spokespeople. I doubt that Trump understands or even cares how dangerous this behavior is to our democratic system. I tend to shy away from conspiracy theories, although it would be even far more alarming if this were a conscious plot to even further stoke divisions within the country in order to pave the way for a more totalitarian form of government led by Dear Leader Trump (emulating Russia’s Putin, whom Trump obviously greatly admires). It is also appalling how few Republicans are calling out Trump on this critical issue.  Please read an opinion piece about this issue in the Daily Beast by conservative Rick Wilson, which also very aptly describes Trump as the host of American Horror Story: White House. 

What do you think?