I started to make a long effort post detailing Putin’s rise to - and subsequent consolidation of - power, but then I came to my senses and realized it would be pointless. If I went through with it, you would just do what you’ve been doing already, dismiss all sources I provide as false and biased propaganda while engaging in ridiculous whataboutism. I decided it would be a poor use of my time, is this really how you want to be spending yours?

Putin and Xi are dictators in the same way that Trump is trying to be. They consolidated power under their office, removing term limits and checks, and manipulate the democratic process in their favor (often with blatant ballot stuffing and crushing opposition, in the case of Putin).

The US political system, as corrupt as it is, isn’t quite to that point yet, though unfortunately that might be changing soon.