Dana Milbank’s Dec. 10 column was intriguing. His prose painting Donald Trump as a Mussolini-like fascist described President Obama, ironically, well.

The president “uses many of the fascist’s tools: a contempt for facts, spreading a pervasive sense of fear and overwhelming crisis, portraying his backers as victims … suggesting that only his powerful personality can transcend the crisis.” This is our president’s common mode of behavior. Climate change and police victimization of blacks are just two examples.

Obama’s name is more apropos in Milbank’s continued description: (Barack Obama) “echoes what historians said were ‘the appeals of some demagogues of the past century’ in his repetition of ‘divisive phrases, harsh words and violent imagery’.”

Our president routinely implies Republican malice with his deceptive phrases that attribute erroneous motives. Examples of this are, “Why don’t Republicans want Americans to have health care?” and Republicans are scared of widows and orphans. His words incite his party to follow suit with claims Republicans want terrorists to easily get guns.

It’s ironic how a person like Dana Milbank, in righteous indignation, doesn’t seem to see how the straw man he created is in the image of the person and party that he upholds.

Duncan Bean

Spokane Valley