Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman warned on Wednesday that the 2020 election will be the most dangerous for the country since the divisions preceding the Civil War.
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Krugman took to Twitter to argue that President Donald Trump’s own attitude, combined with his supporters readiness to commit acts of violence, meant the next few weeks could be terrible.
“I wonder how many people are ready for just how bad the next six weeks plus are going to be,” Krugman wrote.
“This is going to be the most dangerous election since 1860, with substantial odds that America as we know it will be damaged or even destroyed.”
I wonder how many people are ready for just how bad the next six weeks plus are going to be. This is going to be the most dangerous election since 1860, with substantial odds that America as we know it will be damaged or even destroyed 1/
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 23, 2020
“Trump’s campaign strategy is to brazen it out with obvious lies: the virus isn’t a threat, we have a vaccine, the economy is booming, violent mobs are roaming the streets of New York. Many people will believe him.”
Krugman noted that Trump is not likely to win the election on November 3 but his defeat still carries major risks for the future of the country and the possibility of violence.
“Expect violence from Trump supporters, maybe lots of it, both to disrupt voting on Election Day and in the days that follow,” he warned.
“Is this overheated? So far Trump and his party have borne out every prediction by pessimists and made fools of optimists.”
“If you aren’t terrified, you aren’t paying attention. But terror isn’t productive; you should be asking what you personally can do to save democracy, which is very much under threat.”
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Darragh Roche is a journalist covering U.S. politics and media
