(But you can’t fool all the people all the time)

The Rules of the Game:
A Political Strategy to Protect Democracy

• Step One: cheating – reject or attempt to change
the rules of the game in advance

• Step Two: alternative facts – if cheating fails, take it
up a notch to question the integrity of opponents
(This is often referred to as Gaslighting)

Step Three: Scapegoating – find a vulnerable minority
group to blame

• Step Four: Bullying – to force opponents to give up
using unsavory tactics and violating the timeless
children’s adage:
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size.”

• Step Five: Threaten opponents who don’t
back down…escalate the rhetoric and Intimidate

• Step Six: Fear takes over, Opponents of Fascism
retreat: hopelessness and apathy become widespread

• Step Seven: An open Invitation to violence as
momentum increases by Fascists and former opponents
begin to become Silent Bystanders

• Step Eight: Actual violence is inevitable, as a lack
of vigilance and a false sense of security by opponents
signals Open Season

Copyright © 2024, Jonathan Goldin, LICSW; J.D.