Do you want to know the difference between Reaganism and Trumpism?

Ronald Reagan stands before freedom-loving West Germans at the Berlin Wall, and says, “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The wall comes down, the Soviet Union collapses, the Cold War is won and millions of people in eastern Europe go from dictatorship to freedom.

Trumpism v Reaganism - and the very different walls they tore down.Credit: Joe Benke

Donald Trump stands on the South Lawn of the White House with demolition crews. “I as President say Tear Down the East Wing!” The East Wing comes down, his press secretary says Trump is the “builder-in-chief”, a ballroom is erected, thousands of uber-wealthy Trump contributors come to party, and America goes from democracy to autocracy.

The premier of Ontario, Canada, had the temerity of placing an ad quoting President Ronald Reagan decrying the destructive effects of tariffs. Trump immediately raised his punitive tariffs on Canada by 10 per cent.

Trumpism has eclipsed Reaganism.

We are nearly one year past the election that brought Trump to unprecedented presidential power. We are one year away from the last chance by the American people – the midterm elections for Congress next November – to check Trump’s exercise of authoritarian power.

Donald Trump has managed to change the world and is changing America years after........

© The Age