Trump’s autogolpe by any other name still a failure

When I first saw this weird word “autogolpe” in a Michelle Goldberg New York Times commentary about President Donald Trump, I thought it might have something to do with Trump’s dodgy ways of playing golf. Maybe he has some secret high-tech autogolfing club that gives him unbelievable distance and accuracy, allowing him to cheat without anyone knowing.

Having lusted after such a super club myself, it was a little disappointing to discover that the word “autogolpe” has an entirely different meaning and no such super club yet exists (despite the claims of many golf club manufacturers).

It turns out that “autogolpe” has a much more sinister meaning — a self-coup (or autocoup, from the Spanish autogolpe) is a form of putsch or coup d’état in which a nation’s leader, despite having come to power through legal means, dissolves or renders powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assumes extraordinary powers not granted under normal circumstances. Other measures taken may include annulling the nation’s constitution, suspending civil courts and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers. The unlawful seizure of power by dictators such as Na

poleon, Mussolini, Hitler and Putin comes to mind.

Maybe some of Trump’s few remaining caddies and cads can convince him that he will have more financial success pitching auto-golf clubs to his base than pursuing an autogolpe political strategy.

Don Bell Troy