7-Opinion
E
ver since Donald Trump was
inaugurated back in 2017,
much of American politics
has revolved around a fundamental
question of political science: What
exactly
defines
authoritarianism,
and does Donald Trump fit within
that mold? Though it’s obvious that
Trump
harbors
anti-democratic
ambitions, a defining feature of his
presidency is that although he might
want to be an authoritarian, he’s bad
at actually achieving his ideological
and political goals. Looking back on
the past four years, it is obvious that
the person who has done the most
to stymie Trump’s authoritarian
instincts, via a combination of political
ineptitude and sheer laziness, is
Trump himself. While effective
anti-democratic leaders work to
consolidate and expand their political
control through economic populism,
disciplined attacks on democratic
policies and opportunistic power
grabs, Trump has repeatedly failed to
do this, rendering him a phony, failed
authoritarian.
Before evaluating what he’s done
(or failed to do) as president, it’s
important to acknowledge Trump’s
rhetoric — which is undeniably anti-
democratic — as a way to understand
his
authoritarian
tendencies.
Since taking office, Trump has
consistently
flouted
democratic
norms and expressed a willingness
to undermine the integrity of our
elections by claiming the electoral
system itself is rigged against him.
After the 2016 election, which he
won despite losing the popular vote,
Trump baselessly claimed on
Twitter that, “in addition to winning
the Electoral College in a landslide,
I won the popular vote if you deduct
the millions of people who voted
illegally.” Similarly, in the lead-
up to the 2020 election, Trump
has falsely claimed that voting by
mail produces widespread fraud (it
doesn’t), and therefore the election
results may be illegitimate.
After
a
group
of
far-right
individuals
plotted
to
kidnap
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Trump
downplayed the severity of the
situation and laid the blame on
Whitmer, saying she was unpopular
and should reopen the state by lifting
COVID-19 safety measures. Lastly,
and most alarmingly, he has refused
to commit to a peaceful transition of
power.
These
collectively
demonstrate Trump’s distaste for
democracy, lack of respect for political
opponents and potential willingness
to turn to authoritarian measures.
However, despite all of his
authoritarian rhetoric, Trump has
demonstrated a consistent inability to
implement anti-democratic measures
or advance his power in meaningful
ways. While apt and cunning
authoritarian
leaders
use
their
powers to centralize control over
the government and cement their
rule, Trump has largely failed to do
this. In addition, he has appointed a
cabinet of partisan hacks, prioritizing
personal loyalty over actual ability.
This is the largest extent to which he
has actually implemented anything
resembling authoritarianism.
Crucially, Trump has failed to
centralize his power in several
ways but primarily through his
inability to appeal to the people
and failure to extend the federal
government’s
reach.
An
oft-
overlooked aspect of effective
authoritarian
leaders
is
their
ability to gain preliminary support
through economic populism and
other measures that actually appeal
to
the
people.
Authoritarians
around the world and across
history, from Benito Mussolini to
Viktor Orban, have understood
that;
they
(and
most
other
authoritarians) utilized fiscal and
economic policies which promoted
growth among the working class
and
reduced
unemployment.
Although Trump talks a big game
about economic populism, his only
major economic accomplishment
to date is a tax cut for the wealthy,
which is both unpopular — even
among Republicans — and perhaps
the quintessential example of an
anti-populist policy. To top that
off, Trump initiated a trade war
with China, which has ultimately
both hurt farmers and failed to
bring back manufacturing jobs.
This is reflected in Trump’s
approval ratings; although he
frequently rails against “coastal
elites” and positions himself as a
protector of the working-class, he
is more unpopular among lower-
income people than any other
socioeconomic group.
In addition to his economic
shortcomings,
Trump
has
also struggled to advance his
authoritarian ideals for a second
reason: his inability to move
the
levers
of
power
within
government.
For
the
Trump
administration, this has come
to the forefront primarily when
dealing
with
the
Supreme
Court. Although the court has a
conservative majority, Trump and
his administration have repeatedly
lost cases which appear politically
winnable because of their desire to
cut corners instead of constructing
coherent arguments.
Opinion
A
s
the
winter
months
approach, we begin to
expect colder weather,
holiday festivities, cozy nights
in and the like. But for many,
the earlier sunsets and barren
trees foreshadow something far
less jolly: seasonal depression.
If you find yourself feeling more
lethargic,
less
motivated
or
inclined to stay in bed for longer
than usual as temperatures drop,
you may have a case of the winter
blues. If your symptoms are more
intense, such as loss of interest
in normally enjoyed activities,
hopelessness and the inclination
to isolate yourself from friends
and
family,
you
could
be
experiencing a more extreme
form of the winter blues known
as Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD).
Symptoms
resulting
from
the change in season can be
expressed in varying intensities,
ranging from a mere low mood
to a crippling depressive episode.
If you’re experiencing symptoms
of the winter blues, it’s important
that you not only recognize such
signs, but validate them and take
positive steps toward a healthier
holiday season, regardless of the
severity.
If
these
symptoms
sound
familiar, the good news is that
you’re not alone. According to
Rush, about 6% of Americans
experience SAD, and about 14% of
Americans experience the winter
blues. Conversely, only around
7% of American adults have
experienced at least one major
depressive episode, making the
winter blues approximately twice
as common as major depressive
disorder, and even more so in
the northernmost regions of the
country. Furthermore, women
are more likely than men to
struggle with SAD or the winter
blues.
Because of the commonality
of the winter blues, many people
assume that they should be able
to simply handle the symptoms,
as so many others do. Many
may also think that spring will
come soon, so seeking help or
treatment is a waste of time.
However,
symptoms
of
the
winter blues can be debilitating
and interrupt normal patterns
of your daily life, no matter
how long they last or how many
people around you experience
them. Your motivation to seek
help, in any situation, should
not be dependent on whether or
not others do the same. If you’re
struggling,
you
shouldn’t
be
afraid to ask for help. Of course,
actively
seeking
support
is
easier said than done, but taking
steps toward improvement is an
important skill that should be
practiced nonetheless.
The easiest steps to improving
your mood during the winter
can be derived directly from
the widely accepted causes of
seasonal depression. Both SAD
and the winter blues result from
the disruption of our circadian
rhythms by the darkening of
the skies during the season.
Our bodies recognize that it’s
nighttime by the amount of
light that can be detected. When
there’s less light, our brains
recognize that it’s time to rest,
and our bodies secrete melatonin,
the natural hormone that allows
us to sleep. Usually our bodies are
right in their assumptions about
when to fall asleep, however
these assumptions begin to falter
during the winter months. The
darkness consumes more of the
day and our bodies, thinking it’s
nighttime, continue to release
melatonin,
causing
daytime
lethargy. Cue: the winter blues.
Most scientists accept that
the lack of natural sunlight
is the culprit. Fortunately, a
solution exists for those who
can access it. Light therapy
simulates natural light, resetting
our bodies’ internal clocks and
mitigating the symptoms of the
winter blues. The process simply
requires
one
to
consistently
sit or work near a light box for
around half an hour each day.
Light boxes provide the natural
light that prevents the secretion
of melatonin at the wrong times,
targeting the primary cause of
the winter blues. The University
of Michigan allows students
to access light boxes around
campus at no cost. These can
be found at the Counseling And
Psychological Services Wellness
Zone in Pierpont Commons,
as well as on the lower level
of
Shapiro
Undergraduate
Library. However, with COVID-
19
limiting
accessibility
to
light boxes in public spaces,
students may find more success
in purchasing their own light
boxes if they can afford it to treat
symptoms of the winter blues.
This year, though, the winter
blues may hit a little harder than in
past winters. Feelings of isolation
are already widespread as a result
of COVID-19 and the onset of the
winter blues for many will only
make them worse. As the winter
approaches, make sure to safely
stay connected with friends and
family through socially distanced
or virtual events. Also, given that
so many experience symptoms
of seasonal depression, don’t be
afraid to talk to others about your
feelings and reach out to your
loved ones to help them better
handle the lethargy of the season.
The
winter
blues
are
common, especially here in the
northern part of the country.
If you’re feeling more down
than usual with the impending
winter, you’re in the same boat
as many others around you.
However, this doesn’t mean you
should simply grin and bear
it. Your struggles are valid,
regardless of who does or does
not share them, so take steps to
make the season a little more
jolly for yourself and for your
loved ones.
Winter blues are common, but they
shouldn’t be downplayed
ILANA MERMELSTEIN | COLUMNIST
T
his
semester
has
been
particularly
difficult
for
many students. The typical
pressures of challenging classes,
midterms
and
online
learning
combined
with
current
events
have created an extremely stressful
semester. The lack of any school breaks
that offered respite from schoolwork
has worsened the situation. This needs
to change for next semester.
Due to COVID-19, the University
of Michigan canceled the typical fall
and spring breaks. Colleges across
the country introduced this change
to prevent students from traveling
back and forth between campus
and home, therefore running the
risk of spreading COVID-19 back
to campus or to their hometowns.
Canceling breaks is an important
step to help stop the spread of
COVID-19. However, the University
must take meaningful steps for
next semester to make up for the
increased academic pressure caused
by these changes.
The Central Student Government
has come up with a proposal to
help address this issue. They are
proposing a week in the winter
term where students will have no
high-stakes assignments. In the
proposal, CSG defines high-stakes
assignments as any assignment that
makes up more than 10% of the
course’s grade. This week would
give students a much-needed break
from schoolwork without enticing
students to go home.
In-person
instruction
has
been replaced by countless Zoom
meetings, a format that many
students
find
unconducive
to
learning. The switch to online school
has left many students feeling that
their
instructors
are
assigning
far too much work and making it
impossible to stay on top of things.
Most extracurricular activities have
also been moved online, removing
the fun from the typical out-of-class
experiences that students enjoy.
Last year, my clubs served as a
much-needed break: a time to hang
out with friends who care about
similar issues. Although many clubs
are making efforts to make online
meetings enjoyable after a long day
of Zoom classes, it can be difficult for
students to overcome Zoom fatigue
and attend a club meeting which is,
yet again, online.
These academic constraints have
been combined with everything
happening in the world around us.
Concerns about our health, the health
of others and the state of our world are
ever-present. We have to deal with the
stress of changing government orders
and social isolation. The election
has also been a major stressor for
students. Living in a swing state where
almost every commercial, YouTube
advertisement and mailer is focused
on the election has made it impossible
to tune out the noise. Students who
could be negatively impacted by the
results of the election have felt the
pressure of it on top of our academic
and health-related stressors.
The winter semester may be even
more difficult than this one. Winter
is always drearier than the fall. Given
the high likelihood of a second wave
of COVID-19 cases in the winter, it
is likely that students will be stuck
in their homes most of the time.
With cold weather and short dark
days, students will also be unable
to do many stress-relieving outdoor
activities, such as exercise, picnics
on the Diag with friends and group
studying in the Law Quadrangle.
Having a week without high-
stakes
assignments
would
be
extremely helpful. Students could
use this time to catch up on work or
take a much-needed mental health
break. During this time, students
would still attend online classes
and could have small assignments.
Therefore, the University would
not need to worry about students
traveling back and forth between
their hometowns and campus.
Some might argue that this break
would hinder instructors’ ability
to teach, but it would be a welcome
respite for them. They are also
experiencing unique issues related
to the pandemic, such as learning
new technologies and adapting
to new teaching styles while
balancing their family lives. A week
without having to grade tests and
assignments would also be a break
for them.
We keep hearing platitudes
from the University about how they
support us. However, what we really
need is action. College on its own is
tough, and when combined with our
current situation, it is completely
understandable why students are
struggling. By adopting the CSG
proposal, the University would show
a commitment to student mental
health and wellbeing.
ERIN WHITE
Managing Editor
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.
ELIZABETH LAWRENCE
Editor in Chief
BRITTANY BOWMAN AND
EMILY CONSIDINE
Editorial Page Editors
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Ilana Mermelstein can be reached
at imerm@umich.edu.
ISABELLE SCHINDLER | COLUMNIST
Give us a break
Ray Ajemian
Zack Blumberg
Brittany Bowman
Emily Considine
Elizabeth Cook
Brandon Cowit
Jess D’Agostino
Jenny Gurung
Krystal Hur
Min Soo Kim
Lizzy Peppercorn
Zoe Phillips
Mary Rolfes
Gabrijela Skoko
Joel Weiner
Erin White
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.
ELIZABETH LAWRENCE
Editor in Chief
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of The Daily’s Editorial Board.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Design courtesy of Man Lam Cheng
Zack Blumberg is an Opinion Senior
Editor and a junior in the College of
Literature, Science & the Arts and can
be reached at zblumber@umich.edu.
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Phony authoritarianism: How Donald Trump stopped himself
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