Fascism is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition and a belief in a national social hierarchy, among other things. Sound familiar?

This is exactly what Donald Trump and the Republicans who are supporting him are offering the American people in this election. This country had a flirtation with fascism in the 1930s, when many people in government openly sided with the dictators in Europe. That calamity, and the grim fate met by so many millions of people, consigned fascism to the archives of history – until Trump came on the political scene eight years ago.

Trump’s time in office showed us how much disdain he has for our Constitution and the rule of law, which is what has allowed this country to flourish and its citizens to live free of government interference in their lives for the last 250 years.

Now campaigning for a second term, Trump openly brags about curtailing a woman’s right to make medical decisions about her own life and body. He thinks that the Constitution that protects all of us from government excess should be torn up. He wants the judicial system to give up its independence and report and function only for him. He wants to arrest and deport millions of immigrants who are in this country legally, some of whom have already attained citizenship. And he thinks that the military should be at his beck and call for whatever he wants to use it for, domestic or foreign problems notwithstanding.

Trump feels that he has a right to imprison other politicians who disagree with him or campaign against him; he campaigns as a religious individual but rails against the Jewish people who might vote against him because of antisemitic remarks he has made.

It is hard to understand just what Trump’s supporters expect from him. Do the rich people who back him with tons of money really feel that more tax cuts are worth the risk of losing the freedom and flexibility that has allowed them to build their business empires? He will toss them aside and compromise their assets whenever it becomes advantageous for him. Do the low- and middle-income people in this country really feel that Trump will do anything for them when he has proven time and again that he only looks out for himself? Just ask the contractors and workers who couldn’t get paid when they were working for him in New York and New Jersey.

And is there any veteran or active duty military person who can support a man who ridicules them and their service to our country? Or suggests the execution of their commanding officer, Gen. Mark Milley?

This election is the most consequential in the history of our country. No president has ever done what Trump has done – or attempted to do what Trump says he will do if reelected. Historically, only about 50% of the voting population participates in an election. If people sit this election out because they don’t like either candidate, Trump can very likely win; he has the support of a lot of misguided people.

This election is solely about the salvation of our democracy. Republican or Democratic ideals or policies are not important this year. We can always make a change four years from now if we need to. If Trump wins, there won’t be any more opportunities to make an election change. He will be in charge of the electoral process and our votes will be meaningless. There is only one candidate who believes in our democracy and will support and defend our Constitution. A vote for Kamala Harris is a patriotic vote, a vote for the continuation of our democratic constitutional government. A vote for Trump, or not voting, will take us back to a time when we fought to rid ourselves of an autocratic, dictatorial king of England. We don’t need to make that trip.