I have to agree with much of what you said here.

In 2016, I thought Mr. Trump had authoritarian tendencies, but was not competent enough to effect a coup or pseudo-coup. I thought Mr. Trump was a warning shot across the bow that an authoritarian rule with a Trump 2.0 was not that far off in USA's future.

January 6, 2021 was a case of inept planning to cause a constitutional crisis. A more capable leader would have had capable lieutenants in the mob to direct the frenzy to a certain objective. A more capable leader would have made alliances with police forces and the military--or parts thereof. A more capable leader would have used quorum rules to thwart the passage of the electoral college vote .

I was predicting a Trump 2.0. It seems Mr. Trump has become that leader.

I spent a little time on the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025 websites. There is a master plan in place--that was not there in 2016 and 2021.

But as your article has alluded, this situation has deep roots, which most people do not want to understand.