Just listened to Dahlia Lithwick’s podcast with Kim Lane Scheppele (BlueSky description “tracking autocratic legalism around the world from Princeton University”)
I think Lucidians will find it of interesting - sobering, but not shocking to us given what we learn from Ruth.
What I struggle with is my observation of Americans who read and post on social media that reveals there is still an enormous mental block keeping them from clearly perceiving the threat Trump poses. They think he's merely stupid, a fool, a buffoon who merely wants to enrich himself by using his political power. Trump is much smarter than he seems, and although he has brought plenty of mediocre minds into his administration, this simply is a ruse. Distractions are Trump's biggest talent, and yes, there is a lot of political theater. He even seems to enjoy the opprobrium he has been generating with these distractions. Trump is a very dangerous man, but people still do not grasp the extent of the danger.
Thank you for this post. No one seems to realize that Trump's tariff threats are not being used to address trade imbalance or remake American industrial policy but rather a means for him to gain political power. It is obvious that is being used to bring transnational corporations in line, threaten our neighbors, small countries and the EU. China was never going to be the brunt of them. It was the same with his first term. Why are people surprised by this?
I think a lot of people do, but not the people who voted for Trump or stayed home and did not vote. I feel that the heavyhanded EO week did wake more people up to the new reality, and not just poor people. Everyone was affected in academia, or thought they would be, and can see that it is up the turnpike. Same with medicine. I can imagine that shutting medicare down will shut down some hospitals and doctor's practices. Same with another effect of making gov. jobs so insecure means people are less likely to spend and that will effect people. I am wondering on which day we are going to say Trump has successfully destroyed the US, getting us out of the way of Putin, and leaving him to focus on the EU, and NATO countries.
Putin gave a speech the day after our elections. He basically said that each country, all over the world, was entitled to act as they please. Especially rulers within a country. They should do what they want to their citizens. Wars are normal and to be expected. Mikhail Zygar (The Last Pioneer substack) helmed the last independent TV station in Russia. And he covered this speech. Why haven't we heard about it?
There are a lot of things we aren't hearing. It reminds me of the first months of the Iraq War when American journalism was absolutely abysmal. I resorted to reading foreign news and I will do so again. Thank you for telling us about Putin's speech. The lack of coverage is very concerning.
I did wonder if Trump's comments about Greenland, the Panama Canal, Canada, and the Gulf of Mexico were his way of showing off and being one of the big boys with Xi and Putin And also a signal. I was curious about Trump's comment that Putin wasn't doing so well. ANd I've been wondering if part of a counter to autocracy here now is overcoming the hope so many have that life can be simpler and less nuanced. I think for many the appeal of fundamentalism (and I would argue you also see this fundamentalism on the left, though in different ways) is that makes this simpler, and then feel more manageable. And as opposed to being more comfortable in a complex world (and each of us doing less), people want someone else to make it easier, hence the appeal of "I alone can fix it." We also mistake billionaires for someone who's good at a lot of things and therefore more qualified to handle things. They may be good at only one or two things that they've been able to monetize.
I've tended to dismiss Trump as canny but ignorant -- though at the same time, of course, dangerous -- but this made me think harder. His admiration for dictators has been out in the open for a long time, and it's all too consistent with his upbringing as the son of an autocrat father. He doesn't have a clue about how democracy works, or is supposed to work. He may assume that anyone who claims to support democracy is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of suckers.
Trump is an utterly selfish con man who thinks anyone outside his inner circle is a sucker to be fleeced. Musk apparently thinks this, too. and also advocates for human colonization of Mars, because he believes that human life on earth might come to an end. Because of the likes of him, ironically.
I’m a longtime admirer of your quest to create awareness in the world about authoritarianism, particularly in the U.S.! We’re in a critical time and sleepwalking isn’t an option!
I think Americans are in denial about this. It's easier to think Trump is stupid and a nasty old man than to look at him clearly and see there's a method to his madness, and it's a long game.
Thank you Ruth. Sobering if not downright frightening! I am so glad you publish your observations, assessments and evaluations to help us coalesce. We need prudent action at this point. I suggested to remember J621. Was J621 our Reichstag? The Senate and House are as irrelevant as if they were forced out. Is not that what happened on J621? And just a fortnight into Connie's Reign of Terror the looting of our treasury has begun. We have to mind what is to come not only in the next two years, but today. J621 is my point, and all are welcomed to...air...it...out!
Look at that photo of Trump and Xi. Who’s the confident one and who’s perplexed? Who’s the statesman and who’s the conman? America used to lead the world … now Trump wants to hide and dive into his silo of gold coins like Uncle Scrooge.
Among my fellow mental health 'experts' Trump has been described as mentally ill. True if you look at the various diagnostic disorders he clearly suffers from, among them ADD, Sociopathy and Dementia, but it might be more helpful to describe him as a morally bankrupt, immature, intellectually credulous misogynist and racist and let that be enough.
Thank you, Ruth, for another important column. I encourage everyone to check out the January 29th 1-hour interview with historian Nancy MacLean about the radical right's long-term plan to turn America into an autocracy, even to rewrite the US Constitution. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQuS9vJHPzs.
Indeed. The math is too complex. For autocracy it’s a comparatively easy formula: chaos, slash, & burn
Just listened to Dahlia Lithwick’s podcast with Kim Lane Scheppele (BlueSky description “tracking autocratic legalism around the world from Princeton University”)
I think Lucidians will find it of interesting - sobering, but not shocking to us given what we learn from Ruth.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-american-takeover/id928790786?i=1000687599740
What I struggle with is my observation of Americans who read and post on social media that reveals there is still an enormous mental block keeping them from clearly perceiving the threat Trump poses. They think he's merely stupid, a fool, a buffoon who merely wants to enrich himself by using his political power. Trump is much smarter than he seems, and although he has brought plenty of mediocre minds into his administration, this simply is a ruse. Distractions are Trump's biggest talent, and yes, there is a lot of political theater. He even seems to enjoy the opprobrium he has been generating with these distractions. Trump is a very dangerous man, but people still do not grasp the extent of the danger.
Thank you for this post. No one seems to realize that Trump's tariff threats are not being used to address trade imbalance or remake American industrial policy but rather a means for him to gain political power. It is obvious that is being used to bring transnational corporations in line, threaten our neighbors, small countries and the EU. China was never going to be the brunt of them. It was the same with his first term. Why are people surprised by this?
I think a lot of people do, but not the people who voted for Trump or stayed home and did not vote. I feel that the heavyhanded EO week did wake more people up to the new reality, and not just poor people. Everyone was affected in academia, or thought they would be, and can see that it is up the turnpike. Same with medicine. I can imagine that shutting medicare down will shut down some hospitals and doctor's practices. Same with another effect of making gov. jobs so insecure means people are less likely to spend and that will effect people. I am wondering on which day we are going to say Trump has successfully destroyed the US, getting us out of the way of Putin, and leaving him to focus on the EU, and NATO countries.
Putin gave a speech the day after our elections. He basically said that each country, all over the world, was entitled to act as they please. Especially rulers within a country. They should do what they want to their citizens. Wars are normal and to be expected. Mikhail Zygar (The Last Pioneer substack) helmed the last independent TV station in Russia. And he covered this speech. Why haven't we heard about it?
There are a lot of things we aren't hearing. It reminds me of the first months of the Iraq War when American journalism was absolutely abysmal. I resorted to reading foreign news and I will do so again. Thank you for telling us about Putin's speech. The lack of coverage is very concerning.
I did wonder if Trump's comments about Greenland, the Panama Canal, Canada, and the Gulf of Mexico were his way of showing off and being one of the big boys with Xi and Putin And also a signal. I was curious about Trump's comment that Putin wasn't doing so well. ANd I've been wondering if part of a counter to autocracy here now is overcoming the hope so many have that life can be simpler and less nuanced. I think for many the appeal of fundamentalism (and I would argue you also see this fundamentalism on the left, though in different ways) is that makes this simpler, and then feel more manageable. And as opposed to being more comfortable in a complex world (and each of us doing less), people want someone else to make it easier, hence the appeal of "I alone can fix it." We also mistake billionaires for someone who's good at a lot of things and therefore more qualified to handle things. They may be good at only one or two things that they've been able to monetize.
China will surely make a move on Taiwan in the near future. Why not? Xi and Putin have Trump in their pocket. And the legacy media? AWOL!! 😡😡😡
When does the treaty expire? Required notification period (if there is one) not to continue?
I've tended to dismiss Trump as canny but ignorant -- though at the same time, of course, dangerous -- but this made me think harder. His admiration for dictators has been out in the open for a long time, and it's all too consistent with his upbringing as the son of an autocrat father. He doesn't have a clue about how democracy works, or is supposed to work. He may assume that anyone who claims to support democracy is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of suckers.
Trump is an utterly selfish con man who thinks anyone outside his inner circle is a sucker to be fleeced. Musk apparently thinks this, too. and also advocates for human colonization of Mars, because he believes that human life on earth might come to an end. Because of the likes of him, ironically.
Better if Musk took his Space ship and settled on Mars now and stayed there! At least we get rid of one bully! 🙄
I’m a longtime admirer of your quest to create awareness in the world about authoritarianism, particularly in the U.S.! We’re in a critical time and sleepwalking isn’t an option!
I think Americans are in denial about this. It's easier to think Trump is stupid and a nasty old man than to look at him clearly and see there's a method to his madness, and it's a long game.
Thank you Ruth. Sobering if not downright frightening! I am so glad you publish your observations, assessments and evaluations to help us coalesce. We need prudent action at this point. I suggested to remember J621. Was J621 our Reichstag? The Senate and House are as irrelevant as if they were forced out. Is not that what happened on J621? And just a fortnight into Connie's Reign of Terror the looting of our treasury has begun. We have to mind what is to come not only in the next two years, but today. J621 is my point, and all are welcomed to...air...it...out!
Look at that photo of Trump and Xi. Who’s the confident one and who’s perplexed? Who’s the statesman and who’s the conman? America used to lead the world … now Trump wants to hide and dive into his silo of gold coins like Uncle Scrooge.
Quack.
Indeed … a series of quacks from the escalator ride down to now, lumbering away from another incoherent “media event.”
Trump courts autocrats; he mistakes brutality for power and greed for success; he wants admiration from people who despise him.
This is the face of MAGA—petty not powerful; whiny not bold. Shameless … and shameful.
Among my fellow mental health 'experts' Trump has been described as mentally ill. True if you look at the various diagnostic disorders he clearly suffers from, among them ADD, Sociopathy and Dementia, but it might be more helpful to describe him as a morally bankrupt, immature, intellectually credulous misogynist and racist and let that be enough.
“Let that be enough” … oh, I could go on for hours!
Thank you, Ruth, for another important column. I encourage everyone to check out the January 29th 1-hour interview with historian Nancy MacLean about the radical right's long-term plan to turn America into an autocracy, even to rewrite the US Constitution. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQuS9vJHPzs.
Thank you. You explain this well. IT gives me good info to share with my reps.
I also feel dictatorships cooperating to defeat democracy. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Democracy works better and we must advocate for it.
Chilling and a sharp reminder of the past history of authoritarian flirtation in America. This is all on steroids and so terrifying for our democracy