For those who do not subscribe, I will post some of the points the editorial board makes (it's behind a paywall), and I hope this will encourage discussion.
What do you think?
Countries that slide from democracy toward autocracy tend to follow similar patterns. To measure what is happening in the United States, the Times editorial board has compiled a list of 12 markers of democratic erosion, with help from scholars who have studied this phenomenon. The sobering reality is that the United States has regressed, to different degrees, on all 12.
Our country is still not close to being a true autocracy, in the mold of Russia or China. But once countries begin taking steps away from democracy, the march often continues. We offer these 12 markers as a warning of how much Americans have already lost and how much more we still could lose.
Authoritarian takeovers in the modern era often do not start with a military coup. They instead involve an elected leader who uses the powers of the office to consolidate authority and make political opposition more difficult, if not impossible. Think of Vladimir Putin in Russia, Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and, to lesser degrees, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, Viktor Orban in Hungary and Narendra Modi in India. These leaders have repressed dissent and speech in heavy-handed ways.
Over the past year, President Trump and his allies have impinged on free speech to a degree that the federal government has not since perhaps the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. His administration pressured television stations to stop airing Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show when Mr. Kimmel criticized Trump supporters after the murder of Charlie Kirk; revoked the visas of foreign students for their views on the war in Gaza; and ordered investigations of liberal nonprofit groups. Mr. Trump so harshly criticizes people who disagree with him, including federal judges, that they become targets of harassment from his supporters.
Many forms of speech and dissent remain vibrant in the United States. But the president has tried to dull them. His evident goal is to cause Americans to fear they will pay a price for criticizing him, his allies or his agenda."
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Personal note:
I cancelled my Twitter/"X" account recently. I joined Twitter in 2013 under my real name, but didn't post anything there; I just read it. I began posting my opinions on Trump when Trump became president, and all through Biden's presidency up to Trump's election in 2024. Needless to say, my posts on Trump were not friendly.
After observing what he's done so far, I decided to delete my account completely. And some members of my family have suggested I do the same with this blog (they're worried), since it's not been friendly to Trump, EVER!
In all my time as an American citizen, I had NEVER entertained the idea that retribution or harm would ever come to me or anyone who dared to criticize a sitting president and his administration.
After what we've seen Trump do to dissent, I've had second thoughts.
We still have three long agonizing years to see what else this anti-democratic president and his administration will do to our freedom of speech.
I made a decision to continue posting at P.E., but what the future holds is anyone's guess while we have an unstable, mentally deteriorating person untethered from reality and the rule of law and in a position of enormous power.
8 comments:
What the SOB want is to create is fear in people. Fear of retribution, fear of jail, or worse. Fearing repercussions the SOB is banking people simply shut-up, nod their head yes, and remain silent. The absolute exact opposite of what Ameican Patriots do when they see injustice. When they see wrong doing. When they see discrimination. When they recognize the creep of tyranny. All things people with open eyes to see and open ears to hear recognize is happening NOW in America, at this very moment. Which is why I will refuse to shut-up about what I view as unethical filth in my government, until they're gone or until they kill me. For that us EXACTLY the posistion our forefathers took when they put their life and limb on the line for liberty and the general welfare...
I for one will NEVER voluntarily shut my mouth about the truth of the KSoA and his illicit regime.
Ms. Shaw, I wouldn't concern yourself with anyone opposed to your views are conservative. Conservatives are notorious for being peaceful unlike some that shoot CEO's, burn buildings and attack cops. I will beat you to it and admit J6 was an anomaly and the example of mob mentality.
I would be more concerned with losing democracy from a group who wants to blame others by punishing the entire country or get a shot or get fired. Another example is if you don't get this we will fine you and you have to vote for it to see it.
The sky is not falling
At the very worst Shaw, you could continue you brave work from Canada.
"Conservatives are notorious for being peaceful..."
You might want to rethink that generalization, which you did not back up with evidence.
Do you know who James Alex Field, Jr., is? He was the man who drove his car into the crowds at the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally killing a young woman and injuring dozens more. Fields supported Donald Trump because of what he perceived were Trump's racial views. No one believes he was being "peaceful" while killing Heather Heyer.
Ted Bundy (remember him?) was a Republican who was actively involved in politics and even had aspirations for a political career.
How quickly and inaccurately you characterize the J6 riot at the US Capitol. What those Trumpers/Republicans did was not "mob mentality." That was a planned takeover of the US Capitol to stop the electoral certification. But I do understand why you would want to minimize the riot and the beating of law enforcement men and women by the people who supported Trump: Republicans.
Your second paragraph is ludicrous. The entire country was never punished for not getting a COVID shot. The mandates were set by the government and by private businesses (their call, BTW) during an exceedingly medically dangerous time.
One million Americans lost their lives because of Trump's inept handling of the pandemic. In another time when a crazy man wasn't leading the country, people would have understood the necessity of getting the vaccine to prevent dying from the virus, but Trump and his minions made a health crisis political, and a millions Americans needlessly died because of that.
None of what you wrote in your second paragraph endangers our democracy. But rounding up people because they "look" like Latinos (and arresting American citizens), denying people due process, punishing people who did not prostrate themselves in anguish when Charlie Kirk died, and threatening to shut down tv corporations and comedians because they poke fun of a president is threatening our democracy.
You don't think the sky is falling because none of this affects you. Either that, or you don't believe in the Constitution. I don't know which is more disheartening.
Great comment! I will not shut up either! Bravo!
Skud... look at the data... the overwhelming amount of political violence the last 10 years, and if someone was to act out to silence an anti Trump voice, it would be political, is conservative.
I've posted many links over the years here to support my views that most political violence is conservative. How about you post a link or two to support your view of the last 10 years of political violence.
If you can find any...
Shaw... regarding the now J6 anomaly...
It was only 120 cops who were beat. And now, President Trump doesn't even want the group of conservatives who did the beatings to be called a mob.
Two justice department lawyers were dismissed yesterday for referring to the mob at the Capitol on J6 as a mob. Even GOP members have used that term. But Trump now says you can't.
You can't make this stuff up. Unless you name is Skud.
Either case is as unfortunately as bad as the other Shaw.. Because both are driven by ignorance and or delusions, or both.
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