We are now living in a dictatorship. That’s not what I want you to comment on, though. It’s a given, so let’s just accept it as fact. There’s clear evidence that Trump is ignoring court orders regarding the distribution of government grants and any rulings that challenge his executive whims.
That’s what a dictatorship looks like: one person decides what the government does, and no one can stop them. Just look at what is happening at the Treasury Department, USAID, the deletion of health data from websites, the Education Department, and the distribution of federal funds. Right now, it feels like no one can rein him in.
As Andrew Jackson once allegedly said of Chief Supreme Court Justice John Marshall, “Marshall made his decision; now let him enforce it.” If we don’t agree to play by the rules and can’t trust our leaders to uphold their oaths, we’re left with rule by decree, not rule by law.
Marshall’s response to that was chilling: “I fear we may live to see another revolution.” And that brings me to what I want to hear from you.
Trump made good on his promise to be a dictator from day one. He has crashed pell mell through every guardrail, every norm, every governing structure that we have. The courts and Congress move too slowly to stop him, and they lack any real enforcement if he chooses to ignore their laws and decisions. We saw this with Jackson—his favorite president, by the way—and we’re witnessing it again.
So, here’s my thought: we must provoke him. We need to push him over the edge of acceptability. We need him to unleash his secret police like he did in Portland in 2020. We must push for the National Guard to be deployed and, unfortunately, hope for another Kent State incident. We need him to declare a state of emergency and order the military to act against our own citizens.
We have to push those law enforcement officers, National Guard member, and soldiers to refuse the order to cause harm to Americans exercising their First Amendment right to free speech and assembly. That’s the crisis we need to provoke.
If we can create another Edmond Pettus Bridge moment — something so appalling that even the most disengaged voters and for-profit press can’t ignore it — then we might force a reckoning that could finally remove him from office and swing the pendulum back in our favor.
I’m afraid only a massacre would suffice, though. It feels pessimistic and nihilistic to have such thoughts. I’d love to have one of you talk me out of it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we effectively stop this dictatorship from trampling over all of us?
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The Psy of Life 
If only, there’s just one person in Trump’s new government to, start, objecting to the dictator’s rule, unfortunately, people who are, well-aware of, what’s happening, may be, too afraid of, what Trump might do to them, as he uses threats a whole lot, and, nobody knows, what Trump will do, if the people “disobeyed” him as their, master, as, Trump’s character is, vengeful toward those who turns against him, he values, loyalty of his, subordinates, those who are, PARROTS, agreeing with, whatever he suggests, who will not, challenge his, authority, who will, follow his words to the, “T”, just look at, ALL the, cabinet members he picked, they’re all, “yes, mans”…and, because the people are, too afraid of Trump, nobody would, DARE, revolt against Furor Trump’s, rule.
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There are people who will stand up to Trump. The US military has a long and deep tradition of being independent of politics. It is illegal for a soldier to follow an unlawful order. They are obligated to follow US law, which prohibits the military from being deployed in the US except under specific circumstances. It is entirely likely that Trump will issue an illegal order and the officers of our military will refuse to follow them. This also includes the National Guard.
While things are bleak and climate change and the destruction of the world’s economy are the real threats, there is some hope.
Huzzah!
Jack
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Unless, the people in the United States, finally, wake up, from that, Republican-induced, COMATOSE, which is, extremely unlikely, otherwise, Uncle Sam is, destined to lose, its, original, “reputation” of being the, land of the free, but that’s, unlikely, as the, influence of the MAGA cult is still, expanding, exerting, its, huge influences on the, public of the isolated states (instead of the United States) of America, and, didn’t the corrupt political party, already, “redacted” part of what happpened in the times of slavery, back in the, 1800 (was it???), and, because the Republican now, controlled, ALL three branches of the, U.S. government, the people will have, NO way of, knowing the, truths of, what’s happening to them, because Trump has, made up these, bubbles for the American citizens to, live in, and, he will, take the, country into, that, deep freeze of, international relations, by, dropping Uncle Sam out of, ALL the, international, organizations such as N.A.T.O., W.H.O., etc., etc., etc., and, for the next four years, I’d like to see, how United States will be able to, live and, survive, without, ANY interactions with the, “outside world”…
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Jack, I have to consider that you may be right about this. And, so might this other guy:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/2/2300886/-They-Are-Merely-Waiting-For-The-Protests-To-Start?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web
He is probably right too, considering the narcissistic overconfidence of 47 and Muck. They clearly do not see a massacre of protesters as a problem, not a bug, but a feature. It is what all truly powerful dictators do, the very definition of strength. It is a key move in establishing a durable reign of terror.
A few days ago there were memes going around about plans to stage mass marches in all 50 state capitals. These were followed by more memes and texts saying not to join them because the whole thing was a “honey pot” trap. i don’t know which side of that was right. That’s the environment we are in. The same thing has happened about large scale actions planned (or purportedly planned) by such as the Proud Boys, the “Don’t go. It’s a trap.” messages.
In that environment, that trust factor in planning such actions becomes a problem, and organizing it, even more so. That includes the problem of the forces of suppression knowing of the plan and being ready to put it down.
So, can protest at scale happen spontaneously? IDK
On a bit other track, I’ve been pondering what some thousands of fired, laid off, and resigned federal workers are going to do. In the private sector and (hopefully less so) the NGO sector, some will be afraid to hire them for fear of being attacked as disloyal, or just practicing DEI. They will include world class investigators, analysts, and lawyers who will not consider their oaths and callings erased. Many will see no alternative but joining the resistance with all their expertise and inside information. Successful dictators don’t just fire such people. They send them to the Gualgs never to be heard from again. Trump, despite his dreams for Guantanamo doe not have his Gulags ready.
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Howdy Bob!
I think it is entirely likely that both sides expect that mass non-violent protests will benefit them. History says overreaction by the government favors the protesters.
I’m really hoping, though, that at some point the police, National Guard, or military services will refuse his orders.
Blog On, Sibling!
Jack
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He is going to be trying to replace as many in the military as he can with officers who will obey, but the tradition of the oath is strong, not only among the officer class, but the NCOs as well. Still, the classic way a dictator gets into a civil war is when some commander obey the illegal or immoral orders and others don’t. By that time, he may have done enough damage to readiness and moral that the military will be busy with external matters. Recruitment is already well below targets.
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Howdy Bob!
There are members of the military both officers and enlisted members who are MAGA members, but it is entirely possible that he can Saturday Night Massacre his way to the MAGA-aligned military leadership he wants. But, that doesn’t mean the deployed troops and line officers will follow orders they deem illegal. It would all come down to a person-by-person choice, but of course, the bystander effect and conformity will have an effect in those situational decisions.
If the orders aren’t cleanly or neatly carried out and some vociferous objections from the military are made, then the crisis is achieved. The military is unreliable and needs further purging.
One question that remains to be answered is how the American public will react when China takes over Taiwan, especially if they invade. Or should North Korea invade South Korea and the US withdraws its support. Or if Russia invades or another European country. Or is the country continues to be racked by extreme weather every season and other regions of the world start seeing larger casualties and losses. All of these things will be upsetting and unsettling and would undermine support for any leader who is in charge and seemingly ineffective in their response, like happened during the #COVID19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, it can also cause a rally-around-the-flag effect, so we’ll see.
Huzzah!
Jack
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One thing that will be very unlikely, no matter how gross the illegal orders become, given the traditions of our military, is that a large enough force would rise up to take down the dictator. Unless, that is, he had been already impeached and removed and refused to go, or attempted (again) to stay having lost an election, or canceled an election. But once a military is politicized, the development of of an opposition movement within it is inevitable, generally led from outside the serving members by purged commanders if they are allowed to run around loose, or organize from exile.
How the general populace is going to respond is going to depend on how aware they are kept of who is really causing their pain. For the opposition propagandist, that is the hard part.
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Howdy Bob!
I’ve been marveling at the effectiveness of the Firehouse of Disinformation propaganda technique of late. That is the hard part about mobilizing widespread public support. That was the lesson that Fox News implemented from the anti-war protests and Watergate. Control coverage and the narrative and you control the thoughts and reactions of your viewers.
I’m guessing the time for choosing up sides is upon us. Hopefully there will continue to be more of us than of them and that more of us than of them will be willing to act.
Blog On, Sibling!
Jack
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It is very like Trump’s approach to litigation: Bury the in paperwork (motions) and baffle them with bullshit. And it isn’t just the disinformation and lies. Part of it is misusing words so that they loose and change their meaning to the point that people can’t understand each other. Then, there’s the substitution of acronyms like DEI severed from the words and their meanings, a sort of verbal straw man. Everybody is supposed to know it is bad even when they don’t know what it is.
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Howdy Bob!
There are two pieces to the Flood the Zone propaganda technique. First is the drown everybody in bullshit so that the lies are so fast and furious no one can keep up with what’s a lie and what isn’t much less disprove any of them. The media environment is painted with disinformation, misinformation, and lies, and the more times it is encountered, the more likely it is to be believed by the hearer. And, the second part is exactly as you stated. It is serving as shorthand for followers. DEI is the new Critical Race Theory. None of the conservatives who are performatively upset by it really know what either of them are; they just know they should be angry about it.
All of it just buries anyone of good faith under a pile of bullshit that we cannot hope to escape from. It is destructive in that it stops us from actually engaging in any meaningful dialogue or exchange. Like Nancy Mace accusing her likely opponent in the primary for South Carolina’s governor, the state’s attorney general, of failing to prosecute some horrendous allegations against her ex and several other specific people. Do we believe her? She’s such a chronic liar at this point, how could you? But, do you disbelieve her? They are such serious allegations, how could you?
The system of norms and beliefs, the foundation of our society, has been thoroughly broken. It cannot be mended until these people are driven from office and out of public life.
Blog On, Sibling!
Jack
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Then, there is the current all purpose boogieman, “woke”, which serves all the same functions that “communist” did in my youth. The vast majority of people who are using or hearing either of those terms as a pejorative couldn’t sensibly define either one.
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All of those words server one major function, to stop the listener from thinking. Hearing that something is woke, communist, DEI, Critical Race Theory, or one of the all purpose condemning-words-of-the-day produces the illusion of explanation and satisfies that urge to understand. We simply stop thinking after that.
Jack
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Exactly
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Damn! I hate to admit it but I think you are right….any overreaction could bring light to this twats deeds….even to the sleepers in his camp. Well done my friend. chuq
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Howdy Chuq!
I’m really hoping that the police, National Guard, and military services will refuse his orders. Either way, though, it will be a crisis for the country or Trump. If his orders are refused, it will be narcissistic injury to rival the election loss in 2020. It will start the unraveling as he works harder and harder to avenge himself against those who refused.
Huzzah!
Jack
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The generals are the key in my mind….but he will replace them until he finds ones that will fondle his ego. chuq
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But Saturday-Night-Massacring of the generals or military leadership in itself would have a chilling effect on public perceptions and make a large segment of the population nervous. America has a curious and unique relationship with its military. We feel safe because of them and do not, as a populace, feel threatened by them. Any attempts to politicize the military will make everyone nervous and unsettled.
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of MAGA-types and white supremacists in the US military, so it is entirely possible for Trump to fire his way through the office corps until he finds someone willing to do his bidding.
Huzzah!
Jack
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Jack did you see the a Proud Boy will be head of counterterrorism….that is not good. chuq
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Howdy Chuq!
I had not seen that, but it does not sound good. All of these “cabinet” officers have learned their roles from popular culture. Enrique or whoever the Proud Boy is clearly used Rambo as his role model. His understanding of how the world works is just that deep.
Blog On, Sibling!
Jack
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The clown show continues. Have a good Sunday my friend chuq
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