For today’s episode of Democracy-ish, I sent Danielle a list of examples on Sunday night that show Trump is doubling down on his fascist agenda.
Monday told us to hold our non-alcoholic beer.
Trump just fired Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook in a completely unconstitutional move that immediately sank the U.S. Dollar. Earlier today, sitting behind a desk in the Oval Office to hide his cankles, Donald Trump said, “A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we like a dictator,’” as he signed another Executive Order crushing free speech. I think those “people” are called MAGA voters who still support the man who incited a violent insurrection and pardoned criminals.
In the past few days, Trump has unleashed his Gestapo against his enemies, including John Bolton, threatened corporate media, urged Republicans to gerrymander, called for an end to mail-in voting, detained an innocent man Kilmar Abrego Garcia and threatened to send him to Uganda, and armed nearly 2,000 National Guard soldiers who are wasting their time and our taxpayer dollars by taking over Washington, D.C.
All of this is shocking, but none of this is surprising to anyone who took Trump literally and seriously and kept all the receipts. If you’ve been reading The Left Hook, you know I’ve been saying Trump is gearing up for martial law to maintain power by any violent, illegal means necessary. Considering his health is declining, his enablers and sycophants might be accelerating their authoritarian agenda before he literally collapses.
Danielle and I connect the dots and give you our take.
Here’s Danielle’s write-up at The DAM Digest:
“In recent days, a chilling narrative has taken hold, one that suggests the current political moment is a deliberate march toward a more authoritarian form of governance. The core of this argument rests on two interconnected ideas: the alleged physical decline of Donald Trump and the strategic maneuvers of his inner circle.
One of the most striking observations centers on Donald Trump's physical state. A casual look at his public appearances reveals what some describe as signs of deteriorating health—a conspicuous effort to hide his right hand, a "staggered step," and a general lack of the vigorous energy he once projected. These signs have led to unsubstantiated but persistent speculation by some in the medical community that he may be grappling with serious conditions. This perception of fragility, whether real or imagined, is seen not as a weakness to be concealed, but as a catalyst for a more radical political agenda. The thinking goes that those around him—loyalists like Stephen Miller and figures associated with the Project 2025 initiative—are aware of his limited time in power and are therefore accelerating their plans to fundamentally remake the government.
The Pretext for Martial Law
This urgency to consolidate power is manifesting in a disturbing new phase of rhetoric and policy. The administration is manufacturing a climate of chaos and violence to justify unprecedented actions. For instance, the language used by some of his advisors, particularly the repeated use of the word "insurrection," appears to be a deliberate attempt to create a pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act. This antiquated law would allow the president to deploy the military against American citizens. While the administration points to crime in major cities as a justification, the data tells a different story. In reality, the states targeted for these federal interventions have, in many cases, some of the lowest crime rates in the nation. This disconnect suggests the true motive is not public safety but political retribution against states that oppose the administration's policies.
The historical parallels are stark and troubling. The deployment of armed National Guard troops against civilians carries a terrifying echo of the Kent State shootings of 1970, where a military force, ill-equipped to handle civilian protests, fired upon unarmed students, resulting in casualties. It serves as a stark reminder of the immense danger of militarizing domestic law enforcement and the potential for a small-scale confrontation to spiral into tragedy. This strategy, it is argued, is a cynical attempt to provoke a reaction that would then justify the full weight of martial law. The use of paid provocateurs at peaceful student protests and masked individuals committing property damage at BLM rallies, later revealed to be white nationalists, are cited as examples of this strategy in action.
Resistance and Political Malpractice
This troubling trend has not gone unnoticed. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a veteran himself, has publicly opposed the deployment of the National Guard, outlining four key reasons: it's unsustainable, costing taxpayers over a million dollars daily; it's not scalable, as many high-crime states have already sent their National Guard to Washington D.C.; it's unconstitutional, violating the Tenth Amendment; and it's deeply disrespectful to the men and women of the National Guard, who are being forced to do a job they aren't trained for. He also warns that the deployment is a political stunt designed to distract from the administration's failed economic policies and other scandals, such as the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein case.
While some Democrats, like Ro Khanna, are working in a bipartisan effort to hold the administration accountable and bring justice to Epstein's victims, others, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are criticized for political malpractice. When asked about Trump's plan to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, Jeffries offered a vague, non-committal response, simply stating his support for the Chicago Police Department. This type of inaction and lack of a cohesive strategy, some argue, is a grave disservice to the American public, pitting a "1992 playbook" against a "modern fascist movement" armed with a "bazooka."
The Onslaught of Retribution
The administration's actions are not limited to militarization. Trump is using the power of the federal government to exact retribution against his critics. The FBI's recent raid on John Bolton's home, and Trump's public post on his social media platform attacking Chris Christie, are cited as evidence of this systemic and systematic intimidation. Adam Schiff, a prominent voice of opposition, argues that these actions are not about individual crimes but about sending a message: "If you stand up to this administration, you could be next."
This campaign of intimidation is coupled with an overt disregard for fundamental democratic norms. The president has publicly flirted with the idea of suspending elections and has signed an executive order criminalizing flag burning, a form of protest protected by the First Amendment. This is a stark contrast to the administration's tolerance for supporters who used flags to beat police officers on January 6. It's an upside-down world where pedophiles with information on the president are pardoned, while those who speak out against him are subjected to the full weight of the federal government.
The culmination of these events, from the alleged health concerns to the strategic use of the Insurrection Act and the campaign of political retribution, paints a grim picture. It's an unfolding crisis that is not just about a shift in policy, but about a nation reckoning with the darkest aspects of its own character—a self-inflicted wound born of collective hubris and a frightening capacity for self-destruction.”
Thank you Kathy Fish, Ellie Leonard, Diane L. Green, Caro Henry, Dr. Mary M. Marshall, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.
