It’s so important for people to realize that authoritarianism in America will look like this, not like a police state with martial law and people disappearing into prisons. It will be a dispirited opposition that people are afraid of supporting, bc otherwise they’ll get in trouble. - ThreadSky

filipecampante.bsky.social • 6 days ago

It’s so important for people to realize that authoritarianism in America will look like this, not like a police state with martial law and people disappearing into prisons. It will be a dispirited opposition that people are afraid of supporting, bc otherwise they’ll get in trouble.

Reposted from Filipe Campante

This is competitive authoritarianism in operation.

Comments

awellsab.bsky.social•6 days ago

You don't know that we won't end up as a police state. Why is America immune and undestined from that fate? Laws of physics? Thoughts and prayers? Prognosticating academics?

awellsab.bsky.social•6 days ago

Let me put this another way: Trump and Musk would *love* to preside over a police state with martial law and disappearances in prisons. They are both narcisstic sadists. You can't deny this. You know it's true. There's no reason it can't happen.

boboinparadise.bsky.social•6 days ago

What they might want to do is fund a multi million $ campaign to get rid of Citizens United, that would be a better use of their time & $$. Throwing $$ at the same old same old has diminishing marginal returns & fails to restore balance to our system. & do it quietly, for once.

chrisintheweeds.bsky.social•6 days ago

The Orban strategy

bumbojumbo666.bsky.social•6 days ago

You do have to remember that trump, vought, and hegseth *want* martial law and to disappear people, even if that is actually harmful to their ability to hold onto power.

tonyislost.bsky.social•6 days ago

It’s in their plan. To say anything otherwise is to ignore the last four weeks and showing aligns perfectly with project 2025. Dem leadership needs to have project 2026, which includes items like: corporate controls, wealth caps, universal health care, voter protections and prosecutions for traitors

bumbojumbo666.bsky.social•6 days ago

Man I really hope we have the political momentum to do all that, but in order to build that momentum democrats really need to address how badly the media is covering their actions. I feel like a lot of people think they're doing nothing because they don't see it in the news or on their feeds.

tonyislost.bsky.social•6 days ago

The news makers are silent. Here’s a Google of Pelosi News sorted by recent. You’d think there’d be an article if she was speaking out against this. Instead, articles about how well she’s trading stock…

bbolger.bsky.social•6 days ago

What democrats need are balls not money

warmgingertea.bsky.social•23 hours ago

Following you! You used the right “martial!” (Nah … my standards are actually that low! But always a relief these days!)

aleceuriq.bsky.social•6 days ago

The case could be made that this is where Rs were c.2015. Supporting Trump back then was seen as toxic by most elite institutions, so Corps and large money donors stayed away.

He still found a way to win though, which should be a source of optimism for Ds now that the tables have turned

trustinwwjd.bsky.social•5 days ago

Can blame the liberals at this stage …. I think 💭

filipecampante.bsky.social•6 days ago

When they lose every election, people will be like, “well, but they’re really a ragtag bunch…” That’s how you build a ragtag opposition: threatening retribution to those who support it, and offering protection to those who defect (eg Eric Adams).

turnpike703.bsky.social•6 days ago

How, if at all, do we bounce back from that type of authoritarianism?

filipecampante.bsky.social•6 days ago

Nothing lasts forever, but it can take a very long time, and it’s not a given in which direction it goes.

jmanink.bsky.social•6 days ago

We’re saving our donations for the primaries. The days of electing the same spineless Democrats over and over again are done.

thefool37.bsky.social•6 days ago

Time for the Establishment Dems to step up and EARN and DESERVE the support of the liberals.

russejr.bsky.social•6 days ago

The fear part of the headline is the operative part while the frustration part of it is shame.

swampmariner.bsky.social•6 days ago

NYT headlines are always ready to lend a hand to fascism. I’m sure it’s a factor to some degree, but the article itself is pretty thin gruel in terms of the retribution fears.

empath75.bsky.social•6 days ago

Big money donors to democrats are part of the reason the party got itself in such a mess to begin with. Maybe they should focus on delivering for regular people and getting small dollar donations. AOC is doing fine.

differance.bsky.social•6 days ago

this is a story about the abject failure of congressional Democrats to react assertively and cogently to the autogolpe. the donors are responding rationally to this failure.

catharsis23.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yeah people aren't avoiding Ds bc they are scared of Trump. It's because Ds are feckless losers and their weakness is contagious

filipecampante.bsky.social•6 days ago

In a competitive authoritarian system, the opposition always looks like feckless losers, because that’s the position they’re in within the system. Right now the Democrats seem to be quite willing to accept that transition.

vivasisyphus.bsky.social•6 days ago

“Actually, if you keep throwing money at Chuck Schumer he’ll eventually figure it out. I am very smart.”

ckjohnsonbk.bsky.social•6 days ago

Thank you for your insights.

nlrg.bsky.social•6 days ago

"the Democrats seem to be quite willing to accept that transition" what did you mean by this

catharsis23.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is cart before the horse. It's been 4 weeks. We aren't a "competitive authoritarian system" yet. People need to get a grip and stop moping their way into the apocalypse

biknmusicmama.bsky.social•6 days ago

People with Spanish sounding names have already started disappearing into prisons

uaeeconomist.bsky.social•6 days ago

If you're looking for someone to follow who articulates how resistance is undermined by an authoritarian, follow @filipecampante.bsky.social ⚓

mmorgenschoen.bsky.social•6 days ago

"people disappearing into prisons" is already happening, though for now it’s “only” a few dozen immigrants kept in guantanamo without anyone knowing who they are

steenws.bsky.social•6 days ago

A Trump 1 White House insider said privately “In Trump 2 journalists will start disappearing.” Once Kash Patel is confirmed as Chief Thug the path is paved.

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