US democracy is about to die

[StandFirm]

... So many indicators for this, the most recent is Trump calling for the DoJ to go after his enemies:

Dear American friends, I hope you find a peaceful way out of this. As for us here, I can only hope we keep the contagion at bay.

I totally agree. Trump and his enablers are dismantling so many of the democratic norms and structures. He has invoked the Alien Enemies Act now too. Western nations need to start treating the US as an enemy state.

And here's the infamous Yarvin interview referred to in the video I shared (unfortunately it's behind a pay wall): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html

• his profile in this article digging a bit deeper into Dark MAGA: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/21/curtis-yarvin-trump

How does the Alien Enemies act impact Western Nations?

Currently, the Alien Enemies act was invoked specifically for the Venezuelan organisation called Tren de Aragua (TdA). TdA are designated a foreign terrorist organisation who are a danger to the US public and US national security.

The Alien Enemies act allows for expedited removal (2-3 weeks process) for known terrorists and families and associates of terrorists.

So unless you are a member of this organisation or you have a family member in this organisation, this act is irrelevant.

Out of curiosity, are you against the expedited removal of known terrorists?

I mean I sure wish the UK could expedite the processing and removal of dangerous terrorists such as Abu Wadee...

I'm afraid it's happening at pace while the world watches. It's rumoured that Trump is deliberately creating havoc so that he can bring in martial law - nothing would surprise me.

People need to start acting rather than holding up signs. The fact that the Republicans are waving pom poms while he dismantles the state is a concern.

@BigDecisionWorthIt "How does the Alien Enemies act impact Western Nations?"

I didn't say it does, directly. But it's invocation is an indication of the fascist direction in which the US government is heading, and that affects us all. Just ask 1930s Europeans.

You are naive in the extreme if you think Trump will restrict himself to using the Act purely to remove terrorists. He already had the powers to do that.

Anyway, he doesn't care about terrorists when their agenda serves him and his positions. He supports them and celebrates them and pardons them.

Much like he doesn't care about rapists and criminals in the country. He talks about deporting all the illegal ones whilst importing Andrew Tate. He doesn't give a shit about the crimes, only the ethnicity of the perpetrators.

Yes, this regime is about dismantling the rule of law. The fact that dangerous foreign criminals have no place in a country is cynically being used as a pretext to control everyone that is perceived as being an enemy.
The US is not at war with South Africa for example and yet its ambassador is being expelled from the US because, quote, he doesn't like Trump!

I've been hearing more and more that he has become president again in great part to take his revenge on those who got him out last time. That is chilling if true.

It’s scary and happening I plain sight. Someone has got to start standing up to him.

No offence but this is a good example of the cultural neuroses that dominates American politics, what about the real issues of public administration and you know, actual policies,this is all deflection and distraction, meanwhile freedoms are lost!

It's not looking good is it ☹️🥺

Have you heard about his UN questionnaire? He's looking to pull the US out of the UN and has already banned members of the ICC from the States. He's also drawn up a list of countries that are banned as well.

The entire system of checks and balances is considered by his followers to be an inconvenience.

I genuinely think that the best thing we can do (for those outside of the US) is to keep supporting those Americans who understand and loathe what is going on. The worst would be to bin the whole country wholesale. The entire world governed by liberal democracies should stand against this outrage and support those Americans who want to keep their country alive. Much like France's De Gaulle found refuge in Britain as the leader of free France in exile... Petain was a horror; De Gaulle kept the spirit of the republic alive.

...But we're not quite there yet i guess. There's still some way to go.

Are you a gang member OP?

I am no Trump defender and he may indeed have terrible and huge plans for democracy... But the idea that his goal is to declare martial law doesn't make sense. There would be a civil war immediately.

Actually, maybe just a coup because the last thing MAGA supporters want is more government control....

LoL.
I am someone who cares very much for the values of the Enlightenment that the US republic represented up until now - flawed, like any state but I believed in its values. I have been travelling to the US for decades and have many friends there as well as professional ties. I find it very hard to witness the erosion of democratic values. It's done openly and brazenly as well.
Talking of gangsters, the core issue with dictatorships is that they're a mafia by another name. Gangsters with nukes.

LizzieSiddal · Today 13:38

It’s scary and happening I plain sight. Someone has got to start standing up to him

I think that will be Mark Carney.

They won't though.

Those who can are burying their heads in the sand - they have been since he launched his presidential campaign - counting on the vain hope that he won't do what he says, that it's all bluff & bluster, ignoring the evidence in front of their eyes. Political commentators are pinning their hopes on the remaining checks & balances of US law. It's naive.

I need to fact check it but I understand he has tasked military leaders to plan an invasion to take the Panama Canal. Rumour is that he'll do the same for Canada & Greenland and there is no reason to doubt this.

The rest of Europe needs to wake up to the fact that within months the US will not simply be an "unreliable ally" but that we could easily find ourselves at war with both the US & Russia.

the last thing MAGA supporters want is more government control....

MAGA is a cult. MAGA only cares about MAGA so if MAGA can control everything they'll go right along with it.

As for a civil war, I suspect the real issue that the opposition is facing right now is that they don't want to be accused of starting one as that might indeed give Trump an excuse for an even worse power grab.

🙄

I do think after Covid people are desperate to constantly be trying to find the next catastrophe. It really isn’t helpful. YABU.

but considering what its being used for then why is that a bad thing ?

If America bans gender neutral bathrooms I’ll book a holiday there

Well, as someone who ended up being very ill with COVID five years ago and losing my job in the middle of the pandemic, another disaster is really not what I want...
However denying reality has never helped anyone. It'll affect you whether you like it or not.

well you have freedom of speech but the lack of manners "Mr Rubio reposted an article from the right-wing website Breitbart that quoted the envoy saying in a webinar that Mr Trump was leading a white “supremacist” movement."