#authoritarian-rule — Public Fediverse posts

When the Clouds Begin to Part: Reading the Signs of Democracy’s Renewal – January 13, 2026 – A DWD Editorial

The clouds may not be gone yet — but the signposts are visible.

When the Clouds Begin to Part: Reading the Signs of Democracy’s Renewal

Opinion • DrWeb’s Domain

For many Americans — and for millions around the world who have watched the United States as a democratic north star — the period since January 2025 has felt like standing inside a gathering storm. Institutions strained. Norms bent and some broken. Constitutional guardrails tested. Who truly expected the Supreme Court of the United States to roll over for Trump as it has? That is not right-wing. That is simply crazy. The noise has been relentless, the rhetoric exhausting, and the stakes unmistakably historic.

Yet history teaches something equally important: democratic collapse does not arrive all at once — and neither does democratic recovery.

Recovery begins with signs. Subtle at first. Then unmistakable.

If one listens closely beneath the thunder of daily crisis, it becomes clear: the clouds may be parting.

The First Signs: Institutions Remember Who They Are

One of the earliest and most hopeful indicators of democratic renewal is institutional memory reasserting itself.

Courts have continued to issue rulings that quietly but firmly reinforce constitutional boundaries. Career civil servants have refused unlawful directives. Inspectors General, auditors, election officials, and local administrators — the so-called “invisible infrastructure” of democracy — have held their posts. Many have done so under extraordinary pressure.

Democracy does not survive because of speeches. It survives because ordinary people inside extraordinary systems decide, again and again, to do their jobs.

That is happening.

Public Resistance Has Shifted from Outrage to Organization

Another critical sign: the public response has matured.

In 2017–2021, resistance was loud, emotional, and often reactive. In 2025–2026, it has become something more durable: structured, patient, legally grounded, and strategically national.

Voter registration is surging. Grassroots legal funds are multiplying. Journalists are collaborating across outlets and borders. State governments are coordinating constitutional defenses. Universities, bar associations, unions, faith groups, and veterans’ organizations are issuing joint statements rooted not in ideology but in constitutional principle.

This is what civic adulthood looks like.

Authoritarian Power Always Overreaches — and the Overreach Is Now Visible

History is unambiguous on this point: authoritarian atttempts collapse under the weight of their own ambition.

The more power attempts to centralize, the more resistance it creates — not just among citizens, but within the machinery of the state itself. Fractures are now visible inside political coalitions that once appeared unified. Economic confidence wavers when rule of law is threatened. International alliances grow cautious. Investors, courts, businesses, universities, and professional associations begin to hedge against instability.

Power that depends on fear is always fragile.

The World Is No Longer Standing on the Sidelines

Another hopeful signal: the global democratic community is no longer silent.

Foreign courts, human-rights bodies, election monitors, international media, and allied governments are actively documenting events inside the United States. This matters. It constrains excess. It preserves record. It establishes future accountability.

Democracy is no longer merely an American inheritance. It is now a shared global responsibility.

What Comes Next: The Great Recovery of Democracy, 2026

If the past year was about resistance, the coming year will be about reconstruction.

The Great Recovery of Democracy will not arrive through one election alone. It will unfold through a sequence:

• Legal clarification of constitutional limits
• Electoral realignment driven by turnout
• Institutional reforms reinforcing checks and balances
• A generational renewal of civic participation
• A recommitment to shared factual reality

This is how democracies heal — not by erasing conflict, but by re-anchoring legitimacy.

How We Will Know We Are Winning

We the People are winning when:

• The rule of law reasserts itself over political convenience
• Elections regain their authority as final arbiters
• Extremism begins to fracture from the inside
• Public trust inches upward
• Young Americans choose engagement over despair

Most of all, we will know we are winning when fear no longer drives the national conversation.

Looking Up Through the Clouds

The clouds have not yet vanished. But the sky is changing. Keep watching the skies!

And history shows: once democratic momentum returns, it moves with extraordinary force.

After 250 years, the American experiment has learned its hardest lesson once again — and it is remembering its purpose.

The road ahead is long.

But the signposts are now visible.

And they are pointing forward…

With Hope, DrWeb

#Lockdown in Northeast #Minneapolis - #NoKings events cancelled! The alleged assassin was wearing a police uniform!

#Minnesota Rep. Hortman and husband killed, Sen. Hoffman and wife wounded in politically motivated shooting, Gov. Walz says

by WCCO Staff

Updated on: June 14, 2025 / 10:01 AM CDT / CBS Minnesota

"Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Saturday morning that state Rep. #MelissaHortman and her husband are dead, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife are wounded following a 'politically motivated' shooting overnight.

Hortman and her husband were shot in Brooklyn Park, while Hoffman and his wife were shot in Champlin.

At a Saturday morning press conference, Walz called the deaths of Hortman and her husband 'a political assassination.'

"Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service," Walz said. "She was a formidable public servant. A fixture and a giant in Minnesota."

Walz said Hoffman and his wife were each shot multiple times.

"We are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt," Walz said.

The governor highlighted how these acts of violence occurred following a special session where both sides compromised for the good of Minnesota.

"We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint," Walz said. "In the state of Minnesota, and as recently as last week, in the most closely divided state legislature in the country, we sat down, shook hands and compromised, and we served the state of Minnesota together. It's possible in politically charged times to find compromise, democracy and civil discourse. I, Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence."

Additional information on a suspected shooter or shooters was not immediately available. WCCO has confirmed that ATF agents responded to the situation and are participating in the manhunt.

Legislators were alerted this morning and those in the metro area were told to take extra safety precautions. The executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff's Association, in a Facebook post, said that "an evil coward dressed as a protector, went to the homes of two Minnesota elected officials and shot them."

Minnesota police agencies and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are currently leading the investigation, officials report.

CBS News has also reached out to the FBI and other agencies for comment.

Hortman represented Minnesota House District 34B, and Hoffman Minnesota Senate District 34.

Organizers for the planned "No Kings" protest in Northeast Minneapolis said the event would be canceled due to the shootings and shelter-in-place.

"Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the communities impacted by this violence," organizers said. "Some events in other parts of the greater Minneapolis area are still moving forward at this time, and we are actively monitoring the situation."

This story will be updated."

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-lawmakers-targeted-shootings-champlin-brooklyn-park-john-hoffman-melissa-hortman/

#Assassinations? #WTF! #AuthoritarianRule

PROTECT THE #PROTEST
THE #SOLIDARITY WAVE

What to do if someone does something you don't like:

1. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
We're all here for the same cause. There is no legal requirement to alert police to potentially illegal activity.

2. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE
If someone’s behavior raises your risk level beyond what you're comfortable with, leave the situation and head to a safer space.

3. ASK FOR SUPPORT .
If someone’s behavior raises your risk level and you're unable to leave, ask for support from the people around you or see if the person is able to accommodate your needs.

4. RESPECT DIVERSE TACTICS
Engage with curiosity about people who do things differently from you. What motivates them to be courageous in the face of police violence?

5. KEEP COMRADES INVISIBLE
If someone needs to blend into the crowd quickly, help them. Learn about de-arresting and support people who are being targeted. Together, we can be powerful, strategic, and united.

#SolidarityWave #EffectiveProtest #PeoplePower #Gelderloos #NoKings #NoKingsEvents #ResistFascism #DontSnitch #PeterCoyote #Anarchists #AuthoritarianRule

How to Stay Safe #Protesting #ICE — and What to Expect From #Cops in Your City

Do police in your city use #TearGas or #RubberBullets? Repression tactics from Seattle to Chicago, plus how to prepare.

by Akela Lacy
June 14 2025, 7:00 a.m.

Excerpt: “The key really no matter where you are or what you’re doing is situational awareness,” said Mickey H. Osterreicher, general counsel to the National Press Photographers Association. “When you start to see officers on bikes encircling you, you need to have probably thought of this before, but certainly at that point, look for a place to exit.”

https://theintercept.com/2025/06/14/ice-police-brutality-protests-la-nyc/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/iidZ9#selection-555.9-587.38

#Resistance #Resist #NoKingsEvents #ResistFascism #ResistICE #AuthoritarianRule

#AmnestyInternational Condemns Trump Threat of 'Very Heavy Force' Against #MilitaryParade #Protesters

The #FarRight Republican president, warned the #HumanRights group, "is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: #dissent will be punished."

Jon Queally
Jun 12, 2025

"The human rights advocacy group Amnesty International USA has issued a strong rebuke and warning in response to President Donald Trump's public threat to aim 'very heavy force' at law-abiding protesters voicing their constitutionally-protected #FreeSpeech during organized '#NoKings' protests scheduled for Saturday nationwide.

"In Tuesday remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he didn't know of any planned protests timed to coincide with his $134-million parade, taking place on his birthday, but said if there are, 'these are people that hate our country.'

" 'For those people who want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force,' Trump said, making no distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those who might be more confrontational or even violent.

" 'Now is a good moment to remind President Trump that protesting is a human right and that his administration is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly–not suppress them,' said Paul O'Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in a statement on Wednesday.

"Trump's threat arrived after he overrode California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call up 4,000 National Guard troops in that state last weekend—and subsequently U.S. Marine forces—to confront large protests in Los Angeles that erupted in response to raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (#ICE) agents and the violent arrest of union leader #DavidHuerta, president of #SEIUCalifornia.

" 'The militarized response to protests, including the deployment of the #NationalGuard and the #Marines in #LosAngeles, further escalates tensions and is a chilling preview of even more human rights violations that could be coming,' warned O'Brien. 'The U.S. military is not trained or equipped to police civilians. It increases the risk of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and other violations of free expression and peaceful assembly. The Trump administration has already shown us that it will use any tool of the state, including ICE, police, and military forces to target #immigrants, #AsylumSeekers, #protesters, and anyone who dares to defend their rights.'

"Over 1,800 coordinated '#NoKings' protests are being organized for [#June14] to counter Trump's growing #authoritarianism and to coincide with the military parade Trump is throwing for himself in #WashingtonDC, at an estimated cost of $134 million.

"A new poll released Thursday shows a majority of Americans believe the parade is a waste of taxpayer money.

"Approximately 6 in 10 Americans also say Trump's parade is 'not a good use' of taxpayer funds, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That number of disapproving voters includes a number of people surveyed who have no particular criticism of the parade itself.

"Beyond the wasted cost, critics of the president warn that the more dangerous aspect of the parade is how the spectacle dovetails with Trump's broader authoritarianism, including his militarized response to dissent and weaponizing state power against his perceived political enemies.

" 'Make no mistake,' said Amnesty's O'Brien. 'President Trump’s response to protests has nothing to do with public safety. This is his administration’s way of stoking fear and suppressing opposition. By sending police, ICE, or the military into neighborhoods to silence voices calling for justice and human rights, President Trump is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished.'

"Amnesty called for an immediate halt to Trump's 'militarized response' to public protest."

Listen / read more:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-heavy-force-military-parade-protesters

#Resistance #NoKingsEvents #TrumpIsAFascist #Resist #ImmigrantRights #CriminalizingDissent #PunishingDissent #AuthoritarianRule

#50501Movement Protest Group: Book #Trump #MilitaryParade Tickets, Then Don't Show

By Mandy Taheri
Published Jun 12, 2025

"Celebration and protest are expected to collide on Saturday as President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary and hundreds of '#NoKings' demonstrations converge across the country.

"The protest group 50501 is urging supporters to reserve free tickets to Trump's planned military parade and then not attend, aiming to leave the event sparsely populated.

Why It Matters

"The protests, organized by the 50501 Movement (50 protests, 50 states, one movement) and other groups, are targeting a military parade scheduled to take place in the nation's capital on June 14, coinciding with Trump's 79th #unbirthday, the Army's 250th anniversary, and #FlagDay.

"Organizers of the protests are calling for June 14 to be a 'nationwide day of defiance' and are calling for both people to join in the protests as well as eat up tickets to the military parade."

https://www.newsweek.com/50501-protest-trump-parade-tickets-no-show-2084869

#RainOnTrumpsParade #TrumpIsAFascist #GoodTrouble #Resistance #USPol #Protests #ICEProtests #AuthoritarianRule
#TrumpSucks #Project2025

Waaaaah, sez the #OrangeManBaby! 'I have to go through hell': #Trump complains about '#NoKings' protests during his parade

Story by Ailia Zehra, June 12, 2025

"President Donald Trump expressed frustration on Thursday over the upcoming 'No Kings' protests scheduled for June 14, coinciding with both his 79th birthday and a military parade he is holding in Washington D.C.

The demonstrations, organized by the #50501Movement, aim to oppose #Trump's policies and what participants perceive as #authoritarian tendencies."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/i-have-to-go-through-hell-trump-complains-about-no-kings-protests-during-his-parade/ar-AA1GC10x?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=760679bc89554431a83f840b9a3840f2&ei=14

#TrumpIsAFascist #Resistance #RainOnTrumpsParade #USPol #Protests #ICEProtests #AuthoritarianRule #TrumpSucks

Sen. #AlexPadilla is forcibly removed from #DHS Secretary #KristiNoem's news conference in #LosAngeles

Noem was in L.A. to address the ongoing demonstrations against President Donald #Trump's #immigration policies.

June 12, 2025, 2:32 PM EDT / Updated June 12, 2025, 2:59 PM EDT
By Rebecca Shabad and Jacob Soboroff

"Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday after trying to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference related to immigration.

" 'I am Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,' Padilla said to Noem, which prompted several men to physically push him out of the room. It was unclear who the men were, as several were dressed in plainclothes.

"Padilla's office shared a video of the incident with NBC News. The video shows Padilla being taken into a hallway outside and pushed face forward onto the ground as officers with FBI-identifying vests told the senator to put his hands behind his back. The officers then handcuffed him.

"President Donald Trump's immigration policies — and the administration's handling of demonstrations against those policies — have sparked an outcry in recent days. After protesters clashed with officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles on Friday, the president deployed members of the National Guard, and later Marines, to assist local law enforcement. Dozens of demonstrations have taken place across the country in the days that followed.

"Speaking to reporters later Thursday, Padilla said he was receiving a briefing from military officials when he learned Noem was in the same building and decided to join her briefing.

" 'I was there peacefully,' he said. 'At one point, I had a question, and so I began to ask a question. I was almost immediately forcibly removed from the room, I was forced to the ground, and I was handcuffed.'

"He added, 'If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they’re doing to #FarmWorkers, to #cooks, to #DayLaborers out in the #LosAngeles community and throughout #California and throughout the country.' "

Read more:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-alex-padilla-forcibly-removed-dhs-sec-kristi-noems-press-conferenc-rcna212688?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

#ICERaids #ImmigrationCrackdown #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #ResistICE #USPol #ICERaids #TrumpIsANazi #ThisIsFascism #Project2025

#Florida considers easing #ChildLabor laws after pushing out #immigrants

A new law under consideration in the state Legislature would roll back child labor laws to make up for a dwindling labor pool.

By Ja'han Jones
March 27, 2025, 12:15 PM EDT

"As Florida officials enable Trump’s #MassDeportation policies, lawmakers in the state are looking to children to take on some of the jobs that have typically been done by immigrants.

"Making its way through the state Senate is a new law, Senate Bill 918, that aims to loosen child labor laws and allow teenagers to work overnight shifts.

"As CNN reported: 'The state’s legislature on Tuesday advanced a bill that would loosen child labor laws, allowing children as young as 14 years old to work overnight shifts. If the new law is passed, teenagers would be able to work overnight jobs on school days. They are currently prevented from working earlier than 6:30 am or later than 11 pm per state law.'

"#SB918 also 'includes a number of changes including eliminating working time restrictions on teenagers aged 14 and 15 if they are home-schooled and ending guaranteed meal breaks for 16 and 17 year olds,' CNN reported.

"Florida Gov. #RonDeSantis backs the law and has defended the idea of teenagers and college students working these jobs. DeSantis also explicitly linked the effort to the loss of immigrant labor. Speaking about the consequences of state verification laws at an event with border czar #TomHoman, the governor said, 'Yes, we had people that left because of those rules, but you’ve also been able to hire other people. And what’s wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now?'

"In recent years, several states — many of them led by #Republican governors — have rolled back child labor laws. This map from the Economic Policy Institute illustrates the spike in states rolling back these laws from 2021 to 2024. Back in 2023, for example, #Arkansas Gov. #SarahHuckabeeSanders signed a bill that made it easier for companies to hire children without getting consent from their parents. One month earlier, The New York Times published a bombshell report about the exploitation of immigrant children in #factories operated by some of the most well-known companies in the U.S.

"That story should have spurred a nationwide push to strengthen child labor laws. Instead, states like Florida are going in the opposite direction, weakening such laws in part to deal with the fallout from the conservative movement’s demonization of immigrants. They’re essentially using child labor to paper over the gaps left by their draconian immigration policies.

"#Project2025, the far-right playbook for Trump’s second term, specifically calls for rolling back #HazardRegulations around child labor. The text claims, 'Some young adults show an interest in inherently dangerous jobs' and argues that 'with parental consent and proper training, certain young adults should be allowed to learn and work in more dangerous occupations.'

"Even as child labor laws are being rolled back, the Trump administration is working to gut social services, including funds that help provide school lunches to children and programs, like the supplemental nutrition assistance program, that help feed poor families. And if those cuts stay in place, they may leave American families with few alternatives to sending their children to work to keep food on the table."

Source:
https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/florida-child-labor-law-sb-918-rcna198275

#DeSantis #DeSatan #SNAPCuts #ResistICE #Authoritarianism #USPol #MedicaidCuts #TrumpIsANazi #AuthoritarianRule
#ThisIsFascism #ImmigrantsFeedUs #ImmigrationCrackdown

And who will work in the fields? Children?Folks who have just lost #FoodAssistance and #Medicare?#Protestors who piss off Trump?

#Trump’s Immigration #Crackdown Hits #CaliforniaFarms

#Farmworkers hid in fields on Tuesday as word spread that ICE agents were conducting raids in California’s breadbasket, an activist said.

By Bernard Mokam and Pooja Salhotra
June 11, 2025, 9:08 p.m. ET

Excerpt: " 'The #Trump administration is ramping up its immigration crackdown, with a focus on workplaces with undocumented #laborers, such as #farms, #restaurants and #construction sites. Estimates show more than eight million undocumented #immigrants work in the United States.

"Last Friday, federal immigration agents swept through the garment district of Los Angeles, setting off protests that have rattled sections of downtown L.A. and have spread to a number of cities across the country.

"For #farmworkers — about 42 percent of whom are undocumented, according to the Agriculture Department — the escalation in arrests has created widespread fear.

" 'Children are terrified,' Ms. Romero said. 'They don’t want to go to school because they don’t know if their parents will be home when they come back.'

"Local leaders have rebuked the escalation, which could bring hardship to one of California’s agricultural corridors. The #CentralValley — which grows #almonds, #grapes, #walnuts and #cherries, among other crops — produces a quarter of the nation’s food, worth an estimated $17 billion a year, according to federal data.

" 'These actions are completely unjustified and harmful,' said Mayor Luis McArthur of Oxnard. 'They create chaos in our city without contributing much to public safety. Furthermore these actions undermine the very principles of #DueProcess.'

"The raids this week represent the first organized immigration enforcement from the new Trump administration to hit California’s agricultural region, which covers about 40 percent of the state, Ms. Romero said. A handful of federal operations have been conducted in other rural communities in recent weeks. Last month, federal agents pulled over a bus in #AlbionN., and detained 14 immigrants who worked at a nearby farm. In April, three children and their mother were detained at an upstate New York dairy.

"Rural migrants are particularly vulnerable to immigration enforcement because they stand out in towns that are often racially homogenous, said Will Lambek of Migrant Justice, an advocacy organization for farmworkers in #Vermont, where eight dairy workers were detained in April.

"In California, Ms. Davalos said the agents could have made more arrests had the community been less prepared. Once a volunteer spotted officers in the area, an alert was sent through a network of support.

"Federal agents were denied entry to at least nine farms in the Central Coast, Ms. Davalos said. Some growers parked their vehicles in front of their gates. Employees also obscured their cars.
'We demonstrated the power of brave, nonviolent #resistance to #ICE’s tactics of #terror,' Ms. Davalos said, lamenting what she described as politically driven attempts to reach a deportation quota. 'At the end of the day, they’re seizing our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.'

"If federal immigration enforcement activities continue, #FoodProduction will become increasingly difficult, and food prices could rise, warned Bryan Little, senior director of policy advocacy at the California Farm Bureau."

Read more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/us/trump-ice-raids-california-farms.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/NFWuO

#ResistICE #Authoritarianism #ImmigrationCrackdown #ICERaids #TrumpIsANazi #AuthoritarianRule #ImmigrantsFeedUs #NoHumanIsIllegalOnStolenLand #HungerGames #EatTheRich #ThisIsFascism #Project2025

WTAF! ‘#NoKings’ protest organizer calls #Texas #NationalGuard deployment an overreaction by Governor

by Cora Neas
Wed, June 11, 2025

AUSTIN (KXAN) — "A protest planned to occur at the Texas Capitol Saturday comes after Texas Governor #GregAbbott’s deployment of the state’s National Guard to #AustinTX and other Texas cities following a Monday night protest in the state’s capital city.

[...]

" 'Soldiers are on standby in areas where mass #demonstrations are planned in case they are needed,' reads part of Mahaleris’s statement. 'Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles. Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be swiftly held accountable to the full extent of the law.'

"The Monday night protest, organized by the Party for #Socialism and #Liberation, was held to show solidarity with #protesters in #LosAngeles.

"Saturday’s protest, ' #NoKings / #KickOutTheClowns,' is part of a nationwide action against a #MilitaryParade in #WashingtonDC, also on Saturday. The Austin rally is organized by Hands Off Central Texas (#HOCTX), a coalition of liberal activist groups such as #50501, #IndivisibleAustin, #IndivisibleRosedale, #ThirdAct Texas and #ResistAustin.

"#HandsOff Central Texas President Sophia Mirto said that the rally will feature speeches by activists and locally elected politicians, as well as performances."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-kings-protest-organizer-calls-211358311.html

#Crackdown #PosseComitatus #SilencingDissent #TexasResists #Resist #Resistance #ResistFascism #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #USPol

About 500 #NationalGuard troops in LA are trained to accompany agents on immigration raids

Nearly 5,000 military personnel have been mobilized in the Los Angeles area in response to immigration raid protests. A commander says National Guard troops and Marines will protect #ICE agents and federal buildings, and will be allowed to 'temporarily' detain people.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Updated 7:41 PM EDT, June 11, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — "About 500 of the National Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles protests have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations, the commander in charge said Wednesday. And while some troops have already gone on such missions, he said it’s too early to say if that will continue even after the protests die down.

"Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and ABC, also warned that he expects the protest situation will escalate. 'We are expecting a ramp up,' he said, noting that protests across the nation are being planned and discussed now. 'I’m focused right here in LA, what’s going on right here. But you know, I think we’re, we’re very concerned.'

"Sherman, commander of Task Force 51 that is overseeing the more than 4,000 Guard troops and 700 #Marines deployed, initially said that National Guard troops had already temporarily detained some civilians. He later said he was incorrect, and that he had based his comments on photos and footage he had seen that turned out to not be a representation of Guard members in Los Angeles.

"He said that as of Wednesday, none of the troops has detained a protester. But he said they have gone through days of training and are prepared to do so if needed. Close to 2,000 of the Guard members have either been out protecting federal facilities or personnel already or are ready to move out, and the Marines will wrap up their training and are expected to be on the streets of Los Angeles as early as Thursday evening, Sherman said.

"The decision to have the soldiers provide security on the raids moves troops closer than ever before to carrying out law enforcement actions such as #deportations as President Donald Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown.

"#California Gov. #GavinNewsom has called the troop deployment a 'serious breach of state #sovereignty' and a #PowerGrab by Trump, and has gone to court to stop it. The president has cited a legal provision that allows him to mobilize federal service members when there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.'

"Under the Posse Comitatus Act, active-duty forces are prohibited by law from conducting law enforcement. Sherman said all of the Guard troops and Marines are going through several days of training on #CivilUnrest and #CrowdControl so they know exactly what they can and can’t do." [Um, yeah... Sure...]

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-immigration-raids-los-angeles-c9957a0d4ded48e40ce78efb0b7a8fbf

#PoliceAccontability #ACAB #NationalGuard #LAProtests #Resist #Resistance #ResistICE #ResistAuthoritarianism #USPol #PosseComitatus #StatesRights #Constitution #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #ResistFascism #USPol #Project2025

But it's okay for #NeoNazis and #WhiteSupremacists to storm the White House, eh?

"[Closet #Nazi] #StephenMiller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.' On Saturday, he described the day's protests as a 'violent insurrection.' "

#InsurrectionAct #MartialLaw #USPol #SilencingDissent #AuthoritarianRule

[Thread] So, while I have an archive of all my TurdSite posts in case I get kicked off (I've been trying), it is convenient to scroll through images and see when I posted things. I found some very prescient posts. As if I knew all of this would come to pass. It's weird to actually have a record of my "predictions", but there you go...

#TrumpSucks #FascismAhead #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #Memes

"President #Trump has signed a new travel ban barring citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States. The ban applies to #Afghanistan, #Burma, #Chad, #EquatorialGuinea, #Eritrea, #Haiti, #Iran, #Libya, #Somalia, #Sudan, #Yemen and the Republic of #Congo." @DemocracyNow_Headlines_rss

#USPol #TrumpSucks #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule

The Ghost In You

"You awoke in a burning paperhouse
From the infinite fields of dreamless sleep
You return to Tiananmen
An eyewitness in a shroud

To see them fall
Feel them yield
Relieving the terror
Of the crowd

Hold the whirlwind, don't let it blow
Just for a moment, I seemed to know
Hold the whirlwind, don't let it blow
I seemed to know the ghost in you

The whisper of your scream sighed through the air
And faith, the flag is torn and frayed
Inferno heat, glory in flame
Love was beaten and betrayed

In every step
I hear your sobbing
Dare I break the shade
With one caress?

Dare I trespass to lift the veil
To touch the lips so soft and frail?
Hold the whirlwind, don't let it blow
I seemed to know the ghost in you

Your captive heart
The belief you share
With a kiss eternal
Spirits of the square

Hold the whirlwind, don't let it blow
Hope remains with the ghost in you
Hold the whirlwind, don't let it blow
I seemed to know the ghost in you

Don't let it blow
The ghost in you
The ghost in you"

- #SiouxsieAndTheBanshees, 1993

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etutVZoOHts

#RememberTianamen #TianamenMassacre #TianamenSquare #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule

'This Is What #Autocrats Do': Concern Grows Over Single Paragraph Buried Deep in #GOPBill

The provision would force those challenging Trump "to pay up in the form of a posted bond—something many people can't afford to do. That means only the wealthy will be able to even attempt to challenge the most powerful man in the country."

Jon Queally
May 31, 2025

"A single paragraph buried deep in a spending bill that passed the GOP-controlled House of Representatives earlier this month is causing growing concern among democracy watchdogs who warn the provision will make it so only the well-to-do would be in a good position to launch legal challenges against a #Trump administration that has shown over and over again its disdain and disregard for oversight or judicial restraint of any kind.

"Coming just about half-way through what President Donald Trump has dubbed the Republican Party's so-called "One #BigBeautifulBill Act"—which progressive critics point out is a giant giveaway to the nation's wealthiest at the expense of the working class and the common good—the language in question is slight, but could have far-reaching impacts.

" 'This is what autocrats do. Consolidate power, increase the penalty for objecting, ultimately making it more difficult—eventually impossible—to challenge them.'

"On Saturday, #HumanRightsWatch (#HRW) noted in a detailed social media thread how the provision 'hasn't gotten nearly enough scrutiny' from lawmakers or the public.

"A recent piece by USA Today columnist Chris Brennan put it this way: 'One paragraph, on pages 562 and 563 of the 1,116-page bill, raised alarms for reasons that have nothing to do with America's budget or safety-net programs or debt. That paragraph invokes a federal rule for civil court procedures, requiring anyone seeking an injunction or temporary restraining order to block an action by the Trump administration to post a financial bond.

" 'Want to challenge Trump? Pay up, the provision said in a way that could make it financially prohibitive for Americans to contest Trump's actions in court.

"HRW details how the provision, if included in the final legislation, 'would make it more expensive to fight Trump's policies in court by invoking a federal rule that effectively punishes anyone willing to stand up against the administration.'

"Anyone seeking a legal action that would involve an injunction request against a presidential order or policy, the group said, would to face a much larger barrier because Republicans would make it so that anyone challenging Trump in court in this way would 'have to pay up in the form of a posted bond—something many people can't afford to do. That means only the wealthy will be able to even attempt to challenge the most powerful man in the country."

Read more / listen to audio:
www.commondreams.org/news/trump-buried-provision

#CharacteristicsOfFascism #USPol #AuthoritarianRule #SilencingDissent #Fascism #BigUglyBill #BigUglyFascists

"It was also crucial that the movement against police and white supremacy centered those who have the least cause to preserve the existing order. This should not be lost on middle-class people who hope that others will join them in resisting the Trump regime. In order to involve enough people to succeed, any movement against Trump will have to address the material needs of the oppressed, giving everyone else a stake in the fight. If we don’t want to live under autocracy, there is no way around it—we have to organize against all forms of oppression."

#Crimethinc #Resistance #AuthoritarianRule #ACAB

Because an educated populace might not fall for #fascism and #AuthoritarianRule!

#Trump Finds a New Way to Attack Education: Cutting Aid for #Students Who Are Parents

The Trump administration proposed eliminating #CCAMPIS, a vital child care program for LowerIncome parenting students.

by Jessica Washington, May 28 2025

Original article:
https://theintercept.com/2025/05/28/trump-aid-student-parents-college-child-care/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/0ttW8

#TrumpHatesThePoor #TrumpIsDumbingUsDown #MAGA #CharacteristicsOfFascism #LearnToBeASerf #USPol #MadKingTrump #NoKings

Wells residents split on town's decision to pause agreement with ICE

Brad Rogers,WGME
Thu, May 22nd 2025

WELLS (WGME) -- "This week, the Wells Police Department decided to freeze its partnership with ICE.

"The chief says it's in part because of a bill before the state legislature that would ban local police from working directly with ICE.

"The Wells Police Department is the only known department in Maine to sign a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE.

"But the police chief says they never intended to arrest immigrants.

" 'I'd like to reiterate that at no point was there ever any intent on doing proactive immigration enforcement,' Wells Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnam said.

"The now-frozen agreement set off alarms among Wells residents and seasonal businesses that rely on young people with visas to fill summer jobs, including those from Central and South America.

"CBS13 spoke with a young Venezuelan woman who is working in Wells on an H-2B visa. She says even though she's here legally, she doesn't like the idea of Wells police working with ICE agents.

"Neither does Judy Pettinga.

"The Wells Beach store owner says all this does is frighten foreign workers who are here legally."

[...]

"A bill in Augusta would ban local law enforcement from working with ICE.

"#ACLU of Maine told the judiciary committee, 'The Trump administration is terrorizing immigrants and those perceived to be immigrants, regardless of their legal status.' "

https://wgme.com/news/local/wells-residents-split-on-towns-decision-to-pause-agreement-with-ice-immigration-customs-enforcement-police-department

#ResistICE #MaineResists #Gestapo
#Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #ICERaids #ICESucks #USPol #MainePol #MaineNews #ImmigrantRights #HumanRightsViolations #HumanDecency

So much for "family values" and "businesses" -- I guess only white families and businesses count!

'Left the kids with no father': Family devastated after #LewistonME restaurant owner arrested

Allyson LaPierre, WGME
Thu, May 22nd 2025 at 6:11 PM
Updated Thu, May 22nd 2025

LEWISTON (WGME) - "The #CantonWok restaurant in Lewiston has closed its doors after its owner, #XingFengDong, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 6.

"Dong, a 46-year-old Chinese national, is currently held without bail at the Cumberland County Jail. The records do not indicate why he was arrested.

"Dong's brother, Xing Bi Dong, expressed confusion and concern over the arrest. Speaking through a translator, he said, 'He just hopes the government can give his brother a chance.' He described his brother as 'a hard worker, a nice person, he has two kids, and he is a good boss for this restaurant.'

"Xing Bi Dong added that his brother was working with immigration authorities to obtain his green card and does not understand why he was taken into custody.

" 'He doesn't understand why the government took his brother to jail and left them feeling very sad, left the kids with no father,' Xing Bi Dong said.

"The closure of Canton Wok, which has been open on Lisbon Street for two decades, has left around eight employees, including Xing Bi Dong, out of work. The arrest has also raised concerns within Lewiston's immigrant community."

https://wgme.com/news/local/chinese-restaurant-owner-in-federal-custody-family-speaks-out-maine-ice-immigration-lewiston-customs-enforcement

#ResistICE #Gestapo #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #WhiteSupremacy #ICERaids #ICESucks #USPol #MainePol #MaineNews

So, now ICE is going after business owners?!! WTF!!!

#LewistonME #ChineseRestaurant closed, owner taken into custody by #ICE

by Aysia Reed,WGME
Thu, May 22nd 2025

LEWISTON, Maine (WGME) -- "A Chinese food restaurant in Lewiston has shut down, and the owner has been taken to jail in the custody of ICE.

"According to federal records, 46-year-old #XingFengDong is being held at the Cumberland County Jail in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"Dong is listed as a native of China and was taken into custody May 6.

"According to city records, Dong operates the Canton Wok restaurant on Lisbon Street.

"The restaurant has been open for almost 20 years, but now there is a simple 'closed' sign hanging at the entrance and no sign of any employees.

"The last Facebook post from the restaurant was on May 1, announcing Mother’s Day specials.

"Lewiston police said they were not notified about the arrest of Dong.

" 'Canton Wok is a long-standing Lewiston business and this news is surprising. I’m in the process of trying to find out more information,' Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said.

"It is unclear if or when the restaurant will reopen but on the restaurant’s website it says Canton Wok is permanently closed."

Source:
https://wgme.com/news/local/lewiston-chinese-restaurant-closed-owner-taken-into-custody-by-ice-maine-crime-us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-xing-feng-dong-china-canton-wok

#ResistICE #Gestapo #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #WhiteSupremacy #ICERaids #ICESucks #USPol #MainePol #MaineNews

via @kenwhite.bsky.social‬

"Willing to bet a very large amount that most of that 413% rise in 'assaults' on ICE agents represent unarmed people attacking ICE fists with their faces and boots with their kidneys.

Because these people are lying scum."

#ResistICE #Gestapo #ICESucks #ACAB #CharacteristicsOfFascism #SilencingDissent #PoliceState #Resist #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule

#Trump Is Building a #GlobalGulag for #Immigrants Captured by #ICE

The U.S. is in talks with 19 nations, including #Libya, #Kosovo, #Rwanda, and #Moldova to accept deportees from other countries.

Nick Turse, Jonah Valdez
May 15 2025,

Excerpt: "In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the #GeorgeWBush administration created a worldwide network of secret prisons and torture sites as part of its global war on terror. Its crown jewel, the Guantánamo Bay detention center, was established in January 2002 as a place for the United States to hold so-called enemy combatants.

"The U.S. government chose the U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay because it was seeking a site where neither U.S. nor international law applied — a legal black hole where they could disappear people indefinitely. Over time, Guantánamo became emblematic of gross human rights abuses. “Forever prisoners” of the war on terror are still being held there today. Others caught up in America’s counterterrorism dragnet were detained at torture prisons in Afghanistan and Iraq or kidnapped and 'rendered' to CIA black sites — secret prisons in at least eight countries around the world.

"As the Trump administration has expanded the Bush and #Obama-era terrorism paradigm to cast immigrants and refugees as terrorists and gang members, it has reconceptualized rendition and even pressed Guantánamo Bay into service as a way station for Venezuelan men expelled to El Salvador."

Read more:
https://theintercept.com/2025/05/15/trump-ice-immigrants-deport-prisons-cecot-libya/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/07iRS

#SilencingDissent #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #USPol #WorldPol #CharacteristicsOfFascism #ResistICE #PoliceState

#LawFirms, #universities and now #CivilSociety groups are in #Trump’s sights for #punitive action

By LISA MASCARO
Updated 12:04 AM EDT, April 18, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — "First the nation’s top law firms. Then its premier universities. Now, President Donald Trump is leaning on the #advocacy groups that underpin U.S. civil society.

"Trump said Thursday that the administration is looking at the tax-exempt status not just of Harvard, but environmental groups and specifically the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or #CREW. It could be a devastating financial blow to the #nonprofit organizations — and his perceived #PoliticalFoes.

"The president’s remarks, during an event at the White House, began to confirm what advocacy groups have been quietly warning: Trump’s campaign of retribution is coming next for them.

" 'It’s supposed to be a charitable organization,' Trump said about CREW, in particular. 'The only charity they had is going after Donald Trump. So we’re looking at that. We’re looking at a lot of things.' "

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-exempt-crew-environmental-groups-harvard-5e1e0ffacfa040ccdeaf4e43fb72b5fe

#CharacteristicsOfFascism
#SilencingDissent #USPol #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #CriminalizingDissent #EnvironmentalGroups #WaterIsLife #AirIsLife #LandIsLife #FightForTheFuture #DefendMotherEarth

Congressional Analysis: #GOP Tax Gifts to #Rich Would Explode Deficit They Always Complain About

"This bill gives enormous additional tax cuts to wealthy people and corporations, spikes the deficit, and strips healthcare from millions of Americans," said one critic.

Jessica Corbett
May 13, 2025

Excerpt: " 'Reckless tax cuts for the top and new corporate loopholes appear to be the big features of this bill, and they're paid for by cutting our healthcare and making American communities more vulnerable to floods, fires, and storms,' she stressed. 'The revenue raisers—which don't stop this from being extremely expensive—seem to be about picking winners and losers, rather than passing rational, consistent policies.' "

https://www.commondreams.org/news/gop-reconciliation-package

#BigUglyBill #Environment #Ethics #TaxBreaksForTheRich #CorporatePolluters #AirIsLife
#WaterIsLife #LandIsLife
#TrumpHatesTheEnvironment
#TrumpHatesThePoor #Corporatocracy #CharacteristicsOfFascism
#SilencingDissent #USPol #HR9495 #StopHR9495 #TaxPackage #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule
#FightForTheFuture

What’s in Trump’s big bill? Trillions in tax cuts, changes to Medicaid and more

By KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO
Updated 8:21 PM EDT, May 13, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — "#Republicans in Congress are moving with rapid speed to advance President Donald Trump’s big bill of #TaxBreaks, #SpendingCuts and beefed-up border security funding as leaders work to enact many of his campaign promises.

"House committees have been laboring for months to draft the legislation, which Republicans have labeled 'THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,' a nod to Trump himself. Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing to approve the package and send it to the Senate by Memorial Day.

"Democrats say they will fight what House party leader #HakeemJeffries calls 'this extreme and toxic bill.' "
https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-bill-medicaid-work-requirements-17cbde167f3b434e925a199c3253b8e1

#BigUglyBill #Environment #Ethics #StudentLoans #Medicaid #TaxBreaksForTheRich
#CorporatePolluters #AirIsLife
#WaterIsLife #LandIsLife
#MAGADeathCult #TrumpHatesTheEnvironment
#TrumpHatesThePoor
#AntiLife #Greenpeace
#Indivisible #FreePalestine
#CREW #PeaceAndJustice
#Corporatocracy #CharacteristicsOfFascism
#SilencingDissent
#USPol #HR9495 #StopHR9495
#TaxPackage #Authoritarianism
#AuthoritarianRule
#FightForTheFuture
#Section112209

This is what I sent to Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King...

Dear Senator Collins / King, I beg you to vote "no" on Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." The passing of this will hurt many Mainers, and could impact Maine non-profits (Section 112209). Many Mainers are already struggling to pay their bills, and putting more of a burden on them, while giving tax breaks to the rich is unfair to working and disabled Mainers. Thank you.

#HR9495 #BigBeautifulBill #BigUglyTaxBill #ToxicBill #Environment #Ethics #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LandIsLife #TrumpHatesTheEnvironment
#TrumpHatesThePoor #CorporatePolluters #Corporatocracy
#CharacteristicsOfFascism
#SilencingDissent #USPol
#HR9495 #TaxPackage
#Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #StopHR9495 #FightForTheFuture
#Section112209

House Republicans look to help Trump strip tax-exempt status of nonprofits he says support terrorism

By ALEXA ST. JOHN and MATTHEW DALY
Updated 1:37 PM EDT, May 13, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — "A proposal by Republicans in Congress would allow President Donald Trump’s administration to remove the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that it says support #terrorism, creating what some #nonprofits say is an arbitrary standard to financially punish #charities that advocate for issues that don’t align with his agenda.

"Unusual language added Monday to a reconciliation bill from the House Ways and Means Committee — the tax-writing committee — would allow for terminating the tax-exempt status of groups the administration deems 'terrorist supporting organizations.' The language mirrors a bill from the last Congress that passed in the House but did not pass the Senate.

"The definition and criteria for determining whether or how an organization supports terrorism are unclear. The bill also targets nonprofits in other ways, echoing complaints by Trump, who has called the tax-exempt status a 'privilege' that has been 'abused.' Trump has threatened to revoke tax-exempt status for groups that don’t abide by his directives or agree with his views."

[...]

"Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network, which represents hundreds of former scientists and regulators, said last month 'we all pay the price' when charitable organizations are silenced based on politics.

"For example, the move to revoke #TaxExempt status could choke off funding for groups that urge greater action to promote clean air, water and land, work to help communities most affected by industrial pollution and advocate for projects and policies to combat #ClimateChange — among other issues.

" 'It threatens the rights, health, and future of every community,' Roos said in a statement.

Last month, Trump said he could target environmental groups and the ethics watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/congress-nonprofits-tax-exempt-terrorism-trump-f9f5cfad4ea64c0745313a0b8a84fccf

#Environment #Ethics #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #LandIsLife #MAGADeathCult #TrumpHatesTheEnvironment #TrumpHatesThePoor #AntiLife #Greenpeace #Indivisible #FreePalestine #CREW #PeaceAndJustice #CorporatePolluters #Corporatocracy #CharacteristicsOfFascism #SilencingDissent #USPol #HR9495 #TaxPackage #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule #StopHR9495 #FightForTheFuture #Section112209

It's baaaack...! #HR9495

via @fightforthefuture.org‬
WE NEED CALLS NOW! HR 9495, now known as #Section112209, if passed, would give the #Trump administration unprecedented power in suppressing nonprofits, by allowing the administration the power to strip organizations of their tax exempt status! Call 319-313-7674

'We Need Calls Now!' Republicans Slip #Nonprofit Killer Bill Into #TaxPackage

"If Democrats capitulate to the wanton destruction of crucial civil society institutions, they had better expect civil society to burn them to the ground for that betrayal."

Jake Johnson
May 13, 2025

Excerpt: "House Republicans on Monday quietly revived a proposal that would grant the Trump administration broad authority to crush nonprofits it views as part of the political opposition, from environmental justice organizations to news outlets.

"#FightForTheFuture and other advocacy groups called attention to the measure, which was buried in the final pages of the House Ways and Means Committee's draft reconciliation bill, starting on page 380.

"A markup hearing for the legislation is scheduled to take place on Tuesday [5/13] at 2:30 pm ET.

"The proposal would empower the U.S. #TreasuryDepartment to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits deemed material supporters of #terrorism, with only a hollow simulacrum of due process for the accused organizations. It is already illegal for #nonprofits to provide material support for terrorism.

" 'The House is about to hand the Trump administration the ability to strip nonprofits of their 501(c)3 status without any reason or recourse. This is a five-alarm fire for nonprofits nationwide,' said Lia Holland, campaigns and communications director at Fight for the Future. 'If the text of last autumn's H.R. 9495 is passed in the budget, any organization with goals that do not line up with #MAGA can be destroyed with a wink from Trump to the Treasury.'

"The measure passed the Republican-controlled House late last year with the support of more than a dozen Democrats, but it never received a vote in the Senate.

" 'This terribly thought-out legislation means that under the current administration, every #environmental, racial justice, #LGBTQ+, #gender #justice, #immigration justice, and—particularly—any anti-#genocide organization throughout the country may be on the chopping block,' said Holland. 'If Democrats capitulate to the wanton destruction of crucial civil society institutions, they had better expect civil society to burn them to the ground for that betrayal.' "

https://www.commondreams.org/news/nonprofit-killer-bill

#StopHR9495 #HR9495 #SilencingDissent #fascism #USPol #Authoritarianism #AuthoritarianRule