#Democracy In Crisis

[fiveeven]

America, the New Russia.

There’s been a lot of discussion about authoritarianism creeping into American politics, and it’s hard not to see some unsettling parallels between Putin’s rise to power in Russia and what Trump could be shaping up to do in a second term. While the U.S. and Russia are obviously different in terms of government structure and institutions, there are patterns that feel a little too familiar for comfort. Let’s break it down.

Centralization of Power and Authoritarian Tendencies Putin didn’t start as an outright dictator—he consolidated power over time, pushing out opposition, reshaping government institutions to serve his interests, and taking control of key sectors of society, like the media. Trump’s rhetoric and actions have long suggested an affinity for strongman tactics. His repeated challenges to democratic norms, attacks on the judiciary, and efforts to undermine election integrity all point to a leader who doesn’t exactly have a healthy respect for checks and balances. If given another four years, there’s a legitimate concern that he’d escalate his efforts to tilt institutions in his favor.

Nationalism and Populism as a Political Strategy Both Putin and Trump have mastered the art of appealing to nationalism and populist anger. Putin leans on Russian exceptionalism, Soviet nostalgia, and traditionalist values to maintain power. Trump’s ‘America First’ brand of politics taps into a similar energy—framing global cooperation as weakness and positioning himself as the only one who can “fix” a corrupt system. Populism isn’t inherently bad, but when it’s mixed with authoritarian tendencies, it can quickly become a vehicle for eroding democracy.

The Oligarch Connection: Who Really Runs Things? Putin’s grip on Russia has been solidified in part by his close ties with oligarchs—business elites who thrive under his regime as long as they stay loyal. While Trump isn’t operating in a system with state-controlled oligarchs, his second-term agenda is packed with policy moves that benefit the ultra-wealthy and corporate elite. His administration has shown favoritism toward donors, big business, and industries that align with his interests, reinforcing the idea that money equals influence in his version of governance.

Media Control and Disinformation Putin doesn’t just control the Russian government—he controls the narrative. State-run media ensures the public hears what he wants them to hear, silencing opposition voices. While Trump doesn’t have that same level of control, he’s spent years delegitimizing mainstream media, aggressively promoting his own echo chambers (Truth Social, Fox News, etc.), and peddling conspiracy theories to sow distrust in independent journalism. The goal is similar: create an environment where only his version of events is believed.

Undermining International Norms and Alliances Putin has made it clear that international laws and agreements don’t apply to him. Whether it’s annexing Crimea or interfering in foreign elections, his strategy revolves around destabilizing global order in ways that benefit him. Trump has also shown an outright hostility toward international institutions like NATO and the UN, viewing alliances as liabilities rather than strengths. A second Trump term could further isolate the U.S. from global leadership, mirroring Putin’s approach of prioritizing personal power over diplomatic stability.

What’s the Takeaway? Look, America isn’t Russia, and Trump isn’t Putin. But ignoring the warning signs would be naive. The patterns are there—consolidation of power, nationalism as a rallying cry, catering to elites while presenting himself as a populist, discrediting the media, and disregarding international norms. Whether or not Trump can successfully push the U.S. further down that path depends on how much resistance he faces from institutions, the public, and political opposition.

The biggest difference? The U.S. still has functioning democratic mechanisms that could prevent full-scale authoritarianism—if people actually use them.

[reading-writing-revolution]

The ascension of the tech gods to the presidential dais is a remarkable journey. Back in December 2016, I watched live on C-Span as Trump welcomed a group of tech execs into a conference room in Trump Tower. Front and centre was Peter Thiel, the founder of Palantir, who’d been one of the few people in Silicon Valley to back Trump. And at that meeting, Trump stroked his hand throughout but the rest of the execs looked nervous, unsure. Some of them such as Sheryl Sandberg had been vocal Democrat supporters. But they all said how excited they were to be there and - Bezos’s word - “super-excited about the possibilities for innovations in this space”.

[puspa-san]

Guys... I know that I usually only uploaded anything about Fate related or some news about Palestine. But today, is a special case... You see... Democracy in Indonesia in danger thanks to someone who ruled my country for 10 years. Not only corruption, nepotism became scary for each day. They're willing to do anything to rule this country.

I hope we can fight this and find a hope in this bleak situation.

[radiogreen]

"Gilbert was one of two US officials to resign this week over the Biden administration’s Gaza policy. Alexander Smith, a contractor for the US Agency for International Development (USAid), who resigned on Monday, said he was given a choice between resignation and dismissal after preparing a presentation on maternal and child mortality among Palestinians, which was cancelled at the last minute by USAid leadership last week."

[ivygorgon]

An open letter to the President & U.S. Congress

Immediate Investigation Required: Election Integrity Threatened

13 so far! Help us get to 25 signers!

The recent wave of bomb threats at polling sites, delayed ballot counts, and technical malfunctions are raising significant public concerns about this election. With over 30 threats reported at voting locations, alongside signs of foreign interference and operational disruptions, a thorough investigation is essential for transparency and accountability.

To uphold the integrity of our democratic process, we urge immediate action to examine potential interference or fraud. If necessary, a recount or even a revote should be considered to restore voter trust. Addressing these concerns directly will reassure Americans that every vote is secure and counted.

Thank you for your commitment to the principles of our democratic system.

Source: https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-statement-on-bomb-threats-to-polling-locations

▶ Created on November 7 by Ret. SGT Guild

📱 Text SIGN PQNCWD to 50409

🤯 Liked it? Text FOLLOW IVYPETITIONS to 50409

I haven’t really seen any of the more recent U.S. election news hitting tumblr yet so here’s some updates (now edited with sources added):

There’s evidence of Trump cheating and interfering with the election.

Possible Russian interference.

Mail-in ballots are not being counted or “recognized” in multiple (notably swing) states.

30+ bomb threats were called in and shut down polling stations on Election Day.

20+ million votes are still unaccounted for, and that’s just to have the same voter turnout as 2020.

There was record voter turnout and new/first-time voter registration this year. We definitely should be well over the turnout in 2020.

U.S. citizens are using this site to demand, not only a recount, but a complete investigation into election fraud and interference for the reasons stated above:

Here is what I submitted as an example:

An investigation for election interference and fraud is required. We desperately need a recount or even a revote. The American people deserve the right to a free and fair election. There has been evidence unveiled of Trump cheating and committing election fraud which is illegal. There is some evidence of possible Russian interference. At least 30+ bomb threats were called in to polling places. Multiple, notably swing states, have ballots unaccounted for and voting machines not registering votes. Ballots and ballot boxes were tampered with and burned. Over 20 million votes that we know of are unaccounted for. With record turnout and new voter registration this year, there should be no possibility that there are less votes than even in the 2020 election.

Sources (working on finding more links but if anyone wants to add info, it’s appreciated):

FBI addressing Russian interference and bomb threats:

Emails released by Rachael Bellis (private account, can’t share original tweet) confirming Trump committing election fraud:

Pennsylvania's Centre County officials say they are working with their ballot scanner vendor to figure out why the county's mail-in ballot data is "not being recognized when uploaded to the elections software:”

Wisconsin recount:

[ID:

Multiple screenshots and images.

The first is a screenshot with a link and information for contacting the White House directly regarding election fraud. The instructions include choosing to leave a comment to President Joe Biden directly and to select election security as the reason.

The screenshot then instructs people to include any or all of the following information in a paragraph as a comment to the president:

32 fake bomb threats were called into Democratic leaning poll places, rendering polling places closed for at least an hour.

A lot of people reporting their ballots were not counted for various reasons.

This all occurred in swing states.

This is too coincidental that these things happen and swing in his favor after months of hinting at foul play.

Directly state that an investigation for tampering, interference, fraud is required, not just a recount.

The second image is from the FBI Twitter account that reads:

The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far. https://t.co/j3YfajVK1m — FBI (@FBI) November 5, 2024

The next four Gmail screenshots of an email sent to Rachael Bellis from Chris T. Spackman that read together as follows:

Dear BELLIS, RACHAEL E., The Dauphin County Board of Elections received a challenge to your absentee ballot you applied for in the November 5, 2024 General Election. The challenge argues that a provision of the Pennsylvania Election Code takes precedence over the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which requires states and counties to permit U.S. citizens who move overseas to vote by absentee ballot for federal offices based on their last U.S. residential address.

The full text of the challenge that was filed appears below this email.

You may respond to the challenge in any of the following ways:

1. Call the Bureau of Registration and Election at (717) 780-6360;

2. Email a statement to the Bureau at Election election@dauphincounty.gov. Any statement you submit regarding the period during which you lived in Dauphin County, any family or connections that you still have here, and why you are now residing abroad would be read into the record.

3. Appear in person at a Board of Elections hearing scheduled for Friday, November 8 at a time to be determined in the Commissioners Public Hearing Room, 4th floor of Dauphin County Administration Building, 2 S 20d St, Harrisburg, PA 17111. The meeting is also likely to be livestreamed on Facebook on the Dauphin County channel.

Sincerely,

Christopher T Spackman

TEXT OF CHALLENGE BEGINS

Dear Dauphin County Board of Elections,

I am submitting this challenge to an absentee ballot application pursuant to 25 Pa. Stat.

3146.8(f).

25 Pa. Stat. 3146.8(f) Any person challenging an application for an absentee ballot, an absentee ballot, an application for a mail-in ballot or a mail-in ballot for any of the reasons provided in this act shall deposit the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) in cash with the county board, which sum shall only be refunded if the challenge is sustained or if the challenge is withdrawn within five (5) days after the primary or election. If the challenge is dismissed by any lawful order then the deposit shall be forfeited. The county board shall deposit all deposit money in the general fund of the…

The rest of the forwarded email is cut off.

The last image is a screenshot of the official statement from the Centre County, Pennsylvania Board of Commissioners released on November 6, 2024 that states:

Centre County Working with Ballot Scanner Vendor to Export Election Results.

(Bellefonte, PA) -Centre County Elections Office is working continuously to provide mail-in ballot data in order to post unofficial results.

To this point, all ballots have been scanned, including all mail-in ballots.

Centre County's Election team and IT team have identified that the data are successfully being exported from the mail-in ballot scanners, but that the data is not being recognized when uploaded to the elections software.

Centre County's Administrator, John Franek, Jr. stated, "We have not stopped working, and we will continue to work until unofficial results are posted and reported to the Pennsylvania Department of State."

As a next step, Centre County has begun working with the equipment vendor to adjust configurations to make the two systems-the mail-in ballot scanner and the elections software where data are uploaded -compatible with one another.

We will provide updates as we make progress.

/end ID]

[onlytiktoks]

[mllebleue]

In one minute, Rachel Maddow reveals how authoritarians destroy trust in democracy

I don't always agree with her politics (she is very much to the right of me) but in this she is 100% correct.

[radiogreen]

(Source: Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2024/tiktok-ban-house-vote/)

All 435 seats in the House are on the ballot in November.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), who chairs the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is a lead author of the bill.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), who also worked on the bill, described the calls to reps from their constituents opposing the bill as a "public relations stunt."

A Democratic Rep's office said that the experience of being contacted by the people whom they have been elected to represent "was so bad we had to turn off the phones."

The most popular overall social media sites are Facebook (Myanmar genocide, voter manipulation, etc), YouTube (Alt-right pipeline), and Instagram (CSM, youth mental health).

The majority of TikTok users are 18 - 34.

S.686 - RESTRICT Act

[originalleftist]

There are really just two issues that matter this election:

One is climate- Biden put us on a path to halve carbon emissions in 6 years and reach net zero by 2050. Harris will continue that. Trump will actually increase use of fossil fuels while gutting regulations.

Every person on Earth will be harmed and endangered by that, regardless of your identity, location, or views.

The other issue is the peaceful transfer of power. Whatever problems you may have with Harris, she'll leave peaceably in 4 or 8 years. Trump will not. This is not fear mongering or hyperbole. He has said that if he wins we'll never need to vote again. He met his last electoral defeat by inciting and enabling a violent insurrection. Sure, he's an old man, but he's surrounded by young men who share the same contempt for democracy and the rule of law- like his Vice Presidential nominee, JD Vance, who will assume power if he dies in office.

We were lucky to get him out once, barely. His people are much more prepared for a coup now, he'll have broad legal immunity now thanks to SCOTUS, and he's openly vowed to become "a dictator on day one" and deploy troops on American streets.

Any issue with Harris is a temporary problem, and you can try again in 4 or 8 years. With Trump, you can't.

THE ONLY REASON TO ELECT TRUMP IS IF YOU ACTIVELY WANT THE WORLD TO BURN. And don't care how many actual people burn in the process. And if that is your position, then by your own choice you are an enemy of all humanity.

[zakiark7911]

I wish we could gamify social change! Like have an app that lists different challenges like “Email your senator with this template about Gaza/bill/climate change” or “Volunteer for X number of hours” or “Go to a protest” or “Donate a dollar to…”! You would submit your email/receipt/picture of one building you protested in front of/volunteer hour sheet to the app & then you would gain points! I feel like for some people they just need a little bit more of a push to do good things! Capitalism gets us to do all kinds of bullshit when they gamify it so why not good things? Then you could spend your points on discounts to participating businesses, or you chose where the makers of the app will donate to like “$100 to food bank of your choice”, or merch! Activists would set & update the challenges. There could be timed challenges like if there is a bill set to be voted on in a few days or it could help the republican administration’s enemy of the week!

It could even be that you sign up to get texts from an activist who gives you personalized challenges!

Does anything like this already exist?

[fiveeven]

Four More Years: Bracing for the Fallout of Trump’s Second Term

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, marking a series of unprecedented firsts in American history. As the first convicted felon to take the oath of office, Trump’s return to the presidency is a moment of reckoning for the nation, challenging our expectations of morality and accountability in leadership. But beyond this historic controversy lies a deeper concern: the direction in which the next four years are likely to take us.

Trump has wasted no time doubling down on conservative and Republican agendas that aim to restrict the rights of millions of Americans. Among his most alarming promises is a policy recognizing only two genders, male and female, as official U.S. policy—a move that disregards the lived realities of countless LGBTQ+ individuals. This comes on the heels of a previous term that saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade, stripping millions of their reproductive rights. With the Supreme Court stacked by Trump appointees, we are already hearing whispers of revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges and other landmark precedents that protect marriage equality. If those dominoes fall, the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans could be rolled back decades.

Meanwhile, Trump’s rhetoric and policy proposals stoke fears about widespread ICE raids, bolstering a deportation machine that tears families apart. Private prison stocks have surged since his election—a telling sign of how immigration and criminal justice policies may play out. Environmental protections, already weakened during his first term, are also at risk. In the wake of Hurricane Helene and the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the absence of meaningful environmental action is chilling. If history is any guide, we can expect deregulation, more chemical spills, unchecked pollution, and a worsening climate crisis.

The social and economic landscape could grow even more fractured. Trump’s response to issues of class and wealth inequality has consistently favored the wealthy elite, and we should brace for even greater divides between rich and poor. Access to healthcare—a lifeline for millions—may be gutted as protections for pre-existing conditions vanish, leaving countless Americans uninsured. The possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act looms large, threatening to turn back the clock on progress.

Educational access is also likely to deteriorate, with public schools underfunded and higher education increasingly out of reach for working families. And as hate and division continue to rise, fueled by transphobia, homophobia, racism, and other forms of discrimination, the social fabric of the country feels increasingly strained. Tensions with our allies are likely to escalate, with Trump already inflaming disputes with Greenland and Mexico even before taking office.

The next four years could usher in a cascade of devastating policies that will take decades—if not longer—to rectify. From climate disasters to healthcare inequities, from attacks on civil rights to worsening racial divides, we are heading toward a period of profound turbulence. If we’ve learned anything from Trump’s first term, it’s that his presidency has consequences far beyond his own legal troubles or political theatrics.

Buckle up—this ride is going to be rough. But now more than ever, it’s imperative to stay vigilant, resist apathy, and fight for the rights and values that make our nation stronger. The work to protect our future starts today.

[quotesfrommyreading]

“Anti-Semitism isn’t just bigotry toward the Jewish community,” Ward explains. “It is actually utilizing bigotry toward the Jewish community in order to deconstruct democratic practices, and it does so by framing democracy as a conspiracy rather than a tool of empowerment or a functional tool of governance.” In other words, the more people buy into anti-Semitism and its understanding of the world, the more they lose faith in democracy.

  —  Colleyville Crisis: We're All Hostages to Anti-Semitism

[onemillieon]

IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF VOICE, WARN EVERYONE YOU CAN ABOUT PROJECT 2025

It is indicative that the Republican party as it stands does not take the White House. I don't like Biden, but I must concur with average liberals and advocate to vote for Biden 2024. This country is so far gone that our best genuine hope for keeping our rights for the next 4 years supports a genocide in Gaza, but we can't let America fall to fascism. Project 2025 literally reuses Nazi propaganda, so make sure everyone that you know is aware of what is at stake this year. If you're registered, vote blue, if you're not registered, be sure to register before you can't in your state and vote blue. If you're a minor who can't vote, be sure to let anyone you know that can vote to vote blue. And if you don't live in America, let all your American friends know any way you know how; this is your problem too, because America is a world power. This is a state of CRISIS!!!

[half-life-crisis]

#Trump talked himself into a #corner at

@NBCNews Trump’s #interview with #NBC’s #MeetThePress should be an #eyeopening#experience for anybody who #lives in #reality. His own words will come to haunt him.

https://halflifecrisis.com/hlc-articles/trump-talked-himself-into-a-corner-at-nbc…

This was bad news even if you are #MAGA voter.

[black-fist-order]