Trump will overplay his hand. Be ready for when he does.

[red dog 1]

Robert Reich
January 1, 2025

Friends,

I sometimes share with you perspectives about what we're up against from non-American writers and journalists.
Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., and a former journalist, published this short essay recently in POLITICO magazine.
As we prepare for Trump's regime, I thought you'd find her views useful.


"American democracy is about to undergo a serious stress test.
I know how it feels, in part because I lived through the slow and steady march of state capture as a journalist working in Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Turkey.

Over a decade as a high-profile journalist, I covered Turkey's descent into illiberalism, having to engage in the daily push and pull with the government.
I know how self-censorship starts in small ways but then creeps into operations on a daily basis.
I am familiar with the rhythms of the battle to reshape the media, state institutions and the judiciary.

Having lived through it, and having gathered some lessons in hindsight, I believe that there are strategies that can help Democrats and Trump critics not only survive the coming four years, but come out stronger.
Here are six of them:"

More:
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/trump-will-overplay-his-hand-be-ready

[Baitball Blogger]

1. We have to figure a way to stop the legacy media from spinning and twisting people's minds

with incorrect explanations of his crazy antics.

[PortTack]

4. First up...STOP WATCHING!

[flying rabbit]

2. Excellent read! NT

[KatK]

3. read and share! great piece to accompany us forward n/t

[TomCADem]

5. I think most anti-Trump folks will just hide out on message boards and scapegoat the media, Democrats, etc.

Rather than actually try to convince folks outside of their own bubbles of the correctness of science and not embracing racism. You see it on this board when folks just write-off anyone who does not agree with them, then blame the media for not advocating on behalf of progressives. So, progressives tends to stick to safe spaces like this board preaching to the choir.

In contrast, MAGA types are obnoxious about sharing their views. Go to a local school board or local government meeting, and you will often find MAGA types using the public comments to share the right wing talking point of the moment.

[summer_in_TX]

6. Interesting point that street demonstrations were a distraction and ineffective in Turkey.

They have worked at times in other places as a piece of the strategy, but it takes an overwhelming and broadly-based mass to make a difference. Americans are far from there. Yet.

But it's very hopeful to realize that yes, our decentralized government makes it much harder to achieve a full autocratic takeover of the country.

[Mr.Bill]

7. Click on the link and read it all.

Share it on other sites. Very good read.

[Martin Eden]

8. K&R, n/t