These are my summary notes from this excellent podcast from Andrea Pitzer on Next Comes What, "How We Survive This Mess."
Pitzer previous wrote a history of concentration camps, One Long Night, and she relates much of this new US admin regime to historical cases. Some similarities: first, Hitler rose to power through legitimate means, but laws were stretched to allow him to run. Pinochet's coup used similar rhetoric, and we need to be aware of the similar tactics already on display: terror, shock, making a show of force, and trying to seize more power than they have. And Putin, who was brought in as a useful stooge, then stepped out only to return to be more powerful by removing moderates.
The benefits to the current situation include that we have a date. It's not coming unexpectedly, but in a couple months, which provides a window to play in. The US military is officially non-partisan, so won't necessarily follow Trump's orders. Governors in key states are standing up, and it's important to build that out of the gate. There's still a partially functional court system and civil bureaucracy that can slow down any legislation. And the odds of Congress being up for grabs in 2026 are still good as there will likely be a massive backlash. She also claims that "these people are not that bright" which can help anyone trying to subvert their agenda. They got in only because it's really easy to generate hate; "it's not a sign of genius but of money and the willingness to do tremendous harm," which provides an opening for resistance and a likelihood of infighting that could decimate their control. They ran on ideas, not on governance.
There are four critical areas to work on in the next two months.
1. Immigration: Trump's not concerned about optics, and won't hold back or worry about looking mean. He's looking for a spectacle to generate public terror, and we have to be ready for serious action on day one. People currently here legally could be declared illegal by executive order and targeted in sweeps. People have to be prepared with potential people to call, places to stay in another state or country, driver's license and passport up-to-date, and a plan of action.
2. Abortion: This has been under attack for decades, and the body count will grow. Vance is more committed to it than Trump, but there will ways to push back at the local level. Courts will be slow, and people have been organizing for a long time. Join groups that are already in place.
3. Trans Rights: This is a trumpeted part of the campaign that could either be tossed aside once in or taken to an extreme. It's the biggest question mark. It's a tiny population, but they're very vulnerable. NO ground can be ceded on this. The biggest fear is that Dems won't stand up as much as they could. They need to recognize how important it is. Like abortion rights, it's about bodily autonomy and literally physical restrictions to mobility. Because so many are ignorant, it can be an issue people shy away from, and there are already trans laws in Texas and Florida. It will take the general public to derail any efforts to allow them to be victimized.
4. Climate and Covid: They are less immediate than people being taken away in vans, but they're already unfolding and so abstract that people lose touch with the issues. We know what to do; we just need to get people to do it. For climate, Trump is into money, and competing interests could take advantage of this, with more infighting now that green energy is becoming more profitable. With Covid, it's even more critical to act on it. For both, it's so much worse if we do nothing. We have to be dark but encouraging.
We don't have to reinvent the wheel. We do have to be knowledgable and disciplined in how we organize and protest. Learn about historical protests that worked. Keep pressure on elected officials. Even a few dozen people calling can sway someone on the fence. Back or get involved with local programs and state programs. Get to know your neighbours, especially those who differ from you. It's critical to stop people from feeling isolated. We're seeing that propaganda works, so we have to engage with each other.
Best advice: "Free-floating anxiety eats up your capacity to do things. Having a plan helps even if you never need to use it."
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