Where do we draw the line?
Analyzing our national catastrophe
When will enough be enough? Where is the line drawn that a President is not allowed to cross? We are not quite two months into Trump’s second term and the situation at this point seems clear. We have a President who is paving the way for authoritarian rule, aided and abetted by a Republican-controlled Congress and the deep pockets of Nazi-supporter Elon Musk. If there is no line, then democracy is dead and we can only look forward to the fascist oligarchy that Trump is swiftly building. Everything the Trump administration has done in its first two months has served the goal of maximizing and consolidating Trump’s personal power.
Trump’s game plan so far
1. Silence critics. Trump has consistently worked to undermine the freedom of press, our right to free speech, and our right to protest peacefully. He punishes those who speak or act against him or his policies. He seeks revenge on people he perceives to have wronged him in the past, which serves to intimidate people who might think about challenging him in the future. He’s threatened protesting students with deportation and expulsion and withheld funding from universities that don’t follow his edicts. He’s sued and otherwise interfered with news organizations that disagree or criticize him. He’s even floated the idea of using the military against protestors.
2. Remove systems of accountability. While Trump has said he’s rooting out corruption and fraud in the government, some of his first acts were to fire employees and close agencies whose job it was to do just that. Those aren’t the actions of someone concerned about fraud, but the actions of someone who doesn’t want to get caught.
3. Assure loyalty and cooperation. Many of Trump’s cabinet are blatantly unqualified for their positions. The one thing they have in common is their loyalty to Trump. Trump has also made investigations disappear for those who support him. His propensity to punish those who oppose him not only helps him to silence his critics, but it also encourages his followers to remain loyal.
4. Consolidate control over military. In addition to installing loyalist Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, Trump has fired top generals as well as military lawyers whose job it was to make sure the military acts legally. All of this paves the way for future illegal misuse of the military should he want to follow through on his threats to Canada, Greenland, and Panama. He’s also used military to improperly aid in deportation of immigrants. In the past, Trump has also raised the prospect of using military force against protestors.
5. Create scapegoats to distract supporters and opponents. The best way to rally supporters is to find a common enemy. Every fascist movement has scapegoats. Hitler had Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roma, homosexuals, and disabled people. Trump has so far targeted immigrants and transgender people, as well as people and organizations deemed to be “woke.” Who’s next? He has already targeted LGBTQ+ people in general as well as minorities and the disabled through his anti Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) campaign.
6. Undermine the rule of law. Trump has routinely ignored both the law and the constitution he vowed to uphold and defend. He has usurped Congress’ power of the purse by withholding funds that Congress had previously authorized. He illegally assumed control of what were created as independent federal agencies. Through Musk and the shady DOGE (the so-called Department of Government Efficiency), thousands of federal employees have been illegally fired without cause or process. Fraud has often been blamed for the firings and closings of agencies but no evidence has been provided. If there was fraud, shouldn’t they be filing legal charges? That hasn’t happened. People such as Elon Musk and Vice President Vance have also proposed the administration simply ignore any judicial rulings which don’t go in their favor.
7. Gaslight the nation. Trump’s habit of lying and making up “facts” is well documented. He denies having said or done things even when there is proof. He denies reality and makes preposterous proposals to solve problems. He takes credit when something goes wrong but never accepts responsibility when it goes wrong. It’s never his fault.
8. Shock and Awe. Trump creates chaos so his opponents will be overwhelmed and not know how to respond. He has effectively frozen opposition for the first month and a half of his term. Most of the illegal firings (excepting those done out of revenge) have happened with no forethought or planning. In more than one case, they belatedly realized they had fired critical employees and had to scramble to rehire them.
What is the end game?
Trump’s narcissism is a significant factor explaining much of his behavior. We see this play out in such things as his desire to punish and take revenge on opponents, his love of performing in front of adoring crowds, his habit of telling everyone how smart he is, and inviting curated press to oval office meetings where he tries to humiliate foreign leaders. Trump deeply desires to be seen as important and powerful. He also projects his own shortcomings and guilt on others, preemptively blaming others for things he’s doing.
Another factor in Trump’s behavior is his apparent dementia, which runs in his family. This can be seen in his trouble with memory, his inappropriate behavior, paranoia, and breaks from reality, and his frequently disjointed, nonsensical, and rambling speeches.
However, Trump also seems to have three primary ideological goals, all of which are detrimental to the long term health of the nation.
1. Make the rich richer. The Trump administration justifies many of its cuts not only with claims of fraud but a stated desire to reduce the deficit and institute more responsible spending. However, this is belied by the fact that Trump first and foremost wants to cut taxes for the rich, a goal which is incompatible with the stated desire to be fiscally responsible. Deregulation and the shuttering of consumer protection agencies are also meant to clear the way for corporations to maximize profits at the expense of consumers. Mass layoffs and cuts throughout the government, including cutting critical medical research, open the way for many government functions to be privatized and thus create additional avenues for profit. The dismantling of the Department of Education along with the anti-DEI campaign, which essentially legalizes discrimination, helps to keep the poor poor – a necessary partner to making the rich richer.
As Heather Cox Richardson said in her email newsletter of March 13, 2025: Trump and Musk are “imposing a government that is based in the idea that a government that works to make people safe, prosperous, and healthy is simply ripping off wealthy people.”
2. White supremacy. Trump’s crusade against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a barely veiled mission to bolster white supremacy, which is not only racist but also inherently nationalistic, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, and sexist. It is an extension of other racist movements which have targeted critical race theory and “woke-ness.” It treats anyone who is not an able-bodied white, straight, cis-gender, American male as the enemy. The commonalities with Hitler’s ideology of a superior “Aryan” race are obvious.
3. Russia First. Although they have not offered substantive proof, three former Russian spies have independently claimed that Trump is a Russian asset recruited in the 1980’s. Even if he isn’t an actual Russian asset, he might as well as be. Trump’s actions are creating an authoritarian government, destroying the economy, and alienating all of our traditional allies. All of this works to Russia’s favor. The fact that Putin is the ultimate fascist oligarch seems to make him some kind of hero in Trump’s view as he goes out of his way to align our foreign policy against our traditional allies in favor of Russia’s interests.
Conclusions
Trump and Musk are successfully following the fascist / Nazi playbook while the Republican party cheers them on. This Republican party is no longer the party of conservatives. I suspect many Republican party supporters haven’t actually realized it yet, but they are now a party of white supremacists and fascist oligarch ideologues.1
This is not what a majority of Americans want. Although Trump had the most votes in the 2024 election, it was less than 50%. More people voted against Trump than for him. Polls since his inauguration have consistently shown that most people disapprove of what he is doing. Unfortunately, the Democrats have so far been ineffective in their opposition to Trump. A few are speaking out but most still seem bewildered about how to respond to his actions and policies. However, there are reasons for hope. Grass-roots opposition seems to be growing. As the economy gets worse and people find their retirement savings, social security, and health care threatened, the vocal opposition will continue to grow.
I wish the Republicans in Congress would draw a line and rein in the President since they are the only ones who currently have the power to legally stop Trump in the short term, but I have little hope for that. I think they are already lost. The only thing that might sway some of them is vocal local constituents, but even then many Republicans are refusing to listen by avoiding in-person town halls, refusing to take phone calls, and explaining away opposition with baseless accusations of out-of-district interference. Those who aren’t whole-hearted fascists themselves are intimidated by Trump and Musk, who routinely threaten anyone who gets out of line.
The American people must draw a line. There are many resources which give us ideas on how we can resist.2 Each of us is responsible for doing what we are able to do. This is too important to sit back and try to wait it out. Everyone needs to be involved. Where will you draw the line that says, “No, Mr. President. Enough is enough.”?
1. See
and https://kenarthur.substack.com/p/where-did-the-conservatives-go
2. I’ve created my own at https://pieceofthepuzzle.net/resources-for-resistance/.