New email from Senator Merkley: The authoritarian takeover is here now. The rules and how we fight back: [View all]

On October 21st, I walked onto the floor of the U.S. Senate and started talking. I didn't stop for more than 22 hours.

I was ringing the alarm. The authoritarian takeover is not down the street or around the corner. It is here now.

I outlined the 10 rules of Trump's authoritarian playbook—a playbook followed by strongmen leaders around the world—because it is critical to understand what we're up against.

Here's what they are:

Fire the referees — Purging inspectors general, independent agency leaders, and career DOJ attorneys whose job was to catch corruption and keep government honest.

Pack the government with loyalists — A rubber-stamp Senate confirming unqualified, dangerous nominees, sometimes more than 100 at once in a single vote.

Demonize an enemy within — Targeting immigrants with dehumanizing rhetoric while a massively expanded ICE terrorizes communities.

Disregard due process — Detaining and disappearing people, including U.S. citizens, without ever letting them reach a lawyer.

Silence free speech — Deporting students for their opinions, while networks settle lawsuits and pull hosts under political pressure.

Steal Congress's power of the purse — Unilaterally freezing or killing programs Congress already funded, a power the Constitution reserves for Congress alone.

Abuse government authority — Weaponizing licenses, security clearances, and research funding to pressure law firms, universities, and broadcasters into line.

Weaponize the justice system — Prosecuting political opponents while pardoning nearly 1,600 January 6th defendants and a convicted drug-trafficking former head of state.

Use the military to suppress dissent — Federalizing the National Guard and deploying troops into American cities, even after federal courts ruled against it.

Rig the next election — Consolidating voter files, pushing mid-decade gerrymandering, and working to gut mail-in voting.
Democracies rarely die at the hands of men with guns. They die when elected officials erode the separation of powers, one rule at a time.

But this is reversible. It takes two things: sustained, organized citizen action, and an unmistakable rejection of authoritarianism at the next election.

I laid out the full picture in a short report called Ring the Alarm Bells. I want you to take a look at my guide on how to fight back against Trump's authoritarianism.

Read my full report →
https://www.jeffmerkley.com/media/uploads/ring_the_alarm_bells.pdf

Let's save our Republic!

Jeff

Edited to add: I have heard Jeff say to join an Indivisible group. I read a few of the comments below and a lot of people feel like they don't know what to do or how to reach people. Notice Jeff says join an affinity group. I have heard Jeff say to join an Indivisible group! You don't have to do it all by yourself!
https://indivisible.org/