Tootfinder

American Democracy Might Not Survive a War With Iran
The United States is well down the road to dictatorship. Imagine what Trump would do with a state of war.
#GiftArticle #USPolitics
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/06/democracy-iran-israel-war-trump/683269/?gift=E9o0y7Rlfcfv2OQ1sSVCEglNGkNaOm3ulZvY2L-kUho&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

A must-read by Mark Jacob, Stop the Presses
Please, media, don’t turn the war into entertainment
#Journalism #Press

Why Big Tech Turned Against Democrats — and Democracy https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/why-big-tech-turned-against-democrats

Kagan warnt: Trumps Iran-Politik bedroht nicht nur Teheran, sondern auch die US-Demokratie – Illiberale profitieren, Demokratie bleibt außen vor
American Democracy Might Not Survive a War With Iran - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/international/

American Democracy Might Not Survive a War With Iran
The United States is well down the road to dictatorship. Imagine what Trump would do with a state of war.

This piece was written by a UK blogger, Carolyn Gallaher is an excellent read.
It was written back in February about the pardons of all the J6 criminals and others associated with the militia movement. 
“Trump’s pardons suggest he will run a far-right government with paramilitary backing.”
https://

Finally Friday Reads: No Kings!
Good Day, Sky Dancers! Last week was a tough one for those of us committed to keeping a working democracy in this country and with those who have been long-standing allies. We’ve watched the …

📣 Thu, Jul 17 @ 7 PM ET: Join our Good Local News Panel—4 outlets thriving in a hostile environment. Learn how strong local journalism drives civic engagement. 🎥 Virtual/anywhere.
Free! Sign up now: #Press #Journalism #LocalNews

"Israel and America’s war with Iran is not just a strategic throw of the dice. It is a fundamental shift in how power operates in a multipolar world. Though a transition toward new models of collective security remains theoretically possible, as the foundations of US global hegemony wither under Donald Trump the current trajectory favours entropy over order. The danger is not merely in acts of war, it is also in the chaos they leave behind."

Chaos engulfs Iran. What can Britain and Europe do?
Whether it is a democracy or a dictatorship, a state that loses a long war usually faces a dangerous reckoning. For four decades the ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran were anchor

Why Big Tech Turned Against Democrats -- and Democracy (Paul Krugman)
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/why-big-tech-turned-against-democrats
http://www.memeorandum.com/250624/p31#a250624p31

I got this post by @… in my email today, it was forwarded while it still was attributed to Liz Cheney with this preface which I agree with:
"When she was in Congress, I disagreed with almost everything she said and every vote she made. But on the transcendent issue of our time — protecting our democracy from Trump and the forces of authoritarianism and fascism — Liz Cheney has been correct, clear, and courageous."
Turns out the message is not by Liz Cheney but is well worth reading as a kick in the ass to the Democratic Party.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/a-remarkable-message

https://www.impeachtrumpagain.org/ reminder to please sign this if you haven’t already

IMPEACH TRUMP. AGAIN.
Impeach Trump. Sign the petition NOW to defend democracy and demand accountability! He is disqualified from office, and has violated the U.S. Constitution.

Senior DOJ Official Suggested Department Tell Courts 'F*** You' And Ignore Orders, Whistleblower Says (Jacob Knutson/Democracy Docket)
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/emil-bove-justice-department-ignore-court-orders-whistleblower-complaint/
http://www.memeorandum.com/250625/p75#a250625p75

My new post for #HealOurCulture: “Trust and Democracy”
https://healourculture.org/2025/05/15/trust-and-democracy/
Also on Substack:

de Tocqueville’s forgotten solution to America’s democratic crisis
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5360902-civic-infrastructure-democracy/

Krugman continues:
❝While there is a cadre of Trumpist true believers who will obey the Leader under any circumstances, most of those doing the dirty work of undermining democracy and the rule of law are cowards and opportunists. They’re willing to participate in the destruction of America as we know it because they believe that many others will do the same. As a result, they believe that they are unlikely to face any personal consequences for their actions and may even be rewarded for their lawbreaking.
And what of those who oppose Trumpism? While there are heroes willing to take a stand against tyranny whatever the personal cost, most anti-Trumpists are reluctant to stick their necks out unless they believe that they are part of a widespread resistance that will grant them some measure of safety in numbers.
In other words, the victory or defeat of competitive authoritarianism will depend to a large extent on which side ordinary people believe will win. If Trump looks unstoppable, resistance will wither away and democracy will be lost. On the other hand, if he appears weak and stymied, resistance will grow and — just maybe — American democracy will survive.❞
2/

Did New York City just.... break something?
#DemocraticSocialism #StatusQuo #Democracy #USA #USPoli https://sfba.social/@vij/114741930283949412

Project 2025 isn’t a blueprint, it’s already 40% enacted or completed.
Surviving Trump: With Democracy On Life Support: EPISODE 29: Project 2025 Overview — Dismantling Democracy and Women’s Rights
Episode webpage: https://survivingtrump.buzzsprout.com
Listen

Surviving Trump: With Democracy On Life Support
Surviving Trump is your indispensable guide to navigating the challenges and contradictions of life under the second Trump administration. In the first 20–25 segments we’ll uncover what’s truly at stake: our democracy. You'll deep dive into the ke...

LLM-Based Bot Broadens the Range of Arguments in Online Discussions, Even When Transparently Disclosed as AI
Valeria Vuk, Cristina Sarasua, Fabrizio Gilardi
https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.17073

LLM-Based Bot Broadens the Range of Arguments in Online Discussions, Even When Transparently Disclosed as AI
A wide range of participation is essential for democracy, as it helps prevent the dominance of extreme views, erosion of legitimacy, and political polarization. However, engagement in online political discussions often features a limited spectrum of views due to high levels of self-selection and the tendency of online platforms to facilitate exchanges primarily among like-minded individuals. This study examines whether an LLM-based bot can widen the scope of perspectives expressed by participan…

"Comment le boom des milliardaires alimente les inégalités et menace la démocratie."
"Avec une richesse qui se concentre au sommet, l'Europe doit agir maintenant pour défendre la démocratie et la stabilité économique pour tous."
#TaxTheRich #démocratie

I’ll be at 3 No Kings events tomorrow — they’re all in Mointain View & Palo Alto, CA. The last one is a democracy fair. Joan Baez will be there & there will be songs. And cake.
https://bsky.app/profile/indivisiblepaplus.bsky.social/post/3lrjvqzruyc23

Indivisible Palo Alto Plus (@indivisiblepaplus.bsky.social)
REMINDER: Our TWO No Kings "We The People" events kick off tomorrow 2pm, with the Democracy Parade at the corner of Embarcadero and El Camino in Palo Alto. At the end of the parade, the "We the People" Democracy Fair begins in Rinconada Park. Register: indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/no-kings-day

American Democracy Might Not Survive a War With Iran (Robert Kagan/The Atlantic)
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/06/democracy-iran-israel-war-trump/683269/?gift=5aUYI8dJ_4U5JTdJqsIAqwzbXk7nlcFLPaxDqLj0C5E
http://www.memeorandum.com/250621/p46#a250621p46

GOV GAVIN NEWSOM: Our democracy is threatened by Donald Trump | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/gov-gavin-newsom-trump-trying-destroy-democracy-him

Q&A with Pavel Durov on his arrest in France, Macron, Russia, the FBI, the fight for Telegram, leaving his wealth to the 100 children he fathered, and more (Guillaume Grallet/Le Point)
https://www.

EXCLUSIVE. Pavel Durov on his arrest in France, Macron, Russia, the FBI — and the fight for Telegram
INTERVIEW. "Le Point" met with the co-founder and CEO of the secure messaging app Telegram, who was charged in August 2024. A sweeping discussion on politics, power and democracy.

Here's a great short article on the unexpected relationship between #CincodeMayo and democracy in the US:
https://www.the74million.org/article/teach

The Marines and National Guard shouldn't be deployed to protests in LA, Texas or anywhere else.
But since they are, the Freedom of the Press Foundation and other press freedom groups wrote a letter to them explaining the basics of journalists' rights when covering demonstrations, and offering their help.
#Press #Freedom #Democracy

The Precarious Republic: Understanding the Fascist Threat to Modern Democracies
What if it doesn’t take years, or even months, for a democracy to collapse—but only a few short weeks? The idea that a stable republic could fall in ninety days may seem exaggerated, until you look at the historical record. Then it becomes a haunting possibility. Fascism doesn’t always arrive with fanfare or fire. Sometimes, it walks in through the front door…

Что нужно знать о порядочности Дурова:
Забанить канал координации кандидатов в России во время выборов — так точно, тов. майор! :blobcatsalute:
Забанить канал координации кандидатов в Румынии во время выборов — мы не позволим разрушать демократию. Твердо и четко! :blobancap:
https://t.me/durov_russia/34

[OT] NYT: How will we know when we have lost our democracy? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/opinion/trump-authoritarianism-democracy.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KE8.FGmV.1w9_LDeDoILI&am…

Opinion | How Will We Know When We Have Lost Our Democracy?
And how exactly can we tell whether America has crossed the line?

Margaret Sullivan in The Guardian
Yes, the media’s Biden coverage was flawed. But its reporting on Trump is far worse
#Journalism #Press

Our Revolution here.
It's crunch time in Congress
- Trump's budget, Iran, & oligarch money in politics.
Join the Virtual Lobby Training this Sun 6/22
at 7pm ET (4pm PT).
Our Revolution's DC team is facilitating virtual lobby visits with Capitol Hill offices
and we need your help.
Join and get trained up to speak directly with DC offices via Zoom.
RSVP now
👉

Our Revolution Virtual Lobby Training
Our Revolution Virtual Lobby Training Your elected officials in Congress need to hear from you to build support for progressive policies and make democracy work for the many! Come learn about Our Revolution’s virtual lobby model, how you can get involved, and opportunities to join your neighbors to meet with your Senators and Representatives. Event Details: Date: Sunday, June 22, 2025 Time: 7pm ET (4pm PT) Location: Virtual Training - Zoom Link

Take back our economy from the oligarchs by democratizing it
Privatization of public services has proven to be a massive failure for housing, healthcare, transportation, energy, etc.
Publicly funded and operated services are how we will save our democracy!
https://youtu.be/sWHxKD27XKk

Making a Gil Scott-Heron mix tape for some friends. "Winter in America" really hits hard.
The Constitution, a noble piece of paper
Would free society. It struggled but then died in vain
And now Democracy is ragtime on the corner
Hoping for some rain
It's winter in America
And all of the healers have been killed or betrayed
It's winter in America
Ain't nobody fighting
‘Cause nobody knows what to save
Save your soul

The protestors chanting 'this is what democracy looks like' really missed a chance to drop a classic banger instead

Call your senators and thank them, or not, for their votes.
Contact your Representatives and urge them to reject Trump tariffs.
#Democracy

"Comment le boom des milliardaires alimente les inégalités et menace la démocratie."
"Avec une richesse qui se concentre au sommet, l'Europe doit agir maintenant pour défendre la démocratie et la stabilité économique pour tous."
#TaxTheRich #démocratie

How will we know when we have lost our democracy?
#FederatedMemory

1/ I know very little about the Balkans, and I discovered this excellent book, Modern Albania by Fred Abrahams, in an unusual way. I was at the Albania exhibit at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, and this happened to be placed with the exhibit. ↵
#BookReview

Two of my partner’s favorite signs from yesterday…
#noKings #protest #fascism

The Barents Observer gets reporting done inside #Russia, even now
https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democra

'[D]efending free and ethical journalism is ... a duty of all those who yearn for a solid and participatory democracy. Wherever a journalist is silenced, the democratic soul of a country is weakened. Freedom of the press is an inalienable common good. Those who conscientiously exercise this vocation cannot see their voices silenced by petty interests or fear of the truth.'
Pope Leo made a 'pointed remark' apparently aimed at Trump's big grudge: reports - Raw Story
https://www.rawstory.com/pope-leo-shot-trump-journalist/

Troops in Los Angeles marked a dramatic new turn in the Trump authoritarian rollout. Yet American protesters are making the turn towards a national mobilization in defense of freedom and democracy.
http://woborders.blog/2025/06/13/resistance-to-trump-reac…

Resistance to Trump reaches its first turning point
“The Whole World Is Watching.” It’s been decades since American protesters chanted this sentence at American police in an effort to deter violence and brutality. But it has perhaps neve…

At the moment I often have to think of Eley's book, that it was not the bourgeoisie that realized what is currently held up as abstract principles, but a left that had to organize itself against the impositions of capitalist society.
https://archive.org/details/forgingdem…

🧵
Local outlets did *much* better than "Big Journalism" covering the #handsoff pro-democracy demonstrations.
Newsroom leaders need to defend democracy from autocracy.
See examples of good (and bad) coverage in our latest blog post.
https://mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.com/p/local-news-outlets-show-the-new-york
1/5

I already said it and I will say it again: If you stand with trans people or not, if you will support them without questions and without holding back or if you think of them as acceptable losses, might be the tipping point if we can preserve our democracy — or not.
Acceptance of trans people — or rather the lack of it — is the pond fascists dip their toes in to test the water if we are willing and open to being divided.
1/2

Delegations as Adaptive Representation Patterns: Rethinking Influence in Liquid Democracy
Davide Grossi, Andreas Nitsche
https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.09789 h…

Delegations as Adaptive Representation Patterns: Rethinking Influence in Liquid Democracy
Liquid democracy is a mechanism for the division of labor in decision-making through the transitive delegation of influence. In essence, all individuals possess the autonomy to determine the issues with which they will engage directly, while for other matters, they may appoint a representative of their choosing. So far, the literature has studied the delegation structures emerging in liquid democracy as static. As a result, transitivity defined as the capacity to transfer acquired authority to …

🗳️ A new virtual summit is in the works—uniting educators, activists, artists & citizens to resist authoritarianism defend democracy. 🛠️ Help shape the vision: take the planning survey − bit.ly/4jhX8tR
#Resist #Democracy

Curtis Yarvin is Tucker Carlson but a software engineer.
#uspol #Yarvin #Carlson

"Trump has to rig everything, from his birthday to political speeches at military bases. He’s a loser who has to fake support.
Go to a #NoKings protest. Show this Administration what democracy looks like and why we refuse to honor a king.
...Demand accountability."
⁠Original post from Katie Phang:

Hoe futiel het ook lijkt, teken evenals ik toch maar, net als @… . Dat maakt duidelijk dat we met velen zijn.
http://www.stopreturnfascism.org

I’m calling it right now: after his fourth term, Trump will appoint Musk as his successor.
#usa #politics #Democracy

🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBCRadio3:
#20thCenturyRadicals
- Cardew: Democracy and U-turns
Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore shine new light on the 'modern' music of the 20th century. This week, Kate explores the highly-charged political music of Cornelius Cardew.
Relisten now 👇
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002dcdn

Что нужно знать о порядочности Дурова:
Забанить канал координации кандидатов в России во время выборов — так точно, тов. майор! :blobcatsalute:
Забанить канал координации кандидатов в Румынии во время выборов — мы не позволим разрушать демократию. Твердо и четко! :blobancap:
https://t.me/durov_russia/34

This is a great summary of the Democracy Parade and Fair in Palo Alto this past weekend.
https://youtu.be/sZ5s1b7NYsw?si=kmTu_GCG_NAWhdji

The authoritarian dream is rooted in the belief that state violence should serve as the primary tool of governance.
When the guardrails of democracy are dismantled, violence shifts from being a last resort to a governing principle.
This is precisely what unfolded in Los Angeles, where Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to crush protests against his mass deportation policies,
while mobilizing ICE as a modern-day Gestapo.
What cannot be ignored is that the…

From the Streets of LA to the National Stage: The Left Must Win the Cultural War
Trump’s war on dissent can only be defeated by a left that challenges the values sustaining authoritarianism.

Journalism is under fire: will the press defend democracy?
www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/america-and-our-democracy-are-under-attack,255597?newsletter=255688
#Journalism #FreePress

https://www.aclu.org/save

Obama: US 'dangerously close' to moving toward autocracy (Ashleigh Fields/The Hill)
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5356722-obama-criticizes-american-democracy-trump/
http://www.memeorandum.com/250618/p77#a250618p77

🧵
Your support for local journalism supports democracy.
ACTION: use our 2,000 outlet, 50-state local journalism directory to find a good local news outlet. Subscribe and share good information!
http://tiny.cc/LocalDirectory
Support #LocalNews #Journalism
5/5

Two Parasites and a Corpse: Trump, Musk, and the Maggot Feud Inside America's Rotting Democracy: https://blog.rmendes.net/2025/06/06/two-parasites-and-a-corpse.html

🧵 1 million people, 1,400 events… in support of civil society, decency and democracy.
@… give it a below-the-fold, wide-angle-photo of one event in NC, no headline, directs to single article on A18.
NYT Publisher is a sixth generation media oligarch. Will AG Sulzberger change course?
#Journalism
2/5

This https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.22315 has been replaced.
initial toot: https://mastoxiv.page/@arXiv_csCY_…

Large Language Models Are Democracy Coders with Attitudes
Current political developments worldwide illustrate that research on democratic backsliding is as important as ever. A recent exchange in Political Science & Politics (2/2024) has highlighted again a fundamental challenge in this literature: the measurement of democracy. With many democracy indicators consisting of subjective assessments rather than factual observations, trends in democracy over time could be due to human biases in the coding of these indicators rather than empirical facts. In …

It has been 15 years since 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 began its reign of terror on our democracy.
𝟐𝐎𝐎%-𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 $𝟏𝟎 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 − https://demsdefend.org
In the past 36 hours, our donations for a campaign to pass Amy Klobuchar and Adam Schiff's Constitutional Amendment to ban Dark Money have …

Democrats Defending Democracy

Local outlets captured the event much more accurately and gave it priority coverage.
Covering the pro-democracy movement is not partisan.
Here is one example. See our blog post for many, many, more.
https://mediaanddemocracyproject.substack.com/p/local-news-outlets-show-the-new-york

4/

"Inspired by the political philosopher Albert Hirschman, figures including Goff, Thiel and the investor and writer Balaji Srinivasan have been championing what they call “exit” – the principle that those with means have the right to walk away from the obligations of citizenship, especially taxes and burdensome regulation. Retooling and rebranding the old ambitions and privileges of empires, they dream of splintering governments and carving up the world into hyper-capitalist, democracy-free havens under the sole control of the supremely wealthy, protected by private mercenaries, serviced by AI robots and financed by cryptocurrencies."
...
Our opponents know full well that we are entering an age of emergency, but have responded by embracing lethal yet self-serving delusions. Having bought into various apartheid fantasies of bunkered safety, they are choosing to let the Earth burn. Our task is to build a wide and deep movement, as spiritual as it is political, strong enough to stop these unhinged traitors. A movement rooted in a steadfast commitment to one another, across our many differences and divides, and to this miraculous, singular planet."
#OligarchApocalypse #Oligarchy
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/13/end-times-fascism-far-right-trump-musk

🧵
Local outlets captured the protests much more accurately and gave it priority coverage.
Covering the pro-democracy movement is not partisan.
Here are is one example. There are many, many more in our blog post.
#LocalNews #Journalism
4/5

The Precarious Republic: Understanding the Fascist Threat to Modern Democracies
What if it doesn’t take years, or even months, for a democracy to collapse—but only a few short weeks? The idea that a stable republic could fall in ninety days may seem exaggerated, until you look at the historical record. Then it becomes a haunting possibility. Fascism doesn’t always arrive with fanfare or fire. Sometimes, it walks in through the front door…

I’m calling it right now: after his fourth term, Trump will appoint Musk as his successor.
#usa #politics #Democracy

Is Trump's Birthday Parade a Celebration of the Army or a Funeral Cortege for Democracy? (David Rothkopf/The Daily Beast)
https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-trumps-birthday-parade-a-celebration-of-the-army-or-a-funeral-cortege-for-democracy/
http://www.memeorandum.com/250610/p106#a250610p106

Elon Musk, JD Vance, and Peter Thiel are executing a long-planned agenda to take over the government.
Donald Trump is a dementia-addled old man along for the ride.
Hopefully, the chaos makes a little more sense now.
I told you you weren't gonna like it.

Democracy Is Done: The Rise of Corporate Monarchy
The Real Agenda Behind Elon's Coup & Trump's Chaotic First Weeks

No Kings Day next weekend!
Two events in Palo Alto -- We the People Parade at 2, Democracy Fair at 3.
indivisiblepaloaltoplus.org/no-kings-day
& https://bsky.app/profile/indivisiblepaplus.bsky.social

Editors at Jeff Bezos’s
@… were even more dismissive of the #handsoff pro-democracy movement on 4/6.
More than 1 million Americans expressing their concerns got a tiny box.
The next day, WaPo editors chose to devote half the #FrontPage to a personal achievement - a new hockey scoring leader.
A Putin-supporter who plays in the NHL.
#WaPo
3/5

Two Parasites and a Corpse: #Trump, #Musk, and the Maggot Feud Inside America's Rotting Democracy
#Resist

Underlining this from @….
Do not let anyone get away with calling ICE “law enforcement.” That term is wrong. They are operating outside the law. They aren’t law •enforcement•; they’re law •circumvention•. Their purpose is to grant a would-be authoritarian military power against his own country, unconstrained by either law or democracy. https://med-mastodon.com/@gregggonsalves/114644138834261758

Local news matters: hear editors from four thriving outlets share how they’re innovating coverage, building trust, and boosting civic engagement. 📰💡
Thu, Jul 17 @ 7 PM ET. Sign up: https://www.mobilize.us/mediademocracyproject/event/795861/

People in other countries see what America is becoming (Philip Bump/Washington Post)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/06/13/trump-noem-padilla-democracy-polling/
http://www.memeorandum.com/250614/p15#a250614p15

I shared a video this morning: Courage in the Face of Violence: Standing Up for Democracy and Justice #NoKings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCBsk2DRV1s

TONIGHT: Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes discusses The Power of Editorial Cartoonists for Democracy!
Ann Telnaes resigned from WaPo when this cartoon was rejected.
She wrote, “...My job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job.”
Sign up here: #FreePress #Democracy #Media

DHS Said to Brief Cleta Mitchell's Group on Citizenship Checks for Voting - Democracy Docket
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/dhs-said-to-brief-cleta-mitchells-anti-voting-group-on-checking-citizenship-for-voters/

Nieman Lab:
As Trump silences Voice of America, Russia and China seize the opportunity to reshape Africa’s news ecosystem
#Press

Santa Barbara's turnout was just one example of the historic nationwide mobilization.
The “No Kings” protest brought millions to the streets in over 2,100 cities and towns across the country.
Organizers stated this movement has exceeded expectations,
uniting citizens to reject authoritarian overreach, defend fundamental freedoms,
and protect vulnerable communities.

Thousands Show Up for 'No Kings' Protest in Santa Barbara
Over a thousand demonstrators lined Cabrillo Blvd Saturday to join the nationwide "No Kings" protest opposing the Trump administration and defending democracy.

Rather than embarrassing but infrequent call-outs in the Columbia Journalism Review, the #NYTimes needs regular review by a public editor.
#Journalism #Press

Trump is invoking emergency powers at a record rate. Here's what that means (Kat Lonsdorf/NPR)
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/09/nx-s1-5424666/trump-national-emergencies-democracy-supreme-court-constitution
http://www.memeorandum.com/250609/p19#a250609p19

Judge Denies California’s Request for Immediate Block on Trump’s Use of Military in Los Angeles - Democracy Docket
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/newsom-emergency-block-court-trump-military-los-angeles/

Hoarding syndrome is considered a psychiatric condition, not a crisis for democracy itself
-- with one giant exception:
When people with hoarding syndrome are born with or come into massive wealth
-- suddenly what was once a personal, psychiatric issue can become a crisis for all of society.
It happens every few generations.
It’s what drove the fascist oligarchs of the Confederacy to reach out and try to conquer the entire United States in the 1860s.
It …

The Billionaire Hoarders: How the Wealthy Became Our Biggest Threat
How a sick obsession is killing workers, democracy, and our planet.

Today is #WorldPressFreedomDay
Listen to Nobel Peace Laureate Maria Ressa on how important community support was for the survival of Rappler under attack from a dictator.
Lessons we should take to heart.
#FreePress #Journalism

Ann Telnaes resigned from the Washington Post after her cartoon was rejected by editors. She said, “I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, 'Democracy dies in darkness.'"
Join us May 29th at 8pm ET via Zoom for a conversation.
Sign up: #Cartoonist #Press #FreeSpeech

Stop Looking for Red Lines. You no Longer Live in a Full Democracy (Ryan Enos/Social Notes)
https://ryandenos.substack.com/p/stop-looking-for-red-lines-you-no
http://www.memeorandum.com/250613/p136#a250613p136

#GiftLink
Newsom Says Trump Is Destroying U.S. Democracy in Speech on L.A. Protests - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/us/newsom-speech-trump-la-protests.html?unlocked_article_code=1.OE8.NjQu.DDVE62i_gRXe&smid=url-share

Unprecedented wealth concentration
– and the unbridled power that comes with such wealth
– has distorted our democracy and is driving societal and economic tensions.
Musk, the world’s richest man, wields power no one person should have.
He has used this power to elect candidates that will enact policies to protect his interests and he even bought his way into government.
While at the helm of Doge, Musk dramatically reshaped the government in ways that benefit him…

Must watch John Oliver segment on Trump and the Press
#FreePress #1A #Press #JohnOliver

Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink
won Best Documentary at the United Nations Association Film Festival
#PrivateEquity #Journalism #FreePress

California governor says 'democracy is under assault' by Trump as feds intervene in LA protests (Michael R. Blood/Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gavin-newsom-california-immigration-protests-a6467fcd3fa66c945ac7c15c40362972
http://www.memeorandum.com/250611/p18#a250611p18

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy
tweeted:
“Important to remember that Trump isn’t trying to heal or keep the peace.
He is looking to inflame and divide.
His movement doesn’t believe in democracy or protest
– and if they get a chance to end the rule of law they will take it.
None of this is on the level.”

Idaho passes a bill to protect journalists.
#PressFreedom is not a partisan issue. It is not the Democrats or the Republicans who want to silence the press, it is Autocrats.

Newsom Says Trump Is Destroying U.S. Democracy in Speech on L.A. Protests (Laurel Rosenhall/New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/us/newsom-speech-trump-la-protests.html?unlocked_article_code=1.OE8.29sT.vD5yj7eCwxFt&smid=re-share
http://www.memeorandum.com/250611/p4#a250611p4

Ann Telnaes resigned from WaPo when this cartoon was rejected.
She wrote, “...My job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job.”
Join us May 29th via Zoom for a conversation with her.
Sign up: tiny.cc/Telnaes

From the Committee to Protect Journalists:
Pig’s head, rats sent to Indonesian news outlet as president attacks foreign-funded media
#FreePress #Journalism

"The immigration detention system has become a testing ground for authoritarianism." - @silkys13.bsky.social
https://bsky.app/profile/democracynow.org/post/3lqpltpcg522i

Trump Calls Up the Marines. Democracy Is in Danger. (Sasha Abramsky/The Nation)
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/trump-los-angeles-marines/
http://www.memeorandum.com/250609/p165#a250609p165

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Threatens Mobilization of Active-Duty Marines Against Protesters in Los Angeles

Such language is unprecedented in response to immigration protests.
The escalation comes just three days after the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre,
when Chinese troops crushed a pro-democracy movement with tanks and live ammunition
—a grim reminder of what can happen when a government turns its military on its own people.