Slate News Amicus | Trump’s American Takeover
Feb 1, 2025
In this enlightening conversation, Kim Lane Scheppele, a Princeton professor specializing in the law of autocracy, discusses the alarming implications of Trump’s emerging second administration. She highlights how executive orders echo global authoritarian tactics seen in countries like Hungary and Russia. The manipulation of legal systems to undermine democracy is explored, along with the chilling effects on marginalized groups, particularly the LGBTQ+ community. Scheppele warns of the urgent need for public engagement to combat the rise of autocracy in America.
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Modern Autocracy
- Autocrats gain power through elections, then dismantle checks and balances.
- This is often disguised by inflammatory rhetoric targeting vulnerable groups.
Trump's Strategy
- Trump's first term focused on disruption but not legal infrastructure changes, except the Supreme Court.
- His second term emphasizes entrenching power through laws written by private groups.
Orban's Power Grab
- Orban consolidated power by suspending civil service laws and defunding opposition.
- He controlled the media by cutting state advertising, enabling oligarchs to buy them.