2d ago

What really is going on in the US right now? Is this worse than the first term? Why're legal people being kicked out? When is it time to really consider leave?

First term a lot of people considered leaving but frankly it didn't feel like this.

Mods: I am unsure if this question goes against rule 2 or not. I mean to ask this as the general situation but of course it is political. The wording of the rule makes it unclear if politics are allowed or not...

Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.

69 comments

If you want to know where it is going in the short-term, have a look at Orban's Hungary. Rightwing populist voted in and then got to work at dismantling the state. Control judges appointments, curb the power of the judicial branch, silence critical media, pick a group to scapegoat, buddy of Putin. The list goes on. Democracy only works if people defend it and from my outside POV there aren't enough people doing that just yet. It's worse in Trump 2.0 because this time he came prepared.
There are already horror stories about people being caught up wrongly in the deportation efforts. That's using very mild language for very traumatic events here. It's come to a point where erstwhile allies of the US are advising their citizens not to travel to the US. Because they have lost faith in the rule of law there. Take a minute to let that sink in.
If you're a US citizen, resist. The free state is under threat. If you're an immigrant, be careful.
- If you’re a US citizen, resist.
  Easier said than done. There's no clear point of leverage for people to lean into. The cops are ruthless. The liberal opposition is toothless and lame. People don't really trust one another. There's a strong attitude of "I'm just going to keep my head down until it blows over". But we're not even really in a crisis per-say, just yet. Trump's a fucking menace, but the economy is strong and we're not currently at the peak of a pandemic and there's no hurricane about to decimate a random corner of the Gulf/Atlantic Coast.
  I suspect we'll see more points of galvanized opposition when the winds change. But for now, looks like Americans are going to lay back and think of England.
- horror stories about people being caught up wrongly in the deportation
  You mean people who are caught up rightfully in deportation are treated with dignity, right? Right?
  
  No. The label horror story, sadly, applies to all. I suppose I could have worded it differently, had I expected the least generous interpretation being applied to what I wrote.
  
  I just wanted to stress that the problem is the treatment. People are often ok with treating prisoners badly.

69 comments