The route to fascism is not marked by violence or upheaval; it is a road paved by acquiescence and silence, lies and deceit, willful ignorance and selfish complicity.

The strongest foundation of democracy, and thus the biggest impediment to totalitarianism, is built upon differing voices and ideas where the best, almost always a blend of concepts, arises from initial chaos and dissent. 

The founding document of our country, the Constitution, was not based on a single philosophy or point of view. There was a host of opinions, varying from a reconstituted American Monarchy to a completely powerless Federal Government, which contributed to the final version.

It was a model of consensus.

The result was a blend of checks and balances offering both stability, balance of powers, and guarantees of personal freedom.

An imperfect yet brilliant document.

In the 1780s slavery was ignored in the Constitution, as were women’s rights, due process for most individuals, and access to public education. Yet the authors included an innate wisdom and foresight allowing for change as the world changed.

All of this stands to be unraveled by the quest to make the Office of the President more powerful than the other branches.  The clear intent, spelled out in Project 2025 for those who bother to read it,  is to neuter Congress (which, because of its abandonment of compromise, has managed to emasculate itself) and the Supreme Court (which, through it’s smokescreen persona of strict original intent, is on track to undo almost 250 years of Judicial Progress.)

This is a familiar pattern to these marches toward totalitarianism, readily evident from history.

First, you offer a enemy posing a danger to the country. By demonizing every individual who has entered the country unlawfully they have taken the first step. 

By painting them with a wide brush as dangerous criminals (despite mounting evidence that those in the country illegally are less  likely to commit crimes than those born into citizenship) they create the phantasm of peoples biggest fears.

By promoting false stories of widespread welfare and Medicaid fraud contrary to the evidence, they enrage people struggling financially for entirely unrelated reasons, conditions caused by economic policies favoring the most wealthy put in place by these very same policy makers.

By encouraging tactics like masked officers running rampant over due process reinforces an emotionally driven frenzy to support the false narrative.

They are intentionally fueling a mob mentality devoid of rationality.

Then, you target the most vocal opposition voices, law firms, independent educational institutions, and those who work at or run these entities casting them as anti-American, and silence the necessary but inconvenient arguments against these policies.

And lastly, you target the free press. A free, independent media posting stories about unlawful or dangerous government policies and actions is an anathema to fascism.

You create false narratives. Repeat the lies over and over. Spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The necessary fertilizer for fascism to take root.

Evidence of the duplicitious nature of these policiy actions are right in front of us. This administration has kowtowed media agencies, law firms, and universities with threats targeting their financial well-being. Some have stood bravely in opposition, resisting such extortion. Others have cowardly surrendered.

And their purpose is to draw focus away from the real goal of this administrations policy, sole dominance of government power.

And now a new tactic emerges. If you can’t silence a media outlet, you let your FCC approve an acquisition by a more friendly entity.  The merger of Paramount (CBS News parent company) and Sky Dance Media is the latest example. (Link to story here)

On its face, it seems a smart business move. Sky Dance, founded by David Elllison, the son of Larry Ellison of Oracle, is a successful business person.  He contributed to the Biden campaign until Biden withdrew.  Lately, he has been at events with President Trump. Nothing obviously sinister here.

But as always, the devil is in the details and the obscure language those in power know most people don’t bother to read. The major financial partner of Sky Dance Media is RedBird Capital. One of the principal officers is Gerry Cardinale.  Again, on its face, a successful  American businessperson.

Cardinale has donated to Republican and conservative causes. All perfectly legal. But it’s the language in the FCC announcement, coupled with this political affiliation background of the companies and individuals involved in the merger, that should give one pause. Particularly in light of the Citizens United decision which allows corporations with deep pockets a limitless ability to use their wealth to influence (control) government. (https://campaignlegal.org/document/citizens-united-v-fec-supreme-court-opinion)

CBS has been one of the most effective free media organizations in American history. Not perfect, they’ve made mistakes, but the news coverage and investigative journalism is legendary and often a thorn in the side of politicians.

The announcement by the FCC about the approval of the merger contained information on a concerning aspect of the approval. The head of th FCC said, 

“It’s time for a change.” Carr emphasized that the newly formed media giant would prioritize “unbiased journalism” and confirmed it would not pursue programs tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Does this mean it will pursue programs of homogeneity, inequity, and exclusivity? You know, like the good ole days when America was great.

“The approval came after Skydance and its investment partner, RedBird Capital, assured the FCC of their commitment to unbiased journalism that represents diverse viewpoints. Skydance said it would appoint an ombudsman to evaluate complaints of editorial bias or other concerns about CBS in an effort to promote transparency and increased accountability.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/24/fcc-8-billion-paramount-skydance-merger/85366104007/)

CBS will now, in all likelihood, became a shell of its former self. And there will be a chorus of voices celebrating the event, until they realize, too late, what they have allowed to happen. They stood by as their chosen government created the mechanism for Newspeak right before their eyes.

Is this just another wild conspiracy theory? I hope it is. But at least here we can be forearmed and observant. Unlike the idiotic contention of President Obama being guilty of conspiracy, something the administration and its minions created from whole cloth without even a shred of evidence, this potential silencing of CBS News if fraught with real consequences.

Did anyone even bother to read their so-called bomb shell documents? There is better evidence for the existence of Big Foot than the nonsense they offered for treason. Sadly, this is not joking matter. There is a real threat to our freedom.

Our downfall will not come from outside, many Americans will walk off the cliff like lemmings of their own volition waving flags and banners of America First and MAGA that will prove to be poor parachutes.

Artificial Intelligence is defined as the ability of a computer or robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. Humans have traditionally limited the definition of intelligent beings to themselves.

However, consider how science has advanced over the decades. A handheld computer, if shown to someone in 1965, would be considered evidence of alien intelligence not something developed by human hands.  As author Arthur C. Clarke wrote,

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Using that as a basis, imagine where we will be 100 years from now. Will we grow our computers rather than build them using advances in our understanding of genetics? Go beyond manufactured computers and breed them?

We are only now beginning to recognize the risks of AI, and we have yet to fully grasp the basics.

What if there was an example for us to use as a comparison? A creation by an entity that, as it develops and matures, poses a deadly threat to its creator.

Could it be we are nature’s AI? (That’s A I not A 1 for you Madam Secretary of Education.)

Could it be our rise in the anthropocene epoch and our wreaking havoc on the environment, creating weapons capable of annihilating the entire planet, and our violent and persistent sectarianism and tribalism are the perfect preview of what AI may hold for us.

The evolutionary process of nature created Homo Sapiens. Homo Sapiens created  Homo Intelligentia Artificialis. 

Nature created the very agency of its own destruction. Homo Sapiens followed suit.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” We may now be witnessing the dawn of the creation of the very magic of our own destruction.

The ease with which A I infiltrates our lives is startling. It may prove to be the ultimate addiction.

Don’t believe me?  I wrote the above paragraphs; below are paragraphs written by a commonly available AI engine. An AI engine with minimal full functionality. And the images here are AI generated.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses a significant set of dangers, not because of any intrinsic malevolence, but due to the immense power it concentrates in systems often designed and deployed without sufficient foresight. One of the foremost concerns is the potential for AI to disrupt labor markets at scale. As machines increasingly perform tasks once reserved for humans—ranging from manufacturing to legal analysis—the displacement of workers could lead to widespread economic instability, especially in regions or industries with low adaptability. Without deliberate intervention, such as reskilling initiatives or universal basic income policies, AI could exacerbate inequality and deepen societal divides.

Another critical danger lies in the misuse of AI by malicious actors or authoritarian regimes. Tools that enable mass surveillance, autonomous weaponry, and deepfake media can be used to suppress dissent, manipulate public opinion, and escalate global conflicts. Even democratic governments may deploy AI in ways that erode civil liberties, often under the guise of efficiency or national security. The opacity of many AI systems—particularly those based on deep learning—makes accountability difficult and increases the risk of biased, unchallengeable decisions being automated into legal and bureaucratic systems.

Perhaps the most existential risk is the creation of superintelligent AI systems whose goals diverge from human values. If an advanced AI develops capabilities beyond human control, even unintentionally, it could pursue objectives in ways that are catastrophically misaligned with human interests. This “alignment problem” remains unsolved and underexplored, despite growing concern from leading researchers. While AI has the potential to benefit humanity enormously, the lack of robust governance, ethical design, and international oversight exposes civilization to profound and possibly irreversible consequences. The need for proactive, collaborative safeguards has never been more urgent.

Happy Birthday, America. I have suggestions on how we might ensure we have many more.

Dear Congress, stop pretending you represent or act like an equal element of Government. You can either act like the Constitution requires or step aside and let others take your place.

Dear Supreme Court, stop pretending to be strict constructionists who seek to uphold original intent. You’ve become little more than a mouthpiece for the mob.

Dear Republicans, stop pretending you bear any resemblance to the Grand Old Party and Abraham Lincoln. He may have freed the slaves, but you’re finding ways to re-enslave an entire class of poor and needy.

Dear Democrats, stop pretending you have any semblance of courage or conviction or can take a stand without waffling and worrying about hurting someone’s feelings. Respect for others’ rights to hold opinions or act in different ways is not the same as supporting them. There is such a thing as right and wrong.

Dear self-proclaimed patriots wrapped in the flag… just stop. Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

Dear Second Amendment enthusiasts who have never gotten past the Preamble, nor can define it, stop pretending you bear arms to protect yourself from the government. You are fools to believe that you could defend yourself against the most well-funded, powerful military in the world that your money bought.

Dear so-called Pro-life supporters, stop acting like you care about life when the reality is you fear what happens if you ever face your god more than anything, having lived an empty and shallow life pretending to be moral. You’re doing nothing but looking for a merit badge to gain admission to your concept of heaven

Dear Talking Heads and opinion writers crafting fluff pieces that pretend to criticize the administration, only to kowtow to its threats, try to recapture your soul.

Dear Universities, grow a set.

Dear Law Firms, remember why you became lawyers before you were consumed by the pursuit of profits over justice.

I think Musk and DOGE had the right idea, just the wrong target. Instead of laying off hard-working Americans who are the backbone of our government, they should have identified Congress as the most significant impediment to achieving the American Dream and recommended a wholesale removal of every member.

Consider the message it would send to anyone there. Elect an entirely new set of Representatives and replace the thirty or so Senators up for re-election in 2026. Then toss out the remaining sitting Senators over the next four years.

Some might cry that it would debilitate Congressional efficiency. I think using the words Congressional and efficiency in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

And to everybody in America, stop telling me all the bad things Trump has/will/might do and wake up to the fact that half of us voted for him. Change has to start within each of us before we can change anything else.

Happy Birthday, America. Let’s hope there are many more.

I hope America has the perdurance to survive once the fallacy of MAGA is revealed. 

I hope the demise of the once proud party of Lincoln and its willing submission to a would-be king can be rectified by a new generation of statesmen.

I hope the once dynamic and courageous Democratic party can rise from the ashes of its foolish embrace of tangential political policies and refocus on what matters to the overwhelming majority of Americans; economic security, equitable opportunity, respect for the law, and tolerance.

This is my country that has lost its mind. Or more correctly, this is our country.

“When a country goes mad, it has the right to commit every horror in its own wall.” Baroness Emmuska Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel.

I fear many of our fellow Americans believe the current President has such rights without recognizing the incipient madness on display right in front of them.

The unfortunate part is this isn’t some secret master plan someone with a conscience or a grudge might leak to the world and unveil the sinister plot. Not at all. They learned their lesson well in the first term (too bad America’s memory lasts only to yesterday).

This time, they published exactly what they are going to do. Project 2025 is the blueprint, the plan. And, like all plans, it is evolving as conditions warrant. But the foundational document is there for anyone to read. 

The economic warfare on allies and enemies alike. However, one might argue it is even simpler than that distinction, boiling down to the USA versus Everybody else.

The demonizing of immigrants, blurring the lines between those here illegally and those who resemble those here legally. They have created out of whole cloth an enemy that does not exist. Despite their claims, the last administration did not “let in” twenty-one million criminals.

The trampling of the separation of powers by willfully ignoring court orders and decisions.

None of this is a surprise. They wrote the book and now they are following the plan.

Rosa Luxemburg wrote, 

“A country is first ruled by a class (wealthy), then a party (MAGA), then a committee within the party (Project 2025), then one person who swiftly eliminates the committee.” (Parenthetical quotes are mine.)

And before somebody thinks pointing out that Luxemburg was a revolutionary and a Marxist somehow detracts from her message, who better to have insights into the path to fascism?

Here’s another insight from Orczy,

“Money and titles may be hereditary,” she would say, “but brains are not,”…”

Something those who like to proclaim our sitting President as some masterful businessperson should keep in mind.

The French Revolution began in an earnest attempt to right the wrongs of a monarchy and the inherited title royalty. A noble cause that dissolved into the Reign of Terror.

They had their Committee of Public Safety, if we are not careful will may face the same.

Remember when those who had the most significant impact on our lives were those who accomplished something? They acted in a manner that demonstrated courage despite their fears, resilience in the face of resistance, and determination in the face of hopelessness.

Where are they now when we need them most?

What prompted this piece was a news story I read about a growing phenomenon among teenage girls.  I don’t recall the specific process, but it involved some combination of commercial and home-brewed concoction to give these young women “vibrant and amazing” skin.

It was promoted as the ultimate elixir to eliminate the ravages of teenage hormonal changes in the form of the dreaded zit!

Instead, what it did to many was cause acidic like burns and, in some case, lead to fatalities.

Okay, that was bad enough. But the part that really fascinated me was the accompanying videos of these young women posted on various social media sites where they are trying to become “Social Media Influencers.”

WTF.

Now I know most teens go through some idol worship stage where they all want to be fashion models, rock stars, etc. But it seems today that ambition lies only with telling others what to do by “influencing” their behavior.

No one seems to aspire to actually do something. They all just want to gather followers, garner commercial support of their “influencing”, and be admired for being famous.

Double WTF.

Now, at the risk of this sounding like the ravings of a crusty old man–who am I kidding, these are the ravings of a rapidly aging curmudgeon–how come no one is influenced by young women, or men, aspiring to be doctors, or lawyers, or scientists? 

How come the most admired social influencers aren’t those who go into the military, or public service, or seek to aid the less fortunate?

How come we have an entire segment of society that wants to influence people not by doing good works or improving our state of affairs, or curing cancer, but by “influencing” them on the most shallow, inept, and untrustworthy platform for communication so far invented by humans?

When we are facing the demise of public education, once the flagship of the world.

When we are facing a crisis of conscience in how we treat our fellow humans.

When we are contending with an existential crisis of the very democracy we have so far been able to preserve.

Where are the heroes?

If all we have are “social media influencers,” we are in trouble.

“No man, who is not inflamed by vain-glory into enthusiasm, can flatter himself that his single, unsupported, desultory, unsystematic endeavours are of power to defeat the subtle designs and united Cabals of ambitious citizens. When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edmund Burke

I am not by nature a doom-and-gloom, dark conspiracy theorist. Yet, I cannot help but think that Mr. Trump would like nothing more than for a police officer, soldier, or Marine to be killed in LA so that he would have the “evidence” he needs to justify martial law. He is stymied by roadblocks in the courts, the law, and the Constitution, which prevent him from having a free hand. 

Faced with that, he has only one choice. Remove them.

If we are not hypervigilant, this is what we face,

“Every nation would allow that there are emergencies in which it is the right and the duty of a government to proclaim a state of siege and authorize the suppression of the common rules of remedy by the rapid methods of martial law. Now what Machiavelli did, or what his followers have been doing ever since, is to elevate this principle into the normal rule for statesmen’s actions. When his books are made into a system they must result in a perpetual suspension of the Habeas Corpus Acts of the whole human race. It is not the removal of restraints under extraordinary emergencies that is the fallacy of Machiavelli, it is the erection of this removal into an ordinary and everyday rule of action.” Fraenkel, Ernst; Meierhenrich, Jens. The Dual State (p. 10). OUP Oxford. Kindle Edition.

Despite his controllers learning lessons from the first administration and insulating the President from competent advice by nominating incompetent cabinet members incapable of offering rational and nuanced input, part of me wants to believe that some adults have managed to remain in deep cover, bringing a semblance of intelligence to decisions.

There may not be any Generals Mattis, Kelly, or Miley there who not only recited their oaths to defend the Constitution but also actually understood and upheld them; however, there may still be someone who respects the rule of law.

Although, in light of the recent acts by this President, the evidence for such hope is bleak. Mr. Trump’s ghostwritten book was called “The Art of the Deal.” What it should have been called is “The Art of Solipsism.”

So here we are, amid a Trump self-fulfilling prophecy–a vertitable baccanalia of solipsism–embraced by the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil group of sycophantic supporters, with our military forces attempting to occupy an American city, supplanting civilian law enforcement, and exacerbating a situation that by all rational measures was nowhere near critical mass–until pushed there by the overreach of this administration.

I’m sure Mr. Trump would take delight in any justification to call in airstrikes, reclaim the waterfront for more failed and bankrupted Trump ventures where only he makes money–if you can have Gaza-a-Lago why not LA-a-Lago– and seal his place as the weapon by which America commits Seppuku.

Trump is no Nero fiddling as Rome burns; he is out lighting the fires, and his supporters are fanning the flames.

This is how empires end, not from the enemy without, but by willful ignorance within. No enemy can ever defeat us as soundly as we may do it ourselves.

The unfortunate part is that all he had to do was follow the law, and no one would have had an argument with his actions.