'It's happening much faster'

Tuesday, December 09, 2025

The Guardian interviewed activists from other countries that are fighting authoritarian takeovers. An activist in Hungary said she sees America's democracy falling fast. "It's happening much faster, and it's surprising for me that so many private companies and institutions just complied with the perceived or expressed will of President Trump," [Stefania Kapronczay, former head of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union] said. "I didn't expect so many people would be so risk-averse."

Posted by retort at 12:41 PM | 8 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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our authoritarian leadership really is following the playbook seen in countries like Hungary
time to wake up, folks[image or embed]
-- Karl Bode (@karlbode.com) Dec 8, 2025 at 11:03 AM

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"AI Overview
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian political ideology emphasizing extreme nationalism, a strong central government led by a dictator, militarism, and the suppression of opposition, often promoting a national rebirth through a unified "people's community" with individual interests subordinate to the state.

Key characteristics include fervent nationalism (sometimes racist), cult of the leader, state control over economy/society, anti-liberal/democratic stance, and glorification of violence and war, historically seen in Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany.

Core Characteristics:"

www.google.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-09 12:07 PM | Reply

"I didn't expect so many people would be so risk-averse."

I didn't expect that so many Americans would prove to be cowards, either.

Neither did the Founding Fathers, I suspect.

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2025-12-09 12:40 PM | Reply

Congratulations, Republicans.
You Built That!

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-09 12:40 PM | Reply

"Stefania Kapronczay, former head of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union] said." And to the Guardian no less. LOL

#4 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-12-09 01:02 PM | Reply

It's been heading this direction since at least the W Bush election.

#5 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2025-12-09 01:05 PM | Reply

Core Characteristics:"
www.google.com

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-12-09 12:07 PM | Reply | Flag:

"suppression of the opposition."
Cork, you may want to leave that one out after your party tried to bankrupt, jail, silence and then assassinate their main opposition.

#6 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-12-09 01:09 PM | Reply

"it's surprising for me that so many private companies and institutions just complied with the perceived or expressed will of President Trump,"

What would be good examples of that?

I'm not disagreeing with that statement...just trying to qualify the intent. Private companies and institutions always attempt to work with the current administration on any number of issues the administration impacts. Regulatory, tax, environmental, etc.......

#7 | Posted by eberly at 2025-12-09 01:14 PM | Reply

that's funny things are moving just as I thought they would, in fact a little slower than I expected, a combination of some inherent resistance to authoritarianism, laziness, incompetence of the piggy administration, residual justice system (primarily due to ITS inherent slowness). I did think there would be a more direct attack on a few areas like abortion (though that seems to be brewing).

Let's see how things are after the new year when the tariffs hit and healthcare costs skyrocket and even hiding numbers on the economy won't hide the fact that the economy sucks

#8 | Posted by truthhurts at 2025-12-09 01:17 PM | Reply