Thanks for all the comments. In a follow-up to this column, I will offer a number of specific ideas of what individual citizens can do to defend our democracy. I agree that state government are a crucial part of the response.
And I'll just add to Shikha's cautionary note: One thing we absolutely cannot do is respond to Trump's unconstitutional or undemocratic behavior with unconstitutional--or even questionably constitutional--behavior of our own. The U.S. military has not only the right but the duty to refuse to obey clearly illegal or unconstitutional orders. But we don't want to event hint at the possibility that the military would act outside of its scope of authority to contain Trump. That is the job of the Congress, the courts, and the American people. It would also be the job of the inspectors general and independent agencies, if Trump were not proceeding to neuter and politicize them.
I agree wholeheartedly that the military needs to resist any unconstitutional order, and the thought that the US military would ever consider about acting against the civil leadership is anathema to our democratic norms. Likewise, I agree that it should be the courts and Congress that act as a bulwark to Trump's authoritarian policies and obvious dictatorial tendencies. Civil society also needs to be in overdrive, but so far, it's largely complacent. But, as Trump and his cronies continue to ignore court orders and Musk's DOGE acts with impunity, the US Congress is looking more like an American version of a rubber-stamp Duma. I do believe there is a very strong possibility that the midterms will result in a backlash in which the Democrats retake control of both chambers. Anecdotally, even my conservative older sister, a Republican since Reagan, contacted me yesterday to inquire how to contact our US senators and US representative so that she could tell them that "Trump must go." This experience plus the latest approval polls suggest there's lots of buyer's remorse emerging in the center of the electorate. However, in two years' time, the damage wrought by Trump and his Project 2025 handlers may be severe and possibly irreparable. I am not advocating for military intervention; it would damage our democracy in ways we cannot imagine and it would be hard to put that genie back in the bottle. But, in the absence of the normal constitutional constraints and mutually agreed "rules of the game," things may--I emphasize "may"--get so bad that the military might find itself considering how to fulfill its oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," even if that enemy is elected. It's a terrible thing to contemplate.
I think quite a bit is open to question at this point. One has to assume that was Trump's motive in firing the three judge adjutant generals of the Army, Navy, and AIr Force. It is just plain alarming. I think our officer corps is professional and principled. But over time, much damage could be done. We are in unchartered waters.
I never had any doubt Trump would do what he is now doing. What I am shocked by is the speed with which it is all happening and without any pushback from the GOP Congress or the media. Our country is full of cowardly GOP politicians, media outlets, and corporations and corrupt courts that only care about having power, a job and/or making money so they are not only useless they are complicit. I don't think it's fair to blame the Dems in Congress they are literally powerless without some bipartisan help. The Dems have spoke loudly and clearly about the dangers of Trump for years. Not enough people listened. It may seem like they are now silent but what the Dems and/or Dem supporters are doing is filing lawsuits. They need more help and it looks it is going to have to be us. Hopefully some Magas will wake up and join us, like it or not, we need them.
This is chilling analysis, which I largely agree with. However, the one variable that I believe needs to be considered is that of the military. For good reason, generally excellent civil-military relations in the US and the US military's razor focus on professionalism have precluded the military as a political arbiter. However, the recent firing of the CJCS for blatantly political reasons (i.e., loyalty) might be enough to get the brass paying more attention. Granted, it would take a lot more than a single firing to get the military to consider anything so flagrant as a move against Trump, but but I imagine some tentative conversations have begun among the officer corps. If Hegseth, Trump, and Musk's actions begin to negatively affect unit readiness and the oath to defend the Constitution (not a person), at some point I can foresee some officers quietly conveying to Trump's inner circle that there is a red line that should not be crossed. If it is crossed, all bet's are off.
Agree 100%. But the Friday's replacement of the Joint Chief of Staff with a Trump loyalist and the firing of JAGs has left me alarmed that Trump is going to systematically stack the military with "his" men and then cross the "red line."
I think you are correct about the intention to stack the deck. But, I think this act of systematically replacing with career officers with sycophants is exactly the type of action that could accelerate and exacerbate my previously described disquiet among the officer corps. Anecdotally, I live near a major military base, and I have neighbors who are stationed there and I occasionally socialize with some them. On a couple of occasions since the election, I have been witness to some very heated discussions about how low an opinion these officers have of their Commander-in-Chief. This is all just speculation at this point, but I doubt the officers corps will sit by indefinitely and watch things go to hell in a handbasket. Exactly what actions are taken, I wouldn't dare to guess, but I just don't think the military will remain passive forever if things continue on their present path. This is certainly uncharted territory.
I think what is missing here is the power of the states. Mr. Diamond has covered the checks and balances at the federal level, but we are a confederation and that is fifty entirely different playing fields. Trying to subdue the American people is going to be messy.
It’s high time the American people take the bull by the horns, take full custodial ownership of the Constitution, demand action from their Reps and Senators, threaten to vote them out if they don’t, and engage in peaceful civil disobedience. Hopefully, no further action will be needed…but you never know.
I've protested. I've contacted my reps. I've talked to people. We should each build a movement now? Seriously, what the FUCK are we supposed to do? Abandon our lives to lead an insurgency against our own government?
Unfortunately even with the stakes as high as they are, there is only so much that we, individually, can do. Keep calling, keep protesting. Support opposition media outlets like this one (the very first thing all authoritarians do to consolidate power is suppress opposition voices, if we can keep that from happening we'll have achieved something critical). And live your life, it's going to be an at least four year struggle, there's only so much you and I can do on a given day, week, or month, and it won't help to burn ourselves out overextending.
Agreed that what's desperately needed is focus, but we're not going to get it. The Democrats are more upset that Trump is interfering with their policy preferences than that he's tearing down Constitutional limits. They won't unite the nation against Trump that way. I wish I saw any hope.
What always continues to amaze and confound is how quickly one can destroy in almost an instant the good that took so long to build. I reflect on the Twin Towers in New York City. Trump & Musk are turning the U.S. into its very own Twin Towers-style disassembling. They are the planes of death and destruction.
Hmm. You weren’t afraid to publish this. And courts seem unconcerned about ruling against him. And the media and folks in Congress don’t seem terribly cowed. So….
Prof. Diamond, five years ago you and Mike McFaul were confident that the military would keep Trump from staying in power if he lost the 2020 election. He is now purging the military. Will he be able to corrupt the military to the point where it would obey illegal orders?
Larry, always enjoy your opinion and sharing your out look on events when you are on Janice’s show on Wednesday night. Your mussing today though goes off into the depth of ridicule. Our President is only carrying out the promises made and now promises keep during the campaign to begin undoing the damage to our great country inflected by the Clinton, Osama, Biden administrations. And oh the pain of having to responsibly control overhead cost to 15 percent. Maybe University can cut back on all the waste fraud and abuse that is prevalent when there is just an endless supply of tax dollars. again Larry you usually have a cooler grip on reality but maybe stopping the flood of illegal aliens, eliminating worthless give aways to Marxist Democratic Party groups, and putting an end to feathering the nest of do nothing college administrators is clouding your judgment. Best and lol forward to you again being on Janice’s show I know Larry Mantel always enjoys interviewing you.
Lynn W G sez, "Our President is only carrying out the promises made and now promises keep during the campaign to begin undoing the damage to our great country inflected by the Clinton, Osama, Biden administrations".
Keeping promises is generally a good thing, except when they involve having a bunch of whizz-kidz taking meat cleavers to every agency of government.
Thanks for all the comments. In a follow-up to this column, I will offer a number of specific ideas of what individual citizens can do to defend our democracy. I agree that state government are a crucial part of the response.
And I'll just add to Shikha's cautionary note: One thing we absolutely cannot do is respond to Trump's unconstitutional or undemocratic behavior with unconstitutional--or even questionably constitutional--behavior of our own. The U.S. military has not only the right but the duty to refuse to obey clearly illegal or unconstitutional orders. But we don't want to event hint at the possibility that the military would act outside of its scope of authority to contain Trump. That is the job of the Congress, the courts, and the American people. It would also be the job of the inspectors general and independent agencies, if Trump were not proceeding to neuter and politicize them.
I agree wholeheartedly that the military needs to resist any unconstitutional order, and the thought that the US military would ever consider about acting against the civil leadership is anathema to our democratic norms. Likewise, I agree that it should be the courts and Congress that act as a bulwark to Trump's authoritarian policies and obvious dictatorial tendencies. Civil society also needs to be in overdrive, but so far, it's largely complacent. But, as Trump and his cronies continue to ignore court orders and Musk's DOGE acts with impunity, the US Congress is looking more like an American version of a rubber-stamp Duma. I do believe there is a very strong possibility that the midterms will result in a backlash in which the Democrats retake control of both chambers. Anecdotally, even my conservative older sister, a Republican since Reagan, contacted me yesterday to inquire how to contact our US senators and US representative so that she could tell them that "Trump must go." This experience plus the latest approval polls suggest there's lots of buyer's remorse emerging in the center of the electorate. However, in two years' time, the damage wrought by Trump and his Project 2025 handlers may be severe and possibly irreparable. I am not advocating for military intervention; it would damage our democracy in ways we cannot imagine and it would be hard to put that genie back in the bottle. But, in the absence of the normal constitutional constraints and mutually agreed "rules of the game," things may--I emphasize "may"--get so bad that the military might find itself considering how to fulfill its oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," even if that enemy is elected. It's a terrible thing to contemplate.
I think quite a bit is open to question at this point. One has to assume that was Trump's motive in firing the three judge adjutant generals of the Army, Navy, and AIr Force. It is just plain alarming. I think our officer corps is professional and principled. But over time, much damage could be done. We are in unchartered waters.
I never had any doubt Trump would do what he is now doing. What I am shocked by is the speed with which it is all happening and without any pushback from the GOP Congress or the media. Our country is full of cowardly GOP politicians, media outlets, and corporations and corrupt courts that only care about having power, a job and/or making money so they are not only useless they are complicit. I don't think it's fair to blame the Dems in Congress they are literally powerless without some bipartisan help. The Dems have spoke loudly and clearly about the dangers of Trump for years. Not enough people listened. It may seem like they are now silent but what the Dems and/or Dem supporters are doing is filing lawsuits. They need more help and it looks it is going to have to be us. Hopefully some Magas will wake up and join us, like it or not, we need them.
This is chilling analysis, which I largely agree with. However, the one variable that I believe needs to be considered is that of the military. For good reason, generally excellent civil-military relations in the US and the US military's razor focus on professionalism have precluded the military as a political arbiter. However, the recent firing of the CJCS for blatantly political reasons (i.e., loyalty) might be enough to get the brass paying more attention. Granted, it would take a lot more than a single firing to get the military to consider anything so flagrant as a move against Trump, but but I imagine some tentative conversations have begun among the officer corps. If Hegseth, Trump, and Musk's actions begin to negatively affect unit readiness and the oath to defend the Constitution (not a person), at some point I can foresee some officers quietly conveying to Trump's inner circle that there is a red line that should not be crossed. If it is crossed, all bet's are off.
Agree 100%. But the Friday's replacement of the Joint Chief of Staff with a Trump loyalist and the firing of JAGs has left me alarmed that Trump is going to systematically stack the military with "his" men and then cross the "red line."
I think you are correct about the intention to stack the deck. But, I think this act of systematically replacing with career officers with sycophants is exactly the type of action that could accelerate and exacerbate my previously described disquiet among the officer corps. Anecdotally, I live near a major military base, and I have neighbors who are stationed there and I occasionally socialize with some them. On a couple of occasions since the election, I have been witness to some very heated discussions about how low an opinion these officers have of their Commander-in-Chief. This is all just speculation at this point, but I doubt the officers corps will sit by indefinitely and watch things go to hell in a handbasket. Exactly what actions are taken, I wouldn't dare to guess, but I just don't think the military will remain passive forever if things continue on their present path. This is certainly uncharted territory.
I think what is missing here is the power of the states. Mr. Diamond has covered the checks and balances at the federal level, but we are a confederation and that is fifty entirely different playing fields. Trying to subdue the American people is going to be messy.
It’s high time the American people take the bull by the horns, take full custodial ownership of the Constitution, demand action from their Reps and Senators, threaten to vote them out if they don’t, and engage in peaceful civil disobedience. Hopefully, no further action will be needed…but you never know.
So, what are we supposed to do? These hair on fire pieces enrage me. You get us all worked up and terrified, but what should we do?
Protest. Call your Congressman. Speak up. Talk to people and build a movement to stop Trump.
I've protested. I've contacted my reps. I've talked to people. We should each build a movement now? Seriously, what the FUCK are we supposed to do? Abandon our lives to lead an insurgency against our own government?
Unfortunately even with the stakes as high as they are, there is only so much that we, individually, can do. Keep calling, keep protesting. Support opposition media outlets like this one (the very first thing all authoritarians do to consolidate power is suppress opposition voices, if we can keep that from happening we'll have achieved something critical). And live your life, it's going to be an at least four year struggle, there's only so much you and I can do on a given day, week, or month, and it won't help to burn ourselves out overextending.
It’s been done before. Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Let’s not pull any punches here, it’s coming down to that.
This is NOT "the home of the brave." Not even close. Home of the craven, self-interested cowards.
Agreed that what's desperately needed is focus, but we're not going to get it. The Democrats are more upset that Trump is interfering with their policy preferences than that he's tearing down Constitutional limits. They won't unite the nation against Trump that way. I wish I saw any hope.
What always continues to amaze and confound is how quickly one can destroy in almost an instant the good that took so long to build. I reflect on the Twin Towers in New York City. Trump & Musk are turning the U.S. into its very own Twin Towers-style disassembling. They are the planes of death and destruction.
Hmm. You weren’t afraid to publish this. And courts seem unconcerned about ruling against him. And the media and folks in Congress don’t seem terribly cowed. So….
Thank you so much!
https://open.substack.com/pub/ricknoz/p/playbook-how-8-groupings-can-resist?r=ukln1&utm_medium=ios
Prof. Diamond, five years ago you and Mike McFaul were confident that the military would keep Trump from staying in power if he lost the 2020 election. He is now purging the military. Will he be able to corrupt the military to the point where it would obey illegal orders?
Larry, always enjoy your opinion and sharing your out look on events when you are on Janice’s show on Wednesday night. Your mussing today though goes off into the depth of ridicule. Our President is only carrying out the promises made and now promises keep during the campaign to begin undoing the damage to our great country inflected by the Clinton, Osama, Biden administrations. And oh the pain of having to responsibly control overhead cost to 15 percent. Maybe University can cut back on all the waste fraud and abuse that is prevalent when there is just an endless supply of tax dollars. again Larry you usually have a cooler grip on reality but maybe stopping the flood of illegal aliens, eliminating worthless give aways to Marxist Democratic Party groups, and putting an end to feathering the nest of do nothing college administrators is clouding your judgment. Best and lol forward to you again being on Janice’s show I know Larry Mantel always enjoys interviewing you.
Lynn W G sez, "Our President is only carrying out the promises made and now promises keep during the campaign to begin undoing the damage to our great country inflected by the Clinton, Osama, Biden administrations".
Keeping promises is generally a good thing, except when they involve having a bunch of whizz-kidz taking meat cleavers to every agency of government.