Google Gemini was used to research this piece. This Essay was posted on 2/1/2026.
The killing of American citizens whose only crime was to protest the ICE’s actions, is waking up the US to the fact that democracy as we know it is history and will require real work to get it back. It won’t be easy, because the autocracy disease is now a stage-4 cancer in our government, and blaming Donald Trump is just a diversion.
The warning signs are clear. The deal that Donald Trump made with the Republican Party in their march to authoritarianism is described in Project 2025 and the anti-socialism resolution passed by the Republican-controlled Congress and the idea of using the power of government to punish political rivals. Republicans get their wishes, and Trump gets to tinker with tariffs. Why would longstanding Republicans let the Constitution be shredded?
The answer could lie in the Republican agenda. Republicans have wanted to end or cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for decades. Unfortunately for them, these programs are very popular. Medicaid, which began as a welfare program has evolved into a legitimate arm of the government healthcare program. It is hard to believe that Republicans could get elected again under the traditional rules if they abolish these popular programs. So, they are resorting to authoritarian rule as the way to get their agenda accomplished. And Donald Trump gets to enrich himself.
Now that Trump’s authoritarian rule is solidifying in spite of an outpouring of protests from the public, pushback from State governments, and court rulings rejecting many of Trump’s deeds, the question is: How did we get here?
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