Rory Truex

Join me tomorrow live on Crowdcast for a session with @chenoweth.bsky.social. We'll be speaking about effective opposition and where the pro-democracy movement needs to go from here. Registration link here: www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum...

Come see @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social live with me tomorrow! We're going to talk about Strongmen rule and how to oppose authoritarian government. www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum...

What is authoritarian backscratching – and why is this a threat? Quid pro quo policies help authoritarian regimes stay in power.

Just published in @goodauth.bsky.social: my piece on what I call “authoritarian backscratching” - quid-pro-quo policies between dictators - and how it helps authoritarian regimes survive. goodauthority.org/news/what-is...

Please join me tomorrow at noon for a conversation on all things Putin, Russia, and Trump with the wonderful Mark Beissinger. Sign-up link here: www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum...

For more information on the The Civic Forum, please visit our website: www.thecivicforum.com

Please join me this Thursday at noon EST for our second session of The Civic Forum. We'll have a discussion with
@keeanga.bsky.social on race, Black History, and the MAGA movement. Registration link here:

The first session of The Civic Forum is today at noon EST! Link is here: www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum.... Come for a short lecture on democratic erosion in the U.S. Full series info here: www.thecivicforum.com

I encourage everyone to read this letter.

Please then realize the president is imposing a tax on American consumers to leverage a foreign nation into making a domestic political decision that will help one of his political allies.

Florida officials deny accusations of inhumane conditions at Alligator Alcatraz Detainees claim they are enduring inhumane conditions, including lack of access to water, inadequate food and denial of religious rights.

Thinking more and more about the unfolding human rights abuses in this country. When you dehumanize a group of people enough, you can do pretty much anything you want to them. And no one seems to care. www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/a...

Democratic Backsliding: A Summer Reading List A Little Bit of Political Science, But Not Too Much

A summer reading list on democratic backsliding via @rorytruex.bsky.social: rorytruex.substack.com/p/democratic...

Also check out The Civic Forum (www.thecivicforum.com), "to study democracy and authoritarianism, to think about the meaning of citizenship, and to face the political moment."

There is Nothing Patriotic About MAGA Reclaiming Patriotism from the Authoritarian Right

There is nothing patriotic about Trump and his faction of the Republican Party. They wrap themselves in the American flag, and then proceed to do the most un-American things imaginable. More here:

This is how you normalize authoritarianism.

Would be funny if it wasn't so terrifying

Are We There Yet? Making Sense of the Authoritarian Onslaught

Full post here: rorytruex.substack.com/p/are-we-the...

This week I took a stab at categorizing the different authoritarian moves of the Trump administration. See the figure below.

So dangerous to create a personalist regime where no coherent policy is ever made and anyone who contradicts the leader is forced out. The governance of modern societies depends on planning and information flow.

ART OF THE FOLD........

Levitsky, Way, and Ziblatt: "No One Has Ever Defeated Autocracy From the Sidelines"
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/o... (gift link)

Key points:
1. We are now living under competitive authoritarianism.
2. We need ALL of civil society to resist the temptation of appeasement and defend democracy.

A victory for democracy

🚨New Bright Line Watch report on the state of US democracy

-Democracy ratings ↓ w/experts & public, including Rs
-Performance ↓ in numerous areas such as free speech/press, abuse of government powers
-Faculty report academic freedom decline & self-censorship

brightlinewatch.org/threats-to-d...

🧵

In our field we call this "nauseating displays of loyalty." The GOP has lost its mind.

Nothing to be scared of here in political terms. One of the least popular presidents is now even less popular than he was in his first term. People need to come out from under rocks.

PhD Timeline xkcd.com/3081

Unprecedented corruption: "The effort was, in effect, an offer of access to the White House in exchange for an investment in one of Mr. Trump’s crypto ventures." Literally taking money himself. Not campaign donations. Just pocketing it.

Compare with China, a famous photo of Uyghur internment camp detainees first published by a Xinjiang government social media account in 2017

Also Steve Kerr for President. Seriously.

How should China behave in Asia according to Chinese people?

China Focus will hold an event at Princeton SPIA in DC
with Rosie Levine, @rorytruex.bsky.social, & @renardsexton.bsky.social on our new Chinese public opinion poll. April 30 9-11AM.

Register:
us19.campaign-archive.com?e=__test_ema...

Not a single word to help the 33m small businesses in this country. Not from anyone in the administration.

So many buy from China, and don't have alternatives.

So many didn't have the cash to front run the tariffs and buy inventory

In Xu Zhiyong's writing, there is a notion that citizenship is a two way street. It entails the rights of democracy and the responsibility to protect it. I did some thinking this week on being a citizen in this moment. Please share if you find useful.

rorytruex.substack.com/p/what-do-i-...

Prediction:

Today (4/9/25) registered the greatest ill gotten gains from insider trading in history.