Democrats don't have a good track record of making voters care about democracy, writes @MaryEllenKlas. But they need to try again in Texas (via @opinion) https://t.co/WJozTfBcWw ...

Jane Fonda warns of "two essential crises and for both, it’s now or never: democracy and climate" at Bloomberg Green Seattle https://t.co/FakJ8eO2GJ ...

Government Overreach & Abuse of Power - The Department of Justice (DOJ) fired over 20 employees who worked on cases involving January 6th and Trump's classified documents case [1] - The FBI is reportedly using polygraphs to test officials' loyalties, questioning whether they've spoken negatively about FBI Director Cash Patel [2] - The former president threatened to revoke a private citizen's citizenship, highlighting a willingness to target individuals [2][9][10] - Government actions are perceived as veering towards a "police state," where citizens are treated as potential suspects [14] Erosion of Democratic Norms & Institutions - Normal guardrails of democracy are disappearing, with Congress abdicating oversight and courts under siege [17] - Internal watchdogs face pressure from the White House, compromising their independence [17] - There's a concern that the American people may lose trust in law enforcement's apolitical application of force [8][9] Impact on Law Enforcement & Public Servants - Subject matter expertise and operational competence are being sacrificed for ideological purity within the FBI [5] - FBI agents and analysts are reportedly keeping their heads down, focusing on their constitutional oath amidst the turmoil [21] - Senior executives within the FBI are allegedly compromising their integrity to advance under the current leadership [22] - Federal law enforcement is undergoing a massive change, potentially impacting various areas beyond immigration [23] Retribution & Intimidation Tactics - Individuals who speak out against the administration face potential persecution and professional repercussions [18][31] - A fund has been launched to support the legal defense of those targeted for presidential revenge [19] - Speaking out against the administration can lead to isolation, financial threats, and threats to family safety [31][32]

Political Climate & Freedom of Speech Concerns - A German state banned members of the main opposition party AfD from civil service, raising concerns about political freedom [2] - Norwegian police interrogated an individual after they exposed alleged grooming within a religious cult, questioning the extent of free speech [2] - French police raided the party headquarters of the main opposition, indicating potential political suppression [2] - Britain arrests over 12,000 people annually for social media posts, highlighting restrictions on online expression [2]

What keeps you up at night. Um, I would say the state of our democracy. Um, I I would say that I am I am really very interested in getting people to focus and to invest and to pay attention to what is happening in our country and in our government. ...

William Ruto’s tenure is a how-to guide for sowing cynicism about democracy https://t.co/dGN3vngwaN ...

The thing about the MAGA movement is they're the worst winners in human history. I mean, you're you're you're you're like a world-class athlete. Have you ever seen anyone win and act like such a jerk as the MAGA people? I mean, I've seen it, but they're not my friends, right? They're not my people. [Music] This is perhaps the episode of the best people that I dreamed about that I thought would never come to be. Um, you two have an outsized role in my life. From untamed to the role of a stepparent with the u ...

“[Creating a society on Mars] would be a new frontier and an opportunity to rethink the whole nature of government, just as was done in the creation of the United States.I would suggest having direct democracy. People vote directly on things, as opposed to representative democracy. Representative democracy, I think, is too subject to special interests and a coercion of the politicians and that kind of thing.So, I'd recommend that there's just direct democracy.”Elon Musk ...