What to do when the world is falling apart—but you still need to live inside it When everything feels like it’s unraveling—politically, socially, economically—it’s easy to get lost in the overwhelm. Fear sharpens. Grief hits like weather. The future feels like a black box with
A short guide to staying safe, smart, and strategic under authoritarian conditions If you’re feeling alarmed, angry, or overwhelmed—you’re not alone. What’s happening in the U.S. is not politics as usual. It’s not “just another bad administration.” It’s the open degradation of legal,
What she’s right about: Some conservatives are waking up to the brutality of the regime, and they are finally naming it Van Hollen getting access to Abrego Garcia matters—symbolically and emotionally, if not structurally Judicial language like Judge Wilkinson’s does represent a principled stand in words Thought
If you're thinking about leaving the United States—or preparing a lifeboat in case you need to—the first decision is where. Below is a short guide to countries that are currently friendly to U.S. citizens, have relatively stable governments, and offer clear visa paths for relocation.
After Descent: Stages of Entrenched Authoritarian Rule This draws from comparative politics, genocide studies, and historical case synthesis (e.g., Levitsky & Ziblatt, Arendt, Snyder, Linz, and Straus). ✅ Stage 4: Consolidation of Loyalty and Erasure of Alternatives * One-party rule (formal or functional) * Electoral theater with no legitimacy * Forced oaths, ideological
Comparative Speed: Hitler vs. Trump (2024–2025) Hitler’s consolidation of power (1932–1934): 1. July 1932: Nazis win largest share in Reichstag but don’t seize power yet 2. January 30, 1933: Hitler appointed Chancellor (not elected) 3. February 27, 1933: Reichstag Fire; civil liberties suspended next day 4.
April 16th 2025 🟥 Stage 1: Soft Authoritarianism — ✅ COMPLETE * ✅ Disregard of court orders: Ongoing defiance of federal rulings; administration continues to ignore Supreme Court mandate regarding Abrego Garcia. * ✅ Emergency powers without checks: DHS and border powers expanded; Insurrection Act consideration openly discussed. * ✅ Mass disinformation: Disinformation campaigns normalized; administrative lies submitted as
Not in Name—But Maybe in Effect. 1. Formal annexation (like adding provinces) Unlikely in the short term, because: * It would require treaty negotiation or force, both of which would risk massive global backlash. * Canada is a G7 country with strong alliances and standing armies. * The U.S. military would
What “Closing the Borders” Looks Like in This Context: This won’t be like WWII or even 2020. It will happen through administrative fog, not overt declarations. People will still think they can leave — until they try. Likely Stages: 1. Flight Disruptions + Visa Processing Delays Already beginning, will escalate over
Written as of 4/10: Stage 2 Red Flags Summary (“Erosion of Democratic Norms and Civil Protections”) These are drawn from comparative political analysis of authoritarian transitions (e.g., Levitsky & Ziblatt, Freedom House, historical fascist regimes). 🟥 Legal & Judicial Undermining * ❌ Nationwide injunctions outlawed — Congress limits courts' ability to
🟥 Stage 1: Soft Authoritarianism — COMPLETE ✅ Disregard of court orders: Ongoing defiance (e.g., refusal to comply with court-mandated releases, deportations despite injunctions). ✅ Emergency powers without checks: Yes — declared, expanded, and actively used. ✅ Mass disinformation: DOGE embedding, data distortion, state-endorsed conspiracy networks. ✅ Journalist shadowbanning: Confirmed. Targeting of journalists with pronouns. ✅ Legal
Where we were on 4/5: 🟡 Stage 1: Soft Authoritarianism (Already Occurring) These are foundational shifts that corrode norms and laws: * ✅ Disregard of court orders by executive branch * ✅ Emergency powers declared without clear checks * ✅ Mass disinformation campaigns (state media alignment, AI manipulation) * ✅ Targeting and shadowbanning of dissenting journalists * ✅ Legal residents