Article: Can the term ‘cloud fascism’ help us understand—and resist—the hard right? Ece Temelkuran in The Guardian

What to do now: Build a united resistance

Start conversations.

Reach out to your network. Make sure people are noticing what they might be inclined to gloss over. Things like one person destroying US alliances and economic treaties without a Congressional vote; protesters, judges, and journalists being targeted; mass firings of federal employees with no justification or notice; random attacks on the powerless, such as snatching legal green card holders from their homes, as a way to propagate fear. During the campaign, Trump’s people said immigration enforcement would be targeted toward the most violent criminals. They said DOGE would not operate with cruelty. They said they would be making major cuts of wasteful spending in the Defense Department. None of those things were true. Classic bait and switch.

Contact your reps in Congress (find them here).

Ask what they are doing to stop the abuse of obscure laws and emergency powers, and to end dictatorial rule. Republicans in Congress should get no rest until they commit to doing their job again.

Plan for the worst–what will you and your network do if people in your neighborhood are targeted by an unaccountable government? Will members of ICE quit in righteous protest if asked to deport people without the legally required due process, or will they keep being the action arm of spreading dictatorship? Will the military members in your circle obey or resist if they are ordered to detain or harm their fellow citizens? It may sound crazy, but history proves that people never expect the worst, even as it creeps in and grows. Early planning and action are essential.

Torpedoing an already shaky debt-based economy is one thing. Torpedoing the courts is something else, and Trump 2.0 is feeling out how far and fast it can go to consolidate power, right to the top. They admitted that they mistakenly sent a Maryland man to an El Salvadoran prison. The Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the man’s return. So Trump flew in the President of El Salvador and staged a press conference.

When journalists asked what they were doing to bring the man home, both of these presidents smirked that they were powerless to do anything for him.

The New York Times has had a lot of problems, but they still have some great journalists, and Ezra Klein is one. This video from 4/17/2025 clarifies the moment.

Republican Rand Paul gave a speech on the Senate floor, poorly attended by his colleagues, about how his party has given up their responsibility to govern, most spectacularly since Donald Trump entered politics.

He talked about the Trump administration’s abuse of laws that were enacted during times of real emergency, but that should have expired without renewal by Congress.

Rand Paul has not protected Americans from the financial predations of the ultra-wealthy, but he has been courageous in speaking out against some of the laws that strip Americans of their rights. He is a rare member of Congress who will stand up to a crowd and to an authoritarian president.