Welcome to the United Police State: How Democracy Is Being Stripped at Our Doorstep
From federal suppression at press conferences to continued threats of military deployment in U.S. cities—this is a turning point. Here’s why we must rise up.
Yesterday, Senator Alex Padilla—spurned for exercising his First Amendment rights—was forcibly subdued by three federal officers at a DHS press conference.
Despite identifying himself and seeking to ask a question, he was wrestled to the ground, hands cuffed behind him, as Secretary Kristi Noem carried on her remarks.
Later, on Fox News, she falsely claimed Padilla didn’t identify himself and “lunged at her”—a blatant distortion of the truth.
The footage says otherwise.
Worse still, Noem declared from the podium:
“We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into the city.”
That’s not governance. That’s occupation.
This isn’t an isolated incident.
It’s part of a broader authoritarian playbook being carried out under President Trump.
From suppressing dissent to militarizing our streets, what we’re witnessing is the continued erosion of American democracy.
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What’s at Stake — And Why It Matters
Let’s be blunt: we are now living under a government that no longer respects constitutional norms.
The assault on Senator Padilla is one flashpoint, but it sits atop a mountain of escalating authoritarian behavior:
President Trump has floated military deployments in additional U.S. cities.
Newsweek: Trump says he may deploy troops to other cities »A federal judge ruled Trump’s National Guard activation was illegal—but an appeals court has stayed that order, keeping troops in place—for now.
Law Dork: National Guard ruling »Secretary Noem’s rhetoric invokes a militant mindset—"liberating" cities from elected leaders? That’s not politics. That’s fascism.
ICE agents get green light to make unjustified warrantless arrests—adding to their already illegal and horrifically inhumane tactics
These actions aren’t just undemocratic. They are textbook authoritarianism.
Our Path Forward
We are not powerless.
Here’s how we fight back and reclaim our future:
Show up tomorrow for No Kings Day.
Protest the rise of authoritarianism. Make it known we do not accept the rule of one man. Here’s a map with all the protest locations.Vote in every single election—local, state, and federal.
Your city council, your school board, your governor—all are frontline defenders of democracy.Call your representatives.
Demand they oppose Trump’s budget bill, which seeks to:Strip healthcare from 16 million Americans
Ban AI regulation for 10 years
Provide billions in tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy
Remove food benefits from millions
Shield the federal government from legal consequences
Support environmental leaders fighting back.
Trump is gutting climate protections:Stay loud. Stay visible.
Post. Share. Talk to your people. Be a beacon of truth in your community.
This Is Not the Time to Stay Quiet
As Heather Cox Richardson wrote yesterday:
“The current moment is not normal… it’s part of a dangerous democratic backslide.”
And as Eliza Orlins on Objection Everything put it:
“Because silence is complicity. And chaos is the point. Don’t let it win.”
They’re right.
What we’re seeing is the intentional dismantling of constitutional order, and it's happening in real time.
The time for "wait and see" is over.
The time to act is now.
We don’t have to accept this future. But we do have to fight for the one we want.
So protest. Organize. Vote.
And above all: refuse to look away.
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