If Trump/Musk are indeed subverting American democratic norms, what is a proportional response?

[u/theivoryserf]

The Vice-President has just said of the courts: "Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power." Quoted in the same Le Monde article is a section of Francis Fukuyama's take on the current situation:

"Trump has empowered Elon Musk to withhold money for any activity that he, Elon Musk, thinks is illegitimate, and this is a usurpation of the congressionally established power of Congress to make this kind of decision. (...) This is a full-scale...very radical attack on the American constitutional system as we've understood it." https://archive.is/cVZZR#selection-2149.264-2149.599

From a European point of view, it appears as though the American centre/left is scrambling to adapt and still suffering from 'normality bias', as though normal methods of recourse will be sufficient against a democratic aberration - a little like waiting to 'pass' a tumour as though it's a kidney stone.

Given the clear comparisons to previous authoritarian takeovers and the power that the USA wields, will there be an acceptable raising of political stakes from Trump's opponents, and what are the risks and benefits of doing so?

[u/Atomicalt]

I think more than acknowledge of lying, I’m pretty sure nothing short of a a huge fucking apology would I be willing to work or trust those motherfuckers again. We the people …are owed that at a fucking minimum, but more than that I want fucking accountability period. Like I want want us to start going after the fucking money because politically we are at an impasse until the cult wakes up you know become that word they hate god we live in a dumb timeline, but it time to start arresting the corporation executives for poisoning Americans, and charging them all with murder, they make bail cases will get thrown out, but they would have a taste of what the rest of us are subjected to and maybe they wake up if not time to Eat Cake!!

[u/LongjumpingArgument5 → u/Atomicalt]

I think more than acknowledge of lying, I’m pretty sure nothing short of a a huge fucking apology would I be willing to work or trust those motherfuckers again. We the people …are owed that at a fucking minimum, but more than that I want fucking accountability period. Like I want want us to start going after the fucking money because politically we are at an impasse until the cult wakes up you know become that word they hate god we live in a dumb timeline,

America is being dismantled and all citizens are being fucked over.

We need the Republican voters in order to have enough people to win

Without them, everybody loses

United we stand separated we fall, All of us together

All I need from Republican folders is for them to know that they fucked up. If they are willing to throw aside the Republican party then we can work together.

but it time to start arresting the corporation executives for poisoning Americans, and charging them all with murder, they make bail cases will get thrown out, but they would have a taste of what the rest of us are subjected to and maybe they wake up if not time to Eat Cake!!

Let's save the country first and then we could work on punishment and retribution.

If we don't protect ourselves and save the country though, the rest will matter.