The Orange Cloud Over Democracy

Will Americans Stop the Rise of Dictatorship?

By John Gray, a “Banning Homes/Channel Heights Projects” Kid

There appears to be an orange cloud passing through the skies, threatening to tear apart the American way of life as we once knew it. It isn’t a nuclear cloud, but rather one that brings unwanted political policy to Americans by the current administration in power. 

This cloud introduces autocracy and dictatorship, modeling itself after despotic nations like Russia and North Korea, with other authoritarian pretenders like Turkey and Syria not far behind. Will this be a global moment? Or rather, a one-off phenomenon that will die after the Trump presidency and MAGA expire? Amid this orange cloud, it has become clear that there is no adherence to humanistic principles, values, or biblical code. After all, the French and American Revolutions were fought in the name of humanistic values, and we have to make sure our nation lives up to those principles.

In the face of Trump’s blooming dictatorship, what are the guardrails against his authoritarianism? Americans see his immigration policies that resemble manifest destiny and dictatorial tactics daily. He has infiltrated America’s justice department and the Supreme Court, the military has been tarnished, and there is a slipknot around the neck of the American Republican Congress. Are there any guardrails against all of this? 

Political Scientist Dr. Francis Fukuyama believes there are a few left, such as proper checks and balances as guaranteed by the Constitution. But in the wake of Trump’s first presidency and the first few months of his second administration, we see that these guardrails are increasingly falling apart. 

Over the past few months, we have seen an almost limitless barrage of executive orders that challenge the constitutional limits of his office. The only check against most of these orders has come from the judicial branch, either at the federal or state level. 

Nevertheless, Trump seems content to simply ignore these checks according to his own whims. He has bombed Iran without any Congressional approval, bringing the nation dangerously close to war, rammed through the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which cuts Medicare by nearly $1 trillion and nearly $300 billion from food benefits to low-income families through intimidation and uncouth tactics.         

One opines that there must be those in the world who have thoughts and beliefs adverse to dictatorship. Will the world and America allow Trump to move towards complete dictatorship, or will we the people rise against this emerging authoritarianism? Trump’s authoritative actions have essentially deemed the Constitution irrelevant; he cares nothing for it and has proven he will do what he wishes, no matter what. So what can be done? Who will defend us against this rising dictatorship? All of us must defend this nation and the world. We will be the ones to end Trump’s authoritarian whims before we all find ourselves under the boot of his fascism.