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President Donald Trump exits the Oval Office and walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on July 15, 2020 in Washington, D.C.
'We Are Teetering on the Edge of Autocracy,' Warn Critics After Trump Suggests Election Delay
"This is how democracy dies in the USA."
Jul 30, 2020
Democracy advocates sounded immediate alarms Thursday morning after President Donald Trump floated the idea of delaying the November elections, citing mail-in voting and the unfounded threat of voter fraud.
"This is a coup in the making."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen"This is a coup in the making," warned Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, in response to Trump.
"Voting by mail will not create a risk of fraud," Weissman said. "In fact, voting by mail is an absolute necessity to ensure Americans can exercise their franchise amid a pandemic--which Trump has made dramatically worse through his utter incompetence and callous indifference to human life."
\u201cThe president of the United States is broadcasting that he is considering a coup to hold on to power. Make no mistake: We are teetering on the edge of autocracy.\u201d— Public Citizen (@Public Citizen) 1596115860
Groups like Common Cause noted that the president does not have the power to postpone the election date.
\u201cReminder: President Trump doesn't have the constitutional authority to delay the election.\n\nIf he tries, we will see him in court.\u201d— Common Cause (@Common Cause) 1596114942
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison pushed back on Trump's tweet, responding, "This is how democracy dies in the USA. Don't let it happen."
"These messages from Trump are intended to promote chaos and confusion, and undermine confidence in our elections. We REJECT all of it," tweeted Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
According to Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge, the president's tweets shouldn't be brushed aside.
"As his latest comments show, Trump poses an existential threat to our democracy. While he has no authority to delay the election, we cannot ignore his escalating lies and attacks on our democracy," Eldridge said in a statement.
"Americans need to be ready to mobilize if Trump contests the results or refuses to concede--and 'Protect the Results' is building a network of millions of Americans to meet the moment if we need to take to the streets in protest," he added.
Some critical observers wondered whether Trump's tweet was an effort to stir up controversy or distract the media on the same day that data released from the Commerce Department showed the U.S. economy suffered its largest contraction in the country's history last quarter.
\u201cThis seems like the correct take.\u201d— Krystal Ball (@Krystal Ball) 1596116712
"If Trump truly cared about our elections," said Public Citizen's Weissman, "he would demand Congress provide the $3.6 billion in funding that states and localities need to properly and safely administer them amid the pandemic. The real issue for Trump, of course, is Trump. The economy is in free-fall and Trump is worried about what that means for his electoral prospects."
The president's tweet Thursday comes less than two weeks after Trump--who's trailing presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden in the polls--refused to commit to accepting the results of the 2020 presidential election if he is defeated.
Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace whether he intends to accept the election results, the president responded, "No, I'm not gonna just say yes. I'm not gonna say it, and I didn't last time either."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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Democracy advocates sounded immediate alarms Thursday morning after President Donald Trump floated the idea of delaying the November elections, citing mail-in voting and the unfounded threat of voter fraud.
"This is a coup in the making."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen"This is a coup in the making," warned Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, in response to Trump.
"Voting by mail will not create a risk of fraud," Weissman said. "In fact, voting by mail is an absolute necessity to ensure Americans can exercise their franchise amid a pandemic--which Trump has made dramatically worse through his utter incompetence and callous indifference to human life."
\u201cThe president of the United States is broadcasting that he is considering a coup to hold on to power. Make no mistake: We are teetering on the edge of autocracy.\u201d— Public Citizen (@Public Citizen) 1596115860
Groups like Common Cause noted that the president does not have the power to postpone the election date.
\u201cReminder: President Trump doesn't have the constitutional authority to delay the election.\n\nIf he tries, we will see him in court.\u201d— Common Cause (@Common Cause) 1596114942
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison pushed back on Trump's tweet, responding, "This is how democracy dies in the USA. Don't let it happen."
"These messages from Trump are intended to promote chaos and confusion, and undermine confidence in our elections. We REJECT all of it," tweeted Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
According to Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge, the president's tweets shouldn't be brushed aside.
"As his latest comments show, Trump poses an existential threat to our democracy. While he has no authority to delay the election, we cannot ignore his escalating lies and attacks on our democracy," Eldridge said in a statement.
"Americans need to be ready to mobilize if Trump contests the results or refuses to concede--and 'Protect the Results' is building a network of millions of Americans to meet the moment if we need to take to the streets in protest," he added.
Some critical observers wondered whether Trump's tweet was an effort to stir up controversy or distract the media on the same day that data released from the Commerce Department showed the U.S. economy suffered its largest contraction in the country's history last quarter.
\u201cThis seems like the correct take.\u201d— Krystal Ball (@Krystal Ball) 1596116712
"If Trump truly cared about our elections," said Public Citizen's Weissman, "he would demand Congress provide the $3.6 billion in funding that states and localities need to properly and safely administer them amid the pandemic. The real issue for Trump, of course, is Trump. The economy is in free-fall and Trump is worried about what that means for his electoral prospects."
The president's tweet Thursday comes less than two weeks after Trump--who's trailing presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden in the polls--refused to commit to accepting the results of the 2020 presidential election if he is defeated.
Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace whether he intends to accept the election results, the president responded, "No, I'm not gonna just say yes. I'm not gonna say it, and I didn't last time either."
Democracy advocates sounded immediate alarms Thursday morning after President Donald Trump floated the idea of delaying the November elections, citing mail-in voting and the unfounded threat of voter fraud.
"This is a coup in the making."
--Robert Weissman, Public Citizen"This is a coup in the making," warned Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, in response to Trump.
"Voting by mail will not create a risk of fraud," Weissman said. "In fact, voting by mail is an absolute necessity to ensure Americans can exercise their franchise amid a pandemic--which Trump has made dramatically worse through his utter incompetence and callous indifference to human life."
\u201cThe president of the United States is broadcasting that he is considering a coup to hold on to power. Make no mistake: We are teetering on the edge of autocracy.\u201d— Public Citizen (@Public Citizen) 1596115860
Groups like Common Cause noted that the president does not have the power to postpone the election date.
\u201cReminder: President Trump doesn't have the constitutional authority to delay the election.\n\nIf he tries, we will see him in court.\u201d— Common Cause (@Common Cause) 1596114942
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison pushed back on Trump's tweet, responding, "This is how democracy dies in the USA. Don't let it happen."
"These messages from Trump are intended to promote chaos and confusion, and undermine confidence in our elections. We REJECT all of it," tweeted Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
According to Stand Up America founder and president Sean Eldridge, the president's tweets shouldn't be brushed aside.
"As his latest comments show, Trump poses an existential threat to our democracy. While he has no authority to delay the election, we cannot ignore his escalating lies and attacks on our democracy," Eldridge said in a statement.
"Americans need to be ready to mobilize if Trump contests the results or refuses to concede--and 'Protect the Results' is building a network of millions of Americans to meet the moment if we need to take to the streets in protest," he added.
Some critical observers wondered whether Trump's tweet was an effort to stir up controversy or distract the media on the same day that data released from the Commerce Department showed the U.S. economy suffered its largest contraction in the country's history last quarter.
\u201cThis seems like the correct take.\u201d— Krystal Ball (@Krystal Ball) 1596116712
"If Trump truly cared about our elections," said Public Citizen's Weissman, "he would demand Congress provide the $3.6 billion in funding that states and localities need to properly and safely administer them amid the pandemic. The real issue for Trump, of course, is Trump. The economy is in free-fall and Trump is worried about what that means for his electoral prospects."
The president's tweet Thursday comes less than two weeks after Trump--who's trailing presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden in the polls--refused to commit to accepting the results of the 2020 presidential election if he is defeated.
Asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace whether he intends to accept the election results, the president responded, "No, I'm not gonna just say yes. I'm not gonna say it, and I didn't last time either."
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LATEST NEWS
Amid Trump Tariff Chaos, DOGE 'Minions' Infiltrate Federal Trade Commission
"Corporations get let off the hook, Musk gets insider information, and the American people get hosed."
Apr 04, 2025
The latest U.S. agency in the crosshairs of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is reportedly the Federal Trade Commission, an already-understaffed department tasked with preventing monopolistic practices and shielding consumers from corporate abuses.
Axios reported Friday that at least two DOGE staffers "now have offices at" the FTC. According to The Verge, two DOGE members "were spotted" at the agency's building this week and "are now listed in the FTC's internal directory."
The Verge noted that the FTC is "a fairly lean agency with fewer than 1,200 employees," a number that the Trump administration has already cut into with the firing of some of the department's consumer protection and antitrust staff.
At least two of Musk's companies, Tesla and X, have faced scrutiny in recent years from the FTC, which is now under the leadership of Trump appointee Andrew Ferguson, who previously pledged to roll back former chair Lina Khan's anti-monopoly legacy.
Emily Peterson-Cassin, corporate power director at the Demand Progress Education Fund, which referred to the operatives as Musk's "minions," said Friday that "DOGE is yet again raiding a federal watchdog tasked with protecting working Americans from Wall Street and Big Tech."
"The FTC has worked to stop monopolistic mergers that would have led to higher grocery prices and is now gearing up to go to court against Meta's social media monopoly," said Peterson-Cassin. "It's no surprise that at this moment, while the economy is in freefall and fraud is on the rise, DOGE is choosing to raid the federal watchdog that protects everyday Americans and threatens corporate monopolies and grifters."
News of DOGE staffers' infiltration of the FTC came as Trump's sweeping new tariffs continued to cause global economic turmoil and heightened concerns that companies in the U.S. will use the tariffs as a new excuse to jack up prices and pad their bottom lines.
Ferguson pledged in a social media post Thursday that under his leadership, the FTC "will be watching closely" to ensure companies don't view Trump's tariffs "as a green light for price fixing or any other unlawful behavior."
But Trump has hobbled the agency—and prompted yet another legal fight—by firing its two Democratic commissioners, a move that sparked fury and has already impacted the FTC's ability to pursue cases against large corporations.
Peterson-Cassin said Friday that "the only winners" of DOGE's targeting of the FTC "are Trump's billionaire besties like [Meta CEO] Mark Zuckerberg and especially Musk, who now stands to gain access to confidential financial information about every company ever investigated by the FTC, including the auto manufacturers, aerospace firms, internet providers, tech companies, and banks that directly compete with his own companies."
"Corporations get let off the hook, Musk gets insider information, and the American people get hosed," Peterson-Cassin added.
'There Will Be Blood': JPMorgan Hikes Odds of Trump-Triggered Recession to 60%
"The president single-handedly wiped out Americans' retirement savings overnight and subjected businesses to intense whiplash with his increasingly erratic and chaotic policies that continue to drive consumer and business uncertainty."
Apr 04, 2025
Alarm over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs continues to grow, with stocks plummeting and JPMorgan warning that "the risk of recession in the global economy this year is raised to 60%, up from 40%."
After China announced new 34% tariffs on all American goods beginning next week, The Associated Press reported Friday that "the S&P 500 was down 4.8% in afternoon trading, after earlier dropping more than 5%, following its worst day since Covid wrecked the global economy in 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,719 points, or 4.3%, as of 1:08 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 4.9% lower."
Noting the state of Wall Street this week, Groundwork Collaborative executive director Lindsay Owens declared in a Friday statement that "Trump has officially brought the economy to its knees."
"The president single-handedly wiped out Americans' retirement savings overnight and subjected businesses to intense whiplash with his increasingly erratic and chaotic policies that continue to drive consumer and business uncertainty," she said. "To call this an economic downturn is an understatement; Trump is marching us straight into a depression."
Political and economic observers have been publicly wondering for weeks if Trump is intentionally crashing the economy. Further fueling those fears, he ramped up his trade war on Wednesday by announcing a minimum 10% tariff for imports, with higher levies for dozens of countries. Although he claimed those steeper duties are "reciprocal," his math "horrified" economists and has been called "crazy."
Responding in a Thursday note titled, There Will Be Blood, head of global economic research Bruce Kasman and other experts at JPMorgan wrote that "if sustained, this year's ~22%-point tariff increase would be the largest U.S. tax hike since 1968."
"The effect of this tax hike is likely to be magnified—through retaliation, a slide in U.S. business sentiment, and supply chain disruptions," states the note, which came before China's announcement.
As Bloomberg reported:
Several Wall Street firms on Thursday warned of a U.S. recession, with some making it their base case, after... Trump announced major levies on goods imported from countries around the world. Other economists, including those at JPMorgan, said the hit could be big, though they are taking a wait-and-see approach before revising their projections.
The announcement rocked global financial markets, and the S&P 500 suffered its worst day since 2020. Trump, speaking on Air Force One on Thursday afternoon, said he was open to reducing tariffs if trading partners were able to offer something "phenomenal."
"We are not making immediate changes to our forecasts and want to see the initial implementation and negotiation process that takes hold," the JPMorgan note says. "However, we view the full implementation of announced policies as a substantial macroeconomic shock not currently incorporated in our forecasts. We thus emphasize that these policies, if sustained, would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year."
The team also pointed out that the United States is in potential danger no matter how other countries are ultimately impacted, calling a "scenario where rest of world muddles through a U.S. recession possible but less likely than global downturn."
As Common Dreams reported last week, in anticipation of Trump's tariff announcement, Goldman Sachs published a research note projecting that the odds of a recession in the next year are 35%, up from 20%.
Other financial industry research firms that have recently warned of a possible recession include Barclays, BofA Global Research, Deutsche Bank, RBC Capital Markets, and UBS Global Wealth Management, according to Reuters.
"This is a game-changer, not only for the U.S. economy, but for the global economy. Many countries will likely end up in a recession," Olu Sonola, head of U.S. economic research at Fitch Ratings, said in a late Wednesday note about the levies. "You can throw most forecasts out the door, if this tariff rate stays on for an extended period of time."
Experts have made similar comments to the press in the wake of the president's Rose Garden remarks on Wednesday. Time on Friday shared some from Brian Bethune, a Boston College economics professor:
"[Consumers] are not even going to the grocery store and paying more for vegetables because there's none available from Mexico, or going to Whole Foods, for example, and finding the big sections of fresh fruit are being shut down. They haven't really felt the full impact [yet], and they're already saying something isn't right," Bethune says.
However, while some economists... are more cautious in their discussion about a possible recession, Bethune says it's "inevitable." The question, he says, is just how long until it happens and for how long will it occur? He sees Trump's admission of there being " some pain" on the horizon as only proof of the inevitability.
"At least they [the Trump administration] are not pretending that it's not disruptive, but they're basically soft-selling it, reflecting their ignorance about the way business operates," Bethune claims.
Also on Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest U.S. jobs data. Although the unemployment rate rose from 4.1% to 4.2% in March, the economy added 228,000 jobs, which was better than expected.
However, economists warn of what lies ahead. As University of Michican economics professor Betsey Stevenson put it, "Today's jobs report is like looking at your vacation photos after you had a horrible car crash on the way home."
1,000+ 'Hands Off!' Protests Planned Across US Saturday in Mass Mobilization Against Trump
"Immigration. Medicaid. Workers' rights. Unions. Education. You name it—we're drawing the line," wrote one union.
Apr 04, 2025
In what one outlet has reported is slated to be the largest single-day action to resist the Trump administration since U.S. President Donald Trump's return to power, hundreds of thousands of people nationwide are planning to mobilize on Saturday to say: "Hands Off!"
A list of locations for the events, which are not all slated to start at the same time on Saturday, can be found here.
Trump and Musk "think this country belongs to them," according to a website for the Hands Off! events. "This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history."
"They want to strip America for parts—shuttering Social Security offices, firing essential workers, eliminating consumer protections, and gutting Medicaid—all to bankroll their billionaire tax scam. They're handing over our tax dollars, our public services, and our democracy to the ultra-rich," according to the website's about page, which also notes nonviolent action is a "core principle" behind the events.
A spokesperson for the events told Common Dreams on Friday afternoon that the events have generated over 500,000 signups nationally, a number that is "growing rapidly," and there are over 1,000 events taking place on Saturday, a number that is "also growing steadily."
The actions are the latest warning sign for the Republican Party under Trump, who has allowed Elon Musk to play a core role in his administration, particularly in the administration's efforts to carry out cuts to federal personnel and spending.
Musk poured millions of dollars into a high-profile Wisconsin Supreme Court election that took place on April 1—helping to make it the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history by one tally—only to have his preferred candidate, judge Brad Schimel, lose.
"This is a huge signal from a battleground state that Americans are genuinely upset, genuinely angry, I think, with Trump and with Musk," said John Nichols, a correspondent for That Nation, when recapping the outcome of the race on Democracy Now!
Dozens of unions, watchdogs, and advocacy groups—such as Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Americans for Tax Fairness, and Accountable.US—are supporting the action as partners.
"People nationwide are rising up at hundreds of events to say one thing loud and clear: Hands Off!" wrote SEIU on the platform X, which is owned by Musk, on Friday. "Immigration. Medicaid. Workers' rights. Unions. Education. You name it—we're drawing the line."
The environmentalist iIll McKibben wrote on Bluesky on Wednesday: "Expect to see a lot of gray hair at the April 5 Hands Off rallies—we've been organizing like crazy at Third Act," a group that mobilizes Americans over the age of 60.
In early February, anti-Trump "Movement 50501" protests took place nationwide and protestors united under the slogan #TakedownTesla have also targeted Tesla, Musk's electric vehicle company, in recent weeks.
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