In advance of “NO KINGS DAY” that hopefully will draw millions of Americans to peacefully demonstrate throughout the country against the Trump Administration’s autocratic attempt to diminish our democracy (the last NO KINGS DAY drew 7 million people), I searched the internet to review quickly how democracies crumble into autocracies.

The following is what I found. It is a product of “Protect Democracy,” a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing our democracy from declining into authoritarianism. It was founded in 2017 and uses litigation, advocacy, research, and communication to defend elections, to uphold the rule of law, counter disinformation, and resist abuses of power across the political spectrum.

How our nation has succumbed to where we are today is discussed widely by scholars and journalists. The following are the highlights of the autocracy playbook as presented by “Protect Democracy.” As you review these points, ask yourself where our American democratic experiment sits on the continuum between democracy and autocracy.

“Project Democracy” defines the autocratic leader this way:

“Autocrats seize and maintain power by systematically eroding democratic institutions from within, often using legal mechanisms to dismantle checks and balances rather than relying solely on military coups. Modern autocrats typically follow a playbook that involves manipulating elections, controlling information, suppressing opposition, and creating a facade of democratic legitimacy.” 

“Protect Democracy” offers these key methods that autocrats use to take over a country:

1. Subverting Democratic Institutions (Legalistic Autocracy) 

• Aggrandizing Executive Power: Aspiring autocrats weaken legislatures and judiciaries, stacking them with loyalists to remove checks and balances.

• Rewriting the Constitution: Autocrats often amend the constitution to eliminate term limits, expand executive power, and make it legally difficult to remove them from office.

• Politicizing the Judiciary and Law Enforcement: Independent institutions, including the police and courts, are captured and weaponized to target opponents and protect allies.

2. Corrupting the Electoral Process

• Electoral Authoritarianism: While holding regular elections, autocrats tilt the playing field through voter suppression, gerrymandering, installing loyalists on election commissions, and controlling campaign financing.

• The “Façade” of Democracy: By winning unfair elections, they claim a popular mandate to “justify” further authoritarian measures. 

3. Controlling Information and Dissent

• Media Capture and Disinformation: Autocrats restrict independent journalism and take over media outlets, filling the airwaves with state propaganda while using disinformation to confuse the public.

• Quashing Dissent: Dissent is silenced by restricting civil society, limiting free speech, and using state power to silence academics, journalists, and activists.

• Weaponizing Technology: Modern autocrats use surveillance, internet blackouts, and social media tracking to monitor and restrict opposition. 

4. Polarization and Social Manipulation

• Scapegoating Vulnerable Communities: Autocrats sow division by demonizing minorities, immigrants, or political opponents, presenting themselves as the sole defenders of the nation’s culture or sovereignty.

• Cult of Personality: They cultivate an image of being the indispensable, strong leader capable of solving immense problems that democratic institutions cannot. 

5. Co-opting Elites and Controlling Force

• Economic Co-optation: They gain the support of powerful economic elites (oligarchs) by granting favors, state contracts, and preferential treatment.

• Controlling Security Forces: Autocrats ensure the loyalty of the military and police, sometimes purging non-loyalists to ensure the security apparatus serves the ruler rather than the state. 

Modern Shift: From Force to “Spin”

Unlike 20th-century dictators who often relied on violent coups, many modern autocrats—sometimes called “spin dictators”—avoid overt violence in favor of manipulation. They prefer to destroy democracy gradually, often described as a “slow-motion” takeover where the public may not realize the extent of the damage until checks and balances are completely eliminated.

Now – my reflections:

The United States has not yet lost its democracy based upon the above, though our democratic institutions and norms have been wounded severely by our malignantly narcissistic president and a sycophantic Republican Congress. Many hundreds of federal court cases are being filed successfully against illegal Trump administration actions, though the Supreme Court has ruled mostly in favor of Trump. The federal government cannot, according to the US Constitution, usurp state prerogatives or the authority of the judiciary. In the United States, power is disseminated laterally in many instances, not hierarchically. Though Trump has damaged so many democratic institutions, federal agencies, established norms, the good name of the United States internationally, and the well-being of Americans and people throughout the world, he can be stopped.

Here are things each of us can do immediately:

The mid-term elections cannot come anytime too soon. If you live in “red states” write to your senators to vote against the SAVE THE VOTE legislation passed by the House last week.

Support candidates for the House and Senate who will enable the Democratic Party to take back both houses of Congress. Though Trump will have another two years in office to create havoc and mayhem, much can be done to contain, disrupt and investigate him and his administration’s officials with a Democratic lead House and Senate.

There are many who want to vote for candidates in the mid-terms who are ideologically pure, but as James Carville has said, elections are about winning and moderate (perhaps imperfect candidates) have the best chance of winning congressional swing districts and purple states.

If you are an attorney, Mark Elias (an American elections attorney for the Democratic Party who founded Democracy Docket, a website focused on voting rights and election litigation in the United States) invites you to volunteer your expertise and join in fighting cases that will preserve our democracy and our right to vote in free and fair elections. Google “Democracy Docket” and find out how you can offer your expertise.

As the mainstream media is being taken over by Trump leaning oligarchs, support the new media of Substacks and podcasts. They are alive and well, and there are so many thoughtful journalists and scholars who are reporting news and offering commentary.

For us Jews, we are living in a frightening antisemitic era. History teaches that when democracy fails not only are all minority groups threatened, but Jews are the first to be attacked. We are witnessing that phenomenon now. Jennifer Rubin, the co-founder and host of The Contrarian, put it this way: “You cannot be passive as authoritarians obliterate truth and whip up the mob. We’ve seen this movie before – for a few thousand years.”

Stay safe and sane, and I hope to be among the millions of Americans, along with you, who turn out this coming Sunday on NO KINGS DAY.