Now that thePhiladelphiaEagles have defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in theSuper Bowl, the American people need to turn their full attention to the critical contest for the heart and soul of our country. At this point, the autocrats led by President Trump are beating the democrats for control of our nation by using executive orders and an ultrarich, reckless rookie, Elon Musk.

Tension is mounting as we get closer to an all-out constitutional crisis. Sometime fairly soon, Autocrats-in-Chief Trump and Musk are going to defy a court ruling in clear violation of the Constitution. Such a case will quickly land in the Supreme Court.  

If the Court rules in favor of Trump, he will have the green light to be the full-blown fascist autocrat he’s longed to be. But, if the Court sides with the parties advocating for the rule of law, i.e., the Constitution, Trump may very well ignore the Court’s decision and continue his destruction of the federal government.

In fact, Trump and Musk have already been sidestepping the legal process in their firing of federal employees, including 17 inspectors general, a commissioner from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and anyone in the Justice Department who worked on the January 6^th case against Trump, among others.

The Democrats and the millions of Americans who believe in the form of government that has been the foundation of our country for 250 years are finally coming to grips with what’s at stake. We, the people, must defeat the autocrats and win back the hearts and minds of the American people. The big question is: What will it take to beat those who are on a fast track to fundamentally transform our country into an authoritarian state?

Time is running short. We must act with urgency. Trump’s radical moves to destroy our democracy must be thwarted soon before it’s too late.

Mounting a strong defense, the guardians of democracy have filed over 40 lawsuits that have temporarily paused many of the president’s initiatives that:

Revoke universal birthright citizenship,

Freeze trillions of federal funding, and

Strip away job protections from thousands of federal employees, and much more.

Pro-democracy forces are shining a light on Trump’s efforts that will endanger Americans’ lives by raising the costs of everyday goods and eliminating consumer protections against fraud, price gauging, financial predators, and scammers. Democrats need to focus their message on economic security and opportunity for working people and the middle class. They must make a strong contrast between their policy priorities and the Republicans’ main agenda of tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations.

Still, only we, the people, can stop Trump from making America into an authoritarian state. A mass movement of Americans from across the political spectrum is building to thwart his attack on democracy.

On Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 17, a national “Stop the Coup” protest is happening in all 50 states.

(See https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/754402/)

On February 28^th, a national “24-hour Economic Blackout” will target major retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. It is designed to demonstrate consumers’ impact and push for economic change. (See https://www.newsweek.com/nationwide-economic-blackout-planned-boycott-dei-changes-2029548; https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/02/12/national-no-spend-day-economic-blackout-amazon-walmart/78410711007/)

It will take all of us. Join the resistance. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

(Note: I will only be publishing my blog occasionally for the next several months so that I can complete my memoir, From Camden to Kathmandu.)

Bruce Berlin, J.D.

A retired, public sector ethics attorney, Berlin is a former U.S. Institute of Peace Fellow and the founder and former executive director of The Trinity Forum for International Security and Conflict Resolution. He is also the author of Breaking Big Money’s Grip on America.  (See breakingbigmoneysgrip.com.). Contact him at breakingbigmoneysgrip@gmail.com.

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