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Ben and Ryan Lizza on the Fringe Dictator Blueprint Fueling Trump's Power Grab
Ryan Lizza and I unpack how a corrosive strain of “Red Caesarism” has metastasized into policy and why complacency now is how freedoms die.
I had a great conversation on Substack Live with Ryan Lizza of Telos News early Friday. Thanks to everyone who joined us live. If you missed it, Ryan gave a masterclass in reading the map of where this authoritarian fever-dream is trying to take us, and I hope you are able to watch our conversation above.
Ryan and I talked shop, about his experience leaving corporate newsrooms, about why independent outlets like Telos and Meidas matter more than ever, but the heartbeat of the conversation was darker: how a set of illiberal ideas that used to live in the fever swamps have been normalized into the operating playbook of this administration. Call it “Red Caesarism,” the theory that elections no longer matter, that the institutions are broken beyond repair and only a strongman can “fix” everything by crushing opponents and consolidating power. Sound familiar?
I’ve been doing this long enough to spot the difference between ordinary political ugliness and a systematic program to weaponize government against dissent. This is not mere partisan overreach. This is a modern attempt to remake every regulatory lever, every agency, every license and leash of power into a tool of political vengeance. And as Ryan points out, when billions of dollars, broadcast licenses and regulatory oversight are on the table, corporate media will fold like a cheap suit. They’ll throw journalists under the bus to protect their balance sheets. That’s why independent journalism matters. We don’t have oligarchs to worry about, we don’t have FCC licenses to beg for. We only have the truth and our audience.
We also dug into the ridiculousness of Trump’s legal theater this week. That sprawling, 85-page frenzy of a lawsuit against the New York Times that a sensible, no-nonsense Republican judge called out for exactly what it was: garbage. Judges who are willing to mock these frivolous filings and shut them down early are the ones who will prevent the courts from being weaponized into a harassment mill for a disgruntled wannabe tyrant. That matters more than you know.
But the most chilling part of our talk was the way normal people are being taught to view political opponents as illegitimate. There’s been a rhetorical shift from “we disagree” to “you are not allowed to exist.” That’s the kind of language that paves the road to real, permanent damage, like stripping rights, weaponizing RICO, rewriting what counts as protected speech. It doesn’t happen in a single dramatic moment. It happens cut by cut, rule by rule, precedent by precedent, until one day the machinery is turned.
You shouldn’t leave this conversation in despair, however. Ryan and I both echoed the same blunt optimism, buoyed by the fact that people continue to push back. No Kings protests, independent outlets, local organizers, jurists willing to use their pens and gavels properly, and so forth. Complacency is luxury we can’t afford. If you care about democracy, don’t watch from the sidelines. You being with us on this Substack shows that you are engaged, and that’s a huge part of the battle.
So here are some action items you can take away from our discussion. Subscribe to independent journalism (Ryan’s Telos, our Substack, and anyone else whose reporting you value), support local outlets, show up at demonstrations if you are able, call your representatives, and, most importantly, vote. No matter how many barriers they try to throw in your way, you must show up at the polls. We’re building alternatives to the compromised, corporate newsroom model, but those alternatives only win if people like you read, share, and support them.
This isn’t a drill. It’s a fight for the future of institutions, for free speech, and for the idea that Americans choose empathy and democracy over cruelty and authoritarianism. Stay loud, Meidas Mighty.
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