New: we are officially a dictatorship

[angrychair]

Mango Mussolini on AF0ne stated that networks cannot criticize him that the FCC could cancel their show or revoke the broadcast license of the network.

This is a VERY BAD evolution of this issue.

We are officially a dictatorship. That is NOT hyperbolic. It's NOT being dramatic. It a cold, hard fact.

Edit:
Adding link for more context (initially saw in on Instagram):
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/sep/18/jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-comments-show-cancelled-suspended-monologue-trump-us-politics-live

[dweller]

1. well

✌🏻

[TommyT139]

2. During Term 1

...we could say, "There's always a tweet."

Tetm 2 it seems like "There's always a NSDAP quote."

[AZJonnie]

3. If Trump's statistics are true, he should prefer that the networks are against him

"“Again, 97% negative, and yet I won easily. I won all seven swing states,” Trump added. “They give me only bad press. I mean they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their licenses should be taken away.”"

Trump obviously severely struggles with simple logic. He should want MORE licenses, and MORE "bad press", not the opposite

[dalton99a]

4. There were countless warnings, and Democrats - including many on here - refused to believe it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. No, we are not "officially" or otherwise a dictatorship. It is being dramatic.

The Tangerine Tyrant is a wanna-be dictator but he can't even mount a credible birthday parade. Further, dictatorship is not a binary attribute. It is NOT all or nothing a dictatorship.

Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker will not call him an "official dictator".

[angrychair]

8. So

The president of the United States, saying in his capacity as president, that any criticism of me will get you shut down and/or arrested right after exactly that happened, sending in armed members of the military into cities to intimidate and harass people, a masked secret police force snatching people off the street without cause or warrant and literally sending them off to foreign torture prisons, having a justice system that is literally incapable of controlling your actions and supreme court that that gives you unquestionable king like powers is not a dictatorship?

You and I have very different understandings of what is and is not a dictatorship.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. It is not a dictatorship. It is heading that way, the situation is serious, and it needs to be fought tooth and nail. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. If it were a dictatorship, there would be 9 tRump toads on the Fed Reserve already.

If it were a dictatorship they wouldn't be talking about investigating The View.
If it were a dictatorship only raw foods would be sold and no potato chips.
If it were a dictatorship AOC would have had an unfortunate encounter with a window.

[angrychair]

17. I get your point

I would counter that just because they haven't got around to those things yet doesn't mean it's not already a dictatorship.
I would argue that in 1933 Germany that the moment the Reichstag Fire Decree was signed it was a dictatorship, even before the Enabling Act.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. Yes, but the frog. On the spectrum from Right Wing to Reich Wing they are well advanced.

The problem is the frog.

Put a frog into boiling water and it will jump out instantly. Put one in cool water and slowly turn up the heat: the frog will do backstrokes until it falls asleep and dies.

That is the problem facing resistance now, is that the general public is doing backstrokes and saying "It's a bit weird right now but I'm getting by and people say it will get better."

[angrychair]

19. That I agree with

It's mind numbingly frustrating.

The question is will America ever get to the same place as Napal was when it finally acted or will we just go to sleep?

[Johnny2X2X]

6. It's about to get wild

Especially with AI helping them target liberals now.

[BattleRow]

7. Wonder what Mark Twain would have to say?

Probably censored.

[ReRe]

9. K&R

Yeah, Fascism is moving at light speed now. Proof? "What a difference a day makes. Twenty-four little hours".
This roller coaster is out of control. The Democracy EMTs are needed desperately!
Thanks angrychair. You can't beat The Guardian.

[rambler_american]

10. It was a bright cold day

‘It Was a Bright Cold Day in April, and the Clocks Were Striking Thirteen’
~ George Orwell 1984

[Wiz Imp]

11. He can bluster and threaten pulling broadcast licenses all he wants

It doesn't mean he can do it.

[ancianita]

12. NOPE. Not there yet. Because LAW.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=20654946

Rethink your fears and feelings and stick to facts and law. Don't give up. Don't give in. Don't spread fear and doubt talk.

It really pisses me off that this trainwreck talk repeatedly appears on the DU Main Page.
It's not in the party's best interest to waste its anger/doubt/fear energy. It needs to focus on WINNING.

[mahina]

16. word.

all day.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. I agree with every word your wrote in your seven sentences. . . . . nt

[ancianita]

21. heh heh... thanks

I agree with everything you post (but who's counting).

[Patton French]

23. Well said.

NT

[murielm99]

14. Not quite yet.

We can still fight back. However, I have not been this frightened since the Cuban Missile Crisis. This time, I feel like I have more personal control and choice. We can work together to end this.

[Oneironaut]

22. An obvious evolution of "You cannot talk bad about Charlie Kirk"

I was wondering how long it would take until it jumped to, "You cannot criticize the President either."