It’s nine months since the January inauguration and the changing of the guard. A rogue president—together with handpicked marauders—continue their ruthless coup d’état against the people of the United States of America. Controlling both legislative branches, the presidency, and an openly-partisan “don’t let the robes fool you” Supreme Court, all checks and balances are gone. As I witness the wholesale destruction of my own country, past comments published in Flushing Times flash across my mind.

Dictatorship: Blog 40 summarized a 2018 Vox Media essay, It Happened There: How democracy died in Hungary. Former Hungarian parliament member Zsuzsanna Szelényi recalls most observers didn’t understand what Viktor Orbán (now president) was up to until it was too late. Authoritarianism in modern Hungary came on quietly and relatively recently. “He benefited from a supermajority so quickly that no one really realized” what happened. “The parliament is a decoration for a one-party state. Hungary is not a democracy anymore.”

Threat of violence: This from former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee—in a rant against then-President Joe Biden—”If these tactics end up working to keep Trump from winning or even running in 2024, it is going to be the last American election that will be decided by ballots rather than bullets.” (Blog 40)

Stealing a sovereign country: In 2018, Cold Mountain author Charles Frazier published Varina. An historical fiction in which Varina Davis, wife of Confederate States president Jefferson Davis, walks the reader through her life. Long after her husband’s death, Varina muses, “Taking the life of a nation is a serious task. Few succeed, even if the cause is just. We didn’t, and ours wasn’t.” (Blog 44)

Threat to overthrow: Right-wing activist Jack Posobiec opened February’s [2023] Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), with this: “Welcome to the end of democracy. We are here to overthrow it completely.” The leader of the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 talks of a second American Revolution, and massive overhaul of the federal government that will be bloodless “if the left allows it to be.” Then, the assorted threats of retribution, and 2024 being the last time we’ll need to vote. (Blog 43)

Project 2025, the blueprint: (Blog 41) ”If you’re not yet aware, take a moment to check out Project 2025. Be forewarned. It’s a truly terrifying look at what’s in store for the United States this fall—if the party running on revenge and authoritarianism defeats the party of democracy.” (Blog 41)

All plenty disturbing…if one favors democracy over some bastardization of authoritarianism, fascism, or dictatorship. Free choice over an iron fist…raised to smash those out of a single individual’s favor. In each excerpt above, the snake in the woodpile is GERRYMANDERING, the abominable weapon that allows majority political parties free rein to rig elections so they cannot be voted from office. Gerrymandering…the wicked potion that allows a political party to steal the value of your vote.

In January, newly-minted freshman Congressman Tim Moore (NC12) celebrated the opening of a local district office. Moore won his seat by more than 16%, not because he’s exceptional, but because—as former speaker of the N.C. House—he and his party drew an election district map “for Tim” that would give the incumbent no path to re-election.

Fellow North Carolina Congressman Richard Hudson (NC9) proudly reported, “We netted three pickups”. He failed to explain that all three seats were ‘locks’, that sleight-of-hand map-drawing gave his party control of the U.S. House, not because of special candidates, or brilliant campaigns. Just election rigging at its most brazen.

If that wasn’t enough, upon tallying N.C. House votes on October 22, 2025, a new redistricting map for the U.S. House of Representatives became law. Demanded by Donald Trump, it guarantees an extra Republican win in 2026, thirteen months before the first vote is cast on Election Day. It further tilts the GOP imbalance in North Carolina’s representation, growing from 10-4 to 11-3. This, in perhaps the most purple of all states in the Union!

In redistricting committee meetings, leading up to that vote, only a smattering of one-minute public comments were allowed. Sixty seconds! For citizens! An online portal collected more than 12,000 comments, only a handful in support of the blatant power grab. When asked why a robust series of public comment hearings was not offered across the state, Senator Ralph Hise responded that the goal was to prevent Democrats from winning a majority in Congress in 2026 and “torpedoing President Trump’s agenda.” He didn’t feel additional public comments were necessary as 2023 forums—when the map was last redrawn—found that “There (were) a lot of partisan comments that are in those comments, or how bad and evil we are for doing things.”

A July 2023 Pew Research poll found 85% of Americans believed most elected officials don’t care what people like them think. Hise’s comments above reflect precisely that. So much for representing people. A blatant, unapologetic power grab, compliments of oldest and heinous trick in U.S. history, the gerrymander.

Meanwhile, ICE raids; misuse of the military against Americans; skyrocketing debt; corruption on a grand scale; demolition of White House east wing; shutdown of SNAP benefits that help feed some 40 million people; ships and troops off Venezuelan coast blowing up unidentified people in boats; ACA medical premiums spiking…

…the US House speaker has sent the legislative body home (including the aforementioned Messrs. Moore and Hudson) for the fifth week in a row. Chaos, secrecy, incompetence galore throughout a crumbling government. (See above, Welcome to the end of democracy). The president and his loyal acolytes, meanwhile, gather for a Great Gatsby party in splendor, opulence, and ignorance of the world outside their door.

If you care about what GerryMander has wrought, about tomorrow in America and your own village, about the world your kids and grandkids will live in, get involved, read, write, study, march, connect the dots, pay attention. Believe that we can turn this around. Not by giving up, or pretending it’s not happening…but finding your inner courage. Smile and laugh, enjoy the gorgeous fall weather…and then get back to the business of doing things that matter!

We, the People can do this! There is no force on earth more powerful!

Let’s commit to this –

Not this –