Description
What happens if Republicans win the midterms? We asked Tim Snyder…
We sat down with historian Timothy Snyder to learn how authoritarians actually take power — and what every one of us can do to stop them.
When we look at the state of our nation, we often feel deep, paralyzing dread. We’ve seen our neighbors taken by ICE in broad daylight, watched as our loved ones’ rights are stripped away, and seen the checks and balances that hold the government together ignored by the people in power. It’s hard not to wonder if the whole nation is on a runaway train to authoritarianism.
So Emily and I went looking for answers from the man who literally wrote the playbook on resisting authoritarianism: Dr. Timothy Snyder.
In 2017, Tim published On Tyranny, a short, essential guide to recognizing authoritarianism and understanding what ordinary people can do to resist it. Nearly a decade later, his warnings about Donald Trump and the erosion of American democracy feel more prescient than ever.
We sat down with Tim to ask the urgent questions: What should we expect from the Trump administration as we head into November? How can we prepare? How might an authoritarian government attempt to undermine an election? And most importantly, what can we actually do about it?
What surprised us most was his optimism. As Tim reminded us: "None of us can do it all, but we can all do something."
Democracy is our responsibility. Every one of us can do something. Listening to Tim is a good first step.
Watch the full conversation, then tell us in the comments: What are you doing to make a difference this election season and beyond?
Thanks,
Misha & Emily
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LINKS:
Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny: https://timothysnyder.org/on-tyranny
Timothy Snyder's On Freedom: https://timothysnyder.org/on-freedom
Find your local Indivisible chapter: https://indivisible.org
Stand Up America: https://standupamerica.com/
Committee for the First Amendment: https://www.committeeforthefirstamendment.com/
When We All Vote: https://whenweallvote.org/
ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/
50501 Movement: https://www.fiftyfifty.one
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Timothy Snyder's midterm warning
2:14 What Ukraine teaches us about collective power
3:42 Why the left can't build a coalition
5:21 Feeling anxious? You don't have to do it all
7:30 Why the left struggles with winning
9:32 On Tyranny: Trump's authoritarian playbook
11:17 Lesson one: Don't obey in advance
12:00 The coming "emergency" before the midterms
13:28 Be ready to protest after the vote
13:56 Is protesting enough?
16:53 The missing piece: local organizers
19:00 Your call to action: find a partner and an organization
21:03 This election is about humanity and dignity
22:11 Is the system rigged? Money in politics
24:11 How they've isolated us and erased the future
26:17 Why Democrats must become the "clean party"
28:40 Ten years after On Tyranny
29:57 How to win an unfair election
31:14 The election is the first step, not the last
33:29 Finding joy in history