WATCH: Musk’s coup, Dems' silence, media meekness -- and how to fight back

What an astonishing, terrifying day. Again.

Last week’s coup by an elected leader, seeking to usurp the spending power of Congress, has been eclipsed by something utterly unprecedented: a private businessman, in Elon Musk, unilaterally weaseling his way into the payment system of the most powerful country in human history as well as shutting down USAID.

Meanwhile, we have a Democratic opposition that, in general, seems to be focused — with some exceptions — on improving its penmanship for strongly worded letters rather than, well, fighting back. And a press that doesn’t know how to name things.

I talked live with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, the scholar of fascism and authoritarian leaders and movements, and we tried to bring some light to everything that’s going on.

This is a really powerful conversation full of analysis that I think you won’t find elsewhere. I started this newsletter on a whim in 2020, but now, more and more, I believe that it’s going to be independent spaces like this that allow us to tell the truths that need telling and apply the pressure that needs to be applied, even if we are small.

But, also, we are not small; we are many. Thank you for being a part of this, and if you value independent media in this time, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Today there is a special, rare deal to entice you to join us.

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