# Milestones Toward an Authoritarian Government **URL:** \ **Category:** Political Topics\ **Created:** [November 14, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770 "2024-11-14T15:01:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 129
**Author:** ![Rastiln](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/rastiln/32/77682_2.png) [@Rastiln](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Rastiln)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 11:44am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2601 "2026-09-22T11:44:52Z")
> **[Press pool declines to cover Trump in protest of his ban on news outlets](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/press-pool-declines-to-cover-trump-in-protest-of-his-ban-on-news-outlets)** > > CNN, MS NOW and Politico are suing the Trump administration for stripping access to the White House, calling it a “direct assault on the First Amendment.” Monday, CNN was removed from its duties for the rotating pool of TV journalists covering the... > The coverage today was limited, Amna, and that’s because of that solidarity that you mentioned, that the five-TV pool network decided not to cover the president today[…] > for the first time in modern press coverage, there is not a TV camera traveling with the president today. We are already seeing the consequences of these actions, though, Amna. The White House had their own camera that was set up today for this ribbon-cutting ceremony. I attended this and watched this happen. There was not a boom microphone and good audio that was set up for this event. The cameras there could not basically hear anything that the president was saying. ---
**Author:** ![Maphistos\_Sidekick](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/maphistos_sidekick/32/84973_2.png) [@Maphistos\_Sidekick](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Maphistos_Sidekick)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:15pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2602 "2026-09-22T12:15:06Z")
> [@Snikelfritz](#): > > CBP can ask anybody for their phone, all searches are reasonable. The article headline is a little misleading. CBP has had this power since the original post-9/11 Patriot Act. The two changes: - Under Trump 2.0, CBP has been using this authority more frequently. ISTR reading that 0.01% of people arriving at the border are asked for their phones. The increased use has been discussed on GoA previously. - In the past few days, the Second Circuit published an opinion affirming the border exception to the Fourth Amendment specifically as regards to cell phones. It’s still believed to be not permissible for border guards to demand passwords/passcodes to unlock phones (although they can try to get biometrics to unlock the phone for them), although the case law on the subject isn’t as clear cut as we might like. CBP of course retains its authority to deny entry to any person who isn’t a citizen or permanent resident for any reason…including for refusing to volunteer to unlock their gadgets. It’s probably just good practice to avoid having any material on or accessible from your devices that you wouldn’t want a border guard or government official to see, particularly including contraband (and it is illegal to import pr0n into both Canada and the US, so best not to have intimate photos of one’s significant other…), whenever crossing a controlled border, regardless of the border involved. And folks wishing to err on the side of caution would do well to power down their gadgets before approaching a controlled border, and to check in with a trusted person before and after crossing a controlled border. (The US border is an obvious candidate for such behavior, but I’ve been doing this for any border crossing.) ---
**Author:** ![Cooke](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/cooke/32/15467_2.png) [@Cooke](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Cooke)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2603 "2026-09-22T13:24:41Z")
> [@Rastiln](#): > > The cameras there could not basically hear anything that the president was saying. So this is an improvement! ---
**Author:** ![now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/now_samantha/32/24815_2.png) [@now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/u/now_samantha)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2604 "2026-09-24T13:36:31Z")
Court ruled that Politico, CNN, and MSNOW are allowed back into the White House. So of course: > **[POLITICO barred from White House after court ruling restoring access](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/politico-barred-from-white-house-after-court-ruling-restoring-access-01091259)** > > The Secret Service confiscated a POLITICO reporter's press pass Thursday morning despite a federal judge’s decision hours earlier that a media ban appeared to violate the constitutional due process rights of three outlets whose White House access has... CNN and MSNOW have also had people denied entry today. Edit: Plaintiffs have filed for an emergency court hearing, asked DOJ to join them in call with judge and DOJ did not respond. We’ll see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Indy](https://community.goactuary.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@Indy](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Indy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2605 "2026-09-24T19:24:28Z")
This is an update: > The reporters are back, but the television coverage isn’t. > > Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were allowed back into the White House around noon on Thursday. Their return came after a chaotic morning in which the Trump administration had blocked them from entering, despite an overnight order from a federal judge that required the immediate restoration of their access. Even with that change, this definitely belongs in the “Milestones” thread. Trump just keeps chipping away, that’s what wannabe dictators do. He knows exactly what he wants … > When Mr. Trump met with Mr. Xi in the Oval Office, the White House allowed a limited number of photojournalists, but no print reporters, to attend. During the event, **Mr. Trump made a remark about how the Chinese had the friendliest press corps** , according to photographers who were present. I’m sure Trump wants just as much control of the press as Xi enjoys. [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09/24/business/trump-cnn-politico-msnow-white-house](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09/24/business/trump-cnn-politico-msnow-white-house) ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Actuary](https://community.goactuary.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Fish\_Actuary](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Fish_Actuary)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2606 "2026-09-24T20:02:32Z")
He’s consistently praised totalitarian rulers and criticised the leaders of countries with democratic rulers. He wants to be dictator. ---
**Author:** ![ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/arthuritas/32/63_2.png) [@ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/u/ArthurItas)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:49am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2607 "2026-09-26T00:49:18Z")
[https://apnews.com/article/trump-rescissions-fundind-46b356590699e6225f783c74e7ee3597?utm\_source=copy&utm\_medium=share](https://apnews.com/article/trump-rescissions-fundind-46b356590699e6225f783c74e7ee3597?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share) ---
**Author:** ![Jasper07734](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/jasper07734/32/24056_2.png) [@Jasper07734](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Jasper07734)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:52am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2608 "2026-09-26T00:52:18Z")
Trick question. ALL government spending is harmful. /libertarian /s ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Actuary](https://community.goactuary.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Fish\_Actuary](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Fish_Actuary)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2609 "2026-09-26T15:55:58Z")
Something, something, “free speech absolutist…” > **[The Major Social Media Platforms Are All Rejecting Paid Ads for Alex Gibney’s...](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/elon-musk-documentary-trailer-rejected-tiktok-youtube-1236710259/)** > > YouTube, TikTok and Meta have all turned down the trailer for the Oct. 9 doc, citing “political” content. X won't even take Bleecker Street's calls. The distributor is appealing. ---
**Author:** ![now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/now_samantha/32/24815_2.png) [@now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/u/now_samantha)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2610 "2026-09-27T11:58:57Z")
Infighting at the DOJ. US attorney told prosecutor to do some totally illegal stuff in a trial against political activists. After the case was dismissed for DOJ doing said totally illegal stuff, US attorney has tried to throw prosecutor under the bus. So she is resigning and saying that he ordered her to do it, which doesn’t negate the fact that she knowingly did totally illegal things with the grand jury. > **[Prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg resigns from DOJ in fiery letter, saying Boutros...](https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/sheri-mecklenburg-resigns-letter-boutros-personally-directed-broadview-6-prosecution/)** > > Sheri Mecklenburg resigned from the Department of Justice this week, penning a scathing letter in which she said U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros "personally directed" the Broadview 6 prosecution that she says ended her career. ---
**Author:** ![now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/now_samantha/32/24815_2.png) [@now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/u/now_samantha)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2611 "2026-10-01T14:46:51Z")
> **[FCC head says government-funded Trump ads are ‘normal’ and ‘don’t raise any...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/fcc-brendan-carr-says-government-funded-trump-ads-dont-raise-red-flags-rcna600724)** > > Brendan Carr said the ads are “normal-course public service announcements” and nothing that would “merit any sort of” review by the Federal Communications Commission. ---
**Author:** ![dr\_t\_non-fan](https://community.goactuary.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@dr\_t\_non-fan](https://community.goactuary.com/u/dr_t_non-fan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2612 "2026-10-01T15:51:51Z")
“normal,” meaning they happen all the time? I’d like some examples, Mr Carr. ---
**Author:** ![ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/arthuritas/32/63_2.png) [@ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/u/ArthurItas)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2613 "2026-10-03T19:16:40Z")
This could go in a number of threads, but it seems most appropriate here to me. [ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database | WIRED](https://www.wired.com/story/ice-has-been-dumping-protester-photos-into-a-palantir-database/)? ---
**Author:** ![ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/arthuritas/32/63_2.png) [@ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/u/ArthurItas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2026, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2614 "2026-10-04T18:37:43Z")
[https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/russ-vought-insists-neat-trick-144912924.html](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/russ-vought-insists-neat-trick-144912924.html) ---
**Author:** ![EimonGnome](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/eimongnome/32/7572_2.png) [@EimonGnome](https://community.goactuary.com/u/EimonGnome)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2615 "2026-10-05T17:53:33Z")
What a disappointing article. I kept waiting for the author to explain how Congress could enforce its budget power. But it never even comes up. A waste of words,imo. ---
**Author:** ![now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/now_samantha/32/24815_2.png) [@now\_samantha](https://community.goactuary.com/u/now_samantha)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 12:11am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2616 "2026-10-07T00:11:42Z")
> **[Trump administration refuses international election monitors for first time...](https://www.ms.now/news/trump-midterms-osce-election-observers)** > > The decision not to invite observers from the OSCE puts the U.S. alongside Russia and Belarus, while the Justice Department prepares to deploy its own poll monitors. ---
**Author:** ![Maphistos\_Sidekick](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/maphistos_sidekick/32/84973_2.png) [@Maphistos\_Sidekick](https://community.goactuary.com/u/Maphistos_Sidekick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 1:47am UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2617 "2026-10-07T01:47:32Z")
I have not verified this from and theoretically more objective source, but Senator Murphy has this short regarding congrescritters being denied access to military facilities and in-theater military leadership, which they have traditionally had as part of their oversight function. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/df_tkktft5E/maxresdefault.jpg "They're trying to hide the cost of the war") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df_tkktft5E) ---
**Author:** ![ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/arthuritas/32/63_2.png) [@ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/u/ArthurItas)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2618 "2026-10-09T16:48:22Z")
US hits ICC with sanctions. [https://apnews.com/article/us-icc-trump-rubio-4ea3555403e3c695d8f81dc473515d9b](https://apnews.com/article/us-icc-trump-rubio-4ea3555403e3c695d8f81dc473515d9b) ---
**Author:** ![ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/arthuritas/32/63_2.png) [@ArthurItas](https://community.goactuary.com/u/ArthurItas)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2619 "2026-10-10T23:42:43Z")
Trump can block any media outlet from the White House or any other appearance according to the DOJ. However if any other news outlets refuse to appear at the same events as a result, they are enemies of the state. > **[Justice Department Investigates White House Press Pool for 'Proudly'...](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/justice-department-investigates-white-house-232413126.html)** > > "The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws," a DOJ spokesperson says ---
**Author:** ![The\_Polymath](https://community.goactuary.com/user_avatar/community.goactuary.com/the_polymath/32/83081_2.png) [@The\_Polymath](https://community.goactuary.com/u/The_Polymath)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.goactuary.com/t/milestones-toward-an-authoritarian-government/9770/2620 "2026-10-12T18:02:04Z")
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