“The Slow Slip towards Tyranny!”
Do you remember that when Trump said did not read Project 2025?!?
Well, Donald Trump, back in the White House, signing an executive order faster than you can say "You're fired." Yes, folks, Schedule F is back, and it's got federal employees sweating more than a White House intern at a press briefing. Despite previously giving Project 2025 the ol' "never heard of it" routine, Trump's latest moves scream, "I absolutely read the playbook."
What the F is Schedule F?
For those just tuning in, Schedule F is Trump's brainchild for turning the federal workforce into his own personal fan club. With the stroke of a pen, he's reclassifying tens of thousands of federal workers, stripping them of job protections, and—wait for it—making it way easier to fire them for disloyalty. That’s right, Big Don wants government employees who don't just know policy but also know how to swear unwavering allegiance to him (Democracy Docket).
How Trump's Making the Government Great (for Him)
Trump's administration has a master plan, and it goes something like this:
Reclassify Everything: Tens of thousands of civil servants in "policy-related" roles get new titles and, surprise, fewer protections (GovExec).
Hiring Freeze: No new federal civilian hires, because who needs experts when you have vibes? (Time).
Loyalty First Hiring: Enter Project 2025's handy-dandy personnel database—a who’s who of MAGA loyalists ready to take the reins (Wikipedia).
Political Litmus Test: Candidates get screened for their dedication to the Trump agenda. Fail the test? Back to the private sector with you! (Wikipedia).
Strategic Appointments: Trump's staffing up with Project 2025 architects because, hey, why not let the fox guard the henhouse? (Wikipedia).
Back to the Office: Sorry, remote workers—Trump's demanding a five-day in-office workweek, because who needs work-life balance? (Democracy Docket).
Hiring Overhaul: Out with the old hiring practices, in with the loyalty pledges (Democracy Docket).
The Fallout: Federal Employees Freaking Out
Of course, not everyone's thrilled about this. In fact, lawsuits are flying faster than Trump's tweets back in 2016 (Democracy Docket). Critics are crying foul, arguing that this whole plan is less about governance and more about building a Trump-friendly deep state (Time).
Some highlights from the "Why This Is a Terrible Idea" camp:
Legal Smackdowns: Federal workers are lawyering up, challenging Schedule F in court (Democracy Docket).
Undermining Public Service: Critics say this move could gut expertise and turn the government into a revolving door of political cronies (GovExec).
Mass Exodus Fears: Estimates suggest up to hundreds of thousands of workers could be affected—cue the mass resignations (Protect Democracy).
Long-Term Chaos: Experts warn this could permanently damage federal agencies’ efficiency and integrity (Time).
Now you don’t have to take over Democracy via a violent coup. Here is a list of how democracies have turned into dictatorships—all perfectly “legal,” of course, because nothing screams democracy like slowly erasing it with a legal Sharpie. Get ready for a whirlwind tour of how nations have pulled off the old "Oops, all dictators!" trick:
1. The Ol’ “Emergency Powers” Excuse
You’ve seen it before—leader declares an emergency, grabs a little temporary power, and somehow never gives it back. Think of it like borrowing a friend's car and then refusing to return it because “traffic is still really bad.” Case in point: Hitler’s rise through the Reichstag Fire Decree in 1933. One suspicious fire, and suddenly, democracy is out, and dictatorship is in. Legally, of course.
Lesson learned? Nothing good ever comes after the phrase, “For your safety, we need to suspend a few rights.”
2. The “Redefining Treason” Play
Step 1: Make criticizing the government illegal.
Step 2: Arrest anyone who does it.
Step 3: Congratulations, you’re now a dictator.
Vladimir Putin’s playbook is basically just this chapter on repeat. Criticize the regime? Boom. You’re a “foreign agent.” Even if you’re just a guy tweeting about potholes.
Lesson learned? If your government starts redefining “free speech” to mean “only nice things about the leader,” you’re in trouble.
3. Stacking the Courts Like It's Jenga Night
If laws aren't going your way, just fill the courts with your buddies until they magically start agreeing with you. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán mastered this move, slowly filling the judiciary with yes-men until they were basically ruling by echo chamber.
Lesson learned? A government that controls the courts is like a referee who bets on the game—they're not gonna call it fair.
4. Gerrymandering, or “How to Win Elections Without Trying”
Why win fair when you can just redraw the maps until you’re the only one who can possibly win? It's democracy's version of playing Monopoly but owning all the properties before the game even starts. The U.S. Congress knows a thing or two about this strategy, and so does Turkey under Erdoğan.
Lesson learned? If your district starts looking like a Jackson Pollock painting, it’s not democracy anymore.
5. Take Over the Media and Call It “Fairness”
Step 1: Buy or bully all major news outlets.
Step 2: Flood the airwaves with propaganda.
Step 3: Insist that alternative voices are “fake news.”
Before you know it, the only “news” is glowing praise for the leader, and everything else is treasonous lies. Just ask any North Korean citizen how diverse their media options are.
Lesson learned? If every TV channel features the leader riding a horse heroically, it’s probably time to worry.
6. Changing Term Limits Because “The People Want It”
What's democracy if not the freedom to remove term limits? Leaders who swear they’re stepping down suddenly realize, “Hey, the people love me too much!” and poof—election laws change. Exhibit A: Russia's Putin, China’s Xi, and too many to count.
Lesson learned? If “president-for-life” enters the conversation, democracy just left the chat.
7. Militarizing Everything
All of a sudden, the police start looking like they belong in a Call of Duty game, and peaceful protests get treated like zombie uprisings. Leaders love using national security to justify a little extra firepower in the streets. Remember Chile in the 1970s? Yeah, things escalated quickly under Pinochet.
Lesson learned? If local cops are rolling tanks down Main Street, democracy might be in the rearview mirror.
8. Blaming Everything on an External Enemy
Can’t fix the economy? Blame immigrants. Health care failing? Blame foreign spies. Running out of excuses? Just say “terrorism” and keep things vague. It's the oldest trick in the authoritarian book—create an enemy, then demand total control to fight it. Sound familiar? Looking at you, Venezuela.
Lesson learned? When a leader sees “enemies” everywhere, it’s usually because they’re making them up.
9. Hold Elections—But Make Sure They’re Rigged
Sure, elections still happen, but let’s be honest—it's more of a "choose which way you'd like to agree with me" situation. Ballots mysteriously disappear, votes take forever to count, and somehow, the ruling party always wins by exactly 99.9%. Belarus, anyone?
Lesson learned? If the election results look like they were written before the polls opened, democracy's officially taking a nap.
10. Weaponizing the Constitution (AKA "Oops, I Changed It Again")
Constitutions are supposed to protect democracy, but why not rewrite them to give yourself a little more wiggle room? Leaders like Chávez in Venezuela pulled it off by tweaking the rules just enough to make themselves untouchable. Because why work within the system when you can rewrite it?
Lesson learned? When your constitution gets updated more often than your phone, something's up.
So, there you have it, folks—the greatest hits of how democracy gets legally turned into a dictatorship. Remember, it never happens overnight; it’s a slow, steady process that sneaks up on you like that “free trial” you forgot to cancel.
Stay informed, stay skeptical, and maybe—just maybe—don’t let your leaders change the rules mid-game.
Trump’s Strategy
“How to Democracy Less and Authoritarian More” starter pack as we review his greatest hits—err, tactics—for spicing up democracy with a touch of dictatorship:
1. Declaring National Emergencies Like They’re BOGO Sales
Trump took one look at the southern border and shouted, “National emergency!” faster than a car dealership slaps a “limited-time offer” sign on last year’s models. Sure, border security is a real issue, but using a national emergency to bypass Congress? That’s like skipping your homework because you called a self-declared snow day. Totally within your powers... if you’re making it up. ([The Times])
2. Targeting Critics Like It’s a Reality Show Elimination
Ever heard of revoking security clearances out of spite? No? Well, Trump’s here to show you how it’s done. Former intelligence officers and folks like John Bolton found themselves on the wrong end of “You’re fired!”—the revenge edition. Canceling Secret Service protection? That’s next-level pettiness. It’s like unfriending someone on Facebook, but with way more national security implications. ([AP News])
3. Pardoning January 6 Supporters Like Oprah Giving Away Cars
“You get a pardon! And you get a pardon! Everybody gets a pardon!” Trump’s throwing them around like confetti, specifically to people tied to the January 6 insurrection. Critics say it’s an endorsement of political violence. Trump might argue he’s just rewarding loyalty, but most people call it undermining the rule of law. Tomato, tomahto. ([Vox])
4. Calling Opponents “Vermin” Like It’s a Saturday Morning Cartoon
Here’s a classic move from the authoritarian playbook: dehumanizing your enemies. Trump’s out here calling political adversaries “vermin,” a term with the subtlety of a jackhammer. (Hm, didn’t Hilter used that word?”) Historically, this kind of language has been used to justify not-so-democratic actions. In democracy, we disagree with our opponents; in Trump-world, we call the exterminator. ([The Guardian])
The Big Picture: Democracy’s On the Ropes
What do you get when you combine national emergencies, revenge politics, questionable pardons, and language better suited for a Marvel supervillain? A democracy on life support. These moves aren’t just red flags; they’re a full marching band of authoritarian warning signs, and Trump’s conducting the orchestra.
The moral of the story? Keep your eyes on the playbook, folks, because democracy doesn’t just crumble overnight—it gets chipped away, one “totally legal” move at a time.
Works Cited
Democracy Docket. "Federal Workers Sue Trump Administration Over Schedule F Executive Order." Democracy Docket, 2025, https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-workers-sue-trump-administration-over-schedule-f-executive-order/.
GovExec. "What Trump's Win Means for the Federal Workforce." Government Executive, 2024, https://www.govexec.com/management/2024/11/what-trumps-win-means-federal-workforce/400870/.
Protect Democracy. "Trump's Schedule F Plan Explained." Protect Democracy, 2025, https://protectdemocracy.org/work/trumps-schedule-f-plan-explained/.
Time. "Donald Trump's Executive Actions and Project 2025." Time Magazine, 2024, https://time.com/7209901/donald-trump-executive-actions-project-2025/.
Wikipedia. "Project 2025." Wikipedia, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025.
And remember, kids—when it comes to federal job security, it's no longer about what you know, but who you pledge allegiance to.
