We are living a dystopian nightmare.
I have witnessed many tragic events in America—from the assassination of a sitting president (John F. Kennedy) to the Jan. 6 assault (some say “peaceful protest”) on the United States Capitol, but I never envisioned living a dystopian nightmare under the Trump Administration, one characterized by fear, helplessness, and disbelief. (“This can’t be happening in our country.”)
Well, it is.
Doting cabinet members fawn over and flatter their leader, wary of expressing dissent from his proliferation of executive orders or policies. A smiling President Trump reciprocates with approvals of their “terrific” job performances.
If their obsequiousness were not so dangerous, these performances would be laughable.
Cabinet members take an oath to “… to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic … bear true faith and allegiance to the same … and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter ….”
Instead, this cabinet bolsters Trump’s conviction that he has no obligation to uphold the rule of law or to honor the concept of three separate but equal branches of government. Trump’s rule becomes law, and the executive branch reigns supremely; they are onboard giving the finger to the courts, the press, and the public.
Elon Musk, overlord of the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), through massive layoffs and closures of offices nationwide has gutted or rendered impotent federal agencies (however, imperfect), including the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Department of Justice, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These agencies are crucial for supporting vulnerable populations, upholding civil liberties, and regulating industries.
Citizens will have little, or no recourse, for addressing discriminatory practices, product failures, or deceptive industry policies.
Bye-bye SSA
DOGE recently announced that it shut down the SSA’s Office of Transformation* “responsible for developing and maintaining the agency's website and other online services.” The website gives recipients access to their employment history, SSA forms, current policies and procedures, and site locations. Instead, all SSA announcements, changes, or policies will be posted to SSA X, Musk’s social media platform.
Many seniors, including a few in my family, have no clue about how to create a social media account or how to sift through the barrage of irrelevant X postings. Hence, if they miss a new directive or policy change, it jeopardizes their continued eligibility for SSA services.
Musk, unsurprisingly, displays a downright disregard for the harm this option will inflict on millions of recipients, many of whom live alone, have no other income, or depend on social security (and Medicaid) to live in nursing homes or senior housing.
Equally alarming is the absence of outrage from elected officials—Democrat or Republican--over drastic changes to social security. Likewise, except for April 5 rallies held outside SS offices in several states, there has been little public outcry. (I know, folks are worried about their 401Ks, the price of groceries, or the possibility of deportation.)
No illusions
Black Americans, however, harbor no illusions about how federal agencies often have failed to protect our communities from police violence, failed to uphold our civil rights, or locked us up disproportionate to our size in the population.
Under Trump’s Draconian measures--to militarize the police, impose longer prison sentences for “very bad people,” eliminate federal oversight of police departments, clamp down on dissident protestors, and send incarcerated Americans to an El Salvadorean prison—Black Americans face a precarious future.
Every dawn brings another death blow to Americans’ freedoms, civil protections, and sense of personal safety.
Are we (Black white, and otherwise) too complacent about the pace and the ease at which our country is becoming more like authoritarian governments, such as Russia, Hungary, North Korea, and Chile.
I think so.
It’s time, America, to get “woke.”
* Update: There have been conflciting reports about whether or not the Office of Transformation will be shutdown.