16 FEB 2025

Against All Enemies

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me, God.

I was recently (and rightfully) reminded that the oath sworn by commissioned officers, enlisted personnel, and federal employees of the United States Armed Forces and federal government has no expiration date. If you have never done so before, I strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with the Constitution of the United States of America, located here.

I want to start this essay with a quote by one of America’s most celebrated presidents – Ronald Wilson Reagan, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I am here to help.” Why is it that every accusation from the Grand Old Party tends to be a not-so-silent confession? Once again, we are confronted with the ugly truth – The people in charge of this regime are domestic fucking terrorists.

In the past weeks, we’ve witnessed the administration reveal their true intentions - none of which are good. However, as predicted, they have proven themselves flawed in their ambitions and execution of these so-called policy objectives. As it turns out, trying to dismantle the federal government is not as simple as it seems. However, that won’t dissuade President Musk and VP Trump from doing their very bests, because as Trump proclaimed, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”

Now, there has been a multitude of online rhetoric regarding the 56 days it took for the Third Reich to seize power and how Trump’s attempted MAGA speedrun seems to be giving that record a run for its money. I don’t think the administration will be as successful as they envision, but the potential for catastrophic damage to our country remains a very real threat. As prominent officials and pundits have pointed out – WE ARE IN A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. However, I do believe that the MAGA movement in America is dying and will come to face its demise sooner than we may think.

To understand why MAGA is on its last legs, we have to examine the history of fascism in the 20th century. The most notable example that everyone loves to mention is Hitler and the Third Reich. Sidestepping the apparent reasons why Nazi Germany was especially egregious, surprisingly, Hitler’s influence was derived from other sources, namely the United States of America under Jim Crow segregation and the Kingdom of Italy ruled by Benito Mussolini. However, what most people don’t know is that most of Europe underwent periods of fascism between the 1930s and ‘40s and in some cases, well into the ‘70s.

Please stick with me; I promise this is going somewhere…

Fascism is often short-lived. Historically, fascist governments have existed for as little as one year to as long as four decades. In the most exceedingly rare of examples, the vast majority of fascism seems to live and die within 5 – 15 years, with an average existence of roughly 15 years and a median duration of about 11.

Donald Trump didn’t create the fascist movement in America. He is a symptom of a much deeper problem but certainly not the root cause. In some way, the rise of a Trump-like authoritarian was inevitable due to how 21st-century American politics has devolved into the spectacle it now is. But I digress; America’s fascist movement started in 2007 under the now-defunct Tea Party and what arose from its ashes became the “Make America Great Again” movement.

Now, we can speculate and argue over the exact dates and events that led us where we are now, but it will always be rooted in subjectivity. I make the case that as a neo-reactionary movement (and make no mistake, fascism IS reactionary) fascism in America is old news, and the regime is doing everything it can to either cash out before the big bust like the kleptocracy it is, or they’re doing everything they can to convince you the empire isn’t about to come crashing down. I believe both scenarios are valid, and I opine the following conditions will lead to the demise of a fascist government in America:

Death of the Cult of Personality - Relative to its central core tenets, fascism relies on populism or, at the very least, populist leaders are responsible for its inception. We caught a glimpse of this during the Republican primaries of 2024; nearly every single candidate espoused the same terrible ideology and beliefs as Mr. Donald Trump (henceforth known as “TFG”). However, the voting bloc was largely anemic about nominating anyone over TFG in the republican primaries. Why is that? Why does a corrupt, adjudicated felon, twice-impeached, inexperienced politician receive more fanfare than any other would-be presidential candidate? It’s because one man dared to remake an entire political party in his image and used his charisma to hypnotize large swaths of the country into falling into lockstep with his bullshit.

Before I delve any further, I want to address a phenomenon inside MAGA that might have been a key factor behind its success and inevitable end – that phenomenon is known as “Extinction burst.” It is defined by the Applied Behavior Analysis as such:

“Extinction bursts refer to the expected and temporary escalations in the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of the maladaptive “target” behavior. This means that when a behavior that has been reinforced in the past no longer receives reinforcement, it may initially increase in intensity before it eventually decreases and ceases altogether.”

Now, an extinction burst is usually applied to psychological behavior, particularly with regards to juvenile or narcissistic behavior. When applied as a political philosophy, it has merit. When addressing the fundamental beliefs about the social attitude of America, on its face, things appear dire. However, the fact that this phenomenon is happening in real time suggests that social progress is being achieved. While we may never accomplish an eradication of some societal ills, what is manifesting as MAGA can be attributed to the end of an era. As remarked by the political commentator, Ohh that’s Rich:

“The Trump spike in racism, sexism, and hate — it’s the emotional foundation for the entire Make America Great Again movement, that nostalgia for when life in America was simpler and paler. But as soon as we began addressing it — boom! extinction burst.”

“…Now, an extinction burst at the national level is much slower, but in this case, we actually know very clearly what triggered it: it was Obama’s election in 2008. Sarah Palin, the Tea Party Movement, the birther movement, and ultimately MAGA. It is a 10-year tsunami of rage in the face of inevitable extinction.

This is why Republicans are still so angry. They know they know Trump winning can’t stop it, and they know Trump in office can’t stop it — they can feel the inevitable extinction of their own terrible beliefs.”

Suffice it to say, TFG, MAGA, and everything we are witnessing is the death rattle of this particular political movement in America. That is not to say there aren’t credible concerns about the damages that will be done as this shit circles the toilet bowl on its way out to the septic tank that is the dark corner of history.

Furthermore, nearly all fascist governments have failed after the ouster of its key leader. TFG and MAGA are no exception; we’ve already seen enough evidence to support this claim. Like any historical example, what is currently happening in the United States is a strange and unfortunate repeat of history. The current officer holder is the second oldest person to have held the title of president in our country’s history. His health, or lack thereof, including his further slide into dementia has been noticed by many. It is a well-observed trend that being president lends to rapid aging due to the stress and rigors of the job. The 47th administration is not even a month into its tenure and the scandals continue to pile up. I don’t foresee this trend stopping anytime soon; it will take a toll on TFG’s physical and mental well-being.

Now, you’re probably thinking about succession to the throne and who will take it. Naturally and legally, that answer points to JD Bowman Hamel Vance, who by law can fulfill the duties as directed by the constitution, but let’s not forget that beyond his lack of political experience as a United States senator, his abysmal track record in the private sector as a do-nothing, and the very fact that TFG won’t endorse him as a potential successor. JD Vance has a negative reputation among many for being spineless and beholden to his boyfriend, Peter Thiel. By the time Vance is up for a hypothetical re-election, he would lose, and badly.

Another unique situation that would arise is the political in-fighting that would occur without TFG present to retain the reins of power as the head of government. Indeed, President Elon Musk or any number of the power-hungry oligarchs or MAGA political royalty would strategically maneuver themselves, resulting in America finding itself in the middle of a red wedding-esque battle for power.

Policy overreach - One of the most baffling things about TFG is how he convinced so many people that he could accomplish so much – and to his credit, he did. He has miraculously stacked the Supreme Court with activist Justices and hijacked control of the government's executive and legislative branches, turning this country’s political leadership into sycophants ready to endorse his bidding. Make America Great Again was more than just a campaign slogan; it became a belief that there were fundamental societal issues, and that the federal government was to blame. TFG told everyone that he – and he alone, could fix everything (and then promptly outsourced that job to Musk.) People were convinced this one man was more competent and more prepared to fight and destroy the so-called “deep state” single-handedly. TFG promised he would “drain the swarm” and restore the will of the people under this ambiguous presidential mandate that he just made up. These, and every other lie he told the American people, are highly lofty promises.

Please make no mistake: the American people, in some way, have come to expect that their politicians will lie to them. Campaign promises have always been bold, and when challenged as to why they are seldom carried out, politicians can blame a myriad of circumstances that have prevented them from achieving those goals unless they’re re-elected or receive significant campaign donations to compel them to do the jobs they are elected to do. This should not be the status quo in American governance, but sadly, it is the norm.

My assumption is a fair amount of TFG supporters foolishly believed his campaign rhetoric was just rhetoric and not a chilling call to commit political violence against American citizens, our allies, and the very system of governance he swore to uphold and protect. But this political malfeasance being thrust onto the public will reach its inevitable point of no return.

This point of no return is two-fold. First, as TFG and President Musk continue to push their supporters into a corner, demanding more political carnage, they expertly tread a fine line before arriving at a culmination point. Eventually, the regime has to deliver on its promises to its base, or its supporters will falsely believe they have the moral and legal authority to act on behalf of their government. Effectively, TFG will create an unregulated militia that the government cannot (nor likely bother to) control. Secondly, their constituents will experience the cruel consequences of fucking around and finding out. Soon, the good, hardworking Americans, who bemoan the “unintended consequences” will come to experience the reality of what happens when those draconian decisions come to directly impact them.

Conversely, while they may gleefully smile as the leopards eat their faces, the rest of us will continue to suffer, and eventually, we will reach a point of our own where enough is enough. While we stand and watch the looming constitutional crisis reach our doorsteps, when our communities reach that point of collective exhaustion, when we begin to see citizens en masse reject the authority of the government, then and only then will the fascists realize their grip on power is headed towards inevitable end through open rebellion. Once the cracks in the proverbial dam give way, a tidal wave of social unrest will destroy anything in its wake.

Military defeat— The classic demise of fascism occurs when an adversarial country declares war and forces its enemy into capitulation. In some instances, a coup d'état is launched, and military leadership usurp power away from a belligerent regime. In other cases, a resistance movement is created, and its adjoining insurrection works to destabilize and dismantle fascism from the inside.

While seemingly unlikely, none of these scenarios should be dismissed as unlikely. Many Americans, myself included, believe in the superiority of the Department of Defense and the totality of what it brings to bear when conducting military operations, but make no mistake—our military is far from infallible.

While the current officeholder and his underlings continue to work to destroy the administrative state, they also seek to disrupt the military and degrade its efficacy when the armed forces are already in a state of decline and struggling to maintain material and personnel readiness. Presenting a narrative that they seek to transform and “unify” the military through increased standards and other thinly veiled prejudice, the government is divesting itself of one of the tenets that makes the military capable – manpower.

In another paradoxical decision, the administration presents a narrative of strength and robust capability, in so much that they seek to target an ever-growing list of neighbors and allies that refuse to bend the knee. Military adventurism and wars of conquests are nothing new for the United States, but to do so at a time when they are generating internal turmoil creates a perfect storm of committing ill-prepared, ill-equipped, and under-strength military force into morally abject wars. This recipe for disaster will lead to a growingly disillusioned community of service members and veterans alike.

Here's a fun question - If you are an aspiring despot and want to maintain your grip on power, which key demographic of your government would you NOT want to disenfranchise?

Tying this all back together from the rant about the Oath of Office and the history of fascism. This essay isn’t a call to arms in rebellion. As always, I ask those who find themselves reading my words – where do your loyalties lay? The constitution answers the questions of how this country should be governed. Every goddamn day, the opposition inches closer and closer south of the Rubicon because we, the people, allow it. This is where our role becomes paramount. The "extinction burst" indicates a powerful response to the threat of social progress—an acknowledgment that the era of divisive politics is coming to a head. But we must not succumb to inertia or complacency; instead, we must actively engage in the discourse that shapes our society. Our loyalties, as citizens and defenders of the Constitution, must align with the principles of justice and equality, not with the authoritarian impulses that seek to undermine them.

For many of us who have ever held up our right hand and recited the words pledging our loyalty and, ultimately, our life in defense of this country – YOU are reaching a decision point. You will be made to live with the consequences of your actions or inactions, and if you think you can remain indifferent or that a higher power will come down from above and absolve you of any sense of duty, you are sorely mistaken. At some point, you were charged with the duty to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” I ask you to embrace the meaning of those words.

The implications of ignoring our duty to uphold constitutional values are dire. Should the political landscape continue down this path of division and extremism, we may find ourselves at the precipice of a rebellion against the very framework of governance we cherish. It is essential that we embrace the commitment sworn by those who take the oath of office—whether military or civilian—to advocate for the ideals enshrined in our Constitution.

So help us, God.

Major DAD, out.