Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Loading...Goal: 1,000 supporters
Loading...
Fact check: Post Title: SPEAK UP - Please call Local, State and Federal elected officials Post Content: Before we complete the slide entirely into a **dictatorship** perhaps it would be worth spending a few minutes collectively flooding the lines of our elected officials and asking why they are either being silent, silently complicit or just entirely supportive of what's happening in DC. I understand there's a "chilling effect" in play here - but unless this agenda is slowed down or halted by a judge - people are going to suffer. We have seniors, disabled folks, immigrants, and other marginalized people in our communities who are terrified to leave their homes, wondering whether or not Meals on Wheels is going to be canceled, or their WIC card is going to decline at the store all because one individuals BS is going completely unchecked with zero push back at any levels with minimal outreach. Please support the vulnerable and make some calls. https://preview.redd.it/gsnjoqh45tfe1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3030df2cb1966366903c9d9700cba955f1499cc Comment Chain: 1. I’m not political and both sides are equally retarded. But saying it’s becoming a dictatorship is hilarious. 2. Yes I agree both sides are dumb, and the more I’ve researched the more I have personally learned that it is actually about not a democracy and it’s all just about money and the whole system just exploits anyone making under 1 million dollars. I’ve done a stupid amount of research on this and I would be happy to answer any questions you have. 3. all i know is we have people in this country that are in need and instead the previous admin sent billions to another country. DOGE just stopped $50 million going to Gaza for condoms that was approved by previous administration. Not really sure how people defend the previous administration based on those facts. Original Reddit link: https://www.reddit.com/r/SaltLakeCity/comments/1icdu2m/comment/m9q62xy/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Checked on January 28, 2025
1. Summary of the results
The original post's concern about democratic backsliding has significant factual basis, though the term "dictatorship" may be overstated. Multiple credible sources indicate serious concerns about democratic erosion:
- The Freedom House report shows an 11-point decline in US democratic freedom over 13 years [1]
- Harvard political scientist Pippa Norris warns of "clear risks of accelerated institutional backsliding from electoral democracy into electoral autocracy" [2]
- There's documented evidence of increasing oligarchic influence, with Trump-affiliated billionaires holding combined wealth of $382 billion, compared to Biden's Cabinet's $118 million [3]
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original post omits several crucial contextual elements:
- The situation appears to be more of an oligarchic shift rather than a traditional dictatorship, with specific billionaires like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos wielding unprecedented influence [3]
- There are specific institutional vulnerabilities being exploited, including:
- Potential replacement of civil servants with loyalists [4]
- Declining trust in courts
- Rising political violence
- Encroachment on civic spaces [1]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
While the post's core concerns about democratic decline are supported by expert analysis, there are several problematic elements:
- The term "dictatorship" oversimplifies a more complex situation of democratic erosion and oligarchic influence [5]
- The post focuses on immediate social service concerns (Meals on Wheels, WIC) without acknowledging the broader systematic changes occurring in:
- Election integrity
- Rule of law
- Media independence
- Political polarization [5]
Who benefits:
- Political actors benefit from heightened fear and urgency in their base
- Wealthy individuals and corporations benefit from downplaying oligarchic influence while focusing on traditional authoritarian concerns
- Media organizations benefit from dramatic "dictatorship" narratives rather than more nuanced discussions of democratic erosion
Want to dive deeper?
Jamal Roberts gave away his winnings to an elementary school.
Did a theater ceiling really collapse in the filming of the latest Final Destination?
Is Rachel Zegler suing South Park?