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This is one of those days when we all drown in breaking news - but if you can stomach it: Here is an attempt to step back from the noise and provide a synthesis of where America stands, one year after Trump’s election, and what might be next. Escalation, “normalization,” or a democratic turnaround?

America As No-Longer-Democracy and Not-Yet-Dictatorship Where does the country stand after the largest day of protest in U.S. history? Putting “No Kings” in perspective. New piece:

Sunday reading: I wrote about the aggrieved extremist who is currently firing thousands of federal workers and ravaging state capacity based on conspiratorial nonsense - and about mainstream media’s infuriating tendency to sanitize Russell Vought and the regime he serves. This week’s piece:

Sie haben Post.

Is Trump Winning? Is He Losing? (And are those maybe the wrong questions to ask?) Kimmel uncanceled, Comey indicted, a terrifying “domestic terrorism” directive, and troops to Portland: Where does America stand in the struggle against encroaching authoritarianism? Some thoughts from my new piece:

Historian Thomas Zimmer has left academia, Substack, and the US; now he’s launching his new career as an indie writer with a newsletter about “the ongoing struggle over how much democracy, and for whom, there should be in America”. Recommended! [steady.page]

ICYMI yesterday: I need your help   I re-launched my newsletter at a new platform called “Steady” – and most importantly, I officially started my new life as a full-time independent writer.   I am extremely excited this moment has finally come. And I am utterly terrified.

Thomas saw what was happening here in 🇺🇸 earlier & more clearly than almost anyone. It is sad that 🇺🇸 & academia have lost him but great that his voice has found its new home 👇🧵

By the way, we are dealing with some technical glitches. Growing pains. If you subscribed on Substack, no worries: We are transferring you over to @steady.page, and if you haven’t yet received this launch post, you’ll be getting it very soon! No one gets left behind.

Re-launch day for Democracy Americana – and the official start of my new life as a full-time writer.   I know there is more important stuff going on than the latest personal news. But I want to be maximally transparent about why I left academia, left the U.S., left Substack - and need your support:

Dear @thomaszimmer.bsky.social we wish you a warm welcome to Steady. Your work is extremely important and we are more than happy to be on this journey together with you. Onwards and upwards!

Meet tollkühn Tolkienists on @steady.page & Patreon: Radio Rivendell The one web radio to rock'n'rule them all 😀

If you understand German and like podcasts that tell good stories, you should check out “Was bisher geschah” – a well-researched and wonderfully entertaining history podcast co-hosted by a friend of mine. They created something great and they deserve to get the support they need to keep going.

Congratulations on the amazingly successful Steady launch of "Was bisher Geschah" a German history podcast. Great job @drguidoknapp.bsky.social & team! The project has managed to gain a thousand members in just one day! Support them here: steady.page/en/wbg/about

Thinking about switching away from Substack? Check out Steady. Our newsletter tool is 100% free, you can import addresses from other services and dedicated account management (no matter the revenue). steady.page

#Substack, like many American media platforms, has a "free speech", hands-off policies problem, enabling extremist content creation and distribution. 🍇 Our #WeinLetter newsletter is hosted on @steadyhq.bsky.social, built in Berlin by @yoran.com and team. steady.page/de/weinlette...

Wer von Substack weg möchte: Ich kann @steadyhq.bsky.social aus Berlin empfehlen. Aber auch @ghost.org scheint eine gute Alternative zu sein, noch dazu OpenSource. steady.page/de/

Ich kann den Umzug zu Steady empfehlen (via @karolinschwarz.de) www.patreon.com/posts/substa...