The universities are next
The universities are next Robert Reich Mar 10 Friends, Trump is following Putin’s, Xi’s, and Orban’s playbook. First, take over military and intelligence operations by purging career officers and substituting ones personally loyal to you. Next, subdue the courts by ignoring or threatening to ignore court rulings you disagree with. Intimidate legislators by warning that if they don’t bend to your wishes, you’ll run loyalists against them. (Make sure they also worry about what your violent supporters could do to them and their families.) Then focus on independent sources of information: the media and the universities. Sue media that publish critical stories and block their access to news conferences and interviews. Then go after the universities. Last week, Trump threatened in a social media post to punish any university that permits “illegal” protests. On Friday he cancelled hundreds of millions in grants and contracts with Columbia University. This is an extension of ...