1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

This isn’t a normal government shutdown, and past shutdowns shouldn’t be treated as models for how Democrats respond to their current crisis. Trump lashing out over the shutdown is an opportunity for Democrats to get more Americans to confront the country’s slide into authoritarianism. Refusing to help the Republican majority pass a budget and end the current shutdown is about more than energizing the Democratic base. Shutdowns inevitably harm federal workers and the millions of Americans who rely on their services, but the Trump administration is illegally removing federal employees and dismantling government programs already, part of its broader attack on constitutional checks and balances. Unfortunately, making things better for the American people coming out of this shutdown is probably not an option. Either Trump makes things worse with Democratic affirmation, or Trump makes things worse despite Democratic opposition. But in these unusual circumstances, things getting worse — and faster — could actually help pull America back from the brink of dictatorship. Painful as it may be, Democrats should refuse to play ball with the Trump administration. This White House cannot credibly commit to following the law, and rather than enter budget negotiations in good faith, it threatens even more lawbreaking to force Democratic acquiescence. No matter what beneficial government programs a deal with Trump preserves on paper, making any deal with him signals acceptance of a situation Democrats should treat as untenable. The United States government is not currently operating under the Constitution. The executive branch has usurped congressional authority, ignores numerous court orders and violates rights — transforming the country from a rule-of-law democracy into a deepening authoritarianism. The administration is consolidating institutional power at agencies that used to be professional and partially independent, most visibly at the Department of Justice. Broader regime consolidation is also happening outside government, as Trump-allied oligarchs take over more of the information ecosystem.