Anne Applebaum

So you can see the beginnings of really an attempt not just to keep journalists out and people who are interested in transparency and accountability out, but also everybody out. Nobody's going to want to be part of this completely corrupt system where everyone is bad.

So you can see the beginnings of really an attempt not just to keep journalists out and people who are interested in transparency and accountability out, but also everybody out. Nobody's going to want to be part of this completely corrupt system where everyone is bad.

So you can see the beginnings of really an attempt not just to keep journalists out and people who are interested in transparency and accountability out, but also everybody out. Nobody's going to want to be part of this completely corrupt system where everyone is bad.

No, I mean, and he devalues the word of the president. Nobody knows whether to take him serious or not. And you're right. And then when we come to a moment where it matters what the president says, and it matters what decision he takes, and it matters whether he believes in the constitution or not, there will be a lot of people who have tuned out because, you know, because there's so much noise.

No, I mean, and he devalues the word of the president. Nobody knows whether to take him serious or not. And you're right. And then when we come to a moment where it matters what the president says, and it matters what decision he takes, and it matters whether he believes in the constitution or not, there will be a lot of people who have tuned out because, you know, because there's so much noise.

No, I mean, and he devalues the word of the president. Nobody knows whether to take him serious or not. And you're right. And then when we come to a moment where it matters what the president says, and it matters what decision he takes, and it matters whether he believes in the constitution or not, there will be a lot of people who have tuned out because, you know, because there's so much noise.

And, you know, the president a couple of days ago posted a photograph of himself dressed as the of himself, you know, profoundly insulting to millions of Catholics around the world who are still in mourning for the late Pope, you know, and yet, and all of it contributes to this atmosphere where people just want to say, well, I don't, this is too much. I can't stand it.

And, you know, the president a couple of days ago posted a photograph of himself dressed as the of himself, you know, profoundly insulting to millions of Catholics around the world who are still in mourning for the late Pope, you know, and yet, and all of it contributes to this atmosphere where people just want to say, well, I don't, this is too much. I can't stand it.

And, you know, the president a couple of days ago posted a photograph of himself dressed as the of himself, you know, profoundly insulting to millions of Catholics around the world who are still in mourning for the late Pope, you know, and yet, and all of it contributes to this atmosphere where people just want to say, well, I don't, this is too much. I can't stand it.

I'm not going to participate and I'm going home. And that is the quintessential authoritarian tactic. Because what you want is to rule behind a shadow of secrecy. You know, you want to be able to steal the money or take the money and have no one know about it. You want to be enacting laws and rules of your own design in the dark, without courts, without judges, without attention.

I'm not going to participate and I'm going home. And that is the quintessential authoritarian tactic. Because what you want is to rule behind a shadow of secrecy. You know, you want to be able to steal the money or take the money and have no one know about it. You want to be enacting laws and rules of your own design in the dark, without courts, without judges, without attention.

I'm not going to participate and I'm going home. And that is the quintessential authoritarian tactic. Because what you want is to rule behind a shadow of secrecy. You know, you want to be able to steal the money or take the money and have no one know about it. You want to be enacting laws and rules of your own design in the dark, without courts, without judges, without attention.

And you want the population to be dulled and repressed. and bored and angry and cynical, and you want them all to stay home. And so we see all that. We've seen this movie before in other countries, I should say. And we're seeing it happen in the United States right now.

And you want the population to be dulled and repressed. and bored and angry and cynical, and you want them all to stay home. And so we see all that. We've seen this movie before in other countries, I should say. And we're seeing it happen in the United States right now.

And you want the population to be dulled and repressed. and bored and angry and cynical, and you want them all to stay home. And so we see all that. We've seen this movie before in other countries, I should say. And we're seeing it happen in the United States right now.

So this was a topic of my previous book, Twilight of Democracy. I had this experience actually in multiple countries because I didn't know if you would call me conservative or Republican, but I was certainly an anti-communist. And that put me in that camp for many years.

So this was a topic of my previous book, Twilight of Democracy. I had this experience actually in multiple countries because I didn't know if you would call me conservative or Republican, but I was certainly an anti-communist. And that put me in that camp for many years.

So this was a topic of my previous book, Twilight of Democracy. I had this experience actually in multiple countries because I didn't know if you would call me conservative or Republican, but I was certainly an anti-communist. And that put me in that camp for many years.

And my friends in Poland, where I lived part of the time, and in London, where I worked for many years, and in the United States were also anti-communists. came from that world. And I watched that world divide in many places.

And my friends in Poland, where I lived part of the time, and in London, where I worked for many years, and in the United States were also anti-communists. came from that world. And I watched that world divide in many places.