Obama Sounds the Alarm: America is "Dangerously Close" to Autocracy

Former President's stark warning makes our Authoritarianism 101 seminar more essential than ever

Paid subscribers can join our authoritarianism 101 series - Take advantage of our special 35% off our annual rate deal.

"What's happening is that we now have a situation in which all of us are going to be tested in some way, and we are going to have to then decide what our commitments are. It will be uncomfortable for a time, but that's how you know it's a commitment—because you do it when it's hard, not just when it's easy, not just when it's trendy, not just when it's cool.

Former President Barack Obama

Former President Barack Obama delivered a chilling assessment this week: "Our biggest challenge right now is we need democracy … more than ever, and it's probably as weak as it's been since I've been alive." Speaking in Hartford alongside historian Heather Cox Richardson, Obama issued his starkest warning yet about American democracy's trajectory.

"If you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to what we understood — and not just my generation, at least since World War II — our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work,"

His diagnosis was unsparing: "What we're seeing right now...is not consistent with American democracy. It is consistent with autocracies. We're not there yet completely, but I think that we are dangerously close to normalizing behavior like that."

Authoritarianism 101 - A Summer Seminar Series with Olga Lautman and Zev Shalev

This is exactly why Olga Lautman and I are launching Authoritarianism 101—an exclusive nine-week seminar series for our paid subscribers that breaks down the precise tactics Obama is warning about.

Obama's concerns aren't abstract fears. They're observations about tactics already deployed: controlling narratives through disinformation, targeting enemies through scapegoating, silencing dissent by politicizing law enforcement, and undermining democratic institutions through legal harassment.

But Obama also outlined the solution: "There has to be a response and pushback from civil society, from various institutions and individuals outside of government, but there also have to be people in government in both parties who say, 'No, you can't do that.'"

Our seminar addresses Obama's call for informed civic resistance. We meet on Google Meet - Every Tuesday at 8 PM ET

As we approach week 4, there is still space for more to join. Here’s the course outline:

• Week 1: The Psychology of Popular Support for Authoritarians

• Week 2: Controlling the Narrative - Propaganda, Disinformation & Rewriting History

• Week 3: Targeting "The Other" - Scapegoating Minorities, Journalists & Political Opponents

• Week 4: Silencing Dissent - Politicizing Law Enforcement and Expanding Mass Surveillance

• Week 5: Legal Pressure & Fear - Legal Harassment & Undermining the Judiciary

• Week 6: Consolidating Power - Purging Independent Institutions & Executive Overreach

• Week 7: Rigging the System - Election Manipulation & Misusing Public Funds

• Week 8: Oligarchy, Religion & Culture Control

• Week 9: Global Authoritarian Playbook - Exporting Tactics Across Borders

WHAT TO EXPECT

Each session includes real-world examples from the U.S., Russia, Hungary, and beyond, plus practical resistance tools and resources.

Despite his stark warnings, Obama ended with characteristic resolve: "I'm still optimistic — I'm still the 'hope' guy." But hope without preparation is wishful thinking. Effective resistance demands understanding your opponent's strategy.

Obama correctly identified that rebuilding democratic consensus requires informed citizens capable of recognizing authoritarian consolidation in real-time. This seminar provides exactly that knowledge base.

Obama emphasized that "it is important to be impatient with injustice and cruelty" while finding "ways to make common ground with people who don't agree with you on everything but agree with you on some things." This balance—urgent resistance combined with strategic coalition-building—defines effective democratic defense.

Registration closes June 24th at 7 PM EST. Paid subscribers to either my newsletter or Olga's Trump Tyranny Tracker are invited.

PAID SUBSCRIBERS REGISTER HERE

Obama's assessment demands urgent response. When a former president warns that democracy is "as weak as it's been since I've been alive" and that America is "dangerously close to normalizing" autocratic behavior, understanding authoritarian tactics isn't optional—it's essential civic knowledge.

Authoritarianism 101 provides the analytical tools for making Obama's call to action count.

We’ll meet live on Google Meet every Tuesday at 8 PM ET, and every session will include:

• A focused breakdown of each tactic

• Global and U.S. examples and real-time developments

• Resistance tools, resources, and discussion

Next session will be on June 24 @8:00 PM EST, and paid subscribers to either Zev's or my newsletter are invited.

PAID SUBSCRIBERS REGISTER HERE

Google Meet link will be sent separately next Tuesday. Cut-off for registration is June 24 @7:00 PM EST