Amie here. It’s Tuesday, and I’ve got protests/events, the seven
tactics used by authoritarians, and this week’s viral post.

 

But first: If you don’t care about your civil liberties, or whether anything could go wrong during pregnancy, Iowa is a pretty good place to raise a child, according to the Washington Post!

Candidates, rallies, and events this week:

 

US Senate candidate Nathan Sage:

• 6 p.m. Wednesday, Des Moines

US Senate candidate Josh Turek:

• 10 a.m. Saturday, Waukon

US House (2nd District) candidate Dave Bushaw:

• 11:30 a.m. Saturday, West Union

Iowa House District 58 candidate India May:

• 5 p.m. Sunday, Zastrow Room, Charles City Public Library, Charles City

Indivisible Coffee and Conversation: 10 a.m. Tuesday, West Des Moines

 

Protect Our Care’s “Stop the GOP War on Health Care” Mobile Billboard Tour: 

• 10 a.m. Tuesday, Neil Smith Federal Building, Des Moines
• 2 p.m. Tuesday, 201 W 2nd St., Davenport

Iowa in the History of National LULAC with Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco: 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Iowa City Public Library and livestreamed

 

Our Water, Our Future: A Look at the Central Iowa Water Quality Report: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Davenport

 

4 Corners Weekly Peaceful Protest: 4:30 p.m. Thursdays, near the Casey’s/Methodist Church in Panora

 

82nd Indivisible Social with Deb Dunkhase of Open Heartland: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, West Liberty

 

Queersgiving: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, St. Timothy’s UMC, Cedar Falls

 

Vigil for Immigrant Rights: noon-12:30 p.m. Fridays, Waterloo Post Office

Weekly Jefferson Protest: noon-1 p.m. Fridays, Jefferson Square, Jefferson

 

FED UP Fridays: 2-4 p.m. Fridays, Des Moines

 

Community Rally for Democracy: 10 a.m. Saturdays, NE corner of Hickman and Alice’s Road, Waukee

Weekly Rally in the Wayside Park: noon Saturdays, Decorah

 

Weekly Perry Protest: noon-1 p.m. Saturdays, First and Willis by the bicycle sculpture, Perry

 

Insufferable Wenches Monthly Meeting with Reps. Timi Brown-Powers and Jerome Amos: 2 p.m. Saturday, Waterloo

 

Henry County First Amendment Rally: noon-1 p.m. Sundays, front of the courthouse, Mount Pleasant

 

US House Second District Candidate Forum with Kathy Dolter, Lindsay James, and Clint Twedt-Ball: 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Mixteca Grill, Manchester

 

Rep. Miller-Meeks: Care Not Cuts Rally and Food Drive: noon Monday, Davenport

 

Iowa City Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Circle Meeting: Art in the Park in the Library: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, Iowa City

 

Events are sourced from mobilize.us and emailed submissions; submit an event here.

(Sixth in a miniseries explaining authoritarianism, from COURIER Newsroom’s Ryan Pitkin.)

 

In her 2018 book “Fascism: A Warning,” former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wrote that people living under authoritarian regimes often don’t realize it until it’s too late.

 

The lesson? It’s worth learning the warning signs before they take hold.

 

Experts have identified seven basic tactics used by aspiring authoritarians. There’s a familiar playbook used by would-be authoritarians. Watch for when a political party or movement starts to:

• Politicize independent institutions by placing loyalists in roles meant to be nonpartisan.
• Spread disinformation while undermining credible media.
• Expand executive power and chip away at checks and balances.
• Silence dissent and punish critics.
• Target marginalized groups and stoke fear of “outsiders.”
• Manipulate elections or question legitimate results.
• Excuse or encourage political violence.

These tactics often show up gradually in the form of division, scapegoating, or rewriting the rules to favor those in power. 

 

The goal of any authoritarian administration or movement is to make everyday people feel powerless so they stop believing they can shape what happens next.

 

But knowledge is power. Recognizing the signs early is the first step toward protecting democracy—and each other.

As part of the deal to end the federal government shutdown, most hemp products with THC will become illegal again.

 

That means the burgeoning hemp industry in Iowa—and across the nation—could soon go up in smoke.

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