Editorial reflections on democratic erosion
Longform analysis, reflections, and editorial notes from the Watchers. These pieces explore the deeper currents beneath the surface of the timeline.
April 15, 2025
Trump’s Oval Office remarks about deporting U.S. citizens to El Salvador’s mega-prison cross a constitutional red line. This isn’t just rhetoric — it’s a window into the authoritarian logic that now defines American politics.
April 14, 2025
Tariffs are often seen as tools of economic policy, but in the hands of authoritarian-leaning leaders, they become something more insidious—a mechanism for rewarding loyalty, punishing dissent, and reshaping the economy into a system of political control. This article breaks down how trade chaos is weaponized to erode democratic norms and consolidate power.
While the Drift Events and Watch Signals aim to track observable data and indicators, these editorial notes provide space for interpretation, warnings, historical parallels, and narrative. Authored by our research team, they are designed to deepen your understanding of the authoritarian drift in motion.