Independent: Angela Merkel is now the leader of the free world, not Donald Trump. “The US President isn’t motivated by protecting liberal democracy or freedom, his sole ideology is Trumpism: corporate autocracy with a populist facade. And he surrounds himself with white nationalists even more hostile to liberal democracy than he is.” By Sunny Hundal.

“But the ban on immigrants highlighted something far more draconian. If a President can abruptly restrict the rights of US residents without bothering with lawmakers or even government departments, he in effect an autocrat. That is exactly what Trump did and will continue to do so. His actions don’t just undermine the rights of all Americans, they undermine the institutions that support American democracy.
[…]
But Trump […] is ripping up international agreements so he can bully smaller countries into submission. That sets a dangerous precedent for the entire world.

And lastly there is the Trump administration’s hostility towards the media. Regardless of its bias, a thriving democracy needs a media willing to challenge the government. Trump isn’t just hostile to criticism, in his warped world it must be driven by lies and vindictiveness. He is wracked by deep insecurity. When his chief aide Steve Bannon says the media should “keep its mouth shut“ – they mean it. They don’t want a free media criticising them at all. These are words that dictators use, not democrats.
[…]
Having grown up in communist East Germany before re-unification, Angela Merkel is the polar opposite. She doesn’t just recognise the sounds of autocracy, she chose to escape it.

This is why she has stood up to Trump’s bullying and bigotry, saying on Monday that the “necessary battle against terrorism“ did not justify putting “groups of certain people under general suspicion“ . The British government in sharp contrast has been slavish and spineless.

It’s now abundantly clear that the free world needs a new leader. With respect to Justin Trudeau, Canada simply isn’t powerful enough. It has to be Angela Merkel.”

… read this one, released early:

The Atlantic: How to Build an Autocracy. “The preconditions are present in the U.S. today. Here’s the playbook Donald Trump could use to set the country down a path toward illiberalism.” By David Frum.

“This outcome evidently gnawed at the president-elect. On November 27, Trump tweeted that he had in fact “won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.“ He followed up that astonishing, and unsubstantiated, statement with an escalating series of tweets and retweets.

It’s hard to do justice to the breathtaking audacity of such a claim. If true, it would be so serious as to demand a criminal investigation at a minimum, presumably spanning many states. But of course the claim was not true. Trump had not a smidgen of evidence beyond his own bruised feelings and internet flotsam from flagrantly unreliable sources. Yet once the president-elect lent his prestige to the crazy claim, it became fact for many people. A survey by YouGov found that by December 1, 43 percent of Republicans accepted the claim that millions of people had voted illegally in 2016.

A clear untruth had suddenly become a contested possibility.”

The Atlantic: Trump’s Immigration Ban Is Already Harming American Science. “Iranian scientists have been a major boon to everything from Mars exploration to Ebola-fighting to advanced mathematics.” By Ed Yong.

Deutsche Welle: Germany will support those affected by US travel ban, says Merkel. “The German chancellor has vowed to do “everything” in support of those affected by controversial ban. A German opposition leader has threatened legal action, saying it could head to the European Court of Justice.”

Bloomberg: Why Trump’s Staff Is Lying. By Tyler Cowen.

“One of the most striking features of the early Trump administration has been its political uses of lying. The big weekend story was the obviously false claim of Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, that Trump pulled in the largest inauguration crowds in American history. This raises the question of why a leader might find it advantageous to promote such lies from his subordinates.”

Link via Metafilter: Building a Cabinet.

German government still struggling to establish contacts with the new administration

Handelsblatt Global: Trump Team Leaves Germany Out in the Cold. “As Donald Trump officially enters office, the German government is still struggling to establish contacts with the new administration and distinguish campaign bluster from actual policy.” January 20, 2017.

“Ms. Merkel’s foreign policy advisor, Christoph Heusgen, has called for Germany and Europeans to have “strategic patience“ with the new U.S. administration, which is largely staffed by people who have little or no government experience.

Mr. Heusgen said his initial conversations with the Trump team gave him the impression that they have little understanding of the European Union and how it operates.

Ms. Merkel’s cabinet is resting its hopes on retired Marine Corps general James Mattis, Mr. Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, as a voice of reason within the new U.S. administration. Mr. Mattis is well connected in Europe and views NATO as an anchor of stability.”

In Violation of the Constitution?

New York Times: Foreign Payments to Trump Firms Violate Constitution, Suit Will Claim. By Eric Lipton and Adam Liptak. January 22, 2017.

“A team of prominent constitutional scholars, Supreme Court litigators and former White House ethics lawyers intends to file a lawsuit Monday morning alleging that President Trump is violating the Constitution by allowing his hotels and other business operations to accept payments from foreign governments.

The lawsuit is among a barrage of legal actions against the Trump administration that have been initiated or are being planned by major liberal advocacy organizations. Such suits are among the few outlets they have to challenge the administration now that Republicans are in control of the government.”

Alternative Facts?!

The Guardian: I’ve reported on Putin – here are my tips for journalists dealing with Trump. “There’s been much hand-wringing about how the media should deal with the Trump administration. First of all: don’t get distracted.” By Alexey Kovalev. January 23, 2017.

“consider the Trump team’s proposition to move the press room out of the White House to a more spacious facility to accommodate the “off the chart“ interest in the new president. And to dilute the “elite“ DC press corps with bloggers and talk radio hosts: to anyone who’s ever seen the mad scramble for Putin’s attention inside that cavernous hall where his press conferences are held, the purpose is obvious.

The biggest threat to informing the public in Russia is not censorship, state pressure or fake news: it’s the chaff constantly thrown out to keep the media distracted. There are politicians in Russia that throughout their decades-long careers have done nothing but make statements aimed at raising outrage or suggesting deliberately absurd bills, with the sole reason of staying in the headlines. Putin himself and his spokesman Dmitry Peskov are famous for their tendency to brazenly deny the plainly obvious – only to make a rhetorical U-turn later, completely dumbfounding everyone.”