In fact, on Friday, Trump and US Secretary of War Peter Hegseth asked US Congress to approve a new Department of War budget totaling $1.5 trillion. This comes as gas, grocery and housing prices continue to rise across America.

Even if you’ve been following the war with Iran closely, you might be wondering what is real and what is propaganda. One minute, Trump claims we are not at war with Iran. In the next, he claims victory. Then, he will say we must open the Strait of Hormuz. In the next minute, he will say the Strait was never closed.

Trump and Hegseth must know the war is not going well, however. Peter is firing military generals left and right. On Thursday, he fired the Army’s top General, likely due to their clashes over Hegseth blocking promotions for Black and female senior officers. Many of the firings, however, are likely because of the war with Iran or a general lack of loyalty, which is essential for our fascist regime to continue in its current form.

I will discuss some quick facts, before diving further into my own perspective on the war, as a former US and NATO war planner in US Army Europe.

Trump’s war with Iran, by the numbers

2 - The number of US warplanes Iran downed on April 3rd.

15 - The number of US service members who have died because of Donald Trump’s warmongering and greed.

Over 300 - The number of US service members injured because of the US and Israel’s illegal war.

$5 billion - The estimated cost of the damage done to American military facilities and equipment since the start of this war.

$35 billion - The estimated cost of the war thus far. That’s enough to entirely reverse Trump’s healthcare cuts for 20 million Americans.

$200 billion - The amount of additional funds Donald Trump and Peter Hegseth asked Congress to approve.

$1.5 trillion - The new proposed budget for the Department of War.

Remember: US taxpayers have already paid billions to fund Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Did anyone see this coming? I did.

I deployed to Afghanistan in July 2019 and returned to Illinois in May 2020. What happened on deployment changed me forever. During our tour, I served as the Medical Operations Officer and Medical Platoon Leader for the 1-178 Infantry Battalion. I advised Afghan medical planners and commanders and worked alongside a Golden Hour Offset Surgical Team (GHOST) to save as many lives as possible.

During the deployment, we treated at least 24 combat casualties, including civilian children. I returned with post traumatic stress disorder and a completely different outlook on US military operations around the world.

In late 2021, I mobilized to Germany to support US Army Europe. For the first year, I served as a Training Liaison Officer for 7th Army Training Command. I then spent two years as a Medical Operations Officer and Medical Plans Officer in the Office of the Command Surgeon. There, I worked to improve Ukrainian medical systems. I also worked as the lead medical planner, contributing to US and NATO war plans.

As the lead medical planner, I conducted thorough research of military medical personnel, equipment and capabilities. I had to know everything - movement and maneuver, fires, sustainment, protection, command and control - not just medical.

I know how long it should take for things to happen in an ideal scenario. I know how long it could take for the US military industrial base to transition to being fully able to support large scale combat operations. When things happen too quickly, I know how many corners were cut.

This is not the United States military of World War II. My senior officers told me for years that we are not a Superpower, because we are not. We are not properly manned, trained or equipped to fight this war.

Additionally, drone warfare makes military planning incredibly difficult. We don’t know how much they can do in sustainment, but we do know Iran’s drones continue to damage US equipment. Last week, Iran damaged a US F-35 (our most expensive war plane) with a drone.

I’ve spoken many times on the illegality of this war. Beyond that, I personally knew we were not ready to fight in a war like this. We’re out of our depth. Donald Trump is leading us into a new era, whether he knows it or not. An era where US military imperialism and hegemony are no more.

What’s next?

Many of you will find this scary, but I see it as an opportunity - an opportunity to reshape America into a land that’s truly for the working class. We have a lot of work to do to get there, but I believe we can use this moment to build a better nation.

Please join me in calling for an end to this illegal war, an end to this fascist regime, and an end to American oligarchy.

In Solidarity,

Dylan Blaha
Writer & Creator, Democratic Reformation
Veteran · Scientist · Organizer

I attended the last two mass demonstrations as a Congressional candidate and spoke at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield both times.

This time, I did something quite different: I attended the No Kings Day event in St Paul, Minnesota, which served as one of the national flagship events.

More than 3,300 protests occurred over 50 states on Saturday. According to the “No Kings” organizers, more than 8 million people attended a protest, making it the largest single-day demonstration in American history.

President Trump has yet to comment.

The gang’s all here

It was truly an honor to hear Bruce Springsteen play his new single, “Streets of Minneapolis.” If you looked through that crowd of over 100,000 people, it would have been difficult to find a tearless face.

“Federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen told the crowd. “They picked the wrong city.”

A litany of powerful speakers graced us with their words, from local community organizers and mutual aid leaders to Senator Bernie Sanders and Jane Fonda.

During his half hour speech, Bernie painted a clear message for the audience. We face a powerful dual threat in America: authoritarianism and oligarchy.

“Today, here in Minnesota, in Vermont, and in every state in the country we say loudly and proudly that as Americans we will never forsake our heritage,” Sen. Sanders told the crowd. “We will never accept authoritarianism, we will never accept oligarchy, and we will never accept a president who is a pathological liar, a kleptocrat, and a narcissist who is undermining the Constitution of the United States and the rule of law every day.”

“We will never accept government policy that gives massive tax breaks to the billionaires, throws 15 million Americans off the healthcare they have, breaks unions, denies women the right to control their own bodies, and is pushing the planet closer and closer to a climate crisis.”

Sen. Sanders also spoke on Trump’s illegal war with Iran. “Let’s be honest. The American people were lied to about the war in Vietnam. We were lied to about the war in Iraq. And we are being lied to today about the war in Iran. This war must end immediately.”

Was No Kings 3 different?

I posted a video on Saturday morning, commending those who attended the last two mass protests. I also asked them to build on this momentum for the third event.

Last year, we had amazing turnouts, but it hasn’t led to any substantial change. I heard many people wonder if they should even attend No Kings 3, including several organizers close to me.

I asked everyone I know to attend one anyway. “This time,” I said, “Let’s make it different.”

“No more waving our fists in the air and saying ‘Trump bad.’ Trump is a fascist, but he’s a symptom of a larger problem in America. We need systemic change. We need to build a working class movement to stand up to the attacks against us. Let’s build some of that momentum today.”

“Wear your keffiyeh. Throw on that DSA shirt, too. If you’re an organizer, come with a list of demands and make sure everyone leaves with that list.”

It’s well past time to impeach, convict and remove Donald Trump. It’s time to abolish ICE, end US military imperialism, and build worker power.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: No one is coming to save us.

With that in mind, we attended No Kings 3. We seized the opportunity to begin saving ourselves.

When I spoke with protestors in the crowd, one thing quickly became clear: We the People have had enough, and not just with Donald Trump.

We’ve had enough with corporate, billionaire-coddling Democrats. We’ve had enough with the constant extortion of the American working class for the benefit of the Epstein class. We’ve had enough with funding Israel’s genocide and America’s endless wars. We’ve had enough with attacks on our immigrant communities. We’ve had enough with attacks on Women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and Disability rights.

Trust me, we have the will to take this system down, and it’s only a matter of time until we find a way.

In Solidarity,

Dylan

When the numbers started to roll in around 7 pm on that fateful evening, I was surrounded by many of our dedicated volunteers, who poured hours into our campaign. The first reported tallies felt like a gut punch. By 7:40 pm that evening, a reporter told me several outlets called the race.

Many of us felt shock, grief, and disappointment in those moments. Our campaign had been fighting to deliver change for working people, and this time, we fell short.

We weren’t the only ones to fall short. People like Kat Abughazaleh and Junaid Ahmed lost their races, too. Across the state, many progressive candidates fell. It left a lot of us wondering, where do we go from here? Is our movement actually moving America in a better direction?

Where do we go from here?

I’ve spent the last few days pondering this question. I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions while doing so.

Taking down an incumbent is never easy. Joey Ruzevich, Matt Conroy, Morgan Coghill and I all knew we faced an uphill battle. Despite limited fundraising, we all earned a sizable percentage of the vote, especially for our first time running.

In all of the open races, money from AIPAC, crypto, AI, Meta and DraftKings propped up right-wing democrats. They did this because they know how popular our progressive policies truly are.

These special interest groups and corporations used the same playbook in state races, as well. One of the few candidates who overcame this spending was Demi Palecek. Demi, who was endorsed by David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve Political Action Committee (PAC), overwhelmingly defeated her four opponents in a resounding victory.

After an inspiring campaign that raised over $3 million, Kat Abughazaleh fell short in IL-9. Kat did things no other Congressional candidate has done before; she took mutual aid and fundraising to a different level. For example, instead of calling donors, she raised tons of money through Twitch streams.

So I ask again, where do we go from here?

I know it might not feel like it, but our campaigns moved the needle in a better direction. At the same time, it showed us all the work we have left to do.

Policies that center the working class are the answer. I firmly believe that. The groups who spent millions of dollars in the Illinois primary clearly agree; however, they now believe they have a winning formula for the next 45 primaries.

We must prove them wrong.

I’ve said it many times, but it’s not about electing as many Democrats as possible. It’s about electing the right leaders who will fight for the working class in Washington.

I am hopeful for the future, and I hope you are too. The conversations we have along the way are moving us in a better direction.

In the short term, we must continue organizing to protect our communities. If you believe in progressive policies, I ask that you support a progressive candidate near you.

Corporate, establishment democrats helped us reach this dark moment in American history. We now see them continue to enable Trump’s fascism.

Let them know we won’t be silent any longer. Let them know we are not going back.

We are forging ahead in our fight for better future for all Americans.

Where do I go from here?

Several people have asked me whether or not I will run for Congress again. My answer, for now, is: it depends.

I truly enjoyed running for Congress. While it proved both physically and mentally demanding, every conversation I had along the way made it worth it. Even when I disagreed with others, I appreciated the opportunities to learn, grow, and hone our message.

As a lifelong member of the working class, my focus immediately shifts to paying my bills, while spending more time with friends and family.

However, my burning desire to advance our movement has not diminished. I will do everything I can to help us collectively defeat American oligarchy and fascism.

Part of that involves writing Democratic Reformation. I plan to write 4-5 posts per week about current events and politics, because we need as many leftist voices as possible uplifting our movement. I will also continue to make daily content on social media.

I have a few additional, exciting announcements to make in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

Thank you to all of you who continue to join me on this journey.

In Solidarity,

Dylan

We gathered in Washington D.C. for one purpose

This past week, something amazing happened. You might not know it, because most major media outlets failed to cover it, but over 25,000 Americans gathered in Washington D.C. on Saturday for one purpose: removing this authoritarian regime.

Throughout this year, we’ve watched Donald Trump and his billionaire and millionaire cronies dismantle our government, while attacking civil and human rights across America.

We’ve watched ICE agents rip screaming women from their children. They’re attacking immigrants, trans people and other vulnerable communities, based on a lie of increased crime, to distract from the enormous transfer of wealth from the working class to the corporate elite.

Last week, we demanded an end to this fascist regime. We demanded that Congress impeach, convict and remove Donald Trump from office for his crimes of tyranny and treason.

According to one Constitutional law scholar I spoke with last Thursday, the American President has committed at least 25 impeachable offenses so far this year. This makes a lot of sense, considering Project 2025 is 48% complete.

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An eventful three days of protest

On Thursday, many of us walked to the US Capitol Building with Representative Al Green (D-TX), who announced that he will introduce new articles of impeachment before the end of the calendar year. Additionally, he stated that he will force a vote on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

After walking through the halls of Congress and speaking with several other Representatives and staffers, I joined a group of “Courage Candidates” at a Citizens’ Impeachment press conference at the National Press Club. During the conference, we each provided five-minute remarks on the need to impeach Donald Trump now.

Additionally, I spoke of the need to fix this broken system, which allowed our President and so many others to exploit Americans and crush the working class.

On Friday, we held a Veterans Rally at Union Station. I spoke alongside a ton of military veterans as we called for the impeachment, conviction and removal of Donald Trump.

Then, on Saturday, the Dropkick Murphy’s headlined an incredible rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Over 25,000 Americans from across the country chanted and cheered as speakers like Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Aguilar, Congressional Candidate Kat Abughazaleh, and Jolly Good Ginger called on Congress to uphold the US Constitution.

Donald Trump must be impeached, and not because I dislike him. He must be impeached because he threatens our freedom, our sovereignty, and the rule of law. He is unfit to be the American President.

I endorse articles of impeachment against Donald Trump for tyranny and treason, and I commit to bringing these articles to the floor on day one of my first term in elected office.

If a Democrat violates the US Constitution, I will hold them accountable, too. Loyalty to party should never outrank loyalty to country, the Constitution, and the American people.

Impeachment is only the beginning of my commitment to a Constitution that protects all people in America. We must get big money out of politics, tax billionaires and corporations their fair share, and invest in our communities.

We must fight for the rights of every American, including every immigrant and every LGBTQIA+ person who were told they don’t belong. Bigotry has no place in a republic built with liberty and justice for all.

It’s on us, today, to build a better future for us and for our children. The status quo isn’t working, and I don’t want to hear another democrat defend it. This stagnation has gone on for far too long. It’s time to take our country back, together, as the UNITED States of America.

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Thanks for reading! I will continue to post at least one article per week.

This Veterans Day feels different (because it is)

I’m a former cancer research scientist and anti imperialist veteran. I’m also running for Congress in Illinois’ 13th district to change the system, because the system is broken. It doesn’t work for working people.

This system takes away healthcare to give tax cuts to billionaires. This system provides weapons to a country openly committing a genocide. This system starts endless wars for imperialist gain.

Today, we said no to endless wars. We said no to ICE in our streets. We said no to the constant attacks on veterans who risked their lives for this country.

I’ve served in the Illinois Army National Guard for almost 13 years, including five years on active duty. In Afghanistan, I advised Afghan medical leaders and worked alongside a Golden Hour Offset Surgical Team to save lives. In Germany, I worked alongside some of the top US and NATO military planners, as we supported Ukraine and wrote NATO war plans.

This year, President Trump has openly threatened our cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland. In response, I made a series of videos asking military service members to remember their oath to the constitution and to the American people.

I asked Soldiers to disobey any future unlawful orders, as they are required to do. In response, the military suspended my security clearance and launched a 15-6 investigation.

This isn’t normal. This is political persecution, because I spoke out against our fascist government. Since then, I’ve continued to speak out, because I believe in standing up for what’s right.

I will not be used as a pawn and deployed against my community. I will not assist Trump’s Gestapo, known as ICE, as they rip our community members from the streets.

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What do we do now?

Make no mistake, the time to stand up is now.

We’re running out of time, America. There are no guardrails for what’s left of our democracy. Every day, the far-right extremists in power get bolder and bolder.

White Christian nationalists and billionaires continue to enact their vision of the future, but I say no to their future.

America is for the workers, not the billionaires. America is for all people, regardless of your race, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or the color of your skin.

It’s on us to protect our neighbors. We can’t sit back and expect someone will do it for us. It’s on us to stand up to fascism. We cannot give up our rights in advance.

It’s on us to convince Congress to kick our fascist President out of the White House.

This has gone on for long enough. It’s time to take our country back.

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Thanks for reading! I will continue to post at least one article per week.

This moment calls for leaders to take a stand

I’ve served in the Illinois Army National Guard for nearly thirteen years, including over five years on active duty as a combat medic and medical planner. I deployed to Afghanistan from 2019 to 2020 and served for nearly three years in US Army Europe and Africa, where I supported Ukraine and NATO.

Many of you might know me for speaking out against the fascist actions of our current administration. I’ve continually used my voice and platform to educate the public and speak out against President Donald Trump’s threats to the American people, and I will continue to do so, because it is the right thing to do.

As I told Jen Psaki on MSNBC, I will not be activated against the American people. I will not go against my community. I raised my right hand to protect the American people and defend the US Constitution, and that is what I am prepared to do.

The day I decided to speak out

I originally enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard as a combat medic in December 2012, after six months of working two jobs to pay off the student loan debt incurred from my freshman year of college.

I joined the military so I could afford to pursue my undergraduate degree - something I had dreamt of since I was a child. I decided to become an officer, however, because I enjoyed the public service aspects of being a leader in the military.

I began running for United States Congress in Illinois’ 13th District on April 21, and I steadily built a following on social media. I believe all leaders, especially those with large platforms, possess a duty to speak out against attacks on our civil rights, our human rights, and democracy itself, which led me to create multiple videos condemning President Trump’s authoritarian actions.

I released a video late in the evening of August 22 on social media, following President Trump’s continued threats on the city of Chicago. I said the President used a false crime narrative to deploy the National Guard to the streets of Washington D.C, because crime in D.C. was at a 30-year low.

I then mentioned that the Secretary of Defense (now War), Pete Hegseth, authorized the Soldiers to carry weapons, which was intended to send a message to the American people. I said the President threatened Chicago and that this was not about crime - it was a power grab.

I then made a series of general statements, including how every military member is legally obligated (under Article 92 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice) to disobey unlawful orders. I described what constitutes an unlawful order and said “just following orders” is not a legal defense for war crimes.

I asked all military members who might be activated in the coming weeks or months in US cities to remember their oath to the US Constitution and to the American people.

In response, the US military counseled me for a social media violation, while twisting my words. “In other words, as a Captain in the Illinois National Guard, you have openly suggested that members of the National Guard across the United States of America who obey Federalization orders issued by President Trump would be committing a crime and subject to prosecution.”

They also said my video could “lead Guardsmen to disobey lawful orders, leading to their discipline and are prejudicial to good order and discipline in the Illinois Army National Guard.”

In fact, I did not state that federalization orders themselves are unlawful or illegal. Instead, I simply reminded Soldiers of their duty to disobey any future unlawful orders from this administration.

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Threats on Portland and a second video

On the morning of September 27, President Trump threatened to send the military into Portland and authorized “full force,” which is not a military doctrinal term. He likely used this term to strike fear in his perceived enemies.

After experiencing a surge of anger at the thought of the government using the US military against American citizens, I made a second video. This, time, I addressed it to all members of the military, including the Generals and Admirals who were due to meet with Secretary Hegseth on September 30.

I stated that President Trump’s threats on Portland were an act of authoritarianism and fascism and that the US military is not a law enforcement force. I also said federalized service members must abide by the Posse Comitatus Act and disobey any future unlawful orders. I then implied that not standing up to this fascist takeover will eventually make service members complicit.

In response to this second viral video, the government suspended my security clearance. Again, they twisted my words and said I told service members to disobey a specific order from POTUS to deploy to Portland.

The document read: “DCSA AVS requests that you provide all details of your incident on or around September 28, 2025, you posted a video in violation of DODI5400.17, Section 8 Para (a) (1) & (2) on social media using their rank and name to encourage all US Military service members to disobey what they deemed as an unlawful order from the POTUS to deploy AARNG to Portland Oregon.”

When I made these videos, I used my rank as a way to convey that I was a service member talking to my peers across the US armed forces, as I asked them to disobey potential future unlawful orders. At no time in these videos did I ever tell service members to not deploy to Portland or any other American city, because I am not legally able to rule whether those orders are, in fact, unlawful.

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This is fascism, plain and simple.

SSG Demi Palecek and I both told CBS News that we would refuse a direct order to deploy to Chicago. “Absolutely. I would definitely say no,” she said. “I’m not going to go against my community members, my family and my culture. I believe this is the time to be on the right side of history.”

“Look at 1930s, 1940s Germany,” I said. “There is a point where if you didn’t stand up to the Gestapo, are you just actively one of them now?”

A week and a half ago, a federal judge delayed the deployment of the National Guard in Chicago indefinitely, until a final ruling is issued or the Supreme Court rules on the matter.

Demi and I both acknowledge that we did not raise our right hands to be used as pawns and activated against our communities. A federal court ruled that the National Guard deployment to Los Angeles in June violated the Posse Comitatus Act, so I feel comfortable disobeying a similar unlawful order to deploy to Chicago.

Many service members on active duty and in the National Guard have reached out to me privately to discuss their concerns with the increasing militarization of American cities. Trump’s use of ICE as an American Gestapo and the National Guard as his personal police force makes most Soldiers uncomfortable, even if they’re too afraid to say it.

Most National Guard units train to fight and win our nation’s wars. Only a few units are trained in law enforcement or crowd control, and none of them are trained to assist with ICE’s violent assaults on our communities.

Retribution will come, even more than it already has, for speaking out against the fascist regime in office. However, silence is not an option. I was trained to stand up for what I believe in and stand up for the American people, and I will continue to do so.

Trump is slowly normalizing the use of the US military in American cities, and we must stand up against this authoritarianism. Today, it’s Chicago and Portland. Tomorrow, it could be somewhere else.

We need to combat the constant onslaught of misinformation and stand up to Donald Trump. Crime is down. This is not about safety — it’s about control.

Like I’ve said before, fascism is here. How long it lasts depends on how we respond from here.

It’s time to take a stand.

Thanks for reading! Please check out my Linktree to follow me on other platforms.

Thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not represent the positions of the Department of War, the United States Army, or the Illinois Army National Guard.

Are you getting tired of this? I certainly am.

Are you tired of watching Donald Trump and Stephen Miller dismantle our country? Are you tired of watching the government trample on our rights, while prices continue to rise and wages don’t? Are you ready to do something about it?

A lot has happened since January 20, 2025. It feels like ages ago. Our regime has used their Project 2025 playbook to rapidly drive our country into an authoritarian state.

Congress does nothing. Republicans bow down to Donald Trump, while the Democrats sit silent (except for the occasional strongly worded letter). The Supreme Court enables him, as they continue to give our wannabe king unchecked power.

The erosion of American civil rights

We’re losing our rights. Speech is no longer free, especially with NSPM-7. They’ve officially criminalized dissent, by saying that anyone who speaks out against the government is Antifa, which they labeled a domestic terrorist organization. To clarify, Antifa (anti-fascism) is a movement and an ideology, not an organization.

The press is certainly no longer free. Our billionaire overlords care more about their shareholders and mergers than their own integrity. So much of what’s going on goes unreported.

Trump, Miller and J.D. Vance are coming after freedom of religion as well, because they believe in a white Christian nationalist ethnostate. That is their ideal vision of the future.

The regime also continues to erode due process. Masked ICE goons continue to rip our community members from the streets. They’ve detained US citizens and legal permanent residents, as well.

Instead of building a system with more pathways to citizenship, our government invested over $100 billion in their own Gestapo.

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Fascism Rising

This is what authoritarians do. Crime is not up in major American cities - it’s down. This isn’t about crime, though - this is a power grab.

Over the past few months, President Trump has slowly normalized the use of the military in American cities. He sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles, which was later found to be illegal. He continues to threaten cities like Portland and Chicago.

A few weeks ago, he suggested to a roomful of military generals and admirals that the US military could use cities like Chicago as a training ground. He told our top military leaders to prepare for a war against an enemy from within.

This is fascism, plain and simple.

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So, where do we go from here?

Martin Luther King Jr once said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” He also said, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”

Today, I’m calling on you to not be silent. You might’ve been on the sidelines until today, but now you are in the game. Now it’s time to make a few friends, join a few groups, and sign up for some email lists.

If you’re not helping struggling families in your communities, I need you to start, because we’re all in this together.

Talk to your friends and family who aren’t here today. It’s important to note how abnormal this moment is.

This is the fight of our lives. If we don’t start to work together, we will be stuck under the rule of a fascist state for years to come.

No Kings AND No Masters

It’s not just about fascism, however. We also need to fight oligarchy.

The system IS broken. It’s not just Donald Trump. The system isn’t working for working people. We need to stop giving tax breaks to billionaires and corporations and start making America affordable for the rest of us.

Right now, we’re the underdog. They think they’re going to win this. They want us to hate each other, so they can continue to rob us blind.

Let’s prove them wrong, together.

Thanks for reading! I will continue to post at least one article per week.

American fascism rises

The system is broken. It doesn’t work for working people. In order to distract Americans from this reality, President Donald Trump continues his authoritarian power grab. Instead of being mad at billionaires, oligarchy and kleptocracy, he wants us to hate our neighbors.

As a US Army and Illinois Army National Guard veteran, I’m absolutely disgusted and disheartened with the state of our nation. I’m not surprised, however, since I’ve been paying attention to the rising right-wing movements in America for many years. It still doesn’t make it easier to stomach our new reality, though.

Early warning signs of fascism include power and continuing nationalism, a disdain for human rights, and identification of enemies as a unifying cause. There’s also supremacy of the military, controlled mass media, rampant sexism, and obsession with national security, to name a few more.

Unfortunately, we’re not moving towards an authoritarian state, anymore. We’re here. How long it lasts depends on how we respond from here.

ICE violence continues to escalate

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue to increase violence against people in America, as they expand their operations. We’ve seen it across America - especially in Portland, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In Chicago, armed federal agents in military uniforms conducted an illegal and unprecedented raid on a South Shore apartment complex. They flew in on Blackhawk helicopters and rappelled down the side of a building before busting down doors.

They pulled men, women and children (including US citizens) from their apartments - some of them naked. Agents approached or entered nearly every apartment in the five-story building.

They dragged residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and threw them into U-Haul vans. They even zip tied children together.

Meanwhile, protestors have gathered outside an ICE detention center in Broadview, Illinois for over a month. Each week, ICE has escalated its violence against these peaceful protestors.

First, agents threw peaceful protestors to the ground. Then, they started to use pepper bullets, tear gas, and flash bang grenades against the crowd.

For months, Democratic lawmakers stated that local law enforcement will not assist ICE with their immigration enforcement operations. Last Friday, however, Illinois State Police officers were seen on video hitting protestors. They stood alongside camouflaged federal officers from local and federal agencies.

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Unlawful National Guard mobilizations

In June, President Donald Trump and the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, illegally deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles to stand in front of a few federal buildings and protect federal law enforcement officers, including ICE, which cost taxpayers $120 million dollars.

In the end, a federal judge ruled that this violated the Posse Comitatus Act, since federalized military forces are not allowed to participate in law enforcement activities, unless the President declares an insurrection.

Then, in August, Trump activated the D.C. National Guard under a false crime narrative. Shortly after, he threatened to deploy the military to the streets of Chicago.

A little over a week ago, Trump told Hegseth to deploy the military to “war ravaged Portland” and authorized “full force.” He also labeled “Antifa” as a terrorist organization and signed a directive called NSPM-7, which labeled common beliefs as indicators of terrorism.

Last Tuesday, Trump suggested to a room full of military generals and admirals that the US military could use cities like Chicago as a training ground. He told our top military leaders to prepare for a war against “an enemy from within.”

Then, on Saturday, Trump and Hegseth illegally activated 300 Illinois National Guard members to protect ICE, which also violates the Posse Comitatus Act.

After a federal judge blocked President Trump’s attempt to deploy 200 Oregon National Guard members to Portland, he ordered the California National Guard to deploy there. Later in the evening, Secretary Hegseth ordered Texas Governor Greg Abbott to deploy 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Chicago, Portland, and other US cities for up to 60 days.

This is what authoritarians do. Crime is not up in major American cities - it’s down. This isn’t about crime, though. This is a power grab. With every deployment, our federal government continues to normalize the use of US military forces in American cities.

Our President’s actions have dismantled established norms that limit the military’s role in domestic affairs. This is what it means to shift the Overton window. Things that once seemed unthinkable and radical now seem acceptable or even sensible, at least to a large percentage of the population.

Organizations like the ACLU and Brennan Center have warned that deploying the military against American civilians poses an intolerable threat to individual liberty and is dangerous for American democracy. Unfortunately, Trump wants to use the US military as his personal police force to target his political enemies and our immigrant communities.

All military service members must disobey unlawful orders, so I ask our military leaders to start there. Unfortunately, there is a lot of grey area, since the question of legality is always determined after the fact. Federalized military forces must not engage in law enforcement activities, and they must not use force against American civilians.

Luckily, the states of CaliroOregon and Illinois have already filed legal challenges against these illegal military deployments. However, Texas National Guard Soldiers are already in transit to the streets of Chicago.

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Where do we go from here?

It’s important to note how abnormal our current situation is. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell anyone who will listen. This is not normal and we cannot allow the presence of ICE and the National Guard in our cities to become the new normal.

Our immigration system IS broken. However, the problem is not “crime.” It’s an administrative problem - a paperwork problem.

We need to stop talking about “crime” and start talking about how to fix our flawed process. There is honor in immigration and we need to increase pathways to US citizenship.

Undocumented immigrants commit far less crimes than US-born citizens. Recent studies show that 72% of undocumented immigrants detained by ICE possess no criminal record. Many who do have convictions only have minor ones, like a traffic violation.

I’ve spoken with many people who have been trying to immigrate through legal means for over thirty years. Rather than fixing the problems with our current immigration system, our tax dollars continue to fund attacks on our immigrant communities.

It’s past time to create more pathways to citizenship and stop demonizing our fellow humans. Furthermore, the increased militarization of American cities must end.

We must increase our peaceful protesting efforts across the country to make it known that we do not want or need ICE or the National Guard in our communities. These federal funds should be used to ensure people’s basic needs are met.

I’m building a movement, and I want you to join me. It will take all of us to change the system.

Alone, we can feel helpless. The world is incredibly overwhelming right now, especially in America. Grocery prices continue to rise, while wages do not. The cost of housing continues to skyrocket, while our politicians do nothing to stop it.

Many of us who lose a job struggle to find a new one. For many others, one job is not enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. Over 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and that number continues to rise.

Unfortunately, both political parties in America sold out the worker for the billionaire. Top donors to both parties include the finance, insurance and real estate industries.

We live in a country where health insurance companies brag to investors about the number of claims they rejected, while our for-profit prison system prioritizes lining the pockets of politicians over real reform and reintegration into society.

For those who don’t know me, my name is Dylan Blaha and I’m an activist, former cancer research scientist, and pro-peace US Army veteran running for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. I’m running for Congress, and building this movement, because I believe we can change the status quo in our country.

As I’ve outlined above, the current system is broken - it doesn’t work for working people. Our leaders in Washington fail to represent us. Even worse, our current campaign finance system is so corrupt that billionaires, corporations and super PACs literally buy our elections.

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The America we’re fighting for

I believe in an America where our leaders prioritize workers over billionaires and people over profits. It will take a Democratic Reformation to get there.

What is the America I’m fighting for?

Well, in this America, people work jobs with living wages and guaranteed vacation and family leave. In fact, worker and union rights are so strong that people feel safe and secure in their jobs.

In this America, people don’t go into massive debt because of an emergency room visit. Buying groceries for your family isn’t even stressful. Oh, and student loans? Those are a thing of the past.

Rather than starting wars and enabling apartheid and genocide around the world, America is a leader in peace, diplomacy and humanitarian aid. Rather than contributing to climate change and attacking science, we invest in clean energy and scientific research.

We invest in our children’s future by sending them to great schools with free school lunches. Many of us drive less, because public transportation is fast, convenient, and affordable.

We don’t villainize people for being different, and we cherish the uniqueness of every individual. We welcome people from across the world who want to be a part of our nation by offering streamlined pathways to citizenship.

We continually reform and improve our criminal justice system and break down the barriers of systemic racism and oppression in our society. We know that crime goes down when people’s basic needs are met, so we focus on how to invest in and economically improve our communities.

In our future America, we have real freedom, equality, opportunity and democracy for all people on American soil, regardless of who they are and what they believe in.

This is the America I’m fighting for.

It only feels like a dream because we’re not there yet. Together, I believe we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Together, I know we can change the world.

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Join our community

Thank you for reading the first article in my new Substack, Democratic Reformation! Moving forward, I plan to post at least one article per week. I encourage you to become a subscriber to join our movement!