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Hosts Ted Rall and Scott Stantis dive into a heated question: Is the United States veering toward fascism under Donald Trump’s influence? They analyze recent political trends—Trump’s tightening grip on power, weakened democratic institutions, and polarizing rhetoric—debating whether these signal an authoritarian shift. The conversation then takes a dramatic turn: If fascism is emerging, is it time to leave the U.S.? To ground the discussion, they highlight high-profile Americans who have already fled, linking their departures to Trump’s impact.
Yale philosophy professor Jason Stanley, a fascism expert, is leaving the U.S. for the University of Toronto in fall 2025, citing America’s authoritarian slide under Trump. Author of “How Fascism Works,” he points to threats like Columbia University’s compliance with Trump’s demands as evidence. Stanley, who compares the U.S. to pre-WWII Germany, wants to protect his family and continue his work from Canada, sparking talk of a U.S. intellectual exodus.
Former Gawker publisher Nick Denton also left, settling in Budapest and citing the U.S.’s authoritarian leanings as his motivation. Adding to the list, filmmaker Michael Moore relocated to Ireland, publicly stating that Trump’s policies and cultural influence made staying untenable. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s ex-partner, musician Grimes, departed for New Zealand, expressing unease with America’s political trajectory under Trump’s shadow. Even conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, despite his ideological differences, moved his family to Israel, hinting at discomfort with domestic unrest tied to Trump’s polarizing return.
With their dynamic interplay of perspectives, Rall and Stantis probe whether these notable exits reflect a broader crisis, challenging listeners to consider: Should I stay or should I go?
3 Comments. Leave new
Ever since I started watching the TMI Show, my wife has been threatening to move back to Italy. She doesn’t approve of Manila’s previous work for Sputnik. (She didn’t track down Ted’s many detours into Putinbot and, or the WSJ.)
Is there anything specific that Manila said? Or just generally?
A few points.
Firstly, the reality is that almost everyone simply cannot leave the country. Forget the economic realities of funding a departure. Where do you move to? Brazil, Norway, Moronika? What job are you going to do there? You DO have a job lined up, right? Some upper 1% of 1% of 1% of the population moves? Ellen Degeneres left too. But that’s because she’s about as welcome in Hollywood as an asbestos inhaler. So get in front of the pitchfork-wielding mob and pretend it’s a parade.
Then there’s the issue of citizenship. Left out of all the discussion surrounding U.S. immigration policy is the simple fact of comparing it to other countries’ policies. Look at Canada’s. Forget it. Unless you can successfully argue you are claiming sanctuary (cue Quasimodo), you will have one hell of a hard time getting in. (The computer science crowd used to have leverage, but now with AI, that window’s just about to slam shut on their keyboard-typing fingers.) You might GET into these other countries, but getting the paperwork to remain? Good luck.
Then there’s the language barrier. Yes, English is the lingua franca of a lot of the world, but, frankly, the Germans don’t need more people who can’t speak German. The Norwegians don’t need us either. And let’s not forget the even-harder cultural barrier. Look up how a German eats a boiled egg. Seriously. Tourists bringing revenue are tolerated. Some American who knows nothing of the culture, speaks the language with an accent, and who can’t find a job because, surprise, all workers in the First World are being replaced by AI and other forms of automation? Not so much.
Frankly, I think this is a big boogeyman that the left trots out every so often. Fascism? Look at Nixon. Look at Reagan. Look at (Bill) Clinton. Look at all the presidents. If not outright fascists, advancing a fascist agenda, they were perfectly willing to look the other way and let fascist policies go along find and dandy while they pretended to (hearthands) care.
Fascism is the police state pining you to the floor while a couple of goons feel up your kids while “frisking them.” It’s the cops ordering you to open you bag at the subway to “keep everyone safe.” It’s two political parties that are basically the same political party.
Fascism, Marge? You’re soaking in it.