In 1972, the late folk singer-songwriter and Chicago native Steve Goodman recorded Lincoln Park Pirates about a notorious car-towing service in Chicago, often accused of breaking the law. In the song, the owner is not satisfied with dragging away automobiles but also wants to tow the boats in the city’s marinas and planes on local […]
What happens when the rules stop protecting those who follow them? In the latest episode of The Steady State Sentinel podcast, Immigration attorney Amy Peck and former FBI executive Lauren Anderson examine how unpredictable enforcement erodes trust, legitimacy, and the rule of law—and why the consequences extend far beyond immigration. Listen here or subscribe on […]
PHOTO CREDIT: US President Donald Trump posted this photo of Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima on Truth Social. Having removed Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela through military force, the United States is now the decisive external actor shaping Venezuela’s near-term political and economic trajectory. Much attention will focus on the legality of […]
An often-asked question since January 21, 2025, “Is America really in danger of slipping into authoritarianism?” On July 4, 2025, I wrote an essay outlining indicators of the slide toward an autocratic government, which was expanded upon in an August 8 essay. In October, it felt to me as if the authoritarianism we fear was […]
As the administration threatens criminal indictment of Federal Reserve Chairman Powell, here is a replay for those who might have this, originally published on The Steady State Substack, August 3, 2025. When President Donald Trump suggested he might fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over disagreements about interest rate policy, it wasn’t just a breach […]
Over the past several months, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security have become unusually active in communicating directly with the American public, particularly through social-media platforms. Much of this material shares a common aesthetic and rhetorical profile: a romanticized vision of a homogeneous American past, heavy reliance on martial symbolism, and language that frames […]
The Steady State Executive Director Steven Cash draws on decades of experience watching foreign democracies fail to highlight the existential risks the United States faces under President Donald Trump. Award-winning CIA operative James Lawler conducts this provocative discussion about encroaching dictatorship in the United States. Powered by WPeMatico
The Steady State Sentinel is produced by The Steady State, a community of former national security professionals who spent their careers safeguarding the United States at home and abroad. Today, we continue that mission by staying true to our oaths to defend the Constitution, uphold democracy, and protect national security. Each episode features expert hosts […]
Almost one year ago, one of the Trump Administration’s first actions on Inauguration Day was to suspend indefinitely the entry of all refugees under the US Refugee Admissions Program, a statutory body established by the 1980 Refugee Act. Refugees already approved for arrival, including Afghan allies, some of whom even had plane tickets and had […]