I generally consider civil disobedience the LAST resort in a civil resistance campaign.
But, in South Korea, the FIRST thing citizens did when Martial Law was declared was to defy it, assemble, and go into the streets.
They did that IMMEDIATELY.
A cunning and patient autocrat will gradually "capture" the government by making incremental changes where it just makes sense for individuals to "go along to get along" because it is easier, safer, and allows them to deny the reality and indulge in the myth that it is "just a phase" or "the guardrails will protect us."
Timothy Snyder ("On Tyranny") told Nicole Wallace last night that he hated the term "guardrails." "Guardrails" implies a physical barrier that will stop a car.
He said there are no guardrails in that sense, only "signposts" (that is, traditions, norms, even laws) that will NOT protect democracy unless people put themselves at risk to DO THEIR DUTY.
Trump is neither cunninig nor patient and his display of naming the most unqualified (in competence AND character) to some of the most important and powerful cabinet positions seems to be helping Senate Republicans develop, belatedly, at least a bit of a spine.
DeSantis is a policy menace but at least has the basic competance to DO THE JOB of Secretary of Defense. Had he been Trump's initial choice, he'd have sailed right through. The same for other "second choice" cabinet candidates.
Maybe he wanted to see how far he could push Republican Senators and, at least with Matt Gaetz, now he knows.
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