Sci-Fi in the Age of Trump

 

The Star Wars spinoff Andor arrived on streaming platforms in 2022, during the interregnum between Trump 1.0 and Trump 2.0. Andor is considered the best show of all the junior Star Wars. Some say it's better than the original movies.

I doubt the writers of Andor season 1 had Trump in mind as a model for Emperor Palpatine -- since we had not seen Jethro's full blossoming as a would-be dictator by the end of his first term -- nevertheless the political philosophy the rebel character Karis Nemik expresses about tyranny seems more than apt. It looks prophetic. Prophetically hopeful for prevailing against the odds (though Nemik did not survive the payroll heist on Aldhani).

Nemik’s manifesto:

There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this: Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction.

Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they’ve already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

And then remember this: The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear.

 

Whatever Happened To This Guy?

 

Former NC-11 Congressman Madison Cawthorn now lives in Florida. He achieved his personal best in defying the law on September 25 when he got himself arrested for failure to show up in court to face 2024 charges of driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Just incidentally, he had already announced that he will be running for the open US House seat in Florida being vacated by Byron Donalds, who's running for governor. It's a safe Republican district (natch!) but already has a crowded Republican primary field including candidates with no arrest record.

And Reese Gorman just reported in The Assembly that Cawthorn has become persona non grata even in the Trump White House:

Once a MAGA poster child, Cawthorn is attempting a political comeback, but he shouldn’t expect any help from those in President Donald Trump’s orbit.

“No way,” one source close to Trump told NOTUS when asked whether Cawthorn would get the backing of the president and his circle.

Well, guess there's not always an Act 2 in politics. 

 

Chapel Hill Professor Reinstated

 

Last Wednesday, I wrote about a Chapel Hill professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies getting himself placed on administrative leave for supposed Antifa-adjacent advocacy of political violence against the Trump oppression.

Prof. Dwayne Dixon has been reinstated. From NC Newsline:

The reinstatement comes after the ACLU of North Carolina, representing Dixon, threatened legal action over the university’s decision to place him on leave, writing in an Oct. 2 demand letter that it was a “textbook violation of the First Amendment.” They issued a deadline of 5 p.m. Friday before legal action would follow....

Dean Stoyer, UNC’s vice chancellor for communications and marketing, said ... “We have found no basis to conclude that Dwayne Dixon poses a threat to University students, staff, and faculty, or has engaged in conduct that violates University policy. As a result, the University is reinstating Professor Dixon to his faculty responsibilities, effective immediately.”

 

Wormwood*

 

We get why Dallas Woodhouse has been installed as the czar of "election integrity," and you should understand it too, because it means nothing good for the opposition to the Raleigh junta. Woodhouse's projected role is spelled out in this chilling sentence contained in the 3rd paragraph of Auditor Dave Boliek's memo to members of county boards of election:

As we have many new chairs, Mr. Woodhouse will soon coordinate a series of training events to assist you in your new role.

(The full text of Boliek's memo has not been readily available. Parts of it have been widely quoted, though not that sentence, and I couldn't find the full memo anywhere on the state Auditor's website. Anderson Alerts published the full text, which I'm indebted to here.)

What will a Dallas Woodhouse "training" of new BOE chairs look like? Keep in mind that those newly appointed and highly partisan Republican chairs are new because Phil Berger and his pals in the General Assembly were desperate to take over the administration of voting in this state, which they did by completely changing the law to take appointment power away from the governor, giving it instead to the newly elected state Auditor Dave Boliek.

I can forecast the not-so-subtle marching orders in those Woodhouse trainings: "You're Republicans, and you've been put in charge of early voting and everything else related to ballot access for a reason. We expect you to be loyal Republicans. We expect you to do what you can to limit the access of people who'll likely vote against us. Do you understand me?" 

Woodhouse must be salivating at the opportunity.

If the current State Board of Elections with its 3-2 Republican majority allows these Woodhouse trainings to go forward, then they are as craven cowards as the US Congress. No one should be in charge of that training other than the board members and their legal counsel. I'm looking squarely at you, Four Eggers. Do something!

Those Woodhouse trainings had better by GAWD be advertised and open to the public, not to mention the press.

*In the Bible, wormwood refers to the bitter Artemisia plant, symbolizing extreme bitterness, poison, sorrow, and suffering. It is used to depict God's judgment and warnings of divine wrath against sin and injustice, as seen in the Old Testament prophecies of Jeremiah and Amos, and in the New Testament Book of Revelations. In Revelations, a star called Wormwood falls, turning waters bitter and poisonous, illustrating widespread calamity and death.

Apparently, Dallas Woodhouse Gives Stacy "Four" Eggers the Heebie-Jeebies

 

Woodhouse

I asked the question recently: How does State Board of Elections (SBOE) member Four Eggers feel about the appointment of Dallas Woodhouse as the "election integrity czar," seemingly above and over the heads of the duly designated SBOE board.

I believe we got at least a partial answer in the heated yelling match that broke out during a discussion of Woodhouse's appointment at a SBOE meeting last Tuesday. (I tried to tune in via WebEx, but problems with over-talking and the sound system made listening not only a challenge but a sheer pain. So I have to go with what's reported by Lynn Bonner on NCNewsline.)

After Democratic member Siobhan Millen began the discussion of Woodhouse's appointment -- “It’s difficult to imagine a person who would be less suited to bringing election integrity…” -- SBOE Chair Francis DeLuca "began to shout over Millen as she criticized Woodhouse’s hiring."

Once the shouting died down, Eggers spoke and appeared to side with the two Democrats, though gingerly, like a cowboy trying to gentle a wild horse: “Our county board members should take direction from this board,” Eggers said. "It’s clear that the board retains legal, technical, and supervisory oversight over elections."

But maybe, Eggers added, "Woodhouse might be helpful in securing funding from the legislature."

Hahahahaha

Oh, Woodhouse is going to be useful all right, but not for more funding.

What Did Whatley-the-Feckless NOT Do?

 

Hurricane Recovery Czar Michael Whatley

Trump designated former NC GOP Chair Michael Whatley as Hurricane Helene "recovery czar" back on January 24th, when Trump was in Western North Carolina trying to act like he cared about the devastation from the flooding while also suggesting that we just get rid of FEMA. Whatley is now running for Thom Tillis's Senate seat. He has been noticeably absent -- not to mention totally feckless -- in any management or coordination of hurricane relief. To date only $5 billion in Federal aid has arrived to recover some of the $60 billion in damage to roads and bridges, businesses, and private residences.

Cory Vaillancourt reports that Whatley essentially sneaked into Western North Carolina on Sept. 22 at a closed-door FEMA Review Council meeting in Fletcher, where a leaked agenda listed him as a subcommittee co-chair and former National GOP chair — "not as the recovery czar Trump tapped to head up widely-panned recovery efforts."

Vaillancourt reports that the FEMA review council meeting in Fletcher was not open to the press or the public, and The Smoky Mountain News received no notice of Whatley’s visit. Whatley "seems to be backing away from responsibility as he ramps up his Senate campaign against former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper."

The frustration with Whatley is evident in a petition circulated by WNC residents demanding Whatley’s removal from the FEMA Review Council.

The petition says, “We need a fresh set of eyes to galvanize the recovery and the flow of funding. Whatley’s absence and lack of accountability have become an obstacle rather than a solution.” ...

Whatley’s visit to Fletcher seemed carefully calibrated to minimize political exposure. No public town halls were scheduled, and requests for comment by Smoky Mountain News have gone unanswered for weeks.

The leaked agenda that identified Whatley only as a former party chair reflects his shifting political priorities. As recovery czar, he has not been the face of the recovery, nor has he taken ownership of the slow pace of reimbursements. As a Senate candidate, however, he has every incentive to avoid being tied to unmet promises.

 

What Would Be the Remedy for Sen. Hise's Unconstitutional Gerrymander of Watauga?

 

If you're wondering what sort of earthquake it'll be if the Watauga Voting Rights Taskforce wins the lawsuit outlined in the last post below (an admittedly huge if, given the effects of Trump's brow-beating of the Federal judiciary), here is the bottomline (and the last two pages of the suit):

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs respectfully request that this Court:

1. Award preliminary and permanent injunctive relief enjoining Defendants and their agents, officers, and employees from enforcing, implementing, or giving any effect to the reapportionment plans described in Senate Bill 759, Sec. 1 and Senate Bill 912, Sec. 1 in their entirety;

2. Award preliminary and permanent injunctive relief enjoining Defendants and their agents, officers, and employees from enforcing, implementing, or giving any effect to the referendum ban described in Senate Bill 912, Sec. 2 in its entirety;

3. Declare that the reapportionment plans described in Senate Bill 759, Sec. 1 and Senate Bill 912, Sec. 1 are unconstitutional because each violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments;

4. Declare that Senate Bill 912, Sec. 2 is unconstitutional because it violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments;

5. Restore, for purposes of holding elections for the Watauga County Commission , the reapportionment plans approved by Watauga County voters in 2024;

6. Make all further orders as are just, necessary, and proper to preserve Citizen Plaintiffs’ rights to participate equally in elections for the Watauga County Commission and School Board and to be equally represented by members of the County Commission and School Board;

7. Award Plaintiffs their costs, disbursement, and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in bringing this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988;

8. Tax the costs of this action against Defendants; and

9. Grant such other or further relief the Court deems appropriate.

Watauga County Voting Rights Taskforce (et al.) Challenges Sen. Hise's Unconstitutional Gerrymander of Watauga

 

Brandon Kingdollar, reporting for NC Newsline:

Sen. Ralph Hise

A federal lawsuit brought by voters Wednesday [Oct. 1, 2025] accuses the North Carolina legislature of forcing unconstitutional voting maps on Watauga County to help more Republican candidates win local elections.

The challenge, filed in the Western District of North Carolina by seven Watauga County voters and joined by voting rights advocacy groups, argues that Senate Bill 759, passed in 2023, imposes “unconstitutional, malapportioned electoral districts with large population deviations,” violating the legal principle of one person, one vote.

“The Plan dilutes the votes of Democratic voters by systematically overpopulating the districts in which Democrats have the opportunity to elect their candidates of choice and systematically underpopulating the districts in which Republicans have the opportunity to elect their candidates of choice,” the complaint states.

Watauga Board of Elections Director Matthew Snyder declined to comment on pending litigation. A spokesperson for Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit names the Watauga County Board of Elections and its members as defendants. Advocacy organizations Common Cause North Carolina and the Watauga County Voting Rights Task Force are also plaintiffs in the suit.

Under the previous election system, county commissioners were elected to five residential districts — meaning candidates must live in the district they represent, but the county’s residents vote in all five elections — yielding three Democratic commissioners and two Republicans.

After the new map, made up of electoral districts — where only residents of the district vote on that district’s commissioner — the board is made up of five Republicans. Two districts encompassing most of Boone will not elect commissioners until 2026 under S.B. 759, leaving the majority of the town’s residents with no representation, according to the lawsuit.

Following the election, the three Republicans elected to the commission appointed two Republicans to the remaining vacancies, seats held by Republicans that were vacated to run in the new election.

While the initial law applied the districts only to the Watauga Board of Commissioners, a subsequent bill passed in 2024, Senate Bill 912, extended them to the Watauga Board of Education. The lawsuit also challenges that piece of legislation.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in a 2019 ruling on North Carolina maps that “partisan gerrymandering claims present political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts.” The North Carolina Supreme Court also views such claims as “nonjusticiable under the North Carolina Constitution,” upholding Republican-leaning maps in 2023.

The Watauga complaint centers its legal claims on nonpartisan classes of voters instead, including location and perceived duration of residence. The complaint alleges that Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) sought to dilute the votes of urban students to boost the voting power of rural residents of the county. 

Hise, a Republican whose district includes Watauga, was the lone sponsor of both bills. He said on the state Senate floor in 2023 that he was motivated to counteract “the predominance of [Appalachian State University] and others in the electoral process.” The complaint quotes him pointing to “a longtime standing conflict between the influence of the university and others within the county.”

These remarks, the plaintiffs argue, are an admission of two unconstitutional criteria for the maps: geographic favoritism and discrimination against perceived temporary residents.

Hise did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[The Fate of Last Year's Local Referendum]

When the Watauga Board of Commissioners voted to hold a local referendum proposing new maps without those discrepancies, the General Assembly added to S.B. 912 a provision barring any referendum enacted by Watauga County voters impacting the county commission from taking effect until after the 2032 elections.

Despite the referendum’s passage by a 71% to 29% margin in 2024, it will not take effect for nearly a decade. This violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection, the complaint alleges.

“The voters of Watauga County will be stuck with unconstitutional districts for their County Commission and Board of Education, unless this Court intervenes,” the lawsuit states. “Fundamentally, the people of Watauga County have no choice but to petition this Court for urgently needed relief from Defendants’ ongoing violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.”

The individual plaintiffs include six Democratic voters and one unaffiliated voter. Three are former members of the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, including Larry Turnbow and Charlie Wallin, who served as chair and vice-chair prior to the 2024 election.

“Watauga County residents voted to adopt fair districts while rejecting the gerrymandered maps imposed on us by the legislature,” said Ray Russell, the other former commissioner joining the lawsuit. “We’re filing this lawsuit to protect our mountain community against the unconstitutional overreach by politicians in Raleigh.”

The Enemy Within

The people most in charge of the military -- Trump and Hegseth -- laid out their long-range plans yesterday in front of hundreds of military brass. You can connect the dots, right? 

"We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military National Guard," said Trump, who claimed "We're under invasion from within .... Last month, I signed an executive order to provide training for a quick reaction force that can help quell civil disturbances. This is gonna be a big thing for the people in this room, because it's the enemy from within and we have to handle it before it gets out of control. It won't get out of control."

Hegseth called for troops to ignore “stupid rules of engagement ....We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy. We also don’t fight with stupid rules of engagement. We untie the hands of our war fighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement.”

I believe any fair interpretation of Hegseth's words, following Trump's lead, means they're okay with war crimes, and the people worthy of demoralizing violence are Trump's political opponents. They're pretty explicit that we'll soon (?) be seeing beat-downs of peaceful American citizen protesters. And who knows what other trumpian bullying will come for the accredited reporters and social media influencers who continue to document Trump's lawless, corrupt presidency.

Mr. President, I'm your enemy, shure nuff. And I'm within. What are you gonna do about it?

I'm not forgetting the cowed institutions which preemptively punish free speech. They seem to fear the wrath of Trump and intend to please him. An example just this week at UNC-Chapel Hill, which acted unilaterally based on pure speculation, rumor, and unverified accusations and placed on "administrative leave" (often the first step toward firing) a professor of Asian and Middle Eastern studies, Dwayne Dixon:

The move to place Dixon on leave came after Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet posted a photo on X of a flyer at Georgetown that read: “Hey, fascist! Catch!” The same phrase was printed on a bullet recovered by police after the fatal shooting of Turning Point founder and conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last month. 

The flyer, according to Kolvet’s post, included a QR code linked to “the John Brown Club” and also read: “The only political group that celebrates when Nazis die.” ... It’s unclear whether Dixon had ever been a member of a John Brown Gun Club.

On Saturday, Fox News reported that Dixon is a member of Redneck Revolt, a group founded in 2016 that describes itself as “an aboveground militant formation” that “stands for organized defense of our communities.” The group is against white supremacy, capitalism and patriarchy, according to its principles.

Dixon ... told The Daily Tar Heel that he has not been a member of Redneck Revolt since 2018. The organization itself disbanded in 2019, according to a pop-up message displayed on its website Wednesday. And there does not appear to be any evidence Dixon was involved with an incident at Georgetown University — hundreds of miles from Chapel Hill — that spurred concerns over the group among conservative activists and media.

The North Carolina chapter of the American Association of University Professors on Wednesday criticized UNC’s actions against Dixon, writing in a statement: “Right-wing activists are attacking Dixon for prior membership in a group that has been inactive since 2019, and are baselessly connecting him to flyers allegedly posted by a different group on a different campus outside of North Carolina.”