Out of the loop

Normalization. Everything the Trump admin has been doing is to normalize the concept for the next bigger thing. Boots on the ground in LA normalized it enough for boots on the ground in DC, which normalized the concept for Chicago, Memphis, and ramping up faster.

"They're eating your pets" normalized a stronger fear of immigrants, which allowed Trump to strengthen ICE, which normalized harsher ICE actions, which normalized ICE officer's anonymity using masks, which normalized random arrests, which normalized ICE raiding an entire apartment complex and arresting kids, etc.

"Drug boats" suggests cartels. Trump threatened to invade Mexico to "go after the cartels" and Mexico said fuck off. They pivot to an easier target, and set up Venezuela to be the target to "liberate" from cartels, which will normalize the US military entering and operating in foreign countries. Once normalized the US military will enter another country, etc.

Nothing happening right now would have worked 8 months ago, smaller steps had to become normalized first. 8 months from now, all this will seem tame.

That's the thing about fascism; Every day that goes by was the best day it could have been.