Listen

To this story on our podcast

Watch

Fascism expert calls out Trump's violent ICE crackdown

Get Involved

Engaged citizens strengthen democracy

One of the founding tenets of The Philadelphia Citizen is to get people the resources they need to become better, more engaged citizens of their city.

We hope to do that in our Good Citizenship Toolkit, which includes a host of ways to get involved in Philadelphia — whether you want to contact your City Councilmember about the challenges facing your community, get those experiencing homelessness the goods they need, or simply go out to dinner somewhere where you know your money is going toward a greater good.

Find an issue that’s important to you in the list below, and get started on your journey of A-plus citizenship.

Vote and strengthen democracy

Stand up for marginalized communities

Create a cleaner, greener Philadelphia

Help our local youth and schools succeed

Support local businesses

Listen

Ali Velshi Reminds Us a President Who Isn’t Accountable Isn’t a Real President

The MS NOW host and Citizen board member is joined by professor Jason Stanley to outline how Trump is stripping government accountability to advance his "fascist" agenda

Listen

Ali Velshi Reminds Us a President Who Isn’t Accountable Isn’t a Real President

The MS NOW host and Citizen board member is joined by professor Jason Stanley to outline how Trump is stripping government accountability to advance his "fascist" agenda

BY Ali Velshi

Jul. 27, 2026

Print

The cost of gas and groceries is higher than many can afford. The Iran War grinds on and is roiling markets around the world. New tariffs have been enacted against our trading partners and more are threatened. On the very issues voters say matter most, Ali Velshi observes, President Trump doesn’t care about accountability.

A president who governs against the will of the people he serves doesn’t isn’t really accountable to them. And if he isn’t accountable, he’s not really a president in the way we understand the office.

ICE’s budget has quadrupled and the agency has doubled in size. ICE agents are armed, often masked, and driving around in unmarked vehicles terrorizing immigrant communities and killing unarmed people. And they answer only to Trump. This is a textbook example of a private police force “acting with total impunity.”

The presence of this force is meant to unsettle all Americans.  This administration is working to strip our government of accountability.

This week, Velshi welcomes University of Toronto professor and fascism expert Jason Stanley, who calls Trump “a would-be fascist dictator” who is “acting with total impunity.” More alarming are the parallels Stanley makes with Germany in the 1930s. What we have, that they did not, is the benefit of knowing how history played out.

LISTEN: VELSHI AND STANLEY MAKE COMPARISONS TO 1930s GERMANY

 

WATCH: TRUMP’S PLANS FOR A FASCIST TAKEOVER

 

MORE FROM MS NOW’S ALI VELSHI

Related from The Citizen
Listen: Escalating Fight For Voting Rights Ahead of The Midterms
By Ali Velshi
Related from The Citizen
Listen: Ali Velshi On Journalism, Citizenship, And Prime Time
By Ali Velshi
Related from The Citizen
Listen: Ali Velshi On The Real Reason Utility Prices Are Rising
By Ali Velshi
Related from The Citizen
Listen: Ali Velshi on The Hawaiian Bill Fighting Citizens United
By Ali Velshi
Host Ali Velshi and Jason Stanley discuss the Trump Administration's refusal to be held accountable to the people.

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility.

Photo and video disclaimer for attending Citizen events

By entering an event or program of The Philadelphia Citizen, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with The Philadelphia Citizen and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.