David Troy

Baltimore, Toronto, Washington

Columnist and Investigative Journalist at Freelance

Publisher & Editor, America 2.0; tech pioneer; investor. Columnist, Washington Spectator. Speaker. Curator @TEDxMidAtlantic. @[email protected]

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Articles

Is this the New Face of MAGA?

3 days ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

Donald Trump has been put on notice: either get with the program, or face punishment from a younger generation of hardcore libertarian challengers — who also happen to be fully aligned with Vladimir Putin's policy agenda. That was the message, sent loud and clear, when Elon Musk called Trump's signature Big Beautiful Bill a “disgusting abomination” this week. Online, two names quickly became associated with Musk's rebuke: Senator Rand Paul and Rep.
Musk Isn't “Gone” - and Tech Fascism Is Running Rampant

5 days ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

A chorus of media voices sang in unison this week, repeating in call-and-response fashion the tale of “Elon Musk leaving government,” implying that he would now return to “focusing on his companies,” presumably between hits of ketamine and Adderall. The public is being led to believe that Musk's DOGE efforts were either “a failure” or of limited impact, and that Congress needs to codify budgetary changes that would make them permanent. Needle scratch — back up.
“Is Cory Booker for real?” - Why Democrats Should Think Twice Before Betting on the Senator From New Jersey

1 week ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

Frustrated Democrats experienced whiplash recently when Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) voted to confirm Charles Kushner, a longtime ally, as ambassador to France just eight weeks after a marathon 25 hour anti-Trump filibuster.
“Weaponization Czar” Ed Martin Threatens U.S. Security

2 weeks ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

After a failing to secure confirmation as U.S. Attorney, Missouri politician Ed Martin has been appointed as “weaponization czar” by President Trump and within the Department of Justice, serving under Attorney General Pam Bondi.
U.S. Credit Downgrade Rattles Markets in Run-up to Budget and Debt Standoff

2 weeks ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

Credit rating agency Moody's alarmed markets Friday with a of U.S. sovereign debt from a perfect “AAA” score “AA1.” The change will increase borrowing costs for the country's $36 trillion in debt, set to grow further under current budget proposals being debated by the House and Senate. Other ratings agencies made similar ratings downgrades in 2011 and 2023. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R - LA) is pushing for passage of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” by Memorial Day, or Monday, May 26th.
The Papacy and the Pathway Out

4 weeks ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

At this point there is no doubt as to whether we are having an authoritarian moment. We are — but we don't yet know how long it might last or how exactly we will exit from its grip. This week we glimpsed what may be the beginnings of a pathway out, with the historic election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV.
A Letter from the Future: Your Crisis is Metaphysical

1 month ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

ūüí°Editor's note: this creative fiction essay attempts to convey abstract ideas that may be unfamiliar to most readers. More than one reading is recommended. Take the time to look up references, as needed. This is a message from the future. My calendar says June 2031, though some on social media argue it is, in fact, October 2033, and have presented rather compelling evidence in support of their position.
'Convergence' Is Here - And We're Not Prepared

1 month ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

Every day we are warned about the dangers of impending Fascism, Nazism, authoritarianism, and autocracy — and with good reason. In the United States, our system of constitutional checks and balances has broken down quickly. Each day we awaken to dark new realities: people being disappeared illegally, defiance of court orders, citizens' rights being threatened, agencies being illegally dismantled. Trump and his allies are very obviously following the “fascist playbook” — and it's working.
America's Slide into Authoritarianism, as seen from TED 2025

1 month ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

Historians (if they exist in the future and any records of this period survive) will note this month as one where the United States slipped fully into authoritarianism. Incompetence, luck, and real leadership may yet intervene, but we have already crossed several “red lines” warned about by experts. At the TED conference this past week in Vancouver, British Columbia, about 1,700 multidisciplinary thinkers gathered to hear and discuss dozens of prepared talks.
Tariffs Expose Rifts in Fragile MAGA Coalition

2 months ago | america2.news | Dave Troy |David Troy

As the world continues to digest Donald Trump's haphazard announcement of wide-ranging tariffs that threaten to upend the global economy, reshape capital markets, and decimate individual retirement accounts, one vulnerability is becoming clear: the MAGA coalition is not united, and contains exploitable fault lines. Voices as diverse as Mike Pence and Elon Musk have expressed concerns about the tariffs, their scope, and their potential effects.