Moves That Matter: Halloween Edition
What could be scarier than the total collapse of freedom and democracy?
Keeping track of everything is… exhausting. So this weekly roundup will highlight the moves that matter (hence the name!).
It’s Halloween, and what could be scarier than the total collapse of freedom and democracy? While the world’s strongmen were tightening their grip, The Next Move was busy pulling back the mask and exposing the real horror behind the headlines.
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A Knock At The Door
When most Americans get a knock at their front doors, it’s the neighborhood kids asking for Halloween candy. But three years ago, a hitman sent by the Iranian regime showed up at the home of Renew Democracy Initiative Frontline Fellow Masih Alinejad, and he wasn’t looking for a Twix bar. On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced two Russian mobsters to 25 years for their role in that plot. Masih survived, and she doesn’t scare easy.
A Foreign Plot. A Test of American Freedom.
Masih and RDI CEO Uriel Epshtein reveal how an foreign assasination attempt is a test on our collective First Amendment freedoms—and call for unity around America’s core promise of liberty. They know the alternative to American freedom—because they experienced it.
Dictators Don’t Trick-Or-Treat Alone
This Halloween, the most chilling story isn’t one of ghosts—it’s the growing alignment of powers bent on destroying global freedom.
October 7 Exposed an Authoritarian Axis
The world’s authoritarian powers don’t trick or treat alone—they’re terrorizing the world in a coordinated axis. From Tehran to Moscow to Beijing, the October 7 attacks exposed a transnational network that thrives on chaos. The West’s next move? Cohesive strategy and deliberate action.
Take Off the Mask
Masks are for Halloween, not government agents. RDI Chairman Garry Kasparov reflects on his experience in Russia to explain how a law enforcement agency became an unaccountable private militia.
Authoritarians Love a Private Militia
Putin has Rosgvardia. Trump has ICE. Garry Kasparov pulls back the mask to reveal how ICE became an instrument of Trump’s bidding. Like Putin’s Rosgvardia.
Moves That Matter… Less
There’s no question that we’re seeing leaders flooding the zone—dominating headlines with noise to distract you from seeing the moves that mattered.
Each week, we’ll cut through the noise and raise a flag when something looks like a red herring: the cheap moves, shiny side quests, and headline-grabbers that keep you from seeing the whole board.
White House East Wing destruction
This week’s Move That Matters Less was the demolition of the White House East Wing.
It’s certainly been a headline grabber this week.
Understandable—The new ballroom is kind of ugly and the government soliciting private donations is… not great, but in the fight for democracy, which battles are worth our focus? Is this truly a move that matters compared with some of the more life-and-death issues highlighted above?
You tell us!
Let us know your thoughts and check back next week to see what The Next Move community is saying. And tell us in the comments what moves you think matter the most!
Last week we asked readers to sum up their views of the No King protests.
The results are in… 🥁
You’re probably not surprised that many people see the No Kings protests as a powerful expression of democracy. Peaceful protest is integral to a free society, and those protests were big! But 10% skeptical is not nothing—and we should take stock of what kinds of what activism really move the needle, and what is more theater.
Until next week… happy Halloween!
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