Civil war is coming, and it will take the form of mass civil unrest, rioting, and domestic terrorism. People will die, but it won’t be 2 armies lining up and trading fire and trying to hold territory.
Alstein
3743
When people feel they have nothing to lose, they will be willing to hurt others because they no fear of hurting themselves. This is how the last progressive era started a century ago.
Always happy to pull out one of my favorite bits from Altered Carbon.
At the end of the day, if there are enough assholes to vote to keep Trumpism in power, then the U.S. is a country of assholes and there is nothing to be done. All Democrats can do is work their voters and put up the best candidates they can. ‘Trying not to motivate the GOP base’ is a loser’s game and ultimately not worth an iota of thought.
I wish I could share the optimism of those who say that there will be some great uprising to stop the rush towards authoritarianism but my fear is that, like European Democracies that have descended to authoritarianism, we will be swept along by the tide of events and watch on in horror with growing despair and cynicism. The best we can do is vote and if they rig the system to nullify the effectiveness of our votes, I don’t see average citizens rising up to drag them to the guillotines.
It’s weird (read: enraging) to me that Republicans always get the benefit of the doubt. They are the party of extremists, they are the ones perverting norms and democracy and the rule of law, yet every time, every time without fail they benefit. I have not heard once from the media about Whelan, or what these same Republicans now crying that BK is a victim said about Franken. Republicans are fiscal conservatives, Republicans care about family values, Republicans care about law and order. Every one, every single one is manifestly not true yet the mythicizing continues unchallenged. And now, now every time trump does something all that is said is “this is good for his base.” That’s it, that’s the beginning and the end:
This is good for his base.
Democrats may as well not exist.
Or as my SO so adroitly offered the other day: Democrats get treated like women.
CraigM
3748
Damn. Your SO, sadly, nailed it.
Ex-SWoo
3749
I think it comes down to there being so many single-issue voters on the Republican side while it seems like the Democrat base is split over ~20 issues that politicians are expected to navigate on a tightrope
Don’t say that. There’s a sure-fire way to gather the “people” behind an authoritarian, and that’s to start a war somewhere.
I said in 2016 that the US would go to war in either Iran or North Korea before Trump’s term ends, and I’ve yet to see anything to change my mind about that. The Republican establishment and Trump have surely taken its lessons from Bush Jr - a nice war allows you to shout down all your critics as unpatriotic, tends to boost the sitting President (at least in the short term), and is a fantastic opportunity for graft and corruption. All they need is a good excuse, and I’d be surprised if they won’t find one. Currently the missiles are pointing at Iran.
Timex
3751
The Democrats should all agree on a single issue.
And that issue needs to be, “the destruction of the Republican party.”
This. Root and fucking branch.
Add another to the pile of brainwashed people otherwise known as “Republican Senators.”
Fuck them all forevermore
Wait, Masterpiece was a decision that upheld the equality and dignity of gays and lesbians?
What a bunch of hysterical hypocrites. Against this backdrop. Whatever.
newbrof
3759
anybody watching live the Senate?
I value my tv, so no.
Just getting enraged with every Daniel Dale tweet.
Good god, do they really believe what they are saying? I guess it doesn’t matter when the only people that count now are Republican voters.
