The Post published a story on the Powerpoint with a title so innocuous that I almost skipped reading it, but by the time I got halfway through it, I wondered aloud at why its author wasn't behind bars. Yeah, I talk to myself while reading the news, mostly to spew obscenities.
It is becoming more obvious that there was a conspiracy involvi…
The Post published a story on the Powerpoint with a title so innocuous that I almost skipped reading it, but by the time I got halfway through it, I wondered aloud at why its author wasn't behind bars. Yeah, I talk to myself while reading the news, mostly to spew obscenities.
It is becoming more obvious that there was a conspiracy involving Trump, his closest acolytes and varied nefarious characters on the fringes, working in concert. I also think it's reasonable to believe Pence knows much more than he's been given credit for.
It's possible that the indifference shown by the press for this story comes from fear or even stupidity, where they just don't know what the rest of us see clearly. I have yet to see anyone delve deeply into the reasons why there is so much blind fealty to Donald Trump - what has he ever done for any of them? What is the end game? We voted him out but tens of millions of people bought the big lie that the crown was stolen from the mad king's head. What will they gain by their loyalty to this mediocre businessman who couldn't even make a profit from casinos and who spent his time on a silly TV show and by promoting phony wrestling matches?
My loss of trust in this country's resilience is nearly complete now, due in no small part to seeing a slow collapse of a free and dedicated news media. I'm afraid they'll become like the Egyptian media - we'll see not just one Tucker Carlson, but tens of him, all parroting the same pro-authoritarian message. But their current indifference is just as bad. Indifference is what usually causes evil to rise to power. Interesting how easily this Powerpoint story was overshadowed by the non-story of "Bidenflation."
The GOP are cowards. Trump has amassed a devoted cult following willing to use violence to attack his enemies and threaten those who do not toe the line. It’s a very real and scary threat, which is why like droves of election officials, including those in the GOP who can’t stomach it, are quitting their positions and seats. They helped create and feed this monster (him and his supporters), and now this is where we are.
It won't feel much different for most people at first, especially the millions who don't really pay attention to the news—and miss a lot of elections. The media will continue to write negative stories about the Dems; those who do any investigative reporting into the admin will be threatened by Trumpkin goons and pushed out by editors willing to go along to keep their jobs. Over time stories will become increasingly supportive of the WH and the admin, and will ignore or become even more sour on any opposition.
In addition, a GOP Congress will expand the SC—adding even more Federalist dreck—and this radical SCOTUS will accept challenges to Sullivan V. NYT and other cases that have enshrined press protections. The result will be the decimation of years of precedent. They will also expand Executive power even further. They have their sites set on hollowing out the commerce clause, which will make it difficult to create interstate laws and regulations protecting water, air, etc.
A GOP Congress will shut down any investigations into 1/6 or Trump and his cronies. It will pass voting "reform," which will codify state changes happening in TX, GA, etc into federal law, making it a lot harder for Indies and Dems to vote. Non GOP votes will be challenged and thrown out by local GOP election boards to ensure the GOP candidate wins. Watch the extreme states; their laws over Covid, public health measures like masking and contact tracing, public education, birth control and minority rights, gay marriage, immigration, etc will become the federal template. They will revoke natural born citizenship (it's been floated by Trump and the crazies), and finally repeal the ACA, replacing it with nothing. Infrastructure, environmental protections, worker's protections etc will be weakened, reversed, and where possible outlawed. Forget any kind of aid outside of red states in case of increasing natural disasters. Any member who disagrees will be threatened, censured, and stripped of any perks or privileges. The military will become a de facto praetorian guard, aided by private militias who will be encouraged to "keep the peace."
In addition, a GOP congress will begin Benghazi like investigations alongside DOJ "investigations" into the likes of Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, Biden, Obama, HRC, Letitia James, etc, and DOJ will start indicting. There will be mass resignations or firings across the govt and it will be positioned as "the president needs people he can trust."
That's just off the top of my head. Read or watch anything about the rise of fascism in the 1930s. Or read up on Hungary and Putin's Russia today.
The problem with your fellow Americans is that their strong belief in the greatness of your country despite its many flaws creates an inability for them to be curious about what's happening in other countries and how they may have policies which are much better than the good ol' U.S. of A.
That also goes for the inability of many Americans to see that there is an ongoing crisis of democracy. You're absolutely right that your fellow Americans should be reading about what happened in Europe, particularly Germany & Italy in 1930s or what's happening in Russia & Hungary.
I could also add the Philippines, my country and former American colony in the mix since nobody here thought we would have another dictator similar to the late Ferdinand Marcos. However, the election of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency proved all of us wrong. However, unlike his idol Marcos, the current president is a vulgar idiot like Trump whose only solution to the many problems is violence & more of the same. My country is currently gearing up for general elections next year. The scary part is that the son of dictator, who's an entitled spolied brat with a coke habit (sound familiar?) is the frontrunner in the presidential race.
The Post published a story on the Powerpoint with a title so innocuous that I almost skipped reading it, but by the time I got halfway through it, I wondered aloud at why its author wasn't behind bars. Yeah, I talk to myself while reading the news, mostly to spew obscenities.
It is becoming more obvious that there was a conspiracy involving Trump, his closest acolytes and varied nefarious characters on the fringes, working in concert. I also think it's reasonable to believe Pence knows much more than he's been given credit for.
It's possible that the indifference shown by the press for this story comes from fear or even stupidity, where they just don't know what the rest of us see clearly. I have yet to see anyone delve deeply into the reasons why there is so much blind fealty to Donald Trump - what has he ever done for any of them? What is the end game? We voted him out but tens of millions of people bought the big lie that the crown was stolen from the mad king's head. What will they gain by their loyalty to this mediocre businessman who couldn't even make a profit from casinos and who spent his time on a silly TV show and by promoting phony wrestling matches?
My loss of trust in this country's resilience is nearly complete now, due in no small part to seeing a slow collapse of a free and dedicated news media. I'm afraid they'll become like the Egyptian media - we'll see not just one Tucker Carlson, but tens of him, all parroting the same pro-authoritarian message. But their current indifference is just as bad. Indifference is what usually causes evil to rise to power. Interesting how easily this Powerpoint story was overshadowed by the non-story of "Bidenflation."
The GOP are cowards. Trump has amassed a devoted cult following willing to use violence to attack his enemies and threaten those who do not toe the line. It’s a very real and scary threat, which is why like droves of election officials, including those in the GOP who can’t stomach it, are quitting their positions and seats. They helped create and feed this monster (him and his supporters), and now this is where we are.
Hypothetically, what happens after/if the dog catches the car?
Nothing good.
It won't feel much different for most people at first, especially the millions who don't really pay attention to the news—and miss a lot of elections. The media will continue to write negative stories about the Dems; those who do any investigative reporting into the admin will be threatened by Trumpkin goons and pushed out by editors willing to go along to keep their jobs. Over time stories will become increasingly supportive of the WH and the admin, and will ignore or become even more sour on any opposition.
In addition, a GOP Congress will expand the SC—adding even more Federalist dreck—and this radical SCOTUS will accept challenges to Sullivan V. NYT and other cases that have enshrined press protections. The result will be the decimation of years of precedent. They will also expand Executive power even further. They have their sites set on hollowing out the commerce clause, which will make it difficult to create interstate laws and regulations protecting water, air, etc.
A GOP Congress will shut down any investigations into 1/6 or Trump and his cronies. It will pass voting "reform," which will codify state changes happening in TX, GA, etc into federal law, making it a lot harder for Indies and Dems to vote. Non GOP votes will be challenged and thrown out by local GOP election boards to ensure the GOP candidate wins. Watch the extreme states; their laws over Covid, public health measures like masking and contact tracing, public education, birth control and minority rights, gay marriage, immigration, etc will become the federal template. They will revoke natural born citizenship (it's been floated by Trump and the crazies), and finally repeal the ACA, replacing it with nothing. Infrastructure, environmental protections, worker's protections etc will be weakened, reversed, and where possible outlawed. Forget any kind of aid outside of red states in case of increasing natural disasters. Any member who disagrees will be threatened, censured, and stripped of any perks or privileges. The military will become a de facto praetorian guard, aided by private militias who will be encouraged to "keep the peace."
In addition, a GOP congress will begin Benghazi like investigations alongside DOJ "investigations" into the likes of Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, Biden, Obama, HRC, Letitia James, etc, and DOJ will start indicting. There will be mass resignations or firings across the govt and it will be positioned as "the president needs people he can trust."
That's just off the top of my head. Read or watch anything about the rise of fascism in the 1930s. Or read up on Hungary and Putin's Russia today.
The problem with your fellow Americans is that their strong belief in the greatness of your country despite its many flaws creates an inability for them to be curious about what's happening in other countries and how they may have policies which are much better than the good ol' U.S. of A.
That also goes for the inability of many Americans to see that there is an ongoing crisis of democracy. You're absolutely right that your fellow Americans should be reading about what happened in Europe, particularly Germany & Italy in 1930s or what's happening in Russia & Hungary.
I could also add the Philippines, my country and former American colony in the mix since nobody here thought we would have another dictator similar to the late Ferdinand Marcos. However, the election of Rodrigo Duterte to the presidency proved all of us wrong. However, unlike his idol Marcos, the current president is a vulgar idiot like Trump whose only solution to the many problems is violence & more of the same. My country is currently gearing up for general elections next year. The scary part is that the son of dictator, who's an entitled spolied brat with a coke habit (sound familiar?) is the frontrunner in the presidential race.