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hw's avatar

As Maddow said last night, "we are here". The US is no longer a democracy...2 of the 3 branches have been rendered impotent, and it's very likely that SCOTUS will be complicit in its own final neutering. The House could exercise its final power of the purse, but that remedy seems as unlikely as the heralded "inherent contempt" power. I have little faith that the media will change after 3+ years. It seems clear that they will continue to accommodate and whitewash the news to ensure their continued existence. The few exceptions will be obliterated in Trump's 2nd term. There haven't been mass resignations in any institution of government, no one on the Mueller team has been willing to expose what they know, pundits are busy writing books to exploit our national tragedy, and the public is largely a passive observer. My question is what happens next in an autocracy? Trump has another year to address his endless grievances, hollow institutions, fill judicial vacancies with extreme partisans, quash dissent, unleash unlimited propaganda. What else will he do? Trump hasn't even begun to exercise his virtually unlimited 'emergency powers'. Pelosi won't allow another government shutdown...how many compromises will she agree to in order to pass the horrific budget that Trump has proposed? What will Trump do in a 2nd term? Obliterate 'entitlements', align the US with other dictatorships, crush remaining bastions of the free press, and then what? Make Christianity the official religion of the US? Follow Putin's playbook and extort corporations and the 1% for their assets to build a massive fortune and reward his inner circle? There seems to be a lack of imagination as to how nightmarish this country will become, and a collective refusal to use even recent history as a guidepost.

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Ms.Katz's avatar

February 14th -- I just listened to your conversation with Michaelangelo Signorile, and I kept thinking out loud --- spot on! One other little thing that I find especially annoying about "journalism" today is the persistent use of speculative language in headlines, especially with reference to the Dem candidates or current issues around 45. I've really stopped reading any new article that contains words like might, could, may, should --- because that isn't news. It is opinion or speculation for the sake of attracting attention and usually brings very little to the conversation. However, if it is clearly an editorial or opinion piece, I will read it.

So thank you for the very informative conversation with Mr. Signoreli today -- it brought me to this page and I have subscribed.

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