God is invoked as a last resort out of exasperation and not knowing what to do. It seems like we are allowing ourselves to head off a cliff because we MUST inaugurate this law breaking, power grabbing, ill-willed conman. We MUST approve his picks because he's the president and (as Tubereville says) he has to have his helpers. So we say "God help us"... even if we know God, if one exists, isn't going to help us. My mother was a fatalist. I know how she felt. And there are people who go around saying "it was meant to be" ie even if this is bad there is a lesson we have to learn. Some say this as if there is some overarching plan. This is religion ( and why we have it). No, folks the planet is winding down because people are too busy getting and spending, wasting energy, arguing, power seeking. Maybe the end of this experiment on Earth is God's plan. This is the Tower of Babel; we have lost the way to communicate to each other if we had it once ( now that we have more means!) and we (in aggregate) have lost a common sense of what is good and moral versus what is bad and evil, if we ever knew how to battle it.
The biblical tale about Noah tells of a flood to cleanse the Earth.
When we feel stuck, like now, not knowing what to do this kind of thinking arises and hands are thrown up... to God.
I was thinking of going back under the bed myself.
Another powerful statement is, "And citizens, regardless of how they voted, need now to check their attitudes. This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment."
Much appreciated, Professor Snyder. A new website, "lawyersagainstfascism.com," will be online this weekend. Hopefully we can pitch in, with you and lots of others, to help preserve American democracy.
Clear, blunt, harsh and well said. Many years of small steps has prepared MAGA to lower the curtain on democracy. The question is whether your insights and formulations will help Americans to develop a forceful opposition or whether it will take years of pain before citizens feel it in their gut and fight back.
Both. Some Americans, like me and Indivisible, are already working hard on developing a "forceful opposition," while the fools who voted for the turd will soon be feeling the pain of electing a nasty, narcissistic, cruel, incompetent fool to office. He's promised it on day 1 but he's already starting to try to dismantle the structure of government and the safety of citizens.
Ha ha! The official count was 20K on the call. I signed up and had a conflict, but just listened to it and it was practical and inspirational. They are a great resource and quoted Tim extensively:) Indivisible supports local gro
Ezra and Leah have worked tirelessly to organize ways to fight back. They are practical and hopeful, so I recommend that people who are discouraged watch the kickoff call. I was on that call, as were thousands of other concerned citizens. Join Indivisible! And while you're at it, get onto Bluesky. Get off twitter.
Yes, Philosopher. The call was practical and inspirational. 20K of the 50K who signed up attended. They encourage finding or starting a local group to organize around local priorities, talked generally about what blue, purple, and red areas can do. Senator Elizabeth Warren said a top priority for us is to pressure Democratic Senators to confirm judges for Courts of Appeals and District Courts. She pointed out that lots of cases get resolved there, and that these courts are/can be more balanced than SCOTUS. She also suggested we pressure Democratic Senators to confirm people in agencies that have “term of years,” where Trump can’t come in and fire them. Warren said there’s a list but I am fuzzy on that. Anyone else can jump in if you know.
Who is developing "a rhetoric of a better America"? [See Snyder's last paragraph.] I'm more interested in that than forceful opposition. The Far Left has done forceful opposition for decades and look at where it has gotten us.
Critical thinking skills are crucial in citizens of a democracy. I taught a lot of CT as a philosophy professor, and I saw what it meant to some students when they could fight back after bullies tried to squelch their ability to think. Determining which claims are false, and finding evidence to back up claims that are true, are necessary steps to being an informed citizen.
How many people actually voted to destroy the United States, to get rid of the Constitution? Is that a question that could be asked as a way to find some common ground? How many Senators, for instance, want to get rid of the Senate?
Agree about critical thinking skills and citizens of a democracy. Retired school librarian here, Mr. Philosopher. In my state, what were known as Teacher/Librarians [teaching credential AND librarian credential] were required to teach Information Literacy, which includes evaluating sources. It was my favorite subject. I know few adults who have this type of literacy.
You got me thinking, lin, and not just about gut feelings and brains, but also about bodies, including mine. This past year, working on electoral politics, I'll admit that I enjoyed the feeling of "making a difference," or having conversations that mattered, the hope of cause and effect. Now, in the process of recalibrating and trying to figure out how best to apply myself, I realize that good feelings about my own potential impact will be harder to come by and an unreliable measurement of the value of any action. Listening to the Indivisible call linked to elsewhere in this thread, I conclude that my balanced diet of activism needs to include a lot of just showing up for efforts that others have identified without having to put my own personal stamp on it. Aside from the benefit of larger numbers being more convincing to power and better protection against authoritarian backlash as yet to be seen to be believed.
"I conclude that my balanced diet of activism needs to include a lot of just showing up for efforts that others have identified without having to put my own personal stamp on it. "
ThankYou for your significant insight. Exactly. (I like to think of myself as a worker-bee.)
I've said that it is a mistake to treat voting as an individual exercise in personal expression. When it is actually a joint exercise in taking power. Through which we can bring our own lived experience to achieving our shared goals.
(This is what Republicans have done, while many on the Left have preferred purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers. And sitting on one's hands don't keep them clean.)
Right wing extremists did not swallow the GOP whole, they ate the elephant bite by bite before spitting it out in their own image - a Trump administration. It took decades.
In 2020 we were able to pull together. This year, considering circumstances, Kamala Harris was able to pull together a remarkable work force. We have so much to build on for good during these next two years. Every personal stance in solidarity - such as your insight - is how we can win.
I found this the most important part of this essay: "Both inside and outside Congress, there will have to be simple defiance, joined with a rhetoric of a better America." I think "forceful opposition" is just more of the same. A rhetoric of a better America is not. This is something we in the pro-democracy coalition need to do. Now.
There’s no reason for shock here. That Trump would attempt something like this was clear at least from January 6th on, if not well before. Those like Senator Susan Collins who refused to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment trial by suggesting that Trump had ‘learned his lesson’ are very much to blame for what’s happening now. They failed in their duty to the Constitution and the country as half of American voters have also done in re-electing Trump.
I’m very tired of all these excuses for Ms Harris’s loss. The first duty of any American citizen is to understand and to protect our Constitutional Republic from those who would break it for their own personal gain. Shirking that responsibility for the price of a dozen eggs (See Ann Telnaes’ cartoon in yesterday's Washington Post) shouldn’t be an option.
I suggest the Persian national epic, The Shahnameh or Persian Book of Kings (translation by Dick Davis.)
It tells of a king who wants to destroy a town, but his vizier says: If you destroy the town people will think ill of you. Instead appoint an ignorant loud mouth as governor and he will destroy it.
It also says: It was a bad time. The rich refused to pay taxes and only fought among themselves.
And relates: Suddenly a new beast appeared on the plains. It attacked the other beasts. Outwardly it was golden and shone like the Sun. But inside it was all corruption.
But I do not think the problem here is genius enemies. Republicans align themselves with our enemies because Republicans are already corrupt and see some advantage for themselves.
Oh the Persians play a long game. It is an astounding and beloved text. And one which exists in amazingly beautifully illustrated editions.
I was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art looking at some illustrated calligraphy sheets from this work. An elderly self identified Iranian man asked whether I knew what I was looking at and as we were speaking, tears came to his eyes that this work was enshrined in a Western museum and that someone such as myself knew something about it.
Tone down the rhetoric? How about Republicans tone down the hatefulness they are still spewing? Your body, my choice? That’s toning down the rhetoric? It seems to me that the Republican electorate is just as, if not more, hateful, and spiteful than ever. But, as ever, when called on it on it, someone blames Democrats. Toning down the rhetoric has to start with the Republicans.
Something constructive I'm going to do: Email every Republican senator with the warnings Prof. Snyder gives here. I will remind them the whole world is watching--including all our enemies (and frien-emies that wouldn't mind picking over the spoils of a destroyed America).
I saw a comment on Bluesky (which I highly recommend) by an older disabled citizen who was SO HAPPY to have an activity that s/he could do. Writing emails and calling Senators gave that voter a sense of efficacy and strength that was remarkable! I applaud that citizen for being so determined that even physical disability would not stand in the way of action for democracy!!
Thanks for reminding me; I have been so angry and in such despair today that I forgot that. I feel alone in my efforts to fight against the turd's attempts to destroy our democracy just because he's not satisfied with the amount of money ad power he has. So many voters are indifferent--and they will be until the chaos and pain begins to affect them.
Nice idea but I took it one step further. I sent a snail mail letter to every Republican senator after the school massacre in Texas in Uvalde. Not one responded.
Another suggestion call your senator & representative & tell them how disgusted you are with what's going on. It may not do much good but it will be on record so to speak.
We've been doing that. Anyone in Congress monitors constituents' responses because that's what gets them re-elected, so it does have some impact. Specifically demanding that your House Rep get the Ethics Committee report on Gaetz released is a good action, as is calling senators to demand that they not allow the Senate to go into recess after the inauguration (VOMIT) so that the turd can take over the Senate's Constitutionally-mandated role of advise and consent.
I don't understand. If it may not do much good, why do it? What will having it on record do? In fact, it might harm you to have it on a Republican record.
I disagree. Republicans want to not be reminded of their hatefulness, misogyny, and cult like behavior. Now that Trump will be in office, they want Democrats to fall in line and be good little kids. Screw them. I don’t disagree with you when you say to do constructive things. I just don’t think the two were related.
I was thinking about the Gaetz appointment. Besides everything we know about him don't you think he was selected to slap women in the face AGAIN? You know show the ladies whose boss by selecting a disgusting "jock" type personality to throw in our faces.
I don't remember a 'Thinking about...' that surprised and shocked me as Decapitation Strike. For those who paid attention to Trump's rally speeches and messages by other means knew his determination for revenge, his grievances, his enemies list, goal to bring down the US government, and the departments, which did not obey his wishes. Trump's most loyal advocates have also been known. The remainder of Decapitation Strike provided thoughtful advice.
Most of Trump’s appeal to the uneducated wS his promise to stick to someone anyone to continue to feed the anger he generated with mis and disinformation. If social media and other sources of information are allowed to lie with impunity under the current absurd definition of Free Speech democracy cannot survive.
This what I thought I replied this morning. Not sure how the corruption occurred.
Most of Trump’s appeal to the uneducated was his promise to stick it to someone, anyone to continue to feed the anger he generated with mis and disinformation. If social media and other sources of information are allowed to lie with impunity under the absurd current definition of free speech, democracy cannot survive. Preservation of democracy and the freedoms it provides demands responsibility and agreed upon facts.
Trump supporters who’ve had a steady diet of Fox news for the last 2 decades have been systematically brainwashed using Russian techniques developed by the now defunct KBG.
No, but I would say this: I have a financial advisor who cautions me to stick with where I have my IRA. We don't know what's going to happen, and there's no point in trying to outguess the morbidly rich about their next moves. If you have access to a financial advisor who is purely fee-based and who is a fiduciary--thus legally bound to give you advice that benefits YOU, not the advisor--I would ask that person. If not, maybe check with your local credit union, which is likely to have access to financial advice for its customers.
I am fortunate to have substantial savings, all invested. More than half of that is in my IRA. I asked my financial advisor if it made sense to move it into Money Market accounts to protect it. It still pays interest, but of course it wouldn’t earn nearly as much as it would in the market under normal circumstances. He thought that would be more risky, although he did not say why. The rest I don’t know what to do about. Selling it would be a huge tax hit. He also said that he hadn’t heard anything about what might be done to Social Security. If he hasn’t, he’s the only one. His reasoning was that no one would dare to hurt seniors, and that they were more likely to raise the retirement age. I’m 73 and can live the rest of my days without Social Security, or losing up to 40% of my savings, but not both. Trump and his cronies are trying to ruin all of us, of that I have no doubt. Would like to hear others’ thoughts.
I am not a financial advisor, but I have a good one who has invested my IRA in social and economic green and liberal causes. She has told me to stay the course. I don't think it makes sense to risk taking a huge hit by selling it all; ask your advisor TWF he means by "more risky." ASK HIM. Don't let him get away with bullshitting you!! And I do think that the House members, who would have to vote to cut or eliminate SS, know that they would never be re-elected if they did so, so CALL YOUR REP. MAKE HER/HIS LIFE MISERABLE BY CONSTANT CALLS TO SUPPORT SS. EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION. LOOK AT YOUR STOCKS AND ASK YOURSELF IF THEY REFLECT YOUR VALUES. If they reflect your true values, leave them there; if not, fix it. I do not believe that you will live without SS AND lose that much of your savings!! I'm 75 and in the same position, and I am staying firmly in support of my investments in what I believe in. Yes, the orange turd is trying to destroy every thing and every citizen he can, because that's what he does.
There is one thing we have to keep in mind. You talked about the representatives worrying about re-election. I'm not sure that will be relevant if trump just disbands the legislature & sends them home. I have little to no doubt that he will try that, the Senate is about to cave already.
Also, I heard Sen. Amy Klobuchar speak last night on MSNBC and so I know the Dems are already on high alert. There are some decent Repubs, as well, and if there is a critical mass it will be hard to force them to leave, or arrest them en masse.
That is on my mind. I know there are lots of excellent legal authorities working on what could happen, and I think there would be enough resistance and action that the turd would not be able to do that permanently. If Congress refuses to leave, what can he do--send in all the National Guard? Think they would arrest and detain all of Congress? I don't.
The president doesn't have the authority to disband the Congress. That's what we rebelled against in 1775-83 and put into law in the Constitution. Can the Congress disband itself? That I don't know.
Susan, my name is Susan as well and I’m 73 too. I’m
in a similar situation. My husband and I have savings.
I expect we’ll have to do without social security and medicare. We would like to leave the country, but at
our age we have limited options and we have limited
stamina.
I feel rather like a lamb being led to slaughter. I also feel like most Americans either don’t understand what’s coming or are in denial. There is an option if the current administration has what it takes to seize it. It is to not transfer power, because once power is peacefully transferred this time, the “American experiment” is over.
The key to retaining democracy is to retain control over the levers of power and the military by declaring a national emergency. Otherwise we will
all be at the mercy of a man who possesses not even one shred of compassion. To those who say the majority voted for this, I say that’s making an enormous assumption. The Constitution wasn’t on the ballot. In order to implement the changes a
fascist regime requires, as set forth in Project 2025, the Constitution must be thrown out. I doubt most Trump supporters understood that. I may be wrong, but I think most people who voted for Trump thought he would “shake things up” but never contemplated a wholesale loss of their individual rights.
Many organizations are emailing me for money they say they need in order to, “fight back.” But I don’t think they’re being realistic at all. Once people like Trump and the republicans behind the scenes who
engineered his rise to power have total control, they
aren’t going to give it up—ever. Trump’s previous
administration was like learning to ride a bike with training wheels on it. We were dumb enough to give
You might check Paul Krugman to see what he has to say, as a Nobel economist. He should have clear, reasonable, evidence-supported claims to make about the future of our savings.
The most likely threat is that the markets crash, like in 2008. With massive deregulation, and possible wars in Taiwan or the Middle East, we are always at risk but more at risk if those in charge are not very smart and experienced.
Not about likely scenarios (I have no clue) but about one additional possibility:
chances are that the engagement of Elon Musk in the whole Trump Revolution is because of Musk's Technocratic ideology. "Technocratic" (look the term up) is a fairly comprehensive ideology, like Marxism: it claims to recognize existing societal problems, it claims to understand their causes, it claims to have a solution, which requires changing the basic societal setup.
I will obviously not write here "what exactly the Technocratic ideology posits" (google it), but I will only note that one of Technocratic tenets is taking over the responsibility for universal basic income (including health care) by the State. Elon Musk actually declared this at the World Forum in Dubai, discussing "challenges ahead for the humanity".
In this contingency (Musk using Trump to steer the whole society towards Technocracy) "you do not have to worry" - at least according to Technocracy's declared goals.
In my opinion, knowing how "fixing humanity" through Marxism worked out, I would be a bit anxious though.
But what I wrote, while academically maybe interesting, has no practical use. Other than that one of the important actors (Musk) kept tweeting about some unspecified "revolution".
Interesting and good to know—I’ll look it up. It looks like both Putin and Musk are using Trump for their own purposes. I wonder who else is doing that. Thanks for writing about technocratic ideology.
I am sorry so many let us get here by shifting the responsibility to others. Mueller and Garland come to mind, their small ignoble half and delayed steps. We must pick up the baton they neglected to pass into indictments. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/consider-this?r=3m1bs
Add to that the passivity of Joe Biden, whose penchant for bipartisanship blinded him to the fact that the Republicans are not interested in governing.
We are struggling because so very many people each failed to act or to speak up along the way. A tyrant doesn't gain power all by himself (and I use that work advisedly--tyrants are all men, historically) but with the subservience, the silence, and the passivity of others who consider themselves decent people but just don't get around to standing up to the dictator. You may think you're safe because he's not going to come for you, but the truth is that the orange turd will come for ALL of us if we wait long enough.
I also visited hotbuttons.substack. Thanks. I will read carefully.
Making policy proposals is hard work, but when people learn to work, mutually respectfully, together, it is a source of very beneficial and practical alternatives.
The half-steps, as you word it, seem to reflect the dilemma decision-making in partisan isolation, as well as simple democratic process breakdown, meaning had we had a public conversation with the public coming forward to form a normative and legalistic base for more assertive pursuit of justice, then in that context we could have accomplished much justice and affirmed the rule of law and its democratic benefits to all. Pres Biden certainly needs to publicly explain how his own partisan pursuits weaken the necessary public civil and governmental resources; he needed to explicitly advocate for factual justice and full accountability, regardless of the minor immediate political inconveniences he imagined, repeat he imagined, might ensue.
What else would you suggest we study and organize to do now?
Move on the Christian nationalists as they are the miltiants behind every fascist demagogue. They are exploited and then inflamed by the vile rhetoric. Among those white women were called out by Jess Piper today. It is Carl, Bob.
Jess Piper is very smart in her analysis of what white women seem to think that undergirds their foolish votes for the orange turd. It's the ignorance that most bothers me, especially when it's willingly embraced.
But let me add: the idea that a pregnancy is god's will and we must not interfere with it is mind-boggling. Really?? Is pneumonia god's will? Is cancer? is Elon Musk's billions? If these are god's will we'd better STOP CURING PNEUMONIA WITH PENICILLIN and cancer with chemo--god knows whom he wishes to punish with foul disease and it's will that these sinful people die. And especially tiny kids with cancer--they must die. And Musk must continue to accrue billions because god LOVES elon. Do you see the contradiction there??
The militants of the Christian right is promoted by a closed ecosystem and a militant pulpit. Theirs is a mandate to destroy non believers. The is not much different than the Crusades. If in all these years things have not changed, what is the answer to turning them around. They undergird every fascist demagogue. Every one. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/christian-right-demands-dictatorship?r=3m1bs
I see the contradiction, but I’m a rational person.
I fear most who believe in “God’s will” aren’t
rational on that particular subject.What people need to know is, the corrupt republican majority on the Supreme Court are either members of Opus Dei or
are close to members of Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an extremist Catholic sect some of whom practice self-harm as a manifestation of their devotion to God. Former AG Bill Barr and conservative mastermind Leonard Leo are members of Opus Dei. Amy Coney Barrett was born into and raised in a Christian cult called “People of Praise.” She married a man in “People of Praise” and they are raising their children in this extremist sect as well. I found this information
on the internet from what appear to be credible sources. Amy Coney Barrett’s history was on the Southern Poverty Law website at the time of her nomination to the Supreme Court. I don’t know if
it’s still there. I can’t help but think that if the
Senate had this info they wouldn’t have voted for
these Supreme Court nominees. At this point it’s water under the bridge, but if at some point it’s
possible to expand the Court, the religious zealotry
of the corrupt majority will be a good argument
in favor of expanding the Court with four more justices.
All info I knew and the point is, there have to be some of us who point out that contradiction and stick it in the faces of the christofascists who are ready to rule this country. We have to mock them and show their stupidity. And read _Opus_ by Gareth Gore, for much more information on Opus Dei. Ironic name, isn't it? Destroy freedom and decency in the name of god.
Sincere efforts to come together will be difficult, partially successful, but of essential value in many ways. Move together as well as we can, don't stop. Strive for inclusiveness, perhaps contributing together for the first time.
This is it. Blitzkrieg has been launched. Those who would "let them have what they voted for" seem to think they can stand separate and wait for the conflagration to burn itself out and then return to their lives. Pundits still talk about Trump only having four years like nothing more than an unfortunate chapter in American politics as usual is going on here. This isn't going to just burn itself out and no one is coming to save us. If I was an adversary of the US I would be telling people we should just let MAGA have what they asked for. I would drive hopelessness. We have to fight that and drive solidarity and resistance. We can't just leave our home.
What worries me is that the planet has expected us to come to the rescue as we did in WWII, but we are not in any position to save anyone else right now. I just hope that Europeans understand that most Americans (the orange turd won LESS THAN 50% OF THE VOTE) are not that stupid and we are fighting. And I agree; this is not just a four-year blip on the radar screen of our history. It's a planned tyranny and end to democracy that will require us to re-earn the right to self-government.
What will happen when he dies is that Vance will assume the presidency, which may be even worse. And then there will be an internal war among MAGAS for power that will be a disaster as the stupid vie with the more-stupid for control. We need to kick maga to the curb.
"the intention of these appointments is clear: to create American horror."
"We are confronted instead with a group of people who, were they to hold the positions they have been assigned, could bring an end to the United States of America. "
What are we seeing so far? Cowardice and obedience for sure, from federal judges, politicians, business owners, corporate CEOs, journalists and media owners. But also acts of defiance from officials at the highest levels of national and state government, lawyers, civil society groups, and ordinary citizens. Alliances are being formed. Trump’s false narrative is being challenged. MAGA world is just beginning to perceive that Trump’s promises will bring them pain. Part of our job is to explain to Trump voters how they ended up voting for someone who will destroy their way of life. Many are frightened and do want answers. Education is the most important tool in preventing tyranny.
A thought that gives me hope is that the system has been perfected for the morbidly rich to the point that they don't really want much to change. That is why I believe we have had the legislative gridlock. They won't want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, and won't want to totally destroy the economy.
BTW, for those of you who don't know what a Doge is, it's an Italian "Duke" who was the highest official of the republic of Venice for more than 1,000 years. The Doge was both head of state and head of the Venetian oligarchy.... seems a more appropriate title for the current times than president
"This is the engineered helplessness promised by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are to head a black hole named after a cryptocurrency. ... to destroy the United States. "
"How could you do so? The easiest way would be to get Americans to do the work themselves, to somehow induce Americans to undo their own health, law, administration, defense, and intelligence. From this perspective, Trump's proposed appointments -- Kennedy, Jr.; Gaetz; Musk; Ramaswamy; Hegseth; Gabbard -- are perfect instruments. They combine narcissism, incompetence, corruption, sexual incontinence, personal vulnerability, dangerous convictions, and foreign influence as no group before them has done. These proposed appointments look like a decapitation strike: destroying the American government from the top, leaving the body politic to rot, and the rest of us to suffer."
" This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment."
Thank you, Dr. Snyder, for calling it so clearly and presenting facts that show it. What is being offered is a stealth transfer of wealth and power, at the cost to the American Citizen and the Institutions that have protected the American citizen, however imperfectly. It was the Bureaucracy, the Institutions, when they remained largely in tact, that protected some European Countries and their citizens in those countries from the SS, from fascism, murder, wealth transfer, complete collapse.
We seem to be at the tipping point where we must hold in mind what we value of our collective and personal freedom and face, eyes wide open, the "pre catastrophic moment" we are living.
“We might find bureaucracy annoying; its absence, though, is deadly.”
What a powerful quote and a powerful post. God Bless America!
Perverse, to suggest that the mysticism of “god” would fix what, if actually in existence, allowed current events to exist.
Logic, knowledge and altruism are required.
Look through history. What data supports god blessing anything?
Good quote though….
God is invoked as a last resort out of exasperation and not knowing what to do. It seems like we are allowing ourselves to head off a cliff because we MUST inaugurate this law breaking, power grabbing, ill-willed conman. We MUST approve his picks because he's the president and (as Tubereville says) he has to have his helpers. So we say "God help us"... even if we know God, if one exists, isn't going to help us. My mother was a fatalist. I know how she felt. And there are people who go around saying "it was meant to be" ie even if this is bad there is a lesson we have to learn. Some say this as if there is some overarching plan. This is religion ( and why we have it). No, folks the planet is winding down because people are too busy getting and spending, wasting energy, arguing, power seeking. Maybe the end of this experiment on Earth is God's plan. This is the Tower of Babel; we have lost the way to communicate to each other if we had it once ( now that we have more means!) and we (in aggregate) have lost a common sense of what is good and moral versus what is bad and evil, if we ever knew how to battle it.
The biblical tale about Noah tells of a flood to cleanse the Earth.
When we feel stuck, like now, not knowing what to do this kind of thinking arises and hands are thrown up... to God.
I was thinking of going back under the bed myself.
Another powerful statement is, "And citizens, regardless of how they voted, need now to check their attitudes. This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment."
Much appreciated, Professor Snyder. A new website, "lawyersagainstfascism.com," will be online this weekend. Hopefully we can pitch in, with you and lots of others, to help preserve American democracy.
A website may be necessary, but what is needed is visible resistance on the streets now, everywhere. IMO. Before a sense of doom engulfs too many.
I tried to log on today but site was closed Hope it will open
Barry Coburn said they will launch this weekend. The weekend has barely started.
Private Site
This site is currently private. If you’re the owner or contributor, log in
I hope you will notify us here.
Clear, blunt, harsh and well said. Many years of small steps has prepared MAGA to lower the curtain on democracy. The question is whether your insights and formulations will help Americans to develop a forceful opposition or whether it will take years of pain before citizens feel it in their gut and fight back.
Both. Some Americans, like me and Indivisible, are already working hard on developing a "forceful opposition," while the fools who voted for the turd will soon be feeling the pain of electing a nasty, narcissistic, cruel, incompetent fool to office. He's promised it on day 1 but he's already starting to try to dismantle the structure of government and the safety of citizens.
Thank you, Philosopher.
Youtube transcript of Indivisible's kickoff call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db-Pvqa5SQE
Link to Indivisible's Worth Fighting For: A Post-Election Community Gathering Guide:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1gSdFWIUpw41O5zbaxedVsr6Xik5XpPd9FwqvXYu40/preview?tab=t.0
Also, their homepage contains links to find a local group, create a group as needed, and find or register events. https://indivisible.org/
50K signed up for the kickoff call.
And I think most were actually on it. That's what concerned citizens can do when we work together!
Ha ha! The official count was 20K on the call. I signed up and had a conflict, but just listened to it and it was practical and inspirational. They are a great resource and quoted Tim extensively:) Indivisible supports local gro
That's what I thought: 20k. They are the single best fighting organization working since 2016, I believe.
got cut off then I lost it.....I finished this elsewhere, P.
Ezra and Leah have worked tirelessly to organize ways to fight back. They are practical and hopeful, so I recommend that people who are discouraged watch the kickoff call. I was on that call, as were thousands of other concerned citizens. Join Indivisible! And while you're at it, get onto Bluesky. Get off twitter.
Quit X and got onto Bluesky a few days ago. I will check out Indivisible. Thank you.
me too!
Thank YOU!! Good work!
Yes, Philosopher. The call was practical and inspirational. 20K of the 50K who signed up attended. They encourage finding or starting a local group to organize around local priorities, talked generally about what blue, purple, and red areas can do. Senator Elizabeth Warren said a top priority for us is to pressure Democratic Senators to confirm judges for Courts of Appeals and District Courts. She pointed out that lots of cases get resolved there, and that these courts are/can be more balanced than SCOTUS. She also suggested we pressure Democratic Senators to confirm people in agencies that have “term of years,” where Trump can’t come in and fire them. Warren said there’s a list but I am fuzzy on that. Anyone else can jump in if you know.
I’m one of those 30k who had to just watch it later, best laid plans and all
When the pain sets in and the objections start, they will find that Trump sees them as belonging to the "enemy within."
Who is developing "a rhetoric of a better America"? [See Snyder's last paragraph.] I'm more interested in that than forceful opposition. The Far Left has done forceful opposition for decades and look at where it has gotten us.
Feeling it in the gut is what got us here. Time to promote using our brains. That is to forgo emotionalism and embrace strategy.
Critical thinking skills are crucial in citizens of a democracy. I taught a lot of CT as a philosophy professor, and I saw what it meant to some students when they could fight back after bullies tried to squelch their ability to think. Determining which claims are false, and finding evidence to back up claims that are true, are necessary steps to being an informed citizen.
How many people actually voted to destroy the United States, to get rid of the Constitution? Is that a question that could be asked as a way to find some common ground? How many Senators, for instance, want to get rid of the Senate?
Agree about critical thinking skills and citizens of a democracy. Retired school librarian here, Mr. Philosopher. In my state, what were known as Teacher/Librarians [teaching credential AND librarian credential] were required to teach Information Literacy, which includes evaluating sources. It was my favorite subject. I know few adults who have this type of literacy.
You got me thinking, lin, and not just about gut feelings and brains, but also about bodies, including mine. This past year, working on electoral politics, I'll admit that I enjoyed the feeling of "making a difference," or having conversations that mattered, the hope of cause and effect. Now, in the process of recalibrating and trying to figure out how best to apply myself, I realize that good feelings about my own potential impact will be harder to come by and an unreliable measurement of the value of any action. Listening to the Indivisible call linked to elsewhere in this thread, I conclude that my balanced diet of activism needs to include a lot of just showing up for efforts that others have identified without having to put my own personal stamp on it. Aside from the benefit of larger numbers being more convincing to power and better protection against authoritarian backlash as yet to be seen to be believed.
"I conclude that my balanced diet of activism needs to include a lot of just showing up for efforts that others have identified without having to put my own personal stamp on it. "
ThankYou for your significant insight. Exactly. (I like to think of myself as a worker-bee.)
I've said that it is a mistake to treat voting as an individual exercise in personal expression. When it is actually a joint exercise in taking power. Through which we can bring our own lived experience to achieving our shared goals.
(This is what Republicans have done, while many on the Left have preferred purity tests, pipe dreams, and Pied Pipers. And sitting on one's hands don't keep them clean.)
Right wing extremists did not swallow the GOP whole, they ate the elephant bite by bite before spitting it out in their own image - a Trump administration. It took decades.
In 2020 we were able to pull together. This year, considering circumstances, Kamala Harris was able to pull together a remarkable work force. We have so much to build on for good during these next two years. Every personal stance in solidarity - such as your insight - is how we can win.
Thank you.
I found this the most important part of this essay: "Both inside and outside Congress, there will have to be simple defiance, joined with a rhetoric of a better America." I think "forceful opposition" is just more of the same. A rhetoric of a better America is not. This is something we in the pro-democracy coalition need to do. Now.
There’s no reason for shock here. That Trump would attempt something like this was clear at least from January 6th on, if not well before. Those like Senator Susan Collins who refused to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment trial by suggesting that Trump had ‘learned his lesson’ are very much to blame for what’s happening now. They failed in their duty to the Constitution and the country as half of American voters have also done in re-electing Trump.
I’m very tired of all these excuses for Ms Harris’s loss. The first duty of any American citizen is to understand and to protect our Constitutional Republic from those who would break it for their own personal gain. Shirking that responsibility for the price of a dozen eggs (See Ann Telnaes’ cartoon in yesterday's Washington Post) shouldn’t be an option.
YUP. All it takes for evil to occur is for good people to do nothing--can't remember who said that but it's true.
Usually attributed to Edmond Burke. My father’s favorite quote.
THANKS for letting me know! Your father is a very smart man.
True. Except I would not call snarky and underhanded opportunists like Susan Collins "good people".
Definitely! I look forward to Collins being primaried.
as always, 100% clear from Timothy Snyder. What a genius stroke by our enemies to get America to decapitate itself.
I suggest the Persian national epic, The Shahnameh or Persian Book of Kings (translation by Dick Davis.)
It tells of a king who wants to destroy a town, but his vizier says: If you destroy the town people will think ill of you. Instead appoint an ignorant loud mouth as governor and he will destroy it.
It also says: It was a bad time. The rich refused to pay taxes and only fought among themselves.
And relates: Suddenly a new beast appeared on the plains. It attacked the other beasts. Outwardly it was golden and shone like the Sun. But inside it was all corruption.
But I do not think the problem here is genius enemies. Republicans align themselves with our enemies because Republicans are already corrupt and see some advantage for themselves.
That's remarkable--thanks! I didn't know about it. Sounds as politically astute as any work on how politics works.
Oh the Persians play a long game. It is an astounding and beloved text. And one which exists in amazingly beautifully illustrated editions.
I was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art looking at some illustrated calligraphy sheets from this work. An elderly self identified Iranian man asked whether I knew what I was looking at and as we were speaking, tears came to his eyes that this work was enshrined in a Western museum and that someone such as myself knew something about it.
Lin, boy that story made my eyes well up a bit!
The Cyrus Cylinder gets me every time.
Yes. Cuneiform. And clay tablets inside of clay 'envelopes'. And the failed experiments to 'open' them. And now using medical imaging technology.
Tone down the rhetoric? How about Republicans tone down the hatefulness they are still spewing? Your body, my choice? That’s toning down the rhetoric? It seems to me that the Republican electorate is just as, if not more, hateful, and spiteful than ever. But, as ever, when called on it on it, someone blames Democrats. Toning down the rhetoric has to start with the Republicans.
"Tone down the rhetoric" translates into "Stop blowing off steam and start doing something constructive."
Something constructive I'm going to do: Email every Republican senator with the warnings Prof. Snyder gives here. I will remind them the whole world is watching--including all our enemies (and frien-emies that wouldn't mind picking over the spoils of a destroyed America).
I saw a comment on Bluesky (which I highly recommend) by an older disabled citizen who was SO HAPPY to have an activity that s/he could do. Writing emails and calling Senators gave that voter a sense of efficacy and strength that was remarkable! I applaud that citizen for being so determined that even physical disability would not stand in the way of action for democracy!!
We're all in this together!
Thanks for reminding me; I have been so angry and in such despair today that I forgot that. I feel alone in my efforts to fight against the turd's attempts to destroy our democracy just because he's not satisfied with the amount of money ad power he has. So many voters are indifferent--and they will be until the chaos and pain begins to affect them.
Connecting with other people made a HUGE difference to me in 2017. We really are stronger together, and we tend to go nuts in isolation.
Nice idea but I took it one step further. I sent a snail mail letter to every Republican senator after the school massacre in Texas in Uvalde. Not one responded.
Another suggestion call your senator & representative & tell them how disgusted you are with what's going on. It may not do much good but it will be on record so to speak.
We've been doing that. Anyone in Congress monitors constituents' responses because that's what gets them re-elected, so it does have some impact. Specifically demanding that your House Rep get the Ethics Committee report on Gaetz released is a good action, as is calling senators to demand that they not allow the Senate to go into recess after the inauguration (VOMIT) so that the turd can take over the Senate's Constitutionally-mandated role of advise and consent.
I don't understand. If it may not do much good, why do it? What will having it on record do? In fact, it might harm you to have it on a Republican record.
Do it! Most of them won't listen to anything that's not from their constituents (or a wealthy donor, of course), but the volume should help.
I disagree. Republicans want to not be reminded of their hatefulness, misogyny, and cult like behavior. Now that Trump will be in office, they want Democrats to fall in line and be good little kids. Screw them. I don’t disagree with you when you say to do constructive things. I just don’t think the two were related.
I was thinking about the Gaetz appointment. Besides everything we know about him don't you think he was selected to slap women in the face AGAIN? You know show the ladies whose boss by selecting a disgusting "jock" type personality to throw in our faces.
Who is saying tone down the rhetoric? Not Snyder.
No, not Snyder. I was responding to another reply that has since been deleted.
OK. Thx for clarifying.
I don't remember a 'Thinking about...' that surprised and shocked me as Decapitation Strike. For those who paid attention to Trump's rally speeches and messages by other means knew his determination for revenge, his grievances, his enemies list, goal to bring down the US government, and the departments, which did not obey his wishes. Trump's most loyal advocates have also been known. The remainder of Decapitation Strike provided thoughtful advice.
Most of Trump’s appeal to the uneducated wS his promise to stick to someone anyone to continue to feed the anger he generated with mis and disinformation. If social media and other sources of information are allowed to lie with impunity under the current absurd definition of Free Speech democracy cannot survive.
This what I thought I replied this morning. Not sure how the corruption occurred.
Most of Trump’s appeal to the uneducated was his promise to stick it to someone, anyone to continue to feed the anger he generated with mis and disinformation. If social media and other sources of information are allowed to lie with impunity under the absurd current definition of free speech, democracy cannot survive. Preservation of democracy and the freedoms it provides demands responsibility and agreed upon facts.
James, I think it’s important to understand that
Trump supporters who’ve had a steady diet of Fox news for the last 2 decades have been systematically brainwashed using Russian techniques developed by the now defunct KBG.
Thank you Professor Snyder for keeping us informed and focused. You are a gift to the free world.
Does anyone know who is writing about how to protect our retirement savings?
No, but I would say this: I have a financial advisor who cautions me to stick with where I have my IRA. We don't know what's going to happen, and there's no point in trying to outguess the morbidly rich about their next moves. If you have access to a financial advisor who is purely fee-based and who is a fiduciary--thus legally bound to give you advice that benefits YOU, not the advisor--I would ask that person. If not, maybe check with your local credit union, which is likely to have access to financial advice for its customers.
I am fortunate to have substantial savings, all invested. More than half of that is in my IRA. I asked my financial advisor if it made sense to move it into Money Market accounts to protect it. It still pays interest, but of course it wouldn’t earn nearly as much as it would in the market under normal circumstances. He thought that would be more risky, although he did not say why. The rest I don’t know what to do about. Selling it would be a huge tax hit. He also said that he hadn’t heard anything about what might be done to Social Security. If he hasn’t, he’s the only one. His reasoning was that no one would dare to hurt seniors, and that they were more likely to raise the retirement age. I’m 73 and can live the rest of my days without Social Security, or losing up to 40% of my savings, but not both. Trump and his cronies are trying to ruin all of us, of that I have no doubt. Would like to hear others’ thoughts.
I am not a financial advisor, but I have a good one who has invested my IRA in social and economic green and liberal causes. She has told me to stay the course. I don't think it makes sense to risk taking a huge hit by selling it all; ask your advisor TWF he means by "more risky." ASK HIM. Don't let him get away with bullshitting you!! And I do think that the House members, who would have to vote to cut or eliminate SS, know that they would never be re-elected if they did so, so CALL YOUR REP. MAKE HER/HIS LIFE MISERABLE BY CONSTANT CALLS TO SUPPORT SS. EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION. LOOK AT YOUR STOCKS AND ASK YOURSELF IF THEY REFLECT YOUR VALUES. If they reflect your true values, leave them there; if not, fix it. I do not believe that you will live without SS AND lose that much of your savings!! I'm 75 and in the same position, and I am staying firmly in support of my investments in what I believe in. Yes, the orange turd is trying to destroy every thing and every citizen he can, because that's what he does.
There is one thing we have to keep in mind. You talked about the representatives worrying about re-election. I'm not sure that will be relevant if trump just disbands the legislature & sends them home. I have little to no doubt that he will try that, the Senate is about to cave already.
Also, I heard Sen. Amy Klobuchar speak last night on MSNBC and so I know the Dems are already on high alert. There are some decent Repubs, as well, and if there is a critical mass it will be hard to force them to leave, or arrest them en masse.
That is on my mind. I know there are lots of excellent legal authorities working on what could happen, and I think there would be enough resistance and action that the turd would not be able to do that permanently. If Congress refuses to leave, what can he do--send in all the National Guard? Think they would arrest and detain all of Congress? I don't.
The president doesn't have the authority to disband the Congress. That's what we rebelled against in 1775-83 and put into law in the Constitution. Can the Congress disband itself? That I don't know.
Susan, my name is Susan as well and I’m 73 too. I’m
in a similar situation. My husband and I have savings.
I expect we’ll have to do without social security and medicare. We would like to leave the country, but at
our age we have limited options and we have limited
stamina.
I feel rather like a lamb being led to slaughter. I also feel like most Americans either don’t understand what’s coming or are in denial. There is an option if the current administration has what it takes to seize it. It is to not transfer power, because once power is peacefully transferred this time, the “American experiment” is over.
The key to retaining democracy is to retain control over the levers of power and the military by declaring a national emergency. Otherwise we will
all be at the mercy of a man who possesses not even one shred of compassion. To those who say the majority voted for this, I say that’s making an enormous assumption. The Constitution wasn’t on the ballot. In order to implement the changes a
fascist regime requires, as set forth in Project 2025, the Constitution must be thrown out. I doubt most Trump supporters understood that. I may be wrong, but I think most people who voted for Trump thought he would “shake things up” but never contemplated a wholesale loss of their individual rights.
Many organizations are emailing me for money they say they need in order to, “fight back.” But I don’t think they’re being realistic at all. Once people like Trump and the republicans behind the scenes who
engineered his rise to power have total control, they
aren’t going to give it up—ever. Trump’s previous
administration was like learning to ride a bike with training wheels on it. We were dumb enough to give
these people another chance to destroy our
government and they will do it this time.
You might check Paul Krugman to see what he has to say, as a Nobel economist. He should have clear, reasonable, evidence-supported claims to make about the future of our savings.
What is the threat to our retirement savings?
The most likely threat is that the markets crash, like in 2008. With massive deregulation, and possible wars in Taiwan or the Middle East, we are always at risk but more at risk if those in charge are not very smart and experienced.
Sandy, I’m not sure, but I definitely feel that if it’s
possible, money in individual retirement accounts
will be seized. Chances are it will be a few years before circumstances become that dire, but I wouldn’t put anything past these people. After all,
it’s well known that DT stole money that people donated to his “charity.” I guess people who donated didn’t realize DT was the intended recipient,
not the children the paperwork reflected as the recipients.
Not about likely scenarios (I have no clue) but about one additional possibility:
chances are that the engagement of Elon Musk in the whole Trump Revolution is because of Musk's Technocratic ideology. "Technocratic" (look the term up) is a fairly comprehensive ideology, like Marxism: it claims to recognize existing societal problems, it claims to understand their causes, it claims to have a solution, which requires changing the basic societal setup.
I will obviously not write here "what exactly the Technocratic ideology posits" (google it), but I will only note that one of Technocratic tenets is taking over the responsibility for universal basic income (including health care) by the State. Elon Musk actually declared this at the World Forum in Dubai, discussing "challenges ahead for the humanity".
In this contingency (Musk using Trump to steer the whole society towards Technocracy) "you do not have to worry" - at least according to Technocracy's declared goals.
In my opinion, knowing how "fixing humanity" through Marxism worked out, I would be a bit anxious though.
But what I wrote, while academically maybe interesting, has no practical use. Other than that one of the important actors (Musk) kept tweeting about some unspecified "revolution".
Interesting and good to know—I’ll look it up. It looks like both Putin and Musk are using Trump for their own purposes. I wonder who else is doing that. Thanks for writing about technocratic ideology.
I am sorry so many let us get here by shifting the responsibility to others. Mueller and Garland come to mind, their small ignoble half and delayed steps. We must pick up the baton they neglected to pass into indictments. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/consider-this?r=3m1bs
Add to that the passivity of Joe Biden, whose penchant for bipartisanship blinded him to the fact that the Republicans are not interested in governing.
Thanks, Mr Schiff, for this important observation.
This is a matter of real use in doing a important political process, effective democratic political process improvement.
What are your thoughts on this and its importance to us in this moment?
We are struggling because so very many people each failed to act or to speak up along the way. A tyrant doesn't gain power all by himself (and I use that work advisedly--tyrants are all men, historically) but with the subservience, the silence, and the passivity of others who consider themselves decent people but just don't get around to standing up to the dictator. You may think you're safe because he's not going to come for you, but the truth is that the orange turd will come for ALL of us if we wait long enough.
Thanks for this information, Mr Selfe.
I also visited hotbuttons.substack. Thanks. I will read carefully.
Making policy proposals is hard work, but when people learn to work, mutually respectfully, together, it is a source of very beneficial and practical alternatives.
The half-steps, as you word it, seem to reflect the dilemma decision-making in partisan isolation, as well as simple democratic process breakdown, meaning had we had a public conversation with the public coming forward to form a normative and legalistic base for more assertive pursuit of justice, then in that context we could have accomplished much justice and affirmed the rule of law and its democratic benefits to all. Pres Biden certainly needs to publicly explain how his own partisan pursuits weaken the necessary public civil and governmental resources; he needed to explicitly advocate for factual justice and full accountability, regardless of the minor immediate political inconveniences he imagined, repeat he imagined, might ensue.
What else would you suggest we study and organize to do now?
Move on the Christian nationalists as they are the miltiants behind every fascist demagogue. They are exploited and then inflamed by the vile rhetoric. Among those white women were called out by Jess Piper today. It is Carl, Bob.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/trumps-white-women?r=3m1bs
Jess Piper is very smart in her analysis of what white women seem to think that undergirds their foolish votes for the orange turd. It's the ignorance that most bothers me, especially when it's willingly embraced.
But let me add: the idea that a pregnancy is god's will and we must not interfere with it is mind-boggling. Really?? Is pneumonia god's will? Is cancer? is Elon Musk's billions? If these are god's will we'd better STOP CURING PNEUMONIA WITH PENICILLIN and cancer with chemo--god knows whom he wishes to punish with foul disease and it's will that these sinful people die. And especially tiny kids with cancer--they must die. And Musk must continue to accrue billions because god LOVES elon. Do you see the contradiction there??
The militants of the Christian right is promoted by a closed ecosystem and a militant pulpit. Theirs is a mandate to destroy non believers. The is not much different than the Crusades. If in all these years things have not changed, what is the answer to turning them around. They undergird every fascist demagogue. Every one. https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/christian-right-demands-dictatorship?r=3m1bs
I see the contradiction, but I’m a rational person.
I fear most who believe in “God’s will” aren’t
rational on that particular subject.What people need to know is, the corrupt republican majority on the Supreme Court are either members of Opus Dei or
are close to members of Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an extremist Catholic sect some of whom practice self-harm as a manifestation of their devotion to God. Former AG Bill Barr and conservative mastermind Leonard Leo are members of Opus Dei. Amy Coney Barrett was born into and raised in a Christian cult called “People of Praise.” She married a man in “People of Praise” and they are raising their children in this extremist sect as well. I found this information
on the internet from what appear to be credible sources. Amy Coney Barrett’s history was on the Southern Poverty Law website at the time of her nomination to the Supreme Court. I don’t know if
it’s still there. I can’t help but think that if the
Senate had this info they wouldn’t have voted for
these Supreme Court nominees. At this point it’s water under the bridge, but if at some point it’s
possible to expand the Court, the religious zealotry
of the corrupt majority will be a good argument
in favor of expanding the Court with four more justices.
All info I knew and the point is, there have to be some of us who point out that contradiction and stick it in the faces of the christofascists who are ready to rule this country. We have to mock them and show their stupidity. And read _Opus_ by Gareth Gore, for much more information on Opus Dei. Ironic name, isn't it? Destroy freedom and decency in the name of god.
Thank you, Mr Selfe, for this reply.
Noted.
Sincere efforts to come together will be difficult, partially successful, but of essential value in many ways. Move together as well as we can, don't stop. Strive for inclusiveness, perhaps contributing together for the first time.
This is it. Blitzkrieg has been launched. Those who would "let them have what they voted for" seem to think they can stand separate and wait for the conflagration to burn itself out and then return to their lives. Pundits still talk about Trump only having four years like nothing more than an unfortunate chapter in American politics as usual is going on here. This isn't going to just burn itself out and no one is coming to save us. If I was an adversary of the US I would be telling people we should just let MAGA have what they asked for. I would drive hopelessness. We have to fight that and drive solidarity and resistance. We can't just leave our home.
What worries me is that the planet has expected us to come to the rescue as we did in WWII, but we are not in any position to save anyone else right now. I just hope that Europeans understand that most Americans (the orange turd won LESS THAN 50% OF THE VOTE) are not that stupid and we are fighting. And I agree; this is not just a four-year blip on the radar screen of our history. It's a planned tyranny and end to democracy that will require us to re-earn the right to self-government.
Just so.
Hopefully, the old golfer who’s hardly capable of climbing onto a garbage truck will soon be history 🤭
He will. Unfortunately, this is bigger than him.
And the old dude is obviously not getting any younger 😉
Or any more stable.
He’s already off the deep end.
What will happen when he dies is that Vance will assume the presidency, which may be even worse. And then there will be an internal war among MAGAS for power that will be a disaster as the stupid vie with the more-stupid for control. We need to kick maga to the curb.
Vance will be sent to play on with his sofa 😀
If only . . .
"the intention of these appointments is clear: to create American horror."
"We are confronted instead with a group of people who, were they to hold the positions they have been assigned, could bring an end to the United States of America. "
What are we seeing so far? Cowardice and obedience for sure, from federal judges, politicians, business owners, corporate CEOs, journalists and media owners. But also acts of defiance from officials at the highest levels of national and state government, lawyers, civil society groups, and ordinary citizens. Alliances are being formed. Trump’s false narrative is being challenged. MAGA world is just beginning to perceive that Trump’s promises will bring them pain. Part of our job is to explain to Trump voters how they ended up voting for someone who will destroy their way of life. Many are frightened and do want answers. Education is the most important tool in preventing tyranny.
A thought that gives me hope is that the system has been perfected for the morbidly rich to the point that they don't really want much to change. That is why I believe we have had the legislative gridlock. They won't want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, and won't want to totally destroy the economy.
BTW, for those of you who don't know what a Doge is, it's an Italian "Duke" who was the highest official of the republic of Venice for more than 1,000 years. The Doge was both head of state and head of the Venetian oligarchy.... seems a more appropriate title for the current times than president
Especially when America now again have a wannabe Mussolini in the White House 👻
"This is the engineered helplessness promised by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are to head a black hole named after a cryptocurrency. ... to destroy the United States. "
"How could you do so? The easiest way would be to get Americans to do the work themselves, to somehow induce Americans to undo their own health, law, administration, defense, and intelligence. From this perspective, Trump's proposed appointments -- Kennedy, Jr.; Gaetz; Musk; Ramaswamy; Hegseth; Gabbard -- are perfect instruments. They combine narcissism, incompetence, corruption, sexual incontinence, personal vulnerability, dangerous convictions, and foreign influence as no group before them has done. These proposed appointments look like a decapitation strike: destroying the American government from the top, leaving the body politic to rot, and the rest of us to suffer."
" This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment."
Thank you, Dr. Snyder, for calling it so clearly and presenting facts that show it. What is being offered is a stealth transfer of wealth and power, at the cost to the American Citizen and the Institutions that have protected the American citizen, however imperfectly. It was the Bureaucracy, the Institutions, when they remained largely in tact, that protected some European Countries and their citizens in those countries from the SS, from fascism, murder, wealth transfer, complete collapse.
We seem to be at the tipping point where we must hold in mind what we value of our collective and personal freedom and face, eyes wide open, the "pre catastrophic moment" we are living.