“Ninety years ago, these sorts of people wore black shirts or brown shirts or red armbands with swastikas, and their hateful lies and threats silenced the publics of several nations.”
Yes, Professor, these sorts of people, Americans, are no different. This was the saddest realization of the Trump era, that millions of our countrymen are fascist cult followers, prepared to trash our Constitution and our traditions for an autocracy of white Christian nationalism.
Trump has demolished the social contract, and all our norms of civil behavior. His behavior threatens our confidence in society on the most basic level. Why should we expect other drivers on the road to obey traffic safety laws if they restrain their free passage or inconvenience them? How can we trust merchants not to abuse our credit cards? Will the post office deliver our mail if they can invent reasons not to? Should we expect our employers or our customers to pay us after we have performed our tasks? Trump has called everything into question, and has modeled a behavior for his cult that is toxic to America.
In the World according to Trump you do! What is the latest from the FPOTUS?
This P.O.S., Donald Trump, called American Generals "some of the dumbest people I've ever met in my life" in a babbling speech to his followers in Iowa Monday.
This from a man who never served in the military!
I wonder how our military men and women feel about his latest verbal diarrhea!
And from another of America’s worst. Tommy Tuberville, Senator from Alabama, went on Kimberly Guilfoyle's podcast to discuss his views to defend his refusal to allow military promotions to be brought to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Despite never serving in the military, for months Tuberville has complained that the US military has "gone woke" and gotten soft over the past 3 years under Biden.
The world is so daring by not checking the characters of wrong people...here in African continent, no ever best candidate is chosen...yes the West has also aided in retaining political thugs to remain in power. Corruption is a strong network all over the world given that the right leaders are never given opportunity. The whole world is crying for leadership that is why the best leaders are seen as a big obstacle to looters.
No, we don't have to cave into thuggery. We do have a strong Police force in every State of the Union. I know a very small percentage of the police are thugs themselves and get more publicity than they deserve, but the majority of our police officers are Americans first and foremost, are dedicated to the law and willing to put themselves in danger to protect the US. We also have the National Guard who are our first line of defense against domestic terrorism. If, and this is a big IF, by chance the magats were capable of putting together a sufficiently large armed force to attack us, President Biden does have the right to call up the Military to defend the nation against all enemies foreign and domestic, and they have sworn an oath to do so.
If, by mischance or weakness of the GOP, Jordan should be voted in as Speaker we can demand closure of the House of Representative and the Federal Government has the right not to pay either salary or expenses of the members of the House.
sadly, Professor Reich, part of the problem is that people "get away" with criminal behavior daily, which makes it really difficult to have any faith in anyone or anything. USA politics and public life are just as jack london eloquently described as "the law of the club and fang" in his amazing book, the call of the wild.
JANUARY 6TH , 2021 IS THE DAY MAGA REPUBLICANS ATTEMPTED TO OVERTHROW THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION. THIS DAY , WHICH WILL LIVE ON INFAMY , UNFORTUNATELY MAY NOT BE MAGABILLIES LAST ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW OUR GOVERMENT!! MAGA REPUBLICANS ARE MODERN DAY NAZIS!
I am glad to see Robert Reich writing on this topic. Yesterday my Rep Wagner (MO2CD) reversed her position and declared she will support Jordan for House speaker. By empowering him she disempowers herself and others who would stand against Jordan.
The use of intimidation to try to get Jordan elected----this is how intimidation creates a juggernaut of fear and power which becomes more and more difficult to stop.
This handwringing about what MAGA people will do if Judge Chutkan should take action against Trump should he violate his gag order needs to stop. To make any considerations about the political consequences is not Chutkan's job. Our concern should be that the Judge and many others do their job, come what may.
The time to stand up against fear and intimidation is now. Not tomorrow when only a few with resolve form a White Rose as in Nazi Germany.
If Jordan becomes speaker it will speak volumes about how fear and power was used to flip so many Republican holdouts, and an indicator of worse to come.
Certainly, judge Evans Hughes formulates, almost in the same words the quote I found of George Orwell: the laws won't help without a sound public opinion.
And how to further a sound public opinion? Not be giving the media to the rich and the businesses.
I.F. Stone found this way out and dedicated his professionalism to Stones weekly, a paper all made by himself, without advertising or sponsors.
How should the U.S. overcome this problem? How to smash the power of capital in the media? I wish I knew the answer. But let's engage in thinking and trying...
The problem is this thuggery is okay with the wealthy donors who support the Republicans. The donors know that their interests can't appeal to a majority of voters, so they support whatever the fascists do to suppress democracy and prevent the government from from pursuing justice. The donors count on us not perceiving the wealthy as thugs. They look like gentlemen, and everyone would like their support. They own most of the USA.
Is it possible that the democracy that was so carefully crafted and ratified in 1778 is no longer able to enforce the ideal of the Common Good 250 years later? We all so dearly hope that the tide will turn with the next election, and I hope that is the case as vehemently as anyone else. Those in this forum unitedly hold our desire for the Common Good to prevail against the forces that are bringing fascism to our doorstep. Who could have imagined we would be facing such a crisis? Our constitution was supposed to protect us from such perilous waters.
But it is not the constitution that is at fault, it is that the forces of capitalism and the ultra-wealthy that have meticulously step by step with their own army of well-paid lawyers, consultants and paid-for-hire lawmakers that are undermining the principles of the constitution so that it is no longer able to be the bulwark for the Common Good. Our forefathers could have never imagined such a coordinated and vicious attack on the democracy they so carefully crafted with the belief that the Common Good would prevail. And it did for over 200 years.
The angry army of voters that support Trump’s version of fascism have had their anger building for decades. They felt left out of the increasing prosperity offered by the American Dream… and they were. Their Common Good was scrapped by the Republicans influenced by the long game of the Koch brothers and their cohorts whose highest values was to have the freedom to collect the greatest amount of wealth and to hell with the Common Good. Then along came a demagogue who could tap into their anger of those left out and blame it all on the Democrats. And, with jaw dropping speed the Common Good was sacrificed on the altar of greed and power.
Even if the Democrats prevail in the next election, that will not solve the problem of ongoing wealth inequality. We need to also plan for the long game, an evolution in democracy crafted to serve the Common Good where all get to share in the economic benefits of increasing prosperity, and enough political power is again vested in local communities to govern themselves and not be told whether or not women can have control over their own bodies and schools can create curriculums appropriate for their communities.
While our primary attention is riveted on the unfolding disasters around us and around the world, some of us must plan for a brighter future. I would suggest we consider a new form of Democracy based on local and cooperative ownership of wealth creating industries and agriculture. To do this, appropriate local autonomy must be envisioned.
Just as Martin Luthier King said “I have a dream” and before him Theodore Herzl said “If you will it, it is not a dream,” some of us must be willing to dream an evolved form of Democracy with provisions to ensure the prevalence of the Common Good. We cannot endure under a regime where thuggery prevails. When government by thugs finally fails, and it will, we must be able to come forward with the next evolution of democracy, an Economic Democracy where all share in the increasing prosperity. If we will it, it will not be just a dream. When the grip of capitalism falls, and I truly believe it will, we must be ready.
"As a practical matter, though, what is she to do if his attacks continue? Throw Trump in jail and put his MAGA base into a frenzy?"
Yes.
“Ninety years ago, these sorts of people wore black shirts or brown shirts or red armbands with swastikas, and their hateful lies and threats silenced the publics of several nations.”
Yes, Professor, these sorts of people, Americans, are no different. This was the saddest realization of the Trump era, that millions of our countrymen are fascist cult followers, prepared to trash our Constitution and our traditions for an autocracy of white Christian nationalism.
Trump has demolished the social contract, and all our norms of civil behavior. His behavior threatens our confidence in society on the most basic level. Why should we expect other drivers on the road to obey traffic safety laws if they restrain their free passage or inconvenience them? How can we trust merchants not to abuse our credit cards? Will the post office deliver our mail if they can invent reasons not to? Should we expect our employers or our customers to pay us after we have performed our tasks? Trump has called everything into question, and has modeled a behavior for his cult that is toxic to America.
Astounding how one of the worst candidates for House Speaker, Jim Jordan, has risen from the pile of dung on the Republican side of the aisle.
If he gets in, expect #RepubloFascism to bury American democracy - until outrage brings a massive blue wave a little more than a year from now.
In the World according to Trump you do! What is the latest from the FPOTUS?
This P.O.S., Donald Trump, called American Generals "some of the dumbest people I've ever met in my life" in a babbling speech to his followers in Iowa Monday.
This from a man who never served in the military!
I wonder how our military men and women feel about his latest verbal diarrhea!
And from another of America’s worst. Tommy Tuberville, Senator from Alabama, went on Kimberly Guilfoyle's podcast to discuss his views to defend his refusal to allow military promotions to be brought to the floor of the Senate for a vote. Despite never serving in the military, for months Tuberville has complained that the US military has "gone woke" and gotten soft over the past 3 years under Biden.
Why are attempted coup seditionists still in our halls of government?
Jim Jordan is a traitor to the United States and unfit to have any official position. Lock him up... throw away the key.
Jim Jordan is just another perforated colostomy bag in the Outhouse of Incongruous.
The world is so daring by not checking the characters of wrong people...here in African continent, no ever best candidate is chosen...yes the West has also aided in retaining political thugs to remain in power. Corruption is a strong network all over the world given that the right leaders are never given opportunity. The whole world is crying for leadership that is why the best leaders are seen as a big obstacle to looters.
No, we don't have to cave into thuggery. We do have a strong Police force in every State of the Union. I know a very small percentage of the police are thugs themselves and get more publicity than they deserve, but the majority of our police officers are Americans first and foremost, are dedicated to the law and willing to put themselves in danger to protect the US. We also have the National Guard who are our first line of defense against domestic terrorism. If, and this is a big IF, by chance the magats were capable of putting together a sufficiently large armed force to attack us, President Biden does have the right to call up the Military to defend the nation against all enemies foreign and domestic, and they have sworn an oath to do so.
If, by mischance or weakness of the GOP, Jordan should be voted in as Speaker we can demand closure of the House of Representative and the Federal Government has the right not to pay either salary or expenses of the members of the House.
sadly, Professor Reich, part of the problem is that people "get away" with criminal behavior daily, which makes it really difficult to have any faith in anyone or anything. USA politics and public life are just as jack london eloquently described as "the law of the club and fang" in his amazing book, the call of the wild.
JANUARY 6TH , 2021 IS THE DAY MAGA REPUBLICANS ATTEMPTED TO OVERTHROW THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION. THIS DAY , WHICH WILL LIVE ON INFAMY , UNFORTUNATELY MAY NOT BE MAGABILLIES LAST ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW OUR GOVERMENT!! MAGA REPUBLICANS ARE MODERN DAY NAZIS!
I am glad to see Robert Reich writing on this topic. Yesterday my Rep Wagner (MO2CD) reversed her position and declared she will support Jordan for House speaker. By empowering him she disempowers herself and others who would stand against Jordan.
The use of intimidation to try to get Jordan elected----this is how intimidation creates a juggernaut of fear and power which becomes more and more difficult to stop.
This handwringing about what MAGA people will do if Judge Chutkan should take action against Trump should he violate his gag order needs to stop. To make any considerations about the political consequences is not Chutkan's job. Our concern should be that the Judge and many others do their job, come what may.
The time to stand up against fear and intimidation is now. Not tomorrow when only a few with resolve form a White Rose as in Nazi Germany.
If Jordan becomes speaker it will speak volumes about how fear and power was used to flip so many Republican holdouts, and an indicator of worse to come.
Lock him up!
Certainly, judge Evans Hughes formulates, almost in the same words the quote I found of George Orwell: the laws won't help without a sound public opinion.
And how to further a sound public opinion? Not be giving the media to the rich and the businesses.
I.F. Stone found this way out and dedicated his professionalism to Stones weekly, a paper all made by himself, without advertising or sponsors.
How should the U.S. overcome this problem? How to smash the power of capital in the media? I wish I knew the answer. But let's engage in thinking and trying...
The problem is this thuggery is okay with the wealthy donors who support the Republicans. The donors know that their interests can't appeal to a majority of voters, so they support whatever the fascists do to suppress democracy and prevent the government from from pursuing justice. The donors count on us not perceiving the wealthy as thugs. They look like gentlemen, and everyone would like their support. They own most of the USA.
Is it possible that the democracy that was so carefully crafted and ratified in 1778 is no longer able to enforce the ideal of the Common Good 250 years later? We all so dearly hope that the tide will turn with the next election, and I hope that is the case as vehemently as anyone else. Those in this forum unitedly hold our desire for the Common Good to prevail against the forces that are bringing fascism to our doorstep. Who could have imagined we would be facing such a crisis? Our constitution was supposed to protect us from such perilous waters.
But it is not the constitution that is at fault, it is that the forces of capitalism and the ultra-wealthy that have meticulously step by step with their own army of well-paid lawyers, consultants and paid-for-hire lawmakers that are undermining the principles of the constitution so that it is no longer able to be the bulwark for the Common Good. Our forefathers could have never imagined such a coordinated and vicious attack on the democracy they so carefully crafted with the belief that the Common Good would prevail. And it did for over 200 years.
The angry army of voters that support Trump’s version of fascism have had their anger building for decades. They felt left out of the increasing prosperity offered by the American Dream… and they were. Their Common Good was scrapped by the Republicans influenced by the long game of the Koch brothers and their cohorts whose highest values was to have the freedom to collect the greatest amount of wealth and to hell with the Common Good. Then along came a demagogue who could tap into their anger of those left out and blame it all on the Democrats. And, with jaw dropping speed the Common Good was sacrificed on the altar of greed and power.
Even if the Democrats prevail in the next election, that will not solve the problem of ongoing wealth inequality. We need to also plan for the long game, an evolution in democracy crafted to serve the Common Good where all get to share in the economic benefits of increasing prosperity, and enough political power is again vested in local communities to govern themselves and not be told whether or not women can have control over their own bodies and schools can create curriculums appropriate for their communities.
While our primary attention is riveted on the unfolding disasters around us and around the world, some of us must plan for a brighter future. I would suggest we consider a new form of Democracy based on local and cooperative ownership of wealth creating industries and agriculture. To do this, appropriate local autonomy must be envisioned.
Just as Martin Luthier King said “I have a dream” and before him Theodore Herzl said “If you will it, it is not a dream,” some of us must be willing to dream an evolved form of Democracy with provisions to ensure the prevalence of the Common Good. We cannot endure under a regime where thuggery prevails. When government by thugs finally fails, and it will, we must be able to come forward with the next evolution of democracy, an Economic Democracy where all share in the increasing prosperity. If we will it, it will not be just a dream. When the grip of capitalism falls, and I truly believe it will, we must be ready.