Dec 15, 2022·edited Dec 15, 2022Liked by Robert Reich
A system delivers the results that it is designed (intentionally or not) to deliver. The GOP's behavior is a symptom of a system in need of change. The U.S. evolved system will need to evolve to fix the underlying issues.
As long as there is a system of first-past-the post-voting, non-universal sufferage, and pay to play legalized bribery of elected and judicial officials, don't plan on seeing any signficant change.
New rules of the game such as universal voter registration, ranked-choice voting, and top-five (or two or three) primaries can change the behavior on the voting side. Under these systems a political party loses its tribal role.
To deal with bribery, I come back to my proposal that there should be a Federal exise tax on any funds used, directly or indirectly, paid to an entity to influence elected or judicial officals. A tax requires, of course, reporting and can achive Sheldon Whitehouse's Disclose Act objectives while yielding revenue. Interestingly enough, the war on corruption should learn something from the war on drugs and what has happened post legalization of marijuana.
For me, the disheartening thing isn't the rotting GOP or the craven politicians that infest it. It's the sheer number of American voters that cannot see Trump for what he is and always has been. Not all of these people are "stupid". There's something else going on and it feels a lot like a death wish. When I think of them I flash on Jim Jones.
I don’t understand why the laws we have are not enforced. Why has it taken over 2years to get the texts of Mark Meadows which show 34 sitting congress persons supporting overthrowing the 2020election. They swore to uphold the constitution. Why are they allowed to remain in office. Why are any military, police, secret service, FBI, ICE, etc who belong to the oath keepers, proud boys or any white supremicist group allowed to keep their job? Why hasn’t Congress required ethics requirements for the Supreme Court. Why has their been no consequences for Virginia Thomas or her husband, Judge Thomas? We have capitalpolice injured, dead, now having to leave work due to physical injuries and PTSD and Marjorie Taylor Green is allowed to “joke” that she and Bannon would have won and it would have been armed? Why doesn’t that disqualify her from continuing to serve? How can we get our legal system to work?
I agree with what you say, Dr. Reich, but there is an even scarier position of the trumpster adoration - The Move Toward Authoritarianism". As everyone on this Forum is aware authoritarianism in any of its various forms is the governing mechanism of the majority of Homo sapiens currently living on this planet. we insist on referring to them as "Communists" "Marxists" "Dictatorships" "Oligarchs" "Fascists"Religious extremists, jihadists, etc" But in each case what they really are is 'Big Daddy' . Personally I don't understand why anyone wants a dictator telling them what they may or may not do, but obviously I and we, are in the worldwide minority. Ron DeSantis has even gone so far as to take control of Florida public schools to assure that they all become little white automatons. The Floridian Cuban population supports them - gee, I wonder why? They fled Castro's version of dictatorship, but not because they embraced Democracy and independent critical thinking - no, they longed for their previous dictator, Bautista, the corrupt, money grubbing dictator. We will lose this country unless we start now, teaching our children that's it's ok to question, to think, to analyze, and getting rich is not the greatest goal. You are correct that the dissolution of the Republican Party is not a good thing. A functional Democracy, which we had until 1972, requires civil debate, a consideration of different ways to achieve a fair and just society. We need at least two major SANE parties for the type of government that has worked so well for 246 years. As Ben Franklin famously said 'A Republic, if you can keep it'
The orange muffin will whither away when we cease paying attention. But he is the consummate anti-entertainer. We look on in appalled enthrallment, disgusted by every word and action, yet still watching. And there are those who think chaotic misdirection is a fine way to govern. Oh that my neighbors could just see the buffoon for what he is and not a projection of their fantasies.
the base. indeed. trump is the leader of a cult founded in, built upon and based in hatred. people love trump cuz he gives them an excuse to be their worst, most vile, selves.
i've been reading a book that will open your eyes and (perhaps) give you nightmares: a brief history of fascist lies by federico finchelstein (amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0520346718/grrlscientist-20/ ) that has been like a real-life dystopian novel. you political scientists who know all this stuff already may not find much here to have nightmares over, but people like me who are in the intermediate phase of learning more details about the origins and realities of these extremist ideologies will be riveted.
comparing trump and his crowd of lunatics to the fascists of yore is terrifying and in some ways, prophetic, reading. almost like a how-to manual.
There are people who think the world is flat and that Bitcoin is real. Even today. Next to that and equivalent loonies, belief in D. Trump as a meaningful and rational politician is merely silly. Beware of Dummheit, there’s a lot of it about!
It means the only way to deal with this anti- American egotistic mob boss is to use the constitution, take his right to ever run for any U S office again away from him and place him in jail, where he should have been a year ago, according to the judicial laws of our great nation. Why are we waisting our time determining if he is guilty, when the whole world can see he is nothing but a crook? Get with it DOJ do your duty, that’s why your job was instituted
tRump's base is smaller than the population of voters who don't want him ; those former 'minorities' who add to the diversity of the electorate presently ; people of color/indigenous, LGBTQ, women who now have seen how far the 'right' will/can go under him, educated/informed people who agree with the Democrats for many reasons and were behind the recent unusual wins this past midterm. Why would people vote against their own interests, when it has been demonstrated how bad the 'right's intent is? Even the tRump 'alternative'; DeSantis can't wait to lock people up as soon as he is able to.
I agree that the problem is the dedication and fanaticism of trump supporters. We need someone on the Democratic side that can inspire the tenacity and dedication of Dems.
If FOX, talk radio, & other media stopped promoting them & their crazy ideas they’d be dead in the water. But now not only do we have FOX & Rush Limbaugh, we have hundreds of wanna he’s. Good luck.
I agreed with today's post until Prof. Reich concluded that the rot of a Trumpified Republican party is bad for us all. No, it is not. The Republican party as currently constituted has built its power on dividing Americans against each other and convincing party loyalists that American institutions that are a counterpoint to demagoguery are the enemy -- that's the press, scientists, history teachers, the entire opposing political party, providers of healthcare, the list goes on. If Trump Republicanism rots it can be the fertilizer out of which grows the green shoots of a chastised and honest conservatism, the traditional doubters who can hold visionaries accountable for producing results.
We cannot look only at Congressional Republicans, but need to look at Governors, AG's, State Legislators, School Board members, Sheriffs, Judges, and every other elected Republican. We also must not consider silence and standing on the side lines as good enough. If a politician isn't actively speaking out against Trump, they are tethered to him. They cannot have it both ways, keeping the base with them by saying nothing and then trying to appeal to the center by saying they didn't support Trump. Every politician must be recorded being asked and answering, "Do you agree with Trump on the need to throw out the 2020 election and the Constitution?", "Do you support Trump for 2024?" "Do you think having meals with Ye and Fuentes is disqualifying?" No hemming and hawing. Yes or no, are you with Trump or not.
If we let DeSantis. Abbott, Cruz, etal. remain silent, then the DOJ and the Democrats are doing their work of bringing him down for their benefit. It's the Republican's job to clean their house, not the Democrat's. Saying nothing is being complicit.
A system delivers the results that it is designed (intentionally or not) to deliver. The GOP's behavior is a symptom of a system in need of change. The U.S. evolved system will need to evolve to fix the underlying issues.
As long as there is a system of first-past-the post-voting, non-universal sufferage, and pay to play legalized bribery of elected and judicial officials, don't plan on seeing any signficant change.
New rules of the game such as universal voter registration, ranked-choice voting, and top-five (or two or three) primaries can change the behavior on the voting side. Under these systems a political party loses its tribal role.
To deal with bribery, I come back to my proposal that there should be a Federal exise tax on any funds used, directly or indirectly, paid to an entity to influence elected or judicial officals. A tax requires, of course, reporting and can achive Sheldon Whitehouse's Disclose Act objectives while yielding revenue. Interestingly enough, the war on corruption should learn something from the war on drugs and what has happened post legalization of marijuana.
For me, the disheartening thing isn't the rotting GOP or the craven politicians that infest it. It's the sheer number of American voters that cannot see Trump for what he is and always has been. Not all of these people are "stupid". There's something else going on and it feels a lot like a death wish. When I think of them I flash on Jim Jones.
I don’t understand why the laws we have are not enforced. Why has it taken over 2years to get the texts of Mark Meadows which show 34 sitting congress persons supporting overthrowing the 2020election. They swore to uphold the constitution. Why are they allowed to remain in office. Why are any military, police, secret service, FBI, ICE, etc who belong to the oath keepers, proud boys or any white supremicist group allowed to keep their job? Why hasn’t Congress required ethics requirements for the Supreme Court. Why has their been no consequences for Virginia Thomas or her husband, Judge Thomas? We have capitalpolice injured, dead, now having to leave work due to physical injuries and PTSD and Marjorie Taylor Green is allowed to “joke” that she and Bannon would have won and it would have been armed? Why doesn’t that disqualify her from continuing to serve? How can we get our legal system to work?
I agree with what you say, Dr. Reich, but there is an even scarier position of the trumpster adoration - The Move Toward Authoritarianism". As everyone on this Forum is aware authoritarianism in any of its various forms is the governing mechanism of the majority of Homo sapiens currently living on this planet. we insist on referring to them as "Communists" "Marxists" "Dictatorships" "Oligarchs" "Fascists"Religious extremists, jihadists, etc" But in each case what they really are is 'Big Daddy' . Personally I don't understand why anyone wants a dictator telling them what they may or may not do, but obviously I and we, are in the worldwide minority. Ron DeSantis has even gone so far as to take control of Florida public schools to assure that they all become little white automatons. The Floridian Cuban population supports them - gee, I wonder why? They fled Castro's version of dictatorship, but not because they embraced Democracy and independent critical thinking - no, they longed for their previous dictator, Bautista, the corrupt, money grubbing dictator. We will lose this country unless we start now, teaching our children that's it's ok to question, to think, to analyze, and getting rich is not the greatest goal. You are correct that the dissolution of the Republican Party is not a good thing. A functional Democracy, which we had until 1972, requires civil debate, a consideration of different ways to achieve a fair and just society. We need at least two major SANE parties for the type of government that has worked so well for 246 years. As Ben Franklin famously said 'A Republic, if you can keep it'
The orange muffin will whither away when we cease paying attention. But he is the consummate anti-entertainer. We look on in appalled enthrallment, disgusted by every word and action, yet still watching. And there are those who think chaotic misdirection is a fine way to govern. Oh that my neighbors could just see the buffoon for what he is and not a projection of their fantasies.
the base. indeed. trump is the leader of a cult founded in, built upon and based in hatred. people love trump cuz he gives them an excuse to be their worst, most vile, selves.
i've been reading a book that will open your eyes and (perhaps) give you nightmares: a brief history of fascist lies by federico finchelstein (amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0520346718/grrlscientist-20/ ) that has been like a real-life dystopian novel. you political scientists who know all this stuff already may not find much here to have nightmares over, but people like me who are in the intermediate phase of learning more details about the origins and realities of these extremist ideologies will be riveted.
comparing trump and his crowd of lunatics to the fascists of yore is terrifying and in some ways, prophetic, reading. almost like a how-to manual.
There are people who think the world is flat and that Bitcoin is real. Even today. Next to that and equivalent loonies, belief in D. Trump as a meaningful and rational politician is merely silly. Beware of Dummheit, there’s a lot of it about!
Hitler 2.0
History repeats itself in a toxic and regressive pattern.
It means the only way to deal with this anti- American egotistic mob boss is to use the constitution, take his right to ever run for any U S office again away from him and place him in jail, where he should have been a year ago, according to the judicial laws of our great nation. Why are we waisting our time determining if he is guilty, when the whole world can see he is nothing but a crook? Get with it DOJ do your duty, that’s why your job was instituted
Follow the money;
The wealthy oligarchs will spend for autocratic control of the nation to protect their money and status.
They’ve been thriving since they induced Reagan to cut their taxes and regulations.
Control the money: Tax Wealth More and The People less.
How? Vote the unpatriotic enabling plutocrats out and patriotic progressives in.
To save the republic, push Patriotic PROGRESSIVES.
Push illegality of private ownership of non-sporting guns.
Wiseup Americans!
tRump's base is smaller than the population of voters who don't want him ; those former 'minorities' who add to the diversity of the electorate presently ; people of color/indigenous, LGBTQ, women who now have seen how far the 'right' will/can go under him, educated/informed people who agree with the Democrats for many reasons and were behind the recent unusual wins this past midterm. Why would people vote against their own interests, when it has been demonstrated how bad the 'right's intent is? Even the tRump 'alternative'; DeSantis can't wait to lock people up as soon as he is able to.
I agree that the problem is the dedication and fanaticism of trump supporters. We need someone on the Democratic side that can inspire the tenacity and dedication of Dems.
“Money is the Mother Milk of Poltics” and “Them that Got the Gold Writes the Rules”.
Those are the rules of the Political Games we see the R’s are now in the same place the D’s were before The Civil War .
The cure ?
I propose a Constitutional Convention to re write the Rules of the Political Game.
1. Mandatory Universal Voting ($250 fine for not voting );
2. Abolishing the Electoral College and
3. Rank Voting Rounds with runoffs.
Our A archaic system of voting is killing Democracy it encourages The money gods alone to rule us.
Allowing unlimited campaign contributions by corporations and some individuals slews our system towards the rich”
If FOX, talk radio, & other media stopped promoting them & their crazy ideas they’d be dead in the water. But now not only do we have FOX & Rush Limbaugh, we have hundreds of wanna he’s. Good luck.
I agreed with today's post until Prof. Reich concluded that the rot of a Trumpified Republican party is bad for us all. No, it is not. The Republican party as currently constituted has built its power on dividing Americans against each other and convincing party loyalists that American institutions that are a counterpoint to demagoguery are the enemy -- that's the press, scientists, history teachers, the entire opposing political party, providers of healthcare, the list goes on. If Trump Republicanism rots it can be the fertilizer out of which grows the green shoots of a chastised and honest conservatism, the traditional doubters who can hold visionaries accountable for producing results.
We cannot look only at Congressional Republicans, but need to look at Governors, AG's, State Legislators, School Board members, Sheriffs, Judges, and every other elected Republican. We also must not consider silence and standing on the side lines as good enough. If a politician isn't actively speaking out against Trump, they are tethered to him. They cannot have it both ways, keeping the base with them by saying nothing and then trying to appeal to the center by saying they didn't support Trump. Every politician must be recorded being asked and answering, "Do you agree with Trump on the need to throw out the 2020 election and the Constitution?", "Do you support Trump for 2024?" "Do you think having meals with Ye and Fuentes is disqualifying?" No hemming and hawing. Yes or no, are you with Trump or not.
If we let DeSantis. Abbott, Cruz, etal. remain silent, then the DOJ and the Democrats are doing their work of bringing him down for their benefit. It's the Republican's job to clean their house, not the Democrat's. Saying nothing is being complicit.