Leninist tactics. Create disorder Destroy the bourgeois state. Create revolution. A small organized faction can do a lot of damage. Radical Trumpublicans have become a revolutionary nihilist party destroying governments by manipulating the workers who feel oppressed and betrayed. Truckers have a hard job made worse by neoliberal deregulation. Thankfully the Teamsters see through this but are they as influential as they were before deregulation? The GOP is in an existential struggle between oligarchs and fascists on one side and traditional conservatives who are finally speaking out in fear as the clock strikes 11:59 pm.
Can you see them losing in a Republican primary or against a Democratic opponent? Don't overestimate the intelligence of their supporters, and don't ignore the motivation of their donors.
There is a tipping point. I don’t know where it is or when it will come, but Cruz kicked his constituents during last winter’s power outage and freeze. He supports the RNC platform. MOST IMPORTANTLY, don’t underestimate their voters and don’t give up.
Ol’ Flawriduh Cracker, Yep. We could lose, and despite most movies and Candide, bad guys do win and Noah wasn’t out for an afternoon cruise cause the weather was good.
I have a dear friend (college roommate, fellow JFK supporter, well educated, etc.) still living in Cruz’ home state. She tells me that Cruz is “Whip Smart”. Why? Forty years of propaganda and his degree from Harvard. Jon Margolis is correct. Do not assume because you see a few meatheads on T.V. that there are not intelligent folks who have been badly served by media and politicians willing to vote against their own interests as well.
When you suggest that people support reactionaries because the are stupid, people you exhibit the kind of easy elitism that has cost us heavily at the polls since 1980. I fall into the same trap sometimes, but I try to resist the temptation. If we want to win people over, and we should, we need to respect their opinions even as we reject them.
They are easily manipulated as the wealthy who are behind a lot of this stand back. The wealthy will be fine...for awhile....until climate change catches up with them, so they don't care. Here is Oregon we are hearing about something to happen in the middle of March and of course our old friend Timber Unity, financed from out of state, is partly behind this. I would not say that a lot of these folks are stupid, but my relatives who sometimes bleat all this nonsense, are very poorly educated and have scut jobs.
The majority of the people at 1/6 had jobs. Many were wealthy. The money to fund these groups isn’t coming in from small fish. There are big money donors keeping it going. But they are grifting from the small guys and someone is keeping most of the money. In the end the boots on the ground people and small uneducated donors will discover they have been seriously affected by their own actions. They’re not trying to shut down one company, they want the whole economy and government to collapse. They be just as affected by it. Cruz, Paul, Hawley, etc. have delusions that they will rise to the top and be rulers of the world. They don’t care how many die.
Where were the 'traditional conservatives' when the Senate refused to go along with the House's impeachment of the defeated former president? It is very difficult to grow a spine after the one you were born with melts.
I think the identity crisis, and any attendant struggle, is long over. I don't see these "traditional conservatives." I see two gutsy members of the party who have actually been willing to put the integrity of the country above their personal ambitions. With those notable exceptions, I don't see conservatives at all. I am an unrepentant liberal Democrat, never a doubt, but I remember a time when Republicans were human beings. These people are monsters.
My only concern is even if they decide to go toward sanity, that only gets them back to run of the mill God-awful. Still better than End Of Days nihilist destruction, I guess.
Most Fascists don't think of themselves as bad guys advocating an authoritarian form of government. They have been convinced that is what we have right now. They want to be the good guys, getting rid of it so they can have their freedoms back, which they believe an overly liberal democracy have taken away. That's why Fascists always wave their nation's flag and call themselves patriots. Once they get what they want, many of them are usually purged by those in charge, as occurred in Germany and the USSR.
Jack, who knew, right? The Neo Fascist poised to take power in 2024 and install a permanent oligarchy/theocracy to replace sweating masses Democracy have a collective vision.
Features include restoration of the “Mythic Past” when “separate but equal” seemed like a good way to deal with “uppity negroes.” As well business must be at last able to breathe the fresh air of Free Market Theology: No unions, regulation or tort liability, but plenty of legal power to for example bring the hammer down on anyone that suggest a company is price fixing, or gaining an unfair monopoly.
And you are right about when they take power if we are to give credence to the philosopher Karl Popper who among other things revolutionized how the methodology of scientific theory should be addressed.
He also wrote about “free speech and the role of tolerance” - (and this is really truncated to save reading time.) “if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant…. they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols.
We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.”
Popper saw first person the rise if Nazi Germany.
In any case, you can take it to the bank that suppression of argument will be among the first thing on the Fascist agenda. Maybe Florida’s “Woke Act” to prohibit teaching anything about our racist past that might hurt a ( I kid you not) White students feelings or make them fee guilt or shame will cost a teacher their job and likely civil law suit.
That crap has already been enshrined into law here in NH, as well as a 24 week abortion ban w/no exceptions except to save the life of the mother (the legislature is trying to enact a bill for men to sue their women to prevent the abortion long enough to force women to have to bear the child, even it the male is a rapist not yet charged or convicted. The Republican majority legislature and the governor are absolutely ignoring the will of voters and the general populace.
"Wreck the economy. Blame the Democrats." The Republicans have been doing it since 1876, against Grover Cleveland. They will keep doing it, in the immortal words of Michael Jordan referring to faking being fouled, "as long as it works."
More broadly: either Invent a problem where none existed (*cough* CRT *cough*) or take an existing problem (like, say, a pandemic) and do everything possible to make it worse.
This post is perfection (as are all of your posts). Thanks to you and Eric Boehlert, we have sources to focus on what the "real news" is as opposed to the agenda mainstream media want to propagate.
D & D GOP. Has a certain ring to it. I hope the GOP pays a price for what's happening. Auto plants are closing, and factory workers are being idled. It appears we're just seeing the start of these protests, which if they spread to major metro areas of the U.S. will harm much more than auto production.
Naturally, the Republicans will at some point blame Biden for any damage to the economy. But workers will know the truth.
DISRUPTIONS and
DESTABILIZATION
Why Heather, I believe you’ve uncovered the GOP “platform”
VermontGirl.
Absolutely great summary statement. You captured exactly the actual Republican "platform".
Thanks.
Leninist tactics. Create disorder Destroy the bourgeois state. Create revolution. A small organized faction can do a lot of damage. Radical Trumpublicans have become a revolutionary nihilist party destroying governments by manipulating the workers who feel oppressed and betrayed. Truckers have a hard job made worse by neoliberal deregulation. Thankfully the Teamsters see through this but are they as influential as they were before deregulation? The GOP is in an existential struggle between oligarchs and fascists on one side and traditional conservatives who are finally speaking out in fear as the clock strikes 11:59 pm.
Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and others need to pay at the voting booth and in their campaign coffers for their anti-US platforms.
Can you see them losing in a Republican primary or against a Democratic opponent? Don't overestimate the intelligence of their supporters, and don't ignore the motivation of their donors.
There is a tipping point. I don’t know where it is or when it will come, but Cruz kicked his constituents during last winter’s power outage and freeze. He supports the RNC platform. MOST IMPORTANTLY, don’t underestimate their voters and don’t give up.
Yes, Stanley, we must stay strong and united.
SLWeston, “sigh,” it’s not easy, and that’s one benefit to participating in this group.
Like your optimism or the idea that in the long run this will change. Yet one way to look at this is that in the “long run” we all die.
Ol’ Flawriduh Cracker, Yep. We could lose, and despite most movies and Candide, bad guys do win and Noah wasn’t out for an afternoon cruise cause the weather was good.
I have a dear friend (college roommate, fellow JFK supporter, well educated, etc.) still living in Cruz’ home state. She tells me that Cruz is “Whip Smart”. Why? Forty years of propaganda and his degree from Harvard. Jon Margolis is correct. Do not assume because you see a few meatheads on T.V. that there are not intelligent folks who have been badly served by media and politicians willing to vote against their own interests as well.
When you suggest that people support reactionaries because the are stupid, people you exhibit the kind of easy elitism that has cost us heavily at the polls since 1980. I fall into the same trap sometimes, but I try to resist the temptation. If we want to win people over, and we should, we need to respect their opinions even as we reject them.
They are easily manipulated as the wealthy who are behind a lot of this stand back. The wealthy will be fine...for awhile....until climate change catches up with them, so they don't care. Here is Oregon we are hearing about something to happen in the middle of March and of course our old friend Timber Unity, financed from out of state, is partly behind this. I would not say that a lot of these folks are stupid, but my relatives who sometimes bleat all this nonsense, are very poorly educated and have scut jobs.
The majority of the people at 1/6 had jobs. Many were wealthy. The money to fund these groups isn’t coming in from small fish. There are big money donors keeping it going. But they are grifting from the small guys and someone is keeping most of the money. In the end the boots on the ground people and small uneducated donors will discover they have been seriously affected by their own actions. They’re not trying to shut down one company, they want the whole economy and government to collapse. They be just as affected by it. Cruz, Paul, Hawley, etc. have delusions that they will rise to the top and be rulers of the world. They don’t care how many die.
The "boots on the ground people and small uneducated donors" won't recognize the impacts of their own actions; they'll blame the Democrats.
True, but their lives will still be affected by their actions. I have hopes they will admit it to themselves when their supplies and paychecks dry up.
Yes, they do.
Where were the 'traditional conservatives' when the Senate refused to go along with the House's impeachment of the defeated former president? It is very difficult to grow a spine after the one you were born with melts.
Yes! You nailed it! The GOP is in the middle of an identity crisis. Hoping they figure it out before they take us with them.
I think the identity crisis, and any attendant struggle, is long over. I don't see these "traditional conservatives." I see two gutsy members of the party who have actually been willing to put the integrity of the country above their personal ambitions. With those notable exceptions, I don't see conservatives at all. I am an unrepentant liberal Democrat, never a doubt, but I remember a time when Republicans were human beings. These people are monsters.
Unfortunately, identity crisis is more of a catch phrase. Maybe way too PC. The truth is harsh but on target.
My only concern is even if they decide to go toward sanity, that only gets them back to run of the mill God-awful. Still better than End Of Days nihilist destruction, I guess.
Actually there is NO struggle at all. The Fascist Party is in full bloom.
Most Fascists don't think of themselves as bad guys advocating an authoritarian form of government. They have been convinced that is what we have right now. They want to be the good guys, getting rid of it so they can have their freedoms back, which they believe an overly liberal democracy have taken away. That's why Fascists always wave their nation's flag and call themselves patriots. Once they get what they want, many of them are usually purged by those in charge, as occurred in Germany and the USSR.
Jack, who knew, right? The Neo Fascist poised to take power in 2024 and install a permanent oligarchy/theocracy to replace sweating masses Democracy have a collective vision.
Features include restoration of the “Mythic Past” when “separate but equal” seemed like a good way to deal with “uppity negroes.” As well business must be at last able to breathe the fresh air of Free Market Theology: No unions, regulation or tort liability, but plenty of legal power to for example bring the hammer down on anyone that suggest a company is price fixing, or gaining an unfair monopoly.
And you are right about when they take power if we are to give credence to the philosopher Karl Popper who among other things revolutionized how the methodology of scientific theory should be addressed.
He also wrote about “free speech and the role of tolerance” - (and this is really truncated to save reading time.) “if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant…. they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols.
We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.”
Popper saw first person the rise if Nazi Germany.
In any case, you can take it to the bank that suppression of argument will be among the first thing on the Fascist agenda. Maybe Florida’s “Woke Act” to prohibit teaching anything about our racist past that might hurt a ( I kid you not) White students feelings or make them fee guilt or shame will cost a teacher their job and likely civil law suit.
That crap has already been enshrined into law here in NH, as well as a 24 week abortion ban w/no exceptions except to save the life of the mother (the legislature is trying to enact a bill for men to sue their women to prevent the abortion long enough to force women to have to bear the child, even it the male is a rapist not yet charged or convicted. The Republican majority legislature and the governor are absolutely ignoring the will of voters and the general populace.
VermontGirl57 - You win the Substack today 🏆
"Wreck the economy. Blame the Democrats." The Republicans have been doing it since 1876, against Grover Cleveland. They will keep doing it, in the immortal words of Michael Jordan referring to faking being fouled, "as long as it works."
More broadly: either Invent a problem where none existed (*cough* CRT *cough*) or take an existing problem (like, say, a pandemic) and do everything possible to make it worse.
Then blame the Democrats.
And the legitimization of ignorance.
Succinct
Not so “grand” anymore Repubs.
Garnished with bigotry and hatred.
This post is perfection (as are all of your posts). Thanks to you and Eric Boehlert, we have sources to focus on what the "real news" is as opposed to the agenda mainstream media want to propagate.
Actually, that's all there every was/is with the Trumpsters.
D & D GOP. Has a certain ring to it. I hope the GOP pays a price for what's happening. Auto plants are closing, and factory workers are being idled. It appears we're just seeing the start of these protests, which if they spread to major metro areas of the U.S. will harm much more than auto production.
Naturally, the Republicans will at some point blame Biden for any damage to the economy. But workers will know the truth.
Disinformation, too.
They should pay you handsomely.
Being part of this HCR community is my reward.
I landed here a few years ago after my (recently departed) older sister introduced me to HCR. In a weird way this place keeps me connected to her.
She who warned me when I was 12….you better be a liberal or I’ll get Vermont to revoke your birth certificate😂
Best big sis ever!