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Snowballing
Author: Raine
Date: 12/10/2020 13:59:01
**Over the past decade and a half, Republicans have shown disdain for procedural fairness and a willingness to put the pursuit of power over democratic principles. They have implemented measures that make it harder for racial minorities to vote, render votes from Democratic-leaning constituencies irrelevant, and relentlessly blocked Democratic efforts to conduct normal functions of government.
According to Jennifer McCoy, a political scientist at Georgia State University, these measures follow common patterns seen among populist authoritarians who initially win power by electoral means. They tend to pass changes to the electoral system aimed at ensuring “one party dominates government†while also working to marginalize or control “accountability institutions†like the judiciary or oversight watchdogs.
“Many of these leaders are able to do so when they first win a clear majority and then begin to change rules or the constitution to further entrench their advantage and get to supermajorities,†McCoy tells me.
For Republicans, the process of moving toward anti-democracy has taken decades rather than a single election. There was never a single unified GOP plan to lock out Democrats, akin to the way that Fidesz intentionally remade the Hungarian political system after winning the country’s 2010 election. There is no authoritarian plot behind the GOP’s recent maneuvers, and no secret plan to end elections or declare martial law.**
The excerpt from the article above was written September 22.
Since September we have had a national election and the people of this nation chose new federal leadership. Since September the GOP has become more and more out of control while trying to keep control of its power. It's really not even trying to hide its disdain for democratic norms and laws. In other words, It is not Trump - it is the Republican party that is a clear and present danger to the United States. Their white supremacy isn't a problem for them - it's a feature and it is snowballing each and every day.
It needs to be called out, much like this opinion. It doesn't "appear" hostile - it IS hostile. I've long held a belief that I would like to have honest good-faith discussions about policy differences with my center-right friends. I still do.
What I won't do is debate about how much racism and white supremacy is acceptable. What we see happening - this attempted coup (and it really is is about that very thing) - is that the GOP wants to keep racism so they can hold onto power, the very power they came to hold by playing a long ball game over the decades. They are losing and now they are desperate.
My line in the sand: I refuse to debate whether or not White Nationalism - in whatever form - is acceptable. That's not something I can or will forgive and forget.
Going back to the first article I referenced:
We, as a nation, are badly broken. Trump just tore the bloody bandage off to expose it to the world.
& 
Raine
According to Jennifer McCoy, a political scientist at Georgia State University, these measures follow common patterns seen among populist authoritarians who initially win power by electoral means. They tend to pass changes to the electoral system aimed at ensuring “one party dominates government†while also working to marginalize or control “accountability institutions†like the judiciary or oversight watchdogs.
“Many of these leaders are able to do so when they first win a clear majority and then begin to change rules or the constitution to further entrench their advantage and get to supermajorities,†McCoy tells me.
For Republicans, the process of moving toward anti-democracy has taken decades rather than a single election. There was never a single unified GOP plan to lock out Democrats, akin to the way that Fidesz intentionally remade the Hungarian political system after winning the country’s 2010 election. There is no authoritarian plot behind the GOP’s recent maneuvers, and no secret plan to end elections or declare martial law.**
The excerpt from the article above was written September 22.
Since September we have had a national election and the people of this nation chose new federal leadership. Since September the GOP has become more and more out of control while trying to keep control of its power. It's really not even trying to hide its disdain for democratic norms and laws. In other words, It is not Trump - it is the Republican party that is a clear and present danger to the United States. Their white supremacy isn't a problem for them - it's a feature and it is snowballing each and every day.
It needs to be called out, much like this opinion.
Regardless of whether Trump has a strategy, his post-election antics have left the US looking more like a banana republic and less like the “land of the free and home of the braveâ€. As for the Republican party, it appears hostile to two-party democracy.
What I won't do is debate about how much racism and white supremacy is acceptable. What we see happening - this attempted coup (and it really is is about that very thing) - is that the GOP wants to keep racism so they can hold onto power, the very power they came to hold by playing a long ball game over the decades. They are losing and now they are desperate.
My line in the sand: I refuse to debate whether or not White Nationalism - in whatever form - is acceptable. That's not something I can or will forgive and forget.
Going back to the first article I referenced:
In short, there is a consensus among comparative politics scholars that the Republican Party is one of the most anti-democratic political parties in the developed world. It is one of a handful of once-centrist parties that has, in recent years, taken a turn toward the extreme.
“The transformation of the GOP is in line with other transformations of conservative into far-right parties, like Fidesz in Hungary,†said Cas Mudde, an expert on right-wing politics at the University of Georgia.
We, as a nation, are badly broken. Trump just tore the bloody bandage off to expose it to the world.
& Raine
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
Raine on 12/10/2020 14:09:46
Raine on 12/10/2020 14:09:46
Case in point:
Many of their long-standing beliefs don't hold up to modern moral standards or rational scrutiny. Rather than give up those beliefs, however, Republicans have developed a series of disingenuous gambits, conspiracy theories and trolling tactics to derail conversations, sow confusion and otherwise distract those who would challenge their indefensible ideology.
Of course, it's morally indefensible to come right out and say you care more about keeping your gas guzzler than protecting the planet. So, instead, conservatives claim to be "skeptical" of climate science, wasting their interlocutor's time by forcing them to prove, over and over and over and over again, that climate change is real. Similarly, open contempt for women's rights is hard to argue, so instead, conservatives will claim concern for "fetal life" to justify support for forced childbirth — even though none of their other policy preferences point to concern about the wellbeing of children, much less fetuses.
Poll numbers showing that Republican voters "believe" that Trump lost the election are more of the same.
Conservatives know better than to openly argue that Democratic votes shouldn't be counted. So instead they concoct this elaborate conspiracy theory, painting themselves as the victims of voter fraud in order to justify an illegal effort to steal the election. The current situation is similar to the last time there was a widespread conspiracy theory aimed at delegitimizing a duly elected Democratic president. During Barack Obama's presidency, polling showed that large numbers of Republicans, often a majority, expressed "skepticism" that Obama was a natural-born citizen and therefore legally eligible to be president. As is the case now, Trump was a ringleader in pushing this "birther" conspiracy theory, helping to mainstream claims that Obama's presidency was illegitimate.
Comment by 
wickedpam on 12/10/2020 14:27:40
wickedpam on 12/10/2020 14:27:40
Morning 
Then he stuck his grubby fingers in the wound and made it worse.
So, is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that 17 other states have signed on to this Texas suit? I know this a bad case and shittily put together but we keep saying "he can't do X" and he does, and it it sticks.
Then he stuck his grubby fingers in the wound and made it worse.
So, is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that 17 other states have signed on to this Texas suit? I know this a bad case and shittily put together but we keep saying "he can't do X" and he does, and it it sticks.
Comment by Raine on 12/10/2020 14:29:37
I am.
It points out how much the GOP hates democracy (small d) and it's part of the reason why I wrote this today.
It's disgusting.
Raine on 12/10/2020 14:29:37
Quote by wickedpam:
Morning
Then he stuck his grubby fingers in the wound and made it worse.
So, is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that 17 other states have signed on to this Texas suit? I know this a bad case and shittily put together but we keep saying "he can't do X" and he does, and it it sticks.
It points out how much the GOP hates democracy (small d) and it's part of the reason why I wrote this today.
It's disgusting.
Comment by wickedpam on 12/10/2020 14:38:27
I'm legit scared that his 3 dumbass plus Thomas are gonna convince 1 more on SCOTUS and take this case.
wickedpam on 12/10/2020 14:38:27
Quote by Raine:I am.Quote by wickedpam:
Morning
Then he stuck his grubby fingers in the wound and made it worse.
So, is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that 17 other states have signed on to this Texas suit? I know this a bad case and shittily put together but we keep saying "he can't do X" and he does, and it it sticks.
It points out how much the GOP hates democracy (small d) and it's part of the reason why I wrote this today.
It's disgusting.
I'm legit scared that his 3 dumbass plus Thomas are gonna convince 1 more on SCOTUS and take this case.
Comment by 
Will in Chicago on 12/10/2020 14:42:55
If they do, the GOP may find that the American people will stand against them. If the Supreme Court rules for Trump, it will destroy what little legitimacy it has left.
The GOP may find that the public will oppose a legalistic coup as surely as we would oppose foreign invaders.
Will in Chicago on 12/10/2020 14:42:55
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:I am.Quote by wickedpam:
Morning
Then he stuck his grubby fingers in the wound and made it worse.
So, is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that 17 other states have signed on to this Texas suit? I know this a bad case and shittily put together but we keep saying "he can't do X" and he does, and it it sticks.
It points out how much the GOP hates democracy (small d) and it's part of the reason why I wrote this today.
It's disgusting.
If they do, the GOP may find that the American people will stand against them. If the Supreme Court rules for Trump, it will destroy what little legitimacy it has left.
The GOP may find that the public will oppose a legalistic coup as surely as we would oppose foreign invaders.
Comment by 
BobR on 12/10/2020 15:54:37
BobR on 12/10/2020 15:54:37
The court wouldn't hear the PA case, and that was slightly more reasonable than the TX case (which is the height of absurdity). I strongly believe there is no way in Hell they will take the TX case.
There is also the matter of Monday Dec 14 - the day the electors meet, choose Biden, and the House confirms it. There's nothing they can reasonably do after that.
There is also the matter of Monday Dec 14 - the day the electors meet, choose Biden, and the House confirms it. There's nothing they can reasonably do after that.
Comment by 
livingonli on 12/10/2020 16:31:05
livingonli on 12/10/2020 16:31:05
Barrett and Alito would most likely go full authoritarian with Thomas.
Comment by livingonli on 12/10/2020 17:53:30
livingonli on 12/10/2020 17:53:30
YouTube will now remove videos disputing Biden's win. Hope they go after the anti-vaxxer material as well.