It is among the most familiar patterns of the Trump era.
First, Trump says or does something weird, rude or otherwise norm-defying. Some elected Republicans object, and the response from Trump and his minions is to shoot the messenger. The dynamic holds constant whether it’s big (Jan. 6 pardons) or small (tweeting “covfefe” just after midnight).
The essence of this low-road-for-me-high-road-for-thee dynamic rests on the belief that Trumpism is a one-way road. Insulting Trump, deservedly or not, is forbidden, while Trump’s antics should be celebrated when possible, defended when necessary, or ignored when neither of those responses is possible. But he should never, ever face consequences for his own actions.
This was the week Trump’s routine went global.
This asshole is a symptom not the disease. Reconciliation following the Civil War enabled exactly this. It was not enough the south was defeated. Allowing the traitors to continue to fly their piss-soaked surrender flag enabled the losers to pass down their hatred, and now “the south is rising again.” And is currently in charge.
Getting rid of Trump will not be enough. Every one of you knows someone who believes in and voted for what is currently happening. There can be no forgiveness for this. They need to be excised from civilization. All ofthem.
The hardest part is learning so much about fellow people you thought you knew.
I have a close person in my life, we used to organize together, went to rally’s, etc. and this person even claims to be responsible for my politics. But they lost their mind during Covid, went anti-mask and jumped both feet into the medical weirdness. Wound up being a big RFK fan.
Now that all this shit is happening, I keep trying to inspire some action. This person told me they were done, not willing fight, wants to let their kids and other people fight for them, they need to be a breadwinner.
So, just embraced the insanity, then stepped aside just in time for fascism to take over. When the fight matters, they just gave up.
Sucks, but at least I finally got to know the real them.
Sounds like a true leftist there.
I like living in a fantasy land too.
Recognizing that straight up genocide or mass incarcerating all of them is not going to be an option, at a bare minimum: disenfranchisement, bar them from any office, confiscate wealth and property, liquidate their businesses, take their guns. Let them spend the rest of their miserable lives dependent on the good graces of society to get by, and if they still refuse to abide, then we opt to remove them from the picture. We’re also going to have to strip our democracy down to the bare bones, keep what was good, bring other parts out of the 18th century, and be vigilant in closing up the loopholes they make for themselves. There’s some that need to be Nuremberg’d, but logistically and realistically we can never bring them all to heel. We just need to do as much as we can to set the example and make sure they don’t adopt a new “lost cause” narrative.
I liked the genocide option better. He just forgot to include their children, grandchildren, and anyone associated with them 5 degrees of Kevin Bacon who voted for Trump.
Did not say genocide. Did not even imply violence. You inferred it.
I agree with everything you said, which is why I added that every single one of you know someone who approves of what is happening. Legal retaliation can only take us so far. But it needs to happen for the high profile turds. The generic pieces of shit that you live in proximity to need to be dealt with by the public. Maybe it’s time to make grandpa take his stupid octogenarian ass to the doctor himself because gas is too expensive to waste on his idiocy anymore.