Today’s news just amplifies yesterday’s, but the stories add up to an interesting scenario. Coronavirus continues to devastate the country, with official deaths topping 281,000 today, but it turns out that the Trump administration did not actually have a plan for distribution of vaccines. Federal officials have drastically slashed the amount of vaccine they promised to states before the election. Instead of the 300 million doses the administration had promised before the end of 2020, the plan is currently to distribute 35 to 40 million doses. Even those, though, are plagued by bottlenecks in parts of the production process, as well as manufacturing issues. This means a longer struggle with the disease than many had come to expect.
As one considers Trump’s request of GA Governor Kemp to conduct an audit of ballot envelope signatures, it is essential to understand what he seeks to accomplish. Once the ballot envelope signatures are judged by election officials representing both parties as matching signature records, the actual ballots are separated from the envelopes. To preserve secrecy of the ballot, the actual ballot carries no individual identification. This ensures there is no way to identify which candidate an individual voted for. Trump is not seeking to cast out some number of votes, but rather to delegitimize the entire electoral process and simply declare his victory by proclamation. This is the very essence of autocracy attacking the core of democracy, free and fair elections.
Only days after the 2016 election, Masha Gessen’s prescient column published in the New York Review titled, ”Auocracy: Rules for Survival," warned about this outcome. This column later served as the basis for her book, ”Surviving Autocracy.”
Democracy and Rule of Law are not inevitable. Norms thought to protect democracy are not enshrined in law, they depend on the virtue and morality of those in power. When political leaders lack that virtue norms are ineffective. Citizens can allow democracy to vanish as they are distracted by day to day events or grievances. This is how autocrats raise to power, not through conquest but by apathy and false grievance.
We have been warned and seen all this before in history. Professor Richardson now and earlier Professors Masha Gessen and Timothy Snyder in their writings have foretold the slide into autocracy. Resistance is an imperative if democracy and the American Experiment is to survive. A good outcome is not assured. Do not be complacent. Do not believe it will all work out or that it is merely Trump being Trump. The crisis is very real and depends on citizens demanding upholding the Rule of Law and free and fair elections be protected and actual election outcomes be upheld.
Victory does not come by proclamation it must reflect the will of the majority of those governed.
HCR....my admiration, respect, and gratitude for you and your letters is boundless. But I must also add how much I enjoy the comments of your readers. They are thoughtful, intelligent, fact-based, respectful, and encourage me to continue the fight. I live in Texas, surrounded by trumper family and friends. I treasure the support I get from these letters and comments.
Dear Heather, There are days when your letter makes my jaw drop in awe if how you bring together the big picture. Today's put a big lump in my throat and turned my stomach in worry. My question now becomes "Do the Republicans know enough about American history to do exactly as the precedent you describe?" They certainly do seem intent on creating economic collapse by not rescuing the economy for the average person. And, they certainly are scaring their supporters with the fear of Democrats turning American into a Socialist country. Does history repeat itself? Arrrgghhh!
It strikes me as unassailable that the Party of Trump’s refusal to accept President-elect Biden’s victory is simple lying.
They are lying: The elected officials who swore the oath to protect and defend the Constitution know the truth of the matter but have decided that political considerations justify their continuing to follow their Great Liar Leader.
The political considerations they timidly stand behind are simple – Trump corralled a large portion of the electorate, some who fear the loss of their weapons, some who fear the “other” among them, some who fear the imagined Socialist-Communist boogeyman conjured by Trump, who is poised to steal their money, their religious liberty and their freedom, and some who fear the loss of their (perceived) economic advantage. This later category, those who voted for Trump and religiously vote for Republicans across the board because they believe it benefits them financially, might almost be forgiven – almost. But how much is their 401K going to be worth in the country the Party of Trump is attempting to create? Is it a country is which they would want to live?
Just as the Press finally came out from under its rug and called Trump on his lies, so too must we all simply and categorically call the lie on the members of his party. The American people are being lied to – all of us, regardless of our views on any of the substantive issues of the day.
So too must the Biden administration abide unrelentingly by its pledge to square with the people. It must lead by example and that requires being honest in all things – and crucially, those policies that will be unpopular.
They must mount an unprecedented campaign of public information – to aggressively get out in front on the issues, beat the Party of Trump to the punch and call them out when they lie. And when they make mistakes – and they will – they need to admit those mistakes and take decisive action to repair the damage. If heads need to roll, then roll they must.
This must be an administration of compassion, yes, but for the people and not for political allies, friends, supporters, or members of the administration. Those in positions of trust must be held to the highest standards. The murkiness surrounding the Benghazi incident is a case in point – the Obama administration did not get out in front of that in a forthcoming manner and we, all of us, paid for it. That cannot happen in a Biden administration.
And it is time to ask those members of Congress who are supporting Trump through their silence, the hard question: Is the racist, misogynist, election-trashing, climate-hostile, Covid-denying, selfish world view of Donald Trump worth threatening the existence of our Union? Is it worth sacrificing all that those who came before us fought and died for, worth trashing the very foundation of our Democracy – the vote – to prevail in an election and by so prevailing destroy the election system itself?
My state, New Mexico is at over 100 percent hospital capacity. We are a small state and our population is spread out. Our infection rate is soaring. We have been on the highest level on the NYT charts of "Where Rates are High and Staying High" and where deaths are increasing. The Southern part of the state is largely Trump country and, not surprising, has a high infection and death rate.
Our reservations have locked down for a second time.
Trumpsters are angry that our governor has limited numbers for outdoor dining, kept non-essential businesses operating at 25 percent and has kept bars closed. She has tried an incentive plan county by county depending on rates.
As far as I am concerned, Trump and his followers (no longer Republicans) have blood on their hands. And yet they complain.
I am thankful our governor has apparently turned down a Cabinet post for President-Elect Biden and is still fighting hard to help us regain control of the virus and develop a vaccine administration plan.
It is so frustrating and angering that Trump does nothing but collect contributions to line his own pockets. I can only pray that the base finally figures out they have been conned. But, I would not bet a nickel on that happening. They all willingly added blinders instead of masks to their apparel.
This era of the twin terrors of deadly COVID and enemy domestic trump is sapping our country's energy. But somehow, our BVF (Best Virtual Friend) Dr HCR gins up the energy to write on this site every day. And every morning, not yet caffeinated, I trudge to my Big Mac and log in to orient myself, via history and current events, to the new day. I don't remember how I found my way here, but I'm damn glad I did. On we go.
I think another reason has developed to keep Republican lawmakers silent--the fear of being targeted by violent Trump followers. The threats their spouses snd children are likely to endure must give them pause even if they are starting to see and care about the damage he's doing.
There must also be a real fear of the monster they created.
Education has, and always will be, a threat to tyranny. Your efforts, Heather, have helped me and presumably many others, gain far greater insight and understanding of the machinations of those who would line their pockets and work relentlessly to divide us.
In 1671 Virginia's Governor William Berkeley said this about the state of schools in Virginia: "I thank God," he declared, "there are no free schools nor printing, and I hope we shall not have these for a hundred years; for learning has brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects into the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels against the best government. God keep us from both." I found this in David Hackett Fischer's book "Albion's Seed." Right out of Betty Devos's playbook.
To avoid the frustrations of getting through to Republican Congress critters by phone, etc., try this:
(1) Buy USPS printed-postage-stamped postcards. They get through security faster than cards you stamp yourself and also letters. REMINDER TO SELF: Buy more postcards.
(2) Short, succinct messages are best.
(3) Start close to home and branch out.
(4) Stifle yourself if you're tempted to write what might be deemed inappropriate language, e.g., blockhead, jerk, enemy domestic, traitor, fecal outlet, etc. They'll probably be tossed.
(5) Flood them with postcards. Encourage your literal and virtual friends to do likewise.
(6) Stand by for link to U.S. Senate and U.S. House address links
How has the Republican Party existed this long, and why is it appealing to so many people over the years? 99% of us are obviously not part of the 1%. I am so disgusted with today’s party and especially its leaders. I am so pi$$ed off I cannot even form a coherent argument.
This look at history demonstrates that the Republican Party is better at sending a unified message than the Democrats. The GOP is now the “Party of Trump” and the majority of their members will fight within to tamp down any opinion to the contrary.
The Democratic Party MUST unify, against all attacks, sending ONE message, ONE goal, ONE platform...to preserve our democracy and the values outlined in our Constitution.
Progressives and Moderates UNITE! Do not squabble over cabinet appointments and other details of building our new Biden/Harris administration. Our big fight is not over. Keep our eyes on the bigger picture...defeating the “Party of Trump”
For a Brit who is not as familiar as he should be with US history, these deeply informed analogies are incredibly helpful. I have a faith that an awareness of history can render contemporary behaviour more rational and wise.
Thanks for scaring the crap out of me on this beautiful frosty Missouri morning.
We moved here in 2003 in anticipation of tough times and have been vaguely aware that the other shoe would drop eventually, but went about our business as usual; switching from carpentry to nursing after the crash of 2009, entering nursing school at the age of 57 with a 4 1/2 year sojourn to work in an Indian hospital in the arid west, and then back to the deep red Ozarks in the face of the ravages of Covid to out wait the plague.
This story is obviously much larger and longer than one perverse administration and while I have been very aware of it in general terms I certainly appreciate the specifics of the timeline you've laid out.
What I'm very much afraid of now is that there is obviously no place to hide. I certainly appreciate knowing that someone is communicating an accurate historical picture to anybody who will listen. Forewarned is forearmed.
Perhaps I misunderstand the word, however so much of the destructive action of the current administration bring the word 'sedition' instantly to mind... at what point does action destructive to our democracy fall from being dishonorable to traitorous? As in history, money will continue to try to protect their hold so how do we get the distorting hold of money out of the government policies and processes? Utilities used to be protected since they supported the needs of the people until monied efforts removed the safeguards and allowed them to become for profit entities. News used to be protected by fair information standards, also with safeguards eliminated to allow for higher profitability, and 45 took over control of VOA which opens some scary scenarios for honest reporting globally. Too long a list to reiterate here but so many behaviors seem beyond tolerable in my opinion.
Thank you for keeping tabs on all this craziness for those of us who haven't the time or patience to track it ourselves.
Republicans call their representatives in Congress 10 times more often than Democrats do, a study I read....wonder what would happen if Democrats flooded the phone line, the tweets, emails for the next 30 days. Is it possible the Republicans in the Senate might get just a little squirmy and maybe do their job. ?
As one considers Trump’s request of GA Governor Kemp to conduct an audit of ballot envelope signatures, it is essential to understand what he seeks to accomplish. Once the ballot envelope signatures are judged by election officials representing both parties as matching signature records, the actual ballots are separated from the envelopes. To preserve secrecy of the ballot, the actual ballot carries no individual identification. This ensures there is no way to identify which candidate an individual voted for. Trump is not seeking to cast out some number of votes, but rather to delegitimize the entire electoral process and simply declare his victory by proclamation. This is the very essence of autocracy attacking the core of democracy, free and fair elections.
Only days after the 2016 election, Masha Gessen’s prescient column published in the New York Review titled, ”Auocracy: Rules for Survival," warned about this outcome. This column later served as the basis for her book, ”Surviving Autocracy.”
Democracy and Rule of Law are not inevitable. Norms thought to protect democracy are not enshrined in law, they depend on the virtue and morality of those in power. When political leaders lack that virtue norms are ineffective. Citizens can allow democracy to vanish as they are distracted by day to day events or grievances. This is how autocrats raise to power, not through conquest but by apathy and false grievance.
We have been warned and seen all this before in history. Professor Richardson now and earlier Professors Masha Gessen and Timothy Snyder in their writings have foretold the slide into autocracy. Resistance is an imperative if democracy and the American Experiment is to survive. A good outcome is not assured. Do not be complacent. Do not believe it will all work out or that it is merely Trump being Trump. The crisis is very real and depends on citizens demanding upholding the Rule of Law and free and fair elections be protected and actual election outcomes be upheld.
Victory does not come by proclamation it must reflect the will of the majority of those governed.
HCR....my admiration, respect, and gratitude for you and your letters is boundless. But I must also add how much I enjoy the comments of your readers. They are thoughtful, intelligent, fact-based, respectful, and encourage me to continue the fight. I live in Texas, surrounded by trumper family and friends. I treasure the support I get from these letters and comments.
Dear Heather, There are days when your letter makes my jaw drop in awe if how you bring together the big picture. Today's put a big lump in my throat and turned my stomach in worry. My question now becomes "Do the Republicans know enough about American history to do exactly as the precedent you describe?" They certainly do seem intent on creating economic collapse by not rescuing the economy for the average person. And, they certainly are scaring their supporters with the fear of Democrats turning American into a Socialist country. Does history repeat itself? Arrrgghhh!
It strikes me as unassailable that the Party of Trump’s refusal to accept President-elect Biden’s victory is simple lying.
They are lying: The elected officials who swore the oath to protect and defend the Constitution know the truth of the matter but have decided that political considerations justify their continuing to follow their Great Liar Leader.
The political considerations they timidly stand behind are simple – Trump corralled a large portion of the electorate, some who fear the loss of their weapons, some who fear the “other” among them, some who fear the imagined Socialist-Communist boogeyman conjured by Trump, who is poised to steal their money, their religious liberty and their freedom, and some who fear the loss of their (perceived) economic advantage. This later category, those who voted for Trump and religiously vote for Republicans across the board because they believe it benefits them financially, might almost be forgiven – almost. But how much is their 401K going to be worth in the country the Party of Trump is attempting to create? Is it a country is which they would want to live?
Just as the Press finally came out from under its rug and called Trump on his lies, so too must we all simply and categorically call the lie on the members of his party. The American people are being lied to – all of us, regardless of our views on any of the substantive issues of the day.
So too must the Biden administration abide unrelentingly by its pledge to square with the people. It must lead by example and that requires being honest in all things – and crucially, those policies that will be unpopular.
They must mount an unprecedented campaign of public information – to aggressively get out in front on the issues, beat the Party of Trump to the punch and call them out when they lie. And when they make mistakes – and they will – they need to admit those mistakes and take decisive action to repair the damage. If heads need to roll, then roll they must.
This must be an administration of compassion, yes, but for the people and not for political allies, friends, supporters, or members of the administration. Those in positions of trust must be held to the highest standards. The murkiness surrounding the Benghazi incident is a case in point – the Obama administration did not get out in front of that in a forthcoming manner and we, all of us, paid for it. That cannot happen in a Biden administration.
And it is time to ask those members of Congress who are supporting Trump through their silence, the hard question: Is the racist, misogynist, election-trashing, climate-hostile, Covid-denying, selfish world view of Donald Trump worth threatening the existence of our Union? Is it worth sacrificing all that those who came before us fought and died for, worth trashing the very foundation of our Democracy – the vote – to prevail in an election and by so prevailing destroy the election system itself?
My state, New Mexico is at over 100 percent hospital capacity. We are a small state and our population is spread out. Our infection rate is soaring. We have been on the highest level on the NYT charts of "Where Rates are High and Staying High" and where deaths are increasing. The Southern part of the state is largely Trump country and, not surprising, has a high infection and death rate.
Our reservations have locked down for a second time.
Trumpsters are angry that our governor has limited numbers for outdoor dining, kept non-essential businesses operating at 25 percent and has kept bars closed. She has tried an incentive plan county by county depending on rates.
As far as I am concerned, Trump and his followers (no longer Republicans) have blood on their hands. And yet they complain.
I am thankful our governor has apparently turned down a Cabinet post for President-Elect Biden and is still fighting hard to help us regain control of the virus and develop a vaccine administration plan.
It is so frustrating and angering that Trump does nothing but collect contributions to line his own pockets. I can only pray that the base finally figures out they have been conned. But, I would not bet a nickel on that happening. They all willingly added blinders instead of masks to their apparel.
This era of the twin terrors of deadly COVID and enemy domestic trump is sapping our country's energy. But somehow, our BVF (Best Virtual Friend) Dr HCR gins up the energy to write on this site every day. And every morning, not yet caffeinated, I trudge to my Big Mac and log in to orient myself, via history and current events, to the new day. I don't remember how I found my way here, but I'm damn glad I did. On we go.
I think another reason has developed to keep Republican lawmakers silent--the fear of being targeted by violent Trump followers. The threats their spouses snd children are likely to endure must give them pause even if they are starting to see and care about the damage he's doing.
There must also be a real fear of the monster they created.
Education has, and always will be, a threat to tyranny. Your efforts, Heather, have helped me and presumably many others, gain far greater insight and understanding of the machinations of those who would line their pockets and work relentlessly to divide us.
In 1671 Virginia's Governor William Berkeley said this about the state of schools in Virginia: "I thank God," he declared, "there are no free schools nor printing, and I hope we shall not have these for a hundred years; for learning has brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects into the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels against the best government. God keep us from both." I found this in David Hackett Fischer's book "Albion's Seed." Right out of Betty Devos's playbook.
To avoid the frustrations of getting through to Republican Congress critters by phone, etc., try this:
(1) Buy USPS printed-postage-stamped postcards. They get through security faster than cards you stamp yourself and also letters. REMINDER TO SELF: Buy more postcards.
(2) Short, succinct messages are best.
(3) Start close to home and branch out.
(4) Stifle yourself if you're tempted to write what might be deemed inappropriate language, e.g., blockhead, jerk, enemy domestic, traitor, fecal outlet, etc. They'll probably be tossed.
(5) Flood them with postcards. Encourage your literal and virtual friends to do likewise.
(6) Stand by for link to U.S. Senate and U.S. House address links
How has the Republican Party existed this long, and why is it appealing to so many people over the years? 99% of us are obviously not part of the 1%. I am so disgusted with today’s party and especially its leaders. I am so pi$$ed off I cannot even form a coherent argument.
This look at history demonstrates that the Republican Party is better at sending a unified message than the Democrats. The GOP is now the “Party of Trump” and the majority of their members will fight within to tamp down any opinion to the contrary.
The Democratic Party MUST unify, against all attacks, sending ONE message, ONE goal, ONE platform...to preserve our democracy and the values outlined in our Constitution.
Progressives and Moderates UNITE! Do not squabble over cabinet appointments and other details of building our new Biden/Harris administration. Our big fight is not over. Keep our eyes on the bigger picture...defeating the “Party of Trump”
For a Brit who is not as familiar as he should be with US history, these deeply informed analogies are incredibly helpful. I have a faith that an awareness of history can render contemporary behaviour more rational and wise.
Thanks for scaring the crap out of me on this beautiful frosty Missouri morning.
We moved here in 2003 in anticipation of tough times and have been vaguely aware that the other shoe would drop eventually, but went about our business as usual; switching from carpentry to nursing after the crash of 2009, entering nursing school at the age of 57 with a 4 1/2 year sojourn to work in an Indian hospital in the arid west, and then back to the deep red Ozarks in the face of the ravages of Covid to out wait the plague.
This story is obviously much larger and longer than one perverse administration and while I have been very aware of it in general terms I certainly appreciate the specifics of the timeline you've laid out.
What I'm very much afraid of now is that there is obviously no place to hide. I certainly appreciate knowing that someone is communicating an accurate historical picture to anybody who will listen. Forewarned is forearmed.
Perhaps I misunderstand the word, however so much of the destructive action of the current administration bring the word 'sedition' instantly to mind... at what point does action destructive to our democracy fall from being dishonorable to traitorous? As in history, money will continue to try to protect their hold so how do we get the distorting hold of money out of the government policies and processes? Utilities used to be protected since they supported the needs of the people until monied efforts removed the safeguards and allowed them to become for profit entities. News used to be protected by fair information standards, also with safeguards eliminated to allow for higher profitability, and 45 took over control of VOA which opens some scary scenarios for honest reporting globally. Too long a list to reiterate here but so many behaviors seem beyond tolerable in my opinion.
Thank you for keeping tabs on all this craziness for those of us who haven't the time or patience to track it ourselves.
As the Stomach Churns.....Mad Magazine has come to life......
Republicans call their representatives in Congress 10 times more often than Democrats do, a study I read....wonder what would happen if Democrats flooded the phone line, the tweets, emails for the next 30 days. Is it possible the Republicans in the Senate might get just a little squirmy and maybe do their job. ?