#antidemocracy

[bostonwalks]

Iran's invading radicalism has spread to the West, East and is now going global Although Egypt accepts the second largest foreign aid package from the US, it seems that it no longer trusts its benefactor’s strength in the region and is now prone to choosing the wrong side. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-813951?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=French%20Jews%20tell%20%20Post%20%20of%20how%20antisemitism%20forced%20them%20to%20make%20aliyah&utm_campaign=8%2010%202024&vgo_ee=D%2FRG3lJcSf85fFjGgEE7hZa1%2BZkWS0YGGALU3ffwIIg3FZ4HgA%3D%3D%3AvtN36bUW4oTQkspOID%2BvzmuH7lGGHeGt

[fnord888]

It's funny how the "voting themselves bread and circus" antidemocracy myth is totally backwards. The voters will vote themselves counterproductive austerity while the technocrats will fantasize about a coup allowing them to force the masses to accept the economically optimal amount of bread and circus.

[still-searching-for-something]

What gets me is not that Donald Trump won. It's that he won the popular vote. It's that a majority of American voters said, "Yes, I want this guy as my president."

They deliberately, knowingly decided the fascist, felonious, antidemocratic candidate who'd organized a coup attempt and got away with it needed the presidency. No American voter doesn't know who Trump is. They have no excuse. They knew he stood for antidemocracy.

But he also stood for a stronger economy! Lower gas prices! Cheaper groceries! Lower taxes!

And most Americans decided those things were more important to them than democracy. They've, as a majority, decided democracy < convenience.

"But the real problem was voter turnout and apathy!"

Okay, so then most Americans--85.7 million--either voted for the fascist or couldn't be assed to lift a finger to save democracy, compared to 68 million. 55% of Americans either deliberately chose cheaper groceries over democracy or were too pathetically lazy to give a fuck either way. Much better. It's a human choice to make, to vote for their wallet than their grand abstract ideology, but it's one that hurts all of us, including them, including Ukraine and the EU (and Palestine, for the record!) and all future generations to come. It's a selfish, short-sighted decision that betrays a deep rot in our priorities.

I thought we understood that sometimes, we have to take a hit as a nation to preserve our democracy and our freedoms. Is the same nation that took rationing during the Second World War to defeat the Nazis and the Japanese Empire? That lost hundreds of thousands of men to put down an illegal, treasonous rebellion?

And today, we've decided our rights can be exchanged for cheaper eggs, milk, and butter?

"Oh, Harris ran a bad campaign. She tried to appease everyone which pleased no one. She didn't appeal to the right demographics on the right issues. She dodged questions, she was entitled, she was--"

Yeah, I don't care.

In fact, I agree with you, but frankly, the economic policies and foreign policies and immigration policies and social policies of either candidate are completely fucking irrelevant if one of them doesn't adhere to the basic democratic rule of accepting that democracy's validity and existence. If a vote for one candidate threatens the democratic health of that nation, and a vote for the other--regardless of what other consequences it may have--doesn't, then morally, you have to vote for democratic one.

Is that unreasonable? Maybe. Yeah, Democrats should have run a better campaign more focused on the bread and butter issues people care about. Like Clinton said, 'It's the economy, stupid!' Democrats had a responsibility to run the best campaign they could have, given the stakes.

But that still doesn't justify a vote for antidemocracy. Call me crazy, but I think a vote for authoritarianism is unreasonable. "They were a little patronizing and I want to shave a few bucks off my grocery bill, so I'll vote for the fascist!" is still an unhinged and indefensible conclusion to arrive at, regardless of how valid your claims of being hurt at the cash register or being patronized are.

I've lost any and all faith in Americans. I honestly thought we were better than this. I really did. And I don't know how or if a democracy can function if a majority of its electorate are willing to sacrifice democratic norms for short-term benefits.

Fuck Republicans and every single person who voted against democracy because their grocery bill was too high. May you get exactly the kind of government you deserve and voted for.

[dominijoyce]

like to slap his bald head reblog to slap the bald heads of everyone in tony's basement

[meret118]

Ultimately, the mainstream media, responsible political class, and other elites are unable to understand the Age of Trump and the larger democracy crisis because they are using the wrong framework and set of assumptions about politics and political behavior (specifically the importance of identity, emotions, and storytelling).

. . .

By comparison, Steven Hassan possesses a deep understanding Donald Trump’s power and control over the MAGA people and the larger Republican Party. He has been warning for at least eight years that Donald Trump is not a normal politician, but instead the leader of an extremely dangerous authoritarian personality cult.

. . .

You have been warning about the power of Donald Trump and what you describe as his MAGA cult since the beginning of this crisis back in 2016 and 2015. How are you making sense of this all?

We're in a lot of trouble. Trump did a great amount of damage to the country when he was in power. The judges he appointed are still there. The other institutions Trump and MAGA have captured are still working on his behalf. The global antidemocracy alliance, centered on Vladimir Putin, is still supporting Trump and wants to see him return to power. Trumpism is not something out of the blue. This has been a process taking place over decades. There are so many right-wing extremists all over this country, on the state and local level, in Christian fundamentalist churches and organizations, think tanks, universities, etc. etc. who are advancing the authoritarian cause.

More at the link.

[the-desolated-quill]

We need to keep a careful eye on JD Vance. He could prove to be very dangerous in the future.

[ernestbruce]

the US Supreme Court is a shit, corrupt, antidemocracy entity

REFORM THE MOTHERFUCKING COURT

[chrisabraham]

Fighting antidemocracy is almost always undemocratic, it turns out. And championing human rights around the globe almost always means WAR—but always results in censorship, suppression, arrests, and enculturation, cultural supremacy, and regime change.

> The United States has championed human rights around the globe but needs to consistently ensure those protections domestically.

[arpov-blog-blog]

In 2018. 2020, and 2022 media outlets, and social media platforms, most owned by Conservatives, tell us Democrats can't articulate a winning message. Then they go on to win elections or outperform expectations and the GOP doesn't dominate as predicted. The 4th estate should just do its job objectively and honestly. They should stop telling us how we feel based on polls that are conducted with defective methodologies..."This will truly be a historic election where the American people will quite literally be deciding if their country will remain a real (albeit flawed) democracy or instead succumb to neofascism and autocracy modeled on Putin’s Russia or Orban’s Hungary with Donald Trump and his Republican fascist successors as dictators for life.

The less than 11 months remaining until Election Day will be both painfully slow and extremely fast. Such a distortion of time and the disorientation it creates are defining features of a society and people that are under assault by fascists and other malign actors. In the time remaining, Democrats will need to focus their messaging and create a compelling story that creates a clear contrast between Biden and Trump. This is essential if Biden and the Democrats are going to be able to mobilize their base while also bringing in enough independents, first time voters and perhaps even the few disaffected “traditional” Republicans who abhor Trumpism and who are willing to vote for Biden (or at the very least not support Trump). 

Donald Trump, his MAGA people and the larger Republican fascist movement will use these remaining months before Election Day to continue to assault and undermine reality, the facts, the truth, democracy, and the rule of law with the goal of mobilizing their voters while simultaneously demobilizing and confusing those Americans who would potentially vote for Biden.

Donald Trump faces hundreds of years in prison for his many obvious crimes. Ultimately, Trump will fight with all of his energy (and then some) to become America’s first dictator because he correctly views “winning” the 2024 election by any means necessary as one of the few ways he can escape spending the rest of his natural life in prison or some other form of confinement.

What about the American mainstream news media?

As an institution, it must commit itself to the principles of the Fourth Estate as the “guardians of democracy." In practice, this means consistently speaking truth to power, and educating and informing the public about what Trumpism and the end of democracy will mean for their day-to-day lives and futures. The mainstream news media must also reject “horserace” coverage, “bothsidesism”, and false “fairness” and “balance”, what are collectively obsolete norms that treat Trumpism and neofascism and other antidemocratic practices and beliefs as being merely “polarization” or “partisanship” instead of as anathema to real democracy and a good society.

Pro-democracy Americans must unify, organize, coordinate their resources, and build the institutions and organizations across civil society that will be necessary to slow down Trump and the Republican fascists on Election Day 2024 and then continue to sustain those organizations for a long-term victory over the larger antidemocracy movement both here in the United States and around the world."

[theskydoesgreatthingsnow]

I swear to god I keep confusing Jim Jordan (**** enabler and antidemocracy skunk nominee for house speaker) and Jim Jefferies, (Australian comedian and unsuccessful Steven Colbert replacement on Comedy Central c.2018)

[eric-sadahire]

Republicans: "If our attempt to steal an election is investigated, it could adversely affect our ability to steal elections."

Trading card collaboration with Robert Hugh Hunt

[13thpythagoras]

psa: the AZ audit can’t overturn the election

[jornale]

#mpf #allandossantos #barroso #stf #fakenews #antidemocraticos #justica #denuncia #tercalivre #blogueiro #bolsonaro #brasil #supremo #politica #jornale