General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUkrainians know how to fight for freedom. Do Democrats
know how to defend our freedoms here at home?
Donald Trump is the lead contender to be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Just how fucking crazy is that?
During his four years of contaminating the American Presidency, he showed us his desire to be a total, absolute ruler, with no restrictions on his power, whims, megalomania, or cruelty. And when he lost in 2020, he attempted to incite a coup de 'etat to hold onto it all.
Yet, he's now considered to be the presumed Republican nominee for the presidency in 2024. Really? Just how fucked up is that? Just how fucked up is America? And, more specifically, just how fucked up is the Republican Party? TRUMP IS A WOULD-BE FUCKING TYRANT! Most (sane) elected Republicans know he's unfit to be ... anything. Yet, many of them fear their base voters will throw them out if they don't stand behind their "Dear Leader."
The incredible dedication and sheer courage of millions of Ukrainians is on display for the entire world to see. They are fighting with their hearts and souls to keep their freedoms and to escape the clutches of the madman who rules Russia.
And virtually every Democrat is fully aware of the threat that Donald Trump and the Republican Party present to us, our Constitution, and all of our freedoms. And we are doing ...? Congressional elections are a short eight months away. And a presidential election is two years and eight months away. Are you confident that we can hold onto the House, the Senate and, (in 2024), the presidency?
The Republican/fascist Party already owns the Supreme Court. Are we really going to watch them win/steal the rest of the federal government? Isn't it past time we got really serious about holding onto the concept of America? Isn't it time to start treating the Republican Party as the neo-Nazi enablers that they have shown themselves to be? Isn't it past time for us to get as nasty as necessary to save our country?
And for those of you who are about to pounce on me and call me a "defeatist", show me where I'm wrong. Tell me what our leaders are doing to stop the onslaught of the Republican/fascist Party and their immense propaganda machine. Explain to me how we're using federal power to bring an end to Republican voter suppression. Inform me how we can overcome the damage that Republican gerrymandering has done to our chances of holding onto the House. Just answer those questions before pointing a finger at me and shrieking, "defeatist". Republican aggressors are trying to turn back the clock on history, which is a frightening reality. Grasp the fact that these pricks are on the verge of owning us. So, call me what you will. But please, please focus more on preventing a hostile takeover of America.
I've been a Democrat my entire life. I've been proud to call myself a liberal. I've seen the Democratic Party accomplish some of the greatest social advancements in human history. And now, I'm watching some of the worst people in the world trying to fuck up America while Democrats do ... ? If Merrick Garland and/or others at the federal or state levels are doing anything and everything in their power, and even pushing the envelope to prevent a fascist takeover of America, perhaps it's time to let us in on it. Perhaps it's time to relieve our frustrations and show us that our democracy will survive.
President Joe Biden, and the Democratic leadership, are visibly doing as much as they possibly can to help the Ukrainian democracy fight off a tyrant. Isn't it time they visibly showed as much determination and grit in defeating our would-be homegrown tyrants?
Doodley
(8,976 posts)Response to Doodley (Reply #1)
Post removed
ck4829
(34,974 posts)Im thinking the Republicans might as well just print out the % of votes they are going to get BEFORE the election.
Budi
(15,325 posts)🙄
JFC..
Doodley
(8,976 posts)to our freedom?
Budi
(15,325 posts)Because if it is, then someone has missed the last 6 years of our political history
Doodley
(8,976 posts)Why is it that so few people understand that? When most of the population grasp this fact, we can be sure the threat will be averted.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)We aren't doing nearly enough to stop them and at some point, if it's not too late already, it will be too late to turn things back. One of the things that is holding us back is looking at this as a matter of blaming democrats and not as a life or death issue of democracy.
Doodley
(8,976 posts)Caliman73
(11,691 posts)If Canada or Mexico invaded the US with the intention to annex... I am sure both Democrats and Republicans would take to the streets to fight back "with our hearts and souls"
Trump is the presumptive nominee by default, not because he is popular. His ratings are going down daily. He is the nominee because he has gripped the Republican establishment by fear. Is that a threat? Yes. A serious one? Certainly. It is not however, anything equivalent to being invaded by a foreign country.
We need to get out and vote. We need to agitate and use whatever legal means at our disposure to push back against the laws Republicans are passing to CHEAT in the upcoming elections. We do need to be active and fight for our democracy.
We just don't need bad comparisons to do that.
Cyrano
(15,020 posts)And please note the fact that Republicans have done everything in their power to prevent people from voting, and/or, doing everything possible to make sure those votes aren't counted.
I'd call that a vicious attack aimed at doing away with our freedoms and our democracy
Caliman73
(11,691 posts)I do not disagree with what you have said regarding what Democrats need to do.
I disagree with the comparison.
world wide wally
(21,718 posts)TheRealNorth
(9,435 posts)And the white women who gladly "stand by" (or maybe its behind) their man.
And then the greedy Libertarians who just want to not be taxed and think the RW Christo-fascists won't come for them because they are rich.
andym
(5,441 posts)they are poll-tested and many in the US are socially moderate or conservative and they can be manipulated by the GOP culture warriors. It's not a new thing. G H.W. Bush called out Dukakis for being a card-carrying member of the ACLU, and for not supporting an anti-flag-burning amendment (not to mention the infamous Willie Horton ad)-- and these worked for them.
Boomerproud
(7,888 posts)Ohio Joe
(21,655 posts)This entire affair is essentially a mob case and needs to be treated as such. Mob cases are built from the ground up so...
First up... We have over 700 low level thugs already arrested with more to come. There are many complaints they are getting little time but these are small potatoes.
Next, there is often complaints about Mark Meadows not being arrested for contempt... I've addressed that here:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216378643
Moving up the chain, there are the 11 currently under arrest for seditious conspiracy. The DOJ has close to a 100% conviction rate, so these assholes are going down. Most of them are older and probably will not want to die in jail so look for some of them to flip and cooperate with the DOJ. We already have one that has flipped and it's a big deal, more will flip... See here on why:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216433317
Continuing up the chain, there are 8 people we know for certain that are under investigation (and probably more we do not know about)... They are:
TOM BARRACK
RUDY GIULIANI
ROBERT COSTELLO
SIDNEY POWELL
MARK MEADOWS
ALEX JONES
ROGER STONE
ERIK PRINCE
https://www.emptywheel.net/2022/02/08/the-eight-trump-associates-whom-doj-is-investigating/
This is now into TFG's inner circle. The sights are on him but things do not happen over night.
As for gerrymandering... It is really not as bad as people thought it would be and Dem's are doing pretty well:
https://newrepublic.com/article/165314/democrats-redistricting-blue-state-gerrymandering
Let me also say, I know this is a lot to go through and some of it is tough reading (the emptywheel stuff was for me) but there actually is a lot happening.
Cyrano
(15,020 posts)BUT, ... (you knew there was going to be a but), ... the clock is running out and the Republicans are doing everything in their power to speed up that clock. If they take the House this year, some of the things you've mentioned will come to a halt. And if they take the Senate also, we may be fucked beyond repair.
Yet, beyond these specific details, America today is two different countries. One believes in our Constitutions, our freedoms, etc., and the other consists of too many people who just don't get it or aren't interested, and are being used by those who want to own us all. And they're winning. That's the point of this post. I started out comparing us to Ukraine, but both Ukraine and America may, in the not distant future, may be owned by some really horrible people, -- people who don't care who prospers, who starves, who lives, who dies, as long as they've got theirs. And to them, "having theirs" is having it all.
Ohio Joe
(21,655 posts)At best, the repugs can stop the Jan 6th committee, that's it... They would still have zero control over the DOJ. But even for the Jan 6th committee it will be too late, they want to wrap up this summer. I also do not think the repugs will take control of anything this year, I don't see a path, I do not see them winning... I do see them losing. I don't know what you are seeing that says they are winning but I do not see it.
I think what we do know for certain is pretty damning and I expect what we do not know yet is even more so. The repugs are doing themselves no favors throwing in with Putin... Combine that with everything that will come out at the televised hearings and coming indictments... I do not believe for one second that we are going to lose this November.
I get it... Things look bleak right now... I don't believe they are anywhere near as bleak as they seem.
RussBLib
(8,984 posts)as the Ukrainians are doing. I say, unlikely.
If Repubs start actually shooting Dems for fun and sport, we will have to do the same to defend ourselves. That will get really ugly.
Short of open gunfire, Dems need to step up and speak up, and not just raise the volume but the quality of the discourse. Easier said than done.
Boneheaded idiots ain't gonna wanna learn nuthin', so it is mostly up to our elected leaders to practice some debate and eloquence. And we need to back up our leaders when they speak. It can take a lot of effort.
AND Trump and his cronies must face the law for what they have done. I wish it were faster, but it is still a developing story.
Cyrano
(15,020 posts)Many Republicans are looking to resume the Civil War, which actually never ended.
The Civil War had geographic boundaries. A resumption would mean neighbor against neighbor. I don't have any idea, nor does anyone else, regarding how that would work out.
I guess the only thing that makes us different from Republicans is that they look forward to it and would welcome it. We don't and are desperate for a way to avoid it.
TheRealNorth
(9,435 posts)But I we don't prepare, we are putting ourselves at the mercy of the MAGATS if they are successful at seizing power.
IMO, that will only lead to concentration camps, slavery, and/ or murder for many of us. Because it's quite clear that a majority of Republicans would be okay with the above.