Bill Clinton: 'Fair Chance' US Could 'Completely Lose' Its Democratic System

[appalachiablue]

Source: MSN/The Hill

Bill Clinton says he’s never before been so concerned about the country’s foundational future, lamenting there’s a “fair chance” that the United States could “completely lose our constitutional democracy.”

The former president appeared Wednesday on CBS’s “The Late Late Show” and responded to a question from host James Corden that alluded to Donald Trump’s presidency without mentioning the ex-commander in chief by name. Corden asked Clinton how he stays “so positive in what has been a very, very dark few years.”

While saying that witnessing his grandchildren grow up makes it “impossible to be pessimistic about the future,” Clinton added, “Now, you shouldn’t be Pollyanna.” “I actually think there’s a fair chance that we could completely lose our constitutional democracy for a couple of decades if we keep making — if we make bad decisions,” Clinton, 75, said.

“I’m not naive about this. I’ve been in a lot of fights. I’ve lost some, won a bunch. I’ve been elated and heartbroken,” he continued. “But I’ve never before been as worried about the structure of our democratic form of government,” the 42nd president told Corden. Clinton’s remarks come a day after a poll found that nearly half of all Americans believe the U.S. might “cease to be a democracy in the future.”...


Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bill-clinton-fair-chance-us-could-completely-lose-its-democratic-system/ar-AAYxNbJ

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[roamer65]

1. Some of the former United States will remain democratic.

Mostly the northern border states and the west coast.

Here’s a good indicator. Watch where abortion remains legal.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Not if the federal government imposes their authoritarian laws on them...

[roamer65]

3. That will be next Civil War.

I have no problem killing fascists like my relatives did in WW2.

[LiberatedUSA]

7. But we say if...

…the government (controlled by Democratic leaders) used the military on gun owners that refuse to comply, they would be slaughtered by the military because their AR-15s won’t help.

So how will blue do better with their deer rifles, if an insane GOP government is at the wheels?

[roamer65]

12. With foreign help like we did in the Revolution.

France drained their treasury to help us fuck over the British.

I suspect our military would split about 50-50. Many of them come from states like CA, NY, New England ones, etc, etc.

Question is what happens to these…

Ukraine has proven that you don’t give them up.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

19. Many of the former SAC bases are in red states.

It is now called Air Force Global Strike Command. There are bases in WY, Montana, N. Dakota, Missouri, TX and LA.

[Oneironaut]

13. Imo, the guns owned by Conservatives or Liberals wouldn't really matter in this

hypothetical scenario. They might be minimally helpful, but that’s it.

Here are things that actual matter

1- Money. This is honestly 90% of it. With funding, you can essentially buy instruments of war and throw your money around.

2 - Foreign support. It’s why the US won the revolutionary war, and Ukraine is putting up a good fight against Russia. Foreign governments have the means to create weapons and train soldiers.

3 - Military training


Of course, if it got to the point of this, our country would be fucked anyways. Let’s just keep our Democracy instead.

[Magoo48]

5. We here on the left coast plan on remaining free. At least I do.

SoCal has always been my home port. I make my stand here. At 74, it won’t be much of a stand, but I’m free as long as I say I am. If the time for Cascadia comes while I’m still around then I’m in.

[MarcA]

18. The Oligarchs' goal is to break up the US.

Civil War is only likely to happen and be a desirable outcome to the Oligarchs
if some States begin to break up Balkan style. The financial turmoil may be catastrophic and bring on Disaster Capitalism.

[FoxNewsSucks]

4. Too bad he didn't feel that way

when he signed the Communications Act of 1996.

That allowed the consolidation of media which directly resulted in all media being controlled by a handful of corporations. Rightwing corporations.

Imagine if we'd had a diverse media for the last 26 years instead of near-universal republicon messaging on all platforms.

The Fox "News" Sewer might not have ever become profitable. People would be informed. AM radio may have still had the Limpbaugh channels, but there would have been fewer, not thousands. And most importantly, there would be competing stations putting out the truth.

But he signed it.

[JI7]

10. That's not the problem. People voted for Reagan before that

[FoxNewsSucks]

15. True, the fascists have been working to their goal

since well before Nixon. Media control was a huge success for them. I wish more people had seen that then.

Some seemingly still don't realize the power of influence wielded by rightwing media.

[Scrivener7]

22. I wonder if he - if all of them - look back on things that in hindsight are obviously mistakes.

I wonder, when your mistakes have such huge ramifications, what that feels like.

This is not criticism. I like the guy. It's just another aspect of huge power that I would never want to experience.

[Polybius]

27. If he know for a fact that we only lost the House and Senate because of the AWB...

Would he have vetoed it? Would that have been smart, had it meant keeping Congress?

[Scrivener7]

32. You're missing my point, but whatever.

[betsuni]

29. Then it would've become law a few years later during the next administration.

Republicans controlled Congress then, too, but it wouldn't be so bipartisan with things Democrats wanted.

[jalan48]

6. It's been building for awhile Bill. We're approaching endgame now.

[colsohlibgal]

8. Certainly A Possibility

There are way more of us than them but will it matter in the end?

If we had a true fair democracy I’d worry less. But with the unique to us Electoral College and our unfair Senate system we’re in a Precarious position right now.

We’re in a weird time when we have to laud a Cheney but good on Liz. Oh and Kissinger. They both are putting Country over Party.

[SheltieLover]

9. If DOJ does not lock them all up, it's a given, imo.

[BootinUp]

11. This kind of statement from the Big Dawg

Can be helpful as far as getting more people to pay attention and vote. Of course TFG got most everyone’s attention in 2020.

We need more competitive districts.

[appalachiablue]

34. ++

[yaesu]

14. as long as fascists get away with breaking laws I'd give it a 60% chance or better. nt

[MarcA]

16. Didn't President Carter already say we are an Oligarchy

or something close to it?

[roamer65]

23. Yup he did.

[Lil Liberal Laura]

17. Glass-Steagall

THANKS A LOT, BILL!

[BigmanPigman]

20. I've often wondered what our Dem leaders have been

thinking and sharing between themselves in private.

[lees1975]

21. And what's being done to prevent this from happening?

What plans are in place to get out Democrat votes in November? To push into these state and county elections where MAGAts are gaining control of counting votes and certifying elections?

[roamer65]

24. I'm expecting 6 January 2025 to be complete chaos.

States are going to be demanding that each other’s electors are invalidated, etc, etc.

[Polybius]

28. If the economy stays like this, they won't have to cheat

They'll win it outright unless gas is under $3, inflation is low, and stocks are high.

[SouthernDem4ever]

31. Just proves what the oil companies are doing to keep fascists in control

There is no excuse for these prices.

[area51]

36. +1 n/t

[Polybius]

37. Except that oil companies don't control gas prices

Even the King of Saudi Arabia doesn't.

[SouthernDem4ever]

38. Has Enron made a comeback?

[keithbvadu2]

25. Those millions of republicans want an authoritarian gov't but they mistakenly think they will be the

Those millions of republicans want an authoritarian gov't but they mistakenly think they will be the few thousand elites actually in charge.

Those millions are useful tools for those who will actually be in charge.

One poster called it a 'new social feudalism age'.

[luvallpeeps]

30. No doubt!

Do they think those big $$ interests that’ve been funding all this shit are gonna let those yahoos run anything? Useful idiots. Damn them all.🤬

[dalton99a]

26. Kick

[Joinfortmill]

33. Just got real, right? Difficult not to return the hatred.

[appalachiablue]

35. Got real for sure, and the battle is on

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" (Thos. Jefferson, attrib.).