That want to align us with Russia, China, Syria, North Korea… the new axis of evil… and we’d be in it! Bush and Frum could not have imagined that twist when they trotted out that manipulative trope back in those halcyon days for democracy in 2002.
The only bad actor they don’t identify with is Iran but that’s because they’re adverse to Israel and Saudi Arabia. I’m sure Pence appreciates the Mullah’s religiously based authority on the populace. If you watch this administration horror show concurrently with The Handmaid’s Tale it’s even more terrifying because you can see it. Trump would bring the authoritarian nightmare and Pence would make it a Bible twisting theocracy.
The grotesque denouncements of the press and anybody that crosses them as enemies of the state.
The concentration camps and separation of families.
The constant lying and use of anybody or anything as a prop to exalt themselves.
The nods to strongmen and the not even veiled wishes that Trump could do what they do. Trump Really Wishes He Were a Dictator.
In March, Trump praised China’s President Xi Jinping for consolidating his power, saying, “He’s now president for life. President for life. No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.”
“He’s the head of a country. And I mean, he is the strong head,” Trump said of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday morning.
“He speaks, and people sit up at attention,” he added. “I want my people to do the same.”
Hard to imagine that there’s anybody alive today that doesn’t see what’s wrong with all of this, other than the 20% or so who have always thought authoritarianism was a good idea, which, disturbingly, may be growing.
Which makes it all the more galling when the tsk-tsk crowd like the wholly execrable Frank Bruni clutch their pearls and shame Robert DeNiro and Sam Bee for using untoward language towards the wannabe dictator and his family. Really? Like there are people who would like to save democracy but a movie star cursed so let’s give Trump a lifetime presidency with Ivanka as his heir!
Seriously? Everyone is held to a higher standard than the Trumps and their spokespeople? Well, yes, almost everyone does hold themselves to higher standards than the Trump crime family, most of us have not sloughed off laws, norms and democratic traditions, and that’s the real standard Mr. Bruni. If you call law enforcement “scum” because they’re not arresting your enemies and insulting the press because they’re pushing back against your bullshit you are not fit to lead. All else is irrelevant.
But there’s a reason our entire political class and media fear Republicans and laugh at Democrats. Until that equation gets some balance our democracy is in question. Some cursing is not only appropriate, it may be required. Dems have to stop letting the media and the small cadre of so-called “sane” Republicans carry all the water. They have to be as forceful and angry as Nicole Wallace and Rick Wilson. Kick, scream, yell and curse at these awful people! Make the case for better policy as you denounce their goddawful policies based on dishonest metrics, racism, xenophobia and illiberal nonsense.
Like Maddow said yesterday, Republicans work the refs and win. That’s why Comey killed Clinton and said zilch about the Trump investigations. Democrats have to stop being so timid that no one cares whether they’re outraged. We have all the outraged pussy hat wearing women. We have the Black Lives Matter people. We have the LGBTQ community. All groups fighting back against histories of abuse. How is it that the party, the political faction that has so many aggrieved factions is so flaccid in its politics in the macro?
Legit question.
The Polislice 