Yes and I’ll add: they’re acting like this because they believe they have exactly one shot, and that it will be gone forever if they lose this round. It’s our job to prove their fears are justified. - ThreadSky

resnikoff.bsky.social • 86 days ago

Yes and I’ll add: they’re acting like this because they believe they have exactly one shot, and that it will be gone forever if they lose this round. It’s our job to prove their fears are justified.

Reposted from rev. howard arson

i do not think that performing tyranny without the means to follow up on it is typically an effective strategy for authoritarian consolidation

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qed2.bsky.social•86 days ago

one aspect of how this is their only shot is that Trump is (probably?) the only person on their bench both capable of winning -AND- personally agnostic to the various goals of the rightwing factions (e.g. any other oligarch or christian nationalist might be too suspicious of the other to get along)

qed2.bsky.social•86 days ago

Like if Trump keels over, who can do even half of what he does? Cruz? Never. Hawley? Unknown. Vance? *Pathetic.*

Ten years ago Musk's popular image might have been able to parlay (except for the natural-born requirement) but he's damaged goods now. Zuck or Bezos can't turn the christians out, etc.

qed2.bsky.social•86 days ago

go look at the 2016 (or 2024) primaries and tell me who was their next-best shot

the 2016 story especially was "we don't WANT Trump, but everyone else is a pale shadow, so it's Trump or nothing"

maxp94.bsky.social•86 days ago

Democrats have to operate on the assumption that the neo reactionaries will immediately find a new leader and bounce right back to full form if they are not crushed

resnikoff.bsky.social•86 days ago

One more point: The early days are when a presidential administration is at its most powerful. That's why you always front load the big stuff: Obamacare, the Trump tax cuts, etc. If they can't lock in their power now, they'll have spent it down for nothing.

danfarina.bsky.social•86 days ago

Usually that approach has something to do with the legislature though, right?

onedishwasher.bsky.social•86 days ago

They don't even have a budget past March. About to get weaker very quickly

sunburnedlobster.bsky.social•86 days ago

This is what I’m hoping. They’re going for the full hog from the jump. If they’re stymied at all, they’ll begin to get bogged down in compromise after compromise.

Keeping on the pressure is our only option.

estupi.do•86 days ago

great point ned

madbrain.bsky.social•85 days ago

It's like they're trying to achieve a "positive void coefficient" (to use a Chernobyl metaphor): have each increase in their level of control let them in turn create another further increase in level of control.

akatzel.bsky.social•85 days ago

Very soon the key supporters will break along irreconcilable fault lines: techno-oligarchs looking for government support will try to find a way to avoid being unde Elon’s thumb. Trump & his family looking to establish a dynasty will feel threatened by Vance, Thiel and Musk. The established 1/

akatzel.bsky.social•85 days ago

financial sector executives willing to sacrifice (almost) everything for lower taxes will feel the strain of association with white supremacist paramilitaries intimidating elected officials. Unclear when it breaks, but an ugly purge of those Trump no longer needs is coming. Play to those tensions.

angelica8675309.bsky.social•86 days ago

Agree! Maybe they also think their one shot will only work if they do everything all at once in a blitz, too.

ginaware.bsky.social•86 days ago

Think so too. But I also think they want to provoke violent protests, hence the shout outs to the gun nut militias. Maintaining their power and justifying their actions depends on casting libs/leftists as evil, violent commies.

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