middleclasspoli.bsky.social
Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis. All views are my own. Dismayed that the rule of law may come to an end in the U.S. Also, I really hate tax havens.
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Hi Devin, my specialty was international political economy, not international security. But Russia obviously invaded Ukraine, so everything Trump says about the conflict is a lie. Plus, the rule of law is under sustained attack, and I doubt the Supreme Court will stop it. It's a complete nightmare.
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JFC is right. I have no words.
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According to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-t..., four states had already passed such laws before 1947, in 1944 and 1946 specifically. But the numbers increased substantially beginning in 1947, so I'm sure you're right.
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Republicans have been preparing this for decades. There was a whole ecosystem of ultra-conservative groups mostly below the radar in the 1970s. Maybe you've heard of Richard Viguerie? How about Americans Against Union Control of Government? Even in its name, it was prefiguring Republican Newspeak.
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I had this naive belief when I graduated from college almost 50 years ago that things would be a lot better by now than they were then -- and that was a great time to be middle class.
"Needing to defend democracy" was not on my bingo card I couldn't have dreamed such a thing was possible.
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It's true. French author Susan George wrote in her book, "Another World is Possible...If" that the French are not afraid of their government. There should be millions in the streets here.
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University of Pittsburgh is a major research university. That this could be happening there is beyond shocking
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I wasn't saying things are good, only that there is a tiny bit of progress. Derek Chauvin would never even have been considered for indictment when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s. And also note I limited progress to "some jurisdictions." This action by the Trump admin is effing evil.
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I think a tiny bit. Derek Chauvin wouldn't even have been indicted when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s. Prosecutors wouldn't even have considered indicting him. But there's no question that "tiny" is the operative word.
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What precisely are you disagreeing with?
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Yes, of course, now at least it's national news rather than just local news. And we are taking baby steps toward an end to impunity, at least in some jurisdictions. But it's painfully slow, and that is shameful.
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As another commenter mentioned, this is heartbreaking.
I always thought of Freedom House as sort of right wing, going back to the Cold War. I'm glad to see that it's being a fairly honest umpire.
I wonder what the U.S. Polity score for democracy is now? I'm pretty sure it's sinking, too.
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This is an outrage, but what else is new? We have a lot of work to do.
This one hits me hard because I can remember growing up in 1970s Memphis when white cops would shoot and kill Black kids with impunity. It's a stain on our society.
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Polls have been showing support for progressive tax reform for 40 years throughout North American and European democracies, but exactly the opposite has taken place. See Sven Steinmo's book, Taxation and Democracy, 1996, for info on some of the older polls.
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Exactly right. The Puritans did some persecuting themselves, which is how we got Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and the Salem Witch Trials.
That it continues in the 21st century is abhorrent.
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Hillary was right about everything.
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Remember, NPR itself has been under attack for decades. The pressure has forced NPR to interview conservatives who, unsurprisingly, lie. This has no doubt cost NPR financial support from liberals, and it winds up getting more conservative in a vicious circle.
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Two points: 1. Why do you think DOJ will go to court for permission to do anything illegal? Think of Nixon's DOJ or the Hoover FBI. 2. Trump controls the Supreme Court.
I do not share your optimism, though I think that courts will slow him down a bit.
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Wow, why was that?
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I would think that mediaite would have noticed that the correct term is "vise," not "vice."
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Damn right!
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Thanks for the ad King!
#ResistTrump #ResistFascism
Give me a follow #BlueCrew, I will follow you back.
#FBR #NoDemUnder5k
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This was anticipated by The Clash in their 1982 song, "Know Your Rights," on the Combat Rock album. Your first right was:
"You have the right not to be killed. Unless it was done by a policeman or...an aristocrat." Great band.
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Brian, why are you using the obnoxious term, “virtue signaling “? It’s not a right-wing habit we should be picking up.
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One more guy to block.