Will It Be Springtime for Fascists As Trump Plots His Return?
Forty three Republican Senators dancing on the head of the pin holding together The Big Lie voted to find their Dear Leader not guilty.
Is there anybody who cares to wager that their objections over the timing of the trial would have disappeared if Barack Obama stood accused of the same infractions?
With impeachment in the rear view mirror, it’s time to revisit my earlier assertion that, if unpunished, January 6 amounted to a dress rehearsal for future power grab. The short answer would be that there were challenges, but none that were insurmountable.
Despite all the talk about this impeachment trial being the “most bi-partisan” ever, the moral righteousness of the House manager’s entreaties, and the ongoing roundups of patsies and pawns, the forces of evil were not defeated this past weekend.
Joe Biden is President and the Democratic Party controls the Congress. They have two years to win a war against a strain of authoritarianism founded on racism, also known as fascism.
They (and we) can prevail with actions, not by sitting back with the satisfaction of having won one election and a near miss with a legislative procedural process.
History is not on anybody’s side as it is, after all, written by the winners, and this one isn’t over yet.
The new normal of American politics now includes unlimited lies, accusing your opponents of that which you are guilty of, and victimhood as a virtue. Whataboutism and bothsidesism are the linguistic weapons of choice for this post presidential period. The hoped for return of Donald Trump or his anointed disciple will be packaged as the “greatest comeback” in history.
Think California Comeback Republicans are any different? Check this bit of utter bs --as in no basis in truth-- from washed up actor Kevin Sorbo, who recycled it from GQP leaders:
Given that truth is a cheap commodity these days, the framing of what occurs over the year or so will be what matters.
Will we exist within a reality defined by political rallies and commentariat bluster? Or will we seize the time, with bold initiatives that put people over profits and reward empathy over outrage?
As the leadership of Indivisible says in their updated guide:
The victory isn’t the election, it’s the legislation. To win on legislation, we have to stay engaged well after an electoral victory like the one we had in November 2020. This is harder than it sounds—the truth is that it’s just easier to mobilize people who are angry, and so we should expect more grassroots energy in opposition to the Biden agenda to increase, like we saw in 2009 with the rise of the Tea Party.
But the hard truth is that we’ll need to brace for something far worse than the Tea Party, because armed white supremacists have been further emboldened and organized under Trumpism and have vowed to be ungovernable. These white supremacist forces will be a prominent feature of our political landscape in the months ahead.
It will be our job, together, to build a political and organizing strategy that takes them into account, and wins anyway. Our side needs to disarm their political pressure at opposition with our own bigger and braver grassroots movement, and make sure Biden’s agenda isn’t blocked or severely weakened the way Obama’s was. That’s where Indivisibles come in.
The sense of urgency many activists felt after the 2016 election needs to be renewed with the understanding that each accomplishment, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction.
The same energy that went into pushing back against the Trump administration’s attempt to undo the Affordable Care Act needs to be applied to (among others) the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the For the People Act of 2021 (reforming campaign finance & election ethics), Immigration Reform, and meaningful steps toward reining in climate change.
I know it sounds like a lot. But the fact is these initiatives will be considered one at a time. Not acting will be the same as handing ammunition to the MAGA assholes, who depend on frustration with a lack of progress to recruit warm bodies.
Another part of actually defeating Trumpism involves understanding the various forces allied under the MAGA umbrella. The shock troops involved in storming the Capitol building are in disarray, divided by fears over informants and defendants turning state’s evidence.
What this means in practical terms is NOT that they are impotent. The fringiest of the fringe will evolve toward more destructive actions. Look for an increase of attacks on locations perceived to be connected with abortions, immigrants, and homeless humans.
The criminal justice system, which is rife with right wing sympathizers, is simply not prepared to be proactive. Those going to jail will mostly emerge with new skill sets just in time for the 2024 election.
And for those wishing for *more* laws on domestic terrorism on the books, I say be careful what you ask for. Much of what came about after 9/11 has either been useless or misused.
The January 6th mob was, sadly, just the tip of the iceberg. Republican state and local officials all over the country --57 have been identified as participants--have voiced their support for the act of insurrection and opposition to consequences for those who encouraged, enabled, and funded the assault on the Capitol.
When it comes to acting on the central premise behind the Big Lie --too many of the wrong people voting-- legislatures nationwide have rushed to lend a hand.
From the Brennan Center:
In a backlash to historic voter turnout in the 2020 general election, and grounded in a rash of baseless and racist allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities, legislators have introduced well over four times the number of bills to restrict voting access as compared to roughly this time last year. Thirty-three states have introduced, prefiled, or carried over 165 restrictive bills this year (as compared to 35 such bills in fifteen states on February 3, 2020).
And if Republicans can’t stop people from voting, then they’ll stack the deck in another way.
From the New York Times:
Of the 139 House Republicans who voted to object to Mr. Biden’s Electoral College victory, 85 come from states in which Republicans will control all levers of the redistricting process this year. An additional 28 represent districts drawn by Republicans in 2011 without Democratic input in states where the G.O.P. still holds majorities in state legislative chambers.
Finally, there are the larger economic forces at play. Fixing what’s not right with America will inevitably involve infringing on the “freedoms” of those who have benefitted from a system that rewards the few at the expense of the many.
Expect to hear a lot of whining about “socialism” as the fascists in this country regroup for their next shot at power.
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