I’m afraid it’s gonna come to that - physical enforcement.
I’m not an internet tough guy. I had 12 guns (all inherited). I kept three, And gave the others to a man I trust.
What about the Polish parliamentary elections in 2023? The Law and Justice Party administration voted out was often called Fascist, or at least Fascist-style.
I realize popular vote and the majority are not the same thing, but the fact that Trump won the popular vote in 2024 is going to be a major dent to people like this author who argue that fascists “don’t have legitimacy in the eyes of the majority.” With enough cunning, MAGA could even spin it as, “The leftists who lost the popular vote are now flipping the chess board and trying to smack us; THEY can’t deal with not having the majority.”
Way ahead of you, as I like to say: “democracy is not for sissies”, the rules are indeed set as a “winner take all” in the US. And a lot of what one sees as hesitation is what comes from the rules we have. But the rules also do report one thing: We should demand our representatives to do the right thing, day in and day out, and even the Republican ones one could be under.
(Link goes to an excellent short video from Robert Reich about what to do, and includes going to your representatives town halls, most Republicans are finding that even restricting the people that come are asking tough questions and even protesting! And the ones that don’t (like my Republican Rep) can be accused in the open of pulling a “Sir Robin ran away” act)
One big point of this is what Reich says elsewhere in the video, to organize and create coalitions and prepare when election time comes. And one has to notice, currently, a very significant number of people that voted for Trump as a protest, or convinced by the propaganda then, are not amused now. They are the ones that we need to reach. Not the ones that are still drinking the Kool-Aid.
I think we agree. The ones drinking the Kool-Aid are un-reachable. The best we can hope is that they will crawl back under their rocks. That includes at least half of the current administration.
The Kool-Aid drinkers are moderate in number but very loud. Related, there are quite a few voters with inchoate beliefs; some even have self-awareness of that. Facile doomerists (and others) get distracted by the loudest MAGAhats, thinking them representative of 2024 Trump voters.
Huh, new word for the day.
I must admit that many projects are inchoate. I’ve a good idea, but sometimes you can’t see something until you take it apart. I have a set of three stairs to our garage that I need to put a landing on. Um… I need to see what the hell is going on here. I won’t know until I take them down. I may be able to reuse them, I may need to redo the whole thing.
I have that bright yellow ‘Caution’ tape. I’ll need it. I could make a belt or tie out of it. Hmmm.
Shouldn’t scare the neighbors though, they’re nice folks.
I thought the point of the metaphor would be that they are unwittingly destroying themselves anyway.
Well, that’s true. And trying to take decent people down with them.
I also see ‘drinking the Kool-Aid’ as a person is very, very gullible. Someone that believes nonsense that is thrown at them. And then they dig in their heals and won’t budge on whatever bullshit they have swallowed. Is it bad for them? Damn right it is. They are drilling holes in the lifeboat that they, and we, are in. They’re to stupid to understand that they will drown too.
Greetings KTB and welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board! I look forward to checking out your links. Much praise for taking on the project of setting up accountability for Trump’s back office.
This is partly a debate oriented message board, so just roll with it if you receive critique. Thanks again for your post and welcome!