I think that this was a signal as to what their intentions are, and what they will do if they are able.
It’s very doubtful that it will pass, at this time, but it is the sort of thing that would pass in the government that they are trying to build.
It’s Schrodinger’s Law. If no one takes it seriously and it dies in the legislature, it was just a joke, man, can’t you even take a joke? If it gains support and actually passes, then it was always serious.
Fair point. I’d still argue that an article that describes it as genuine hypocrisy without acknowledging the obvious ironic reductio ad absurdum interpretation looks pretty stupid because it has not fully described the wavefunction.
For what it’s worth, it struck me as pure trolling. The justification actually made me laugh in a “that’s a pretty good troll” kind of way. (Canceling any political party that supported slavery in the past.)
I said on these boards years ago (tried to find the post, wasn’t able to, so you’ll have to take my word for it, sorry) that if the Republican party could think of a way to outlaw the Democrats they would. Bush II was president at the time, I believe. Politics was ugly enough, but not this ugly. Then the gyre widened; things fell apart and the center could not hold, and here we are.
I agree that this is “a joke” if it gets shot down hard, and a real attempt if it doesn’t die a quick death.
Mostly a genuine attempt. When fascists tell you they’re fascists, believe them.
I think it’s called practice. They know they won’t get it right on this try, but they are trying.
Some trolling has in it a component of putting something out there until it’s “normalized” into background noise. Or so that it becomes a literal “y’know, Many People Are Saying…” thing to refer to.
Then when soneone does try it for real it’s The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’-time
And let’s admit it, trolling is sometimes part of a real attempt to get things done.
What do you think Biden was doing during the State of the Union address? He trolled the Republicans so hard on social security and medicare, he got them to enthusiastically, publicly endorse supporting both programs. A classic troll, but with real-world, positive results.
Allow me to put my googlefu superpower at your disposal.
Nah, a mere five years ago, can you believe it??
Wow, thanks!! That was way more on-the-mark than I would like. It has been a long five years indeed
The Republicans really, literally, absolutely, did try to abolish the Democratic Party. They may or may not have expected to succeed, but they did make the attempt. The law is a very powerful tool, and a very dangerous one. Just as one should never aim a gun at anything one does not intend to shoot, one should never aim a law at anything that one does not intend to legislate.
It certainly seems that way.
It’s only a joke until they think they can get away with it.
Or they’re only a joke until they think they can get away with it.
It will not get any traction. The GOP understands that they need the Democrats. Without them, they will have no one to rail against or to oppose them. Then they will be shown to be the incompetent knooks they are and will have on one to blame.
Its like the poll a while back, where a good portion of the GOP was NOT in favor of a nationwide abortion ban. They don’t want the law. They want the issue.
I am sure McConnell knows this. Probably Romney also does and what’s left of the other old-school pols. But does Marjorie Gangrene? Or Gaetz? Or McCarthy? They seem to be the true believers, the crazies who really believe the Satan-pedophile hype. I wouldn’t trust them at all to be that analytical. I think they would outlaw not only the Dems, but would round up and concentration-camp undesirables like Blacks, Muslims, trans people, etc., if they got half a chance and thought they could get away with it.
As for DeSantis, I think he is just the “grind them beneath your feet and hear the lamentations of their women” type, who enjoys dominating and terrorizing people. He doesn’t care about the future of the Republican party. He just wants the power for himself.
RIght. I almost called it practice too.
When persecuting gay people became unpopular, they started on trans people. There’s always someone to scare people with. Even it they make being a Democrat illegal. there will be opposition they will rail against.
Don’t dismiss the whack doodle ideas/attacks. They started eroding away abortion rights slowly and steadily until the Supreme Court got packed with Federalists. Then that whole once settled idea was overturned. Thomas in particular has lobbied for a revisit of same sex marriages. Press freedom, free speech, voting rights are all in play. Outlaw a political party - crazy thinking right? Just a joke in Florida legislature, a trolling? Maybe this time. The election denier running for secretary of state in Michigan vowed to never have a democrat win an election again if he was elected. (Fortunately beaten THIS TIME)
South Carolina Republicans introduce a bill to execute women who get abortions.