👇🏼Via @emptywheel:
The Republican Party has become a criminal protection racket, and only Asa Hutchinson (and a wishy washy Chris Christie who helped it GET where it is) wants to take it back.
Folks: We actually don't KNOW whether the GOP is a dying party or a rising single party of an authoritarian state.
Unless and until the traditional press presents those as the stakes, it is very much unclear which it'll end up being. #media #fascism #Republicans
@GottaLaff @emptywheel I think it can't really die – or, at least, it seems structurally there are always 2 major parties that will seek balance. (One or both parties may shift dramatically, as we've seen, but I think not die.)
Both parties certainly have their authoritarian elements, so keeping the rise of authoritarianism in check is important.
@GottaLaff @ech I’m so tired of the both sidesisms in this current political climate. Democrats have been holding each other accountable and ousting each other when they break the law for all of recent memory. However the Republicans party has been playing the victim on everything and only point to the rare occurrences they do something (typically when it impacts their own party members, not their constituents).
It’s a lazy disingenuous argument only holding water because it’s being given any semblance of factuality since it keeps being perpetuated as the “middle ground”.
@73rdNemesio @GottaLaff @ech Yes, this is common in typical libertarian speak. They can only promote their view by demonizing all other sides because they really have no actionable plans that could work themselves. Our state was overrun with this crap and it opened the door for right wing extremism to step in.
@pdiff1 @73rdNemesio @GottaLaff Yeah, I've noticed this too about hardcore libertarians. I mean, there's a balance, right? You don't want the state to be too authoritarian, but certain things probably aren't going to go so well if you go too far in the other direction.
@ech @pdiff1 @GottaLaff my view of the “hardcore libertarians” today is that they’re not libertarian unless it comes to _their_ personal actions. They epitomize “Rules for thee, not for me”.
There isn’t a push for smaller government except in specific areas. It’s not a push for civil liberties if you’re calling out any cities for decriminalizing anything when it doesn’t impact yourself, discomfort isn’t something that is supposed to be controlled by the government.
The most disrespectful way I can state it plainly is: Closeted Republicans w/ Daddy Issues (read as mentor issues). IE: the ability to claim you’re something else because you want to feel like you know something/are in the know of something they don’t/aren’t.
Our reporters/networks continue to normalize “Far Right” views/tendencies while questioning or arguing against “centrist” and anything left of that. It’s playing with fire and continually burning yourself and others but taking pain killers to continue the game without learning the lesson and adjusting to stop the burning/pain.
It’s just tiring and damaging to both the country and our individualism.
@73rdNemesio @ech @pdiff1 @GottaLaff Yeah, "hardcore libertarians" seems to me, anyway, to be the latest smokescreen used by advocates of conservatism... who notoriously think that rules are for little people, not movers and shakers.
@73rdNemesio @pdiff1 @GottaLaff “Rules for thee, not for me” – Sure, some people deserve that criticism (any pol or rich person who favors making it ~impossible to get a CCW and yet rolls around with armed bodyguards, etc, etc).
But there are some who are consistent at least – no "rules" enforced by a violent state actor. Both left and right, of course. Like you I don't see how that would work too well.
@GottaLaff @ech Dont feed the trolls 🧌
@opethminded @GottaLaff @ech@qoto.org
Yes! For heavens sake just block him like the test of us has already done. He was bad for my blood pressure. It hates both-side-zing when one side is fascist.
When it comes to opportunists assholes are not exclusive to Republicans. On the Democrat side. one can Manchin Sinema?
@GottaLaff @ech If there is any equivalency at all, which I find dubious, it founders on the rock that any authoritarianism among the Democrats' members isn't allowed anywhere near the levers of power while in the GOP authoritarians *are* the ones moving the levers.
@GottaLaff @ech@qoto.org Starting a profile sentence with ‘Christian’ is an immediate red flag to me. It’s a taint nowadays and if one uses that in their profile, it is a telltale signals to me that the person is not to be reasoned with.
@Wabbit I’m with you
@GottaLaff @ech@qoto.org ooph. Just saw his profile.
No thanks. Just the type of individual who trashed the internet into the toilet, along with their shitty beliefs.
@faraiwe Hence my “toodles” (blocked)
@GottaLaff frankly, I was shocked he was NOT rocking the "high n tight with Sumerian beard" signature christo fascist proto nazi PoS look.
@GottaLaff I think the thing I was replying to or boosting there was deleted or something, so that post may not make much sense.
@ech @GottaLaff @emptywheel I understand. But each election right now is of grave importance and I must say Democrats are actually working to make a real difference in people’s lives. They certainly are not authoritarians (at present) but as has been so clearly displayed by trump and his minions, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
@ech @GottaLaff @emptywheel can you provide examples of the authoritarian tendencies? Maybe some names?
@ech @GottaLaff @emptywheel Parties have died in the past. Why do you think it can't happen now? What is there in the Republican Party that is salvageable?
@jhavok @GottaLaff @emptywheel beg pardon, I tried to address that (with "at least, it seems structurally there are always 2 major parties that will seek balance") but I can see I was totally unclear with the next sentence. My claim is that with the way US presidential elections work, it appears that there will always be two parties, and neither will dominate (for long). One may die and be replaced by something else ~right away that has a different name – we've seen that, you're absolutely right.
@ech @GottaLaff @emptywheel dude with only 14 followers for a reason #block
Do what now? Name me your take on an authoritarian elected Democrat.
@ech “Both parties have authoritarian elements”? You’re both sidesing this?? Show me where we have the authoritarian equivalent of Trump, DeSantis, Greene, any of them.