Thomas Zimmer

Where Is the Line? On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America

"The idea that if a political movement garners mass support, it can’t possibly be extremism...is utterly implausible and historically illiterate." That's @thomaszimmer.bsky.social talking good sense, as always. I subscribed (on Steady, not Substack). You should too! steady.page/en/democracy...

🙏

Where Is the Line? On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America

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Where Is the Line? On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America

"Klein’s musings about redrawing the line are, more importantly, a manifestation of a pervasive tendency in American elite circles to accommodate rather than fight back, to acquiesce rather than stand firm," says @thomaszimmer.bsky.social. Excellent piece. democracyamericana.com/posts/c5d024...

Democracy depends on its citizens, especially those with a broader public platform, drawing a line – especially when its enemies have broad support. It is an obligation we must accept. Who are we to draw the line? We are citizens who demand to live in a democratic Republic.

Democracy depends on its citizens, especially those with a broader public platform, drawing a line – especially when its enemies have broad support. It is an obligation we must accept. Who are we to draw the line? We are citizens who demand to live in a democratic Republic.

It is true that those who think Trump should be beyond the pale cannot claim to be representing “the country” – but neither can the Trumpists. America is deeply divided. There has never been a consensus that the nation should exist as a pluralistic democracy.

Too many prominent Liberals and Democratic politicians are eager to sacrifice a substantive commitment to democratic values and principles on the altar of “unity”: No more drawing lines, too divisive! They are not actually fostering understanding – just helping to normalize Trumpism.

Klein’s musings about redrawing the line are a manifestation of a pervasive tendency in elite circles to accommodate rather than fight back, to acquiesce rather than stand firm. If the Trumpists succeed at consolidating authoritarian rule, this will be one of the reasons why.

Something Ezra Klein hinted at in his conversation with TNC last week is still gnawing at me: That Liberals / Democrats may need to redraw the boundaries of what is acceptable so that Trump is no longer excluded. I think that is precisely the wrong answer to our current situation.

Where Is the Line? On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America

Where Is the Line?

On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America. If we can’t even agree to hold the line against Trumpism, democracy must perish.

New piece:

steady.page/en/democracy...

This is as pathetic as it is dangerous. A ridiculous buffoon elevated to a position of power, enabled to hurt vulnerable people in a quest to quench his desire for domination, encouraging others to join him and give in to their worst selves.

Trumpism personified.

This whole pathetic tirade of a speech was so unhinged: A purely grievance-driven rant against gender and racial equality, delivered by a completely unqualified man who is convinced it is his prerogative to rule and dominate in all spheres of life.

The embodiment of Trumpism as a political project.

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The Fascistic Myth of Trump’s Special Connection to “Real America” The mainstream political discourse needs to stop perpetuating ideas that form the bedrock of the extremist ethno-religious movement that has galvanized behind Trump

Wrote about this a while ago:

About the fascistic myth of Trump’s special connection to “real America” and the “authentic” Volk - the bedrock of this extremist ethno-religious movement that is now controlling the government of the United States.

This also explains why mainstream media constantly emphasizes Trump’s emotional state: A choice predicated on the idea that he is in tune with the base and thereby becomes not just a window into what “regular folks” feel but a vessel for the frustrations and anxieties of “real America.”

The most perverse outcome of this dynamic: The more extreme and deranged rightwing politics gets, the more elite Democrats/liberals react with ritual self-flagellation. “They are elevating RFK? Wow, we really must have angered those good folks with our crazy liberal/woke/leftist overreach!”

As a result of filtering everything that happens in American politics through the lens of “They represent authentic America, we are imposing liberals who need to plead with the Volk,” leadings Dems/libs constantly lend legitimacy to the Right’s claims and sabotage their own response.

Trump voters are assigned a special importance: As they are overwhelmingly white and share certain reactionary sensibilities, they qualify as “authentic” Americans. If you speak for them, as Trump supposedly does, it is your prerogative to have your message amplified.

Any variation of “We have not been paying attention to Trump’s supporters” must not be read as an empirical statement, but an ideological claim. It is based on a widespread ideology of “real Americanism,” centered around an essentialist view of who gets to represent the nation.

The idea that the political discourse hasn’t paid adequate attention to Trump’s supporters is quite bizarre: No other group has gotten more attention from mainstream media institutions and in the broader political discussion since at least 2016. The ignored and forgotten they are not.

Underlying the constant “Gotta listen to the Trump voters more!” drumbeat is the assumption that they represent “real America,” the true Volk, and therefore have a right to have their voices amplified at all times. It’s an assumption that perpetuates the core ideological claim of Trumpism.

The Right’s core claim is that they represent an authentic, “real” America that is constantly being victimized - made to suffer under the yoke of leftist/liberal overreach, and therefore rightfully aggrieved.

And so many leading Democrats/liberals look at that and go: “I agree.”

This is a regime at war: With large segments of the population, with pluralistic democracy and American society as it actually exists.

They are not looking to reform or compromise, they desire to destroy, conquer, and dominate.

Is Trump Winning? Is He Losing? Kimmel uncanceled, a terrifying “domestic terrorism” directive, and troops to Portland: Where does America stand in the struggle against encroaching authoritarianism?

I wrote about why binary categories of Trump “winning vs losing” or being “weak vs strong” are not very helpful right now. They tend to reproduce mood swings more than they help generate plausible analysis.
 
An attempt to take stock of where we are:

Is Trump Winning? Is He Losing? Kimmel uncanceled, a terrifying “domestic terrorism” directive, and troops to Portland: Where does America stand in the struggle against encroaching authoritarianism?

Is Trump Winning? Is He Losing?
(And are those maybe the wrong questions to ask?)

Kimmel uncanceled, Comey indicted, a terrifying “domestic terrorism” directive, and troops to Portland: Where does America stand in the struggle against encroaching authoritarianism?

Some thoughts from my new piece:

Is Trump Winning? Is He Losing? Kimmel uncanceled, a terrifying “domestic terrorism” directive, and troops to Portland: Where does America stand in the struggle against encroaching authoritarianism?

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We must recognize how precarious this moment is. But we must not perpetuate the Trumpists’ assertions of strength and dominance. For now, the gap between their authoritarian aspirations and the reality of U.S. society remains significant. That’s where the counter can yet happen.

It doesn’t mean they will ultimately succeed. But they are trying. And, frankly, if it were all happening elsewhere, away from exceptionalist assumptions that “It cannot happen here,” we would have no trouble recognizing how disastrously far they have already come in just a few short months.

Nothing is determined. But some things are certain. There should never have been any doubt about the Trumpists’ intentions. They are entirely sincere about their assertions of absolute power, their desire to transform America into some form of plebiscitary autocracy.