Ad Abs🥪rd🍉m 🇺🇦

All three times, Trump campaigned as an outsider: someone who is unfettered by the constraints of either major (& majorly unpopular) party. For many low-info voters, that was, is, and remains the appeal. They can’t see how laughably untrue it is because they avoid paying attention to politics.

“…DESTROYER OF CALIFORNIA FORESTS IF NOT PROPERLY RAKED”

A key takeaway from all this has to be "You don't have to listen to Republicans anymore." They're either perpetrators of fascism or suckers who fell for it. If you have conservative views we can consider them again in 50 years or so

Similarly, you could frame a full fascist transformation as not yet constituting a loss because (say) the people are still reachable, even if the institutions no longer are.

Sure, but it’s all about what is and isn’t perceived as constituting a loss, right? You could easily frame our current moment—in which the barbarians are at the gates but not yet inside—as a loss, given that turning back from even this point will require a dramatic overhaul of our entire system.

Nothing is ever lost until it’s lost. If fascism is here, it can still be dispatched. The institution of fascism wasn’t “game over” for Italy or Germany, and it won’t be “game over” for us unless it results in nuclear Armageddon.

Scholars such as Jason Stanley and Timothy Snyder have already left and advertised that fact, but I have difficulty imagining a ton of scholars would say “it’s too late” at any point. History will always be the slave of accident and coincidence.

We should certainly do everything possible to avoid getting into that much riskier, different fight, but nothing good can come out of pretending it will never get to that point. If the last decade has taught us anything, it’s that our institutions are far weaker than believed.

It is arguably worse than worthless, since you’re now overqualified for most other things.

I get that distinction. I think it’s immaterial when a) the executive is inarguably fascist and b) a comfortable majority on SCOTUS is going all-in on unitary executive theory, but I understand it is an important distinction nevertheless.

That’s an important distinction, thanks.

In that case, a pragmatic objection is that that framing inevitably lulls us into inaction. If fascism is only ever in the distance, then our natural aversion to risk will incentivize us always to save the fight for another day.

I live in Chicago, here are some tips for dealing with the Black and Tans: Keep whistles on you to alert the neighborhood of ICE activities. Distribute whistles if you can. Post signage where people are taken, "ICE kidnapped someone here" is a powerful message. Stand firm in crosswalks or use your vehicle to obstruct ICE movement. Invite friends and family from rural areas to enjoy your cities, show them the only violence there is caused by the federal government. Post signage to alert your neighbor of the ICE activity. Record everything they do. Ask for warrants. They won't have one, but making them admit it is important. If they are on your private property, firmly tell them to leave. Sell them nothing and don't let them use restrooms. Protests. Protest. Protest. Every delay is a life saved. Remember, people aren't being deported, they are going missing.

From a reddit post discussing ICE moving into Charlotte

She’s carving out a place for herself as the Straßer to Trump’s Führer. People are reading this as a leftward turn when it’s really more of a step sideways; it’s because we Americans don’t have the conceptual vocabulary to distinguish between different manifestations of a singular political project.

I've Hesitated to Call Donald Trump a Fascist. Until Now After last week the label seems not just acceptable, but necessary.

It seems to me the question you need to answer to sell your case is this: what do you know about fascism that Robert O. Paxton doesn’t?

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and a big part of that is reckoning with the fact that established scholars of fascism disagree with you.

From a Donald Trump “truth” from Truth Social: Lightweight Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green grass turns Brown when it begins to ROT!), betrayed the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was. Just another Fake politician, no different than Rand Paul Jr. (Thomas Massie), who got caught being a full fledged Republican In Name Only (RINO)! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

The best insults are the ones you have to explain

Lawmaker Predicts Nixon-Like Exit For Trump As Epstein Vote Nears: ‘Explosive as Watergate’ Rep. Melanie Stansbury isn’t tiptoeing around the stakes. The New Mexico Democrat, who sits on the House Oversight Committee as it digs into Jeffrey Epstein’s network and potential co-conspirators, wa...

He has no reason to resign. The man sincerely believes he can bend reality to his will, and in all fairness, he has been given little reason to believe otherwise.

I am still dumbstruck by the fact that these people not only feel safe transmitting such information via email—a notoriously insecure medium—but **directly from their institutional email accounts.**

Ah, so he’s running, then.

WE ARE ANONYMOUS

Makes you pine for the days of the flip phone!

Now that I think of it, I could probably say that about most things…

So apparently “barely legal” is just a synonym for “illegal” now?

This was the most compelling case I’ve seen for dumping the guy. I’d say it helped move me to a firm “no” after these last few weeks of anxious ambivalence.

I was scrolling for this.

Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/29/18 05:44:30 AM (559917870) Flags: 1150981 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: 1F755C6D-AFFB-4541-8599-FDC11EF05647 Message: Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/30/18 04:41:49 AM (560000509) Flags: 1085445 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: E46497CA-E1F7-4836-AFF2-019A5EDE8AF9 Message: i delayed my trip a day. so im still around. tell burke they should make sure they ask ford about her medications , what type and for how long. . my guess is that katz won't let her answer Sender: Time: 09/30/18 04:49:01 AM (560000941) Flags: 1060865 Is Read: Yes Is Invitation: No GUID: 97454E15-953A-490B-A0C2-38D17ECA1541 HOUSE OVERSIGHT 027436 Message: Roger Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/30/18 05:23:07 AM (560002987) Flags: 1150981 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: C824FCC2-13CF-4192-AD8F-DE22B94E3ED5 Message: https://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/8-medications-that-may-cause-memory-loss Sender: Time: 09/30/18 05:29:44 AM (560003384) Flags: 1060865 Is Read: Yes Is Invitation: No GUID: 08AACCED-20FB-4CD5-AB60-0F2D519E3503 Message: Is this a hint Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/30/18 05:36:49 AM (560003809) Flags: 1085445 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: B83D7125-7359-42BF-9612-72F8CE3A3CCF Message: duh Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/30/18 05:50:08 AM (560004608) Flags: 1150981 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: 60E73416-0013-4BD4-91DF-2E97344992A4 Message: ttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/321089419 False memories in social anxiety diso _ _ _ _ _ _ rder Sender: e:jeeitunes@gmail.com Time: 09/30/18 06:08:30 AM (560005710) Flags: 1085445 Is Read: No Is Invitation: No GUID: D6C0F382-87BC-4B71-AD7D-1518D4BA8A08 Message: she couldn't recall if the lie detector was given the same day as her mothers funeral or the next day.? MEDS Sender: Time: 09/30/18 06:12:55 AM () Flags: 1060865 Is Read: Yes Is Invitation: No Message: Oh I get it now

Jeffrey Epstein advised Steve Bannon that the lawyers representing Brett Kavanaugh in his confirmation hearing should accuse Christine Blasey Ford of being on medications that cause false memories or memory loss.

Speaking unironically, most people understandably find staring into the void upsetting & therefore limit their intake. Somehow, I was born w/o that particular safety mechanism. So why not make myself vaguely useful by tracking & skewering the latest r/conservative hot take & spare the normies?

Masochism

I’ll be honest: I am fully expecting a sweat-drenched Mike Johnson to sidle up to the petition and shove it into his mouth

I’m already seeing it on MAGA Twitter and Reddit.

I’d love to be proven wrong, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t simply fall back on, e.g., “the corrupt Biden administration planted evidence.” It’s what they do with everything else for which there is documented evidence: just say it’s fake. Trumpists don’t need a GOOD excuse, just AN excuse.

newt gingrich tweet: I like Reese's peanut butter cups because Reese's is also from Hershey. However Callista got me a Reese's peanut butter egg. It is good too.

this is the internal monologue of anyone older than me