Categories Politics
Fascism is ideological in ways Trump isn't - Trump is still a danger in terms of democratic backsliding
Let's say all agree Trumpism is fascism. What flows from that?
— Nicholas Grossman (@NGrossman81) January 19, 2021
I advocate precision in categorizing terrorism because it informs strategy. Responding to not-terrorism with counterterrorism can fail or backfire.
What changes if people call Trump "fascist" instead of, say, "bad"? https://t.co/yv9byQWKnR
An important difference between 20th century fascism and 21st century right-wing authoritarian populism is that fascism was explicitly deadset on exposing democracy as bad - people like Orbàn or Erdogan or Trump are fine with the superficial trappings of democracy.
Mussolini shut down true accusations of voter intimidation through the intimidation of his critics, which led to the assassination of Giacomo Matteotti, who had exposed the fascist intimidation at the polls. Trump spread and encouraged conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
Why does this matter? Because right-wing populist supporters make arguments that THEY are the ones defending not just the abstract "will of the people" (that's common in fascism too) but the procedures of democracy itself. They accuse their rivals of authoritarianism.
People like Mussolini or Hitler made no secret that they thought of democracy as decadent and corrupt, not just morally, but politically, as a system. Trump or Erdogan or Orbàn (or to a lesser extent Putin) claim that it's LIBERALISM which is decadent and corrupt.
Thread: WELCOME TO THUNDERDOME!! (US Version 2020!) TWO MEN ENTER! ONE MAN LEAVES!
— #SOULWAR \u271d (@CatesDuane) December 17, 2020
In this case, a President & a President Elect! Only one man can emerge the Victor as Americans watch spellbound.
As they fight for the right to Lead America along two VERY DIFFERENT PATHS. pic.twitter.com/hThc3pZyB3
*Ossoff and Warnock win handily*
Pundits: Ah. Nevertheless,
Congressional Republicans balk at Joe Biden\u2019s $1.9 trillion relief plan, complicating push for quick passage https://t.co/npXogXvBHM
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 15, 2021
The only way political reporting in this country makes sense is if you understand that the almost universal, almost subconscious default assumption: that conservative white people are the protagonists of any story that's being told, no matter the facts of the story.
Just do the obvious and necessary good things and let the horrid evil people who hate good things squeal and cry about it forever.
I really need Democrats who will state the clear and obvious truth, which is that Republicans are our enemies, because they insist on attacking the very idea of a shared society and are more than happy to use violence to do it, which is the very definition of an enemy.
You can't make people who want to kill you not be your enemies even if you wish they'd be your friend.
They can stop trying to kill you, but until that happens they are your enemy, and acknowledging that fact isn't what makes that fact true.
It's strange, looking back, how much potential was wasted. And not just because of PLP sabotage either. All very sad.
On the plus side, the Corbyn years did feel like being part of a movement, a determined and united collective - I hadn't felt like that before as a party member! It's just that the movement didn't actually move anywhere.
— Rhian E. Jones (@RhianEJones) January 17, 2021
On a related note: I've seen many tweets insisting that Corbyn *proved* Labour don't need donors' money.
Sorry, no he didn't. Because we lost: in general elections, European elections and local elections again and again and again. Despite the massive membership.
He certainly enthused and inspired many... but ultimately, not enough. And he was like Marmite to the wider electorate for all sorts of reasons: some legitimate, others a lot less so.
See also: Sanders. Enthused and inspired many, dragged the platform leftwards, not corporate funded in any way... and never close to winning.
How big is the Tory membership? It's a heck of a lot smaller than Labour's even now... yet look at their majority. Money still matters.
To be frank, Labour will always be the underdogs. Our entire history - which is embarrassingly bad electorally - demonstrates that.
So we have to think differently, act differently (Starmer falls down on both at present) and combine activism and Parliamentary politics together.
https://t.co/tYAjFik5eX
https://t.co/eTPLicEgE5
Was 'Nazism' ever truly destroyed?
Was it merely a sub-division within a larger organization?
One finger attached to a hand?
Did ANTIFA organically form?
Flag design coincidence?
Socialist push in US/WW coincidence?
Global power struggle.
There is a price we will not pay.
There is a point beyond which they must not advance.
https://t.co/Vsp5J14P0P
https://t.co/LNSxx5VP0a
We, the PEOPLE.
#Q192
Why are China & Russia communist S/closed?
Can you find an owl / Y there?
Was this to prevent evil from entering?
Was this to protect their children/people?
Why was BO shamed during trip to China, SA, other locations?
How was POTUS hosted?
Compare.
Think.
Fantasy land.
Q