Thread by @SteveSchmidtSES

We are living through momentous and historic days together. We are witnesses to a profound and dangerous repudiation of faith and belief. We are alive to see the rejection of our national ideals for a new dogma; a toxic philosophy resurrected, yet again from an ash heap, that 1

No matter the length of its’ dormancy or appearance of extinguishment always smolders below the surface with a ready ember, eager to spread, thirsting for the ideological fuel of nationalism, hate, racial supremacy, political extremism and menace so that it may begin the 2

conflagration anew. Tens of millions of Citizens and the whole of one political party in a two party system have rejected democracy at a molecular level. They no longer belief in the system that places the individual atop the power of the State. In the name of freedom they have 3

undone the compact between us. They have unraveled the agreement that has sustained, nourished and expanded all other freedoms in this land. In the name of Donald Trump and in service to his grotesque lies they have betrayed our birthright and desecrated the sacrifice of every 4

American Patriot who built this country. There was no fraud. It is a lie. We all know who is lying. Even liars like @GOPLeader and @EliseStefanik know they are lying. There is no doubt, no mystery, and no question around the

purpose of the lie. It is an attack aimed directly at our system of government. In America, “The People” temporarily grant their fellow citizens, likely members of competing political parties, lawful authority, within the framework of a Constitutional Republic that both

enumerates and restrains the power of government while protecting individual rights. The bestowment of power is decided by majority vote through a system that at long last is supposed to grant full participation to all citizens regardless of race, creed or gender. That is what

Trump and his Legion of millions is rejecting. This is what @GOPLeader, @tedcruz and every GOP State Party, nearly every GOP Governor, GOP Legislator, and generic GOP official is rejecting. The American system requires fidelity not conformity. It demand allegiance to the will

of the people. Government of the People, By the People, For the People is legitimate only by virtue of the people’s vote. There is no optionality within the system; In or out; For or Against. They have turned against this idea because it has become incompatible with their 9

greater ambitions to retain power unconditionally. For the Nationalist Autocrats that call themselves Republican, democracy has become the enemy of freedom. Freedom is always redefined by Autocrats like Trump. For them freedom is the power to rule. Protection of the ruling

minority from the disenfranchised majority is the cause of Liberty to an autocrat. Their is no corruption in this system because the right to take is presumed. The pursuit of self interest and enrichment is an entitlement within the ruling minority. This is what attracts the 11

cynics and businessmen to the cause of “autocratic freedom” The price of joining is low. It requires only submission to a cult of happy obedience and personal loyalty. There is no conflict between the truth and lie in this honest society. Truth is what the

Leader declares it to be. This type of truth removes complexity and nuance from all things big and small. It is a reductive philosophy that makes clear what is important and what is trivial. Dissent is impermissible 13

because it is a threat to autocratic truths. Apostates must be punished for deviations of devotion to the leaders truth. Acts of conscience are selfish acts against the interests of the group and cannot be tolerated. They are particularly dangerous because almost all are rooted

in ideas, ideals and truths anchored too a faith much higher than the false gospels of political power. The disintegration of belief in American democracy has been stunning, fast and brutal. It is an attack from within that has caused this. It is important to understand what

Comes along with these new definitions of freedom, liberty and the truth. The ruling minority will always position itself as being under attack for defending the culture, a superior culture facing destruction from an array of outside threats that always include foreigners, Jews

and minorities. Concepts like personal responsibility are obliterated by the narcotic of group victimization. Collective grievance is the fertilizer that nourishes an expanding autocratic community. Suddenly the marginalized are given a type of cultural absolution, an immunity

from consequences, obligation and citizenship by their Autocratic totems.Suddenly they become righteous defenders of freedom. Defenders of a people who share not common ideas and ideals but blood and soil. People who are members of a culture that is superior and yet threatened by

a numerical majority of people who are less than. The new faith we have witnessed being born is a dark one. It is understandable and predictable because it has arisen before. This is what the next two elections in America will be about. They will determine what version of freedom

gets celebrated on the 4th of July.