, 8 tweets, 3 min read Read on Twitter
This piece by @LOLGOP reiterates a crucial point: Trump is going to try to win again - and maybe will - by increasing the negativity around *everything* until his failings are just part of the normal background noise to voters. This is important. /1
usatoday.com/story/opinion/…
@LOLGOP This is why #NeverTrump folks argue that any one policy or judge isn't as important as Trump's overall artillery shelling of all the norms and institutions around him. It's not one EO or one weird judge, it's his attack on the system as a means of self-preservation. /2
When Trumpers try to "whatabout" the dumb ideas of a Harris or a Pete about the electoral college or EOs, it's not the same: Those are bad ideas within a constitutional framework where we can argue over whether they should be adopted or enacted. We can argue hard. /3
What Trump wants to do is burn down the arena itself, and obliterate all forms of civic engagement that are not about him, or about supporting his ego and needs. There will be no arguments because there is no functioning public space. /4
This destruction of the civic space is purely authoritarian, even if only in service to an overgrown child. Democrats have bad ideas within a set framework and a constitutional structure. Trumpism is an attack on that structure itself, in order to save Trump. /5
Look no further than the GOP's cancellation of at least four primaries. This is the behavior of a leadership cult, systematically extinguishing intra-party democracy as part of the overall attack on any democracy at all, by stigmatizing dissent as somehow dangerous. /6
This is the natural outcome of the utterly dishonest "All Flight 93, all the time" culture warrior approach, in which trifling things like the Constitution must be pushed aside because guns and abortion and drag queens and stuff. /7
The proper response to this is not to allow ourselves to become cynical and negative about our democracy. Show up. Vote. Never shy away from speaking, arguing, advocating, and yes, when needed, shaming and judging.
Every day. Vote. Don't drink from the poisoned chalice.

/8x
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