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Now Trump is coming right out and declaring himself an autocrat⤵️
In autocracies, the autocrat decides who should be investigated and prosecuted.
Prosecutorial independence is based on the democratic principle that elected officials shouldn't make the decision.
Now Trump is coming right out and declaring himself an autocrat⤵️
In autocracies, the autocrat decides who should be investigated and prosecuted.
Prosecutorial independence is based on the democratic principle that elected officials shouldn't make the decision.
1/ This of course prevents elected officials from targeting political opponents the way, say, Putin does.
Trump has been pummeling the democratic institution of prosecutorial independence for three years.
Trump has been pummeling the democratic institution of prosecutorial independence for three years.
2/ In 2017, Trump said: “I have the absolute right to do what I want with the Justice Department,” nytimes.com/2017/12/28/us/…
Now he insists that he has the right to ask foreign governments to investigate anyone he wishes, including his political opponents.
Now he insists that he has the right to ask foreign governments to investigate anyone he wishes, including his political opponents.
3/ This puts the Republican leadership in a corner.
Do they break with Trump?
Or do they admit that they’ve turned into an anti-democratic party? (You can’t try to hold on to white male supremacy AND be pro-democracy)
Do they break with Trump?
Or do they admit that they’ve turned into an anti-democratic party? (You can’t try to hold on to white male supremacy AND be pro-democracy)
4/ What will the Republican congressional leadership do?
💠Will they be willing to let Trump trample prosecutorial independence?
💠Or will they say Trump now gone too far?
…
That, my dearies, is the question.
💠Will they be willing to let Trump trample prosecutorial independence?
💠Or will they say Trump now gone too far?
…
That, my dearies, is the question.
5/ Tangofox, my guess is that, when push comes to shove, the Republican leadership will split.
Some, like Jim Jordan and Nunes, will show their true authoritarian, anti-democratic colors.
Others will say Trump has gone too far . . .
Some, like Jim Jordan and Nunes, will show their true authoritarian, anti-democratic colors.
Others will say Trump has gone too far . . .
6/ This is why I think that two things are likely:
💠The Senate acquitting Trump
💠The GOP losing in a landslide in 2020.
The Trump faithful will never forgive the Republican leadership who turns on him.
💠The Senate acquitting Trump
💠The GOP losing in a landslide in 2020.
The Trump faithful will never forgive the Republican leadership who turns on him.
7/ The way to deal with the anxiety is to get busy.
Democracy will be saved if a strong enough majority want it to be saved, and work toward that end.
That's why I keep posting my to-do list.
History also provides guidance. . .
Democracy will be saved if a strong enough majority want it to be saved, and work toward that end.
That's why I keep posting my to-do list.
History also provides guidance. . .
8/ Authoritarianism in America isn't new. Slavery was authoritarian. Jim Crow was authoritarian. Women excluded from public life was authoritarian.
We've gotten out of worse before.
Did you see my thread, Susan B. Anthony taught us how?
We've gotten out of worse before.
Did you see my thread, Susan B. Anthony taught us how?
I combined this thread, and the one from earlier today, into a single blog post, here: terikanefield-blog.com/trump-goes-pub…
