The hardest thing for certain kinds of Dems to come to terms with is that they will not spend the rest of their lives fighting a basically normal political party over tax rates and social expenditures and abortion. 1/
Instead, they face a long and exhausting struggle to wrest control of government away from an unpopular, anti-democratic, anti-system party whose power and authority is enhanced by the U.S. system design and entrenched by ostensibly non-partisan elites in the federal courts. 2/
That party is determined to plunge the whole earth into worst-case climate change scenarios so that a small number of people in a small number of industries can continue to get rich. In a very real sense, the Republican Party has openly declared war on anyone under 45. 3/
Republicans recognize no limit on the exercise of their power except, sometimes, that which is imposed on them by courts. They are terrified, correctly, of free and fair elections. They rely almost entirely on the votes of people who will all be dead in 25 years. 4/
Any theory of change which relies on persuading post-2020 elected Republicans that they are wrong is not just delusional. It also wastes valuable time that we do not have and tells Republicans that they can keep doing all of this with no consequences. 5/
There will be no return to normal. Republicans will keep escalating until they are either defeated comprehensively or America is transformed into an authoritarian dystopia whose politics fully reflect its economic inequality. The next version of the GOP will be worse. 6/
Nostalgia for a lower-stakes political world is understandable but at this point insane as a reaction to what is unfolding before our eyes. Assuming that the truth will carry the day is naive. Democrats failing to exercise all legal power at their disposal is indefensible. 7/
One small example: Rs are planning to tie Senate D presidential candidates up for months in an impeachment trial as primaries approach even though they have no intention of considering the president's guilt. 8/
Yet Dems are planning to wrap this thing by Christmas and hand McConnell full control over timing and impact. That's low-stakes world behavior. So is allowing Rs to rant and rave and leave bonkers allegations hanging in the air without response. 9/
If House Dems really wanted to play consequential hardball, there would be impeachment hearings every day from today until next November. Impeach the president just before the election and take the initiative away from McConnell rather than handing it to him. 10/
Call Hannity or Carlson as a witness and have them try to defend their lurid Ukraine theories under sustained questioning from a lawyer. Don't just let them shout lies and assume people will be able to tell. Dismantle them in public. 11/
Shut the disruptive ones down. Why is anyone even allowed to ask questions about Hunter Biden? Who sets the rules here? Again: people who are still nostalgic for a low-stakes world in which concessions to Rs lead to concessions in return rather than further escalation. 12/
We are really, really running out of time for party elites to have these a-ha moments. The end. 13/
