Thread by @doctorow

Under the direction of the 45th President of the USA, American police forces are engaged in a violent suppression of American people, pursuing what can only be called a white nationalist pogrom.

1/

The official opposition, in the form of the Democratic Party and its elected members, are effectively sitting on their hands as the rule of law is dissolved into a slurry of baton-charges and indiscriminate use of anti-personnel weaponry.

2/

There's no excuse for this inaction. As @davidsirota writes, there are ten meaningful actions the Dems could take RIGHT NOW that would yield concrete, significant results, RIGHT NOW, for the people facing out-of-control, armed "peace officers."

sirota.substack.com/p/10-things-de…

3/

"For the love of God, stop trying to give Trump more police power."

Congressional Dems are working hard to renew the Patriot Act, giving Trump MORE surveillance power and LESS oversight.

The knock at the door in the night after you attend the protest? It's their fault.

4/

"Do not pass a Pentagon spending bill that would fund Trump’s military invasion of American cities."

House Dems have the power of the purse. RIGHT NOW, they could amend the Pentagon's budget to ban the agency from using ONE CENT turning America's military against its people.

5/

"Call Trump’s bluff, use his own plan to defund the police -- and launch investigations"

Trump threatened a budget that slashed spending to local cops. Call his bluff. Pass the budget. Then start a round of Congressional hearings into police misconduct.

6/

"Stop giving military-grade weapons to local police departments."

Congress can amend the NDAA or attach a rider to the Pentagon's budget that bans this grotesque practice, conceived of to enrich arms merchants while turning US cities into literal warzones.

7/

"Fire the bad police chiefs and deescalate."

Democrats hold the mayor's office in America's largest cities. America's police chiefs serve at their pleasure. Fire any chief who can't control their force, just as Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer did.

8/

"Prosecute the bad cops."

Every Democratic DA and state attorney should vigorously prosecute every cop who abuses their authority to commit crimes under color of law.

9/

"Restrict the National Guard."

Democratic governors can demobilize their National Guard units and dare Trump to federalize them.

10/

"Pass legislation restricting the police and ending immunity."

Qualified immunity is a judge-made doctrine that effectively shields cops from civil consequences for any crime.

pluralistic.net/2020/05/29/min…

11/

"Repeal and block anti-protester laws, and pass state protections."

Anti-protester laws are unconstitutional on their face. Any Democratic state house with the power to repeal them should do so immediately.

12/

"Stop taking money from police associations."

These are organizations whose leaders walk around with WHITE POWER badges on their uniforms. Literally. I know corporate Dems never met a buck they wouldn't take, but can the buck, finally, stop here?

pluralistic.net/2020/05/31/par…

13/

Trump is a fascist. He is the problem. But for several days now, due to a Twitter glitch, I've been the third result for searches for "#BlackLivesMatter," and I've been targeted by every mouth-breathing pencil-necked Hitler wannabe with a face from Walmart.

14/

A number of these howling monstrosities' bios included this quote:

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."*

Proving a stopped clock is right every now and again.

(*Hilariously, they inevitably misattributed it to Patrick Henry)

eof/