(Thread) Let Them Eat Tweets
I just finished reading ⤵️and I’m ready with a Twitter Book Report.
Bonus: It explains Barr's extremism and the Barr-Trump partnership.
Spoiler: Trump [and Barr] are part of a democracy-smashing machine built by the GOP over the past 50 years.
I just finished reading ⤵️and I’m ready with a Twitter Book Report.
Bonus: It explains Barr's extremism and the Barr-Trump partnership.
Spoiler: Trump [and Barr] are part of a democracy-smashing machine built by the GOP over the past 50 years.
1/ The authors argue that Trump is a “consequence and recent enabler” of the GOP’s long steady march to plutocracy.
Trump distraction (according to the authors) places too much emphasis on Trump’s authoritarian impulses misses the greater danger: The GOP that enables him.
Trump distraction (according to the authors) places too much emphasis on Trump’s authoritarian impulses misses the greater danger: The GOP that enables him.
2/ One myth the authors torpedo: That a 2016 GOP civil war pitted Trump against the GOP “establishment," and Trump won.
Nope, they say. Trump and the “establishment” are on the same side. Initially, Trump's refusal to hide behind euphemisms scared them, but they fell in line.
Nope, they say. Trump and the “establishment” are on the same side. Initially, Trump's refusal to hide behind euphemisms scared them, but they fell in line.
3/ To explain the modern GOP, the authors describe what Daniel Ziblatt calls the “Conservative dilemma"
🔹Conservatives represent the interests of a few wealthy people.
🔹Their economic policies are unpopular.
🔹So when more people are allowed to vote, they have a problem.
🔹Conservatives represent the interests of a few wealthy people.
🔹Their economic policies are unpopular.
🔹So when more people are allowed to vote, they have a problem.
4/ The conservative dilemma is how to win elections with policies that are unpopular and hurt the constituents.
The authors call the GOP plutocrats.
The conservative dilemma is compounded by the fact that plutocracy is incompatible with democracy.
The authors call the GOP plutocrats.
The conservative dilemma is compounded by the fact that plutocracy is incompatible with democracy.
5/ Too much income inequality kills democracy because too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few people.
Currently we have dangerous levels of income inequality.
So plutocrats have a problem: Winning elections with unpopular policies.
Currently we have dangerous levels of income inequality.
So plutocrats have a problem: Winning elections with unpopular policies.
6/ Plutocrats have a choice:
🔹Move to the center by agreeing to implement economic policies that benefit more people, or
🔹Consolidate minority power so they don’t have to compromise on economic issues.
Beginning with Nixon, who planted the seeds ⤵️guess which the GOP chose.
🔹Move to the center by agreeing to implement economic policies that benefit more people, or
🔹Consolidate minority power so they don’t have to compromise on economic issues.
Beginning with Nixon, who planted the seeds ⤵️guess which the GOP chose.
6/ The GOP discovered that stirring racism brought them voters. They used code words, and it worked.
The GOP formed an alliance with Fox, an outrage-producing machine. Outrage, racism, and fear can persuade people to vote for economic policies that hurt them.
The GOP formed an alliance with Fox, an outrage-producing machine. Outrage, racism, and fear can persuade people to vote for economic policies that hurt them.
7/ Timothy Snyder calls it sadopopulism. It works like this⤵️
At first, the Fox-GOP partnership was a boon to GOP candidates, but what the authors call “outsourcing voter mobilization” has drawbacks.
At first, the Fox-GOP partnership was a boon to GOP candidates, but what the authors call “outsourcing voter mobilization” has drawbacks.
8/ FOX ushered extremists into office, and eventually exerted control over GOP all officials, forcing them to cater to Fox's demands, which forced them to adopt more extreme policies.
The GOP also outsourced voter mobilization to the NRA and white Christian evangelicals.
The GOP also outsourced voter mobilization to the NRA and white Christian evangelicals.
9/ In the 1970s, the GOP wasn't opposed to gun regulations. That changed when it outsourced voter mobilization to the NRA.
Outsourcing voter mobilization to white Christian evangelicals forced GOP to adopt extreme positions on abortion.
Outsourcing voter mobilization to white Christian evangelicals forced GOP to adopt extreme positions on abortion.
10/ You see, plutocrats don’t care about gun violence or abortion rights.
All they care about is money and getting more of it.
So they made a bargain: We’ll get rid of gun control and abortion, and you deliver votes for our economic policies.
All they care about is money and getting more of it.
So they made a bargain: We’ll get rid of gun control and abortion, and you deliver votes for our economic policies.
11/ Analysis from me: We see the beginnings of the GOP Death Cult: Gun violence and gun deaths in schools is OK — if the GOP gets the economic policies they want.
It's not even a leap from there to: "You must die to save the 'economy' in a pandemic." It's the GOP way.
It's not even a leap from there to: "You must die to save the 'economy' in a pandemic." It's the GOP way.
12/ By outsourcing voter mobilization to outrage-stoking entities, the GOP establishment found it harder to chart a moderate course. Even Romney and McCain had to make deals with the extremists.
Example, their VP choices. Also see:
Example, their VP choices. Also see:
13/ As the US became less racist, and Fox was no longer able to deliver enough votes, the GOP took steps to restrict the voting rights of people outside Fox's clutches.
The GOP thus employs gerrymandering, voter suppression, and other means of maintaining minority power.
The GOP thus employs gerrymandering, voter suppression, and other means of maintaining minority power.
14/ Anyone watching Barr’s testimony today has to be reminded of the impeachment trial, when the GOP members of Congress would defend anything Trump did.
The GOP will defend Trump and Barr because—for the most part—Trump and Barr are doing exactly what they're supposed to do.
The GOP will defend Trump and Barr because—for the most part—Trump and Barr are doing exactly what they're supposed to do.
15/ The solution (from the authors of Let them Eat Tweets) is political and economic reforms to weaken the disproportional clout of the plutocracy.
From me: The only way we can begin to institute those reforms is for the GOP to be swept from power in November.
From me: The only way we can begin to institute those reforms is for the GOP to be swept from power in November.
16/ This is the solution because we still have meaningful elections.
By "meaningful" I don't mean no cheating. We've had voter suppression for hundreds of years. (Let me refer you to African American history, if you have doubts.)
By "meaningful" I don't mean no cheating. We've had voter suppression for hundreds of years. (Let me refer you to African American history, if you have doubts.)
17/ By "meaningful" I mean that our elections are not merely ritual with the outcome predetermined.
Proof: The GOP lost the midterms by 8 points and most elections since 2016.
What can you personally do? See terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
Proof: The GOP lost the midterms by 8 points and most elections since 2016.
What can you personally do? See terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
I want to add some nuance to this tweet⤵️and remind you that 17 tweets can't do justice to a book. All I can do is hit the main points.
The elected GOP officials beholden to Fox, the NRA, and the evangelicals fell in line.
Some GOP members bolted.
The elected GOP officials beholden to Fox, the NRA, and the evangelicals fell in line.
Some GOP members bolted.
Next on my list, @NormEisen's book, and after that, @stuartpstevens.
(I know it was all a lie, so I'll be curious to see what a GOP insider adds.)
Expect more Twitter Book Reports.
(I know it was all a lie, so I'll be curious to see what a GOP insider adds.)
Expect more Twitter Book Reports.
One thing that startled me was that the authors in Let them Eat Tweets equate conservatism with "policies that benefit the rich."
I think of conservative as "dislikes change and prefers status quo."
But the authors looked at Europe. . .
I think of conservative as "dislikes change and prefers status quo."
But the authors looked at Europe. . .
. . . particularly Britain and Germany after WWI, when "conservatives" represented the old aristocracy.
After the industrial revolution, the GOP became the party business tycoons and factory owners, and were anti-labor unions.
So I got used to the authors' definition.
After the industrial revolution, the GOP became the party business tycoons and factory owners, and were anti-labor unions.
So I got used to the authors' definition.
Adding.
Fact: When we read books, we often feel gratified to find something we've always thought (but didn't fully understand) affirmed.
I've always felt uncomfortable with too much outrage. Here's what the authors say⤵️
I'll say it differently. . .
Fact: When we read books, we often feel gratified to find something we've always thought (but didn't fully understand) affirmed.
I've always felt uncomfortable with too much outrage. Here's what the authors say⤵️
I'll say it differently. . .
Outrage and fear make people less willing to engage in the time-consuming, grinding work of democracy.
Panic leads people to want results right now, so they are willing to jettison democratic processes.
This leads to escalation which "rarely ends well." Phrase from ⤵️
Panic leads people to want results right now, so they are willing to jettison democratic processes.
This leads to escalation which "rarely ends well." Phrase from ⤵️
Our democracy is in danger, but it seems to me that outrage and panic make us less able to deal with an emergency.
Our outrage feeds the beast.
(Of course we should try to understand what's happening and look for solutions.)
I wrote about outrage here:
Our outrage feeds the beast.
(Of course we should try to understand what's happening and look for solutions.)
I wrote about outrage here:
I meant to include this⤵️showing how far to the right the GOP has swung.
The authors made the point that the current "polarization" is one sided. It's caused by the GOP swing to the far right.
I appreciated this because I dislike the "both sides" implication of "polarization."
The authors made the point that the current "polarization" is one sided. It's caused by the GOP swing to the far right.
I appreciated this because I dislike the "both sides" implication of "polarization."
This thread is a blog post, here: terikanefield-blog.com/let-them-eat-t…
See the next Tweet . . .
I'll add the source
Source: the Manifesto Project, as quoted by Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker, and U.C. Berkeley political scientist Paul Pierson in Let Them Eat Tweets (2020).
I figure the authors gave their seals of approval, and they do have sterling academic credentials😉
I figure the authors gave their seals of approval, and they do have sterling academic credentials😉
I think that's the tactic of accusing your opponent of what you do. The "You're the Puppet" technique.
It's not projection, which is subconscious. "You're the puppet" is a deliberate fascist technique.
