Sen. Mike Lee comes right out and says that the GOP is opposed to democracy.
By "democracy" @SenMikeLee means all people have a say in government.
By "peace" he means order.
By "liberty" he means the freedom of [white] men to grab whatever they want.
1/
By "democracy" @SenMikeLee means all people have a say in government.
By "peace" he means order.
By "liberty" he means the freedom of [white] men to grab whatever they want.
1/
Ziblatt and Levitsky, in ⤵️ say:
"It is difficult to find examples of societies in which shrinking ethnic majorities gave up their dominant status without a fight."
The GOP, which has become the party of white grievance, is desperate. Their demographics are shrinking.
2/
"It is difficult to find examples of societies in which shrinking ethnic majorities gave up their dominant status without a fight."
The GOP, which has become the party of white grievance, is desperate. Their demographics are shrinking.
2/
There are a few directions I can take this thread.
I can tell you how California paved the way, or I can back up and talk about how the GOP longs for the days when [white] men could cheat and grab.
On the frontier, they could grab land.
They could grab women.
3/
I can tell you how California paved the way, or I can back up and talk about how the GOP longs for the days when [white] men could cheat and grab.
On the frontier, they could grab land.
They could grab women.
3/
Laws against sexual harassment are relatively new. For most of world history, rape was a property crime:
Before the New Deal and regulatory agencies, they could cheat, manipulate markets, and fix prices.
It's hard to give up all that "liberty."
4/
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1044239694798577670)
Before the New Deal and regulatory agencies, they could cheat, manipulate markets, and fix prices.
It's hard to give up all that "liberty."
4/
Me, neither, particularly just before an election.
This morning Trump said Barr should indict Biden and Obama. This is wishful thinking (there are procedures including grand juries), but wish is for an autocracy.
That's why Trump is their man.
5/
This morning Trump said Barr should indict Biden and Obama. This is wishful thinking (there are procedures including grand juries), but wish is for an autocracy.
That's why Trump is their man.
https://twitter.com/cbabob/status/1314190162801438725
5/
I'll link to two threads, one on how California paved the way, and another about how MAGA means take America back to the days when white men could cheat and grab.
Then I'll add a few words about our current moment.
California shows the way⤵️
6/
Then I'll add a few words about our current moment.
California shows the way⤵️
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1163458857823117319
6/
I have a threads few on GOP lawbreaking and the desire to return to a bygone era of [white] male supremacy. This one starts out about Trump's history of lawbreaking but does the job:
Now, about our current moment.
7/
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1070708168949346304
Now, about our current moment.
7/
If you feel like we're in a pivotal moment, you're right.
@HC_Richardson explains that ⤵️our current struggle between democracy (equality) and oligarchy (MAGA) reaches all the way back to the founding of the nation.
We're at a tipping point. Will oligarchy win? or democracy?
8/
@HC_Richardson explains that ⤵️our current struggle between democracy (equality) and oligarchy (MAGA) reaches all the way back to the founding of the nation.
We're at a tipping point. Will oligarchy win? or democracy?
8/
The GOP is in a panic because it's obvious democracy will win.
Put another way, there are two views of the purpose of government:
🔹Maintain a hierarchy (order), or
🔹Create fairness
For more on that, see:
The GOP wants to maintain the hierarchy.
8/
Put another way, there are two views of the purpose of government:
🔹Maintain a hierarchy (order), or
🔹Create fairness
For more on that, see:
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1256745424485928960
The GOP wants to maintain the hierarchy.
8/
Personal history: I sat in a college dorm room watching the 1980 election coverage and cried. I'd been doing internal polling for the Carter campaign.
The frustration I felt during each election from 1980 until 2012 was that the GOP managed to hide what it was about.
9/
The frustration I felt during each election from 1980 until 2012 was that the GOP managed to hide what it was about.
9/
That's why I felt so grateful for @stuartpstevens book, It Was All A Lie.
I am still grateful that he wrote the book explaining what I'd watched my entire adult life.
The GOP is in trouble: Its demographics are aging and shrinking.
10/
I am still grateful that he wrote the book explaining what I'd watched my entire adult life.
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1292130291343978497
The GOP is in trouble: Its demographics are aging and shrinking.
10/
The GOP is desperate to win the election because it knows that if it loses, the Democrats (representing a majority of Americans) will be able to take steps that will push white supremacists to the fringes.
Why do you think Pence harped on Democrats adding justices?
11/
Why do you think Pence harped on Democrats adding justices?
11/
So, we're at a tipping point: Which will win, autocracy or democracy? Hierarchy or fairness?
Answer: If the majority is motivated enough, it will win.
It will not be easy. The GOP is desperate. This is white supremacy in America's last stand.
12/
Answer: If the majority is motivated enough, it will win.
It will not be easy. The GOP is desperate. This is white supremacy in America's last stand.
12/
But the size and intensity of the George Floyd protests showed me that the majority is motivated.
I can read the polls. (I have a vague understanding of margins of error, probability, representative samples.)
So can Trump. That's why he's not talking about them.
13/
I can read the polls. (I have a vague understanding of margins of error, probability, representative samples.)
So can Trump. That's why he's not talking about them.
13/
The way to get through the next few months is to remember that we're watching the last desperate gasps of a dying hierarchy.
Keep steady. Keep your eye on the goal.
Do everything you can between now and the election to increase Biden's margin of victory.
14/
Keep steady. Keep your eye on the goal.
Do everything you can between now and the election to increase Biden's margin of victory.
14/
When FDR took office, things were worse than now. There was no minimum wage, no 40 hour work week, no protection for workers, basically no middle class. College was mostly for the wealthy.
By the 1950s we had a thriving middle class. . .
15/
By the 1950s we had a thriving middle class. . .
15/
https://twitter.com/jnbcart/status/1314208734059454464
The changes didn't happen overnight. They took a few years, but by all measures, the changes were rapid.
How did he do it? He was backed by a strong majority. He won a decisive victory, which included a Democratic Senate and House.
Minorities were still left out.
16/
How did he do it? He was backed by a strong majority. He won a decisive victory, which included a Democratic Senate and House.
Minorities were still left out.
16/
Minority communities were not able to fully participate in civic life until after the Civil Rights movement, which was another era of rapid change.
Change can happen quickly if the majority is motivated.
Notice the 'if' in that sentence.
17/
Change can happen quickly if the majority is motivated.
Notice the 'if' in that sentence.
17/
.@tedlieu knows how to do Twitter.
The "we're not a democracy" folks ignore the amendments and rely on the Constitution as ratified in 1787 (which set up a representative democracy but left out a lot of people).
18/
The "we're not a democracy" folks ignore the amendments and rely on the Constitution as ratified in 1787 (which set up a representative democracy but left out a lot of people).
https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1314258779114856448
18/
19/ What they mean is go back to 1787 when white men had almost unlimited personal "liberty" and women were chattel and minorities were not considered human.
They think they sound smart quoting slaveowners and ignoring a few centuries of progress.
They think they sound smart quoting slaveowners and ignoring a few centuries of progress.
https://twitter.com/StevenJStewart/status/1314289702728421376
Here is this thread as a blog post: terikanefield-blog.com/democracy-isnt…
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