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.
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.
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:
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/
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
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/
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/
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/
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/
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.
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).
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.
Fascism / leadership cult (what Weber calls charismatic leader source of authority) depends on myth.
They're not going to let facts get in their way.
In this evening's episode from the Trump Reality Show: Trump has COVID but he is mighty and strong! Unlike lesser mortals, the Great Leader ignores his symptoms and continues working by signing his name to blank papers while posing for cameras.