The long-term solution to GOP power grabs is to strengthen and depoliticize our democratic institutions to better enable them to withstand autocratic power grabs.
As you'll see, I leaned heavily on legal and political science scholars for this.
Some people don't understand that this kind of response plays right into McConnell's hands.
McConnell has invited the Democrats to join him in engaging in the kind of behavior that will undermine and weak democratic institutions.
And people take the bait.
From Steven Levitsky, the greatest danger to democracy is the government slipping into dysfunction, which will erode public confidence.
When public confidence erodes, people become vulnerable to the appeal of a strongman, who promises to get things done.
See how brilliant McConnell's threat was? Simply uttering the threat undermines public confidence in democracy, which makes people vulnerable to a strong man who can do what the "weak" Democrats cannot do.
I think this is another explanation of how brilliant* McConnell's move was.
Responding is very difficult. It's hard to respond in a soundbite.
Your average voter who leans democratic but isn't watching the news cycle and thinking about government and politics all the time doesn't get it because it's complicated.
Destroying democracy is a lot easier than saving it.
Also: Riling people is easier than educating people.
Riling people is dangerous because, when riled, they're willing to engage in democracy-bashing behavior.
Educating people is harder.
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From Levitsky (co-author of 👇) the greatest danger to democracy is the government slipping into dysfunction, which will erode public confidence.
When public confidence erodes, people become vulnerable to the appeal of a strongman, who promises to get things done.
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When the public loses confidence in democracy, they are willing to torpedo democratic processes. Using anti-democratic means to save democracy has obvious problems.
McConnell wants to break the government because he doesn't like what America has become.
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“Is it too late to save democracy?”
“Will the fascists win?”
I answered these questions by talking about Susan B. Anthony.
(Talking for 10 minutes to my Ipad is feeling less weird each week)
Subtitle: Everything you never knew you wanted to know about Susan B. Anthony
If you prefer an [edited] transcript, it’s here: terikanefield.com/susan-b-anthon…
I’ll come back and do a brief Twitter summary.
But first, more ☕️
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I think we start with the fact that there will always be people trying to undermine democracy, and they are motivated and acting from fear and desperation.
Then, when they land a blow, instead of reeling with shock, we figure out how to respond.
See:
Just a friendly reminder that if the people who abused power are not held "accountable," it's because they are being shielded by a major political party that holds a lot of power.
You can't say Schiff and Swalwell haven't been doing their best.
Underestimating how entrenched the anti-democratic forces are? Unreasonable expectations? Thinking change can be swift?
Think about what would be happening right now if Trump was in the White House and compare.