Republican Lawbreaking
Have you noticed that Republicans don't mind if their leaders break laws?
In fact, conviction can be a badge of honor in the fight against “liberal corruption.” h/t @michaelscherer
washingtonpost.com/powerpost/crim…
Here, I explain why:
Have you noticed that Republicans don't mind if their leaders break laws?
In fact, conviction can be a badge of honor in the fight against “liberal corruption.” h/t @michaelscherer
washingtonpost.com/powerpost/crim…
Here, I explain why:
1/ I’ll post a transcript shortly. (Having technical difficulties.)
Republican crimes (and criminology in general) is a huge topic, but here are a few thoughts.
I’ve been tweeting about a lot of this, but I think laying it out this way helps me explain it better.
Republican crimes (and criminology in general) is a huge topic, but here are a few thoughts.
I’ve been tweeting about a lot of this, but I think laying it out this way helps me explain it better.
2/ Putting the blame where the blame belongs: Turns out, it wasn't a technical difficulty. It was me being a computer dork. (No! It was keyboard gremlins making mischief!)
Here's the transcript: terikanefield.com/republican-law…
Here's the transcript: terikanefield.com/republican-law…
3/ This one might be too long for a Twitter summary, but I'll try.
If you say, "We need harsh punishments to stop this lawbreaking," please read the entire post (or listen to the video) for the limitations of this thinking.
It's more complicated than that.
If you say, "We need harsh punishments to stop this lawbreaking," please read the entire post (or listen to the video) for the limitations of this thinking.
It's more complicated than that.
4/ In a nutshell: Laws reflect cultural values. As the culture changes, laws change.
Laws in the 19th century reinforced the patriarchy: a social hierarchy with White men at the top and Black women at the bottom.
To get out of the patriarchy, we've been changing the laws.
Laws in the 19th century reinforced the patriarchy: a social hierarchy with White men at the top and Black women at the bottom.
To get out of the patriarchy, we've been changing the laws.
5/ We got out of what @HC_Richardson
calls our second oligarchy (the age of robber barons and business tycoon) through legislation, mostly the New Deal and Civil Rights legislation.
The Republican have been trying for decades to roll back the New Deal.
calls our second oligarchy (the age of robber barons and business tycoon) through legislation, mostly the New Deal and Civil Rights legislation.
The Republican have been trying for decades to roll back the New Deal.
6/ The Civil Rights legislation trigged a violent backlash.
We're still riding that backlash.
In 2018, Trump said: “All our laws are so corrupt and stupid." mlive.com/news/erry-2018…
Steven Bannon wants to destroy the "administrative state."
We're still riding that backlash.
In 2018, Trump said: “All our laws are so corrupt and stupid." mlive.com/news/erry-2018…
Steven Bannon wants to destroy the "administrative state."
7/ The "administrative state" (the "deep state") are mostly the regulatory agencies put in place at the time of the New Deal that limit the ability of [White] men to cheat and consolidate power.
In the video and blog post, I provide lots of examples.
In the video and blog post, I provide lots of examples.
8/ What’s more interesting than a catalog of crimes and lawbreakers is the length to which the Republican Party goes to shield and downplay those crimes.
They know Trump and pals commit crimes and they don't care. msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-…
They know Trump and pals commit crimes and they don't care. msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-…
9/ I suggest this is partly because they don’t think the laws should be there.
The laws Trump and the Republicans break were designed to create a multi-racial diverse democracy in which all people have an equal voice.
The laws Trump and the Republicans break were designed to create a multi-racial diverse democracy in which all people have an equal voice.
10/ Republicans are totally cool with Trump getting indicted for tax fraud because they don’t think rich people should pay taxes.
How people feel about lawbreaking depends (partly) only how they feel about the underlying laws.
How people feel about lawbreaking depends (partly) only how they feel about the underlying laws.
11/ I suggest that the lawbreaking is partly cheered because the lawbreakers want to destroy and the lawbreaking helps them do that.
As @ruthbenghiat pointed out in her book, when caught, they spin the prosecutions as "political."
As @ruthbenghiat pointed out in her book, when caught, they spin the prosecutions as "political."
12/ She gives this as a reason criminal prosecutions are not always the most effective way to combat the rise of authoritarianism.
To put it another way, we have both a law enforcement problem and a political problem:
Two different problems which require different solutions.
To put it another way, we have both a law enforcement problem and a political problem:
Two different problems which require different solutions.
13/ This doesn't surprise me at all.
Laws change. People willing to abide by one set of laws are often not willing to abide by another.
Someone in the comments gave the example of prohibition. Or the 19th century laws governing slavery.
Laws change. People willing to abide by one set of laws are often not willing to abide by another.
Someone in the comments gave the example of prohibition. Or the 19th century laws governing slavery.
https://twitter.com/LittleMamaKin/status/1419354663359500293
14/ Of course, there is another (more obvious) related reason they break laws:
If they play by the rules, they'll be poor.
They'll have no power.
And they won't / can't tolerate that.
(This particularly applies to the Trumps, who have never added value.)
If they play by the rules, they'll be poor.
They'll have no power.
And they won't / can't tolerate that.
(This particularly applies to the Trumps, who have never added value.)
15/ The framing that we are in transition encompasses the last two videos I did.
Understanding the transition can help alleviate Twitter despair and mitigate Twitter cynicism.
Speaking of cynicism . . . (now I'll see if I can find the comment . . .)
https://twitter.com/EmbryoResist/status/1419452962821353472
Understanding the transition can help alleviate Twitter despair and mitigate Twitter cynicism.
Speaking of cynicism . . . (now I'll see if I can find the comment . . .)
16/ Cynicism allows authoritarianism to take hold.
If "everyone is corrupt," politics dissolves into "us v them."
People say, "He's a lying crook, but he's OUR lying crook."
If "everyone is corrupt," politics dissolves into "us v them."
People say, "He's a lying crook, but he's OUR lying crook."
https://twitter.com/rpd158/status/1419453704629997571
Sorry I was unclear! I quoted the first tweet because I liked the framing that we're in transition.
I quoted the second tweet for the cynicism.
Many apologies!
I quoted the second tweet for the cynicism.
Many apologies!
The "transition" framing includes my video from last week in which I answered the question, "Are we too far gone?"
We're transitioning from a patriarchy in which white men dominated to a multi-racial democracy.
Transitions are difficult.
We're transitioning from a patriarchy in which white men dominated to a multi-racial democracy.
Transitions are difficult.
If you think everyone cheats, the winner is the one who is the best cheater.
https://twitter.com/KathCLeSage/status/1419676693502046210
We can divide laws into those the Republicans are happy to break and those that, if broken, would make them livid.
It entirely depends on who is breaking which laws.
It entirely depends on who is breaking which laws.
https://twitter.com/KastlSally/status/1419704826515136512
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