Thread by @trygveolson

Threats, Repression, and Violence are one of six tactics illiberal and autocratic forces use to gain and then maintain power. There is a lot of threatening happening in today’s GOP. @reedgalen @stuartpstevens @TheRickWilson @ProjectLincoln @LincolnWatchman @SteveSchmidtSES

Ironically, many of the threats are attempts to repress understanding who bears responsibility for the violence we saw at the Capital on 1.6. Yet, beyond that rationale, the primary target of their aggression, Corporate America, is critically important.

yahoo.com/lifestyle/marj…

This autocrat 101. Given they direct this at Corporate America, it’s important to think about how much has changed in today’s GOP? And who today's @gop resembles? Let’s examine.

There are two tracks occurring – both are focused on gaining power! There are the Wannabe Presidential types – @SenTedCruz, @GovRonDeSantis, @GregAbbott_TX, @HawleyMO, @ScottforFlorida, @marcorubio, and pretty much all others who see a Head of State in the mirror in the morning.

Let's start with Cruz: He has been doing it since spring when he kicked off his campaign (I am not sure if he was in Cancun) with this:

Of course, being Ted, he had to wrap it all in self-serving BS about not taking their PAC money. I am sure he will use the “I can’t control what my outside groups do" when they take Corporate money before Iowa and New Hampshire.

Then we have Rick Scott, chair of the NRSC, former CEO who took the 5th 75 times in a Medicare Fraud trial, President in his own mind, and – apparently a student of Viktor Orban.

foxbusiness.com/politics/sen-r…

We also have Marco Rubio. A true profile in chameleonism, who will be whatever you want him to be – pro-business, anti-business, pro-democracy, anti-democracy. You name it, Little Marco has you covered.

In this case, @marcorubio sends out fund-raising with words like this:

“For the past several years, I have been making the case that far too many American companies were prioritizing short-term financial windfalls at the expense of America’s families, communities and national security. More and more people are coming around to that viewpoint,

both in the Republican Party and around the country.”

Then you have him putting out videos like this. First of all, I am not sure where he is doing this from, but I think he is missing who is the hypocrite.

The others using threats are the GOP Members in Congress who are looking towards 2022 and want the election to be about anything other than the insanity of Trump and the extremism which is the GOP base.

Let us start with Mitch McConnell’s “Business has no place in American politics.” (I would add he would say something different regarding funding Senate Republican campaigns)

This, of course, is close to Vladimir Putin’s words to the oligarchs just after taking power in 2001. I don’t have video of that – it is strangely absent from the internet, but you can watch this one if you want to see his approach.

Then there is @GOPLeader – he btw isn’t very good at the game he is playing. In fact, he isn’t as good at the normal game as McConnell or the autocratic of people like Putin. They are the GOATs and he is a seven grader who didn’t make the team.

washingtonpost.com/powerpost/jan-…

After he came out with these threats, a slew of other GOP members of the House joined him. Shocking? Not really.

newsweek.com/kevin-mccarthy…

Both tracks converge today in utilizing threats…history and the nature of autocrats suggest it is only a matter of time until they begin with repressions if they gaining power.

They are already condoning violence (many in the GOP and Conservative Outrage Complex already are in attempts to renarrate January 6th).

Here is Tucker Carlson back in April. It continues unabated to this day -- in fact, it is increasing in frequency.

Ultimately, we must all understand, when threats get made in politics those making them carry through when they gain power. There is no managing this. The recipients of the threats @att @EdWGillespie @VerizonPolicy @CocaCola @MLB @USChamber and all others face a time of choosing.

Do you stand up to the threats and those making them now? Or do you suffer the repression to come if they take power? History suggests what is happening with the @GOP using this tactic of illiberalism cannot and should not be taken lightly.

History is littered with corporate examples in countries around the world who stood in silence, appeased in the name of profit, and ignored the meaning of the political risk they faced. Today, Corporate America faces this choice.

Finally, just an example of how much has changed in the @gop for Republicans who will push back on what I am saying. @RonaldReagan warned, "freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction." He also used to talk about business like this...

Those running in 2024 on the @gop side will strive to be the heirs to both Reagan and Trump. @GOPLeader claims @RonaldReagan as his inspiration for getting into politics. They are nothing like Reagan -- they are the illiberal-autocrats Reagan spent a lifetime fighting & defeating

Republicans, the business community, and all Americans (whether they like Reagan or despise him) must stand together and fight this autocratic force to stamp it out.