THREAD: Do you feel it? Something shifting? Accelerating? This week I keep hearing @TimothyDSnyder in my head. #Tyranny is on the move.
1. This week, the FCC voted to end #NetNeutrality despite its popularity. This give away to ISP's is more concerning than the normal kleptocratic giveaways of this regime because it directly affects media and public discourse.
2. Of course, we all knew it was coming. I didn't even wait for the news yesterday because I knew. I knew from Pai's appointment and the sham call for comments that they hid & then hijacked. I knew when they dumped the news the wed. before thanksgiving. Yesterday was confirmation
3. And on its own, it's awful. But it doesn't stand apart from the rest of the trump administration's agenda. For good or bad, the public sphere is digital now. And this administration just let corporations control access to our public debate.
4. Even if you trust ISP's not to regulate access to content (and you shouldn't), do you trust ISP's to withstand pressure from the administration to stifle dissent? I certainly don't. And given the administration's attacks on the press, you know they'll try.
5. The admin that attacks journalists and news organizations that have the temerity to do their jobs and report on the real world (which inevitably means exposing the lies and destruction of this administration) have been labeled as "Fake News" and attacked by the president
6. How long before you have to buy "news" packages that don't include the MSM or that somehow slow down delivery of @CNN, @MSNBC, @nytimes @washingtonpost?
7. But it may be that the death of #NetNeutrality doesn't matter because democracy itself is also dying this week (though, let's be honest, it's kinda been on life support for months --and terminally ill for at least a decade).
8. Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee are warning that House Republicans are going to shut it down. This is happening as Trump is stepping up his attacks on #Mueller and the #FBI & doubling down on his assault on the #FreePress
9. Many people attuned to the rhythms of Washington are warning of #saturdaynightmassacre - fearing that trump is gearing up to fire Mueller. And whether or not it's imminent, we all know it's coming right?
10. The right wing media- in their typical coordinate fashion- are all hammering the same talking points about Mueller's supposed conflict of interest and questioning his integrity. And most alarmingly- prominent Republicans are echoing these charges
11. When trump does fire Mueller, does anyone really believe Republicans will do ANYTHING? Remember those honorable proclamations that there was a line in the sand around Mueller? When's the last time you heard one?
12. Not for a while. This is because the GOP has decided that nothing is more important than delivering to their corporate masters- they even embraced a pedophile to maintain a senate seat.
13. But what is most disturbing is their complete abandonment of any semblance of accountability. They vote on bills that will reshape the entire economy without reading them or discussing them. They vote for bills that are MASSIVELY unpopular.
14. It used to be a truism of American politics that you didn't touch #SocialSecurity or #Medicare because older people vote. But the GOP doesn't seem to care about electoral consequences and it makes me wonder why.
15. The GOP is pushing through deeply unpopular legislation- they know they can get what they want from Trump. They won't stand up to him on #Mueller. He's giving them the #TaxScam. He's destroying the #safetynet as they have wanted all along and so they'll overlook #treason.
16. We're headed to a constitutional crisis because Trump will fire Mueller and the GOP has either no interest in protecting Mueller or are simply too compromised themselves to do anything now.
17. Sure- people may be upset. There are marches planned already (that's right- IN ADVANCE- because we know it's coming). But then what? @TimothyDSnyder says a virtual certainty that trump will attempt a coup (I actually think he already did).
18. What will that look like? I've been saying to beware the #Reichstagfire. Look at the unrest that trump is fomenting around the world- the provocations around #Jerusalem, the taunting of #KimJungUn. How long before something bad happens that "demands" action?
20. I fear that next week or so- just as the nation becomes distracted by the holidays, the GOP will pass this unpopular & cruel tax bill and then sit by as trump fires Mueller. And that will be it. Democracy will have died with a whimper.
21. Maybe they'll appoint a new special counsel-- someone loyal to trump- because of course- they will say, you need someone who isn't biased against the president. And the new investigator will find trump blameless, Hillary guilty & the DNC complicit.
22. Play out the scenario from there. There will be resistance- and maybe violence and then those who #resist (or type or say the word) will labeled domestic terrorists and subject to surveillance and arrest. And the GOP will be silent. Or worse.
23. They told us winter was coming. It's December of 2017. Winter is here. /END
