The whole “The Rule of Law is dead” narrative is so toxic because if we’re supposed to give up here, what about people in Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, and nations far more authoritarian than those? What about Black Americans decades/generations ago in the Jim Crow South?

1/🧵 It’s just kinda gross as privileged Americans to be complaining so much about our supposed plight.

You know a country where the Rule of Law is dead? North Korea. Other than some Republicans pathetically treating Trump like Kim Jong Un, our countries have no similarities to one another.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about our country recently given the the quite deliberate attempt to dismantle it. Well, here are my thoughts:

Our country isn't just our government, even when the government is acting for the common good… and especially at a time like this. 1/🧵 Our country is not just our institutions. Or our democracy overall. It’s not just the collection of 50 states across America or our political parties. It's not all the people who voted in the election or even all the people who live in our country... 2/

In case anyone is struggling with what happened last week, like I am, I’ve written ten ways we can take care of ourselves. I sent it to my friends, but posting here as well. I hope it's helpful. Be well, ya'll.

#1. Exercise. At a time like this when the world feels so uncertain, when we can’t help but let our thoughts get carried away with themselves, and when reality itself is pretty stark, we have to do what we can to get out of our own heads. Meditation could work, but I’m not good at that. I know how to exercise. Exercise also helps make our bodies strong to persevere through a highly unpredictable future. #2. Meals with friends and family. I could have said time with friends and family, and of course, that’s a good idea as a general proposition. But I like big meals to balance out exercise. I also think there’s something very joyful about eating with people you love. We also need to create environments that are conducive to real laughter and meals are perfect for that.

The truth is, it was apparent from the beginning that Trump was a fascist. And it was apparent that many of the same dynamics that led to Nazism were enabling Trump's rise. These labels and comparisons could have been powerful tools to nip this threat in the bud 9 years ago. Instead, those that saw the truth were dismissed or ignored.

1/🧵 Even now, when Trump is quoting Mein Kampf ("poisoning the blood") and praising Hitler, when his enablers bear a striking similarity to those who enabled the rise of Nazism, when Trump is running to lead his country even after a failed coup, like Hitler with the Beer Hall Putsch, when Trump is promising violence and mass camps, when racism and antisemitism are defining features of his movement, even now, we are told by many mainstream voices that drawing these kinds of comparisons is unacceptable.

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Keep trying to explain to people how this election could be so close. Has Trump broken something in the electorate or did he just reveal something that was already there?

I think both. But remember, this is the country that elected W president. Twice...1/🧵 And as good as W looks compared to Trump, it was fairly insane that he was ever considered to be a serious candidate. I mean, let’s be honest. He had no business running our country.

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First Trump sicced a mob on the Capitol, and I did not speak out—
Because I did not care about our democracy.

1/🧵 Then Trump said Haitians were eating cats and dogs, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not from Haiti.

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The 2000 presidential election was decided by 537 votes. Think about that.

Don't ever say one person can't make a difference in an election. One person could theoretically make THE difference in an election through canvassing, phone banking, and more. 1/🧵 And what about congressional races? In 1994, Samuel Gejdenson beat Edward Munster in Connecticut’s second Congressional district by 21 votes...

Imagine a scenario in which the control of Congress hinges on 21 votes and you didn't do your part?

2/4

A reminder that since 2016, the pro-democracy camp has had almost no room for error. If we had lost to Trump in 2020, that’s the ballgame. If we had lost key state races in 2022 to election deniers, that’s the ballgame. If we lose this election, that’s the ballgame. 1/🧵 Some may interpret this as an impossibly difficult situation that we’ve found ourselves in, particularly given the nature of the Supreme Court, the Electoral College, and the media’s bothsidesism. How can we possibly continue to run this gauntlet? 2/

We've heard Trump threaten to sic the military on Americans. But what would this look like? Here's a fictional story narrated, in part, by @MarkHamill that can help people imagine such a terrifying scene.

I was honored to write this w/ @DavidPepper. 1/🧵podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tru… x.com/DavidPepper/st… In this story, a 2nd term President Trump has invoked the Insurrection Act to “return order” to Philadelphia after "Antifa" allegedly invaded the city. The military deploys, but what they encounter is a peaceful protest... To find out what happens next, listen to the episode! 2/

The Federalist Papers are timeless and full of the kind of political wisdom that can help sustain a democracy through the ages. If our democracy survives this moment, we have to recommit ourselves to civics education, including reading/learning the Federalist Papers. 1/🧵 I mean, just read Hamilton in Federalist #1. It's like he's looking into the soul of our country:
"It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force." 2/

It's a terrifying proposition that even if Kamala Harris wins the election, certain states might try to overturn the results; that the House and Senate might refuse to certify the election; and that the Supreme Court might pull a Bush v. Gore.

But you know what we can do? 1/🧵 We can make sure this election isn't close. We can run up the score.

We must leave no doubt in any person's mind that the Democrats won this election. It's A LOT harder to steal an election that you've lost in a landslide; where the Electoral College isn't even close. 2/

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning in early October 2027. After taking your kids to the park, you return home. You put them down for a nap, and you’ve got a couple minutes free to set your fantasy football lineup. You have to make some changes because several games have been postponed…1/🧵 The Browns Ravens game was postponed because the military had been called into Cleveland the previous week in response to a peaceful protest that had begun after a police shooting of an unarmed Black man. 2/

I get we're living in a post-truth world. But even so, the idea, shared by so many people, that Trump would be good for the economy is absolutely preposterous.

It's not just that Biden's done a good job. It's that Trump would be a disaster for the economy. 1/🧵 How would the market react to Trump having a role in setting interest rates? Or to Trump deporting millions of people? Or to the military in American cities? Or to trade wars w/ China?

These policies would be massively destabilizing and inflationary. 2/

The thing about the future is no one knows anything. If you were to go back to Berlin in 1930 and tell people how National Socialism would transform Germany, no one would believe you.

You just never know... So all we can do is follow the lessons of history and be vigilant. 1/5 The Germans actually have an expression for this: "Wehret den Anfängen," which means Resist the Beginnings or put another way, nip things in the bud.

That's what we need to do. Nip this fascist movement in the bud before it gets out of control & leads us to very dark places. 2/5

One of the advantages of the “Our democracy isn’t under threat. You’re exaggerating for partisan gain” camp is that this isn’t Russia. It’s America. The oldest democracy in the world.

A lot of people don’t think Trump being a dictator is possible.

1/🧵 This is doubly so because so many people are civically illiterate. Our civics education is atrocious…

So we’re in a situation where people are predisposed to take our democracy for granted, and they don’t have the tools necessary to identify the dangers to it anyway. 2/

I’ve spent a good amount of time talking w/ people about how to convince Jewish Republicans to reject Trump.

One suggestion was to that to be effective we have to “acknowledge their fear.” Maybe. But I think more than anything we need to be honest…

1/🧵 And the honest thing to say is: Stop living in a fantasy world where Trump is better for Israel & isn’t a serious threat to American Jews.

On the fear point, we’re all afraid. This is a dangerous time for Jews & Israel. But you’re letting this fear cloud your judgement. 2/

If you were to ask 100 smart people what the best way to fight antisemitism was, you'd get 100 different answers. But it's actually quite simple, at least in the short term.

Make sure Kamala Harris wins the election and relegate Trump to the periphery of American politics. 1/🧵 This won't solve the problem completely. Even if Trump isn't a viable candidate for president, Trumpism would still be a powerful force at the state level, emboldening white supremacists and fueling far-right antisemites. But decisively defeating Trump will do a lot of good...2/

As someone who has poured myself into this struggle over the past 8 years, it’s hard to look at influential people who have stayed on the sidelines purely out of self interest and not feel a good deal of disgust.

Your country is in danger. How can you justify doing nothing? 1/🧵 Surely, there are all the excuses in the world. And you might even be able to convince yourself with one rationalization or another that your silence and inaction are justified.

The thing is, there will come a time when you finally see through your excuses and lies. 2/

I’ve been thinking a lot about January 6th today. Watching Trump on the debate stage last night, running for President again, and saying to the country he isn’t responsible for that day is such a profound indictment on our institutions for failing to hold him accountable. 1/🧵 The Supreme Court had a chance. Did they allow states to disqualify Trump from the ballot for being an insurrectionist? No.

Did they practically delay the Jan 6th case & give Trump wide ranging immunity that could allow him to be a dictator if he becomes President again? Yes.
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Serious question. If you're a MAGA Republican, do you root for the Russians in Red Dawn? What about in Hunt for Red October? Do you root for Captain Ramius to be captured before he can defect? In the Americans, do you root AGAINST Stan and FOR Philip and Elizabeth.

1/🧵 What about when you're reading history books? When you get to the part where the Soviet Union takes over half of Europe after World War II, are you like YEAHHH!

Do you root for the Soviet tanks when they're crushing the Hungarian revolution in 1956? 2/

The incident at Arlington cemetery demonstrates a really profound and potentially underrated point.

Trump intimidates people into not holding him accountable. Imagine how much worse this could get if he’s the president and controls the immense powers of the executive?

1/🧵 Imagine if you’re a juror on a trial of a Trump associate. Imagine if you’re the judge. It would only be natural to worry about the consequences to you or your family if you held Trump accountable. Under that pressure, what would you do? What would any of us do?

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