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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Looks like a bunch of illegal crap is going to pass. If Ginsberg or Bayer die, American democracy is dead.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/17/politics/proposed-bills-trnd/index.html
I hate Republicans.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
It probably won't matter. I take a strongly materialistic view of society, as you probably know, and the progression of America towards illiberal democracy, and of the world as a whole back towards absolutism is something that was likely inevitable given the underlying conditions, and, having neither the power to change those nor the means (or the stomach for the sorts of dark deeds that are more or less required to rise to power in an oligarchy) to gain power under this new paradigm, I feel there is no option other than to adapt.
edited 18th Nov '16 7:28:05 AM by CaptainCapsase
If anything, the increasingly frightening prospect of a second US Civil War will see the West Coast as the new "South".
Joint Statement from California Legislative Leaders on Result of Presidential Election
"We will not be dragged back into the past. We will lead the resistance to any effort that would shred our social fabric or our Constitution.
California was not a part of this nation when its history began, but we are clearly now the keeper of its future."
To the extent that I don't find myself on the wrong side of a purge or pogrom, yes I do intend to do what I can, but at this point there's only so much we can do at this point beyond hoping it won't be that bad. If the GOP takes the nuclear option and axes the filibuster, then goes ahead with all the voter suppression measures that seem to be on the table, it's over; democrats are never going to be in power again.
edited 18th Nov '16 7:36:26 AM by CaptainCapsase
I don't know what else we can do within the framework of our legal system. The Republicans have total control of the government at every level, and thus far none of the party leaders has shown even the slightest indication that they're willing to stand up to Trump.
edited 18th Nov '16 7:39:57 AM by CaptainCapsase
Keith Olbermann has the right idea, and I hope that more people flock to the Resistance. Because make no mistake, we are going to need a Resistance. We're going to need a goddamned Rebel war room.
I just hope Olbermann doesn't suddenly get locked up for spreading political dissent - or "slander," more likely. That happening to people is looking frighteningly possible.
You know what sucks? With all this going on, I'm finding myself hanging my hopes on the so-called "Moral Electors" - the electors who are trying to convince the GOP electors to cast their vote for someone other than Trump. It's absurdly unlikely to happen, and it happening would require humanity to actually do something decent and rational. If the U.S. was decent and rational right now, we wouldn't be in this situation.
Yet still, there's some naïve part of me that's thinking "surely it'll happen. Surely this will be a history-making occurrence of a mass electoral revolt. We can't possibly be putting this man in the White House after all this." Human nature, I suppose.
"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."Cognitively, I know they will. I know this isn't a movie where a miraculous eleventh-hour solution will suddenly appear in the nick of time. But emotionally, I can't get rid of the "surely this cannot possibly happen" feeling. And I want to, because I know that that feeling will only get crushed and it'll hurt all the more for it.
Also, Sessions is expected to bring "sweeping changes" to the Justice Department.
That can't be good. Remember, this is the guy who was deemed too racist to be a judge. Apparently not too racist to be fucking Attorney General.
"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."And if this country really does slide into autocracy and fascism - which all the signs point to - then the feeling of "it can't happen here" will have been what enabled it.
I bet you in 1930s-era Germany there were people going "it can't happen here."
"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."Or more likely, they'll be complete farces put on for the sake of appearances, with no substantial chance for real change. You can bet your ass the GOP are working on it, with ruthless gerrymandering, increased voter suppression, and further gutting the Voting Right Act. Add in the presence of state-run propaganda outlets like Breitbard, the absolutely detestable quality of mainstream news coverage, and the ease with which blatant misinformation can be spread far and wide?
Partially
'd.
The Dems need to get their act together and fight back. Because things are looking pretty goddamned bleak right now.
edited 18th Nov '16 7:55:17 AM by RBluefish
"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."Wow, that's a short list.

Never heard of him, but according to the NYT brief profile
, he's basically the expected hawkish conservative. Unlike some of Trump's other choices he actually seems to be competent, but I suspect he was chosen because he vehemently accused Clinton of engaging in a cover-up concerning Benghazi.