Trump awakened an angry sleeping giant this week -- and he's about to roar

[B.See]

Reich touches on something I wrote the other day. About how Trump keeps pushing, and pushing, and....

Trump awakened an angry sleeping giant this week — and he's about to roar - by Robert Reich. Alternet via MSN

Friends, I can’t tell you exactly when the tipping point will occur — when elected Republicans will rebel against him, or when his dementia becomes so apparent he’s forced to resign, or when so much of the nation rises up against his dictatorship that he’s impeached and convicted of high crimes — but we’re getting closer.

As I said a few days ago, I’ve been in and around politics for 60 years and have developed a sixth sense about the slumbering giant of America. That giant is now stirring. He about to stand. He’s angry. Soon he will roar.

Your activism is working.

Be strong. Be safe. Hug your loved ones. We’ll get through this.

[Bread and Circuses]

1. Don't expect the rat republicans to step up or for TACO to resign.....

Thus, it’s up to us!

[B.See]

2. I agree it's highly unlikely, unless

it get to the point where they grow tired of getting run out of their own town halls and decide it's either him or them.

[Nictuku]

3. Are you sure the sleeping Giant is a 'He' ?

Not wanting to stir sh*t or anything, really. It just struck me that way when I read it. I agree, but somehow I want to include women in this uprising. Seems like we have quite a few females who are fighting the good fight.

[B.See]

8. Good question.

Didn't write the title, and TBH, I'm no more sure the 'giant' is a he, than I am nature is a mother. Both forces, nevertheless, to be respected, I think

[niyad]

10. That was my reaction when I saw it recently. Very disappointed in Reich

for that sexist assumption.

[BaronChocula]

12. When you've "been around politics for 60 years"

you're bound to speak in anachronisms.

Add to that, I'm skeptical that things today work as they did 60 years ago. Or 50 years ago. Etc. But I remain hopeful that the bottom falls out of this regime.

[niyad]

13. I have been an activist for about that long, and I do not speak in

sexist anachronisms except by intention.

A big black hole for this regime would be helpful.

[BaronChocula]

16. I wasn't looking to excuse Robert Reich

I've been a fan of his politics. I was just making light of him sounding like a male of his age.

[niyad]

25. Understood.

[MadameButterfly]

24. Hey, his article is about the existential threat to democracy and we're getting worked up over

the gender he assigns to a non-gendered entity?

Language is imperfect--it isn't easy to always include both genders. Is a country a he or a she? To me it's a she, but that's just my gut. In a creative animation, I think the author has license.

In French, some countries are feminine, grammatically, others are masculine, and the US is plural. For reasons much more arbitrary than gender prejudices.

Really, the danger here is not Robert Reich being sexist or demeaning of any group. So lets leave that alone and give him credit for his tireless fight for our democracy.

[niyad]

27. Some people are capable of both understanding his post, agreeing

with what he said, and also noticing the inherent sexism. They are not mutually exclusive. And being told what we should, or should not, pay attention to is hardly a good look anywhere.

[MadameButterfly]

34. and you weren't telling me what to pay attention to?

Normally I like a healthy debate. But nitpicking like this with what is at stake is actually harmful.

[Cirsium]

35. Misogyny

Misogyny is a critical part of the existential threat we are facing.

[MadameButterfly]

38. Both sides-ism is one of their techniques

and confusing what Republicans are doing to women and what Reich just wrote is a pretty bad case of it.

[Cirsium]

52. It is?

How is it both sides-ism?

[niyad]

40. I am not the one who specifically said not to. . . but do keep trying. It is

somewhat amusing.

[Glen Livid]

51. Agree 100%

[BurnDoubt]

41. I think I see the Irony here.

Let's disassemble our resistance here so we're a bunch of incongruous grievance groups clamoring for perfection.
We can discuss the merits of the various views while we wait in line for our showers.
I have an idea: how about we table our disagreements until we overcome the IMMEDIATE existential threat, THEN beat out the details of the Utopian States Of America?
Eye on the ball, People.
Devote ALL our focus and energy to bringing down this Junta. If we succeed, there is Hope.
If we don't, there is NONE.

[Abolishinist]

42. Very well said!

It's like some are working to make our tent even smaller.

[oasis]

28. Thank you

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. Yup

Trump is not omnipotent, and the states and the people are not powerless.

[Gimpyknee]

6. I'm not confident that elected Republicans will turn on Trump anytime soon.

[RainCaster]

7. I'm with you

I doubt it will happen in my life time.

[Lucky Luciano]

11. Marjorie dingbat has been turning on him a bit lately.

[Skittles]

18. I agree

they are Trump whores, fucking cowards who put his interests above America, it is DISGUSTING

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

53. Der Dingleberry is their sock puppet...

... all ire is aimed at him and not themselves individually, so far... It worked for Reagan and Dumya, so the sock puppet isn't just for entertainment.

[Skittles]

9. repukes always overreach, they cannot help themselves

and Trump is the worst of the worst

[oasis]

15. Yup, they'll overreach. You can count on it.

[NCDem47]

29. In "normal" times (is that even a thing now...is that gone for good?)...

The midterms have served as a corrcetion to curb overreach of WH and a compliant Congress. Republicans are doing EVERYTHING in their power to rig the system right now so the scales are not tipped. It really does keep me up at night.

[SSJVegeta]

14. Im feeling it to. Reich is onto something

[B.See]

36. I think so. Exactly WHAT remains to be seen.

[TheRickles]

39. There's somethin' happening here. What it is ain't exactly clear....

[B.See]

43. Right. And

some lying rabble rousing POS over there telling us we'd better beware.

[SSJVegeta]

45. Theres (even!) A man with a gun over there

[WestMichRad]

47. (Must be talkin' bout Chicao!)

Tellin’ me I got to beware…

[SSJVegeta]

49. I think it's time we stop children, what's that sound?

[B.See]

50. Right. Only Trump's gun

is his MOUTH.

Stills reportedly said his lyrics were about a personal encounter, but it's interesting how... still... apropos they are now..

[Iggo]

17. Release the Epstein files.

[ReRe]

19. I totally agree with Robert Reich

We truly love our free speech, and it may not appear like it, but we do truly love our fellow Americans. And if the USG angrily lays it mitts on another American, there will be fucking Hell to pay for it. We are close. And we are strong. We are Americans first!

Be safe. Check on your elderly or invalid neighbors. Love the hell out of your loved ones.

And lastly, if we lose the internet, I love every single one of you.

ReRe

[betsuni]

20. I'm betting on the dementia.

Reich is optimistic about the people rising up for things. His fantasy from an old op-ed of looking back on the socialist/populist revolution of 2020 when the Right and Left populist alliance happened:

"Millions who called themselves conservatives and Tea Partiers joined with millions who called themselves liberals and progressives. ... The People's Party won the U.S. presidency and a majority of both houses of Congress in 2020."

[Emile]

21. In the meantime, gerrymandering continues.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5500453-missouri-redistricting-gop-gains/

[NCDem47]

31. Please, someone educate me and talk me off a ledge

I know California is doing its thing to counteract Texas, but what can/are other Dem controlled states doing here to play wack-a-mole with these Republican controlled states on gerrymadering? My perception is that national Dems are letting this get away from them. or is it a numbers can that we can never realtically catch up with? Are Dems not doing something becasue they are cautious how voters will think about it?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

26. I love the positivity,

it's refreshing from what I've been reading from all the doomers and gloomers.

[Passages]

30. Robert Reich is a good man.

I hope he is correct.

[patphil]

32. Right now, Trump's the only one who can keep his MAGA based focused and primed to do his bidding.

The Republicans aren't going to force him out of office as long as they're able to use him, regardless of his physical condition, and he'd never resign.
And, there's no way there would ever be 20 Republican Senators to agree with 47 Democratic Senators to get the 2/3 majority in the Senate to remove him from office, even if the House Impeached him, which is still pretty much an impossibility.
I don't know how long his downward slide health wise will take before he's essentially incoherent; at least a year, maybe 2. It looks like we're stuck with him for quite a while yet.
That's the bad news.
The good news is that there appears to be a slow awakening by some of those people who voted for him. Financial pain is the most likely way to cause a Trump voter to go "woke". We're seeing the beginning of a long cycle of economic decline in the US. It's only going to get worse, as Trump's policies eat away at the economy.
So it's a race to the finish. What will collapse first, Trump or the economy?

[Mr. Mustard 2023]

33. I have the same feeling but...

...we're going to experience some cruel, heinous tragedies before it is over and our country will be crippled. This is not going to be easy or painless. Like it or not, this is our generations' existential crises and it's huge. Nazis, the KKK control our federal government and they will not give away any power. We are going to have to take it from them, and that will be voting while being harassed, arrested, lied to about voting locations and intimidation. Resist in every way you can, as often as you can. I think putting as much pressure on Maga as possible, all at once, all of the time is a tactical winner. They are fallible humans who are picking fights with nearly everyone around the world. Make them defend themselves which will lead to mistakes and thus our victory. This is it friends, be ready for the worst and be as proactive as you can, including supporting our existing Democratic leaders, especially if the gov't does shut down. That is when they'll need us the most, so please set aside your differences and support them during the shutdown, even through mistakes and the inevitable unintended consequences.

Thanks, be strong.

[Scalded Nun]

37. My opinion...The elected Trump base will do anything, including following him into the grave,

in order to keep him in office. Without him, that base has nothing to cling to. No fiscal responsibility, No law-and-order, no moral high ground, no constitutional backdrop and no polarizing standard-bearer. Nothing but their total and unwavering support to a traitor and their glaring willingness to see their fellow MAGites destroyed.

[Tree Lady]

44. I see same thing and don't expect anything to change

Unless Trump dies and even then republicans have so many things set up to cheat us out of lawful elections it will be a miracle if we ever lead the country again.

[WestMichRad]

48. I fear this too

Nt