Tom Rinaldo
Tom Rinaldo's JournalThe problem with Democrats is that we so easily get distracted by policy concerns
... that we neglect giving our full attention to what really matters: manipulating raw emotions to consolidate our hold on power.
A parent doesn't hate their kid if they admit that they once did something really bad
Just like I don't hate America by admitting that slavery was evil. It really is that fucking simple. Everyone is an ongoing mix of honorable and less than honorable deeds. Pretending that the latter don't exist is asinine. No decent parent would ever raise their kids that way. What the fuck is wrong with these whitewash history people (besides racism)!?! 
There should be a "Radio Free Florida"
Yeah I know that there are far easier and more effective ways to combat censorship and get real information to people when it is being suppressed, but the tag line "Radio Free _____" is deeply ingrained in people, especially in a place like Florida with a long history of supporting efforts to broadcast "the truth" into communist Cuba.
The wattage of the station can be tiny, it's the symbolism that counts. The free publicity Radio Free Florida could generate would dwarf any actual listener numbers. Feature readings from books banned in Florida school and public libraries, and the actual history of race in America.
There also could be informational booklets stuffed into corked bottles released off shore to float onto Florida beaches. Anything to put a spotlight on DeSantis.
There are probably at least a dozen reasons why this may not make any sense, but I can't get the phrase Radio Free Florida out of my mind, lol.
It's simple. They don't give a f*uck about the democratic process if it reaches the wrong result.
Most of us believe in democracy. We believe in the literal process, recognizing that democracy is the beating heart of freedom, and that freedom is what protects all of the rights we cherish. Others think exclusively of right and wrong, thinking that results are all that matter. Of those some are inclined to think democracies intrinsically tend to "get it right" more often than other forms of governance, and so they support democracies. Then there are the rest. Most falling into this bucket are unsure about how to make this world more to their liking. They could vote in elections, they could fall in behind a strongman, whatever seems to work...
The active threat to democracy comes from the ends justify the means crowd, specifically the ones with a clear end in mind. And the most dangerous of these are those who believe they were commanded to implement God's will. For all of the above the means are at root a distraction, their focus is on the ends. Why honor the results of an election if those results are just destined to bring negative or even catastrophic results? They may acknowledge tactical reasons to accept an election defeat, centered on their assessment of whether continued resistance would set them back even further, but they see nothing sacred about elections as a means.
For the narrowly religious among the above the formula is simplest: Reject the Acts of Man (and yes they think in those gender terms) that oppose the Will of God. But others are almost as fervid in their certainty. They know that the purity of the white race has to be defended. They know that America is destined to rule the world. They know that their own culture is better than all others. They know that men are superior to women in decision making outside of the home etc.etc. They "know" what is right for America, and either democracy can ratify their preexisting convictions, or it has to be "reformed"until it does.
Preciction. The House will get semi-reasonable leadership in August
For now the right wing crazies will win enough concessions that the Speaker who gets elected, be it McCarthy or someone else, will be unable to reign them in. That sets the nation up for a serious crisis when the debt ceiling must be raised during the Summer.
Most commentators have focused on how the tiny Republican majority sets up the craziest members of the Freedom Caucus to wield inordinate power through sheer unreasonable obstinacy. The relatively moderate Republican members of Congress are, virtually by definition, less unreasonable, so they are hesitant to recklessly throw their weight around, but they too now have significant leverage now, despite being relatively few in number, with Republicans clinging to a five seat majority in the House. They may be loath to pull the trigger on setting up a working bipartisan relationship with Democrats now, but when the full faith and credit of the United States Government is literally on the line, I predict they will feel differently.
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Member since: Mon Oct 20, 2003, 06:39 PMNumber of posts: 22,917