And this is not about America’s fascist internal security forces. We will prevail, and then we will have to rebuild.
One problem with the Democratic Party–and I write this as a Democratic primary voter myself–is, well, Democratic primary voters. We need to do a better job of choosing candidates–and for the love of Gritty, we must stop engaging in parasocial fanboi relationships with Democrats; they are just means to ends, nothing more.
First, Senate candidates must commit to ending the filibuster. Second, both House and Senate candidates must commit to significant reform of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court. Without these policies, Republicans–who are a collection of fascists and fascist appeasers–will have a de facto veto over all sorts of policy. Rebuilding America will require Democrats who are not afraid of governing, and these are two very good litmus tests for which candidates actually are willing to do the work.
mikethemadbiologist
Short of adding new seats to every court and packing them with democratic appointees, I don’t know what can be done about the judiciary. Unless the Dems can get a 2/3 majority in the senate, or they can figure out a way to keep enough republican senators from being present for the vote, impeachment and removal is off the table.
If they can get a simple majority in both chambers, win the presidency, and nuke the filibuster, they could increase the size of the house, admit new states, rewrite election laws to end state chicanery, and…who are we kidding? There aren’t enough electable Dems with the guts to do any of that. They’ll claim that can’t do it because it will set a precedent that the R’s will use when they retake power.
It will take a massive shock to the system for progressives to gain a chance to change it, while the fascists are just waiting for someone to muss an ICE goon’s hair to declare martial law, suspend habeas corpus, round up tens of thousands of Democrats, and suspend elections indefinitely. And I wouldn’t count on THAT being enough to get Democratic leaders to grow a backbone.
I, too, am deeply bothered by the depth of need for parasocial relationships with politicians. It gave us Barack Obama, which, OK, fine, but it gave us George W and Trump, too.
We need none of that.
We need serious people who want to fix what’s wrong and can lead the weak to that end.
I suggest a third test: reject anyone speaking against the “crazy left”, “far left”, “radical left”, etc. If such a faction of the left exists, they have as much influence over USA politics as our nearest interstellar neighbors.
However, this is what the anti-“radical left” really do. During uncontrolled wildfires, those “moderates” express concern about hurricanes absent any sign of a hurricane, outside hurricane season. They oppose and stall fighting the wildfires, turning their verbal daggers against those calling out the wildfires.
The “Far left” they refer to is nothing more than the common sense opposition to the rabid right.