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From https://bsky.app/profile/timothysnyder.bsky.social

Timothy Snyder‬ ‪@timothysnyder.bsky.social‬
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Something is shifting. They are still breaking things and stealing things. And they will keep trying to break and to steal. But the propaganda magic around the oligarchical coup is fading. (1/2)

‪Timothy Snyder‬ ‪@timothysnyder.bsky.social‬
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Nervous Musk, Trump, Vance have all been outclassed in public arguments these last few days. Government failure, stock market crash, and dictatorial alliances are not popular. People are starting to realize that there is no truth here beyond the desire for personal wealth and power. (2/2)

People are starting to realize that there is no truth here beyond the desire for personal wealth and power. (2/2)

Some people, for reasons I do not claim to understand, can make grotesque mistakes and it slides right off them. Reagan was famous for being “the Teflon president”. Trump (and cronies) take this to a whole new level.

People are not going to “understand” this by mere words alone. No amount of complaining by Democrats is going to change minds. No pictures of hungry children, nor videos of parents being separated from their kids at the borders are going to make this go away. Protests in the public square are not going to convince anyone who is not already convinced.

The only thing that’s going to get their attention is being smacked in the face with a 2x4: losing their jobs, cutting their Social Security checks, watching prices skyrocket after tariffs are imposed, seeing their nascent crypto “investments” go to zero, having a wave of corporate bankruptcies that affect them personally, and so on. I am not even convinced that losing Ukraine to Putin *and* Taiwan to Xi will get their attention until they are hit across the head with a log so big they cannot avoid it.

I am reminded of Nancy Reagan, who watched her husband ignore the AIDS epidemic until her friend Rock Hudson died. Or Dick Cheney who was against same-sex marriage until his daughter came out. There’s so much more, but there’s little point in delineating it all. The simple fact is “they won’t change until it comes and bites them on the ass.”

I am reminded of Nancy Reagan, who watched her husband ignore the AIDS epidemic until her friend Rock Hudson died. Or Dick Cheney who was against same-sex marriage until his daughter came out. There’s so much more, but there’s little point in delineating it all. The simple fact is “they won’t change until it comes and bites them on the ass.”
****

INDEED "punishment" - wakes people up. Someone has advocated for that I forget who.


Anyways, sometimes it's just political expediency.

Like Bill Clinton.

Hillary Clinton.

Barack Obama.

ALL Liberals who all of you Liberals here voted for ----while they were against same sex marriage. It was good to see that civil rights were not a litmus test for Club 401K....

People are starting to realize that there is no truth here beyond the desire for personal wealth and power.

Many voted for the Nazis because they would be able to join the gravy train.

But that train left the station on Inauguration Day with the first class passengers sitting on the front rows.

Still at the station, MAGA forlornly regards the scraps in their hands, thrown from the windows of the departing train- a crypto Doge coin, a crypto Trump coin, a Trump watch that no longer works, and some cracked, golden sneakers with soles falling off.

The only thing that’s going to get their attention is being smacked in the face with a 2x4: losing their jobs, cutting their Social Security checks, watching prices skyrocket after tariffs are imposed...

Maybe a $5,000 check signed by the Orangetan will stymy the flow of political blood? It's a good bribe overall, you have to admit. Without a job, though, it may not be enough.

The dems need to avoid the cultural memes and focus a message on affordable housing, healthcare, and jobs.

Pete

The dems need to avoid the cultural memes and focus a message on affordable housing, healthcare, and jobs.

From what I’m seeing brewing at town halls in red districts, the only message the Dems will need is “we’re not Republicans.”

Republicans have only one degree of empathy. Unless someone directly impacts a person they know, it doesn't matter or is not real. MAGAts have zero degrees of empathy. Unless it happens to them it is a lie. Russian trolls have -1 degree of empathy; everything is a lie and nothing bad ever happens because of Trump.

From what I’m seeing brewing at town halls in red districts, the only message the Dems will need is “we’re not Republicans.”
***

If you are a typical American, who plays checkers - then yes, that is what you feel and you'd be correct.

And that will give you a win in Congress and even a 51% 2028 win -- there, are you happy? If all you want is to "beat trump" - then, relax ----He is doing that job for you.


BUT -- don't you want a decent senate majority?

Don't you want a 54-55% Presidential win, and a win that is of by and for a true smattering of America and not just coastal and yoga moms?

Doesn't a regime where you can truly reverse the SCOTUS, where you can truly do the things you believe to be right ---- interest you even a little?

Cmon AW you are one of the few Libs here who is a thinking person.

"We're not Republican" will get you a win. But you've already got that. Why not 1.)Make sure you don't lose that - -like you've done before .2.)Make sure it's a bitch slap of a victory an then ---be able to govern? Maybe have some Republican Senators govern WITH YOU, instead of letting one or two Red Senators own your Presidency?

Thus far you're being given some nuggets of Gold. Sadly, you guys aren't using them.

edit
"Unless someone ...."

change to
"Unless something ...."

From what I’m seeing brewing at town halls in red districts, the only message the Dems will need is “we’re not Republicans.”

I know it's still real early, but I'm feeling pretty damn good about the coming midterms. We could just have a true Blue Tsunami the likes of which we've never seen before. The House will have all 435 seats in play and the Senate will have 35. Surely, this time, we can flip the House, and if there is any justice in the world, perhaps even the Senate, in which ALL the GOP Senators have revealed themselves to be grade A first class lickspittles of the highest order.

From what I’m seeing brewing at town halls in red districts, the only message the Dems will need is “we’re not Republicans.”

While that might be true, actually focusing on housing, healthcare, and jobs could cement sane Democratic leadership for a generation or so.

While that might be true, actually focusing on housing, healthcare, and jobs could cement sane Democratic leadership for a generation or so.
****

Oh my, Republicans should hope nobody read that.

And if that poster includes "ease up on the they/them stuff and try to respect people that don't think like us" ---then Repubs should kidnap that poster and pray nobody hears from him or her again.

Oh my, Republicans should hope nobody read that.

Why?

This thread, like all threads here, is amusing. And very telling.

The little d’s didn’t just lose because of they/them and a wide open southern border. They lost because they suck at governing.

No amount of chanting “jobs, healthcare and housing” can overcome the fact that most of these people have at best lukewarm ideas with no real grasp of any of those topics.

Nah, bruh. All they have left is their hate. They have one hope and that’s having Bill Clinton sit down and teach these morons economics and how to weave politics into them. For all his faults Slick Willy understands economics at a level that is up there with Nixon’s grasp of foreign policy and diplomacy.

I know it's still real early, but I'm feeling pretty damn good about the coming midterms.

The Dems will probably gain seats. I doubt it will be a "tsunami". There are too many "safe" districts, where a Rep is guaranteed a win even if video is released of him slaughtering a litter of puppies. They'll equivocate some reason. And a lot are buying into the hate, or "owning the libs", or similar. So they'll endure the pain because we're "getting those guys".

But any purple seats should belong to the Dems, unless -somehow- this administration figures out that they are screwing up royally (no pun intended). Which is highly unlikely. I suspect they'll continue the path of destruction, like an F5 tornado scouring the land, and the purple people will swing blue.

While that might be true, actually focusing on housing, healthcare, and jobs could cement sane Democratic leadership for a generation or so.


That's what we said in 2020. It only lasted 4 years.

Plus, the first order of business will be to repair everything the Felon and Co broke. It tends to be easier to break things than to fix things, so that won't happen overnight. Some fixes will be easy (like firing sycophant generals, firing cronies put in positions of power, rehiring -if possible- competent people that were let go because they wouldn't lick boots, re-staffing agencies that suffered the Purge, etc). Restoring/repairing international friendships will be harder (I wouldn't trust us if I were them).

And they'll need to restore taxes (I'm sure the Felon is going to cut them), and hopefully add a bit more. But that will be a tricky sale to the American people. Even as I advocate for higher taxes, I don't like them. I just have the intellect to realize they are necessary. Just like I don't like paying auto insurance, but I would regret not doing so if I had an accident. So I pay.

That's what we said in 2020. It only lasted 4 years.

We said it, but we didn't do it. All we had was "not-republican", and that wasn't enough.

At this point, I'm sticking to two action items: the well-being of family and friends, and not losing our Republic to authoritarianism.

For the latter, rather than think too much about the stupidities of various policies, I'm sticking to encouraging Congress and the Judiciary to do their jobs. Granted, Congress is a tough sell at the moment, but even in the minority there are plenty of things that can be done - encourage the sane and constantly remind the crazy that you disagree with what they are doing.

--Peter

We said it, but we didn't do it. All we had was "not-republican", and that wasn't enough.
****

A minority - a Liberal ---who wants to beat Trump and govern.


Lucky for my side, a majority of Dems wanted to lose.

No amount of chanting “jobs, healthcare and housing” can overcome the fact that most of these people have at best lukewarm ideas with no real grasp of any of those topics.

Yeah- Republicans right now are really schooling America on what it takes to create jobs, strengthen healthcare and increase housing.

Do they use cryptocurrencies on your planet?

"For the latter, rather than think too much about the stupidities of various policies, I'm sticking to encouraging Congress and the Judiciary to do their jobs."

Lol, aren't you the optimist!

A minority - a Liberal ---who wants to beat Trump and govern.

"Govern" in that he thinks that his party has more Jed Bartletts laying around that they can run. They don't have very many and the ones they do have aren't...ahem...acceptable. Shapiro in PA? Dude gets votes. But he's Jewish so they'll *never* nominate him. Beshear out in Kentucky is from the icky part of the country so he's out, too.

No, they need to wander around the Wilderness of Stupid for a while until they figure out that they're the ones that need to change, not the majority of the country. Literally nobody wants their policies, at least the ones the left is able to articulate - but they're so shockingly out of touch with reality on so many things they need to press a giant reset button somehow.

I don't see them growing brains any time soon. Having monopolies over the media, over popular culture, Hollywood, academia and the administrative state has ingrained in them a mentality that they're always right. They never have to think or question; they just *KNOW*. Yeah, not so much. Can you name single policy that gets repeated on this board as being even remotely workable? All they know how to do is chant things but when you push for depth you learn...they have none.

For laughs I think I'll keep periodically posting the combat strength of our super staunch NATO allies, all of whom are committed to The Cause and are willing to fight right down to...the last Pole or American. The British Army has maybe 25 tanks that can fight. Care to guess how many ships the Royal Navy has now?

Yeah- Republicans right now are really schooling America on what it takes to create jobs, strengthen healthcare and increase housing.


Here's a clue *tosses you a clue* paying somebody to dig a ditch and then paying another guy to fill it in isn't job creation. Giving away more free stuff doesn't make a problem better, either.

We're spending $2T a year that we don't have. I recall back in the Bush years when you people would whine about a mere $300 billion deficit. Now we're MILES over that and you're complaining that provisionary employees are being let go. Come on, man. At least pretend this isn't all politics for you; these people are provisionary because...they haven't been on the job long enough to be vital.

On healthcare, Trump set something in motion in his last term that can be picked up again.

And by the way - Trump is doing this to avoid REAL austerity.

No amount of chanting “jobs, healthcare and housing” can overcome the fact that most of these people have at best lukewarm ideas with no real grasp of any of those topics.

Because Republicans have done such a bang up job of creating jobs, strengthening healthcare and incentivizing housing.

Slick Willy….

Slick Willy may have had some good ideas, but we’re going aaaaalll the way back to Roosevelt for inspiration.


Time to trigger Republicans.

Slick Willy may have had some good ideas, but we’re going aaaaalll the way back to Roosevelt for inspiration.


Clinton understands economics. No other democrat actually does.

BTW. Teddy Roosevelt was one of the all-time greats. Congrats on getting on board the remove-Chinese-influence-from-the-Panama-Canal train. Teddy, who built it, would approve.

And by the way - Trump is doing this to avoid REAL austerity.

He’s breaking things and storming around like a tyrant his ketamine addicted sidekick as well.


I know you want to close your eyes and wish real hard that this destruction is of the creative variety, but Trump has revealed no plans other than the ones people like you are wishcasting into his mouth.

There probably will be a creative phase after Trump and Elon break everything, but Republicans will be the last people we will trust to lead that effort

He’s breaking things and storming around like a tyrant his ketamine addicted sidekick as well.


Emotional responses are so 2004.

Clinton understands economics. No other democrat actually does.

Clinton understood economics, but he underestimated the evil of unregulated financial markets and banking. He reduced regulatory oversight of Comodities and exchange commission. Bush deepened that deregulation and the Great Recession of 2008-2009 was the result.

Trump wants to strip all regulation of financial markets and banks. Apparently, Republicans are willing to drive this country (and the world)over a cliff in pursuit of their absolutist ideology.

Even Adam Smith, who advocated regulating banks would roll over in his grave.

Bush deepened that deregulation and the Great Recession of 2008-2009 was the result.

Your history is wrong, not surprisingly. The origins of the banking crisis started in the 1970’s.

Trump wants to strip all regulation of financial m

There’s the unprovable hypothetical again, which is all you people are down to these days.

Here, I’ll do one:

The democrat party might start growing a brain sometime in the next 10 years.

onepoorguy .... you are somewhat on the right track.


MUCH of what you are advocating gets stymied partially because how Liberals talk to the rest of the country and also, how Liberals have their own version of Taliban orthodoxy on certain social issues.

I'm sticking to encouraging Congress and the Judiciary to do their jobs.

The Judiciary needs to hold us until 2026, then maybe we can get a dependable Congress, and we could be looking at a recession by then. With both of them for checks we may be able to stop the slide. Trump may be getting his deportation money, so that can become center stage and he may lay off disrupting the government. I see China is going to limit rare earths to state controlled companies, readying rare earths for a fray.

Emotional responses are so 2004.

Tell that to Elon and Donald. Both of tgem need to hear that message.

Tell that to Elon and Donald.

They don’t post here.

Here's a clue *tosses you a clue* paying somebody to dig a ditch and then paying another guy to fill it in isn't job creation.

Here’s another clue: Resurrecting old tropes about “government workers” as if they are some sort of wisdom from on high just makes you look foolish.

Resurrecting old tropes about “government workers” as if they are some sort of wisdom from on high just makes you look foolish.</iL

And yet the point is correct, which is why you aren’t able to refute it.

It’s one thing to chant slogans. democrats are a]great at that. But they fall down on the behinds when it comes to actual governing.

https://coloradosun.com/2025/02/21/colorado-state-...

Chant “healthcare” some more. That’ll help.

The good thing about wasteful government jobs is that it adds to the deficit and debt.

And your punishment.


If the people get fired - well, a majority liberal workforce gets what it deserves and with any luck, some are prone to violence.


All good for me, either way.

Punishment is on cruise control now and Sheeple is gonna make The Leader proud.

MUCH of what you are advocating gets stymied partially because how Liberals talk to the rest of the country and also, how Liberals have their own version of Taliban orthodoxy on certain social issues.

I think it mostly gets stymied by the right-wing, and their dogmatic campaign promises (e.g. "tax cuts"). Sure, the left has a problem with framing issues. The right is big on "one-liners". To explain nuance generally can't be done in one line, and the world is full of nuance these days. Maybe it always was, but it's extremely evident today. So, yeah...Dems have a difficult time with messaging.

I think there is far more "Taliban" among the right. Both extremes -left and right- have their authoritarians. It seems to me that the right has a narrower band of moderates in their spectrum, so a wider band of authoritarians. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. My party (the GOP) was on the one hand saying "government stay out of our lives", and then the other hand "live how we dictate based on ancient fables". Hypocrites. So I left (no pun intended).

I don't agree with everything the left does. Far from it. I have numerous complaints about Obama (arguably the best POTUS we've had in over a century). I find the left is less wrong than the right, especially the MAGA right. The MAGA right gets almost nothing correct. So I mostly vote for Dems these days, unless there is something really wrong with the Dem in question (e.g. if I lived in the correct district, I would NOT have voted for Menendez; nor Robert Byrd; etc).

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