People saying "Democracy is dead" are pissing me off

[Bucky]

This is not the moment to give up. This is the moment to rise up.

These are the types of people who would say on Dec. 8, 1941 "Oh well, I guess Japan can have Hawaii now"

Our democracy was attacked by the Republican Senate and by the Republican president and by the Republican Fox News. Not defeated, attacked. As the great Bluto Blutarsky said in Animal House, "It's not over till we say it's over."

If you want to give up, fine, move to Canada. Lord knows Trump is trying to make it warm enough to live up there.

Me, I'm gonna fight. I'm gonna dig my heels in and fight like hell for my country and my Constitution. I'm gonna donate and fight and phone bank and knock on doors and resist to holy hell and nag all my apolitical friends into voting... and then I'm gonna rag on my remaining Republican friends till they see the goddamn light and vote blue at least this once.

They have declared war on our democracy and I will allow no peace until sanity is restored. I will not surrender and I will not run away. This is the hill I will fight on; this is the hill I will die on. No to Trump, no to fascism, no to corruption, and a big day hell yes to America.

[Joinfortmill]

1. Amen to that

[hlthe2b]

2. I hate to mention this, but it is true-- CDC just published that the cause of death most increasing

while cancer and cardiovascular deaths have seen a recent decrease, is suicide across all age groups.

I think, as hard as it is, that we need to recognize that while we may be merely venting our frustration saying such things and have no intention whatsoever to "give up the fight," that there are countless millions out there--maybe your friends, neighbors, family members-- who are feeling deeply powerless. They truly don't need to hear such frightening assessments. We simply have to reach down to find the fight that will overcome such dark assessments.

[kentuck]

18. +1000

[Pacifist Patriot]

21. Thank you for such a thoughtful post.

You're absolutely right.

[gab13by13]

22. It's not that they "hear" frightening assessments,

they are living in frightening situations. We must not give up but we must elect a president who isn't afraid to change their frightening situations.

[hlthe2b]

25. They need to feel EMPOWERED. Throughout history people have survived the worst fate could throw

at them, if they think they have some way to FIGHT back. Maintaining hope by providing the way to fight back--this is the strongest defense.

[Bucky]

37. Thank you. You're right of course.

I'll tell you that THAT'S why we fight. Despair is a disease in the body politic. Fighting for affordable healthcare means fighting for affordable (and covered by insurance) mental healthcare. We're morally obliged to do better.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. It seems that

some people are compelled to infect everyone else with their despair, fulfilling the old adage that misery loves company. If you’re too miserable to get off your dead ass and do something worthwhile, stop trying to discourage anyone else from doing anything.

[handmade34]

4. just need some 'CPR' to get it going again...

maybe electrical shock... but 'do no harm' and keep trying to keep it alive!!!

[klook]

5. Ha! I read that as "electoral shock,"

which seems appropriate.

[handmade34]

6. your sense is probably better than mine...

[ZZenith]

7. Hear, hear!!!

[beachbumbob]

8. elections have consequences and democracy is not dead at all,

we wouldn't even be in this position if wasn't for the "lesser of 2 evils" mantra by those to undercut Hillary and democrats in 2016.

[Bucky]

38. It was attacked that day. But I think not defeated.

No single election can be catastrophic. No war works that way. But the shadows have certainly grown longer in the 20 years since then.

[DinahMoeHum]

10. Hell, yes. It's not even the end of the 3RD QUARTER. . .

. . .much less game over right now.

The 3rd quarter ends this week with the Iowa caucus, SOTU address and the acquittal.

After that, it's the 4th quarter; and no holds barred until Trump and the GOP turds are flushed out come November 3rd.

[Kurt V.]

11. by not looking at these events through rose colored glasses is hardly giving up.

It's a call to arms.

[Bucky]

39. Call to arms. Amen.

It's time to fight.

[RAB910]

12. Trump and the GOP have declared war on America and attacked our democracy

It is time for all good people to rise up and fight. We must take back our nation from these evil men

[onetexan]

13. +1 K&R

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Yes, at least wait til we lose in Nov.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. Stop it.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

32. Sorry..as long as we couldn't protect the election and

Facebook allows false smears to spread among low info's and the criminal is above 42% approval and you can see a group slowly peeling away who probably won't be gung ho in their support of the eventual nominee....it is way too unrealistic that it could end well. If it does...I'd be the happiest person on Earth.

[rockfordfile]

15. USA/Democracy is going to kick the hell out of the GOP and Trump.

Putin in Russia keeps pushing that line.

[kentuck]

16. Now that we have a strategy...

What are the tactics? What is the best way to do it? Education is usually a good start.

[skamaria]

17. It might not be dead!

But it's on life support and the wing nuts are trying to pull the plug!! 😧

[Lonestarblue]

19. I'm reading Stacey Abrams' book for inspiration.

Lead from the Outside is the title, and Abrams definitely is one who refuses to give up.

[certainot]

20. it pisses me off too, but dems keep getting a crucial part wrong

this:

Our democracy was attacked by the Republican Senate and by the Republican president and by the Republican Fox News.

is the critical mistake liberals and democrats have been getting wrong and the reason why we should be optimistic.

if trump/putin/gop would pay $1000 for a one hour radio infomercial then 1200 radio staations x 15 hrs/day is worth almost $5BIL FREE to create this shit. fox could not do the unchallenged coordinate repetition needed to propel all that bullshit onto the senate floor.

rw radio is a 95% monopoly and in most parts of the US there no free easy alternatives. it doesn't matter how many cos own about 1500 republican talk radio stations, they all follow the lead of the 600 limbaugh stations, with dittoheads who can't ever get through to talk to their national blowhards calling the local blowhards to make sure everyone's on the same page. that's how the same bullshit is repeated and reinforced. and unlike talk radio, fox has to pretend to be 'balanced' and actually puts alternatives on once in a while. and talk radio can be/is locally coordinated. like republican politicians, fox liars know when they look into the camera their bullshit has already been or soon will be pounded into the earholes of 50 mil a week.

it used to be the karl roves and heritage foundations and drudges doing the feeding and then somewhere around 2007 or maybe earlier the russians started horning in with world net daily and breitbart and social media for instance and they could get someone like jerome corsi or john solomon to write something to feed limbaugh. the russians may have been responsible for the anti-GOP-establishment tea party.

so blaming fox is a big part of the problem - letting the real culprit off the hook

when dems finally figure out the talk radio is the real problem they'll see a huge opportunity to fix this giant orange asshole over the country. commercially available artificial intelligence makes it easy to finally make it visible/readable/ searchable and finally something that can be quantified and factored instead of conveniently ignored buy progressive/dems/ media leaders who generally read and live in cities.

and look at the opportunity someone like michael moore is missing for ignoring talk radio. he predicts doom and tells us we must ramp up GOTV to beat voter suppression and russian trolling etc or else... but in his state of michigan all he has to do is waalk onto the michigan state campus and ask why it broadcasts sports on 11 limbaugh stations. uni of mich 7 limbaugh stations. thats 18 limbaugh stations coordinated to sell privatization and lead in water, trump, global warming denial, defunding public ed, single payer doesn't work, protesting athletes are unamerican, etc while endorsed by those schools.

dems have to stop blaming fox - the russians and cons are using it as a decoy while the real problem wears an invisibility cloak and gets a free speech free ride.

to completely destroy the GOP and make sure these assholes never win another election destroy the rw radio monopoly

[ck4829]

23. This is the problem... What do those things do? Are we REALLY fighting for Democracy?

Me, I'm gonna fight. I'm gonna dig my heels in and fight like hell for my country and my Constitution. I'm gonna donate and fight and phone bank and knock on doors and resist to holy hell and nag all my apolitical friends into voting... and then I'm gonna rag on my remaining Republican friends till they see the goddamn light and vote blue at least this once.

OK... What is that going to do? I remember that people voted in 2016 too, there was a greater number of votes for the non-Trump candidate. It did not matter.

We pretty much live in a totalitarian 'democracy' at this point. You voted, you spent money, you got others to vote. Congratulations. What does it actually do though?

Now before you think I'm being pessimistic about this, I'm not. I'll tell you what I believe...

If you really want to resist this joke of a political system, dig very deep into your soul. Get ready to do things that you are not comfortable doing. Get ready to do things that will get you called "trash", an "extremist", a "radical", etc. Those are names I've been called right here on DU by the way.

* Vote, but do more...

* We need a mass movement that says "not paying" to increasing medical bills and increasingly expensive goods but lower quality medical service both over time and compared to other countries. Are you willing to do that?

* Deplatform the worst of the worst. Infowars, alt-right, white nationalist terrorists, Republican conspiracy theorists, people with rants about "cultural marxism" or "George Soros globalism", and even non-violent people who associate Trump with messianic delusions. They are turning free speech into the worthless kind, not the freedom kind. Are you prepared for this?

* Keep a running tally about how we have a "strong economy", but how many asterisks it has. How many times are we going to hear "despite the strong economy"? Are you ready to go against the people, media, and politicians who tell you everything is OK?

* Go out of your way to humanize the people the right-wing seeks to dehumanize... the poor, people who can't afford insulin, Muslims, refugees, GLBTQ people, and yes, illegal immigrants as well. Don't be scared to humanize them.

* Read From Dictatorship To Democracy by Gene Sharp, the same weaknesses of any dictatorial regime can be applied to the Trump Administration, the Republican Party, and right wing structure and can be done in non-violent ways. But will we do this?

I am repeatedly finding out that people talk the talk about "resistance" and "fighting", but quickly back down when they realize that real fighting, real resistance, is more than pulling a lever or pushing a button one day every other November.

I hope I will be proven wrong.

[Bucky]

40. Bookmarking for later response.

Thank you

[UniteFightBack]

24. Just remember we are going to TURN UP and TURN OUT in November. nt

[VladmireTrumpkins]

26. good idea

I like your spirit and I too will fight on..what really gets me are those that give up and say "They all do it" ..Its lazy defeatist thinking

[Squeaky41]

33. Both-siderism

Why do we blame the fly on the fly-swatter?

[dalton99a]

27. Surrender is not an option.

[Iliyah]

28. Agreed . . .

Also, shithole is far from king and dictator, he is a effing "clown" and a total embarrassment to the USA. His cronies, the Republican party and his effed up family are pure evil.

And the evangelists that supports him are from hell.

[treestar]

29. Good.

Someday this period will be in history as a period of insanity.

[Eyeball_Kid]

30. We don't know where we're going if we don't know where we stand.

Fact, rationality, and logic tells us that when the Senate acquits, the Constitution dies. Let's be real clear about this. There are no ifs or maybes. IMO, it's very important to embrace this fundamental fact BEFORE we embark on forward motion. We have to grasp the fact that there is NO equivocation, no damping down of the events of the past three weeks, or, indeed, the past three years, that lessens the severity of what GOP has done. They truly fucked the country over. There is no "up-side." Our enemy is "whataboutism", and "both sides do it." Both sides don't do it. The GOP did it and there is no forgiving what they did. They betrayed the Constitution and the nation. Period. Framing their actions as "cowardice" lets them off easy. They all know what they're doing. They aren't babies. They are committed people, not naive innocents.

Knowing and embracing the facts SHOULD harden the resolve to revive the Constitutional framework that is now in the process of disintegration. There is no reason that anyone should give up just because the facts are staring us in the face.

I've been repeating the fact that acquittal yields a death blow to the Constitution for months now. Neither optimism, discouragement, depression, nor resolve to oppose tyranny will change that. Those are all internal states of mind. The only countermeasure is action: persistent, focused, relentless action. Action doesn't mean a walk in the park. It means placing ourselves on the line and sacrificing our conveniences for the common good.

So, Bucky, you may be pointing your irritation at folks like myself, but your irritation is misplaced. Fighting for the Constitution is not only noble and morally justified, but it is necessary and mandatory. "Giving up" is never the answer.

[EndlessWire]

35. Well said. n/t

[Bettie]

34. It is far easier to fight an outside enemy

than it is to go about your daily business and know that at least 1/3 of the people you interact with are monsters.

[EndlessWire]

36. Reality check.

This is my opinion only. You all come from different perspectives, and as the character in the movie said, "We will not be suppressing any opinions today." How much longer we can talk like this remains to be seen.

I listened pretty much to the whole assembly there (not a trial.) Missed some parts, but got most of it. The important point that was a take away for me was the part when the Repubs declared that Donnie Two Scoops could break the law and ignore the Constitution if he thought that it was for our National Security and interest. This is Carte Blanche to allow him to do any damned thing he wants to do, as long as he declares a national emergency, a national interest, or anything else that pops into his disease-ridden brain. These are the people that are currently running our country, because they control the Senate trial and the Dems can't overcome that. As long as those people sit there, we are FUCKED.

Recently Two Scoops added six countries onto the anti-immigration list. They are all countries (I suppose "shit countries" that OM doesn't like.) No one said anything. Well, maybe some did. I didn't go back to read, being weary and sad and utterly pissed off. He slipped this under the radar, and only those vigilant eyes who found it and took the time to post it alerted us to this.

Well, does this sound right? I dunno, sounds familiar to me. Anyway, this is an example of his isolating us further. We will have a lot to fix if we ever get back. That's what he is doing to us.

He is putting into place EVIL people to do his bidding. This is not an accident. It isn't hidden. It is just quiet, and it is up to us to figure it out. First, he loaded his evil spawn into slots, then he added in the spouses of loyalists as rewards, then he went around choosing people that would just do whatever he ordered. When they wouldn't, he fired them inhumanely, and put someone else in the position. This is done not because he just needs people who are better, or who he can work with, but because it is part of a design.

Do you think he is friends with despicable world dictators for nothing? Do you think that he studied Hitler for nothing? Who does this stuff? He only responded to our national disasters because they were shows to quell bad opinion if he didn't. He doesn't care about anything except selling out our country for money and power.

I know this is "preaching to the choir." DU has mostly true Patriots. But it will do no good at all if we don't wake up. This is tough. Things are NOT normal. We had 200+ years of North American peace where we left home to help others because it was in our best interests, or we didn't know what we were doing. But, now comes a new day where we have to beat off an unthinkable enemy: the Not. My. President elected by people who weren't thinking straight.

The "When they go low, we go high" mantra is not going to work. Gawd, I love her, bless her heart, but we need to face facts here. WE ARE IN TROUBLE. WE MAY NOT EVEN GET ANOTHER ELECTION. We could lose the internet. We could end up in perpetual martial law. etc. etc. etc. Mostly, he can get us into a war that keeps us burying our dead (not HIS dead, OUR dead) while he eats cheeseburgers and golfs at Mar a lago along with his secret cabinet that he consults down there.

Leaving our country is not an option. We need to be sharp, keep each other informed, and start devising the next level of resistance.

GOTV?? Oh, absolutely!!! We won at the midterms because we massively turned out. But, we didn't get it all, and now, to defeat Trump in any sham election, we are going to have to be radical and do things we never thought we would have to do. And, we have, hopefully, only until November to put everything we want to do in place.

If you don't think that Hitlerboy Trump can't start arresting and executing people, because, you know, it would be in the country's best interest to do so, think again. He has spent three years openly espousing those sentiments, has recently threatened key people elected to do their jobs, and there is no pushback. Wake up, don't suppress opinions, and get prepared. Maybe we'll get lucky, we will win in November, and he will board the helicopter and leave forever. But, do you really think so??

I come from a military family. My brother won a silver star in Viet Nam. That fucking war ruined his life. But, he taught me something useful. He said, "Never, ever let your enemy rest."

And, "You have to keep up with the other men." We ALL, at this particular moment in our nations history, have to keep up. Stick together. Guard those around you. Pay attention. Hope for a bright and happy November, but get prepared. As of the moment that the Senate Republicans said they don't care if Trump wipes his ass with our Constitution, we didn't have a democracy. Some of the Repubs are too stupid to understand, and some of them know very well what they are doing. But, so do we. Let's go!

[ehrnst]

41. Rise up!

[0rganism]

42. fair enough, any thoughts on how our living democracy survives the next 9 months?

i'm not seeing it. maybe you're the ray of enlightened sunshine that can turn all those frowns upside down. how do we resist the active malfeasance of the senate, the courts, the DOJ, and the empowered rogue presidency of a demented asshole?

[lunatica]

43. By seeing what real life options we have and not just giving up for one

Everything from the House fighting back, to our vote in a November. You know perfectly well what options we have. Consider them as possibilities instead of opportunities to throw away.