Steve Schmidt: Contemplating this American moment is essential

[Qutzupalotl]

Link to tweet

@SteveSchmidtSES:
Contemplating this American moment is essential because the crisis will worsen and become more dangerous. What is it that we are watching unfold in front of us? What does it mean? What is at stake? What was the meaning of the Republican Convention? What happened there?

Trumpism was sharply and intentionally defined at the convention. It is a toxic, metastic and authoritarian ideology that has taken root in America. 25 to 30 % of the country are devotees to it. Trumpism is fundamentally UnAmerican. It is a cult of personality that venerates Donald Trump. The Republican Party imposes but one demand now. Obedience and Submission to the leader.

The Convention was politically ineffective yet still ominous, jarring and repugnant. The convention advanced the audacious absurdity that Trump cares about America and the American people. The message was delivered by a bevy of liars, careerists, propagandists, conspiracy theorists, crackpots, collaborators and self interested family members. The week was defined by its breathtaking mendacity, utter and premeditated lawlessness and the seizure of some of the most powerful symbols of the American Republic for perverse purposes not the least of which is the underlying autocratic instinct to hijack symbols of national unity and proclaim them as tribal totems marking the authority of the state in the name of the leader. The clear meaning of the convention for America’s Trumpist minority is startling yet clear. In essence Trump asserted I AM THE TRUTH, I AM THE LAW, I AM THE STATE. He is not and this must be opposed.

Trumpism is a fascistic enterprise. It stands apart from and is antithetical to American values. Trumpism will not yield and retreat when faced with passive denial around what it clearly is. Trumpism has long teemed with menace and violence. Trump has encouraged the violence and celebrated it. He has legitimized it in tandem with his apologists, accomplices and enablers. They have collectively poisoned the country with a toxic media stew of Conspiracy, propaganda, lies, grievance, malice, nationalism and racial animus.

A 17 year old was radicalized by Trumpism. He drove to Wisconsin and became a killer. He is celebrated today as sometype of martyr across the the airwaves of extreme media. Who will he inspire next? Trump is fomenting chaos and violence in the name of law and order. A President’s duty is to calm the boiling passions of the moment as they yield to a new understanding of American justice and inclusion under the idea that in this land We are all created equal and that the promise of the country must be for everybody. Trump is inciting Americans against each other in the name of expanding his power. It isn’t just cynical it is evil. Truly. That is what must be confronted forcefully and fiercely everyday.

Trump has desecrated his office, failed his duty and has attacked the greatest ideas and ideals of the country from within as the President of the United States. He has assaulted the rule of law, the Constitution, our instititutions, heroes, values and the foundation of our Union. He has failed history’s test more spectacularly then any American in our history with his blundering, stupidity, malice and incompetence. Covid has consumed American life and wrecked the economy along with millions of American Dreams because Trump failed to protect the country. He has betrayed his oath and humiliated America. We are at the precipice of irreversible decline, weakness and danger. Our democracy is under assault from within.

The burden of this moment falls most heavily on Joe Biden. He is the leader of a vast political coalition that harbors wide disagreements but also rock solid conviction around faithfulness to our democratic ideals and the immense sacrifices that were made to preserve and expand them. This is a decisive hour in the American story. The power of our “Better Angels” must be brought into conflict with the noxiousness of Trumpism. The lies, lawlessness, division and malice must be confronted. They must be defeated. What we saw at the convention was something few thought possible in America, yet here we are.

Trump will not succeed in taking American Democracy and the Republic away from us. We will have to surrender it to him. If we do , he will not give it back. They never do. Violence and chaos are Trump’s tools. E Pluribus Unum must be the answer.

Vote. @ProjectLincoln

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1300857365764374529.html

[DonaldsRump]

1. Sarah Palin is also about as anti-American as they come. However

we accept your support for Joe and Kamala. And, on January 21, 2021, we will make sure your nonsense against us never comes to pass in our wonderful country.

That being said, we understand how contrite you are for the moment in bringing this nonsense.

[JI7]

3. Sarah Palin was treated like the joke she was. They didn't vet Palin and they admit

they fucked up with that whole thing.

Trump is far worse than Palin but he is doesn't get the same treatment.

[Cha]

2. Trumpism was sharply and intentionally defined at the convention. It is a toxic, metastic..

and authoritarian ideology"

Exactly & Low Ratings!

[MontanaMama]

5. And low energy!

“The Best Is Yet To Come!”

[Cha]

11. Oh Yes.. how could I leave out "low energy"!? TY MontanaMama!

So they say..

[Cha]

4. RtX2!

[ALBliberal]

6. What a writer he is! Wow. I'm thankful you are on our

side Steve Schmidt. We need all the help we can get that’s for sure!

[alfredo]

7. Where John Dean did his research on authoritarians

https://www.theauthoritarians.org/

[peggysue2]

8. Bravo!

Steve Schmidt expresses the truth in strong, take-no-prisoners words. Make no mistake, this is the fight of our lives.

Trump is not simply an ignorant, bloviating fool. He is a fascist, our own American Mussolini who, for those remembering their history classes, had many admirers and apologists back in the day. In the US and Europe. Until the ideology became 'problematic,' that is.

By it's very nature, fascism always becomes problematic.

Violence and chaos and division are indeed Trump's tools. Just like his predecessors. He is a vehicle to absolute ruin. And it is evil. Even though we're loathe to use the term, this is a moment when the description is true, honest, on the mark. All we need do is think back to every horrific pronouncement and action. Babies in cages. Fine people on both sides. Throwing our allies (the Kurds) to the wolves. Love letters to Kim Un Yong. The Helsinki debacle. Caravans of immigrants. Protestors are animals. Etc., etc., etc.

Trump and his enablers have shown us, told us who they are.

Now is the moment when we show the traitors who we are. It's the only chance we're going to get. On November 3rd, we tell the world emphatically who we are: Americans--despite all our faults--dedicated to ideals and possibilities greater than ourselves.

Btw, I would highly recommend Ruth Ben-Ghiat's twitter account. I listened to a podcast at TPM with Ben-Ghiat as the featured guest. She's a history professor who has spent her career studying and analyzing fascistic movements. Her take is chilling and eye-opening. She's aligned with Steve Schmidt's assessment.

We are at war. This is indeed our moment.

[Qutzupalotl]

10. Thanks for the tip about Ruth Ben-Ghiat.

I just followed her.

[Hekate]

9. KnR Steve Schmidt, patriot

[BootinUp]

12. We will know the true character of this country soon. nt

[lambchopp59]

13. I want to remind everyone of the irreparable harm Trump did uttering these words to police officers:

Trump handed law enforcement permission to unchecked brutality:
"don't be too nice. Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over, I said, you can take the hand away, okay?"