American democracy could be nearing its end

[Cyrano]

The Republicans have declared full war on democracy. In every state they control, they are passing voter suppression laws. And they're also passing laws to nullify legal votes and allow their state legislators to decide who won elections. They have no intention of playing by any so-called "rules."

And even in states where they don't control the legislatures, they control enough voting districts to make a difference in the overall outcome.

This is fascism, pure and simple. They have decided that they're going to control the entire federal government after 2024 and I really don't see the Democrats doing much about it. Manchin, and perhaps Sinema, are preventing us from killing the filibuster and leveling the voting playing field. As far as I'm concerned, the only way these two will be forced to change their minds is if they're caught in compromising photos with a goat in a motel room, or some such.

What I'm trying to say here is that we can have the hugest Democratic voter turnout in history, yet still have this election stolen from us.

I hope I'm wrong about all this, but here's my fear. I knew a concentration camp survivor who passed away about 10 years ago. The one thing she repeated to me most often was, "We didn't see it coming." Those words haunt me because there are millions of Americans who believe "It can't happen here." My response to that is "Wake the fuck up. It's happening."

[secondwind]

1. We need to stay always vigilant... always...

[marie999]

39. Semper Vigiles - Vigilant always.

The motto of the Army Security Agency.

[former9thward]

43. Well the ASA was disbanded in 1987.

[marie999]

44. My husband and I were both in the ASA so it is still our motto.

[FoxNewsSucks]

2. You are exactly right.

Republiqons have been working toward their goal for decades. It will soon be a done deal, and I really thing our only chance is that the arrogance and impatience of them and their billionaire/corporate owners will cause them to make some small mistake.

[SoCalDavidS]

3. Nearing?

It's been decimated already. We're just moving further and further away from it with each passing minute.

[Moostache]

4. I hate to sound alarmist, but you are correct.

The Democrats need to bring Sinema and Manchin to heel now, or the game is lost.

The Senate is either evil and doing McConnell's bidding, or it is gridlocked and doing nothing...for going on 10+ years now.

The House is powerless. Its basically a circus of people wanting to be Senators, clown car escapees and nutbags garnering attention but not doing a damn thing. Nancy Pelosi has delivered dozens of bills that are languishing or dead in the Senate, so having the House has resulted in squat...even 2 Impeachments have been bamboozled and ended in acquittals for the guiltiest son of a bitch in recorded history.

The Presidency cannot act without a functional Senate.

This whole thing is crumbling before our eyes and yet the alarms seem to be on snooze still...

[Cyrano]

9. Many TV pundits are saying the same thing, but

they can't spit it out the way I did above.

Some are people who see it coming, are terrified it will actually happen, yet, are not allowed to say it into an open mike. I know one pundit who really believes that, were this to happen, concentration camps lie in our near future. I agree.

It doesn't take a huge leap to understand that a party that tolerates Marjorie Taylor Greene, (and Donald Trump), to grasp that the world they want means "eliminating" all the "THEMS."

I would have used the "forbidden" word NAZI somewhere above, but I guess that many here might believe that would be going too far.

[TheRealNorth]

22. Concentration camps for the political elite/activists...

Ghettos for the poor and colored folks, until a "Final Solution" is come to.

To paraphrase Taylor Swift and Bonnie Iver- I think I have seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending.

[whistler162]

5. NTSA

[lagomorph777]

7. ? What is that, for those of us who live outside Acronymland?

[zipplewrath]

14. Not This Shit Again

If I interpret correctly.

[Cyrano]

16. Tell me this when those shower heads start dispensing gas

[lagomorph777]

20. OK - so nothing to worry about, right?

We are in deep shit and denying it will only make it worse.

[lagomorph777]

6. Live boy, or dead goat, we need to force Manchin and Sinema to do their effing jobs.

[tirebiter]

8. We can still vote

Deal with the fear by being fearless to organize voters. The Democratic Party per se is, IMO, the best vehicle of hope for the most peaceful method to stop the anti democracy crowd.

[Cyrano]

10. I wish I could agree with you, tirebiter

But we're dealing with people who will win no matter what it takes. Too many of us are still living under the delusion that "enough votes will defeat them."

Please, please recognize what we're up against. We are kids with sticks fighting one of the most organized, evil entities America has ever seen on our home shores. They don't just want to win. They want us dead. And if I'm right, we won't be around for me to tell you "I told you so."

[Crunchy Frog]

11. That's why I intend for me and my family to be in another country

before the next presidential election.

I want to view things from a healthy distance when/if the shit hits the fan.

[Cyrano]

17. If the fascists take over America, nowhere on Earth will be safe

[Crunchy Frog]

21. Maybe not safe, but safER.

[CrispyQ]

12. 2020 was just one battle in a decades long line of battles.

Our side has been slow to recognize the change in the Republican Party. We've been slow to recognize this is war. A war for our country. Old guard dems, especially, have been slow to acknowledge that some of their colleagues they've served with for many, many years, are now fascists. Or at the very least, enablers of fascists.

I'd like to know what we are going to do about the shitshow down in AZ? So the DOJ gave them a warning. A month ago. And now the show is travelling to GA. I'm beginning to think that our side doesn't know what to do. We're still playing by a rule book that the other side has thrown into the trash & we haven't figured out how to proceed, other than business as usual. Well, that is going to lose us our representative government. I hope the dems don't think that getting us through/over Covid is enough to win the next election. It isn't. New voters are fickle. They're also unrealistic in their expectations. Getting them to the polls for a mid-term is going to be lots of hard work, & the repubs will have enthusiasm on their side.

It's infuriating that two democratic senators are the roadblock to a piece of legislation that makes voting easier for citizens. What the fuck?

[PortTack]

15. Please stop!! What if President Biden had that attitude, our dem leaders, Stacey Abrams

It isn’t helpful. Do I understand, absolutely. start doing something to help. Volunteer, donate..action is the cure.

[Cyrano]

18. Volunteer to do what? Donate to what?

The Republicans have declared war on us. It's past time to understand that and act accordingly.

[TheRealNorth]

23. I think we must still try to play within the current system....

But be prepared for what may come.

[PortTack]

24. volunteering is exactly what is needed!! We won GA because of the volunteers that were on the

Ground there. The Dems rely heavily on ppl willing to volunteer in any election. They need boots on the ground ppl to register new voters, manage phones, deliver signs, go to public meetings, write editorials for candidates for the local newspaper.

If we are to win again, and win big these originations and candidates need money. Small donors were key to Biden’s win. You don’t have to give a lot...just what you can

Donate to:
The DNC
The DCCC
ACLU
SPLC
Fairfight.org
Nodemleftbehind.org
Democracydocket.org
Anyone of the congressional candidates you like
Donate to senators that are up,for re-election in ‘22

Yes...act accordingly..get up, get out and DO something. Posting on DU does not count!!

[Cyrano]

26. Yes, PortTack. I agree with everything you say

BUT! And this is THE BIG BUT.

America is not what it was four years ago. At that time, the Republicans were our opponents. Today they are our enemies. -- It's not because of anything we did. It's because Donald Trump gave the worst among them permission to come out of their caves. And the Republicans who are too sane to buy into the insanity are too afraid to oppose it. So any opposition must come from us.

Let me say this as clearly as possible. THEY WANT A SECOND CIVIL WAR. We don't. (Anyone who has ever been to war never wants to see another.) So the question is: How do we avoid it?

I gave the answer above. Manchin's and Sinema's arms must be twisted until they break. The filibuster must be killed. Only then do we stand a chance of heading off the insanity that has taken over America.

With the voting field leveled by the absence of the filibuster, peace, or some form of it, stands a chance.

But let's never forget that Trump unleashed the more monstrous side of many. And they're not going away anytime soon.

[PortTack]

37. As I said I understand..and yes it is worrisome. We can't let up..we have to keep going

Maybe this will help you feel better!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215468089

[Cyrano]

38. Good piece. But please, please understand this:

Our country has changed and is changing by the day. The right-wing nuts are a mortal danger to all of us and they're not going away. They are becoming more emboldened by the day as they watch us pay attention to policy issues that they don't care about.

Come election time, they won't be talking about policy. They'll be talking about black people, brown people, Muslims, Asians, Jews and every other non-white, non-"Christian" "THEM" who is impure and infecting our society with their weird beliefs, child pornography, sex trafficking and every other evil you can think of. It's all bullshit, of course, but millions believe it and vote accordingly.

Today, the wingnuts have become what was once the Republican Party. They are into total, absolute power, pure and simple. They will use any and all means to get that power and hold it. And, once they have full power, this will not be a world in which you want to dwell.

And, I might add that these are not nice people.

[CrispyQ]

19. This is place for us to vent & talk about our frustrations & concerns.

I was plenty clear that getting out the vote is going to be critical.

[SunImp]

27. Lots of people on here need a snickers bar

[zipplewrath]

13. The fatal flaw

When things like the Senate and the EC were set up, no one knew that someday it would be 50 states. They also never considered that soon, 70% of the population would live in just 15 of those states. The system that we have become, cannot be sustained with just 30% of the population controlling 70% of the Senate.

[pbmus]

28. BINGO......

[stopdiggin]

25. I'm a little more optimistic

(although it takes some doing some mornings)
I don't really think that Trump (and Trumpism) are going to be any more popular in two or three years time than they are now. I just don't. And I think the stink that the GOP is painting on themselves right now -- is being noticed -- and will linger. I see less people pulling the trigger for 'R' in the coming years. And that simple fact (plus the fact that politicians really like to get elected) .....

[Cyrano]

29. Popularity is meaningless when elections can be stolen

[stopdiggin]

30. and even MORE people vote against

your ticket in the next election. And the one following ...
Like I said, in the final result, politicians really like getting elected.

I understand your argument -- I just don't happen to agree that the 'stolen election' is a sustainable model for continued governance. You do, and that's fine. By my opinion differs.
----- -----

[TheRealNorth]

35. Putin doesn't seem to be having too many issues with stolen elections

And once he has someone here in the US that can be bought off again, his issues will be less.

[stopdiggin]

36. a very cogent observation

Why did I never think of that?

----- -----

[blueinredohio]

31. I feel the same way

I'm glad I'm as old as I am it might not get too bad until I'm gone.

[LW1977]

32. Thread trashed

[Tribetime]

33. Im afraid you're correct

There must be something we can do but I'm not smart enough to figure it out.

[barbtries]

34. i have days like this.

but i can't stop advocating for democracy, rule of law, non-violence, equality, etc.

therefore i cannot surrender hope for the future.

[dalton99a]

40. "Nah.. can't be... They had an orchestra to welcome us!"

"They'll give us back our suitcase when we get out"

[WarGamer]

41. I'd argue we've never had a pure Democracy... just the way the founders wanted it.

To transition to a pure Democracy, you need to get rid of the Constitution.

After the US breaks up, new Constitutions can be drawn up.

[colsohlibgal]

42. Agree

What’s going on now has Hitler and Mussolini smiling from Hell.

It is stunning what’s going on now....if Republicans lose they are sure it is a steal and will keep bringing in these right wing folks who won’t quit till they get the result they want.

Think back to Dubya vs Gore.....when the Supreme Court stopped the recount in Florida because it was causing undue harm not to the USA but to Bush. Gore had a real case but let it go.

It’s clear the Crazy Right Wing won’t rest until they get the result they want somehow.

We’ve had a nice run but it’s all up in the air now. Think I may have posted this before but did check on emigrating to Canada and they seem aware that many might view that as an option at this point.

I hope we get past this severe test.