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unblock

(55,380 posts)
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 11:32 AM Mar 2025

The moment is ripe

Last edited Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:12 PM - Edit history (1)

I think we're at a moment of critical shift in the mood of the country. People do *not* like what's going on *at all*. The only people I am hearing now supporting Donnie are the super-hardcore bigots/idiots. *everyone* I interact with, even at work (finance industry), is horrified, even people who I know are (or at least, used to be) republicans.

The moment is ripe, for the Democratic Party, for grassroots activists, and even for any rich people looking to profit off this by launching a lefty media outlet. Capture an unabashedly anti-Donnie, anti-musk, anti-dictatorship, anti-destruction of our government and our economy and our freedoms and our well-being, and you can ride that wave to great political or economic heights. And maybe, just maybe, save our country while you're at it.

There are a few truths we must shout fiercely with logic, passion, and receipts.

1. Donnie and his gang are criminals. Aside from the fact he's a convicted felon, determined by a judge to be a rapist, a repeat defamer, and found in contempt numerous times, in just the last few weeks he's violated countless laws and court orders. He has clearly demonstrated utter contempt for the rule of law and will violate ever more laws he thinks he can get away with, and at the moment, he thinks he can get away with quite a lot of that.

2. We are in a dictatorship. Stop calling him a wannabe dictator or wondering "if". We're there. He's doing whatever he wants. He's not merely breaking norms, he's outright ignoring Congress, the judiciary, and the constitution. He has all the hallmarks of a dictatorship. The *only* thing that *may* be in doubt is whether he can keep us in a dictatorship beyond his 4 years.

3. Donnie is deeply and wildly unpopular. Nine years ago, we were bombarded with the message that we needed to hear more from "real America", the ordinary people who now know as magats, as if stupid bigots never had a voice in America. Well, America is fed up with magats and we need to hear more from the vast majority of us who don't like being offended on a daily basis.

4. Bigotry is anti-American. We need to unite to counter their unity. Racists, sexists, anti-trans people, etc. united to form maga; we need to do the same to protect *all* Americans. Any time any minority group or women are attacked, we must criticize the attacks as being un-american. Don't counter the narrow attack of the day against trans people, e.g., point out that they are attacking Americans, they are attacking freedom, they are attacking *all* people who don't score perfect in their stupid privilege game, 85% of Americans can't say they are white *and* cis *and* straight *and* Christian *and* male *and* natural-born citizens, and 99.9% or Americans aren't billionaires. We need to reframe attacks on any of us as attacks on *all* of us because you know once they have made life impossible for trans people, they will move on to the next minority and so on. In truth, they're operating in parallel. But it's divide and conquer. We have to call them out on this strategy, unite, and fight back, together.

5. America didn't want this. It's not longer a matter of whether or not they cheated in the election. Maybe everything they did was legal. But through voter suppression and crazy money from musk and so on, the results of the election do not capture the will of the people. And now that we see just how much contempt they have for laws, we can look back on the election with better hindsight. It should be obvious now, if not at the time, that if they could figure out a way to cheat, they would have done so. I have no hard evidence, but the suspicion grows knowing that they certainly would have if they knew how.

6. We need to focus on reality, not the daily onslaught of propaganda. Donnie will cut out any media outlet that tells the truth, and that's fine. "Access" may have been important when a responsible administration gave real news during press conferences and select interviews. But "access" is worthless when it's all state propaganda. In a dictatorship, "access" merely means you're corrupt enough to work cooperatively with the dictator. Tell the truth and don't worry about now-worthless "access".

7. The administration is thoroughly corrupt. Virtually all his appointments reek of patronage. Most of his cabinet are unqualified billionaires who surely bought the position through outsized campaign contributions. And musk got the biggest prize of all, able to wield more power that rivals most presidents, just for being the biggest donor of all ... or maybe he did help Donnie cheat during the election. That would certainly explain a lot....


One thing is for sure, we need messages like these out, now and in volume, and to persist as long as magats are a viable force. If we don't, within 6 months, we will be at a point where we can't get anything approximating a real democracy back.

Remember, they break laws and don't believe in democracy. If we let them, they will steal 2026 and 2028 and cement us in a dictatorship for decades.

56 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The moment is ripe (Original Post) unblock Mar 2025 OP
Send this thread to the Timid 10. gab13by13 Mar 2025 #1
We need a new squad. forgotmylogin Mar 2025 #6
There are a lot of Democratic AGs and governors who 33taw Mar 2025 #24
All those people are already here, and we will need even more people to speak out and take action. CBHagman Mar 2025 #39
And Jamie Raskin n/t Lulu KC Mar 2025 #41
They have long sense been absorbed by the collective. Magoo48 Mar 2025 #17
The moment is actually ripe for any Republican in Congress to stand up and show some courage Walleye Mar 2025 #2
The Republican Party is now thoroughly corrupted. Not a leader among them. They were selected to be followers. unblock Mar 2025 #3
Yes, but unfortunately, they are so into Republican religionThey refuse to come over to our side even for 1 election Walleye Mar 2025 #4
Uumm... ButchMcMuffin Mar 2025 #7
I don't know about her father, but she did state. She voted for Biden, I believe. Walleye Mar 2025 #8
AND, DENVERPOPS Mar 2025 #12
Uumm... ButchMcMuffin Mar 2025 #20
Lol. Fat chance ... that. It's all up to us now. KPN Mar 2025 #22
Nicely written keepthemhonestO Mar 2025 #5
Agree. KPN Mar 2025 #23
2026 and 28 are already in the can BonnieJW Mar 2025 #9
Kick dalton99a Mar 2025 #10
Where are the Town hall Democrats? NBachers Mar 2025 #11
We may not even have free, fair, and unrigged elections in '26 & '28. Don't be so sure of it. n/t elocs Mar 2025 #13
#5 They Cheated RANDYWILDMAN Mar 2025 #14
Virtually the entire business community I interact with is anti-donnie now unblock Mar 2025 #16
I just saw an ad favoring the newly elected mountain grammy Mar 2025 #15
Revolutions are fought by those whose ribs are easily counted.And more backbone than wishbone. BattleRow Mar 2025 #18
Yes. A recession with a return of inflation will definitely help our side politically unblock Mar 2025 #19
Excellent post milestogo Mar 2025 #21
Kudos. Great OP. Like the bullet messages -- a lot. KPN Mar 2025 #25
Long convo with our financial advisor ... rustysgurl Mar 2025 #26
Good Thread Baron2024 Mar 2025 #27
Very good post, thank you. Buddyzbuddy Mar 2025 #28
I think we're saying the same thing unblock Mar 2025 #31
My bone of contention is not with you or your post. Buddyzbuddy Mar 2025 #33
Yes they are complicit. They've been trained or chosen to be spineless. unblock Mar 2025 #34
And it's time to seize this moment Blue Owl Mar 2025 #29
Yep. Rec. Evolve Dammit Mar 2025 #30
Nows the Time! NowsTheTime Mar 2025 #32
You think it's bad now? paul91046 Mar 2025 #35
You think it's bad now? paul91046 Mar 2025 #36
I'm fairly sure most everyone here is aware of this threat, and has heard Trump say he would do it. NowsTheTime Mar 2025 #42
Well done Unblock! Musk has to go, the sooner the better FakeNoose Mar 2025 #37
Start with Joy Reid and others cilla4progress Mar 2025 #38
Meidas News - TBF Mar 2025 #40
Not regularly, but I'll enjoy a clip when I see one posted on du. They're usually spot on. unblock Mar 2025 #44
Definitely some good thinking right there oldmanlynn Mar 2025 #43
My Democratic Party has become . . . AverageOldGuy Mar 2025 #45
If a democrat can really capture the mood, and if the recession is as bad as I think it will be, yes. unblock Mar 2025 #46
1. Destroying the economy with: pat_k Mar 2025 #47
TRUTH Skittles Mar 2025 #48
This message was self-deleted by its author Rendville Mar 2025 #49
I totally agree with most of your post, but we are NOT "in a dictatorship." That statement suggests a complete lack of Martin68 Mar 2025 #50
We disagree here. Two points: unblock Mar 2025 #51
I think it would serve us better to consider Dump to be a "wannabe" dictator rather than some he has already won. Martin68 Mar 2025 #53
K & R nt berniesandersmittens Mar 2025 #52
Nah. We need some more deliberate, considered discussions, say the Vichy Dems. mucholderthandirt Mar 2025 #54
On point number four misanthrope Mar 2025 #55
Wow, there's an oldie! Powerful. unblock Mar 2025 #56

forgotmylogin

(7,907 posts)
6. We need a new squad.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 12:52 PM
Mar 2025

From https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220151492

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (Texas). Asked what she would tell Elon Musk if she had a chance to speak with him, Crockett had a two-word answer: “F — off.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (Connecticut) Within weeks of Trump’s inauguration, the Connecticut senator, not previously known as a liberal firebrand, was using terms such as “red alert” and “constitutional crisis.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York) Other Democrats should emulate how Ocasio-Cortez dealt with Homan. She both belittled him — he can’t even get a MAGA attorney general to take him seriously — and cast him as an authoritarian.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Jan. 20, only hours after the inauguration, the 60-year-old governor released a statement sharply criticizing the president’s initial executive orders and correctly predicting Trump would ignore the rule of law on a number of issues

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) In many ways, the 83-year-old’s “Fighting Oligarchy” national tour is nothing new. Sanders spent 2016 to 2020 traveling the country and bashing the wealthy in his two presidential campaigns.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz “The road to authoritarianism is littered with people saying, ‘You’re overreacting,’” he told the crowd in Des Moines.

Elizabeth Warren was also mentioned down thread.


We need a group scrappy like MAGA but with our good intentions to counter them. Something like MPGCA "Make Presidents Good Citizens Again"

CBHagman

(17,312 posts)
39. All those people are already here, and we will need even more people to speak out and take action.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 09:45 PM
Mar 2025

Just after the Inauguration a wise woman I know observed that friends were suggesting that we needed a single unifying leader, and she told them not to wait for one. Now I know that's not what you were saying upthread, but her larger point is key: This is going to take a lot of people. Some of the people may even surprise you.

Walleye

(41,402 posts)
2. The moment is actually ripe for any Republican in Congress to stand up and show some courage
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 11:56 AM
Mar 2025

Anybody? Anybody?

unblock

(55,380 posts)
3. The Republican Party is now thoroughly corrupted. Not a leader among them. They were selected to be followers.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 11:58 AM
Mar 2025

Anyone with a conscience or a spine has been kicked out.

Walleye

(41,402 posts)
4. Yes, but unfortunately, they are so into Republican religionThey refuse to come over to our side even for 1 election
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 12:00 PM
Mar 2025

Walleye

(41,402 posts)
8. I don't know about her father, but she did state. She voted for Biden, I believe.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 01:17 PM
Mar 2025

So I guess we have to win them over one at a time

DENVERPOPS

(12,997 posts)
12. AND,
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 01:49 PM
Mar 2025

the Republican Party literally crucified her and another Republican Senator that spoke up...........Every Republican witnessed it and started backing Trump even more than they had out of fear of being "taken out" like they were.......
I kept waiting for Dick Cheney to come forward and defend her, and scream about what these "so-called" Republicans were doing...........
Being the most evil, black hearted, coldest Republican EVER, he said NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, DEFENDING HIS OWN DAUGHTER, OR CALLING OUT THESE "NEW REUBLICAN PARTY" FASCISTS............

The time for Dems to speak up and raise hell has gone by......

The time was when HWBush CABAL committed Treason to install Reagan in the White House. THEN WAS THE TIME TO RAISE HOLY HELL........
Same with the corrupted 2000 election, the corrupted 2004 Election, and definitely in the corrupted 2016 election, and without a doubt, the corrupted 2024 election......MANY here at DU noted that in the month prior to the 2024 election, Trump and many other Republican's were displaying confidence already that showed a foregone conclusion they were gonna win the election, and that they already some how KNEW they were gonna win.....the "FIX" was in, once again,......just as in many previous Presidential Elections...

The 2024 election was their "checkmate"...........Trump himself, was bragging to his Trumphumpers at Rallies,.....
"Vote for me THIS ONE LAST TIME, and you will never have to vote again"..........WTF do you think he was saying to EVERYONE with that statement?????

 

ButchMcMuffin

(81 posts)
20. Uumm...
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:21 PM
Mar 2025

Liz Cheney voted for Kamala Harris and she even campaigned for her.

Dick Cheney made a short video urging people not to vote for Dumpy.

Joe Biden dropped out of the race

BonnieJW

(2,969 posts)
9. 2026 and 28 are already in the can
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 01:19 PM
Mar 2025

They'll use the same method they used in 24. Eloon has it all covered. If every state doesn't get their tabulators checked out, the same thing is going to happen

 

elocs

(24,486 posts)
13. We may not even have free, fair, and unrigged elections in '26 & '28. Don't be so sure of it. n/t
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 01:54 PM
Mar 2025

RANDYWILDMAN

(3,064 posts)
14. #5 They Cheated
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:02 PM
Mar 2025

period! Even if we have 77 million bigots/uninformed voters...we have more sane voters and their votes were not counted. They can tell any story they want about it, but the truth. No way he swept the swing states and no way he didn't have a county flip in the ENTIRE election, these are things that have happened in every election except this one, come on!

unblock

(55,380 posts)
16. Virtually the entire business community I interact with is anti-donnie now
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:08 PM
Mar 2025

I'm in the finance industry, and I deal with plenty of republicans. They're *all* against him now. A few may have voted for him, but the tariff nonsense turned them against him.

Not to say destroying the full faith and credit of the federal government through Elon canceling payments for goods and services already rendered. That's a disaster that the media largely ignoring. They're talking about the individual cuts, without saying that companies will be wary of doing future business with a government they can no longer rely on to pay what's owed.

mountain grammy

(28,002 posts)
15. I just saw an ad favoring the newly elected
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:03 PM
Mar 2025

maga congressman in CO 8th, and newest, District. It was an extremely close election and maga knows this seat is in play so they're already running ads for this creep... Democrats keep begging me for money. I probably get a dozen texts and even more emails a day but I don't see ads against this guy or against maga or trump.

There's a protest at the ICE facility in Aurora now.. I'm heading there now..

BattleRow

(1,731 posts)
18. Revolutions are fought by those whose ribs are easily counted.And more backbone than wishbone.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:13 PM
Mar 2025

unblock

(55,380 posts)
19. Yes. A recession with a return of inflation will definitely help our side politically
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 02:16 PM
Mar 2025

At the expense of real lives, sadly.

rustysgurl

(1,077 posts)
26. Long convo with our financial advisor ...
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 04:08 PM
Mar 2025

We put a majority of what little assets we have into fixed income investments that give us a smaller return but don't put us at the mercy of a volatile market. Getting into the whys and wherefores, I shared out opinion about Trump, DOGE and everything that's happening. He popped off stating that he has to be 'apolitical' and he has clients on both sides of the aisle, then proceeds to expound on all the waste and underhanded dealings DOGE is finding and how it's going to help the country in the long run.

Seriously considering finding another investment advisor.

Buddyzbuddy

(1,166 posts)
28. Very good post, thank you.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 05:27 PM
Mar 2025

I would modify point 2 just a bit. I don't think he's ignoring congress so much as controlling congress. That statement implies that congress has done anything but what he has ordered our 3rd but equal branch of government to do. Although he is ignoring previous Congressional body's laws, budgets and constitutionally mandated powers.
Carry on with your good works, unblock.

unblock

(55,380 posts)
31. I think we're saying the same thing
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 06:49 PM
Mar 2025

He knows he can ignore congress because he's corrupted it to the point where he knows he'll never be removed from office.

Ignoring and controlling go hand in hand. The bottom line is that neither Congress the courts are currently equipped to provide effective counterbalance to Donnie's extremely radical actions.

Any way you look at it, we have an overly powerful president and much weaker legislative and judicial branches. They're meant be equal, and currently, they are not.

Buddyzbuddy

(1,166 posts)
33. My bone of contention is not with you or your post.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 07:44 PM
Mar 2025

Last edited Tue Mar 18, 2025, 09:56 PM - Edit history (1)

I just wanted to point out that congress does have the power to slow down or stop some of what this administration is doing but they choose not to. They are not helpless. This congress isn't being ignored, they are complicit.. I would go so far as to say any member of the legislative branch that chooses not to exercise whatever power they have to curtail the efforts of this administration is complicit.
I agree with 99.9% of what you have stated but like most here I get so angry thinking about Congress's abdication of their responsibilities.
At least the Judicial branch is doing their job.

unblock

(55,380 posts)
34. Yes they are complicit. They've been trained or chosen to be spineless.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 08:29 PM
Mar 2025

Power lies where ever it is exercised, or at least where the threat is seen as real and meaningful.

Dictators come in and impose a different power structure on whatever they are replacing. Congress nominally has the power to remove a president, but the actual power structure now is such that they can't. They're too afraid of the proud boys or of getting primaried. That's Donnie wielding power outside of the constitution, effectively overriding it and making congress's impeachment power a power on paper only.

It's really pathetic how Republicans in Congress are so enabling donnie as to render their own jobs meaningless.

paul91046

(30 posts)
35. You think it's bad now?
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 08:48 PM
Mar 2025

trump WILL invoke martial law. The question isn't if, it's when. What then?

paul91046

(30 posts)
36. You think it's bad now?
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 08:55 PM
Mar 2025

trump WILL invoke martial law. The question isn't if, it's when. What then?

NowsTheTime

(1,156 posts)
42. I'm fairly sure most everyone here is aware of this threat, and has heard Trump say he would do it.
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 11:18 PM
Mar 2025

cilla4progress

(26,371 posts)
38. Start with Joy Reid and others
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 09:32 PM
Mar 2025

let go recently by MSNBC. Reporters of color. We need voices from outside the supremacy to give us important and needed perspective on how to do better going forward.

TBF

(35,165 posts)
40. Meidas News -
Tue Mar 18, 2025, 10:28 PM
Mar 2025

do you watch? I found them on bluesky and subscribe to them via substack. They're killing Rogan and the rest.

unblock

(55,380 posts)
44. Not regularly, but I'll enjoy a clip when I see one posted on du. They're usually spot on.
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 12:19 AM
Mar 2025

And I'm definitely liking how they are now pulling way ahead of Rogan.

oldmanlynn

(685 posts)
43. Definitely some good thinking right there
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 12:13 AM
Mar 2025

The time is ripe, and now is the time to act if we could only get some big time set of billionaires to start up a new lefty television network or a conglomerate of different podcast and live segments some radio spots

AverageOldGuy

(2,738 posts)
45. My Democratic Party has become . . .
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 12:28 AM
Mar 2025

. . . a pack or wolves led by timid rabbits.

I long for the day with a leader like FDR who said:

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.


https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-madison-square-garden-new-york-city-1

Any Democrat who made this speech today would be our President in 2028 -- if we still have elections. Sadly, there are none on the horizon with the courage of FDR.

unblock

(55,380 posts)
46. If a democrat can really capture the mood, and if the recession is as bad as I think it will be, yes.
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 12:32 AM
Mar 2025

We could indeed have a Hoover-to-fdr type of transformation of our political landscape.

If we manage to escape the Hitler parallels, that is....

pat_k

(11,426 posts)
47. 1. Destroying the economy with:
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 03:18 AM
Mar 2025

a) His bizarre obsession with Tariffs.

b) Instability. Changes his mind daily on critical plans. A strong economy needs stability in government.

c) Putting people out of work by the hundreds of thousands:

i) Directly fired tens of thousands of civil service workers; plans to fire at least 500,000 more.

ii) Illegally withholding money for programs created by law.

iii) Arbitrarily cutting off funding for science.

(iv) Indirectly putting hundreds of thousands out of work in industries that receive grants or are otherwise employed in programs passed by congress; grants and programs people were right to rely on because the executive promises to take care to execute the law, whether he likes those laws or not.

Skittles

(165,987 posts)
48. TRUTH
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 05:35 AM
Mar 2025

I especially like this: "................we need to hear more from the vast majority of us who don't like being offended on a daily basis."

I AM SO SICK OF HEARING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND TRUMP VOTERS. WE KNOW THEM ALL TOO WELL WHICH IS WHY WE FUCKING DESPISE THEM.

Response to unblock (Original post)

Martin68

(26,147 posts)
50. I totally agree with most of your post, but we are NOT "in a dictatorship." That statement suggests a complete lack of
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 11:55 AM
Mar 2025

understanding of what living in a dictatorship means. Trump and his minions are doing their best to create a dictatorship. Many courts, elected representatives and officials, and ordinary citizens are resisting that attempt. The anger and dissatisfaction engendered by Trump's administration's actions could very well result in a landslide for Democrats at the midterm elections. Only when and if elections of any kind are cancelled are we "living in a dictatorship." Words matter.

unblock

(55,380 posts)
51. We disagree here. Two points:
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 12:20 PM
Mar 2025

First, donnie is blatantly ignoring multiple laws and multiple court orders and objections from ordinary people. He has complete contempt for democrats and any Republican who dares cross him he threatens to primary and/or get the proud boys to make death threats. He is a dictator, even if he's in the early stages where it *might* be possible to dislodge him before he (or an authoritarian Republican Party, anyway) is permanently entrenched.

Generally, people see Hitler as becoming a dictator the moment he became chancellor, though his power was not entrenched until the enabling act was passed. We're in that stage here. He's a dictator, though he has yet to fully consolidate his power.

Second, semantics aside, I think it's helpful politically for us to call him a dictator. I think that will boost resentment and outrage and protests. We've been calling him a dictator-wannabe or aspiring dictator or someone having authoritarian tendencies or such for years now, and it's not been very effective.

I think calling him a dictator, even some may disagree that that's accurate, will help light a fire under people and get them out into the streets to protest.

Martin68

(26,147 posts)
53. I think it would serve us better to consider Dump to be a "wannabe" dictator rather than some he has already won.
Wed Mar 19, 2025, 01:30 PM
Mar 2025

Semantics are important, and we are most definitely not living under a dictatorship. I've lived in countries that were, and this is not a dictatorship. We still have elections for one, a vital distinction. Let's not cede the country to Trump without a fight. If he was a dictator, the military would be totally at a his command. I do not believe our military would back a coup.

misanthrope

(8,930 posts)
55. On point number four
Thu Mar 20, 2025, 10:08 PM
Mar 2025


The original version was loaded with irony.



Note there are no Black kids around Sinatra. And when the lyrics were composed, there were Japanese-American kids in internment camps.

The song's lyricist, Abel Meeropol, also penned the anti-lynching ballad, "Strange Fruit" after seeing grisly photos from an Indiana lynching. He and his wife adopted the orphaned sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg after they were executed for espionage.
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