Rachel Maddow - Experts Warn Democracies Facing Autocracy: Protect Your Institutions - MSNBC

[Rhiannon12866]

Rachel Maddow looks at what has turned out to be prescient advice from Masha Gessen and Timothy Snyder about the necessity of institutions in preserving democracy, and the necessity of engaged citizens in protecting those institutions from a threatening autocracy like the Donald Trump presidency. Aired on 02/12/20.

[Gothmog]

1. Rachel was great last night

I am very worried

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I know.

When Rachel (who David Letterman called "the smartest person in the world" ) starts talking like this, I take her very seriously. She's not one to exaggerate or fear monger, she deals in facts.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. Kick - more need to see this.

A klaxon is ringing out.

[appalachiablue]

4. K/R Interesting segment in serious times. Democracy in the US has been

declining for more than five years and is a long term trend according to notable studies including this one from Princeton and Northwestern universities in 2014.

* 'Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy,' TPM, April 24 2014,

Asking “[w]ho really rules?” researchers Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page argues that over the past few decades America’s political system has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy, where wealthy elites wield most power.
Using data drawn from over 1,800 different policy initiatives from 1981 to 2002, the two conclude that rich, well-connected individuals on the political scene now steer the direction of the country, regardless of or even against the will of the majority of voters.
“The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy,” they write, “while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.”

The researches note that this is not a new development caused by, say, recent Supreme Court decisions allowing more money in politics, such as Citizens United or this month’s ruling on McCutcheon v. FEC. As the data stretching back to the 1980s suggests, this has been a long term trend, and is therefore harder for most people to perceive, let alone reverse...

More, https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/princeton-experts-say-us-no-longer-democracy

[Silver Gaia]

5. I watched it on my DVR when I got home last night.

Mostly, I just found myself nodding and agreeing. "Right, Rachel." "Yup." For the most part, what she actually said were things we here at DU already know. What was different was that she used her skills as a teacher to lay it all out, hoping to wake up those less well-read than the average DUer. That was admirable. And brave. But that's Rachel, and that's why I love her.

She also, as any good teacher would (or should!) do, left us with a challenge by asking us a question. "What are we going to DO about this?" It was not, "Oh, woe are we. We are doomed." It was "What ARE we, what are YOU, going to do?"

It made me think about an exchange I'd had with a student (and then, the whole class) earlier. I had given the class an exercise where they came up with questions they might want to research and write about. One young, black man asked, "HOW are black people supposed to protest?" He explained "We're told we can't do it this way or that way, not in this place, not at this time... so WHAT are we supposed to do?!?" My response was, "What did Rosa Parks do?" He thought a second, then said, "She sat in the front of the bus. Oh..." So, we all had a conversation about how the whole concept of protest has been neutered.

We plan it on social media at a time that works best for everyone, we make signs with slogans we agree upon in social media, we get permits, we carefully march where we are told we can, we meet for speeches where they say we can, and we have food booths and vendors selling t-shirts. That's not a protest. That's a social event.

Real protest spills out from our guts, from our hearts, and our minds onto the streets. Its spontaneous. It doesn't always happen in the proscribed places or times, but in the places and at the times where and when it NEEDS to happen. Real protest is relative to what is needed at the time. Now, not tomorrow. It does not have food vendors or merchandise for sale. Real protest is messy and alive and meaningful. People will get arrested, but that's a risk willingly taken. Because it MEANS something, it makes a statement. It's important.

I think that's a large part of what Rachel was talking about, what she was saying without saying, imploring, beseeching of us. The anguish on her face was real. Maybe she inspired some of her audience. Maybe I inspired a few young people. (I can hope.)

So, the question remains: what are we gonna do?

[mahannah]

6. Last night's show is a "must watch".

[rurallib]

7. Wow she nails what is going on

I fully expect that soon we will be in the las scenes of "Cabaret" and will be going into a restaurant where some MAGA hatted youth will start singing some song to the exalted turd.

[gademocrat7]

8. K&R

Very informative. Rachel laid the facts of the escalating assault on our democracy.

[2naSalit]

9. Thanks for posting this...

both livestreams kept crashing during the first AND second runs of the show... they usually only do that when there are a lot of people watching.

[cp]

10. Just requested On Tyranny from my public library

We've got our work cut out for us. I hope we have time.

[BigmanPigman]

11. I watched this twice last night , it was so good!

I just sent it to my own gmail to save it and it is on You Tube so out of curiousity I looked at the comments, etc. She got 2,500 comments in less than 24 hours.

[Dennis Donovan]

12. Here's the entire A block from last night:

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/with-the-rule-of-law-failing-under-trump-just-diagnosing-the-problem-isn-t-enough-78691397989

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Thanks!

Rachel was just excellent last night, this deserves to make headlines in every publication in this country. Rachel is informed and she deals in facts.

[TexasTowelie]

14. K&R! nt