Joe Biden gave an important speech today about MAGA fascism, but this was the most crucial line:
"Democracies don't have to die at the end of a rifle. They can die when people are silent, when they fail to stand up or condemn threats to democracy. When people willing to give away what's most precious to them because they feel frustrated."
#Fascism has always been unpopular. It can only win when the majority gives up in disgust. Don't let the bastards grind you down.
h/t @atrupar
They'd like very much for us to become too discouraged to vote, or to vote in self-harming ways.
Vote, and vote pragmatically.
Case study:
"But Hillary gave speeches to bankers!"
"But Hillary [this, that, whatever]!"
Outcome:
* Women's reproductive rights gutted.
* Fossil fuel interests over climate sanity.
* Religious beliefs over public health.
* Wetlands slated for destruction.
* Etc.
Rank the principles at stake. Vote with eyes on the prize.
@biggongpress @mattsheffield @atrupar
What's your specific recommendation? What specific thing should we do right now? Which specific rungs on the ladder of progress can we get in our grip right now?
As to shame, arguably "shame" can be found in confused thinking leading to a SCOTUS that is promoting racial bigotry, white male supremacy and a whole panopoly of other back-sliding. Notably, that's a pre-Biden matter. It happened because our thinking and actions were confused, to our shame.
@biggongpress @mattsheffield @atrupar
Did you notice? Biden attempted to forgive student debt and SCOTUS forbade it.
This is because sloppy voting was substantially determinative in creating the current weighting of SCOTUS.
There are plenty of real warts to complain over. We need not invent new ones.
https://www.ncsl.org/resources/details/supreme-court-strikes-down-student-loan-forgiveness-program
@biggongpress @mattsheffield @atrupar
I'll look into that, thanks.
Focus efforts on electoral mechanics, and think about how the Greens have ascended where they've been successful. The Green path in particular, but in the US that ultimately means repairing electoral mechanics.Both require enduring patience.
In the meanwhile, don't self-harm by accidentally creating fatal vote splitting.
@biggongpress @mattsheffield @atrupar
"Department of Education revised existing student loan forgiveness programs and estimates that $117 billion in loans has been canceled for more than 3.4 million borrowers during Biden’s term so far."
Having attempted to expand reach of this philosophy and then being being foiled by the vote-split wreckage of SCOTUS, after a think other tactics and strategies are play.
It's not a matter of simply wishing it away, not simple.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/joe-biden-student-loans
@biggongpress @mattsheffield @atrupar
More halting progress.
It's a matter of the power of the pen colliding with entrenched obstruction, seems like.
So, how to thread a path taking obstruction into account?
Coming back to the original topic, a fundamental problem here is a SCOTUS created by fickle perfectionist voting.
Gift link.
Matthew Sheffield
Doug Bostrom
biggongpress