Buffy the Psych ProfNov 18, 2023
Someday people will be absolutely fucking marveling at all the opportunities there were to stop Trump from getting on the ballot—legitimate reasons—and yet judges were too afraid to do it. Acting like things are normal while we slow motion slide into fascism. It’s bizarre as hell. Like does no one remember their history teacher saying that authoritarians are always elected and then there’s no more elections? What has the fucking point of teaching about fascism been?!? This is nuts
Show threadTom Bellin 

@DrPsyBuffy They remember, but they think that could be a good thing.

What our teachers should have emphasized is that many of the guardrails of our democracy (including, apparently, the rules on traitors running for president) are based on norms. And therefore, they aren't actually guardrails at all.

"Fascism is bad" is a norm. "Attempting a coup is bad" is a norm.

Nov 18, 2023 at 2:28pmWeb
Show threadWilliam HellerNov 18, 2023

@tob @DrPsyBuffy I'll pick nits here.

Not norms, preferences. Those who enforce rules have their own preferences, and if they prefer to let rulebreaking stand to exercising their institutional authority (and if they can get away with it), they will. "Who guards the guardians?" is an old, old question.

Show threadalastair87 (old account)Nov 19, 2023
@tob @DrPsyBuffy It's more obvious in Britain because our constitution isn't codified, it's explicitly a set of norms('conventions') or the consequence of certain laws such as the Human Rights Act or the Act of Succession and the Act of Union. But we don't have a 'higher' law like the US does with its Constitution. It can all be changed by Parliament, or in some cases the Prime Minister using the Royal Prerogative (technically the King does it).