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At this point a debate is not only dangerous to Trump's brand, but also to his legal standing. He simply cannot go on stage and defend himself against the inevitable attacks from Chris Christie, and maybe one or two others, without adding to his legal woes. Even if he doesn't know it, his lawyers certainly do. So, the toadies that he surrounds himself with will all be telling him that he does not need to sully himself by sharing the stage with lesser beings, especially because he has the nomination in the bag, while breathing a deep sigh of relief that he will not be there to further incriminate himself.
The truth is, Trump is finished. If the republicans really believe that he was such a great president, then the leadership owes it to him to head down to Mar Lago for the weekend, yuk it up, and figure out an exit strategy for the poor bastard. Maybe they can save face for him and themselves............................but more importantly, maybe they can save face for this country.
There are no Republican "leaders". There are only cowards and enablers of Trump and the MAGA horde. If there were leaders on the Senate side they would have brought Tuberville to heel; on the House side they would tell the Freedumb Caucus to STFU and shove their demands. But both actions would piss off Trump and the cult, so they keep silent.
Well-said! This batch of authoritarian enablers are completely organized around helping him maintain self- cohesion so that they can retain the illusion that they are connected to a source of political power. This charade is gradually crumbling, we hope.
Diane: There are ways for the GOP to refuse DT as their candidate, but it is not in their perceived self interest. They lack the political/moral will & courage & dread the fascist, terrorist MAGA faction of the GOP. Let’s remember DT’s recent threat: Those who come after me, I will come after them (to paraphrase.) The GOP could invoke &/or support Sec3/A14, making the bipartisan effort much more widespread & likely unstoppable.
Alan, I’m concerned that stmts such as ‘Trump is finished,’ are wishful thinking, underestimate and trivialize the opposition; likely delusional and to the benefit of the fascist MAGA GOP, & to the detriment of Dems. Whether or not such claims are disingenuous or heartfelt is irrelevant; they lead to complacence a fatal mistake especially when a myriad of existential crises are being decided while the GOP seeks yet again to rig the elections; since they can’t compete they cheat, borrowing words of Ian Masters@ Background Briefing.
I stand by my assessment..................................although.............................he is so frickin good at pulling another rabbit out of his MAGA hat!
He worked it out with (I think on CNN this a.m. with whoever in GA) to do his motorcade where he's going to jail (I think) to get a mugshot (for his supporters), fingerprinted (for ...) during primetime. Makes money off it. That's what too many magas are and what any remaining republican has become and even McConnell seems beat up. But, granted, in this world anything is possible.
There's no way that he knows what "save face" means or doesn't care. He appears totally incapable of feeling any sort of empathy ("cruelty is the point") or compassion and obviously prefers pitting people against one another to fight. He prefers the "strongman" image (morph mix of putin and orban and might as well add netanyahu) where these can't exist (and I always expect to be corrected if I'm wrong).
I've been watching Ruth mostly on MSNBC, so I quickly found out why rump won't debate and it makes a lot of sense. The media has a problem keeping up with this. Instead their headlines are rump won't debate and they don't connect it to putin or orban. It would be nice if they said why. All I can do is update folks on the reality and I do it as often as I can and it's maddening.
Excellent point. They need to make the connections. Dot-to-dot. A+B=C. Being lax right now is detrimental -- to the media's future a$ well. There will be no media soon, if we don't step up
These are people who are no longer capable of connecting dots. Their thinking and reasoning abilities have been sucked dry like Dracula in a room full of long-necked people.
I agree. There's an abundance of violence (fascism is a great tool for that) will do that to us and for a reason you just stated - people are no longer able to connect all the dots. I finally saw the dots I accumulated and saw the connections. Now, I'd like to bury my head in the sand except I can't do that.
is owned by oligarchs. The GOP has historically favored the interests of the morbidly rich; tax cuts for the wealthy; cheap, unorganized labor; deregulation for corporate America, etc. Note media’s penchant for Orwellian euphemisms when ‘reporting’ on existential threats such as the climate crisis, now an undeclared emergency— referred to as climate change.
I know what you mean… It took members of the media years to begin to call out this man's multiple psychopathologies and inadequacies, not to mention his thuggish criminality. But keep doing it, Sherri! It's another ripple on the pond of public opinion.
In the beginning of this horror story, psychologists were unwilling to "diagnose" rump. The mantra was it can't be done unless he's seen and diagnosed in person. I think after he was able to repeat 5 words in a row, it made him diagnosable and he sounded like an idiot (nothing new) but it got the attention he constantly seeks. I thought it was crazy and in retrospect, he was doing just what Ruth describes in "Strongmen".
Sherri, actually thousands of mental health professionals were more than willing to describe the dangerousness of Trump and all the diagnosable reasons for recognizing it. Dr. Bandy Lee, edited the first book of essays by 27 prominent psychologists that was silenced after that by the American Psychiatric Association who threw up the so-called "Goldwater rule" that therapists couldn't diagnose from a distance. Very unfortunately the media picked up on this or they were coerced into silencing Dr. Lee and multiple others who were more than ready to warn the public about Trump's multiple psychopathologies, inadequacies, and criminal mind. However, after two or three years some in the media began to get it and certain professionals like Justin Frank, and Lance Dodes did appear on MSNBC. Not often and not enough but it began to ripple through the media-sphere and words like "unfit," began to be used. Even words like "delusional" were used now and then.
These last seven or eight years have been like a master class in the psychopathology of tyrants and hopefully, many more people in prominent positions, like Ruth, will be calling out the characteristics of autocrats that make them so dangerous. An informed citizenry in a self-respecting democracy can protect against giving tyrants the power to harm us.
Madeline, Dr. Bandy Lee paid a heavy price for her heroic efforts, fired by Yale. I need to check the status of the lawsuit filed by Dr. Lee against her employer, Yale. I’m hoping she finds justice, but I won’t hold my breath. Regardless, she did the right thing. She’s an antifascist worthy of being honored by Lucid. In all candor, Dr. RBG should to be similarly honored.
Robert, sadly, Dr. Lee lost her lawsuit against Yale although I don't know the details of the cases made on either side. She's teaching, and may be founding an institute on violence prevention at Union Theological Seminary. She and Ruth know each other for sure. :)
The media was also painfully slow in recognizing rump's use of fascist politics. His belief in social Darwinism was rampant and was something that he promoted to his crowds. His wreckless national chauvinism was a clear sign of his fascist leanings. His promotion of violence was another symptom. The media said nothing for years, while rump used the media platform to sell his nonsense and move us toward authoritarianism.
Before we can ban fascist speech, we have to recognize what it is. By the time the media recognized it, the damage had been done. I don't believe that freedom of speech should be extended to the promotion of fascism.
Steve: It sounds nuts. I'm likely being repetitive. But in college and for some years after, I thought inciting violence was the exception to free speech. I remember scouring the internet for this. I don't think I ever found it. This was pre-rump. I also remember GWB commenting to Obama at the 2016 inauguration that he may have been the last republican president.
The media opted out of commenting about fascism. I've said this before that Joy Reid on her weekend show promised a show on fascism and that never happened. But why? Adam Schiff (I'm 80% sure) had meetings he advertised on fascism and it still was barely covered. HRC warned us. Everyone warned us and here we are.
Defamation, libel, slander and speech promoting the overthrow of the nation are unacceptable under our freedom of speech, as I recall. Fascist speech fits into that last category, although nothing was done about it. What a mistake!
One of the writers who altered and shaped my understanding of "war is politics by other means," is Hannah Arendt in her work "On Violence." If you already know this, I apologize for assuming. If you haven't, in the first 10-15 pages, she lays out an easy-to-read argument about why & how public leaders are (or choose to be) "half-conscious of the clear truth" of the role of violence in politics.
Biden is not going to debate in the primary either and for many of the same reasons: fear of appearing weak, losing his brand, would like to appear above the field... Combined with the MS Dem anger over third party "spoilers," the Dem Party acts as autocratic, or at least, as anti-democratic as the GOP when it comes to primary debates.
Biden should debate whomever qualifies for the primary debates. Refusing to participate, or even raising the possibility of not participating, in primary debates raises the question: will the Dem party assist in the destruction of the public common, the agora, and contestations within public discourse by reducing public, political debate? Biden cannot run on a pro-democracy agenda, while at the same time, lessening democracy within the Democratic party by not participating in primary debates, or diminishing their importance with the suggestion he may not participate. Well, he can, and probably will, and so far has, but such a two-faced posture will further suppress votes.
Reviving democratic practices within the Democratic party is a big issue with young people and independents. The consultant class assumption that young and independent voters will eventually vote for Biden because there will be no other choice come election day, is a form of blindly self-interested political messianism that is simply not credible if the party itself works to ensure there are no other choices by scuttling primary debates or reduces contesting voices within the party by belittling primary challengers as frauds or pro-trump dupes. If neither Trump nor Biden participate in primary debates, Biden's non-participation will legitimize Trump's for the right, as it demonstrates that Biden is not interested in democratic practices to the left.
JH: I’m inclined to agree. Biden should (must?) debate. Legitimate Dem challengers aught to run in the primaries while avoiding the circular firing squad. Having said that, if/when Biden wins he should be supported & third pseudo dem parties need to be shunned & condemned. The alternative will be fatal & should be obvious to anyone paying attention.
Any autocracy, particularly the rather oxymoronic "electoral" varieties, have serious challenges with succession. Trump will not be around forever, and then what? The Republican party will be suspended off a cliff with no parachute.
I suggest that they concede all elections, go out into the wilderness, and regroup. Think about it..........................the dems will overreach and the GOP will be back in business, easily in 2 to 4 years.
I question why the Republican cult even goes forward with a debate. The cult as a whole does not pretend to care about issues, only personalities. Former Senator Bob Dole (R-Kansas) - whom I didn't consider highly - once said "Americans vote with their pocketbooks." Now it seems like Republicans vote for someone that they would like to be like.
I agree. Reality TV has everyone competing for . . . What? It's superficial. Newsflash to MAGA followers: most are middle-class taxpayers, with no hope of becoming an oligarch with a yacht. Get with the program, vote who will improve your world!, I say.
Yes, they seem to idealize power the way adolescent boys do. No other virtues, like decency, generosity, compassion, mean anything to them. Those are for the "weak" people like women and "girlie men." This batch of billionaire toadies prefers to live in a thugocracy where they retain the delusion of self-importance. 😝
I in know way mean to diminsh your report. It is spot on. But the truth is for those of us who know better, his strongman canard and its techniques have been obvious for the past 8 years. Its hard to believe that over a hundred million educated Americans didnt, and still dont, see it. And that's what I really dont get!
I'll say it again: if a person like the Donald can become President of the United States of America that says more about the mood of the country than all the polls in the last 20 years. Professor Ben-Ghiat is there any precedent from history with regard to democratic backsliding? Why are citizens all over the western world falling to the lure of autocrats?
In my opinion, the internet (wild wild west) has dumbed us down to dodo heads. People are not reading in-depth. Uneducated people profess to being experts in medicine, politics/ culture, you name it. Surface knowledge doesn't cut the mustard!
I agree. I specifically blame forty years of hate-radio funded by Rupert Murdoch and his white, male supremacist brainwashing machine. Murdoch trained his listeners to blame all their woes on Black folks, immigrants, "girlie-men," democrats, "the libs," women and anything "feminine." No mention of the billionaire, Republican CEO's who took millions of jobs oversees and failed to retrain the blue-collar workers they heartlessly abandoned.
Byline supplement substack Aug 14 / 16 / 17 doing series that offers possible answers to your last question, Urich. An intersection of fossilized government and economic institutions inadequately dealing with worsening climate crisis, producing extreme food and water crises, that then create tensions with neighboring countries ... fertile ground for fascist strongmen
I don't think it can be said enough that autocrats want chaos. It creates a need for an imposed order. Not showing up at the debate but turning himself in to Fulton County officials the day after the debate is a great way to stir things up, draw more attention to one's self, and appear to be in 'control' of the chaos, thus appealing to those who who feel out of control, that he "alone can fix it" and is doing so by example, playing the victim but acting as perpetrator in the scenario. Being proactive in creating reactivity. It's hard not divide autocratic supporters into two categories, yet I do it anyway: Rubes and accomplices. I suspect it's a Venn diagram with a large intersecting middle. And as we've watched Rudy Gialiani seemingly move from accomplice to rube, I've been wondering how that affects offers. Weislberg remained a convicted accomplice. Cohen turned. I do wonder if other accomplices are watching Rudy and wondering about their next move. And does Trump do anything about that or let Rudy fall. My suspicion based on what you're saying is that he blames Rudy and portrays him as weak, while "remaining strong" himself and creating other chaotic distractions to let his slight of hand show continue.
Keith, I agree entirely with your assessment here. Anyone who shows an ounce of self regard or self preservation is a traitor in Trump's mind and he'll denigrate them, banish them, or attempt to annihilate them in other peoples eyes.
Thank you, Ruth, for once again reminding us that we can't understand a person's behavior if we don't understand what motivates them internally. As you've accurately described, TFG is psychologically organized around preserving an image of omnipotence, to himself and to his followers. This is because his sense of self-worth is really very fragile and is being defended by this protective grandiosity. This is obvious because when he feels threatened in any way, by anyone else's power, confidence, or authority, he attacks them through ridicule or defamation in an attempt to appear unaffected. When these attempts to gain the upper hand don't succeed, his grandiosity is punctured and he melts down into a narcissistic rage. These fits of annihilating fury occur behind the scenes. He is careful not to show the public any manifestation of vulnerability.
However, it is likely that with the challenge of the gag order just imposed by a judge in Georgia, he will not be able to contain his urge to defend himself by attacking others. Without the outlet of defending himself by bringing others down, he has no other way of avoiding the fact that he is no longer king of the hill. He will either not be able to contain himself and break the gag order, or he will find himself in an emotional corner with no way to defend his wounded pride. He'll either be in a perpetual rage behind the scenes, fall into a depressed state, or become even more delusional. So far, 45 has been able to maintain the illusion of being all-powerful in public. That's why he won't appear on the level playing field of a candidates' debate, as you've explained. But with this gag order in place, we'll see what happens.
Keyword = spontaneity. These types of people lack humor, spontaneity and the ability to react in a non- stiff nature. Their minds are polluted with keeping track of their lies and others' lies, as well as how these abundant, evolving lies 'fit in' to the overall scheme or compounding schemes (theirs and other). Is there a way to exploit (generally don't like this word, but ...) this lack of spontaneity/ humor to our benefit? For instance, if asked/ told a joke in good-natured, they are flat-footed. Puppets to their script.
NO surprise that Trump is going to be absent from the GOP debate tomorrow. He is too lazy and sluggish to prepare for the event. After all, Trump can ONLY talk about himself and how the world is attacking him! Boo-who . . .
It'll be a repeat of his stint with the insurrection....................................relaxing in the comfort of his living room watching all the action.................and making Amerika great again.
The Desantis debating strategy memo, which says he'll defend Trump is another reminder what I've said before and keep saying. It wouldn't surprise me to see Trump in 24 actually pick Desantis as his running mate. Yeah it sounds crazy but if you see it within the context of authoritarian logic it makes lots of sense. I know Nicki Haley, Kari Lake and the odious MTG all fantasize about being Trump's running mate for VP. And as unpredictable as Trump can be, anyone of them could be on his shortlist. But again, a neo fascist robot like Desantis still should not be counted out.
All fascists are either psychopaths or sociopaths & w/o exception are dangerous. Anyone w/o empathy, is dangerous. Some, more so than others. I’m splitting hairs, but as usual I agree with you. Thanks.
In the "old days" people like the former guy and his hench people were simply taken out and shot as an example of what happens when you try to take down the government. (however, that tended to happen more to the population who resisted the type of gov't the former guy and his hench people want).
I guess we have to approach this tangled mess with a "one problem at a time" mind set. The the head out of the equation, and then root out the followers AND fix the problem that allowed for his followers to be suckered in.
In the GOP's world of post-truth and treachery, someone like Christie, who attempts honesty, will be viewed as a traitor to the cause.
At this point a debate is not only dangerous to Trump's brand, but also to his legal standing. He simply cannot go on stage and defend himself against the inevitable attacks from Chris Christie, and maybe one or two others, without adding to his legal woes. Even if he doesn't know it, his lawyers certainly do. So, the toadies that he surrounds himself with will all be telling him that he does not need to sully himself by sharing the stage with lesser beings, especially because he has the nomination in the bag, while breathing a deep sigh of relief that he will not be there to further incriminate himself.
The truth is, Trump is finished. If the republicans really believe that he was such a great president, then the leadership owes it to him to head down to Mar Lago for the weekend, yuk it up, and figure out an exit strategy for the poor bastard. Maybe they can save face for him and themselves............................but more importantly, maybe they can save face for this country.
You really think he cares about the good of the country?
probably not
Definitely not.
There are no Republican "leaders". There are only cowards and enablers of Trump and the MAGA horde. If there were leaders on the Senate side they would have brought Tuberville to heel; on the House side they would tell the Freedumb Caucus to STFU and shove their demands. But both actions would piss off Trump and the cult, so they keep silent.
Well-said! This batch of authoritarian enablers are completely organized around helping him maintain self- cohesion so that they can retain the illusion that they are connected to a source of political power. This charade is gradually crumbling, we hope.
And those who assisted in maintaining the charade just answer for their actions as well.
I agree: “… those who assisted in maintaining the charade [must/should] answer for their actions as well.”
Wish there was a way the Republican Party could refuse him as their candidate if he doesn't debate.
Diane: There are ways for the GOP to refuse DT as their candidate, but it is not in their perceived self interest. They lack the political/moral will & courage & dread the fascist, terrorist MAGA faction of the GOP. Let’s remember DT’s recent threat: Those who come after me, I will come after them (to paraphrase.) The GOP could invoke &/or support Sec3/A14, making the bipartisan effort much more widespread & likely unstoppable.
Alan, I’m concerned that stmts such as ‘Trump is finished,’ are wishful thinking, underestimate and trivialize the opposition; likely delusional and to the benefit of the fascist MAGA GOP, & to the detriment of Dems. Whether or not such claims are disingenuous or heartfelt is irrelevant; they lead to complacence a fatal mistake especially when a myriad of existential crises are being decided while the GOP seeks yet again to rig the elections; since they can’t compete they cheat, borrowing words of Ian Masters@ Background Briefing.
I stand by my assessment..................................although.............................he is so frickin good at pulling another rabbit out of his MAGA hat!
Too late for that. Now there is no exit strategy.
He worked it out with (I think on CNN this a.m. with whoever in GA) to do his motorcade where he's going to jail (I think) to get a mugshot (for his supporters), fingerprinted (for ...) during primetime. Makes money off it. That's what too many magas are and what any remaining republican has become and even McConnell seems beat up. But, granted, in this world anything is possible.
There's no way that he knows what "save face" means or doesn't care. He appears totally incapable of feeling any sort of empathy ("cruelty is the point") or compassion and obviously prefers pitting people against one another to fight. He prefers the "strongman" image (morph mix of putin and orban and might as well add netanyahu) where these can't exist (and I always expect to be corrected if I'm wrong).
Exactly, and well-said!
Everything he would say could and will be used against him.
I've been watching Ruth mostly on MSNBC, so I quickly found out why rump won't debate and it makes a lot of sense. The media has a problem keeping up with this. Instead their headlines are rump won't debate and they don't connect it to putin or orban. It would be nice if they said why. All I can do is update folks on the reality and I do it as often as I can and it's maddening.
Excellent point. They need to make the connections. Dot-to-dot. A+B=C. Being lax right now is detrimental -- to the media's future a$ well. There will be no media soon, if we don't step up
These are people who are no longer capable of connecting dots. Their thinking and reasoning abilities have been sucked dry like Dracula in a room full of long-necked people.
I agree. There's an abundance of violence (fascism is a great tool for that) will do that to us and for a reason you just stated - people are no longer able to connect all the dots. I finally saw the dots I accumulated and saw the connections. Now, I'd like to bury my head in the sand except I can't do that.
Jan: Much of the media
is owned by oligarchs. The GOP has historically favored the interests of the morbidly rich; tax cuts for the wealthy; cheap, unorganized labor; deregulation for corporate America, etc. Note media’s penchant for Orwellian euphemisms when ‘reporting’ on existential threats such as the climate crisis, now an undeclared emergency— referred to as climate change.
I know what you mean… It took members of the media years to begin to call out this man's multiple psychopathologies and inadequacies, not to mention his thuggish criminality. But keep doing it, Sherri! It's another ripple on the pond of public opinion.
In the beginning of this horror story, psychologists were unwilling to "diagnose" rump. The mantra was it can't be done unless he's seen and diagnosed in person. I think after he was able to repeat 5 words in a row, it made him diagnosable and he sounded like an idiot (nothing new) but it got the attention he constantly seeks. I thought it was crazy and in retrospect, he was doing just what Ruth describes in "Strongmen".
Sherri, actually thousands of mental health professionals were more than willing to describe the dangerousness of Trump and all the diagnosable reasons for recognizing it. Dr. Bandy Lee, edited the first book of essays by 27 prominent psychologists that was silenced after that by the American Psychiatric Association who threw up the so-called "Goldwater rule" that therapists couldn't diagnose from a distance. Very unfortunately the media picked up on this or they were coerced into silencing Dr. Lee and multiple others who were more than ready to warn the public about Trump's multiple psychopathologies, inadequacies, and criminal mind. However, after two or three years some in the media began to get it and certain professionals like Justin Frank, and Lance Dodes did appear on MSNBC. Not often and not enough but it began to ripple through the media-sphere and words like "unfit," began to be used. Even words like "delusional" were used now and then.
These last seven or eight years have been like a master class in the psychopathology of tyrants and hopefully, many more people in prominent positions, like Ruth, will be calling out the characteristics of autocrats that make them so dangerous. An informed citizenry in a self-respecting democracy can protect against giving tyrants the power to harm us.
Madeline, Dr. Bandy Lee paid a heavy price for her heroic efforts, fired by Yale. I need to check the status of the lawsuit filed by Dr. Lee against her employer, Yale. I’m hoping she finds justice, but I won’t hold my breath. Regardless, she did the right thing. She’s an antifascist worthy of being honored by Lucid. In all candor, Dr. RBG should to be similarly honored.
Robert, sadly, Dr. Lee lost her lawsuit against Yale although I don't know the details of the cases made on either side. She's teaching, and may be founding an institute on violence prevention at Union Theological Seminary. She and Ruth know each other for sure. :)
Dr Lee guested on a Lucid zoom gathering, thinking it was early July, just the court decision was decided against her right to sue Yale
The media was also painfully slow in recognizing rump's use of fascist politics. His belief in social Darwinism was rampant and was something that he promoted to his crowds. His wreckless national chauvinism was a clear sign of his fascist leanings. His promotion of violence was another symptom. The media said nothing for years, while rump used the media platform to sell his nonsense and move us toward authoritarianism.
Before we can ban fascist speech, we have to recognize what it is. By the time the media recognized it, the damage had been done. I don't believe that freedom of speech should be extended to the promotion of fascism.
Steve: It sounds nuts. I'm likely being repetitive. But in college and for some years after, I thought inciting violence was the exception to free speech. I remember scouring the internet for this. I don't think I ever found it. This was pre-rump. I also remember GWB commenting to Obama at the 2016 inauguration that he may have been the last republican president.
The media opted out of commenting about fascism. I've said this before that Joy Reid on her weekend show promised a show on fascism and that never happened. But why? Adam Schiff (I'm 80% sure) had meetings he advertised on fascism and it still was barely covered. HRC warned us. Everyone warned us and here we are.
Defamation, libel, slander and speech promoting the overthrow of the nation are unacceptable under our freedom of speech, as I recall. Fascist speech fits into that last category, although nothing was done about it. What a mistake!
One of the writers who altered and shaped my understanding of "war is politics by other means," is Hannah Arendt in her work "On Violence." If you already know this, I apologize for assuming. If you haven't, in the first 10-15 pages, she lays out an easy-to-read argument about why & how public leaders are (or choose to be) "half-conscious of the clear truth" of the role of violence in politics.
Steve, very well said and worthy of repeating:
“… [F]reedom of speech should [not] be extended to the promotion of fascism.” Thank you.
Biden is not going to debate in the primary either and for many of the same reasons: fear of appearing weak, losing his brand, would like to appear above the field... Combined with the MS Dem anger over third party "spoilers," the Dem Party acts as autocratic, or at least, as anti-democratic as the GOP when it comes to primary debates.
Who's he going to deabte RFK Jr.? He's a fraud; living off the family name.
As usual, youre guilty of a false equivalency. (i.e., Hunter Biden is as bad as the conspiracy to overturn the election)
Biden should debate whomever qualifies for the primary debates. Refusing to participate, or even raising the possibility of not participating, in primary debates raises the question: will the Dem party assist in the destruction of the public common, the agora, and contestations within public discourse by reducing public, political debate? Biden cannot run on a pro-democracy agenda, while at the same time, lessening democracy within the Democratic party by not participating in primary debates, or diminishing their importance with the suggestion he may not participate. Well, he can, and probably will, and so far has, but such a two-faced posture will further suppress votes.
Reviving democratic practices within the Democratic party is a big issue with young people and independents. The consultant class assumption that young and independent voters will eventually vote for Biden because there will be no other choice come election day, is a form of blindly self-interested political messianism that is simply not credible if the party itself works to ensure there are no other choices by scuttling primary debates or reduces contesting voices within the party by belittling primary challengers as frauds or pro-trump dupes. If neither Trump nor Biden participate in primary debates, Biden's non-participation will legitimize Trump's for the right, as it demonstrates that Biden is not interested in democratic practices to the left.
Not buyin anything you wrote.
JH: I’m inclined to agree. Biden should (must?) debate. Legitimate Dem challengers aught to run in the primaries while avoiding the circular firing squad. Having said that, if/when Biden wins he should be supported & third pseudo dem parties need to be shunned & condemned. The alternative will be fatal & should be obvious to anyone paying attention.
Oh puleeese. What nonsense.
Any autocracy, particularly the rather oxymoronic "electoral" varieties, have serious challenges with succession. Trump will not be around forever, and then what? The Republican party will be suspended off a cliff with no parachute.
I suggest that they concede all elections, go out into the wilderness, and regroup. Think about it..........................the dems will overreach and the GOP will be back in business, easily in 2 to 4 years.
Lord, I hope not!
I question why the Republican cult even goes forward with a debate. The cult as a whole does not pretend to care about issues, only personalities. Former Senator Bob Dole (R-Kansas) - whom I didn't consider highly - once said "Americans vote with their pocketbooks." Now it seems like Republicans vote for someone that they would like to be like.
I agree. Reality TV has everyone competing for . . . What? It's superficial. Newsflash to MAGA followers: most are middle-class taxpayers, with no hope of becoming an oligarch with a yacht. Get with the program, vote who will improve your world!, I say.
Yes, they seem to idealize power the way adolescent boys do. No other virtues, like decency, generosity, compassion, mean anything to them. Those are for the "weak" people like women and "girlie men." This batch of billionaire toadies prefers to live in a thugocracy where they retain the delusion of self-importance. 😝
Yeah, the GOP has become a cult of machismo. It's one of the important characteristics of fascism, the politics of lunacy.
"Now it seems like Republicans vote for someone that they would like to be like."
And if that person they long to be like is a sadistic, Machiavellian sociopath, we can see why the nation has become a smoldering hellscape.
I in know way mean to diminsh your report. It is spot on. But the truth is for those of us who know better, his strongman canard and its techniques have been obvious for the past 8 years. Its hard to believe that over a hundred million educated Americans didnt, and still dont, see it. And that's what I really dont get!
I'll say it again: if a person like the Donald can become President of the United States of America that says more about the mood of the country than all the polls in the last 20 years. Professor Ben-Ghiat is there any precedent from history with regard to democratic backsliding? Why are citizens all over the western world falling to the lure of autocrats?
In my opinion, the internet (wild wild west) has dumbed us down to dodo heads. People are not reading in-depth. Uneducated people profess to being experts in medicine, politics/ culture, you name it. Surface knowledge doesn't cut the mustard!
Urich: I blame schools, sports, entertainment, and the media for dumbing down people at home and abroad. Forgot to add social media.
I agree. I specifically blame forty years of hate-radio funded by Rupert Murdoch and his white, male supremacist brainwashing machine. Murdoch trained his listeners to blame all their woes on Black folks, immigrants, "girlie-men," democrats, "the libs," women and anything "feminine." No mention of the billionaire, Republican CEO's who took millions of jobs oversees and failed to retrain the blue-collar workers they heartlessly abandoned.
Byline supplement substack Aug 14 / 16 / 17 doing series that offers possible answers to your last question, Urich. An intersection of fossilized government and economic institutions inadequately dealing with worsening climate crisis, producing extreme food and water crises, that then create tensions with neighboring countries ... fertile ground for fascist strongmen
I don't think it can be said enough that autocrats want chaos. It creates a need for an imposed order. Not showing up at the debate but turning himself in to Fulton County officials the day after the debate is a great way to stir things up, draw more attention to one's self, and appear to be in 'control' of the chaos, thus appealing to those who who feel out of control, that he "alone can fix it" and is doing so by example, playing the victim but acting as perpetrator in the scenario. Being proactive in creating reactivity. It's hard not divide autocratic supporters into two categories, yet I do it anyway: Rubes and accomplices. I suspect it's a Venn diagram with a large intersecting middle. And as we've watched Rudy Gialiani seemingly move from accomplice to rube, I've been wondering how that affects offers. Weislberg remained a convicted accomplice. Cohen turned. I do wonder if other accomplices are watching Rudy and wondering about their next move. And does Trump do anything about that or let Rudy fall. My suspicion based on what you're saying is that he blames Rudy and portrays him as weak, while "remaining strong" himself and creating other chaotic distractions to let his slight of hand show continue.
Keith, I agree entirely with your assessment here. Anyone who shows an ounce of self regard or self preservation is a traitor in Trump's mind and he'll denigrate them, banish them, or attempt to annihilate them in other peoples eyes.
Thank you, Ruth, for once again reminding us that we can't understand a person's behavior if we don't understand what motivates them internally. As you've accurately described, TFG is psychologically organized around preserving an image of omnipotence, to himself and to his followers. This is because his sense of self-worth is really very fragile and is being defended by this protective grandiosity. This is obvious because when he feels threatened in any way, by anyone else's power, confidence, or authority, he attacks them through ridicule or defamation in an attempt to appear unaffected. When these attempts to gain the upper hand don't succeed, his grandiosity is punctured and he melts down into a narcissistic rage. These fits of annihilating fury occur behind the scenes. He is careful not to show the public any manifestation of vulnerability.
However, it is likely that with the challenge of the gag order just imposed by a judge in Georgia, he will not be able to contain his urge to defend himself by attacking others. Without the outlet of defending himself by bringing others down, he has no other way of avoiding the fact that he is no longer king of the hill. He will either not be able to contain himself and break the gag order, or he will find himself in an emotional corner with no way to defend his wounded pride. He'll either be in a perpetual rage behind the scenes, fall into a depressed state, or become even more delusional. So far, 45 has been able to maintain the illusion of being all-powerful in public. That's why he won't appear on the level playing field of a candidates' debate, as you've explained. But with this gag order in place, we'll see what happens.
Keyword = spontaneity. These types of people lack humor, spontaneity and the ability to react in a non- stiff nature. Their minds are polluted with keeping track of their lies and others' lies, as well as how these abundant, evolving lies 'fit in' to the overall scheme or compounding schemes (theirs and other). Is there a way to exploit (generally don't like this word, but ...) this lack of spontaneity/ humor to our benefit? For instance, if asked/ told a joke in good-natured, they are flat-footed. Puppets to their script.
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As far as Trump debating, it’s hard for them to hide his ineptitude! Plus, his cowardice comes through clearly!
NO surprise that Trump is going to be absent from the GOP debate tomorrow. He is too lazy and sluggish to prepare for the event. After all, Trump can ONLY talk about himself and how the world is attacking him! Boo-who . . .
Trump will be at the debates. Sitting in the audience.
It'll be a repeat of his stint with the insurrection....................................relaxing in the comfort of his living room watching all the action.................and making Amerika great again.
The Desantis debating strategy memo, which says he'll defend Trump is another reminder what I've said before and keep saying. It wouldn't surprise me to see Trump in 24 actually pick Desantis as his running mate. Yeah it sounds crazy but if you see it within the context of authoritarian logic it makes lots of sense. I know Nicki Haley, Kari Lake and the odious MTG all fantasize about being Trump's running mate for VP. And as unpredictable as Trump can be, anyone of them could be on his shortlist. But again, a neo fascist robot like Desantis still should not be counted out.
In true fascist thinking, Lake and Haley will probably not be considered, due to their gender.
Lake is truly dangerous, as I heard her speak several times in her run for AZ governor. I suspect her of being a sociopath.
Lake is full fascist Trumpian demagogue and yes dangerous! Or as Ruth would say a mini Trump.
All fascists are either psychopaths or sociopaths & w/o exception are dangerous. Anyone w/o empathy, is dangerous. Some, more so than others. I’m splitting hairs, but as usual I agree with you. Thanks.
In the "old days" people like the former guy and his hench people were simply taken out and shot as an example of what happens when you try to take down the government. (however, that tended to happen more to the population who resisted the type of gov't the former guy and his hench people want).
I guess we have to approach this tangled mess with a "one problem at a time" mind set. The the head out of the equation, and then root out the followers AND fix the problem that allowed for his followers to be suckered in.