Examples of Pence are telling. Also the shutting down of small businesses . . . the general American public lacks practical knowledge of what an authoritarian governance would mean on a local / or family-level.
I heartily agree with these comments. The GOP is looking to Hungary for a model, not unlike Hitler saw a model for the Nuremberg Laws in American Segregation Laws. Almost as if ‘what goes around comes around.’ Santayana comes to mind.
I was at the tender age of 8 when I first heard of protesters in Budapest being just run over by Soviet tanks and crushed under their tracks... in 1956. So, never mind the gay rights.. people were not even allowed to listen to Western music. The people of Poland and Hungary have got a real appreciation of grim life under the hammer and sickle... they value their freedom... they're much more friendly towards Pence (and Trump) than Americans are at home.
Certainly, we are obligated to call out the perversion of Christianity that Pence and his authoritarian allies preach and demonstrate. But more importantly, we have the opportunity to tell, and demonstrate, a better story. Their own Jesus told a much better story … being reminded of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount will not convince them to repent of and abandon their violent perversions, but we have the opportunity, regardless of what we each label ourselves as religiously, to preach Jesus’ beatitudes of, for instance, humility, empathy, embracing our better angels, healthy self-control, creating mutually beneficial community. Those ancient rules of engagement Jesus preached on the Mount have not succeeded as yet … the authoritarians invariably have beaten back every attempt to do so … yet, what real choice have we, but to begin again to experiment with potentially healthier responses than the zero sum violence of Pence et al, that eventually dooms them … even if they enslave the rest of us
As author Chris Hedges says about fascism, it's an easy transition from Christo-fascism to political fascism. Pence has easily made this transition. But fascism in any form is dangerous, as it creates a fantasy maelstrom that people have difficuly seeing and escaping from. For me, the most dangerous part of fascism is social Darwinism. It brings animal world cold bloodedness to society, in which segments of society are blamed for the nation's decline. Thus begins the punishment of those identified as unworthy. Pence seems to be aligned with this concept. This is a common theme in the Libertarian Party as well; the hierarchy of worth. This pecking order is reminiscent of medieval monarchies 1000 years ago. This is the direction that Pence and the new GOP want to take this nation. It's a sickness.
If we take a big picture view, it allows us to see that a 'hub of authoritarianism' has been created by Validmir Putin and Russia, we then see the spokes that are emanating from it. We envision authoritarian satellites like Hungary, Turkey, Poland, Brazil, and the US as all being targeted or already converted. The biggest prize is the U.S. and It has been slowly falling into the grip of autocracy and authoritarian control. If it were only a figure like Mike Pence leading the charge, I wouldn't be so worried. He is only a foot soldier in a much wider war. Radicals have taken down the GOP and converted it into an autocratic party led by an authoritarian cult of personality.
Now only one party in America upholds the rule of law, democracy and free fair elections. Only one party represents a majority. Only one party represents the ideal that all men/ women are created equal and should have equal access to opportunity. The last time we saw this kind of dialectical opposition and unbridgeable polarization was in the 1850s right before Forte Sumter.
Of course we couldvembrace Germany, becausevit is a democratic system that works, or France, which was the birthplace of many of our ideas of individual liberty and freedom of conscience. Or The UK, for our shared history. But no. They are going to spoon Hungary down our throats.
The GOP and the media have normalized this embrace of authoritarianism for 5 years. It is utterly unsurprising to witness the actions of Pence. I will say that the only person in the US that believes that Mike Pence has a political future is Mike Pence. There is zero chance that he will be chosen as Trump's VP...Trump is on a vengeance tour and he will never forgive Pence. Pence has zero chance of securing the presidential nomination because he's personal and political kryptonite, despised by nearly every demographic on both sides of the aisle. In any event, it's clear that Trump is already campaigning for 2024, although he's left himself a small uncharacteristic 'out' of 'pending medical concerns' (presumably in the highly unlikely event that the tide of public opinion turns rabidly anti-Trump).
To anyone reading this piece…you have less than 14 months until the midterms. Mike Pence and the vast majority of the REPUBLICAN party would like to have Washington on the Danube…
An excellent piece on Pence. I was raised in a church that held the same beliefs as Pence does. It was a fear and hate based religion that felt it was their God-given right to force anyone who did not believe that way to do so. How to do that wasn't something they quibbled over - however the job was accomplished was okay because, to them, God said it was okay. Repression, fear, damning, shunning, forcing the sinner to fast & be held apart until they acquiesced - it was all okay. Pence is a true believer and he will do whatever it takes to make the rest of us believe and live as rigidly and fearfully as he does. As a true believer he would also be okay with bringing about The End Times which to him - and all those who believe the same - means the return of Jesus and the start of 1000 years of pure misery for all of the unbelievers. I realize this may sound ridiculous or like a magical fairy tale to some and thus, they won't take it seriously. I guarantee you that a large majority of people believe this way so deeply that they won't have any problem destroying those who don't.
The Republicans embrace of Orban should cause anyone who doesn't want to be forced to live under authoritarian theocratic rule to fight against this.
Examples of Pence are telling. Also the shutting down of small businesses . . . the general American public lacks practical knowledge of what an authoritarian governance would mean on a local / or family-level.
Thank you for this elucidation of how autocracy works to gain the upper hand in specific, practical terms.
I heartily agree with these comments. The GOP is looking to Hungary for a model, not unlike Hitler saw a model for the Nuremberg Laws in American Segregation Laws. Almost as if ‘what goes around comes around.’ Santayana comes to mind.
I was at the tender age of 8 when I first heard of protesters in Budapest being just run over by Soviet tanks and crushed under their tracks... in 1956. So, never mind the gay rights.. people were not even allowed to listen to Western music. The people of Poland and Hungary have got a real appreciation of grim life under the hammer and sickle... they value their freedom... they're much more friendly towards Pence (and Trump) than Americans are at home.
Certainly, we are obligated to call out the perversion of Christianity that Pence and his authoritarian allies preach and demonstrate. But more importantly, we have the opportunity to tell, and demonstrate, a better story. Their own Jesus told a much better story … being reminded of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount will not convince them to repent of and abandon their violent perversions, but we have the opportunity, regardless of what we each label ourselves as religiously, to preach Jesus’ beatitudes of, for instance, humility, empathy, embracing our better angels, healthy self-control, creating mutually beneficial community. Those ancient rules of engagement Jesus preached on the Mount have not succeeded as yet … the authoritarians invariably have beaten back every attempt to do so … yet, what real choice have we, but to begin again to experiment with potentially healthier responses than the zero sum violence of Pence et al, that eventually dooms them … even if they enslave the rest of us
As author Chris Hedges says about fascism, it's an easy transition from Christo-fascism to political fascism. Pence has easily made this transition. But fascism in any form is dangerous, as it creates a fantasy maelstrom that people have difficuly seeing and escaping from. For me, the most dangerous part of fascism is social Darwinism. It brings animal world cold bloodedness to society, in which segments of society are blamed for the nation's decline. Thus begins the punishment of those identified as unworthy. Pence seems to be aligned with this concept. This is a common theme in the Libertarian Party as well; the hierarchy of worth. This pecking order is reminiscent of medieval monarchies 1000 years ago. This is the direction that Pence and the new GOP want to take this nation. It's a sickness.
If we take a big picture view, it allows us to see that a 'hub of authoritarianism' has been created by Validmir Putin and Russia, we then see the spokes that are emanating from it. We envision authoritarian satellites like Hungary, Turkey, Poland, Brazil, and the US as all being targeted or already converted. The biggest prize is the U.S. and It has been slowly falling into the grip of autocracy and authoritarian control. If it were only a figure like Mike Pence leading the charge, I wouldn't be so worried. He is only a foot soldier in a much wider war. Radicals have taken down the GOP and converted it into an autocratic party led by an authoritarian cult of personality.
Now only one party in America upholds the rule of law, democracy and free fair elections. Only one party represents a majority. Only one party represents the ideal that all men/ women are created equal and should have equal access to opportunity. The last time we saw this kind of dialectical opposition and unbridgeable polarization was in the 1850s right before Forte Sumter.
Of course we couldvembrace Germany, becausevit is a democratic system that works, or France, which was the birthplace of many of our ideas of individual liberty and freedom of conscience. Or The UK, for our shared history. But no. They are going to spoon Hungary down our throats.
Does this mean mass migration OUT?
The GOP and the media have normalized this embrace of authoritarianism for 5 years. It is utterly unsurprising to witness the actions of Pence. I will say that the only person in the US that believes that Mike Pence has a political future is Mike Pence. There is zero chance that he will be chosen as Trump's VP...Trump is on a vengeance tour and he will never forgive Pence. Pence has zero chance of securing the presidential nomination because he's personal and political kryptonite, despised by nearly every demographic on both sides of the aisle. In any event, it's clear that Trump is already campaigning for 2024, although he's left himself a small uncharacteristic 'out' of 'pending medical concerns' (presumably in the highly unlikely event that the tide of public opinion turns rabidly anti-Trump).
To anyone reading this piece…you have less than 14 months until the midterms. Mike Pence and the vast majority of the REPUBLICAN party would like to have Washington on the Danube…
Don’t say you haven’t been warned!
An excellent piece on Pence. I was raised in a church that held the same beliefs as Pence does. It was a fear and hate based religion that felt it was their God-given right to force anyone who did not believe that way to do so. How to do that wasn't something they quibbled over - however the job was accomplished was okay because, to them, God said it was okay. Repression, fear, damning, shunning, forcing the sinner to fast & be held apart until they acquiesced - it was all okay. Pence is a true believer and he will do whatever it takes to make the rest of us believe and live as rigidly and fearfully as he does. As a true believer he would also be okay with bringing about The End Times which to him - and all those who believe the same - means the return of Jesus and the start of 1000 years of pure misery for all of the unbelievers. I realize this may sound ridiculous or like a magical fairy tale to some and thus, they won't take it seriously. I guarantee you that a large majority of people believe this way so deeply that they won't have any problem destroying those who don't.
The Republicans embrace of Orban should cause anyone who doesn't want to be forced to live under authoritarian theocratic rule to fight against this.