This fine article by Ruth Ben-Ghiat (and Gingrich's comments) recall the writing of Aristotle's "Politics" written in 350 B.C.E wherein he describes many instances of demagogues' and tyrants' actions to keep themselves in power.
It's an old playbook - going all the way back to ancient Greece in Aristotle's day - and now in ours not seen in our history at it's current and rising level - rearing it's historic, disruptive head in the actions and words of DJT and his enablers.
Aristotle wrote:
"Revolutions are effected in two ways, by force and by fraud...Fraud is of two kinds; for (1) sometimes the citizens are deceived into acquiescing in a change of government *, and afterwards they are held in subjection against their will and (2) In other cases the people are persuaded at first, and afterwards, by a repetition of the persuasion, their goodwill and allegiance are retained ** "
* Sound familiar? January 6th 2021?...and if it had succeeded...the majority of us would be "held in subjection (to the resulting autocracy) against our will"
** The constant DJT, Republican lackeys, and other enablers repetition upon repetition of lies about the "stolen election" [reminding of Hitler's propaganda man Joseph Goebbels' statement: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it"!!] just like DJT's processionary-caterpillar-like-devotees willingly do !!
Once again - both (1) and (1) are discernable in the words and actions of DJT and his enablers and if he is returned to the Oval Office - both will not only continue but over the course of another presidency get much much worse (even bordering on the USA becoming something akin to a police state with seizing voting equipment, jailing or removing political adversaries...or worse...as advocated by some who populate the most extreme edges of groups such as Q Anon, Neo-Nazis, etc !!
So, Gingrich (who is oddly popping back up into discourse with a terrifying book) is now quoting Mussolini? This is the stuff that they need to be reporting on. Gosh knows there are no slots to fit the majority of the stories into what with how much craziness is happening, but the slow creep is now a full-on promotion of anti-democratic sentiments and voices from the right, now just even the far right let's be honest.
I fear the threats against our democracy and for our mutual constitutional freedoms. The select committee on January 6th needs our support and investigative direction as they uncover facts regarding the failed Trump coup. Pray that we are not again under the threat of the GOP yoke of conformity and submission.
Another very clear signal on what the GOP intends to do if they gain back power. The GOP "Status generation machine" is running full steam, (ref "The Status Game" by Will Storr). Separately, Putin is running his own status game in Ukraine, assisted by his American "cousins" The signs are all there but too few seem to be taking notice...........
Ughh! This is simply an ongoing Tsunami. We've all watched people on beaches as an incredibly destructive wave is about to hit. The people on the beach sometimes appear confused and follow the wave as it first recedes out to see. A few minutes later they are swept away. I worry that so many Americans are the people on the beach following the receding water. We have to be involved and get those we can involved as well. Ruth, I just heard the term Onocracy...what? I looked it up and there was an article suggesting we get ready to see this term more.
Gingrich's comment seems to be a psychological projection. We're not evil, you are. His debauchery and shenanigans were brought to light in Joe Conason's book, "Big Lies". Newt is highly suspected of being a high functioning sociopath. Given what I've read about him, this is probaby true. Sociopaths seem to love fascism, as we have seen in so many past leaders of fascism. Gingrich definitly leans in the fascist direction. The more radical Republicans get, the more likely they will choose a sociopath to lead them. Trump was the first, in what may be a long line of sociopathic leaders for their party; a dark path.
Take a circle, caress it, it will become vicious. The radicalized GOP and its authoritarian leader cult remind me of a rabid dog frothing at the mouth. There's no way to save them they have to be put down or they will put you down!
My question is - what can we ordinary citizens who hold no power beyond our soon to be useless vote do to help thwart, slow down or stop America’s rush into authoritarianism?
This is a sincere question. Is there anything we can do?
I mean beyond calling, emailing or writing our congressional reps. My three here in Indiana are all trump lapdogs, more than willing to sell out democracy to stay in power and to enact horrible, restrictive rules on all those they deem not worthy (ie. not white or rich). Two will run again most likely and the third is headed to some think tank or corporate position to continue to run things from there. None of the three give a damn about what their constituents want - not the ones who refuse to join the trump/rethuglican cult.
Is there anything that can still be done in a country where AG Garland and our FBI just don’t care either? Or are we just going to have to watch it happen?
Ruth writes that we don’t have to watch, that we are not powerless…. chapter 9 RESISTANCE, in STRONGMEN … 100’s of real life examples of people who stood up to the authoritarian hysteria and lawlessness.
I’ve read her book - which includes the chapter on past examples of resistance. I’m not going to attempt to assassinate any body. I do not have the means to start mailing out anonymous anti-Republican/trump newsletters. Nor do I have any knowledge of any underground resistance organizations to join.
So, my question remains - what can any of us not in power nor with enough financial resources to influence (or, to be crass, buy a few high-powered politicians) actually do to prevent the trump/rethuglican/theocratic authoritarian takeover?
Look for the helpers…they are all around you … pushing back on those abusing their governmental power … the last two months, while I drive my big truck around the US, I call other voters in Josephine County, Oregon, to sign a recall petition for two of our mini-Trump commissioners who have sabotaged every public health measure to stop Covid spread, leading to the tragic, unnecessary deaths of nearly 300. Others are pursuing justice for 2 young black men killed in Bend and Ashland by vigilantes, to pressure mini-trumpian district attorneys to prosecute the murderers. Others have recently prevented building a gas pipeline (JordanCove) that would have been an environmental disaster (while enriching other mini-trumps). Others are campaigning for those running for state, county, and city positions now held by mini-trumps. No one is asking you to be an assassin like Georg Elser, described in the first two pages of Ruth’s chapter on RESISTANCE… but surely you can find someone locally or in your state, who stirs your heart (already fired up!) like Ekram Imamoglu, described in the last 2 pages of that chapter … check out your Democratic Party …. Indivisible group … search for activist FB groups
Hi Randolph. No need to assume I’m doing nothing while asking what can be done to stop our march into authoritarianism. I was asking what could be done in case Ruth had an idea.
I can’t afford to leave the country - and am not 100% sure I would if I could - so I will do what I can to move to a safer place than where I live now before Nov 2022 and will keep on trying to make a difference wherever possible.
I agree with everyone, what can we do -- before the tsunami comes?
Too many good Americans (older republicans) do not see reality of history.
This is a small slice of time to stop this march. People, busy with their own lives, do NOT realize how this will impact their family. And the inability to vote, once this system is in place.
How can regular citizens make a difference when democracy is threatened with such egregious abuses of power, including the threats to our voting system. If voting rights are no longer treated as sacrosanct, even extreme grass roots efforts such as deep canvassing are futile.
Fight like hell! I signed up today with the Lincoln Projects launch Jointheunion.us . I also am signing up as a poll watcher. If you're on social media share far and wide. Try and get people to follow Ruth, for instance. Oh and follow DemocracyDocket.com (Marc Elias). There are so many things to participate in. WE MUST!
Ruth, based on your studies of other autocracies, is the inaction (or more charitably, glacial pace) by the DOJ accelerating the open descent into authoritarianism, or would it have little impact, buried under an avalanche of 'witchhunt' propaganda?
I can not and would never speak for her but my take on your question is this - yes, absolutely. I am not as charitable as you are hw, I call it not only ‘inaction’ but deliberate inaction by our DOJ and FBI.
Even if their deliberate inaction is really a glacial pace this still enables and accelerates the actions of those intent on overthrowing our government. You can distill this idea down to owning a pet or raising a child - when they act out or act up is it helpful to ignore it or deal with it immediately with the best ways possible? If a puppy begins eating your shoes, you should start training your puppy and put away your shoes. If a child begins throwing tantrums to get their way, you tell them what the rules are, impose them and don’t give in.
When people flip off subpoenas you don’t take months to bring it to a vote and you sure as shit don’t charge them and let them go so they can continue to work towards that overthrow. You use the fullest extent of the law against them - immediately. You jail them until trial. You take away their access to the internet while in jail - why? Because they will continue to do the behavior that got them in trouble to start with. When people take part in an insurrection do you slap their wrist and allow them to go on vacation? Here you do. But should you? Absolutely not. Every last one of them should have been charged with sedition and all other applicable charges and jailed until trial. Trump and all who instigated the insurrection should have been arrested immediately, charged and jailed until trial. Using the laws we have, at their fullest extent, is how you deal with such serious lawlessness and illegal activity and that is how you show others thinking about doing the same that such behavior will not ever be tolerated. Sadly, AG Garland and the FBI don’t care or are complicit. In my opinion.
Our descent toward fascism should have been recognized sooner, during the Trump administration. Trump's behavior should have been recognized sooner and action taken to remove him from office with the 25th Amendment. He absolutely needed a psychological evaluation, right at the beginning of his term. We could have nipped this authoritarian movement in the bud, although the roots would still be there in a populace ripe for it.
People did recognize what trump would do if elected and began speaking out immediately. There are far more names than these 4 but they are the ones that come to mind as I sit here and type - Sarah Kendzior, Wajahat Ali, Medhi Hasan, Elie Mystal. There was the book The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump which was a published in Oct 2017 - after the election but still. Many people spoke out. They were ignored, insulted and shunned.
Speaking for myself, the same happened to me when I tried to talk with people I knew - family and friends who were caught up in the cult from the beginning. I was called names and even after trying to reason with them, taking about each point they brought up, I was insulted again and told to “shut the fuck up, what do you know?” When I reminded them of my background of being raised in a white supremacist, highly misogynistic, racist home and religious cult, of my college education in cults, persuasion & rhetoric I was still dismissed. With more insults.
I directly fault those in positions of power who could have spoken up and done whatever they could to thwart trump and I mean Democrats, starting with Nancy Pelosi. I directly fault our news organizations and I’m talking about so-called mainstream, nonpartisan news sites like The NY Times, Washington Post, and even The Guardian. Clicks were more important than fact based reporting. Massaging Republican’s feelings (and donations from) were more important than clarity and alarm. I directly fault our DOJ and FBI for not taking violent rhetoric seriously. I directly fault then President Obama for not directing both organizations to take trump’s comment about ‘2nd amendment people to take care of Clinton” seriously and respond according to our laws. I directly fault then President Obama for not having the moral courage to stand up to Mitch McConnell and releasing the facts that were already know pre-election about Russia’s interference in our election and their hold over trump.
Every president needs psychological evaluations - once they file to run, once during the campaign and every year they are in office. (I think the same should be required for every politician.) Every politician should have to put all investments into a blind trusts and prove that it was done prior to taking office and proving it all remains so every year in office. The Supreme Court should absolutely not be allowed to monitor themselves, nor should they have lifelong appointments.
You are quite correct Steve. This all should have been taken seriously from the beginning. would add two things to this - one, from the ride down that escalator and even more so, beginning with Nixon’s Southern Strategy decades ago. The roots of the Republican’s takeover began then. People weren’t paying attention.
This fine article by Ruth Ben-Ghiat (and Gingrich's comments) recall the writing of Aristotle's "Politics" written in 350 B.C.E wherein he describes many instances of demagogues' and tyrants' actions to keep themselves in power.
It's an old playbook - going all the way back to ancient Greece in Aristotle's day - and now in ours not seen in our history at it's current and rising level - rearing it's historic, disruptive head in the actions and words of DJT and his enablers.
Aristotle wrote:
"Revolutions are effected in two ways, by force and by fraud...Fraud is of two kinds; for (1) sometimes the citizens are deceived into acquiescing in a change of government *, and afterwards they are held in subjection against their will and (2) In other cases the people are persuaded at first, and afterwards, by a repetition of the persuasion, their goodwill and allegiance are retained ** "
* Sound familiar? January 6th 2021?...and if it had succeeded...the majority of us would be "held in subjection (to the resulting autocracy) against our will"
** The constant DJT, Republican lackeys, and other enablers repetition upon repetition of lies about the "stolen election" [reminding of Hitler's propaganda man Joseph Goebbels' statement: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it"!!] just like DJT's processionary-caterpillar-like-devotees willingly do !!
Once again - both (1) and (1) are discernable in the words and actions of DJT and his enablers and if he is returned to the Oval Office - both will not only continue but over the course of another presidency get much much worse (even bordering on the USA becoming something akin to a police state with seizing voting equipment, jailing or removing political adversaries...or worse...as advocated by some who populate the most extreme edges of groups such as Q Anon, Neo-Nazis, etc !!
So, Gingrich (who is oddly popping back up into discourse with a terrifying book) is now quoting Mussolini? This is the stuff that they need to be reporting on. Gosh knows there are no slots to fit the majority of the stories into what with how much craziness is happening, but the slow creep is now a full-on promotion of anti-democratic sentiments and voices from the right, now just even the far right let's be honest.
Yeah I don't know.what Gringrich is getting out of his.fascistic stance now.as he probably will be dead In a few years from Ill health..
Also from the National Constitution Center:
https://constitutioncenter.org/calendar/rule-of-law-in-america-and-abroad-a-comparative-view
My non-apology for shamelessly promoting this “somewhat” related Zoom event:
https://www.radicalrightanalysis.com/carr-attackondemocracy-webinar-series/
I fear the threats against our democracy and for our mutual constitutional freedoms. The select committee on January 6th needs our support and investigative direction as they uncover facts regarding the failed Trump coup. Pray that we are not again under the threat of the GOP yoke of conformity and submission.
Another very clear signal on what the GOP intends to do if they gain back power. The GOP "Status generation machine" is running full steam, (ref "The Status Game" by Will Storr). Separately, Putin is running his own status game in Ukraine, assisted by his American "cousins" The signs are all there but too few seem to be taking notice...........
The volume of threats of retribution is directly proportional to the degree of criminality.
Ughh! This is simply an ongoing Tsunami. We've all watched people on beaches as an incredibly destructive wave is about to hit. The people on the beach sometimes appear confused and follow the wave as it first recedes out to see. A few minutes later they are swept away. I worry that so many Americans are the people on the beach following the receding water. We have to be involved and get those we can involved as well. Ruth, I just heard the term Onocracy...what? I looked it up and there was an article suggesting we get ready to see this term more.
Maybe you're thinking of anocracy?
Yes…🙃
Gingrich's comment seems to be a psychological projection. We're not evil, you are. His debauchery and shenanigans were brought to light in Joe Conason's book, "Big Lies". Newt is highly suspected of being a high functioning sociopath. Given what I've read about him, this is probaby true. Sociopaths seem to love fascism, as we have seen in so many past leaders of fascism. Gingrich definitly leans in the fascist direction. The more radical Republicans get, the more likely they will choose a sociopath to lead them. Trump was the first, in what may be a long line of sociopathic leaders for their party; a dark path.
Take a circle, caress it, it will become vicious. The radicalized GOP and its authoritarian leader cult remind me of a rabid dog frothing at the mouth. There's no way to save them they have to be put down or they will put you down!
Excellent piece.
My question is - what can we ordinary citizens who hold no power beyond our soon to be useless vote do to help thwart, slow down or stop America’s rush into authoritarianism?
This is a sincere question. Is there anything we can do?
I mean beyond calling, emailing or writing our congressional reps. My three here in Indiana are all trump lapdogs, more than willing to sell out democracy to stay in power and to enact horrible, restrictive rules on all those they deem not worthy (ie. not white or rich). Two will run again most likely and the third is headed to some think tank or corporate position to continue to run things from there. None of the three give a damn about what their constituents want - not the ones who refuse to join the trump/rethuglican cult.
Is there anything that can still be done in a country where AG Garland and our FBI just don’t care either? Or are we just going to have to watch it happen?
We need to educate our brethren. One neutral conversation a day at the grocery checkout ...
Ruth writes that we don’t have to watch, that we are not powerless…. chapter 9 RESISTANCE, in STRONGMEN … 100’s of real life examples of people who stood up to the authoritarian hysteria and lawlessness.
Thanks for the reply.
I’ve read her book - which includes the chapter on past examples of resistance. I’m not going to attempt to assassinate any body. I do not have the means to start mailing out anonymous anti-Republican/trump newsletters. Nor do I have any knowledge of any underground resistance organizations to join.
So, my question remains - what can any of us not in power nor with enough financial resources to influence (or, to be crass, buy a few high-powered politicians) actually do to prevent the trump/rethuglican/theocratic authoritarian takeover?
Look for the helpers…they are all around you … pushing back on those abusing their governmental power … the last two months, while I drive my big truck around the US, I call other voters in Josephine County, Oregon, to sign a recall petition for two of our mini-Trump commissioners who have sabotaged every public health measure to stop Covid spread, leading to the tragic, unnecessary deaths of nearly 300. Others are pursuing justice for 2 young black men killed in Bend and Ashland by vigilantes, to pressure mini-trumpian district attorneys to prosecute the murderers. Others have recently prevented building a gas pipeline (JordanCove) that would have been an environmental disaster (while enriching other mini-trumps). Others are campaigning for those running for state, county, and city positions now held by mini-trumps. No one is asking you to be an assassin like Georg Elser, described in the first two pages of Ruth’s chapter on RESISTANCE… but surely you can find someone locally or in your state, who stirs your heart (already fired up!) like Ekram Imamoglu, described in the last 2 pages of that chapter … check out your Democratic Party …. Indivisible group … search for activist FB groups
Hi Randolph. No need to assume I’m doing nothing while asking what can be done to stop our march into authoritarianism. I was asking what could be done in case Ruth had an idea.
I can’t afford to leave the country - and am not 100% sure I would if I could - so I will do what I can to move to a safer place than where I live now before Nov 2022 and will keep on trying to make a difference wherever possible.
I apologize for misunderstanding your question, Kasumii. Glad to hear you are active promoting some local democracy!!
No apology necessary Randolph. I could have been more specific in my original post.
I feel frustrated that there is nothing I myself can do to change our direction on a larger scale. That’s what I was trying to get at.
I agree with everyone, what can we do -- before the tsunami comes?
Too many good Americans (older republicans) do not see reality of history.
This is a small slice of time to stop this march. People, busy with their own lives, do NOT realize how this will impact their family. And the inability to vote, once this system is in place.
How can regular citizens make a difference when democracy is threatened with such egregious abuses of power, including the threats to our voting system. If voting rights are no longer treated as sacrosanct, even extreme grass roots efforts such as deep canvassing are futile.
Fight like hell! I signed up today with the Lincoln Projects launch Jointheunion.us . I also am signing up as a poll watcher. If you're on social media share far and wide. Try and get people to follow Ruth, for instance. Oh and follow DemocracyDocket.com (Marc Elias). There are so many things to participate in. WE MUST!
Thank you for specifics, keep reminding one & all in the months to come.
Good talking points. Thanks for your concrete references.
Thank you for this info! These are all helpful.
Thanks for the suggestions Susan. I do follow Democracy Docket and donate when I can. I’ll look into signing up ref elections.
I wrote my post before reading the others. Gloria said it better than I did. Same question though - what can we do?
Good to keep repeating: what can we do
Petrifying ...more so among those who study the work you and other experts do on the rise of authoritarianism....L.
Ruth, based on your studies of other autocracies, is the inaction (or more charitably, glacial pace) by the DOJ accelerating the open descent into authoritarianism, or would it have little impact, buried under an avalanche of 'witchhunt' propaganda?
I can not and would never speak for her but my take on your question is this - yes, absolutely. I am not as charitable as you are hw, I call it not only ‘inaction’ but deliberate inaction by our DOJ and FBI.
Even if their deliberate inaction is really a glacial pace this still enables and accelerates the actions of those intent on overthrowing our government. You can distill this idea down to owning a pet or raising a child - when they act out or act up is it helpful to ignore it or deal with it immediately with the best ways possible? If a puppy begins eating your shoes, you should start training your puppy and put away your shoes. If a child begins throwing tantrums to get their way, you tell them what the rules are, impose them and don’t give in.
When people flip off subpoenas you don’t take months to bring it to a vote and you sure as shit don’t charge them and let them go so they can continue to work towards that overthrow. You use the fullest extent of the law against them - immediately. You jail them until trial. You take away their access to the internet while in jail - why? Because they will continue to do the behavior that got them in trouble to start with. When people take part in an insurrection do you slap their wrist and allow them to go on vacation? Here you do. But should you? Absolutely not. Every last one of them should have been charged with sedition and all other applicable charges and jailed until trial. Trump and all who instigated the insurrection should have been arrested immediately, charged and jailed until trial. Using the laws we have, at their fullest extent, is how you deal with such serious lawlessness and illegal activity and that is how you show others thinking about doing the same that such behavior will not ever be tolerated. Sadly, AG Garland and the FBI don’t care or are complicit. In my opinion.
Thanks for reading. I’ll step off my soapbox now.
Our descent toward fascism should have been recognized sooner, during the Trump administration. Trump's behavior should have been recognized sooner and action taken to remove him from office with the 25th Amendment. He absolutely needed a psychological evaluation, right at the beginning of his term. We could have nipped this authoritarian movement in the bud, although the roots would still be there in a populace ripe for it.
Thank you for your post Steve.
People did recognize what trump would do if elected and began speaking out immediately. There are far more names than these 4 but they are the ones that come to mind as I sit here and type - Sarah Kendzior, Wajahat Ali, Medhi Hasan, Elie Mystal. There was the book The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump which was a published in Oct 2017 - after the election but still. Many people spoke out. They were ignored, insulted and shunned.
Speaking for myself, the same happened to me when I tried to talk with people I knew - family and friends who were caught up in the cult from the beginning. I was called names and even after trying to reason with them, taking about each point they brought up, I was insulted again and told to “shut the fuck up, what do you know?” When I reminded them of my background of being raised in a white supremacist, highly misogynistic, racist home and religious cult, of my college education in cults, persuasion & rhetoric I was still dismissed. With more insults.
I directly fault those in positions of power who could have spoken up and done whatever they could to thwart trump and I mean Democrats, starting with Nancy Pelosi. I directly fault our news organizations and I’m talking about so-called mainstream, nonpartisan news sites like The NY Times, Washington Post, and even The Guardian. Clicks were more important than fact based reporting. Massaging Republican’s feelings (and donations from) were more important than clarity and alarm. I directly fault our DOJ and FBI for not taking violent rhetoric seriously. I directly fault then President Obama for not directing both organizations to take trump’s comment about ‘2nd amendment people to take care of Clinton” seriously and respond according to our laws. I directly fault then President Obama for not having the moral courage to stand up to Mitch McConnell and releasing the facts that were already know pre-election about Russia’s interference in our election and their hold over trump.
Every president needs psychological evaluations - once they file to run, once during the campaign and every year they are in office. (I think the same should be required for every politician.) Every politician should have to put all investments into a blind trusts and prove that it was done prior to taking office and proving it all remains so every year in office. The Supreme Court should absolutely not be allowed to monitor themselves, nor should they have lifelong appointments.
You are quite correct Steve. This all should have been taken seriously from the beginning. would add two things to this - one, from the ride down that escalator and even more so, beginning with Nixon’s Southern Strategy decades ago. The roots of the Republican’s takeover began then. People weren’t paying attention.