You're probably right about the US recovering from this. For now, though, I'm focusing on keeping my loved ones alive and sane through this madness.
2 months ago
| 185
A whole lot of people took an oath to The Constitution then ignored it for Trump. Those people must be held accountable and I'd like to start with the cancellation of lifetime pensions for members of Congress. Who's with me?
2 months ago
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Rome was a democracy that hated kings for centuries but when they went to a monarchy, they called their king 'imperator'. This was to mean "I'm not a king at all" but eventually came to mean 'king of kings'! Not only did that not change for the rest of the empire's existence but it went on to be a part of other cultures too. I don't think the US is so safe either.
2 months ago | 18
I agree, your optimism is vital, and as worrisome as the similarities to Germany are it’s also very inspiring to see so many people recognize that and call it out. Also I don’t think Musk could command the same kind of voting power Tr*mp has but like you said, time will tell.
2 months ago
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as a german civilian, i wouldn't say we had democracy "imposed upon us" at the end of ww1: when germany lost the war, military command didn't accept the loss, so they sent supplies civilians needed to survive to the front lines, which kept the military loyal but caused the civilians to revolt and ultimately abolish the monarchy. the treaty of versailles disempowered the military, which helped the revolution by preventing a coup (well, mostly). there was indeed a large faction that would have said weimar was imposed upon them, but that's just not true, or at least a gross oversimplification, for the whole country.
2 months ago (edited) | 16
A democracy based on religion sould ABSOLUTELY be abandoned. They had that part correct. Ours is not, and MUST remain that way.
2 months ago | 1
Trump is just one person. He goes, we still have Vance, Ramaswami, Johnson, and all the moderates who sat back and complied. This is bigger than one person.
2 months ago | 1
The lack of violence tells me most people still believe in our institutions.
2 months ago
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The problem is, the more they break things and the more they divide us, the longer it will take to 'recover', whatever that might mean. We will never be able to go back to what we had, and who knows who will be the one choosing what we have in the future.
2 months ago | 18
Our representatives don’t represent us, they represent the rich donors and corporations who pay them. Our current government is an embarrassment
2 months ago | 6
Thank you for saying this, Owen. Roo often I slide into despair. I'm trying to overcome that.
2 months ago | 4
Perhaps you will recover over there, but... and it's a significant but... It's a lot(!) easier and faster to tear something down than it is to build it back up again. Just remember that.
2 months ago | 47
I'm tired of waiting for things to get better. "It's gonna get worse before it gets better" has been whispered in my ear for my entire adult life And I don't believe it. It's just going to get worse and worse and worse Unless something is done now.. something immediate, shocking, permanent. Something that lets them know they aren't allowed to do this.
2 months ago | 1
God I hope you are right. I’m actually sorta hopeless at the idea of any legitimate election having at this point
2 months ago | 2
My current fear is the slashing of budgets. With major departments being cut right now. We are vulnerable to outside attack!
2 months ago | 2
His age is what gives me hope that it won't last long. And like you said, when orange Jesus is gone, no one else can demand the loyalty quite as well
2 months ago | 15
More importantly, we shouldn’t ignore the causes of what let us slide that far doen and the changes necessary to stop it
2 months ago | 17
There's a small part of me that hopes America never recovers from this - at least not fully. America needs some scars for the people to truly learn anything. Only then will enough people be willing to consider building something BETTER instead of a return to the way things were.
2 months ago | 9
Owen Morgan (Telltale)
germans had democracy imposed upon them in the 1920s-1930s when germany signed the treaty of versailles. not a direct result of the treaty, but around the same time - the monarchy collapsed and a full democracy formed. their constitution said it was for the people, by the people, but the church (95% of the population) felt that was blasphemous. they believed the only legitimate government is given by god, and many believed it should be a kingdom.
they gave up democracy at the first opportunity. the US, on the other hand, has a long cultural history of valuing democracy and the constitution. and hating kings. it's built in from a young age. i believe if we collapse into full dictatorship, it wont be long before we dig ourselves out again
right now i would consider the US a hybrid system. i believe our elections still work for the most part, but the elected representative doesnt value the rule of law or the constitution at all. i believe our institutions will hold if he loses an election.
additionally, he hasnt named a successor. even if he did, nobody can command the level of obedience that he commands. most right wing politicians would not violate their constitutional oath for JD vance, for example.
Elon musk is ineligible to run because he’s an immigrant.
hitler took control when he was in his 30s-50s. trump is like 97. for those reasons, i believe we will recover.
but time will tell.
edit: the analysis about germany having democracy imposed upon them is not my analysis - it's Richard J. Evans's analysis from the book The Coming of the Third Reich. that's where i got this particular historical information.
2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 1,602