The men who tried to own the Republic are fighting each other now because angry and fiercely loyal, patriotic Americans from all classes, ethnicities, generations, and parties have turned on them. Peter Thiel has purchased citizenship in New Zealand, and Republican members of Congress are retiring and preparing their offshore accounts and boltholes. Trump's minions are hiding out on military bases with their families. Maybe they thought that no one would notice being robbed and driven into generational poverty, or that a majority of people would support a corrupt, grifting, totalitarian regime, or that they could suppress 285m adult Americans with 50k ICE agents. Whatever stupid beliefs they held, their days of freedom are now numbered.
Fixed it, thanks. Yes, I suppose there is a difference. Theil is an actual Nazi, who will end up having to go into hiding with his wealth, while Thune, who definitely knows better, is pretending to be a Nazi to line his pockets before going into hiding.
There's an apocryphal story I've seen bandied about. A pastor at some evangelical church delivers a sermon about the Beatitudes. After the service, a woman from the congregation comes up to him and asks what all that communist stuff was about. The pastor tells her that it was from the Sermon on the Mount, as preached by Jesus of Nazareth. The woman says Jesus sounds like a communist.
So true. I notice that these so-called modern day faith leaders never talk about the Sermon on the Mount, what I’ve always thought (as a non-believer) encapsulates the true message of Jesus. They are the NEW Testament after all. Their message seems more comparable with the vicious, dominionist & patriarchal message of the Old Testament. And, in Trump, they’ve embraced a super leader who encapsulates exactly that, even down to the pedophilia.
I've also seen it observed, as a more general critique of Christianity, that it is more accurately called Paulism, because a lot of the doctrines associated with it today come not from the Gospels but rather from the epistles attributed to Paul.
I agree. But, what is the strategy of the true LEFT? We have a party that has been infiltrated by many of the same nefarious entities currently in power. Neither Newsom or Pritzker would change course on funding genocide or ICE. We need a true progressive.
Until we push and keep up max pressure to vastly change some laws, and some accountability measures, then nit much is going to change. Schumer and Jeffries are just like the ones you mentioned. We need some cituzen input from all 50 states. Im tired of the "kings" in the DNC akso!
Disillusionment is not enough to make voters change their allegiance. They just don't vote. They need to be motivated to turn up to vote for someone else. That someone else has to articulate their needs and then deliver on them. The American outcome may be that the Democrats get in on a low turnout. But this allows that the right can regroup. In Britain, little could be a clearer demonstration of nationalist failure than Brexit, which has shrunk our GDP by between 4-8%, hitting the least well off the most. Yet 10 years later, the architect of Brexit, Nigel Farage, is riding high in the polls, especially amongst the poorest voters. Much of this is the perceived failure of the Labour Party to make a difference, which is largely down to the Brexit economic inheritance they have received. An effective political alternative is crucial to set a country on a different course.
Sound analysis, but mistaken on the place we are now: under the dictatorship’s seizure of power, coalitions don’t matter. Polls and voting attempts don’t matter. Because the state secret police and Gauleiters have been deeply centralized and compromised by purposeful illegality to compel them to fight and prevent any democratic transition and accountability.
This is my great fear, that the consolidation of fascist power is now sufficient to thwart a democratic rebellion, be it at the polls (which may not be allowed) or in the streets.
I agree. It's easier to imagine the house of cards falling down tomorrow, than trump and his flunkies still in charge of a functional majority in the second week of november.
Great stuff! Hope you're correct about the fissiparous nature of the MAGA coalition ~ not just your country's safety depends on that analysis but global peace too. The only advice I'd dream of offering an independent people about voting is, get the vote out, turn up, queue, demand your ballot and can't it secretly. Fuck Trump too, by the way.
I completely agree that the coalition is cracking. Having felt for some time that this would be how we get out of this and not anything opposition forces or institutions would accomplish it is nice to see other agree. However I think getting the Evangelicals to buck the movement is going to be a bigger lift. They have been conditioned for decades now with a perverted gospel that rebukes empathy and instilled supremacy in them. They believe they are at war with demons on top of being groomed to be horrible people.
We're in a race against the clock. Trump and his minions are doing everything they can to tilt the November election - and how they react if that fails remains to be seen. To his credit, he has largely followed court orders, but he has a dangerous group of sycophants working for him, including a Secretary of Defense who openly said he'd rebel against the US government if it ever bowed fully to the left. How that would be defined is the great unknown. Interesting, dangerous times.
Agreed. The best evidence is that the more they push, the more the American people turn against them. It's not institutions, but we who have held the line. That is the difference between today and 1930s Europe. Still, they have not yet ceded power. We are dealing with a mentally compromised man - not one in decline, but one far more profoundly damaged - who cannot allow himself to lose. They may have already lost, but a cornered dog, especially a sick one, is always a threat. I'm picturing the dead villain lying on the floor, reaching for his gun while everyone is hugging each other in relief. I'll feel better when the credits roll, but I will happily come back here and tip my hat when they do.
Great analysis Mike 🙏 I am glad to have gone on this journey with you from the beginning. It’s been a hell of a year….
The men who tried to own the Republic are fighting each other now because angry and fiercely loyal, patriotic Americans from all classes, ethnicities, generations, and parties have turned on them. Peter Thiel has purchased citizenship in New Zealand, and Republican members of Congress are retiring and preparing their offshore accounts and boltholes. Trump's minions are hiding out on military bases with their families. Maybe they thought that no one would notice being robbed and driven into generational poverty, or that a majority of people would support a corrupt, grifting, totalitarian regime, or that they could suppress 285m adult Americans with 50k ICE agents. Whatever stupid beliefs they held, their days of freedom are now numbered.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/02/01/new-zealand-decided-it-was-in-the-public-interest-to-make-peter-thiel-a-citizen/
Peter Theil not Sen Thune. There is a difference.
Fixed it, thanks. Yes, I suppose there is a difference. Theil is an actual Nazi, who will end up having to go into hiding with his wealth, while Thune, who definitely knows better, is pretending to be a Nazi to line his pockets before going into hiding.
Where is it reported Thune purchased citizenship in NZ?
The Washington Post reported it before the massacre.
Yeah, cause we should go harrass hi there!
Your writing uplifts me, gives me hope. Thank you.
The animating faith was never Christianity: https://bsky.app/profile/rahaeli.bsky.social/post/3loqsfhswjk2r
There's an apocryphal story I've seen bandied about. A pastor at some evangelical church delivers a sermon about the Beatitudes. After the service, a woman from the congregation comes up to him and asks what all that communist stuff was about. The pastor tells her that it was from the Sermon on the Mount, as preached by Jesus of Nazareth. The woman says Jesus sounds like a communist.
Evangelical Protestantism especially is becoming much more a political movement than a religion: https://theweek.com/christianity/1016833/is-us-evangelical-christianity-more-a-culture-than-a-religion
So true. I notice that these so-called modern day faith leaders never talk about the Sermon on the Mount, what I’ve always thought (as a non-believer) encapsulates the true message of Jesus. They are the NEW Testament after all. Their message seems more comparable with the vicious, dominionist & patriarchal message of the Old Testament. And, in Trump, they’ve embraced a super leader who encapsulates exactly that, even down to the pedophilia.
I've also seen it observed, as a more general critique of Christianity, that it is more accurately called Paulism, because a lot of the doctrines associated with it today come not from the Gospels but rather from the epistles attributed to Paul.
And even then, not all of them were probably written by Paul; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorship_of_the_Pauline_epistles goes through some of the scholarship on the matter.
As has been said, " 'Twas ever thus."
Excellent piece Mike. I hope you're correct.
Evil shall not overcome the people.
That will be a relief.
We will have a lot of work to prevent others from trying the same tricks.
And even more building a new government of, by, and for the people.
I agree. But, what is the strategy of the true LEFT? We have a party that has been infiltrated by many of the same nefarious entities currently in power. Neither Newsom or Pritzker would change course on funding genocide or ICE. We need a true progressive.
Until we push and keep up max pressure to vastly change some laws, and some accountability measures, then nit much is going to change. Schumer and Jeffries are just like the ones you mentioned. We need some cituzen input from all 50 states. Im tired of the "kings" in the DNC akso!
I agree very much!
And so far, the Working Families party may help us get there.
It’s time for another revolution
Next top leaders have not appeared yet. Keep watching for the strong helpers.
Disillusionment is not enough to make voters change their allegiance. They just don't vote. They need to be motivated to turn up to vote for someone else. That someone else has to articulate their needs and then deliver on them. The American outcome may be that the Democrats get in on a low turnout. But this allows that the right can regroup. In Britain, little could be a clearer demonstration of nationalist failure than Brexit, which has shrunk our GDP by between 4-8%, hitting the least well off the most. Yet 10 years later, the architect of Brexit, Nigel Farage, is riding high in the polls, especially amongst the poorest voters. Much of this is the perceived failure of the Labour Party to make a difference, which is largely down to the Brexit economic inheritance they have received. An effective political alternative is crucial to set a country on a different course.
Sound analysis, but mistaken on the place we are now: under the dictatorship’s seizure of power, coalitions don’t matter. Polls and voting attempts don’t matter. Because the state secret police and Gauleiters have been deeply centralized and compromised by purposeful illegality to compel them to fight and prevent any democratic transition and accountability.
This is my great fear, that the consolidation of fascist power is now sufficient to thwart a democratic rebellion, be it at the polls (which may not be allowed) or in the streets.
Thank you for your thoughtful interpretation of events and historical trends. As an analyst,
I appreciate the enormous amount of work that goes into each piece.
I agree. It's easier to imagine the house of cards falling down tomorrow, than trump and his flunkies still in charge of a functional majority in the second week of november.
Great stuff! Hope you're correct about the fissiparous nature of the MAGA coalition ~ not just your country's safety depends on that analysis but global peace too. The only advice I'd dream of offering an independent people about voting is, get the vote out, turn up, queue, demand your ballot and can't it secretly. Fuck Trump too, by the way.
Thank you. I am with you on this prediction.
I completely agree that the coalition is cracking. Having felt for some time that this would be how we get out of this and not anything opposition forces or institutions would accomplish it is nice to see other agree. However I think getting the Evangelicals to buck the movement is going to be a bigger lift. They have been conditioned for decades now with a perverted gospel that rebukes empathy and instilled supremacy in them. They believe they are at war with demons on top of being groomed to be horrible people.
This article gives me some hope. It seems a valid analysis of the MAGA confederation and its possible demise.
Of course, be careful what you wish for… who knows what will come next..?
We're in a race against the clock. Trump and his minions are doing everything they can to tilt the November election - and how they react if that fails remains to be seen. To his credit, he has largely followed court orders, but he has a dangerous group of sycophants working for him, including a Secretary of Defense who openly said he'd rebel against the US government if it ever bowed fully to the left. How that would be defined is the great unknown. Interesting, dangerous times.
They have already lost.
Agreed. The best evidence is that the more they push, the more the American people turn against them. It's not institutions, but we who have held the line. That is the difference between today and 1930s Europe. Still, they have not yet ceded power. We are dealing with a mentally compromised man - not one in decline, but one far more profoundly damaged - who cannot allow himself to lose. They may have already lost, but a cornered dog, especially a sick one, is always a threat. I'm picturing the dead villain lying on the floor, reaching for his gun while everyone is hugging each other in relief. I'll feel better when the credits roll, but I will happily come back here and tip my hat when they do.
Yes, I agree. At least in Texas, Talarico speaks their language. Also, one of the lessons of Christianity is that the crowd will turn on you.
I really like Talarico and going to see him here in LA tomorrow night. Supporting him fully in his run bc I think he represents true Christianity.