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i see some leftists on here calling for senators and other democratic politicians to start acting like street activists--barricading doors, blowing up norms
i want to take a moment to explain why i think that's a bad idea.
i want to take a moment to explain why i think that's a bad idea.
the thing is, the problem of democracies descending into factionalism is an ancient one. the founders were obsessed with it, because it was a common cause of death for ancient democracies. https://acoup.blog/2020/10/30/fireside-friday-october-30-2020/
and as it turned out, you can't win these things by descending further into factionalism. that's the death spiral of democracy.
you win them by appealing to the better angels of everyone's nature, to common ground and the rule of law.
you win them by appealing to the better angels of everyone's nature, to common ground and the rule of law.
as is born out by modern research on coups: once a coup happens, it gets stopped not by targeted violence, but by the entire society uniting around the rule of law. https://wagingnonviolence.org/2020/09/10-things-you-need-to-know-to-stop-a-coup/
to get back to where i started: democratic politicians must be normal. they need to believe in the rule of law, not the rule of vengeance. that's the only way any of us get to the good outcome.
the rest of us can fight in the streets; we may need to. but dems must be normal.
the rest of us can fight in the streets; we may need to. but dems must be normal.
more poetically: if you cut down the laws to get at the devil, when the devil turns round on you, you will find there is nothing left that can protect you
this of course is a long-winded way of saying that the party of the confederacy must be destroyed, but via legal means:
--abolish the filibuster
--expand the court
--statehood for DC and PR
--the john lewis voting rights act
--abolish the filibuster
--expand the court
--statehood for DC and PR
--the john lewis voting rights act
