Today, as the after-election panic continues to pick up speed, I was asked to e-sign a petition to further the No Kings Act, a piece of legislation introduced by Chuck Schumer this past August. In it, the immunity recently granted presidents by the Supreme Court would be rescinded, and any acts violating U.S. criminal law would be subject to prosecution.
In August, the proposal carried no Republican signatures, and the chances of its ever coming to fruition are remote.
I don't say this to depress you, but the rise of Donald Trump has been in progress since the Reagan presidency (and some will claim since the 1950s). It's like the coming of the Lord—lots of anticipation and preparation, but nobody really knew who the savior would be. Turns out it was Jesus that time. For the Republicans who played the long game, many of them dying along the way, it's Trump. Any of you never-Trumpers silly enough to believe that your signature on a petition is going to set everything right are already in for a long four years.
So now it begins—quick online panaceas to undo Trump. They didn't work the first time and won't work this time.
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You may have noticed that my little teacup icon is gone. Tea time is over. SUBVERT has replaced it. From now on, as long as Trump remains in control, the point is to undermine his power. I don't expect miracles, but it will be cathartic. And even if progress is glacially slow, I expect others to do the same. It's a protocol that democracy allows, and utilizing it is the only way to ensure it survives.
Authoritarians do not like subversion; in fact, they balk at any contradictions to their fiats, decrees, and proclamations. Trump's hatred of the press emanates not from his failure to understand big words but from his antipathy toward the truth. So, I invite you to be subversive. If there is something you'd like me to cover, an idea to share, or a method of coping with our new morally reprehensible overlords, email me, and I'll try to do so. If you have written something but have no website of your own, I'll gladly reprint it with your byline...or anonymously. chuckradda@gmail.com for your efforts.
It won't take fifty years to undo Trump, but even though he's half undone when he wakes up in the morning, we can't merely dismiss him. Remember, in 2012. the GOP was in shambles. In 2016, the new GOP was in the White House. It can happen that fast, but it can't happen with the current Democratic party. Kamala Harris did an exceptional job, and if there's a hero on the right side of this debacle, she's it. If for no other reason than to venerate her effort, we need a new Democratic party so that when someone as capable as she runs again, her efforts won't be wasted by a hurried campaign and directionless leadership.
The Democrats made mistakes. More next time.
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