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(Thread) Oligarchy v. Democracy
In dealing with a pandemic, a democratic leader would base success on how many lives are saved.
A would-be oligarch, on the other hand, bases success on whether he maintains power.
That's the clue to what's happening. https://twitter.com/KenDilanianNBC/status/1246046023820206087
In dealing with a pandemic, a democratic leader would base success on how many lives are saved.
A would-be oligarch, on the other hand, bases success on whether he maintains power.
That's the clue to what's happening. https://twitter.com/KenDilanianNBC/status/1246046023820206087
1/ Two main issues have brought us here:
#1: Trump has been systematically dismantling the federal government.
He gives “federalism” an oligarch’s twist: He doesn't just want to transfer power to the states. He also want to transfer power to industry.
#1: Trump has been systematically dismantling the federal government.
He gives “federalism” an oligarch’s twist: He doesn't just want to transfer power to the states. He also want to transfer power to industry.
2/ Issue #2: Trump’s goal since taking office has been to maintain and expand his power.
To that end, he cynically employs basic fascist tactics.
Because he has only a few tricks in his bag, he's using those tricks in this pandemic.
And they don't work against a virus.
To that end, he cynically employs basic fascist tactics.
Because he has only a few tricks in his bag, he's using those tricks in this pandemic.
And they don't work against a virus.
3/ To compound the problem, the Fox-GOP is in line with both of Trump’s goals:
They place his reelection needs above the health needs of the country and
They want to dismantle the federal government.
They place his reelection needs above the health needs of the country and They want to dismantle the federal government.
4/ In her excellent newsletter yesterday, @HC_Richardson talked about how the GOP’s desire to dismantle the federal government has contributed to the fiasco.
The result is that the federal government is not equipped to handle a pandemic and has thus made a series of epic errors.
The result is that the federal government is not equipped to handle a pandemic and has thus made a series of epic errors.
5/ To take just one example, there was no coordination between the administration and the US Agency for International Development, so we’ve been exporting supplies we need here.
https://politico.com/news/2020/03/31/pence-task-force-coronavirus-aid-157806
See also: https://www.propublica.org/article/taxpayers-paid-millions-to-design-a-low-cost-ventilator-for-a-pandemic-instead-the-company-is-selling-versions-of-it-
h/t @HC_Richardson
https://politico.com/news/2020/03/31/pence-task-force-coronavirus-aid-157806
See also: https://www.propublica.org/article/taxpayers-paid-millions-to-design-a-low-cost-ventilator-for-a-pandemic-instead-the-company-is-selling-versions-of-it-
h/t @HC_Richardson
6/ For why the Trump-FOX-GOP wants to dismantle the federal government, see
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1169273125344645122
The problem is compounded because Trump appoints and hires people based on the person’s degree of loyalty to him instead of expertise.
https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1169273125344645122
The problem is compounded because Trump appoints and hires people based on the person’s degree of loyalty to him instead of expertise.
7/ That's why Jared Kushner is in charge of a global pandemic.
https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1246075343212933124
Instead of coordinating a central government response, Jared is tapping private industry.
Oligarchy, or a mafia state, happens when government leaders also control the nation’s industries.
https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1246075343212933124
Instead of coordinating a central government response, Jared is tapping private industry.
Oligarchy, or a mafia state, happens when government leaders also control the nation’s industries.
8/ In Feb. Trump gambled that the virus wouldn't be as deadly as experts predicted.
His concern was to protect the stock market (which he conflates with the economy) because he believes that a strong economy will get him elected. (He needs his donors flush with cash.)
His concern was to protect the stock market (which he conflates with the economy) because he believes that a strong economy will get him elected. (He needs his donors flush with cash.)
9/ Because Trump always believed that a strong economy would get him reelected, he has artificially inflated the bubble on the hope that he could keep the bubble intact until after Nov. 2020.
He lost his gamble. Now he's terrified that the virus will pop the bubble.
He lost his gamble. Now he's terrified that the virus will pop the bubble.
10/ That’s why the GOP wants us to ignore the virus and keep working.
(In addition to being cruel, encouraging people to keep working fails to achieve the objective: Lots of dead people and an overworked health care system will crush the economy. It's stupid as well as cruel.)
(In addition to being cruel, encouraging people to keep working fails to achieve the objective: Lots of dead people and an overworked health care system will crush the economy. It's stupid as well as cruel.)
11/ After Trump lost his gamble (and people weren't willing to die to “save” the economy) what did he do?
He reached into his bag of tricks.
There are not many tricks in the bag, so by this point, we’re familiar with them and can recognize them.
He reached into his bag of tricks.
There are not many tricks in the bag, so by this point, we’re familiar with them and can recognize them.
12/ These tricks are not effective in dealing with a pandemic.
They are, however, effective in maintaining power.
As Yale professor @jasonintrator said: Trump “cynically uses a set of fascist tactics to gain and maintain power.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2331&v=OPG08hT5VEs
They are, however, effective in maintaining power.
As Yale professor @jasonintrator said: Trump “cynically uses a set of fascist tactics to gain and maintain power.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2331&v=OPG08hT5VEs
13/ Trick #1 is what another Yale prof, @TimothyDSnyder, calls "governing by spectacle.”
For more, see: https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1213972382995501056
Trump is a natural at drenching the population with a rapid-fire succession of news-grabbing, diverting spectacles.
For more, see: https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1213972382995501056
Trump is a natural at drenching the population with a rapid-fire succession of news-grabbing, diverting spectacles.
14/ If nobody has a chance to focus on any single blunder, none of the blunders can sink into the public consciousness.
Goebbels explained: “The mass mind is dull and sluggish, and for ideas to take root, they must be constantly re-seeded and repeated.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/03/how-nazi-propaganda-encouraged-the-masses-to-co-produce-a-false-reality.html
Goebbels explained: “The mass mind is dull and sluggish, and for ideas to take root, they must be constantly re-seeded and repeated.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/03/how-nazi-propaganda-encouraged-the-masses-to-co-produce-a-false-reality.html
15/ That’s why “her emails” sank into the public consciousness but nobody even has time to talk about the fact that the Trump family ran a fraudulent charity.
(Yup, they stole from a charity and now can't sit on boards in New York.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/nyregion/trump-foundation-lawsuit-attorney-general.html
(Yup, they stole from a charity and now can't sit on boards in New York.) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/nyregion/trump-foundation-lawsuit-attorney-general.html
16/ It’s easy to create spectacle when you put your unqualified son-in-law in charge.
https://twitter.com/LEBassett/status/1246099093694435328
And when you hold free-wheeling base-thrilling press conferences filled with lies.
https://twitter.com/LEBassett/status/1246099093694435328
And when you hold free-wheeling base-thrilling press conferences filled with lies.
17/ Trick #2: Make sure Trump is painted as the victim
When people question or criticize Trump’s errors, the Trump-FOX-GOP claims that everyone is being unfair and mean to Trump.
Trick #3: Create an “us v. them” politics. (Trump is an expert at this.)
When people question or criticize Trump’s errors, the Trump-FOX-GOP claims that everyone is being unfair and mean to Trump.
Trick #3: Create an “us v. them” politics. (Trump is an expert at this.)
18/ To create “us v. them” politics:
Get the fighters fighting and keep them fighting
Pit the blue states against the red states
Blame the liberal cities and states
Blame China
Blame Obama
Get the fighters fighting and keep them fightingPit the blue states against the red statesBlame the liberal cities and statesBlame ChinaBlame Obama
19/Blame Schumer
Trump told Schumer that the reason New York wasn’t better able to handle the epidemic was because Schumer wasted all that time on the impeachment “hoax.”
The White House believed it had delivered an epic burn
Blame SchumerTrump told Schumer that the reason New York wasn’t better able to handle the epidemic was because Schumer wasted all that time on the impeachment “hoax.”
The White House believed it had delivered an epic burn
20/ Finally, the most important trick: Undermine factuality itself.
How?
Tell people not to believe experts
Unleash such a firehose of lies that people get so confused they eventually conclude that the truth is unknowable.
A few examples from the tireless @ddale8
How?
Tell people not to believe expertsUnleash such a firehose of lies that people get so confused they eventually conclude that the truth is unknowable.A few examples from the tireless @ddale8
21/ Without facts or a shared truth, Trump cannot be held accountable for errors.
Note that he is throwing out garbage on purpose, to confuse people. Confusing people in a pandemic is a terrible idea— but the tactic here is to govern by spectacle (yes, it is a tactic).
Note that he is throwing out garbage on purpose, to confuse people. Confusing people in a pandemic is a terrible idea— but the tactic here is to govern by spectacle (yes, it is a tactic).
22/ Trump's response to COVID-19 makes sense once we understand that:
A leader who only knows how to use fascist tactics isn't equipped to deal with a pandemic, and
A would-be oligarch will base his success on whether maintains power, not how many lives are saved.
A leader who only knows how to use fascist tactics isn't equipped to deal with a pandemic, and A would-be oligarch will base his success on whether maintains power, not how many lives are saved.
23/ Here's that spoonful of sugar to help a difficult thread go down 
Also, someone just asked this: "The most important question to me is what can we do about it Teri?"
When I recover from writing this thread, that question is on my list.
Also, someone just asked this: "The most important question to me is what can we do about it Teri?"
When I recover from writing this thread, that question is on my list.
24/ Interesting question.
It's a different situation. "History doesn't repeat itself, but it oftenrhymes" (attributed to Mark Twain)
https://twitter.com/shel_sha/status/1246285195831119875
Trump is emulating what Hungarian scholar Bálint Magyar calls a “mafia state."
I'll put two links into the next tweet.
It's a different situation. "History doesn't repeat itself, but it oftenrhymes" (attributed to Mark Twain)
https://twitter.com/shel_sha/status/1246285195831119875
Trump is emulating what Hungarian scholar Bálint Magyar calls a “mafia state."
I'll put two links into the next tweet.
25/ Here a summary of Magyar's work: http://politicalscience.ceu.edu/events/2016-11-09/post-communist-mafia-state
I also wrote about this last year in an NBC Op Ed piece: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-giuliani-s-impeachment-defense-pushes-america-closer-mafia-state-ncna1076261
I also wrote about this last year in an NBC Op Ed piece: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-giuliani-s-impeachment-defense-pushes-america-closer-mafia-state-ncna1076261
My threads are also blog posts. This one is here: https://terikanefield-blog.com/oligarchy-v-democracy-in-the-age-of-a-pandemic/
