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Timothy Snyder calls it Sadopopulism
Today 37,077 new Covid-19 cases were reported ( @ryanstruyk)
Today the Trump administration filed this SCOTUS brief to end the ACA:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-840/146406/20200625205555069_19-840bsUnitedStates.pdf
Synder explains why modern fascists deliberately hurt their own constituents.
1/ https://twitter.com/brianschatz/status/1276362379111084035
Today 37,077 new Covid-19 cases were reported ( @ryanstruyk)
Today the Trump administration filed this SCOTUS brief to end the ACA:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-840/146406/20200625205555069_19-840bsUnitedStates.pdf
Synder explains why modern fascists deliberately hurt their own constituents.
1/ https://twitter.com/brianschatz/status/1276362379111084035
2/ 20th-century fascists wanted power, but they were content not to make themselves wealthy.
21st-century fascists, on the other hand, want both wealth and power. This creates a policy-making challenge.
21st-century fascists, on the other hand, want both wealth and power. This creates a policy-making challenge.
3/ When democratic leaders create policies, they try better the lives of their own constituents.
Putin-style would-be oligarchs, though, can't do that, because if they do, people will rise up and challenge their place at the top of the hierarchy.
Putin-style would-be oligarchs, though, can't do that, because if they do, people will rise up and challenge their place at the top of the hierarchy.
4/ A few months before an election, while he's way behind in the polls—in the middle of a pandemic that has already killed 126,000+ Americans—Trump wants to take away everyone's health care.
OK, maybe Trump is just crazy
https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/1276350767939620864
OK, maybe Trump is just crazy
https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/1276350767939620864
5/ But all Trump's friends (Putin, Orbán, Bolsonaro) do the same thing. Each of them:
identify an “enemy”
enact policies that create pain in their own supporters
blame the pain on the “enemies”
present themselves as the strongmen to fight the enemies.
identify an “enemy”enact policies that create pain in their own supportersblame the pain on the “enemies”present themselves as the strongmen to fight the enemies.
6/ Michael asks an interesting question
How can Trump increase his kleptocratic power & wealth if he keeps 99% of the people in poverty?
A: Just look at Putin and what Hungarian scholar Bálint Magyar calls a “post-Soviet Union mafia state.” https://twitter.com/bigio_m/status/1275957121813753857
How can Trump increase his kleptocratic power & wealth if he keeps 99% of the people in poverty?
A: Just look at Putin and what Hungarian scholar Bálint Magyar calls a “post-Soviet Union mafia state.” https://twitter.com/bigio_m/status/1275957121813753857
7/ You see, Trump is a wanna-be Putin, so to understand Trump and Sadopopulism, you have to understand Putin, which means backing up to the early 1990s.
Back in the days of the Soviet Union, the Soviet government owned all the nation's wealth and resources.
Back in the days of the Soviet Union, the Soviet government owned all the nation's wealth and resources.
8/ When the Soviet Union broke up, the Russian Federation was established as a constitutional republic, with president and parliament and rule of law.
But democracy never took hold.
Before rule of law was in place, there was a wild rush to control the nation’s resources.
But democracy never took hold.
Before rule of law was in place, there was a wild rush to control the nation’s resources.
9/ These people who looted (grabbed control of) all the nation's resources made themselves wealthy and seized power.
Source is mostly Timothy Snyder. See also this Just Security piece:
https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
One of them was Semion Moglievich.
Source is mostly Timothy Snyder. See also this Just Security piece:
https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
One of them was Semion Moglievich.
10/ Trump and Moglievich are old pals. When Moglievich needed to launder his money, where do you think he went?
Trump Towers of course.
By the late 1990s, Trump was uncreditworthy and bankrupt. He owed $4 billion to more than 70 banks. https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
Trump Towers of course.
By the late 1990s, Trump was uncreditworthy and bankrupt. He owed $4 billion to more than 70 banks. https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
11/ It was a match made in heaven. Russian looters needed to launder their money, and Trump needed cash. https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
For more on all of this, see the Just Security article or this thread: https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1042072592897593345
For more on all of this, see the Just Security article or this thread: https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1042072592897593345
12/ What Magyar calls a "mafia state" is essentially a criminal government.
"Mafia states" — like Putin’s Russia — develop as the government takes over businesses.
The ruler consolidates power and wealth.
More here: http://politicalscience.ceu.edu/events/2016-11-09/post-communist-mafia-state
"Mafia states" — like Putin’s Russia — develop as the government takes over businesses.
The ruler consolidates power and wealth.
More here: http://politicalscience.ceu.edu/events/2016-11-09/post-communist-mafia-state
13/ Apparently nobody really knows how wealthy Putin is, but I've seen it estimated as high as 200 billion.
Putin is the master at sadopopulism.
He "protect" Russians from their enemies while he robs them blind. https://twitter.com/bigio_m/status/1275957121813753857
Putin is the master at sadopopulism.
He "protect" Russians from their enemies while he robs them blind. https://twitter.com/bigio_m/status/1275957121813753857
14/ Like the old time kings and emperors who lived in fabulous luxury while peasants worked in the mud, Putin and Putin-wannabes want wealth and power.
Trump doesn't think "if I raise everyone up, we'll all do better."
He thinks: "I want to be the top of the hierarchy."
Trump doesn't think "if I raise everyone up, we'll all do better."
He thinks: "I want to be the top of the hierarchy."
15/ Much of their wealth is in hydrocarbons, so they're global warmers (mass killers)
The debate on Twitter is: Does Trump act from mental illness, or is he consciously following the fascist playbook?
Sometimes I think we should just go back to a much older word: Evil.
The debate on Twitter is: Does Trump act from mental illness, or is he consciously following the fascist playbook?
Sometimes I think we should just go back to a much older word: Evil.
16/ I used the word "pals" a bit facetiously
In 1986, when Mogilevich bought condos in Trump Tower, he sent an operative.
Trump personally attended the closing. https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
Trump's financial ties to the Russian mafia are well documented. https://twitter.com/anntamtana/status/1276421666327822339
In 1986, when Mogilevich bought condos in Trump Tower, he sent an operative.
Trump personally attended the closing. https://www.justsecurity.org/60528/understanding-pres-trump-vs-bruce-ohr-russias-top-crime-boss-semion-mogilevich/
Trump's financial ties to the Russian mafia are well documented. https://twitter.com/anntamtana/status/1276421666327822339
17/ Some reading material for anyone who thinks Trump lacks the ability to be cunning:
Comey's description of his February 8, 2017 meeting with Trump.
Michael Cohen's Feb. 2019 testimony before Congress about how Trump conducts his business. . . https://twitter.com/jllwbb/status/1276555505536827393
Comey's description of his February 8, 2017 meeting with Trump.Michael Cohen's Feb. 2019 testimony before Congress about how Trump conducts his business. . . https://twitter.com/jllwbb/status/1276555505536827393
18/ Overestimating Trump (assuming that Trump is invulnerable and invincible) is dangerous.
Underestimating Trump is also dangerous. He knows how to keep people spinning. He knows how tocontrol the news cycle. He has GOP leadership reduced to lapdogs and a cult-like following.
Underestimating Trump is also dangerous. He knows how to keep people spinning. He knows how tocontrol the news cycle. He has GOP leadership reduced to lapdogs and a cult-like following.
19/ Let's give credit where credit is due. Nobody else was in the room except Trump and Comey during that Feb. 2017 meeting. Nobody else was in the room when Trump gave orders to Cohen.
Trump is acompletely incompetent administrator, but he's a cunning and effective mob boss.
Trump is acompletely incompetent administrator, but he's a cunning and effective mob boss.
20/ Sometimes I wonder if the desire to take away health care while
millions are unemployed and hence have no health care, and
we're in the middle of a pandemic
illustrates the underlying fanaticism in today's GOP.
I generally dislike Nazi comparisons because. . .
millions are unemployed and hence have no health care, and we're in the middle of a pandemicillustrates the underlying fanaticism in today's GOP.
I generally dislike Nazi comparisons because. . .
21/ . . . they are so explosive, but I recall talking to a student who was then reading about the end of WWII.
She told me (in a tone of disbelief) that even when the Nazis knew they were losing and nothing would save them, their final act was to kill as many Jews as possible.
She told me (in a tone of disbelief) that even when the Nazis knew they were losing and nothing would save them, their final act was to kill as many Jews as possible.
22/ MFH wants to know how what I'm describing rolls all the way down the food chain to relatively minor GOP office-holders
I think that there's a feverish, radicalized fanatism that has gripped the Fox-Trump-GOP. They are so persuaded that. . . https://twitter.com/Igor_Notabotski/status/1276438438581944321
I think that there's a feverish, radicalized fanatism that has gripped the Fox-Trump-GOP. They are so persuaded that. . . https://twitter.com/Igor_Notabotski/status/1276438438581944321
23/ . . . anything that smacks of "socialism" will destroy America as they know it that, in the words of Hofstader, they will stop at nothing to prevent what they see as the "final act of subversion."
They've been aroused to militancy: The evil enemy must be destroyed. . .
They've been aroused to militancy: The evil enemy must be destroyed. . .
24/ . . . the "evil enemy" includes the Democrats and everything they stand for.
It isn't politics as usual for the radicalized GOP. That's why they're willing to lie and cheat, and even when they're losing and their own people are suffering, they want to take away health care.
It isn't politics as usual for the radicalized GOP. That's why they're willing to lie and cheat, and even when they're losing and their own people are suffering, they want to take away health care.
This thread is also a blog post, here: https://terikanefield-blog.com/sadopopulism-and-fanaticism/
