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(Thread) Political Courage
Dear @GOP, @SenateGOP, and @HouseGOP leadership: Let’s talk about political courage.
We’ll look at a few breaking stories, and then do a poll.
Trump has known since early 2019 about the Russian bounty on US soldiers
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⤵️" title="Nach rechts zeigender Pfeil mit Krümmung nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Nach rechts zeigender Pfeil mit Krümmung nach unten"> https://twitter.com/Evan_Rosenfeld/status/1277793677868281856">https://twitter.com/Evan_Rose...
Dear @GOP, @SenateGOP, and @HouseGOP leadership: Let’s talk about political courage.
We’ll look at a few breaking stories, and then do a poll.
Trump has known since early 2019 about the Russian bounty on US soldiers
1/ Americans will be barred from entering the EU.
https://twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1277959704283512832
(Is">https://twitter.com/MatinaSte... that your idea of winning, and America first?)
And this: In phone calls with world leaders, Trump is unprepared, boastful and conflates his own interests with the nation’s interests.
https://twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1277959704283512832
(Is">https://twitter.com/MatinaSte... that your idea of winning, and America first?)
And this: In phone calls with world leaders, Trump is unprepared, boastful and conflates his own interests with the nation’s interests.
2/ In particular, Trump conflates the nation’s interests with his reelection and his desire for revenge against “perceived critics and political enemies.”
(Where have we heard that before?https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Denkendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Denkendes Gesicht">)
Hint: Operation Ukraine Shakedown. Remember that? https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/29/politics/trump-phone-calls-national-security-concerns/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/2...
(Where have we heard that before?
Hint: Operation Ukraine Shakedown. Remember that? https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/29/politics/trump-phone-calls-national-security-concerns/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/2...
3/ When talking to Putin, Trump “took special delight in trashing former Presidents George W. Bush and Obama.”
He viciously attacks women world leaders. He told German Chancellor Merkel that she was “stupid.”
He viciously attacks women world leaders. He told German Chancellor Merkel that she was “stupid.”
4/ Also in phone calls with world leaders, Trump disparages leaders of the western alliance, including Macron, Justin Trudeau, and Scott Morrison.
Meanwhile, he cozies up to the dictators. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/29/politics/trump-phone-calls-national-security-concerns/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/2...
Meanwhile, he cozies up to the dictators. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/29/politics/trump-phone-calls-national-security-concerns/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/2...
5/ How about the reporting that the U.S. withdrawal from northeastern Syria and abandonment of our Kurdish allies to a Turkish invasion last fall was at Erdogan’s urging:
We& #39;ve now reached 126,369 deaths from Covid-19 in the U.S.
We& #39;ve now reached 126,369 deaths from Covid-19 in the U.S.
6/ It should therefore be clear to everyone that the Trump administration is literally leading the US to death and destruction.
Now the question is: What will the GOP elected leadership do?
Now the question is: What will the GOP elected leadership do?
7/ In How Democracies Die, profs Ziblatt and Levitsky explain what a political party must do when one of their own tries to make himself an autocrat: They must stop him.
In 2016, this meant supporting Clinton.
In 2016, this meant supporting Clinton.
8/ There is precedent for what Ziblatt and Levitsky label "political courage."
In 2016, Austrian conservatives backed Green Party candidate Alexander Van Der Bellen to prevent the election of the far-right radical Norbert Hofer.
In 2016, Austrian conservatives backed Green Party candidate Alexander Van Der Bellen to prevent the election of the far-right radical Norbert Hofer.
9/ In 2017, defeated French conservative candidate Francois Fillon called on his partisans to vote for center-left Macron to keep far-right radical Marine Le Pen out of power.
They angered much of their party base, but they kept dangerous extremists out of power.
They angered much of their party base, but they kept dangerous extremists out of power.
10/ Note: Political courage means endorsing Biden, not saying “I won’t vote.”
Some of the GOP leadership prefer autocracy, are hellbent on destroying American democracy, and/or they take Trump’s feverish rantings as truth.
Some know that Trump is dangerous and must be stopped.
Some of the GOP leadership prefer autocracy, are hellbent on destroying American democracy, and/or they take Trump’s feverish rantings as truth.
Some know that Trump is dangerous and must be stopped.
11/ Poll: How much political courage do GOP leaders have?
Choices 1 and 2 say that a few will endorse Biden, but not enough to get Trump off the ticket.
3-4 mean a sizable group will defect. Not sure how many it would take. More than 8? More than 10? I guess it depends on who.
Choices 1 and 2 say that a few will endorse Biden, but not enough to get Trump off the ticket.
3-4 mean a sizable group will defect. Not sure how many it would take. More than 8? More than 10? I guess it depends on who.
