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ON THE DEFICIENCIES OF CURRENT RESISTANCE STRATEGY
Our country is on a collision course. We face a crisis of unparalleled proportion, with the looming threat of an authoritarian takeover that is only bound to further spiral out of control.
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ON THE DEFICIENCIES OF CURRENT RESISTANCE STRATEGY
Our country is on a collision course. We face a crisis of unparalleled proportion, with the looming threat of an authoritarian takeover that is only bound to further spiral out of control.
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Our current leadership is failing to rise to the occasion with an equally unparalleled response.
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Here, I discuss the pathology of the present resistance strategy.
In a follow-up thread that I will publish soon, I discuss what we must do—emergently—to remedy the strategic deficiencies.
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In a follow-up thread that I will publish soon, I discuss what we must do—emergently—to remedy the strategic deficiencies.
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In a continuation of the past three and a half years, leaders of the resistance movement, particularly the Democrats, remain entrapped in inaction as they apparently continue to delude themselves on the existential threat that Trump presents.
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Specifically, current resistance strategy suffers from two fatal assumptions: (1) a rational human being and (2) a faithful electoral process.
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Number one: responses to Trump almost always operate through a paradigm of rationality. Our leaders assume Trump is a rational being when the polar opposite is true.
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Number two: most current strategy is entirely predicated on the election, with a focus on driving turnout and appealing to swing voters. However, all indications suggest that Trump is preparing to heavily discredit, contest, or undermine the electoral process.
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This reality 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 sink in.
Especially when it is July and we already have unidentifiable paramilitary forces in our streets—who would serve as a prime tool to suppress the vote—an approach based only on the election will prove fatally flawed.
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Especially when it is July and we already have unidentifiable paramilitary forces in our streets—who would serve as a prime tool to suppress the vote—an approach based only on the election will prove fatally flawed.
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Crucially, current strategies fail to account for more violent eventualities and do not confront the more dangerous end of the political spectrum.
Until the Democrats come to terms with the reality of the adversary, their responses will always amount to too little, too late.
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Until the Democrats come to terms with the reality of the adversary, their responses will always amount to too little, too late.
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In other words, the falsity of the foregoing assumptions voids the current strategies against Trump.
Democrats must understand that 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 is too low for him. Trump has no bottom, period.
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Democrats must understand that 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 is too low for him. Trump has no bottom, period.
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In fact, Trump is operating in an 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 from that of the Democrats. He is laughing at everyone as they create an uproar over Goya Foods while he plots an authoritarian coup.
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Hitler’s words cannot be a more serious warning: “Don't forget how people laughed at me 15 years ago when I declared that one day I would govern Germany. They laugh now, just as foolishly, when I declare that I shall remain in power!”
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So what is Trump’s universe? It is one of perceived legitimacy, of media, of unimaginable surprise, of circumvention, of suppression, and of violence. His universe is 𝘯𝘰𝘵 our current governing institutions, including free and fair elections.
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Therefore, if we are to defeat Trump, we 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 begin to delegitimize him (in an entirely peaceful fashion) within his universe.
Failure to respond appropriately to Trump’s universe is why he, though impulsive and shortsighted, always remains miles ahead of the Democrats.
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Failure to respond appropriately to Trump’s universe is why he, though impulsive and shortsighted, always remains miles ahead of the Democrats.
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The Democrats perpetually pursue responses based on rules that are irrelevant to him.
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Yet, it is within this very universe that Trump can and will carry out his most brutal oppression. Therefore, the ignorance of current strategies and their inadequacy in confronting this universe risk human consequences of catastrophic proportions.
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To respond to Trump adequately, we must also come to terms with his 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. Failure to understand or accept motive is a recipe for a wholly misguided response.
This fact is well-known to anyone who studies or investigates crime.
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This fact is well-known to anyone who studies or investigates crime.
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To reinforce what everyone should already know, Trump has now placed his white supremacist and authoritarian motives in plain sight. The following list is far from exhaustive:
(1) His near daily comments in an ever escalating agenda of hate and division.
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(1) His near daily comments in an ever escalating agenda of hate and division.
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(2) His campaign’s use of Nazi-style symbols.
(3) His teargassing of peaceful protestors for the purpose of a photoshoot with the Bible.
(4) His dehumanizing characterizations of protestors as “anarchists,” “agitators”, and “terrorists” who “hate our country.”
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(3) His teargassing of peaceful protestors for the purpose of a photoshoot with the Bible.
(4) His dehumanizing characterizations of protestors as “anarchists,” “agitators”, and “terrorists” who “hate our country.”
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Anyone who remains in denial about Trump’s sinister intentions must finally wake up. America is no exception to the imperfections of humanity.
Remember the words of George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
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Remember the words of George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
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So what is the current approach of the resistance? It amounts to the following:
•Infinite denunciation at the expense of real pushback.
•Reactionism at the expense of foresight.
•Improvisation at the expense of strategy.
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•Infinite denunciation at the expense of real pushback.
•Reactionism at the expense of foresight.
•Improvisation at the expense of strategy.
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Furthermore, our leaders repeatedly make the mistake of responding to Trump only through traditional governing institutions like courts, investigations, and fantastical legislative action that always stops in the Senate.
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It is not that these avenues should not be pursued; but the leadership must realize that they are grossly insufficient.
While authoritarianism is a grave enemy, the more dangerous foe is the toothless nature of this current response.
Business as usual will not stop Trump.
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While authoritarianism is a grave enemy, the more dangerous foe is the toothless nature of this current response.
Business as usual will not stop Trump.
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Refutation only works with a logical being.
Denunciation only works with a being who feels humiliation.
Judicial and investigatory responses only work with a being who respects institutions.
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Denunciation only works with a being who feels humiliation.
Judicial and investigatory responses only work with a being who respects institutions.
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In essence, the Democrats’ strategy is unidimensional.
But effective, reliable strategy is always multipronged.
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But effective, reliable strategy is always multipronged.
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Most of all, this unidimensional approach is problematic because it does not envision or prepare for more violent eventualities that may arise from our present political crisis.
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The current strategies imagine—with remarkable confidence reminiscent of 2016—that the electoral process alone will result in a clear-cut Biden victory and a smooth transition of power.
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In contrast, forecasts grounded in reality suggest much grimmer scenarios.
Such scenarios could involve the outbreak of civil war before or after the election and/or the possible seizure of power by Trump, leading to a second term of untold oppression.
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Such scenarios could involve the outbreak of civil war before or after the election and/or the possible seizure of power by Trump, leading to a second term of untold oppression.
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While these scenarios may have once been unthinkable, they are no longer. (The plausibility of these scenarios is also backed by research in cliodynamics related to longer-term societal trends, by scholars such as @Peter_Turchin.)
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In fact, in addition to the paramilitary forces currently in our streets, the Trump Campaign has been grooming a so-called “Trump Army” of supporters since as early as May.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-army-fundraising-email
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https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-army-fundraising-email
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This development—which has received shockingly little attention in the media—is beyond frightening, suggesting that Trump may one day issue a populist-based call to arms of his supporters, unleashing decentralized violence across our country.
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Our nation does not deserve such violence. We must do everything possible to correct course.
It is more than three and a half years past time for better strategy.
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It is more than three and a half years past time for better strategy.
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In my next thread, I will outline a new, multidimensional approach—one that is entirely peaceful and, indeed, peace-promoting—that can remedy the current deficiencies and must be pursued urgently.
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