Also lol'd, as that Conan quote is the very one I recently decided would be the ethos of my future political activity. Even if I'm only Danuta Danielsson slugging a Nazi with her purse.
Here's the key takeaway from your piece: "just passing good policy is not enough to defeat an entrenched fascist party with a massive infrastructure of fascist think tanks."
For Democrats to have the will to go on the offensive and fight fascism is necessary, but not sufficient. The foe is entrenched, with a massive infrastructure. Let's say we win in a landslide and start to root out corruption -- American fascism still has structural advantages that enable the antidemocratic forces to bide their time. They can ride a backlash, grab the next opportunity, and undo all progress.
What Democrats really need is a willingness--and a plan--to accrue power. Only by sustaining their hold on political power for a lengthy period, can lasting progress be made. Dems seem to be ambivalent about the idea of building a base for and wielding power. Yes, you need to balance the needs of democratic process and the requirement of holding power to effect change. It's thorny. But for heaven's sake, can't anybody come up with a theory of power that will allow for democratic progress?
Lewis Powell's memo, which sketched out the reactionary game plan came out in 1971!! They spent 50 years conniving to get rid of Roe v Wade, the VRA, anti-trust regulations etc etc. There is a direct line from the Powell memo to Project 2025. They knew what they wanted, where to get the money, and how to chip away at the rule of law. The reactionaries were bent on gaining power so they could impose minority rule. These guys are NOT ambivalent.
Oh, you are so right! Positive policies will not do it. Kamala was chock full of terrific public policies and was ignored. Frankly, I think half the country is fine with fascism, like the fucking morons they are.
Even if the Democrats take power and begin policies that help the country, the fascism party will be waiting in the shadows like a rabid wolf to destroy everything again.
Therefore, the first order of business must be to stamp it out, through investigations and prosecutions. There’s no moving forward until we get rid of the rot within.
Great post. I will say, however, that despite Biden’s progressive agenda, much of the working class didn’t feel it in their day to day existence. A high employment rate doesn’t mean people are actually getting paid a living wage, for example. So, I do think Biden could have done more and that could have helped the approval ratings of Democrats in general. And I also think Democrats have to embrace their inner FDR and stop shilling for their corporate donors. All that said, yes, it is important to call out the lies and propaganda. To shine a light on the fascism in real time. There are a few bright lights who are doing this among the Democrats but not enough.
When I saw Project 2025 come out and be spread around by the public, part of me wondered why Democrats didn’t have their own document to counteract the GOP’s agenda. So much of politicking is marketing. I feel very clear on what Republicans want, and wonder why Dems don’t fight with that same grit to get what they want in contrast. Missed opportunity, to say the least.
Totally on board, but with so many states gerrymandered to disfavor Dem voters, a majority in both houses in virtual lockstep with the regime, constant media disinformation, a failing legacy press, and the Supreme Court firmly on the side of the devil, how do we get there? Yes, we need to fight (Go Texas!), yes, we need to be clear about the evil that is being done. However, making it happen with such a rigged system? The math doesn't math. Yeah, I'm having a bad day.
Thank God somebody is speaking the truth. I fear we don't have anyone in the Democratic Party with the spine necessary for this kind of antifascist response. But it is absolutely 100% what is required.
Reps Talarico and Wu in Tx Lege. Beto fundraising. AOC. Bernie. Newsom [bless his slow heart]. Pritzker. Maine's Mills [go jump in the bay]. Crockett from TX.
::But accountability in itself isn’t sufficient either. Fascists, as we’ve seen, are laser-focused on seizing control of and dominating political and civil society. They use the power of the state to attack rival institutions—to silence media critics, to crush dissent in universities, to marginalize and terrorize groups like Black people, LGBT people, and immigrants who they see as enemies.::
I mean, sure! There's nothing I enjoy more than curb-stomping Right Wing and Neolib Scum who really deserve it (and—FUCK the Clintons because they're just as complicit as any Republican in this!), and Gods know they've had it coming for a while—but are you SURE we can't throw the entire Fascist Trump Regime's asses in Alligator Alcatraz, along with every Broligarch who sided with him? Alligators need to eat, too, you know.... 😇
On a more serious note, how do we beat some respect into all those "Good Germans" who support the American Nazi - er, "Republican" Party? Because I don't think a positive example will change any minds, any more than it did during WWII—they need to be CRUSHED so thoroughly they're terrified of expressing a single mildly prejudiced opinion....
::Rather than insisting that we can defeat fascism by ignoring fascism and concentrating on economic progress, maybe we need to fight fascism by…actually fighting fascism.::
I wish the Will Stancils of the world would read this and take notes on how to critique "the left" and progressives without shitting on them. Nice job as always, Noah.
I posted this on Aaron Rupar’s Substack earlier today, and is relevant here (so sorry for the repeat for some of you):
Psychologist Paul Ekman identified that the six basic emotions in humans are:
Anger
Disgust
Fear
Happiness
Sadness
Surprise
Trump’s success is built upon triggering the first three of these. The Epstein story is activating the first two of these in the public, even in his base. Democrats need to highlight disgust 24/7, making it the “but her emails” anchor.
[stomps, whistles]
Also lol'd, as that Conan quote is the very one I recently decided would be the ethos of my future political activity. Even if I'm only Danuta Danielsson slugging a Nazi with her purse.
TAX THE BASTARDS
PACK THE COURT
REPUBLICAN RUIN EVERYTHING. RUIN THEM BACK.
Here's the key takeaway from your piece: "just passing good policy is not enough to defeat an entrenched fascist party with a massive infrastructure of fascist think tanks."
For Democrats to have the will to go on the offensive and fight fascism is necessary, but not sufficient. The foe is entrenched, with a massive infrastructure. Let's say we win in a landslide and start to root out corruption -- American fascism still has structural advantages that enable the antidemocratic forces to bide their time. They can ride a backlash, grab the next opportunity, and undo all progress.
What Democrats really need is a willingness--and a plan--to accrue power. Only by sustaining their hold on political power for a lengthy period, can lasting progress be made. Dems seem to be ambivalent about the idea of building a base for and wielding power. Yes, you need to balance the needs of democratic process and the requirement of holding power to effect change. It's thorny. But for heaven's sake, can't anybody come up with a theory of power that will allow for democratic progress?
Lewis Powell's memo, which sketched out the reactionary game plan came out in 1971!! They spent 50 years conniving to get rid of Roe v Wade, the VRA, anti-trust regulations etc etc. There is a direct line from the Powell memo to Project 2025. They knew what they wanted, where to get the money, and how to chip away at the rule of law. The reactionaries were bent on gaining power so they could impose minority rule. These guys are NOT ambivalent.
Oh, you are so right! Positive policies will not do it. Kamala was chock full of terrific public policies and was ignored. Frankly, I think half the country is fine with fascism, like the fucking morons they are.
Even if the Democrats take power and begin policies that help the country, the fascism party will be waiting in the shadows like a rabid wolf to destroy everything again.
Therefore, the first order of business must be to stamp it out, through investigations and prosecutions. There’s no moving forward until we get rid of the rot within.
Chuck Schumer sending concerned letters never seemed to change much.
If California, Michigan, Illinois, Maine go ahead with new maps that would "mess with Texas".
So far my statewide and Electoral College votes don't mean shit in Texas.
Well said! Wow!!
My only wish is that there were more every day, common synonyms or descriptors for “fascism“.
It is not a word that is in common enough use for people to have the visceral response they need.
But with that limitation, this is the best I have read.
By the way, the audio stops three-quarter of the way through the piece. I tried it twice, thinking my phone had bumped against something.
Thanks for this.
How about "Republicans Ruin Everything" as a cognition generator instead of the - as you noted - fuzzy generic term "Fascism"?
Good one.
If we had lived through a land war as Europe, has, the term fascism might ring a lot more memory bells.
Great post. I will say, however, that despite Biden’s progressive agenda, much of the working class didn’t feel it in their day to day existence. A high employment rate doesn’t mean people are actually getting paid a living wage, for example. So, I do think Biden could have done more and that could have helped the approval ratings of Democrats in general. And I also think Democrats have to embrace their inner FDR and stop shilling for their corporate donors. All that said, yes, it is important to call out the lies and propaganda. To shine a light on the fascism in real time. There are a few bright lights who are doing this among the Democrats but not enough.
When I saw Project 2025 come out and be spread around by the public, part of me wondered why Democrats didn’t have their own document to counteract the GOP’s agenda. So much of politicking is marketing. I feel very clear on what Republicans want, and wonder why Dems don’t fight with that same grit to get what they want in contrast. Missed opportunity, to say the least.
Totally on board, but with so many states gerrymandered to disfavor Dem voters, a majority in both houses in virtual lockstep with the regime, constant media disinformation, a failing legacy press, and the Supreme Court firmly on the side of the devil, how do we get there? Yes, we need to fight (Go Texas!), yes, we need to be clear about the evil that is being done. However, making it happen with such a rigged system? The math doesn't math. Yeah, I'm having a bad day.
Meh. I get that it's a perpetual drag.
I hope you don't assign "bad day" labels.
Don't try to make it perfect. Just make it a bit better.
btw: I joined the march from Travis Park in San Antonio August 2.
Not sure the theme. ? Rage against the regime ?
Whatever. Bunch of folks marching around downtown with protest signs and flags getting pictures on the local news.
[then I purt near passed out from heat exhaustion]
I've done some rallies here in Chapel Hill, and the big turnouts lift my spirits. We do what we can, just some days it's a bit of a slog, for sure.
Thank God somebody is speaking the truth. I fear we don't have anyone in the Democratic Party with the spine necessary for this kind of antifascist response. But it is absolutely 100% what is required.
Reps Talarico and Wu in Tx Lege. Beto fundraising. AOC. Bernie. Newsom [bless his slow heart]. Pritzker. Maine's Mills [go jump in the bay]. Crockett from TX.
Finally some meaningful strategies for resistance! Thank you Noah. Will share widely!
::But accountability in itself isn’t sufficient either. Fascists, as we’ve seen, are laser-focused on seizing control of and dominating political and civil society. They use the power of the state to attack rival institutions—to silence media critics, to crush dissent in universities, to marginalize and terrorize groups like Black people, LGBT people, and immigrants who they see as enemies.::
I mean, sure! There's nothing I enjoy more than curb-stomping Right Wing and Neolib Scum who really deserve it (and—FUCK the Clintons because they're just as complicit as any Republican in this!), and Gods know they've had it coming for a while—but are you SURE we can't throw the entire Fascist Trump Regime's asses in Alligator Alcatraz, along with every Broligarch who sided with him? Alligators need to eat, too, you know.... 😇
On a more serious note, how do we beat some respect into all those "Good Germans" who support the American Nazi - er, "Republican" Party? Because I don't think a positive example will change any minds, any more than it did during WWII—they need to be CRUSHED so thoroughly they're terrified of expressing a single mildly prejudiced opinion....
::Rather than insisting that we can defeat fascism by ignoring fascism and concentrating on economic progress, maybe we need to fight fascism by…actually fighting fascism.::
Can't we do both...?
I wish the Will Stancils of the world would read this and take notes on how to critique "the left" and progressives without shitting on them. Nice job as always, Noah.
I posted this on Aaron Rupar’s Substack earlier today, and is relevant here (so sorry for the repeat for some of you):
Psychologist Paul Ekman identified that the six basic emotions in humans are:
Anger
Disgust
Fear
Happiness
Sadness
Surprise
Trump’s success is built upon triggering the first three of these. The Epstein story is activating the first two of these in the public, even in his base. Democrats need to highlight disgust 24/7, making it the “but her emails” anchor.
Love this.