Ronald Brownstein: It's Time for Democrats to Break the Glass

[Nevilledog]

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Ronald Brownstein
@RonBrownstein
"The next few weeks will likely answer the most crucial question that emerged from last year’s insurrection by supporters of Donald Trump: Can one political party defend American democracy on its own?" My take on the struggle over democracy 1 year post-1/6

It’s Time for Democrats to Break the Glass
One year after the January 6 insurrection, the United States is less stable than at any time in recent memory.
theatlantic.com
9:36 AM · Jan 6, 2022

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2022/01/defending-democracy-steps/621170/

No paywall
https://archive.fo/0i02S

he next few weeks will likely answer the most crucial question that emerged from last year’s insurrection by supporters of Donald Trump: Can one political party defend American democracy on its own?

In the days after the January 6 attack, it appeared possible that many Republicans would join Democrats in a cross-party coalition to defend democracy against the autocratic threat. But instead, Trump has consolidated his control over the GOP, led a movement to purge Republican elected officials who resisted his unfounded claims of fraud, and solidified the belief among the party’s voters that Joe Biden is an illegitimate president. Rather than renouncing Trump’s discredited claims, his Republican allies have cited them to justify passing dozens of laws in multiple red states reducing access to the ballot and increasing partisan control over election administration and tabulation.

Since the Capitol attack, nothing has shaped the ongoing struggle over the fate of American democracy more than this refusal by almost all elected Republicans—and such GOP constituencies as national business groups and social conservative organizations—to lock arms in a cross-party “popular front” or “grand alliance” to defend the basic rules of democratic society.

“I think the succumbing of the Republican Party to the Big Lie just swamps everything else,” Bill Kristol, the longtime conservative strategist who has become a leader in the Republican opposition to Trump, told me. Although it was possible last January to believe that the GOP would “repudiate” Trump, Kristol said, his dominance endures. To Kristol, it’s hard to make the case that the Republican surrender to Trump’s antidemocratic impulses “is a passing cloud, even a very big and unpleasant cloud. It’s going to be part of the scene for a while,” he said.

*snip*

[CrispyQ]

1. Adam Kinzinger's segment on Morning Joe yesterday was excellent.

He spoke about how after Jan. 6, Trump was over. Republicans were ready to move on. And you could hear it in their messages. Then he explained that two weeks later, Kevin McCarthy went down to Mara Lago & kissed the ring & resurrected Trump.

I hope Mitch McConnell's last thoughts on this planet are, "I should have convicted the motherfucker."

[CentralMass]

2. McConnell's last thoughts will be about making a deal with the devil.