Republicans can do what the Nazis failed to do

[Cyrano]

They can achieve absolute power. They can turn America from a democracy into a dictatorship. They can end up being our "owners." And, given our nuclear arsenal, they can threaten, (and perhaps even destroy), the rest of the world.

Those who still don't see it, or "get it," are hopelessly lost.

But those who do understand what their intentions are, must, MUST, find a way to stop them. I find it incredible that they are this close to the total destruction of all of our freedoms.

In WWII, Americans had to become as nasty as the enemy in order to defeat them. It's past time for all who stand against them, to once again get down into the mud and put an end to their diseased, deadly worldview.

There is much we can't say aloud here on DU, or on most other principled, online sites. But the reality is that America is at a historical crossroad. And the choices made now will determine the nature of the world to come.

And one more thought. Many here may think I'm an alarmist. Tell that to the 60 to 80 million human beings who perished during WWII.

[doc03]

1. Republicans the first thing an authoritarian government will do is

take your guns.

[madville]

28. That's a hard sell to Republicans and Independents

When many Democrats campaign on “taking guns”. It’s pretty much doomed Beto in Texas before the campaign is even started.

[Phoenix61]

2. Nope, and I'm not hopelessly lost. nt

[Skittles]

3. I see even McConnell is starting to get it

there just may be some hope

[Gore1FL]

5. He gets that it is in his own interest to oppose the January 6th insurrection.

I am not sure he ever acts in any other interest other than his own.

[Skittles]

6. oh I know that for sure

repukes NEVER act in the interests of America

[Irish_Dem]

4. The American people have to decide if they want a democracy or not.

One third of America is fine with white minority autocratic rule.

One third doesn't care. Or doesn't get it.

One third cares deeply but has no idea what to do to stop the Nazis.

[Cyrano]

8. About those first two thirds,

they need to read, or reread, the poem written by Martin Niemoller. He was a German Lutheran Pastor who didn't see the Nazi horror that was descending on the world, any more than did most others at that time. He wrote this after the fact. Most have heard or read it at one time or another, but it doesn't seem to have sunk in. And anyone who believes "It can't happen here" is a fool.

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

[Irish_Dem]

11. These two groups are almost impossible to budge.

The while minority rule folks truly believe they are immune from harm.
Or don't care when their leaders come for them.

They made a deal with the GOP leaders: We will give you total power and US assets. In return we are the chosen people.

These people do not care that the GOP leaders are killing them by the hundred of thousands via gun deaths and lack of Covid precautions. These are seen as civilian casualties.

The people in denial are really hard to budge. You just cannot reason with them. Like the group above.

Sometimes I feel the 80 million people killed in WWII, including my uncle. They must be screaming at us to listen.

[dwayneb]

22. Dead on

This is just about the right proportion, close enough in any case. It's the 1/3 that are fully apathetic that really doomed us.

Unfortunately reality isn't always like a John Wayne Western or a Disney movie where the hero always comes to the rescue and everyone lives happily ever after.

There isn't a strategy or path forward to prevent America from sliding into authoritarianism as far as I can tell.

The only question left in my mind is what will happen AFTER we go under the boot. My prediction is that America will quickly descend into chaos and civil unrest, and our economy will collapse. It is anyone's guess what will emerge out the other side. One thing is certain we will be sitting ducks for our external enemies.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

29. I will die

Or be murdered. I have several things about me that makes me feel like I would have a target on my back.

[Irish_Dem]

30. The wealthy oligarchs probably won't let the economy go down the drain.

They may let the worker bees take major pension hits.
Pay cuts and high cost of goods.
Reduced standard of living.

But the world cannot let the US go too far down the rabbit hole.
China would lose a lot of money?

We already have chaos and a political/ psychological civil war that could continue and worsen.

The US takes a big hit in terms of power and status.

If we don't care about our own democracy, how can we push it elsewhere?

And the GOP has made democracy look foolish and weak as a political system.

We become more and more ungovernable. And yes it is all a big threat to our national security.

[tritsofme]

7. No they can't, this sort of empty hysterics accomplishes nothing.

Though I do certainly agree, that someone is demonstrating how lost they are, no judgment as to whether it is hopeless.

[Cyrano]

9. Regarding my "empty hysterics," see post #8 above

[tritsofme]

10. It shows your comparison to the present day as more absurd, not less.

[Cyrano]

13. Let me respond with this:

*Sigh*

[tritsofme]

17. Likewise.

[uponit7771]

14. ... said the Spanish republicans circa 1938

[tritsofme]

16. Spain was in the middle of violent civil war in 1938...

An even more ridiculous comparison to present day America.

[uponit7771]

18. Sorry, 1936 ... the republicans damn near said jot & title what you posted in word and deed

[Cyrano]

20. Exactly

Sadly, there will always be those who can't make the conceptual jump to grasp the current and imminent threats to our democracy, our freedoms, and our very lives.

[dwayneb]

24. You can't blame them

Americans are spoiled. We've lived in a nearly perfect world for 75+ years, where wars were something that happened to other people far across the globe; and a Disneyized view of the world where bad things never happen here and the hero always comes to the rescue. But during that time, our Fascist enemies never slept or stopped expanding their movement, they have ALWAYS had the goal of gaining ultimate and total power.

We had opportunities in the Clinton and Obama administrations where we could have strengthened the guardrails by passing a Voting Rights Act (or similar). By the Obama era it should have been obvious to all the threat from the Fascist Right was coming, and fast. But still we sat around on our ass and did nothing. No elected representatives wanted to do the hard work, and a large proportion of American were clueless to the impending danger.

And now here we are, with our hands tied for the most part.

[iemanja]

26. A perfect world

Only if you don't count Jim Crow and the status of everyone but white men.

[uponit7771]

31. +1

[Septua]

12. Many here may think I'm an alarmist.

I'm as "woke" and alarmed as you...and just hoping enough people can, and do, vote in November and that their votes will be counted and accepted.

[Cyrano]

15. From your lips to

the "ear" of whatever intelligent, universal entity may exist.

[Septua]

19. The Committee will end up with the whole truth...

..and I believe Garland will run with it. How can he not?

[Cyrano]

23. My fear is that the clock is running far faster than

the committee, or Merrick Garland.

Short of a Pearl Harbor, or a 9/11, it takes time for the American public to grasp the reality of fatal threats to their well being. This year's election day is about nine months away. Is that sufficient time to "educate" the masses?

[dwayneb]

27. Election of 2022 and 2024 will be the most important in our lifetimes

These elections will determine the pace of America's slide into authoritarianism. If the Fascists gain control of both houses of Congress in 2022, the election of 2024 will be their golden opportunity to seize power.

If Trump or his successor wins outright in 2024,they will immediately continue the process of destroying our democracy from within that Trump started in his first term.

If they don't win in 2024 they will attempt another coup - and there is a much better chance that it will succeed this time, since they will have had 2 full years to spread the poison, follow the roadmap and set the stage, both at the Federal and at the State level.

[dwayneb]

21. Have been saying this for decades

I saw this coming long before Trump was even a glimmer in the eye of the Fascist Right. So it does not seem incredible to me at all. When you look at 20th century history, it should be obvious that what happened in Germany could certainly happen in the USA.

This is not alarmism, this is simply being realistic.

There are several reasons why the "republicans" can accomplish what the Nazis failed to do:

- Technology today provides powerful tools for a totalitarian government to govern with absolute power.
- The American Constitution and Federation has significant inherent weaknesses that are easy for determined fascists to exploit
- There is a good possibility that the American fascists may ally with other governments to build a modern axis of power

It's easy to see the problem. But I am not optimistic that there is any strategy at this point to prevent this from happening. Anyone familiar with the rise of the Nazis can tell you that it was very slow, incremental at first, but in the last few years before Hitler rose to power the pace increased rapidly. This is what we are seeing now. that increase in the pace - the blood is in the water after January 6th.

[Silent3]

25. I'm sure they want complete control. But they'll make the US dangerous more like a rabid dog...

...than a great conquering power. With loyalty to Trump (or his successor) being the coin of their new realm, America will slowly (or maybe not so slowly) go down the tubes as more and more incompetent ass-kissers and conspiratorial maniacs fill important roles.

They'll be grifting the hell out of us and each other too. Corruption will be rampant.

We'd be just as likely to start a nuclear war not by launching the nukes ourselves, but by selling nukes to any party that coughs up enough cash.