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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI can feel the fear in America
Let's start with the cold open for SNL. It was funny because it had a sliver of truth to it. But even before that. The Washington Post and LA Times pre-edited to show their fear.
Joe and Mica shamelessly traveled to Mat-A-Lago to kiss the ring after bashing others who did so in the past.
On a personal level, I know a few Civil Servants in the Federal Government, and they are terrified. They were appointed 10 or15 years ago under Obama, so they have a Democratic pedigree, which can be easily traced. The fear is palpable.
It's only been 2 or 3 weeks since the election and Trump is still a little less that 2 months from Inauguration, but I can sense the fear. I never sensed this fear during any transition in my lifetime. I'm 72 years old and my father worked at GSA. He never feared for his job, whether a Republican or a Democrat took over the Presidency.
This fear is a by-product of an incoming Authoritarian Government.

Irish_Dem
(63,828 posts)People walking around, heads down, low profile, trying to avoid the police roaming around.
People chastised, threatened, arrested for no apparent reason.
Pototan
(2,322 posts)Trump hates the Bush's also. So, if a civil servant was appointed by anyone in the past 36 years, there is no real protection, even the Trump years when Trump wasn't paying attention.
"Is it better to be loved or feared? If you can't be both, it is better to be feared"...Machiavelli
Irish_Dem
(63,828 posts)His goal is to suck most of the cash out of the US government.
Like Putin does in Russia. Many of the Russians outside of Moscow do not have indoor plumbing.
Yes it is a scary time.
William Seger
(11,350 posts)In a fascist state, everyone needs to be afraid of something, or they will turn against the state. Trump was elected by creating and exploiting fear of an imaginary "migrant crime wave," Republicans fall in line behind him out of fear of his cult's votes and being primaried, Mika and Joe kiss his ass out of fear of losing their huge paychecks. Now he must make all his opponents fear his retribution, including any government employees who might cause trouble. He won't have to fire very many before all the rest to fall in line.
This is a time when character will be tested. Mika and Joe flunked.
FarPoint
(13,827 posts)Not enough fear, anxiety with Biden and Garland...ever....If they did fear this they would not go down the avoidance path for the last 4 years. As I understand...They even knew about election interface by Russia in the 2016 election...NATO"s Matt Rutte and the Dutch Prime Minister...nothing apparently done ...
So, now look at all the potential misery and suffering that will follow under tRump and Putin ... The tRump everyday folks will be suffering too but slower to understand the source was themselves who voted for this Minister of Destruction ...
I imagine then we must all "hit bottom" and the rebuild once everyone feels the hurt.
MadameButterfly
(2,433 posts)Last edited Sun Nov 24, 2024, 04:20 AM - Edit history (2)
biased. REason for Obama not mentioning Russian interference before the election. Reason for Biden picking Galrand over Doug Jones.
As if we ever get any credit for being moderate.
We cave in advance, and we lose. Let's stop it. Let's make this the bottom.
FarPoint
(13,827 posts)Last edited Sat Nov 23, 2024, 08:33 AM - Edit history (1)
While all along, we Democratic warriors for Democracy for all essentially get used and forgotten.... In my opinion...our Democratic leaders as a whole are impotent.
I'm just going into survivor mode..... trying to relearn how to live without being actively involved in my community government on a daily basis.... to continue causes depression, disappointment and I just am not feeling futuristic for our humanity....as we really have no effective voice...
MadameButterfly
(2,433 posts)For all his stupiditly, he gets this basic point.
I understand your friends in the Federal government. I just hope they don't leave in advance. Make Trump do the firing. Make it difficult. Make it public. Leaving in advance makes it easy and non-controversial.
We all have to act like our democratic rights still exist. Act as if we are living in a democracy. Don't give it to him before he even asks. He has to commit atrocities and get indicted by the international courts like Netanyahu. Give soldiers and others ordered to carry out potential crimes the right and support to say no.
COL Mustard
(7,202 posts)I first joined civil service during the Reagan administration, I left during the Clinton administration, and came back in 2010. All told, I have over 30 years, and Im old enough to retire immediately.
Im going to stay, because we support every administration, but Im prepared to move out very quickly if things deteriorate. I dont like the idea of abandoning my team, and I really dont like the idea of abandoning the mission that we have, but Im also not going to do something that violates my moral values. I know already that its going to be a bumpy transition, and we shall see how things go.
multigraincracker
(34,847 posts)Lots of fear. Lots of government programs they rely on, tariffs etc that will hit them hard.
Nothing but tfg signs out in farm country. Keep an eye on Iowa.
ellie
(6,966 posts)they vote for trump? I don't get it.
displacedvermoter
(3,455 posts)with the fig leaf of Christianity
DoBW
(2,261 posts)Pototan
(2,322 posts)Mr. Sparkle
(3,248 posts)Pototan
(2,322 posts)jaxexpat
(7,794 posts)Our communal fear is a perverse memorial to their misplaced propriety, relinquishment of justice and abeyance of honor. There were American Nazis, led by comic book heroes like Ford and Lindberg, parading around when we entered WWII. That didn't stop Roosevelt from challenging Americans to destroy them. The truth is not so hard to accept or follow when its fact based. Facts like "we have nothing to fear but fear itself" don't change because of an election. If we cower before bullies and since we're already on our knees, we may just as well install a grand statue of Garland to bow before. After all, his shameful recalcitrance is the stinking bitumen which paved the way to our current state. He and his ilk should meet fear because some day, probably sooner than we think, people are going to be fed up with the stupid triumph of corruption over reason and, like Cromwell's bones, dig to the roots of their predicament. Because that's the real wage of pretention and condescension in response to barbarism. It's not a quaking fear.
FarPoint
(13,827 posts)What that feeling we all have if you suspect the election count is incorrect and being told it is correct and we are wrong...we the voters are at fault....
Well....That is a result of being a by-product of an incoming Authoritarian Government. ...I say trust your instincts. Many people who are victims of any form of abuse have been blamed for the abusers actions...
I trust my instincts today...
No, we don't have evidence and supporting intelligence but our current Administration does...we have our own instincts and even gut feeling this smells. With the voter being blamed, that can explain some of our feeling of failure as it's being forced upon us...
cachukis
(2,879 posts)But we have smarts. Eventually, the world gets smarter. Setbacks and obstacles are still on the road ahead.
Looking at the electoral map, it appears the South has risen again.
This is not an accurate map in that there are pockets of blue in it.
I suspect the regionalisation of America will become more pronounced as the administration guides its followers.
The money players have taken charge and they are like insurance companies who can't stay in business if they pay out more than they bring in.
We all have to be on the alert as we have to pick our battles wisely.
I think our leadership is working to get the lay of the land before they engage.
There will be lulls before the storms and there will be storms.
I don't see the Jasmine Crockett's rolling over without some fight.