Thank you for an extraordinary synthesis and analysis. The word that seems most apropos is “coup”. What makes this one especially deplorable is the evident motive: personal greed for Trump and his benefactors - for power and control, yes, but perhaps more so for personal wealth obtained by extracting and exploiting the “public inheritance” of this nation in all its manifestations.
Trump operatives are drunk on lies, cruelty and power without conscience or shame. We can laugh at the absurdity of claiming healthy dissent is the work of communists, and elections are valid only when a Republican wins. Was it Voltaire who said “those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities”?
The patient is not fine. Military and paramilitary forces are being funded, formed and trained with dangerous rhetoric calling for all opposition to be crushed. We must not let this coup succeed.
This is an outstanding essay, Shanley. Let me summarize: The patient is on life support, the doctors and nurses have been fired, and the hospital is burning. Meanwhile, the crowd is hunting for marshmallows.
Thank you for an extraordinary synthesis and analysis. The word that seems most apropos is “coup”. What makes this one especially deplorable is the evident motive: personal greed for Trump and his benefactors - for power and control, yes, but perhaps more so for personal wealth obtained by extracting and exploiting the “public inheritance” of this nation in all its manifestations.
Trump operatives are drunk on lies, cruelty and power without conscience or shame. We can laugh at the absurdity of claiming healthy dissent is the work of communists, and elections are valid only when a Republican wins. Was it Voltaire who said “those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities”?
The patient is not fine. Military and paramilitary forces are being funded, formed and trained with dangerous rhetoric calling for all opposition to be crushed. We must not let this coup succeed.
This is an outstanding essay, Shanley. Let me summarize: The patient is on life support, the doctors and nurses have been fired, and the hospital is burning. Meanwhile, the crowd is hunting for marshmallows.