"But eventual repair will also take a constant clarion call among the majority dedicated to democracy—to assert what’s at stake and to remind each other about the dreadful role the extremists continue to play in putting our way of life in danger. " Thank you, Mr. Beschloss for this eloquent and powerful call to arms. We can't wait for MAGA extremists to wake up to what America is. It is our duty to do what we can to vote them out at every opportunity.
Every idea gets lost in the repetition of its use. Beautiful ideas democracy, freedom, voting for one's leaders, freedom without license to speak one's truth, "serve the people," 'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' all become slogans... until we can speak to what that means in our daily lives.
Today, in my neighborhood, a foreign company has purchased the land next door to my home and plans to create a noisy, toxic, traffic jamming, metal shredding business.. I understand the EPA says within 1/2 mile of these shredders is a zone of 'extreme danger.' DEMOCRACY: I have the right to rally my neighbors, protest, write letters, sue... what ever it takes to protect my family and neighbors to stop this. Hopefully we will win. We will vote out the politicians who didn't stop this before it started. Thank you America.
Thanks Susan. I think we will stop it. I was just imagining how we don't often stop to think how lucky we are to have the privilege to fight these horrid events that pop up in our lives. If you make the effort, you can usually stop unjust thinks from happening... but it does take getting off one's duff.
Your original comment above made me feel so fortunate not to have that happen to me. I see your point that in this country at this time we can fight such invasions. It’s a privilege of living in a democracy. Didn’t it cost money to fight it?
A little money, to talk with an attorney, so we didn't get in trouble. But, mostly, just calling neighborhood meetings, writing letters, calling officials and politicians, warning people. It may still end up costing. But, newspapers are doing a good job of covering the issues... politicians seem to be responding, people are rising up. We just have to keep going... like on the national level.
I now see more clearly what you mean by ‘get off one’s duff’, Lynn. That’s a lot. You sound like a formidable opponent who I’d want on my side when injustices are threatened.
With each embrace of the irrational behavior, this group underscores its dysfunction, unfitness to serve, and danger to us all. I do believe the citizenry will rally, despite the media’s perverse insistence to make this a horse race.
Spot on, including the Bannon observation. According to the academic researcher (New York University) who wrote about Communism and interviewed Bannon in 2013, Bannon said:
“I’m a Leninist. …. Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.”
The doublespeak game of calling those who oppose their wishes “Bolsheviks” and radical leftists is a tell as is redefining “conservatism”. The Heritage Foundation Project 2025 is working to support the next GOP “conservative” president in this endeavor.
I think Steve Bannon’s desire to burn down our house needs to be addressed. He is an enemy to our government yet is allowed the freedom to lead his followers. I thought a restriction to The first amendment was you could not freely threaten, and he does just that. He threatens our constitution and basic rights as Americans. He was the catalyst standing with Trump during his first steps into politics. And Trump threatens everyone as do his MAGAs
Bannon was saying this even before joining Trump in the WH et it didn't get the critical att'n it deserved. His views were glossed over & shrugged off with "What a nut!" attitude.
My understanding is that Bannon should be in prison: “Trump ally and adviser Steve Bannon, was sentenced on Wednesday to more than four years in prison after admitting to conspiring to defraud donors to a campaign to build a wall along the US-Mexican border, as promised by the former president.”(The Guardian.com, 4/26/23)
After there 45-day continuing resolution was passed just hours before there would have been a government shutdown, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, as you quoted @StevenBeschloss : “It is our hope that the traditional Republicans will finally take their party back from the extremists who have hijacked this Congress from the very beginning of this Republican majority,” Jeffries said. “Time and time and time again, House Democrats have had to come to the rescue, to push back against the extremists and to ensure we’re doing the right thing for the American people.” I was glad the government shutdown was avoided, though we have to revisit these same issues in 43 days. Will McCarthy still be speaker then? Will the dysfunctional MAGA wing of the GOP still be try8ing to pull strings and exert power. Or will they realize that they were elected to serve their Constitutes and all Americans, and not themselves. Will the MAGA wing of the GOP realize that it is in our best interest to support democracies around the world, including and especially right now, Ukraine. In the 1940's there were some who appeased Hitler and the Nazis. Did the MAGA wing learn that appeasement doesn't work. That the aggressor just puts 1 victory in its pocket and goes on to stay another country. Keeping Ukraine democratic and strong strengthens our own national security. That is something the MAGA wing should learn. Now what is going to be most interesting this week? Trump's attempts to turn his Civil Case for Fraud in NY into a political fundraising event, or the attempt by Matt Gaetz to oust Kevin McCarthy? I will be watching neither on tv. I will read the results in a reputable newspaper.
This dysfunction is of course bad for its own sake, but worse is how difficult it is making addressing real problems like climate change and increasingly scary water insecurity. Democracy needs to survive as a starting point as the best chance to protect human rights and save the world from our corporate greed. Democracy winning to invalidate MAGA ideology would be cold comfort without truly taking on those deeper problems.
Powerful essay, Stephen! I have so much trouble getting my head around how these MAGA extremists continue to get re-elected, when achieving their aims would only hurt those they're supposed to represent and serve. Is this segment of the electorate so ignorant that they will vote against their own best interests? Are they so far gone that they will cause harm to their very selves rather than vote for a Democrat? The contrast between the feckless and dishonest McCarthy and the great leader Hakeem Jeffries couldn't be more clear. I can't wait till he's Speaker! McCarthy will be a footnote.
Good for Hakeem Jeffries. Very talented speaker. And maybe in 18 months Speaker of the House? This is a difficult choice for Democrats, indeed. If it were a genuine sign that McCarthy is becoming a true patriot and putting the country first seeing that he can get democratic votes and à substantial number of votes from Rs who also want what is best for the country, then I think I’d be in favor of the Democrats supporting McCarthy. However, I just don’t know that you can trust him. If it turned out that way, the Democrats supported him, and he was able to get a substantial number of Republicans to go along with Democrats and actually get some decent things done, his legacy would be far improved from the way it is going now.
The only remedy for a failure of leadership is to replace the failed leader, as well as his team. Leaving Speaker McCarthy in place means leaving the House of Representatives grievously wounded and dysfunctional.
Democrats would fail in their duty to the country were they to "save McCarthy", or stay absent from the Speakership replacement process.
Mr. Jeffries should free his members to join non-MAGA Republicans and form a bipartisan majority to elect a Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. This would end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber.
As many readers here know, there is a network of ordinary citizens who've been advocating this solution for several months. Everyone who values our institutions is encouraged to pitch in.
For those who would argue that Mr. Bacon is not a moderate Republican:
I'm not talking about policy positions. I'm talking about loyalty to the institutions of our democratic republic and to the integrity of the House of Representatives, wherein policy disagreements are debated and legislation passed. In this regard, the former Air Force General's credentials are impeccable.
Last November, he offered to work across the aisle to find a compromise candidate in the event Mr. McCarthy could not cobble together enough votes to be elected Speaker:
"We need to govern. We can't sit in neutral, we can't have total gridlock."
“The only remedy for a failure of leadership is to replace the failed leader, as well as his team.
Leaving Speaker McCarthy in place means leaving the House of Representatives grievously wounded and dysfunctional.
Democrats would fail in their duty to the country were they to "save McCarthy", or stay absent from the Speakership replacement process.
Mr. Jeffries should free his members to join non-MAGA Republicans and form a bipartisan majority to elect a Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. This would end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber.” ~Jerry Weiss
This suggestion by Mr. Weiss seems like a sound path forward for Leader Jeffries..
McCarthy is a liar, a traitor and an idiot..he can’t be trusted..Jeffries and his caucus will have to choose a Republican that can be trusted to represent a solid loyalty to The Constitution..to get the House back to order..Democrats should absolutely not help McCarthy remain as Speaker..
As always, Steven, thank you for your insights. I’m not the most informed person when it comes to all things “politics”. Between you and others through Substack this is changing, considerably. Such intellectual discourse is, dare I say considering the seriousness of what’s at stake here, “enjoyable” to me. I think a lot of this has to do with the sense that I’m discovering “kindred spirits” here. I find this important. Helps with my confidence to care, however meager my personal stake may be.
For a long time now I’ve been increasingly cynical about a populace that actually considers the current leadership to be something to validate. Especially amongst what is referred to as
MAGA/Putin Republicans. I’ve been patiently waiting for those who find this kind of behavior something to “celebrate” to have a change of “mind”, preferably “heart”. I certainly have no desire, in the least, to see tragedy bestowed upon anyone. But, I sometimes wonder if any of these persons have had such experience(s) that can convince many of us that they genuinely care. (Gun violence, healthcare, not getting paid for work with a possible “shutdown”, freedom to make personal choices that really ought to remain personal not public or politicized…) Is this what it takes?
Finally coming to the fore, the beginnings of a Justice system at work regarding all things “Phlegm” (our former “leader”). We shall see what really functions for the betterment of all. This is encouraging. Patience, indeed…
"But eventual repair will also take a constant clarion call among the majority dedicated to democracy—to assert what’s at stake and to remind each other about the dreadful role the extremists continue to play in putting our way of life in danger. " Thank you, Mr. Beschloss for this eloquent and powerful call to arms. We can't wait for MAGA extremists to wake up to what America is. It is our duty to do what we can to vote them out at every opportunity.
Every idea gets lost in the repetition of its use. Beautiful ideas democracy, freedom, voting for one's leaders, freedom without license to speak one's truth, "serve the people," 'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' all become slogans... until we can speak to what that means in our daily lives.
Today, in my neighborhood, a foreign company has purchased the land next door to my home and plans to create a noisy, toxic, traffic jamming, metal shredding business.. I understand the EPA says within 1/2 mile of these shredders is a zone of 'extreme danger.' DEMOCRACY: I have the right to rally my neighbors, protest, write letters, sue... what ever it takes to protect my family and neighbors to stop this. Hopefully we will win. We will vote out the politicians who didn't stop this before it started. Thank you America.
Sorry to hear about that shredding business. Good luck with the fight.
A heartfelt UGH ! that you have to go through this.
Thanks Susan. I think we will stop it. I was just imagining how we don't often stop to think how lucky we are to have the privilege to fight these horrid events that pop up in our lives. If you make the effort, you can usually stop unjust thinks from happening... but it does take getting off one's duff.
Your original comment above made me feel so fortunate not to have that happen to me. I see your point that in this country at this time we can fight such invasions. It’s a privilege of living in a democracy. Didn’t it cost money to fight it?
A little money, to talk with an attorney, so we didn't get in trouble. But, mostly, just calling neighborhood meetings, writing letters, calling officials and politicians, warning people. It may still end up costing. But, newspapers are doing a good job of covering the issues... politicians seem to be responding, people are rising up. We just have to keep going... like on the national level.
I now see more clearly what you mean by ‘get off one’s duff’, Lynn. That’s a lot. You sound like a formidable opponent who I’d want on my side when injustices are threatened.
With each embrace of the irrational behavior, this group underscores its dysfunction, unfitness to serve, and danger to us all. I do believe the citizenry will rally, despite the media’s perverse insistence to make this a horse race.
Spot on, including the Bannon observation. According to the academic researcher (New York University) who wrote about Communism and interviewed Bannon in 2013, Bannon said:
“I’m a Leninist. …. Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.”
The doublespeak game of calling those who oppose their wishes “Bolsheviks” and radical leftists is a tell as is redefining “conservatism”. The Heritage Foundation Project 2025 is working to support the next GOP “conservative” president in this endeavor.
You mean the next extremist GOP “conservative”
I think Steve Bannon’s desire to burn down our house needs to be addressed. He is an enemy to our government yet is allowed the freedom to lead his followers. I thought a restriction to The first amendment was you could not freely threaten, and he does just that. He threatens our constitution and basic rights as Americans. He was the catalyst standing with Trump during his first steps into politics. And Trump threatens everyone as do his MAGAs
Yes!
Bannon was saying this even before joining Trump in the WH et it didn't get the critical att'n it deserved. His views were glossed over & shrugged off with "What a nut!" attitude.
My understanding is that Bannon should be in prison: “Trump ally and adviser Steve Bannon, was sentenced on Wednesday to more than four years in prison after admitting to conspiring to defraud donors to a campaign to build a wall along the US-Mexican border, as promised by the former president.”(The Guardian.com, 4/26/23)
Well, that is good news, and keeps him from promoting his poison.
He's not in prison yet as he appeals his sentence....Grrrrrrrrrr!
After there 45-day continuing resolution was passed just hours before there would have been a government shutdown, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, as you quoted @StevenBeschloss : “It is our hope that the traditional Republicans will finally take their party back from the extremists who have hijacked this Congress from the very beginning of this Republican majority,” Jeffries said. “Time and time and time again, House Democrats have had to come to the rescue, to push back against the extremists and to ensure we’re doing the right thing for the American people.” I was glad the government shutdown was avoided, though we have to revisit these same issues in 43 days. Will McCarthy still be speaker then? Will the dysfunctional MAGA wing of the GOP still be try8ing to pull strings and exert power. Or will they realize that they were elected to serve their Constitutes and all Americans, and not themselves. Will the MAGA wing of the GOP realize that it is in our best interest to support democracies around the world, including and especially right now, Ukraine. In the 1940's there were some who appeased Hitler and the Nazis. Did the MAGA wing learn that appeasement doesn't work. That the aggressor just puts 1 victory in its pocket and goes on to stay another country. Keeping Ukraine democratic and strong strengthens our own national security. That is something the MAGA wing should learn. Now what is going to be most interesting this week? Trump's attempts to turn his Civil Case for Fraud in NY into a political fundraising event, or the attempt by Matt Gaetz to oust Kevin McCarthy? I will be watching neither on tv. I will read the results in a reputable newspaper.
It's sad to think how many cultists will be conned into giving Trump more money because of the judicial "persecution." But here we are...
Well, here we are. And it makes me very sad !!! So glad I have this group with whom to commiserate!
This dysfunction is of course bad for its own sake, but worse is how difficult it is making addressing real problems like climate change and increasingly scary water insecurity. Democracy needs to survive as a starting point as the best chance to protect human rights and save the world from our corporate greed. Democracy winning to invalidate MAGA ideology would be cold comfort without truly taking on those deeper problems.
In 24 hours I’m curious to know how much money the dysfunction in congress makes for the oil companies alone?
Powerful essay, Stephen! I have so much trouble getting my head around how these MAGA extremists continue to get re-elected, when achieving their aims would only hurt those they're supposed to represent and serve. Is this segment of the electorate so ignorant that they will vote against their own best interests? Are they so far gone that they will cause harm to their very selves rather than vote for a Democrat? The contrast between the feckless and dishonest McCarthy and the great leader Hakeem Jeffries couldn't be more clear. I can't wait till he's Speaker! McCarthy will be a footnote.
Good for Hakeem Jeffries. Very talented speaker. And maybe in 18 months Speaker of the House? This is a difficult choice for Democrats, indeed. If it were a genuine sign that McCarthy is becoming a true patriot and putting the country first seeing that he can get democratic votes and à substantial number of votes from Rs who also want what is best for the country, then I think I’d be in favor of the Democrats supporting McCarthy. However, I just don’t know that you can trust him. If it turned out that way, the Democrats supported him, and he was able to get a substantial number of Republicans to go along with Democrats and actually get some decent things done, his legacy would be far improved from the way it is going now.
The only remedy for a failure of leadership is to replace the failed leader, as well as his team. Leaving Speaker McCarthy in place means leaving the House of Representatives grievously wounded and dysfunctional.
Democrats would fail in their duty to the country were they to "save McCarthy", or stay absent from the Speakership replacement process.
Mr. Jeffries should free his members to join non-MAGA Republicans and form a bipartisan majority to elect a Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. This would end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber.
As many readers here know, there is a network of ordinary citizens who've been advocating this solution for several months. Everyone who values our institutions is encouraged to pitch in.
Learn more here: www.FeathersOfHope.net or jerryweiss.substack.com
.
For those who would argue that Mr. Bacon is not a moderate Republican:
I'm not talking about policy positions. I'm talking about loyalty to the institutions of our democratic republic and to the integrity of the House of Representatives, wherein policy disagreements are debated and legislation passed. In this regard, the former Air Force General's credentials are impeccable.
Last November, he offered to work across the aisle to find a compromise candidate in the event Mr. McCarthy could not cobble together enough votes to be elected Speaker:
"We need to govern. We can't sit in neutral, we can't have total gridlock."
What he said then remains true today.
.
“The only remedy for a failure of leadership is to replace the failed leader, as well as his team.
Leaving Speaker McCarthy in place means leaving the House of Representatives grievously wounded and dysfunctional.
Democrats would fail in their duty to the country were they to "save McCarthy", or stay absent from the Speakership replacement process.
Mr. Jeffries should free his members to join non-MAGA Republicans and form a bipartisan majority to elect a Republican Speaker like Don Bacon (R-NE) who owes nothing to the extremists. This would end the chaos, hand MAGA forces a stinging defeat, and restore normal order to the chamber.” ~Jerry Weiss
This suggestion by Mr. Weiss seems like a sound path forward for Leader Jeffries..
McCarthy is a liar, a traitor and an idiot..he can’t be trusted..Jeffries and his caucus will have to choose a Republican that can be trusted to represent a solid loyalty to The Constitution..to get the House back to order..Democrats should absolutely not help McCarthy remain as Speaker..
As always, Steven, thank you for your insights. I’m not the most informed person when it comes to all things “politics”. Between you and others through Substack this is changing, considerably. Such intellectual discourse is, dare I say considering the seriousness of what’s at stake here, “enjoyable” to me. I think a lot of this has to do with the sense that I’m discovering “kindred spirits” here. I find this important. Helps with my confidence to care, however meager my personal stake may be.
For a long time now I’ve been increasingly cynical about a populace that actually considers the current leadership to be something to validate. Especially amongst what is referred to as
MAGA/Putin Republicans. I’ve been patiently waiting for those who find this kind of behavior something to “celebrate” to have a change of “mind”, preferably “heart”. I certainly have no desire, in the least, to see tragedy bestowed upon anyone. But, I sometimes wonder if any of these persons have had such experience(s) that can convince many of us that they genuinely care. (Gun violence, healthcare, not getting paid for work with a possible “shutdown”, freedom to make personal choices that really ought to remain personal not public or politicized…) Is this what it takes?
Finally coming to the fore, the beginnings of a Justice system at work regarding all things “Phlegm” (our former “leader”). We shall see what really functions for the betterment of all. This is encouraging. Patience, indeed…