Bustedknuckles

My point is that I think authoritarianism is worse than liberal democracy, even when flawed. The trade of individual autonomy and democracy in exchange for promises of stability, progress, and equitable distribution of wealth is compelling for some that believe all the promises - but I don't believe in the intrinsic good of the State. Liberal Democracy's hands aren't clean by any stretch, but there are mechanisms for recourse by citizens. Governments always think they know best, but authoritarian states have too much concentrated power. That the trains run on time, or the DOW is over 50000, or quality of life for Hong Kong is better than Guangdong does not excuse state brutality and once power is concentrated, brutality by force and mental/social control efforts are inevitable.

To me anyways

For a glimpse, see Hong Kong

I get the argument, but a lot of it relies on the law being applied universally. The SAVE act's most stringent requirements are for registration, which won't affect existing voters, unless .... the administration finds some way to purge voter rolls of legitimate voters who then have to re-register. This is partially why they're suing states for voter rolls - even trying to extort MN's with ICE.

In a blue wave year, Dems could make serious inroads into or even flip red states. The SAVE act would let red state politicians tip the scales with near impunity. Don't rely on the chance that it'll hurt their own too (or more) - assholes will use the Act to hurt you or your neighbor and it needs to be stopped

It's got me wondering what tear gas smells like

Tell them to DM me

It's worth noting that everyday Dems often want very different things than the "leadership Dems" that are in power under corporate and foreign influence. I don't want vassals - a tiny silver lining of Trump is American hegemony in decline. Thats only a good if Authoritarians don't step into that gap. I hope EU can be the standard bearer and defender of liberal (as opposed to illiberal) democracy in the world until we get our shit together

I get it, we don't deserve trust. What would you look for to decide we can be trusted again though? I'm worried we'd need to rewrite the constitution to put in serious guardrails of some sort. Congress and Judiciary were supposed to be the guardrail, and they're failing pretty hard. What system can truly protect against bad actors with power?

I'd love big tech to lose

I'm married and I don't care. Good thing spouse doesn't either

I wonder if DOJ tried to Honeypot the Congress folks that went to see the files with false documents. We know their searches were monitored. I hate that I sound like a conspiracy theorist but I don't know what I'd put past these assholes

And because it's sort of close, an easy target, and he's obsessed with a legacy. Also because he sucks

Nah, language is fluid and meanings change