Kendzior began by reviewing the last few months.
Americans are now left with the worst of both worlds: a pandemic that shows no sign of abating and a vicious autocratic government attacking our rights while we struggle to survive. The Trump crime cult has endless funds and resources to pay for military troops to attack us, but somehow, that money vanishes when it's time to fund the most critical infrastructure during the time of COVID-19.
The Post Office. …
The slowdown in mail delivery has already been happening for months, since before the current Postmaster General Louis DeJoy took over. But that’s still within the time the nasty guy has been ranting about the supposed hazards of vote by mail.
There are four parts to current voter suppression. One is the partial repeal of the Voting Rights Act by the Supremes in 2013. That showed up in the 2016 election. Two is foreign interference, primarily from Russia. Three is hackable voting machines, and we’re finally getting admissions that machines were tampered with in 2016. Four is the threat from the nasty guy refusing to concede, even if he obviously lost. People are now acknowledging that as a severe threat. (I add five as gerrymandering, which the GOP did to great effect in 2011.)
Add to that the coronavirus pandemic and calls for vote by mail, which immediately prompted the GOP to call to defund the USPS.
Chalupa suggests keeping a journal. Authoritarians will try to tell you certain events didn’t happen. Be a witness to history, which is powerful. I’m keeping a journal. You’re reading it.
Strategies to fight the authoritarians include an “ecosystem of lawsuits” brought on by the left. That ecosystem builds a coalition of progressive groups. Another is the Democrat leadership holding briefings on Russian interference and ignoring calls that this politicizes intelligence. It seems to be working. It seems to be preventing media from acting on foreign story plants.
Alas, Democrats gave up on hearings on other issues related to the Trump Crime Family because the people they wanted to talk to didn’t show up. And instead of forcing compliance they stopped trying. Kendzior blames Speaker Nancy Pelosi who refuse to use the full powers of the House. That means they are abetting the nasty guy’s lawlessness.
Chalupa said that public officials don’t want to mess with each other’s children. That is likely why the House has not touched the pandemic prince and princess. But there’s a difference. These children are de facto president.
Chalupa warned of William Barr of the Department formerly known as Justice creating a legal mechanism to justify stealing the election. It is what authoritarians do.
Kendzior turned to Belarus. There was an “election” there. It was rigged by long-time dictator, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 26 years, shortly after Belarus gained independence from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Lukashenko’s officials claimed he got 80% of the vote when he may have gotten only 20%. There were brutal acts of voter intimidation during the election.
There were mass protests in Minsk, the capital, and in many other cities. Government thugs beat, kidnapped, and arrested protesters. The internet was cut so abuses couldn’t be shared. Some images that did get out prompted some Americans to say, “That looks like Portland.”
Chalupa said the protests continue. And there has been a change – the protesters have a new vision for the nation. They demand fundamental reform in ever part of the country’s life. Protests are led by small groups with emphasis on creativity and non-violent resistance. The authorities are confused because they’re used to arresting political leaders and there are no obvious leaders. That lack of clear leadership means it isn’t possible to predict how this will end. Even so, there won’t be a return to the status quo of three months ago. Transition of power has begun. It could take a while to complete. We should note how they’re doing things.
Kendzior compared Belarus, which for a long time seemed content to be in Russia’s orbit, to the US, which now seems to be turned into a Russian proxy state, controlled by oligarchs primarily from US and Russia. Both have elections in a four month period designed to be rigged and met with intense state violence, yet both with citizens ready to take to the streets. The US has really fallen far.
The title of this episode comes from a comment by Senator Tom Cotton. He had talked about his wish that the US would send troops against peaceful protesters. That’s what they’re doing now in Belarus.
White America had ignored that their government saw black people as disposable. But now they see this government sees them as disposable too. They saw how they were attacked in Portland. They see the nasty guy minions have refused to keep people safe from the virus.
Chalupa said Western countries should pass sanctions against Lukashenko. In the past they’ve been weary of pushing Belarus closer to Russia, but Putin has implied he wants to absorb Belarus unto Russia, so Lukashenko won’t be going to Putin for relief from Western sanctions.
Kendzior listed several virus related issues. School starts for her children in two weeks. It looks like learning will be virtual. They’re not sure how free lunches are supposed to work. This while the nasty guy keeps claiming children can’t get sick – not only do they but they’re very good at spreading the virus. The economy is horrible. We’re about to have mass evictions, There is a collapse of small business, the collapse of art, entertainment, and sports. And the borders of America are closed – not by us (in spite of the nasty guy’s call for a wall) but by the rest of the world. That cuts off people who would want to flee the violence in the streets.
Do not binge watch the decline of democracy. Go to the Gaslit Nation Action Guide and get involved.
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