Below are my thoughts on Ezra’s Klein’s Bullseye on Failure of Dem Leadership in the NYT.
Kleptocratic authoritarianism (aka Fascism) IS the issue now. It SHOULD HAVE BEEN the primary issue prior to the 2024 election which may prove to be historically considered, albeit questionably, the last legitimate (also arguable) federal election for some time.
History (check it while it's still available) bears out verifiably that the average life span of an authoritarian regime is 20+ years. If there is an endemic family legacy (as with this one) it's more like 40.
These regimes aren't voted out democratically, they are deposed by a systemically decimated society and an hysterically desperate citizenry.
It's all there to be reviewed in relatively recent history.
Unfortunately, as with many ruinously regressive patterns (climate change, etc...but what’s ultimately macro-destructive?...climate change) we are probably past the "tipping point". Deleterious administrative broad strokes such as those we’ve witnessed in just these past few months do not revert quicky or easily to a status quo, flawed or otherwise. Things are already ugly and will get uglier. And uglier.
But the established leadership of the “humanist” party are as victimized and complicit as their right wing masterfully cultivated MAGA counterparts.
The ghastly sleep walking on the political left is the well-planned result of a campaign waged by the greed class which could very well be called "Brainwash and Pollwatch".
Whomever is ultimately to blame, the political culpability should NOT be the first concern of the entities who should and must now virulently, vociferously and assiduously fight the fascists. The power wielders and wealth stealers DO NOT CARE, they’ve absolutely no compunction. If any emotional sentiments are to accompany their agenda, self-satisfaction and cruelty are those most likely.
If Dems haven't learned that by now, they deserve everything we'll all (save for the economic top 1-10%) suffer. Scratch that. We’ll ALL SUFFER. Irony.
Democratic leadership is still fearful, but their constituents are slowly realizing that their own fear is counterintuitive. A non-violent (crucial…we’re now but a few “emergency declarations” away from martial law) but resolute willingness to be hurt is all that is needed to dilute the efficacy of the brutes. Purely so and yes, that difficult. Without intimidation, they’re nothing. They’ll become more and more imposing the longer we continue to unwisely capitulate.