TIME’s Post

Meet The Fockers. "The New Republic is hosting one of the most exciting and important events of the season: the Stop Trump Summit." "With the former president polling at the top of the Republican field, and the danger of a catastrophic second term looming on the horizon, we are gathering some top thinkers and commentators in politics for a day of urgent conversations. We’ll examine the disasters of Trump’s first term, the state of the legal cases against him, his own strange psychology and that of his MAGA followers, the messaging and polling on his 2024 campaign—everything concerned American citizens want to know about making sure he never takes office again." "The daylong summit will gather TNR’s readers and enthusiastic New York–area supporters to join us in a large-scale informal strategy session with some high-profile personalities and commentators: • Donald Trump vs. America with Jamie Raskin. • Republicans vs. Trump with George Conway, Tara Setmayer, Stuart Stevens. • The Dangerous Rise of No Labels with Joel Payne. •. Trump, Rights, and Race with Al Sharpton. •. Legal Spotlight with Michael Cohen. •. Can the Fourteenth Amendment Stop Trump? with Noah Bookbinder, Dahlia Lithwick, Burt Neuborne. • Trump vs. the Media with Don Lemon, Tara McGowan. • Trump vs. New York with Robert De Niro. • The Frightening Psychology of Donald Trump and MAGA with molly jong-fast, Mary Trump. Wed Oct 11. NYC. #trump #14thamendment

Reflecting on President Biden’s warning against the re-election of Donald Trump, particularly in the context of the January 6 Capitol riot, we are reminded of the fragile nature of democracy and the critical responsibility of leadership. As a staunch advocate for ethical governance and a defender of democratic values, the importance of this message resonates deeply with me. President Biden’s speech near Valley Forge, an emblematic site of American resilience, was not just a political statement; it was a call to safeguard the very foundations of our nation. The reference to January 6, 2021, as a day “we nearly lost America” is a stark reminder that the principles of democracy are not self-sustaining but require active defense and nurturing. The juxtaposition of Biden’s commitment to democratic ideals with Trump’s divisive rhetoric and actions highlights a crossroads for American politics. Biden’s emphasis on the future versus Trump’s preoccupation with the past speaks volumes about their differing visions for the country. It’s a comparison between a forward-looking approach that seeks to unite and a backward-glancing perspective that often sows division. The reference to George Washington’s resignation as a leader after American independence, symbolizing the voluntary relinquishment of power, serves as a profound contrast to the events of January 6. It underscores the expectation that American leaders should prioritize the nation’s welfare over personal ambition. This historical parallel is a powerful reminder of the values that have shaped our nation and the importance of upholding them. President Biden’s remarks come at a time when polarization seems to be at its peak, and the memory of January 6 is interpreted differently across the political spectrum. This polarization is not just a political divide but a divergence in the understanding and appreciation of the tenets of democracy. The speech, therefore, is a crucial reminder of the responsibilities we bear as citizens. It calls for a collective effort to uphold democratic values, reject violence and extremism, and engage in constructive political discourse. As someone committed to the principles of justice, equality, and service, this message resonates with a sense of urgency and importance. It reaffirms the need for vigilance in protecting the democratic process and ensuring that leadership is exercised with integrity and respect for the will of the people. https://lnkd.in/edCEuuqg

https://lnkd.in/eH4k8nit Extracts He has “the greatest name in politics,” according to former President Donald Trump. But Rep. Patrick McHenry — the GOP’s bow-tied, gavel-slamming temporary speaker — is just now emerging as America’s latest political obsession, memes and all. And he’s on deck to step into the speaker’s chair more formally if Republicans rally around the idea to resolve their leadership crisis. How did he get here? You’re going to read that the 18-year House veteran is the “adult in the room” compared to other GOP hard-liners — a pragmatist who’s ready to govern and even has Democrats clamoring for him to run the House. But it wasn’t always that way. Part of the reason the North Carolina Republican has any lingering cred with the far right — though it’s fading in the Matt Gaetz era — is that he used to be one of them, even before the rise of the GOP tea party movement McHenry entered Congress in 2005 at 29 and soon made his name as a self-described “bomb-thrower.” He rose through the House GOP ranks by attacking the government’s economic rescue plans in the wake of the global financial crisis, helping sink the Bush administration’s initial attempt to bail out Wall Street — a failed vote that triggered a market crash A Roll Call columnist in this early stage of McHenry’s career described him as “the GOP’s attack dog-in-training” as he fought Democrats in an ethics battle against Majority Leader Tom Delay, who faced criminal conspiracy charges But then McHenry got serious. He buckled down at the House Financial Services Committee, which writes rules for banking and stock trading, and became a Wall Street policy wonk. He also entered House leadership, emerging as one of the GOP’s top vote counters as chief deputy whip How does he operate? McHenry hasn’t quite abandoned his conservative ideals in his transition to GOP statesman. But he’s made clear that he can be flexible to get a deal done Just take McHenry’s approach at House Financial Services. McHenry has spent years courting Rep. Maxine Waters in a bid to craft legislation that would have a hint of a shot at getting through the Senate and signed by the president. Before taking the gavel, he described the committee as an active nook of bipartisanship McHenry is close to the middle of his party, according to one ideology score. He believes climate change is real and “we have to do something about it.” He’s supported aid for Ukraine. He has sidestepped some of the culture war issues that are dominating GOP politics and even drew flak from the right when he kept diversity and inclusion concerns — a priority of Waters — on the Financial Services oversight agenda “Conventional wisdom at the start of this Congress was McHenry would serve his final two years as chairman and then either retire or become speaker,” said one former Republican leadership staffer. “Nobody actually believed that speaker would be possible"

𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 Excerpts: "The essence of this ruling class stance is that duly-elected Republican presidents since Nixon are regarded as presumptively illegitimate. The conclusion of many members of the ruling class, high and low, seems to be that extra-ordinary and extra-constitutional measures are justified in opposing Republican rule. Donald Trump’s election super-charged this collective judgment and led to an orgy of extra-constitutionalism that continues to hound him, even out of office. This fact of national political life in recent decades, coupled with Progressivism’s century-long tendency to remove lawmaking and all manner of policy from popular and constitutional control more broadly, has had the net effect of a rolling soft-disenfranchisement of half the American population." "The Biden Administration has made explicit—rhetorically from the president himself and as a matter of national security policy—that many millions of members of the opposition party present a threat to democracy. The key piece of the rhetorical presentation came at Biden’s September 1, 2022, speech in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. This was its rhetorical centerpiece: 'Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.'" "So, it was a bit rich on Sunday night when Biden opened a stumbling address to the nation on the attempted assassination of President Trump with the following: 'My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics and to remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We’re neighbors. We’re friends, coworkers, citizens, and, most importantly, we are fellow Americans.' He continued a bit later in the short address, 'You know, the political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. And we have a responsibility to do that. Yes, we have deeply felt, strong disagreements. The stakes in this election are enormously high. I’ve said it many times that the choice we make in this election is gonna shape the future of America and the world for decades to come.'” "Biden should be commended for condemning violence, but his calls for lowering the rhetorical temperature rightly ring hollow to millions of Americans." by Ryan P. Williams Full article: https://lnkd.in/eEpYh3tV The American Mind

Top box office two weekends running. Is this the harbinger of the DSA (Disunited States of America)? "One subject seems to be unifying the right and the left today: Disunion. From the multiplex to social media, the prospect of America collapsing into armed conflict has moved from being an idea on the tinfoil-hat fringes to an active undercurrent of the country’s political conversation. Voters at campaign events bring up their worries that political division could lead to large-scale political violence. Pollsters regularly ask about the idea in opinion surveys. A cottage industry has arisen for speculative fiction, serious assessments and forums about whether the country could be on the verge of a modern-day version of the bloodiest war in American history. And “Civil War,” a dystopian action film about an alternative America plunged into a bloody domestic conflict, has topped box office sales for two consecutive weekends. The movie has outperformed expectations at theaters from Brownsville, Texas, to Boston, tapping into a dark set of national anxieties that took hold after the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol. Of course, the notion of a future civil war remains a mere notion. But, as another presidential election approaches, it has suddenly become a hotly debated one, reflecting the bipartisan sense of unease that has permeated American politics. In polls and in interviews, a segment of voters have said they fear that the country’s divides have grown so deep that they may lead not just to rhetorical battles but actual ones." How the Movie ‘Civil War’ Echoes Real Political Anxieties https://lnkd.in/gBHvcxxu (Subscription may be required) #uspolitics #presidentialelection #civilwar

For those of us who believe in the great American Experiment — a constitutional republic based on the principles of freedom and democracy — this is what it looks like, folks. It’s raucous, sometimes ugly, painful, and chock full of anxiety. But one thing we can do and are doing is speak freely. That could all change. Imagine a world where the Trump police track down naysayers and truth tellers. He has vowed retribution, even military tribunals for his political enemies. And then he would not be subject to prosecution. In our system of government, we have the right to question our leaders. If Trump wins, that could quickly disappear. In the confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety of the moment, and amidst all the disappointing media coverage, it is time to remind ourselves once again what is at stake in this election.

Important analysis here of likelihood of third party candidates facilitating a Trump win. Plus this shocking data illustrating that half of Americans live in a post-truth world: "In a Democracy Corps poll (run by James Carville and Stan Greenberg) shortly before Christmas, voters gave Trump a lead over Biden on the following questions: protecting the constitution, getting beyond chaos and opposing extremism. Voters were tied on which of the two would make democracy more secure.

WE'VE REACHED THE TIPPING POINT Article excerpts: "We’ve now reached a point where even if you hate Trump’s behavior, despise his temperament, think he isn’t a pure-enough conservative, or would prefer someone else less toxic carry the conservative banner, the choice is clear — either support Trump or condone the anti-democratic, extra-legal, election-integrity-destroying tactics of the left, which will forever poison the American political system, and will mean the end of conservatism in the U.S. for the foreseeable future." "Those who think this is just about Trump, or that Trump is a special case, or that once we get Trump out of the picture civility will return, are deluding themselves. If Mister Rogers ran as a conservative, he’d be just as viciously attacked." "The affable Ronald Reagan was pilloried during his time in office as a warmonger, a hater, a doddering old fool and, of course, a fascist." "Since then, the left has added lawfare to its arsenal, which has now reached peak absurdity for the simple reason that Trump refuses to give in. But make no mistake, scalping Trump will only whet the left’s appetite for more scalps." https://lnkd.in/eNGBeyrJ

Ezra Klein makes serious arguments for challenging Trump and Trumpism on 2 major fronts 1) just what is the meaning of America First vs Trump First 2) just what is going to make America safer? A prison who has made America unsafe in the four years he was prrsudentv( and as well before then) Whether it be his attempt to overthrow an election, inciting a mob to do it, creating uncertainty about America’s role in the world stage, uncertainty about vulnerablity in dealing with a pandemic during which over a million lives were list, or labeling America in the verge of total collapse if he doesn’t win - This is what the election campaign needs to be about. - how to keep America safe - not scared, fearful or angry - but rather inspired by goals, Opportunities l, confidence. and shared destinies.

America is living in "an upside-down reality where criminal charges act as political assets — at least for the purpose of winning the Republican nomination," The New York Times' Jonathan Swan, Ruth Igielnik, Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman report. Why it matters: Trump — facing three indictments, with a fourth likely as soon as this week — dominates the Grand Old Party after "years of conditioning of millions of Republican voters who view Mr. Trump's legal troubles as a proxy attack on them." 👀 A Times analysis found: "Trump's indictments didn't just occupy a 24-hour news cycle; the cases consumed whole weeks on both mainstream and conservative media, each following a pattern." "There was the week of rumors ahead of the indictments, and then indictment day, arraignment day and the post-arraignment analysis." 💡 Behind the scenes: Trump and his team, who have deliberately sought to maximize live coverage of his arraignments, have gone so far as to "treat court appearances exactly as they would campaign events — choreographing visuals down to minute details and working with all the networks, including those Mr. Trump has pilloried as 'fake news,' such as CNN."