Nate Schenkkan: I think it is wise and productive for people to take seriously the idea we are in a constitutional crisis in America. I don’t think it is wise or productive to assume what happens next is like what happens in semi consolidated or consolidated authoritarian systems.

I think it is wise and productive for people to take seriously the idea we are in a constitutional crisis in America. I don’t think it is wise or productive to assume what happens next is like what happens in semi consolidated or consolidated authoritarian systems.

Stuff takes time. Pick your example—Hungary, Turkey, Russia, wherever—they are all quite distinct and didn’t get that way in a vacuum or overnight. Focus on the next thing rather than the hypothetical drawn from a different context.

(This is also why I’ve never liked the “authoritarian playbook” discourse but that’s another issue)

It’s demoralizing & demobilizing to speculate about extreme scenarios, even if they are plausible in a long enough timeline. Focus instead on what you can do to prevent them: building coalitions (including with those who you disagree with on other issues) & acting in solidarity

Time has been ticking, stuff has been happening, for some years now.

It has, and we’re at an inflection point. But it’s a long way to the bottom yet, and a lot of opportunities for off-ramps before we hit it.

Time isn’t out, but I don’t think there’s as much left as a lot of folks seem to.

curious if you agree w two distinctions that have already made a huge difference in the first round: the decentralized regime w vetoes all over; highly institutionalized exec branch. my hypos go to prev threats and speculate on how they go further. like troop deploy to protests & DOJ manipulation.

where does exec branch resistance fall on troop deploy next round? where does judicial branch resistance fall on DOJ manipulation? that kind of thing is where i'm pondering. but i've no expertise.

Dude, i am a later Gen Xer/Xennial raised on Cold War rhetoric and personal stories of World War Two where folks’ grandparents showed me their Tattoos….the problem with “wait and see” in my opinion is my life is a binary of “alive/not” and risking it on “they may not go as fast” seems naïve

This is an extremely good thread and I will be reposting it, but I have one issue w/something you said. It’s not a long way to the bottom. I did not pick up on until yesterday that project 2025 is projecting that ALL of the things that they have put in there will happen within the first six months.

I agree and don’t say to ignore Project 2025. But spend more time focusing on not getting to it, and then on stopping it if we do get to where they have a chance to do it, and less time on scenarios about the executive branch rounding up all political opponents.

What induces panic for me is feeling like a frog in boiling water and having no clue when to jump out

It will get harder the longer we wait. It is much safer to raise one's voice when Biden is president and is in charge of DOJ.

If we're going to march on the Supreme Court, we'd better do it with a president who won't delight in shooting us

Your phrasing captures things more descriptively.

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