As I listened hopefully to Rob Sand recently it occurred to me why he will lose the governors race.
Our state is being run by a Republican Party with unlimited funds from the Agricultural Chemical industry. The MAGA and Christian Nationalist base is a strong voting block that is angry, hateful and seriously evil. Our legislature has erased abortion rights, eliminated Transgender protections, and made it very clear LGBTQ people are not welcome in Iowa. Immigrants both legal and undocumented and in fact all Latinos are referred to by Legislators as "those people". Will we be shocked when next years' legislature budgets for an Iowa Concentration Camp?
Rob Sand is running on a platform of trying to be reasonable and offering to have open discussions with "both sides". He prides himself on not having his campaign signs being Blue or Red. I understand and long for the days of bipartisan efforts, but those days are gone. To miss quote Sun Tzu in the Art of War, when your enemy is strangling you is not the time to ask for a debate. I support Rob Sands efforts but I fear he will be shouted down.
This dreadnought of oligarchical authoritarianism has been steaming towards its target for years. Annually, at CPAC workshops, NRA groups, so-called Republican conservative clubs, conferences and conventions they’ve revealed their plans with specific details and intentions. The overthrow of our democracy and replacement with their system of autocratic theocracy. Financed by the wealthiest oligarchs in history, foreign and domestic, their propagandist policies have been busy re-educating elected officials, politicians and exploiting media influencers without pause.
While dismantling a once relatively independent, fact checking media, they created a culture of fake news, devoid of ethical standards, accuracy or integrity. Although the architects pre-date Trump’s ascension, the court’s Citizens United decision was instrumental in fast tracking their progress. While illusionists, in right wing talk show radio and television, held public attention to email servers used by Hillary Clinton, and later a stutter, slipped step or rigid gait of Biden; the unhinged rage and confused raving of a barely coherent Trump, garnered little attention or coverage.
The election was framed as the traditional horse race between two qualified contenders with disparate views. The presumption was both competing candidates as loyal opposition, with the country’s best interest at heart. Instead, Trump openly flaunted his intentions to dismantle the existing system of government, prosecute his opponents, deport or detain tens of millions of immigrants, and other “enemies from within”, also eliminating vast numbers of agencies serving constituencies he held in contempt. The media once again dismissed these revelations as Trump being audacious and performative. While focusing on Biden being the oldest to serve if re-elected, and after a poor debate performance, the news cycles became a loop of funeral dirges for his candidacy.
Following an election which included hundreds of thousands of voters being challenged, polling stations reduced in numbers, assertions of voter suppression and intimidation, and a billionaire offering $million dollar prizes for votes in swing states, Trump 2.0 was a reality.
We have a Supreme Court that overturns Right versus Wrong. Gives the guy who said he’d be happy being dictator for a day, immunity for anything he does as an official act and ignores their own ethics rules.
We have a Congress that transfers their constitutional powers to the President. Takes their orders and timetables for legislation from him directly.
We’re no longer a functioning democracy and are apparently unable to convince Congress or the Courts to stop this madness.
You’re spot on, Matt. Politics doesn’t explain this. Violence, intimidation and corruption is rampant and happening in plain sight. It’s been brewing for a very long time. Instead we need a country of opportunity, built on mutual respect and the rule of law.
As I listened hopefully to Rob Sand recently it occurred to me why he will lose the governors race.
Our state is being run by a Republican Party with unlimited funds from the Agricultural Chemical industry. The MAGA and Christian Nationalist base is a strong voting block that is angry, hateful and seriously evil. Our legislature has erased abortion rights, eliminated Transgender protections, and made it very clear LGBTQ people are not welcome in Iowa. Immigrants both legal and undocumented and in fact all Latinos are referred to by Legislators as "those people". Will we be shocked when next years' legislature budgets for an Iowa Concentration Camp?
Rob Sand is running on a platform of trying to be reasonable and offering to have open discussions with "both sides". He prides himself on not having his campaign signs being Blue or Red. I understand and long for the days of bipartisan efforts, but those days are gone. To miss quote Sun Tzu in the Art of War, when your enemy is strangling you is not the time to ask for a debate. I support Rob Sands efforts but I fear he will be shouted down.
This dreadnought of oligarchical authoritarianism has been steaming towards its target for years. Annually, at CPAC workshops, NRA groups, so-called Republican conservative clubs, conferences and conventions they’ve revealed their plans with specific details and intentions. The overthrow of our democracy and replacement with their system of autocratic theocracy. Financed by the wealthiest oligarchs in history, foreign and domestic, their propagandist policies have been busy re-educating elected officials, politicians and exploiting media influencers without pause.
While dismantling a once relatively independent, fact checking media, they created a culture of fake news, devoid of ethical standards, accuracy or integrity. Although the architects pre-date Trump’s ascension, the court’s Citizens United decision was instrumental in fast tracking their progress. While illusionists, in right wing talk show radio and television, held public attention to email servers used by Hillary Clinton, and later a stutter, slipped step or rigid gait of Biden; the unhinged rage and confused raving of a barely coherent Trump, garnered little attention or coverage.
The election was framed as the traditional horse race between two qualified contenders with disparate views. The presumption was both competing candidates as loyal opposition, with the country’s best interest at heart. Instead, Trump openly flaunted his intentions to dismantle the existing system of government, prosecute his opponents, deport or detain tens of millions of immigrants, and other “enemies from within”, also eliminating vast numbers of agencies serving constituencies he held in contempt. The media once again dismissed these revelations as Trump being audacious and performative. While focusing on Biden being the oldest to serve if re-elected, and after a poor debate performance, the news cycles became a loop of funeral dirges for his candidacy.
Following an election which included hundreds of thousands of voters being challenged, polling stations reduced in numbers, assertions of voter suppression and intimidation, and a billionaire offering $million dollar prizes for votes in swing states, Trump 2.0 was a reality.
We have a Supreme Court that overturns Right versus Wrong. Gives the guy who said he’d be happy being dictator for a day, immunity for anything he does as an official act and ignores their own ethics rules.
We have a Congress that transfers their constitutional powers to the President. Takes their orders and timetables for legislation from him directly.
We’re no longer a functioning democracy and are apparently unable to convince Congress or the Courts to stop this madness.
Happy Independence Day!
I've thought it was fear for along time but now I wonder if they've been promised rigged elections in the future by Musk and his Satellite Minions...
No words…however I appreciate your frank comments about this situation.
I am still hopeful that we will prevail. However, knowing what we're up against is helpful as well as sobering.
You’re spot on, Matt. Politics doesn’t explain this. Violence, intimidation and corruption is rampant and happening in plain sight. It’s been brewing for a very long time. Instead we need a country of opportunity, built on mutual respect and the rule of law.
Amen to those basic and necessary concepts!