17 Comments
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Daniel Lee's avatar

*Trump's first term was notable for far less authoritarianism than Biden's, which saw official White House efforts (successful, for a time) to literally silence and suppress critics of its policies in everything from Covid response to border control to foreign policy to election procedures and more. But by all means continue this fantasy of Trump killing Democracy. (Just kidding. Please stop it.)

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Vladan Lausevic's avatar

What do you mean? Trump is the most authoritarian US president in a long time. Also, his campaigning has been supported and influenced by far-right extremists who reject democracy and belive in popuism which is arbitrary majority rule even if it s based on udemocratic values and decision. Trump is against democracy and the rule of law, and a person like you supporting that is a shame and terrible behaviour

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Kevin O’Malley's avatar

When you worry about the President disregarding and defying judicial orders, haven’t we already seen this we Biden. If you want to be taken seriously, then don’t be a fact denier. Everything which you has already been done by the Biden administration.

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Frank Lee's avatar

"The court says we can’t do what we want, but we answer to the (our base), (our base) put us in office to do what needs to be done to (benefit our base), and (enriching our base) again requires doing what the Supreme Court has forbidden. In this case, then, we decline to follow the rules."

This is exactly what the Biden Administration did.

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Vladan Lausevic's avatar

Sounds as whataboutism

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Frank Lee's avatar

Look at Argentina. We need to allow the bold moves to correct the decades of corruption and graft infesting the swamp. This article is a bunch of TDS handwringing that seem written for the perspective of the Wall Street globalist that craves the status quo elite looter economic sandbox.

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Vladan Lausevic's avatar

What do you mean? Plus, Milei is actually doing a lot of globalist poltiics.

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Karen's avatar

I think the commenters below have good points, but I’m much more worried about Trump. The guy has absolutely no character or foundational values.

I agree with Damon’s concerns.

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Frank Lee's avatar

More cats please.

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Ralph J Hodosh's avatar

One of my biggest concerns is that the Democrats are in disarray and lack effective (or any) leadership. As such how can the Democrats act as an effective brake against the worst impulses of Trump and his faithful supporters in the administration and Congress? The optimal situation would be for the Democrats to be seen supporting the administration when in agreement and and be seen fighting rearguard blocking actions when in disagreement all the while planning and executing an effective strategy for the 2026 midterms. For the Democrats an effective strategy for the 2026 midterm elections is putting forward slates of candidates based on their ability to win elections and not based on ill-conceived notions of ideological purity.

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Wayne Karol's avatar

Harris conceded. The Biden Administration cooperated with the transition. Nobody made bullshit fraud allegations or submitted slates of fake electors. When Harris presided over the Congressional session that certified Trump's win, nobody threatened to hang her for it.

If you can't see the difference, it can only be because you don't want to.

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Martin Lowy's avatar

Not up to Persuasion's standards, IMHO.

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Nickerus's avatar

Quite surprised that the editors of Persuasion, rubber stamped this type of fantasising from a writer who is billed as writing a substack, as follows: "Damon Linker writes the Substack newsletter “Notes from the Middleground.” There is no "middle ground" in this article. Just a venting by a frustrated,no doubt, democrat-voting journalist that most likely believes that Trump didn't win the election, but all Americans lost this democratic vote. One hopes the editors revisit what is written here as the Trump administration, fights it's way through the Leftist controled MSM, just to see how much of this bilious out pouring, comes to pass.

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Vladan Lausevic's avatar

Trump is not middle, that is true. Also, being anti-left often leads to supporting right-wing collectivism

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Vladan Lausevic's avatar

A new cabinet with 50 shades of right-wing collectivists

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Jay Moore's avatar

I want the epidural.

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Al Brown's avatar

Mr. Linker has been mindnumbingly consistent over the past four years in objecting to bringing Trump to justice for his crimes for ... reasons ... that have sounded mostly like his own extreme fastidiousness. He is in no position to complain credibly now.

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