Timothy Snyder - Decapitation Strike: Preserving America from Trump's Appointments

[Nevilledog]

https://snyder.substack.com/p/decapitation-strike

Each of Trump's proposed appointments is a surprise. It is comforting to think that he is simply a vengeful old man, lashing out this way and that. This is unlikely. He and Musk and Putin have been talking for years. And the whole idea of his campaign was that this time he had a plan.

We should be wary of shock, which excuses inaction. Who could have known? What could I have done? If there is a plan, shock is part of the plan. We have to get through the surprise and the shock to see the design and the risk. We don't have much time. Nor is outrage the point. Of course we are outraged. But our own reactions can distract is from the larger pattern.

The newspapers address the surprise and the shock by investigating each proposed appointment individually. And we need this. With detail comes leverage and power. But clarity must also come, and quickly. Each appointment is part of a larger picture. Taken together, Trump’s candidates constitute an attempt to wreck the American government.

In historical context we can see this. There is a history of the modern democratic state. There is also a history of engineered regime change and deliberate state destruction. In both histories, five key zones are health, law, administration, defense, and intelligence. These people, with power over these areas of life, can make America impossible to sustain.

*snip*

[erronis]

1. This should be required reading. He presents the plan with clarity.

The newspapers address the surprise and the shock by investigating each proposed appointment individually. And we need this. With detail comes leverage and power. But clarity must also come, and quickly. Each appointment is part of a larger picture. Taken together, Trump’s candidates constitute an attempt to wreck the American government.

In historical context we can see this. There is a history of the modern democratic state. There is also a history of engineered regime change and deliberate state destruction. In both histories, five key zones are health, law, administration, defense, and intelligence. These people, with power over these areas of life, can make America impossible to sustain.

The foundation of modern democratic state is a healthy, long-lived population. We lived longer in the twentieth century because of hygiene and vaccinations, pioneered by scientists and physicians and then institutionalized by governments. We treat one another better when we know we have longer lives to lose. Health is not only the central human good; it enables the peaceful interactions we associate with the rule of law and democracy. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the proposed secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, would undo all of this. On his watch, were his ideas implemented, millions of us would die. Knowing that our lives will be shorter, we become nasty and brutish.

A modern democratic state depends upon the rule of law. Before anything else is possible, we have to endorse the principle that we are all governed by law, and that our institutions are grounded in law. This enables a functional government of a specific sort, in which leaders can be regularly replaced by elections. It allows us to live as free individuals, within a set of rules that we can alter together. The rule of law depends on people who believe in the spirit of law. Matt Gaetz, the proposed attorney general, is the opposite of such a person. It is not just that he flouts law himself, spectacularly and disgustingly. It is that he embodies lawlessness, and can be counted upon to abuse law to pursue Trump's political opponents. The end of the rule of law is an essential component of a regime change.

[Bumbles]

9. I'm inspired to try to outlive the horror.

(I was going to say "bastards", but don't know if that's allowed.)

[Pepsidog]

13. Hard to believe in the rule of law considering what we are living through and recent SCOTUS decisions.

[markie]

2. excellent

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[cliffside]

4. Many excellent points ...

thanks for posting.

"... However and by whomever this was organized, the intention of these appointments is clear: to create American horror. Elected officials should see this for what it is. Senators, regardless of party, should understand that the United States Senate will not outlast the United States, insist on voting, and vote accordingly. The Supreme Court of the United States will likely be called upon. Although it is a faint hope, one must venture it anyway: that its justices will understand that the Constitution was not in fact written as the cover story for state destruction. The Supreme Court will also not outlast the United States.

And citizens, regardless of how they voted, need now to check their attitudes. This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment. Trump voters are caught in the notion that Trump must be doing the right thing if Harris voters are upset. But Harris voters are upset now because they love their country. And Harris voters will have to get past the idea that Trump voters should reap what they have sown. Yes, some of them did vote to burn it all down. But if it all burns down, we burn too. It is not easy to speak right now; but if some Republicans wish to, please listen..."

[johnnyfins]

6. Nah. Not getting past the idea of TSF voters

Getting what they paid for. They need to fucking own it. Sorry, no empathy here and Im not giving an inch. That time has passed. They can all eat shit for all I care.

[ancianita]

7. In the next 18 months, try to allow and then help them to help mitigate the damage with us...

Yes, some of them did vote to burn it all down. But if it all burns down, we burn too. It is not easy to speak right now; but if some Republicans wish to, please listen..."

[Hekate]

14. As someone who lives in wildfire country, please be informed that a fire that takes a quarter million acres...

…takes everything in its path and leaves lung sufferers gasping to draw breath many miles away.

There’s one in my county now that’s just under 20,000 acres — and fire fighters from everywhere (it’s called Mutual Aid) hit it with everything they had as soon as it was discovered. It’s 90% contained, after a week, but we are due to get more wind soon.

If your Trumpy neighbor gets burned out — so will you. Be a firefighter.

[mahina]

17. This is an inspired and on point post. I really hope you make it in a P with a link to this article.

[Hekate]

18. Mahalo, Mahina, for your kind words

I’ll see what I can make of it.

[cliffside]

20. Exactly and thank you!!! nt

[lastlib]

5. Highly recommend!!!

Snyder is SPOT ON with this analysis, and we ignore it or minimize it at our peril!

[Raiden70]

8. Please, please, please...

Mexico and Canada invade and cause regime change!

[Joe_Gadway]

10. Wannabe dictators

Good point.
Wannabe dictators want their countries to fail so it will be easier for them to seize power.

[Pepsidog]

11. All these things we said after the 2016 election yet here we are again.

[travelingthrulife]

12. Why are these appointments and nominations a surprise?

Color me totally unsurprised, and yes, he is a vengeful old man.

[AllyCat]

15. Yet another writing about all that is wrong and no plan on how to correct it.

Yes, we can resist, but how best to do it?

No one has come up with that. Not the continued ANNOYING emails and texts I get to give to the Democrats NOW!, or the bloggers that I relied on for information that are now wringing their hands as much as I am. The only person I saw that had ANY idea of a plan was someone here who suggested we get a gun and learn to shoot.

I hate that idea, but I do not believe the government, police, sheriff, or anyone is going to come and help us.

[mahina]

16. Thank you Nevilledog, this is excellent.

He always is!

[Nevilledog]

21. ...

[Starfury]

19. K&R! Everyone should read the full article. nt

[Hassler]

22. Well Chump IS a traitor after all

[cliffside]

23. Video of Snyder last night after Ali Velshi read portions of his post ...

"... Taken together these appointments suggest an attempt to actually make the American government dysfunctional, to make it fall apart, to pervert it ..."