Tip of the Spear

With Senator Al Franken having his farewell address to his supporters last night, I've received a message from another Democrat insisting his resignation was the last straw.  "I am never voting Democrat again!"  Really?

If I didn't know this person, I'd think it was a Russian bot.  In truth, I'd met this person at a Blue State Ball a few years back.  This was a legit Democrat implying such an overdramatic, overemotional response to the Franken situation.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm upset Franken is no longer my Senator too, taken out by a plan instigated by political elements wanting to get him tossed.  Unfortunately, there were other women who came forward which couldn't be dismissed as political operatives.  The coverage around him had become a circus.  I wanted him to stay and at least have a hearing on this, but that wouldn't have made a difference.  His resigning was himself admitting even if he was able to clear his name, this scandal would stick to him and the Democrats.

Only a leftist fool would use Franken's resignation as a last straw, walking away from the only opposition left in this country to Trump and his regime.  This is why I initially thought this was a Russian.  After last year, when I hear any Democrat making asinine statements about fighting their own party, I'm going to presume they're not from this continent.  Franken is a sad loss, but for God's sake, haven't we learned our lesson?  Elections matter!  Votes matter!  Stop your freaking pity party and get involved with the Democratic Party, the ONLY chance we have at stopping Trump!

The following things are real, and have been implemented, attempted and/or suggested by Trump, his Administration and his supporters:

• The right has suggested locking up former President Obama for bad mouthing Trump.
• They have suggested locking up Hillary Clinton under numerous made up charges, with many suggesting there shouldn't even be a trial for her, just a cell.  
• Trump has suggested he's the ultimate authority in this country, and no law or system in place can legally hold him or his associates accountable, regardless of the crime
• A majority of his supporters feel as if he should be able to break the law, as long as it is to "fix" things.  No further explanation on what needs to be 'fixed,' or what 'fixing' curtails, giving Trump carte blanche to do whatever he wants by his supporters.
• Trump, with the help of Congressional Republicans, has been stocking the courts with judges which will make the Legislative and Executive Branches useless for the next 30 years; the most unqualified stooges one could possibly imagine, appointed to life time positions with one goal, to make sure Trump and his associates NEVER are held accountable, regardless of how much their rulings make a mockery of the Constitution
• Many Republicans, including Trump, knowingly supported an alleged serial child sex abuser, putting out the narrative it was still better than a 'Democrat.'
• Many of his supporters are cheering on his incredibly reckless foreign policy because they're praying it brings about Armageddon, the destruction of the planet as foretold by the 1600's Christian fiction called The Rapture.
• An outright war on the media has been waged, with Trump successfully having convinced his supporters they need to ignore the vast majority of news media, and only focus on the media outlets HE tells them are legit.  He's also repeatedly threaten violence against the media, and he and his Administration refuse to answer basic questions.
• There have been calls for purity purges in all departments of all branches of government.
• Private Republican controlled companies have been hired to monitor government emails, conversations and phone calls, with a goal of determining who is and who is not loyal to Trump.
• Government employees have been limited from engaging in their most basic right, Freedom of Speech.
• Trump has empowered the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents (ICE) to operate outside the realm of legal accountability, locking up whomever they want, for however long they want, for whatever they want
• The Administration has locked up a political opponent, Reality Winner, who leaked information about how the Russians were indeed targeting voting machines in the 2016 Election.  Winner has been locked up with no access to legal representation, media, family or friends.
• There have been calls for purging all employees of our law enforcement, intelligence agencies and the Department of Justice who aren't loyal to Trump, or who are registered Democrats.
• There have been calls to order public schools in more liberal communities to be more 'Trump friendly' in their classrooms.
• Some people have started suggesting rounding up anyone who is anti-Trump and 'making them learn some respect!'
• There's an all out war for the future of the internet, the last bastion of free thinking in our media, with the Right's ultimate goal of shutting down all left leaning websites by removing net neutrality rules which guaranteed access to a wide range of ideas
• Some Republicans have suggested shutting down the FBI entirely
• There have been calls for a new domestic intelligence agency/police force, run by far right conservative Erik Prince of Blackwater, to oversee all other US police, law enforcement and intelligence agencies.  This new agency would report to Trump and senior Administration officials, ONLY, no one else.  At least 20 high level Republicans have endorsed this new Trump secret police.

SWEET JESUS!  This list should scare you.  It terrifies me.  What terrifies me most of all is how 30% of this country seems incredibly eager to go along with this pseudo-dictatorship, as long as they feel Democrats are being punished first and foremost.  Like I said, the modern Republican HATES Democrats more than they love their country, their religion or their own well being.

'But Al Franken resigned so I don't care anymore!'  PLEASE...

We're on a precipice in the Untied States.  Frankly, I have no idea if we can trust the election system anymore, but we've had signs it still works (Virginia, Alabama), at least when Democrats come together and people get off her asses.  

2018 is the year we determine what happens to the United States of America.  If the Republicans win, this will be the end of Democracy as we know it.  It will be replaced by a Corporate Theocracy, with a mandatory far right Republican ideology.  I'll admit I'm concerned.  People like myself will eventually be locked up or worse, to the cheers and accolades of Trump supporters screaming how we deserved it for 'getting uppity.'

Or the Democrats win.  Then, Trump (knowing what's coming) will likely resign, begging he won't ever have to reveal his tax returns, and for any further investigation into his connections to the Russians to be stopped.  Good luck with that! 

Make sure you're registered to vote!  Make sure every freaking friend you have is registered to vote!  Make sure everyone knows where their polling place is on November 6th, 2018, and they know the hours for voting that day!  Know if you have early voting in your state and what are the requirements for early voting!  Make a donation, even a small one, to the Democratic candidates challenging Republicans in red districts!  Make sure EVERY Republican has a challenger this election!  Call every media outlet you know and demand equal time for the Democrats!  Make sure every Republican is asked the following question:  Did you vote for Trump in 2016? And ask that question before their primaries!  Hold EVERY Republican who voted to get rid of health care accountable!  Hold EVERY Republican who endorsed getting rid of net neutrality accountable!  Hold EVERY Republican who voted for that obnoxious taxpayer handout to the wealthiest Americans accountable!

Most important:  Challenge all Republicans, voters and politicians alike.  This year, instead of attacking Democrats who agree with you 95% of the time, you MUST NOT allow insanity to go unaddressed.  If they say they're outraged by Obama's golfing/vacations, IMMEDIATELY ask why they are not bothered by Trumps.  If they say they are furious at the government investigating Trump/Russia, IMMEDIATELY ask why they weren't bothered by the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Benghazi investigations.  When they talk about Democrats wasting tax payer dollars, IMMEDIATELY ask why they have no problem with Republicans wasting tax payer dollars at much higher levels.  When Republicans complain about Obama's deficit, IMMEDIATELY challenge them on why they're now okay with the Republicans raising the deficit.  If they then say 'I'm okay with raising the deficit for tax cuts,' then IMMEDIATELY ask why they weren't okay with it when that happened under Obama.  When they say 'I'm pro-life,' IMMEDIATELY point out, considering the Right's policies towards the poor and sick, they're really just pro-birth of the child, not 'pro-life.'  When they insist they vote their Christian principles, IMMEDIATELY point out 80 - 90% of Christian teachings are outright ignored by Trump and the Republicans!

You have to challenge these people.  You have to be the tip of the spear!  We have to start waking these fools up from their Fox News, self induced ignorance.  You'll probably make a lot of them mad, but maybe, after they storm off, they'll ask themselves why are they supporting a system working so hard against them.

I've been hesitant to make comparisons between Trump and a certain 20th Century German leader whose rise Trump's (shockingly) mimicking.  When you look at the above list of bullet points, realize the similarities to Germany in the 1930's.  I think it's appropriate to look at what it took for Hitler's most ardent supporters to realize the truth.

When the allies freed the concentration camps in WWII, they went and got all the locals from the surrounding communities, all of them, and marched them past their horrific legacy.  There were a shocking amount of Germans who still believed Hitler was their savior, that he wasn't slaughtering the Jews, and others.  That's why the allies marched them past the unspeakable display.  They wanted no denying of what had really happened; a tragedy most Germans down deep inside suspected was going on, but refused to look at the evidence, because they believed Hitler over their own common sense.

Let's make sure we never get anywhere near that historic low point again.

Engage, Challenge, Defend, Defeat, Win!

Let's be victorious in 2018.  Let's all be the tip of the spear.