In the face of tyranny, obstructionism is resistance.
Stalling Trump’s cabinet is the strategic — and moral — thing to do.
I’ll cut to the chase — it seems possible that our President stole the election with the help of Russia.
Here’s the evidence:
- His top adviser calls himself a Leninist
- He has connections with Russia and defends its leader
- Russia hacked the DNC with the purpose of helping Trump win the election
- His whole crew is shady
Of course, none of this is proven or conclusive. Which is why I say it’s possible.
What’s unquestionable is that Trump’s executive overreach is so extreme that it mirrors the governance of totalitarian leaders.
His attacks on the media, the judiciary and anyone who opposes him expose his belief that as President, he should have the most power.
In order to maintain our system of checks and balances — the structure that keeps the President from becoming a dictator — the legislature must obstruct the President just because it can.
And at this point, it seems like only Democrats will consistently oppose him.
Many people are saying that Trump is like Hitler, or other tyrants.
There are important differences between Hitler and Trump. But like Hitler, Trump is allied with a media magnate (actually two — in Steve Bannon and former Fox Chief Executive Predator Roger Ailes).
And like Hitler, he has a gang of supporters who do this:
Would it have been reasonable for Hitler’s opponents to stick to politics as a means to defeat him? Or should the resistance have taken every opportunity to fuck up his plans?
Here’s how I see it: when federal agents are dragging parents away from their children, we should do whatever it takes to slow them down. Regardless of who the President is.
If that means filibustering every Cabinet nomination just for the sake of doing so, then do it.
Because it has already slowed down Tump’s agenda. The more time the administration has to spend on filling appointments, the less time it spends on offense.
If you disagree with this tactic, consider the following:
- Appeasing Hitler didn’t work. He just became more and more aggressive, both domestically and internationally.
- World War II cost 40 million lives. That — plus his own suicide — is what it took to stop Hitler.
Trump must never be allowed to consolidate power like Hitler did, or we’ll have to live through another Holocaust to get to the other side.
It might seem like a losing battle for Democrats to rail against Trump policies. But slowing Trump down is what they have the power to do.
It gives the ACLU time to file lawsuits to protect the EPA. It stalls the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and gives time to agitate for a real solution.
It gives people enough time to plan and execute actions that really will make a difference, like the #NationalStrike.
While Democrats are persisting, constituents are doing this:
The White House’s alternative facts say that most Americans think Trump pushback is sore-loser whining. Their Republican apologists want to push for national healing.
They shame Congressional Democrats as obstructionists.
I’m not a Democrat, and I have no delusions about how they will use this situation for their own political benefit. There’s also a lot to say about their role in allowing a Trump presidency in the first place.
But in this fight — the one in which we attempt to save our country from a Kremlin-backed coup — these obstructionists are freedom fighters.
Resistance is working, and “obstructionism” is just how elected officials resist.
In order to stop Trump, it must be business as unusual — every day, in every way.
Now excuse me while I go train these pigeons to shit on all the windows of the White House.
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