I didn't really want to keep spotlighting American domestic events as I had assumed that shit would calm down pretty quickly, but it appears that the Trump administration, including Musk, are determined to bring down the empire from the inside.
One of the most important lessons of ruling a country - and especially an empire - is to never, ever believe your own propaganda; and yet now we have neo-Nazi failsons disrupting parts of the imperial apparatus and causing general government mayhem because they actually seem to believe in libertarianism; that the state and the capitalists are somehow in opposition, rather than working in lockstep to maximise profit and boost American hegemony around the world.
I'm not so optimistic as to believe that a national collapse is FOUR DAYS AWAY, like those weird anti-China cranks often speculate - the US has at least a decade or two left even under these conditions. But consider the damage being inflicted in these past couple weeks, and extrapolate that over the next four years. Does any living American political figure possess the competency to halt - or even meaningfully slow - the already ongoing decline? And could they achieve power (or even be allowed to do so) after Trump's term is done?
it is illegal. Like not even close. My whole job is making nuanced "It depends" statements, but this isn't that. The last three weeks is mind melting.
it doesn't matter. Like at all. By the time a judge gets a case number, they've moved on to the next atrocity. They might not even be in office by the time any substantive briefs hit their desk. Scotus is complicit and will give them 80% and tut at the other 20 in the name of fairness.
The system relies on good faith, but that time has passed. We're fornly into the Real Politik "the strong do what they will" territory.
The worst part is that voters asked for this and they're happy with the dysfunction.
We got the government we deserve.
you stupid idiot, it was always realpolitik! only D-flavoured liberals are terrible at it except when they are supporting genocide, sending weapons to azov-nazis, bailing out wall street, or clamping down progressive movements
The system relies on good faith
seems like a pretty shitty system. if somebody tries to write a law that will result in the mass suffering or death of homeless people and/or minorities, the revolutionary police should be knocking on their door within the hour; I don't want to be reliant on those politicians or elite figures (if they still exist in the economic system) simply all being nice enough to not take away the rights of workers
"Relies on good faith" = setup from the very start for any asshole strongman to do what he will with it, by design. So go systems of authority.
The funniest bit is when they sleep for a couple centuries without realizing asshole strongmen have already been doing what they will with it. It's only when the strongman puts on clown makeup that it has absolutely gone too far! Whew!