Kevin McCarthy has a warped and specious view of the soul of America. In a prebuttal to Biden's Soul of America speech, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy demanded Biden apologize for calling MAGA Republicans semi-fascists and said the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago was his example of Biden's soul of America. He avoided the central point of Biden's address. The soul of America is democracy. McCarthy left on the table unanswered burning questions, the answer to which reveals who and what are the threats to democracy.. Since when is the soul of America been about not honoring the rule of law, supporting violence to forward political goals instead of accepting elections results, and having one-party control of the election process? The definition of semi-fascists has room for more explanation. Still, a case can be made there are elements among MAGA Republicanism that fit, including support of violence, one-party control over the mechanism of voting, and a cult-like loyalty to a strong man party leader.
If we are going to have a debate on what is the soul of America, let's have it. McCarthy ignored the arguments Biden made in calling out the "extreme MAGA Republicans" as being against democracy. McCarthy's defense of America's soul in the prebuttal referred only to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago: "He (Biden) has launched an assault on our democracy. His policies have severely wounded America's soul, diminished America's spirit, and betrayed America's trust." He called Biden's remarks slander and said the reason Biden is making such remarks is that Biden differs with GOP's issues on public policy positions. He dodged Biden's remarks about the anti-democracy MAGA wing of the GOP that had little to do with specific public issues, a small part of the president's address. Instead, Biden focused on the anti-democratic behavior, ideology, and attitude of the very hard-core supporters of Donald Trump, while never mentioning Trump's name Biden's vision of the American soul, in contrast, was broader with a long list of specifics as set forth in the August 1, 2022 "Soul of America" address. Per Biden: "This is a nation that honors our Constitution. We do not reject it. ..."This is a nation that believes in the rule of law. ... This is a nation that respects free and fair elections. We honor the will of the people. We do not deny it. ...And this is a nation that rejects violence as a political tool. We do not encourage violence.....And yet history tells us that blind loyalty to a single leader and a willingness to engage in political violence is fatal to democracy...."
So what's your answer to these attacks, McCarthy, now that you had a chance to hear the actual address? We did not hear from him but from other GOP politicians who attacked Biden's speech by trying to shift the response to public policy issues, none of which included their support of overturning Roe v Wade. Heaven forbid that one issue should be mentioned because that will be the most important public policy-related factor in determining the outcome of the midterms in November if democracy is not. 63% of Americans oppose the Supreme Court overturning Roe.v.Wade. CNN Poll: About two-thirds of Americans disapprove of overturning Roe v. Wade, see negative effect for the nation ahead - CNNPolitics GOP reaction? Don't look at the tree Biden points to, but look at inflation (just as gas prices decreased to below $4 a gallon and supply chain issues work their way through post-COVID tangles). Republicans attack administration agenda in response to Biden's 'soul of the nation' address - POLITICO
How deep and wide is the "extreme MAGA Republican" segment of the GOP? It depends on how the question is asked in polls and what is happening at the moment. However, there is plenty of polling on two issues: the use of political violence is justified by a plurality of Republicans and 70% of Republicans still believe the 2020 election was stolen. Sources of these polls are discussed below in the context of support of Biden's "Soul of America" speech below.
More about the points raised by Biden in his August 1 address:
Much about the MAGA force in the GOP's belief about democracy has already been revealed and mulled over. Unfortunately, their actions speak louder than words, as well. Some of their deeds are even being scrutinized as criminal and will get into sharper focus in the coming days as the judicial actions play out. What is evident in their support of Donald Trump? It is a vision of an American soul full of violence and conflict, and it is an aspirational, if not always a conscious, attempt to create an autocracy in place of democracy.
There is plenty of fodder for Biden et al. to continue to make the case that the clear and present danger to democracy is the MAGA wing of the GOP.
Since when is the soul of democracy about ignoring, subverting, or failing to comply with the rule of law? There are several examples of accusations still in the judicial process that have not yet resulted in criminal charges. Nonetheless, what the public does know is there were attempts made that illustrate Trump's and his MAGA supporters' hostile attitudes and actions toward the rule of law. The hot issue that may result in criminal charges is the "fake electors" scheme. There was a parallel attempt to pressure Georgia election officials to go out and "find" eleven thousand votes for him. The Mar-a-Lago documents issue is also about a former president refusing to comply with the laws surrounding who possess official documents when presidents leave office. At a minimum, Trump was told he was not in compliance, and he still refused to comply. As his former trusted Attorney General, Bill Barr noted, he was asked several times nicely to return the files but did not. The maximum will be the fallout if proof emerges that he himself was responsible for a coverup of hiding documents and obstructing justice and the investigation. That would make Nixon's Watergate coverup look like a minor infraction. If Trump's handling of documents damaged national security, that would be the most explosive finding. Trump ex-Attorney General Bill Barr defends FBI search of Mar-a-Lago (cnbc.com)
Update: September 5: We will not know what damage Trump's stash away of national security documents has done any time soon. Judge shopping paid off. His appointee judge just stopped any more investigation into the damage assessment until "a special master" double checks the FBI's work, determines what is executive privilege (whatever that means, especially sinceTrump claimed he declassified everything, and he is no longer an executive), and whenever that happens (after November??). That is the first use of a special master in a criminal investigation. These are contentious, novel, and inventive arguments by the judge in a unique situationl. Expect any DOJ appeal of the decision to contain its own set of litigation of the judge's premises, dragging the time line out further. Predictions: Trump will continue to keep on raising money from his most loyal followers for his "legal defense" of such a poor little rich guy. On the other hand, expect a DOJ appeal to disclose even more damning evidence about how this ruling harms national security, damaging Trump further. However, are Trump's actions in hiding the stolen documents regardless of their content and privilege still subject to charges of the crime of obstruction of justice ? The legal plot of this saga thickens and sickens. Justice delayed is justice denied. Judge grants Trump team request for special master to review documents seized during FBI search of Mar-a-Lago | AP News
Since when is the soul of democracy about using violence and terror to determine the winner of an election or who leads the country? Poll by the University of Chicago: Doomsday? Nearly half of "strong Republicans" believe it's almost time for armed violence | Salon.com. "These findings complement other social science research and polling, which has repeatedly shown that a plurality, if not a majority, of Republicans (and Trump supporters specifically), are prepared to support or condone political violence against the Democrats, the Biden administration, and other "enemies" to protect what they understand as America's "traditional values." Sen. Lindsey Graham was the most recent voice referring to the use of violence to get a political outcome. . January 6 was about using violence and terror to keep Trump in office by upending the rules of a peaceful transition to a new president. The violent militias like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are not about democracy but about terrorizing others to bow to their goals of establishing a dictatorship of one to whom they pledge allegiance. The amount of chanting and flag waving disguises their attempt to end democracy. In the view of one influential judge, Trump and his followers are a clear and present danger to democracy. January 6 hearing: Trump remains 'clear and present danger to American democracy, retired GOP judge tells panel (cnbc.com). or a running chronicle of Trump's view of the use and advocacy of violence, see MUFTIC FORUM BLOG: Trump fans the flames of violence yet calls himself the champion of law and order. In fact, the preamble to the Constitution puts domestic tranquility as one of the purposes of its establishment. The use and threat of violence to subvert the democratic process is now common as election officials at all levels, federal, state, and local, are threatened with violence. . Facing harassment and death threats, some election workers weigh whether to stay | PBS NewsHour
Graham faces backlash after claiming violence could break out if Trump prosecuted - ABC News (go.com)
Since when is democracy about ignoring the will of the majority of people expressed through the ballot box and not permitting a partisan loyal to one ideology, party, or person to pick and choose which votes should be counted? That was the issue at the heart of the fake elector slates strategy, to let a person choose which slate was to be counted. When polls show that 70% of those who identify as Republicans still believe the 2020 election was stolen a year and ten months after the race and have failed to turn up evidence in spite of 60 court cases and innumerable official and "forensic" audits, that is a threat to the fundamental function of a Democracy.PolitiFact | Most Republicans still falsely believe Trump's stolen election claims. The GOP answer? Put election deniers in charge of elections and keep bi-partisan eyes away from the process. Democracy is not about only one party being allowed and given access to count ballots or counting only ballots they assume support them. The fundamental danger to democracy is electing someone to the office which administers the voting process and systems, who is so partisan that he/she cannot be trusted to play it fair and square and by the book. The laws and rules governing the administration are the referees who work as long as they are respected and followed. In sports, imagine a football game without referees, where the team owner sitting in the home team owner's box calls who committed the fouls as he defines them, levies, and enforces the penalties. It only works without a brawl if everyone in the stands and on the field is on the same team. The county clerks are the local referees. How and where Trump-dominated Republicans attempt nationwide to replace the election referees in 2022 with their partisans is spelled out in https://statesuniteddemocracy.org/resources/replacingtherefs/.
PolitiFact | Most Republicans still falsely believe Trump's stolen election claims
Many American Voters Want to Upend System, Poll Finds - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/15/election-deniers-march-toward-power-key-2024-battlegrounds/ (Two thirds of GOP nominees for election officials are deniers.....who believe the 2020 election was stolen)
Since when is the soul of America fascist-like? Should Biden apologize for tagging MAGA Republicans as semi-fascists? No. It was clever of Biden since the term needs definition, and where you sit is where you define. I have written many blog postings wondering how Trump and his followers fit into that description of fascism. My view is, in some ways, yes. If it walks like a duck and quacks like one, it probably is a duck, but in this case, more of an aspirational one, not quite fully grown yet. I concluded in my most recent posting on the subject:" Trump often expressed his admiration for those models of modern fascism: Putin, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Turkey's Erdogan? All of them fit Merriam-Webster's definition of fascism: "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition and a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control" The case for calling those three leaders fascists was made by the late Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in her book, Fascism, a Warning. Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine K. Albright | Goodreads The extreme MAGA Republicans are not there yet, but there are elements in that group that aspire to implement aspects of a similar ideology.
My observation of fascist governments is that "freedom" is only for the dear leaders' supporters to do and say as the leader approves. The usual way to oust fascist leaders who have control of all governmental power centers is by violent or velvet overthrow. Free and fair elections are no longer able to change regimes because who votes, how they vote, and how the votes are counted are also controlled by fascists. It is an ideology, but its application is similar to other dictators who tout communism or a particular theology. "
Is the soul of America to be governed by a cult of personality and are Trump and his hard-core followers cult-like? It appears so in the view of many.
- The group is focused on a living leader to whom members seem to display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.
- The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
- The group is preoccupied with making money.
- Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
Thoughtful analysis of whether Trump is a cult leader and his followers are cult-like: including a discussion about Hitler. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/politics-psychiatry-and-psychoanalysis/202009/donald-trump-and-his-followers-are-they-cult
Case made: by an expert Trump and followers are a cult: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Cult-of-Trump/Steven-Hassan/9781982127343
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/01/remarks-by-president-bidenon-the-continued-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-nation/
McCarthy's words: ""In the past two years, Joe Biden has launched an assault on the soul of America, on its people, on its laws, on its most sacred values. e has launched an assault on our democracy. is policies have severely wounded America's soul, diminished America'sspirit, and betrayed America's trust.". McCarthy calls on Biden to apologize after 'semi-fascism' remark - CNNPolitics .
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