Onward: Victory over Fascism
Well TAT readers, tomorrow is the big day!
I have bombarded readers now for a couple of years about the collective threats to our republic and tragically, three of those threats have received the lion’s share of my attention; 1. the Trump/ MAGA threats, 2. its evil enabler, extreme vulnerability to foreign and domestic influence, which is an abject failure of the US national security community and finally, oligarchy that by virtue of their enormous checkbooks, have far more say than individual Americans. Like Musk, these oligarchs are simply buying influence and paying to silence critics. All of this comes to a head at the polls tomorrow.
I have been deeply grateful for your interest in these topics over these months, especially of late where my subscribership has increased at more than twice the rate as in my first year. This is an indicator that readers wish to be honestly informed and as was demanded of us throughout math classes from first grade on, by “showing my work.” By this I mean, that I care deeply about credible sources and always wish for readers to know where my insights derive from. For the record, in nine years of efforts against our most acute national security threats via social media, not one MAGA/ GOP respondent, has provided a single shred of credible support for their conspiracy theories… yes, you read that right… not once.
Today’s TAT is intended to be short and for excellent reasons. First, everyone’s attention span is a victim of countless competing pipelines of information in the last 24 hours. Secondly, if I haven’t convinced everyone, of the truth by now, these last precious hours will not likely matter much at all. Finally, the most important thing for everyone to do at this critical phase, is to turn out voters, drive them to the polls, call them an Uber or Lyft, etc. or assist them in any legal manner to voice their beliefs at the ballot box. This enhances the concept of community and collective interest in the future of our constitutional republic.
Should anyone need reinforcing facts, my archives on TAT are full of free content about the threats, the reasons why they are threats and what to do about them. It has never been truer that, “we’re all in this together.” There is more at stake in our nation’s history, than at any time since the Civil War and the principles that our nation was founded upon, are now not only essential to our wellbeing, but as a global leader, all global democracy depends on us as well. As they say, “no pressure.” ;)
As for what to expect, I am feeling less anxious than I was a couple of weeks ago and predict a VP Harris/ Gov. Walz win. This doesn’t mean that there will not be issues, some more challenging than others from the criminal campaign of the Trump/Vance ticket. For well over 9 years, the MAGA GOP has built-in a variety of Trojan Horses into the election system, coupled with digital dirty tricks, voter suppression and intimidation. It’s quite frankly, all that they have left. As these challenges present themselves, we must all be patient and let the proper authorities manage the threats.
Our elections will be secure and more so than ever before, but legal challenges and a variety of other tactics, seen and unseen will be working to support another attempt at overthrowing the results, in support of another insurrection by MAGA. DOJ’s vigorous prosecution of dishonest poll and election workers from the 2020 attempt to overthrow our election were a strong message to those who would attempt to do so again. A prolonged stay at a Federal Prison making big rocks into little rocks, tends to be a good deterrent to evildoers.
The other good news is that Americans of all political persuasions other than MAGA, are fed up with the chaos and manufactured drama from the fake conservatives and fake patriots. Most of us know that living in reality is far better for our lives, than beliefs in the conspiracy theories than make up MAGA’s ideology. Far more Americans now speak up, against the bizarre conspiracy theories that those little red hat wearers sustain themselves on. Those still on the Trump train, will have imposed a dark, blood red stain on themselves and their family legacy, for generations to come.
Most MAGA supporters through this election, are quite likely, too far gone to ever recover from this ideology. This is no different from any other type of extremist. Those that go from radicalization through public displays of their aberrant beliefs, especially violent displays, are often compromised for life. This is a mainstay belief in the CT/ counterterrorism world of my time in uniform. Another indelible identity marker of such extremists is that they are often much like schoolyard bullies. To this point, that means when faced with opposition stronger than themselves, those bullies often turn into cowards and run off to hide under the dark, dank rocks they crawled out from under, in the first place.
What really will matter post-election, is how we pursue a positive US agenda, with the Trump-subservient GOP still in Congress. That just may become a topic that I harken back to often, in the coming years. At this point though… all that matters tomorrow, is winning for the nation, not a Putin-subservient Trump and his insurrectionist minions.
Before I wrap up today’s shorter TAT, I will leave everyone with statistical updates on the most dishonest of MAGA’s campaign false narratives: “so-called inflation”, the border and violent crime. Spoiler alert… none of them are true. They are simple, tried-and-true fearmongering campaign tactics, beloved by the GOP.
First up, crime statistics clearly show that crime remains at a 30-year low.
The border through the election in November of 2024 is now at a lower encounter rate than the November of 2020 election.
Additional reading on the border:
After the end of Title 42, the southern border of Texas is calm.
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff about our Southern Border.
Finally, inflation is under now under 3% after three-year increases, more due to price-gouging than standard economic factors.
More reading on price-gouging vs. inflation
Okay everyone… time to mount up for this final 24 hours of the 2024 election cycle. Our constitutional republic, without a single bit of hyperbole, is on the line. I’m feeling better about vanquishing MAGA threats one more time but realize that even with my projection of a win, the road ahead will be arduous at best and fraught with peril. A GOP beset for a decade with MAGA agendas won’t die easily. They will continue to be obstructionist and along with their influencer henchmen like Brad Parscale and Putin, drive as much division between Americans as possible. The answer is not revenge, tempting as it may be.
My folks raised me to believe that, “living well, is the best revenge.” For me, this means adhering to true American values and principles, not the fake patriotism and revisionist history of MAGA. Of course, going forward will require a great many changes, such as an ethical SCOTUS and being able to hold treasonous and criminal congressmen accountable. We must undo the heinous, Citizens United SCOTUS debacle and have absolute campaign finance transparency. Oligarchy must once again be the focus of congress, and the Justice Department. Unconstitutional state governments like ours here in Texas, must be held accountable to the constitution, not the Christian Nationalism of the Supreme Court. Lobbyists must also be held accountable and their efforts, 100% transparent. There is a long list of “to-dos” but you get my point.
First, let’s win tomorrow and then begin supporting the requisite changes that protect us from the Four Horsemen of the MAGA Apocalypse: Autocracy, Oligarchy, White Christian Nationalism and Violence. We never want our nation to go down a similar path in the future.
Onward my friends… “let’s roll.”
Paul
What next?What next...?🦉✨
Now what?🖤
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