The liberal world is looking for a leader, or a new group of leaders. The sclerotic leadership of Schumer et al. is a dead world of marginal players and marginal thought. The younger group of Democratic politicians has much to offer, many smart and dynamic personalities with some more populist, some more security-minded, but so many fresh and vibrant. They are kept bottled up by seniority and mediocrity and money-raising and cries for moderation in chasing the sliver of middle voters who will deliver margins of ten in the House and two in the Senate.
Meanwhile, true fascism has come out of the shadows with a shallow and cruel and malignant and acquisitive Trump and Trump-like formerly shadowy figures prompted to show themselves in daylight and flaunt their cruelty and racism and sexism while cashing in. Ordinary citizens are being terrorized by concentrated bands of thugs with hidden badges and hidden faces and hidden motives and obvious cruelty and there have even been public murders. Public Murders!
It is time to uncork the righteous. Young Turks must become the new leaders by seizing power in the Democratic party; it won't be given to them, because power never is. Seize upon events, risk being called opportunistic and inflammatory. As if roving bands of ICE are not inflammatory. It's the resistance that inflames, those who protest their own victimhood? Really? That's always the way. The extreme perpetrators cry, “It's the time for unity, and for calm!” But on their terms. It's always on their terms. It is the righteous citizens who are to bottle up their fear and grievances, to be polite and to give way, not the perpetrators, so as to avoid civil war and weakness to external threats. Such self-serving bullshit.
What I suggest is that the righteous officials, the younger (except Bernie, who is eternally young in spirit, God bless him) vibrant officials organize themselves right now. Don't say “it's up to the people now.” The people are doing their job, in sub-zero weather and in snowstorms, they are doing their job. The Amy Klobuchars of the Democratic world can't say the same; they are safe indoors demanding answers and writing sharp letters and calling the White House to say “stop.” What bullshit.
The younger righteous officials, the Eric Swalwells and Robert Garcias and Jamie Raskins and Ruben Gallegos and Abigail Spanbergers and Elise Slotkins, and Chris Murphys and Jason Crows – and so many others – they should be manning up. Fly to Minnesota in your snow and cold gear, and lead marches as the people shut the town down in general strikes. Lead marches of solidarity in other areas all over America, from Lahaina to Portland, Maine, calling to shut ICE off. Stop the Murder! Stop the Brownshirts! Stop the Terror! Shut down town after town in general limited strikes until the terror stops.
Picket the White House 24/7, all led by officials, with all the willing citizens following. Teach-in – let the orators who can do it, the antitheses of Schumer, make the case. Take it to them. Let the terrorizers worry about civil war. We won't stop until the terror stops. No More Murders! Impeach Christy Noem.
It's time to cut the Gordian Knot.
Budd Shenkin
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