Republican politicians might be bullied into silence more than Democrats, but when the massacres start, tyrannical genocidaires do tend to go after moderates among their own first.
Even if politicians recognize the damage being done by the Trump administration, and even if they don’t like it, It will take quite a bit of political pressure from constituents, including actual registered Republican voters conservative community leaders, before Republican politicians will go against shitty leadership from the White House. And that’s because they have legitimate fears of violence because violence has been thoroughly articulated and hints of violence are everywhere, and are even published in the newspaper, and they probably are aware of the violence being plotted by sheriffs in their home districts.
Vanity Fair: “They’re Scared Shitless”: The Threat of Political Violence Informing Trump’s Grip on Congress With the president smashing norm after norm, even lawmakers within his party have feared for their personal safety, and at least one has told confidants that it has swayed his decision-making. By Gabriel Sherman February 19, 2025 Political survival is one. Senate and House Republicans know Trump will orchestrate the running of a primary challenger backed by Elon Musk’s unlimited resources if a member defies him. But this is not the whole story of Republican subservience to the president. In private, Republicans talk about their fear that Trump might incite his MAGA followers to commit political violence against them if they don’t rubber-stamp his actions. “They’re scared shitless about death threats and Gestapo-like stuff,” a former member of Trump’s first administration tells me. According to one source with direct knowledge of the events, North Carolina senator Thom Tillis told people that the FBI warned him about “credible death threats” when he was considering voting against Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary. Tillis ultimately provided the crucial 50th vote to confirm the former Fox & Friends host to lead the Pentagon. According to the source, Tillis has said that if people want to understand Trump, they should read the 2006 book Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work. (When asked for comment for this story, a spokesperson for Tillis said it was false that the senator had recommended the book in that capacity. The FBI said it had no comment.)
It’s well known in unstable countries with violent factions that the most extreme go after the moderates of their own side first and hardest in order to consolidate power and remove hindrances.
Outreach Programme on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the United Nations – Rwanda: A Brief History of the Country On 7 April, Radio Television Libres Des Mille Collines (RTLM) aired a broadcast attributing the plane crash to the RPF and a contingent of UN soldiers, as well as incitements to eliminate the “Tutsi cockroach”. Later that day the Prime Minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana and 10 Belgian peacekeepers assigned to protect her were brutally murdered by Rwandan government soldiers in an attack on her home. Other moderate Hutu leaders were similarly assassinated. After the massacre of its troops, Belgium withdrew the rest of its force.
Republican politicians as much as Democrats are likely very much concerned about having their opposition to anything known when a crisis comes that opens the doors to ramping up to widespread atrocities.
Trump Sets America Up For Terror Like We’ve Never Seen w/ Dean Obeidallah Thom Hartmann Program Feb 10, 2025 Everyone listening knows Trump will use any emergency, any attack, to consolidate power, take away rights, and suspend more civil liberties. We all know that. There’s no debate. That’s why, when you do the math—2 + 2 = 4—this is where we’re going. And that’s what concerns me, Thom. Trump is following the authoritarian playbook on multiple fronts. I keep writing about it, flagging it for people—from defending the January 6 terrorists to using the FCC to go after the media. The checklist goes on and on. This is just another item on that list. We are seeing the story unfold. It’s not a surprise. Folks, when Trump has the military in blue cities, occupying us, taking over media outlets, and suspending civil liberties, don’t be surprised. It’s all right in front of us. The question is: Will it happen? But don’t be shocked if it does, because everything is pointing in that direction. This isn’t hyperbole. It’s not speculation. This is the playbook he’s following.
People who want more violence are waiting for something to happen to use as a justification or excuse. But it’s not inevitable. The irony of the situation is that a lot of violence, or even harmful policies, could be averted with pre-bunking the public by vocal condemnation of harms and especially violence, and especially by people in community leadership positions – like elected officials.
My letter to reps:
I’ve heard of plans for militias, some have referenced thousands of anti-vaxxers who are ready to go on violent swatting raids against public health workers, doctors at hospitals, or even democrats generally in their counties. In some cases I’ve heard that county sheriffs plan to deputize people, or already have. What are you doing to prevent political violence, including state sanctioned political violence, or atrocities perceived to be state sanctioned, against those perceived to be critical of Donald Trump and Elon Musk? The values of America are at stake here, and I expect people in positions of some power to step up and speak up for peace, order, and community safety.
Please feel free to copy or repurpose the contents of my letter for your own letters to reps.
Right-wing voices intent on spreading bird flu & misinformation. Jan 5th, 2025 wat3rm370n.tumblr In the December 24, 2024 episode of Knowledge Fight they play a clip where Alex Jones describes animal experiments not unusual in medical training. He doesn’t seem to be that concerned with animal rights, he merely uses the emotional disgust to stoke people to believe that doctors are being made to do this as part of their training as a type of hazing ritual, to weed out anyone who will be unwilling to commit atrocities on behalf of… “they”.
Apparently Democratic donors are worried about being attacked too. Woe is me. Naturally as an ordinary disabled woman over a certain age who’s speaking up, writing my reps, and asking others to join me, I’m with Tim Miller — I’m sick of hearing these pitiful excuses for cowardice.
Tim Miller: Democratic Donors Are Afraid of Trump. I’m Sick of It. The Bulwark Feb 18, 2025 “I’m just fn’ sick of this I’m so sick of hearing that all right I mean there’s plenty of reasons to rationalize inaction out there um but uh let’s be serious about the people who are really in threat.” (…) “I’m sorry if you’re a rich enough person to be able to spend six seven figures on political campaigns like you have a big moat around you and you should really frankly be using your resources and your platform to help people that are an actual threat from this administration look I people working for usaid are losing their jobs uh immigrants people that are here even those who are here legally who have family members who are here illegally are uh under threat trans we could just go down the whole list of all the people that are actually in threat from the trump administration right now um it’s not a bunch of rich donors”
Frankly, I’d say this applies to a lot of politicians — many in the House of Representatives and most in the Senate. And yet it’s the people with the lowest net worth in Congress who are the most brave voices. Coincidence?