From about the time that the Republicans took over congress under Gingrich— that was when I first realize that the only thing preventing a sufficiently ruthless would be autocrat from attempting to seize control of the state is his own calculation of whether he can get away with it— his beliefs about the limit on what the rest of the world would tolerate and accommodate. Gingrich’s and his cohort’s outrages against comity and decency were a shock to me— it was like going into a bar where you had always been a regular and suddenly realizing that the old clientele had joined a motorcycle gang, and were clearly contemplating robbing and stomping you. After award of the 2000 election to the Republican by a politically motivated Supreme court, I was pretty convinced that the restraining beliefs about what would be tolerated were substantially illusion, and wondered how long it would take for the spell to break down utterly. I did think it might take the rest of my lifetime… Obviously I was far too optimistic.
The founders knew this; they were counting on an equipoise of interests to create ad sustain the illusion. I don't think any of the smartest of them (Adams, Madison, Hamilton) really had any confidence the thing would persist forever. It’s over now— Viz “Plan F”.
From about the time that the Republicans took over congress under Gingrich— that was when I first realize that the only thing preventing a sufficiently ruthless would be autocrat from attempting to seize control of the state is his own calculation of whether he can get away with it— his beliefs about the limit on what the rest of the world would tolerate and accommodate. Gingrich’s and his cohort’s outrages against comity and decency were a shock to me— it was like going into a bar where you had always been a regular and suddenly realizing that the old clientele had joined a motorcycle gang, and were clearly contemplating robbing and stomping you. After award of the 2000 election to the Republican by a politically motivated Supreme court, I was pretty convinced that the restraining beliefs about what would be tolerated were substantially illusion, and wondered how long it would take for the spell to break down utterly. I did think it might take the rest of my lifetime… Obviously I was far too optimistic.
The founders knew this; they were counting on an equipoise of interests to create ad sustain the illusion. I don't think any of the smartest of them (Adams, Madison, Hamilton) really had any confidence the thing would persist forever. It’s over now— Viz “Plan F”.