Much like the first Civil War, the Confederates won the Civil Cold War today. The people who invaded Congress to stop the democratic process were handed the reins of power through that democratic process. It brings to mind Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men: “if the rule you followed brought you to this point, of what use was the rule?”
We’re in for a long dark stretch. Maybe people will react. Maybe not. There is clearly a majority in this country that is all right with every bit of this, or we wouldn’t be in this spot. Business is complicit, the press is absolutely complicit, the Republican Party is what it has been for years: the Confederacy writ large. Now we find out who is OK with it when the reality starts to hit.
If there is one rule for Democrats here, it must be: No. Always No. Scorched earth. Do not save the Republicans from themselves. If it means a government shutdown, so be it. If it means a national default, so be it. The Republican Party has been spared any consequences for its actions other than to lose power long enough for someone else to clean up the mess. Being the bigger person has failed. Hoping for a return to sanity has failed. Appealing to “norms” has failed. Focus on protecting people locally, but don’t think you can “moderate” or “work with” or “find common ground.” Because you can’t split the difference. You can’t throw trans kids or DACA kids under the bus and say “that should be enough for them.”
There is no going back. This is the world we live in now. Stop appealing to what was and fight against what is, and maybe in a generation or so we’ll be able to think about what can be.