The United States of America is under attack from a racist South African billionaire, operating as the puppet master for a delusional and similarly bigoted fascist, Donald Trump. This sounds like the plot of a bad thriller novel, but if anything, this understates the state of America since January 20, 2025.
Musk and his DOGE cronies are inside the federal government after being given a golden ticket by Trump and aided by the acquiescence of the Republican congressional leadership. DOGE thugs are intimidating federal workers, violating the privacy of millions of Americans, and wrecking decades of work meant to assist the most vulnerable in this country and others. It is an immoral travesty but even more than that – it is an attack.
The conservative ideology of Musk and Trump – and it has been the dominant school of thought within the right for decades, these two are just worse at dressing it up than George W. Bush and Mitt Romney – believes in hurting the vulnerable while increasing the wealth and power of an elite few. Their mindset believes that nobody is of primary importance to the world than extremely wealthy, straight, white men and that everyone else must bow to them and lick their shit-stained boots.
You cannot negotiate or engage in good faith discussions with people like this. They have to be ousted. The notion that an opposition political party or movement can get ahead by simply focusing the public on poll-tested notions like “kitchen table issues” is self-soothing nonsense. The Trump/Musk axis must be opposed in the way that all fascist movements, particularly their forefathers in the German Nazi movement, must be opposed: Completely and without yielding.
In a practical sense this means grinding all their actions to a halt. Trump has been significantly aided in his latest assault by the acquiescence of the Democratic Party. Not only did Democratic leadership gladhand with him after the election and attend his woeful inauguration, but in Congress they have still gone along with votes for his unqualified nominees and in some cases voted for them. Unacceptable.
Whenever Musk and Trump ask for something, they must be denied. Democratic members of Congress must throw up roadblocks in procedure, forcing the cessation of this sham with as much legislative force as they can. I fully understand that Democrats do not have the top line votes to prevent Trump’s agenda, but they don’t have to vote to proceed to a full vote. They don’t have to pick and choose which nominations to support “on the merits.” It’s all one big ball of anti-freedom, un-American bullshit so act accordingly.
The media is in cahoots with Trump/Musk as well. Multiple press barons like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and others have bent the knee to Trump and in Bezos’ case just outright handed his wife a bribe. They must also be opposed and battle engaged. The press must be constantly and consistently called out for carrying the axis’ water, and this cannot relent. The newspapers, websites and television networks are not watchdogs of our democracy but rather they are panting dogs humping the leg of autocracy. They are not with the people, and we should never be fooled that the mainstream press truly cares about anything other than their bottom lines and getting invites to the nicest parties.
I am not optimistic for the short term. The Democratic Party and the liberal/left movement has been caught, again, flat footed. The leaders are compromised or disengaged and there have only been fleeting signs of life in the first few weeks of occupation.
But because I am probably stupid, I am still hopeful. I actually believe in the idea of America and that the vast majority of us believe in the best upside of what this country is capable of. Despite too-frequent stumbles, I refuse to accept the notion that a majority of this nation wants bigotry and incompetence to flourish. And frankly, even if there are more on that side of things I love this country too much to let them destroy it from the inside.
So we can fight and we can win. We just have to fight.
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— Oliver
Follow me, Oliver Willis, on BlueSky @owillis.bsky.social
Exclusive Kal-El Photo
Kal had a teeth cleaning this week and had to be sedated. It left him feeling wonky and tired so I had to capture it. He’s back to normal now after a day of sleeping off the after effect.
Thank you, Oliver. Your essay here expresses my own thoughts. We are in deep, deep trouble in this nation. The rule of law only applies to the “little people.” musk, trump, & their sycophants have free rein to rape, pillage, & plunder.
I am infuriated with the democratic party (with a few exceptions. I want to see handcuffs on musk & his little band of obedient hackers. That means doing more than talking.
On the incompetence note there are now flood warnings in ca downstream of where shitler ordered the army core to release precious reservoir water