As to the seemingly insurmountable problem with SCOTUS … there is also shame. I don’t think casual acceptance of racism - or rape - is as acceptable today as it was in the Fifties (when I was a child). Already the Roberts Court is scrambling to defend its indefensible actions.
But not just the restoration of democracy … but of civility itself. Trump has introduced a milieu of deception, violence, and inhumanity that will take generations to overcome. If overcome at all.
Violate norms? That is the republican strategy since Reagan. And it worked for the most corrupt party in American history. Sure, there was the McCarthy era, but then someone asked, have you no shame. Dems are afraid to break norms because they want everyone to like them a lot. From Clinton ignoring the Reagan era crimes and criminals, to Obama ignoring the mostly GOP banksters and fraudsters after the GWB created Great Recession, to Merrick Garland and play-fair Joe Biden slow walking the vast collection of trump crimes, dems are notorious for not wanting to violate norms as GOP kicks norms to the side and dons KKK robes in celebration of the racist, corrupt Robert's Court ruling against VRA, after they already violated women's rights with overturning Roe.
Amazing how play nice dems follow the rules and the courts beat them up, then cheating GOP break laws and ignores constitutions and courts do nothing. Only in Amerika and probably Russia and China and North Korea.
If dems do not learn to play hardball with brush back pitches they are going to continue to have dirt kicked in their faces and lose regardless of them having more votes nationally, or locally. Playing pattycake with bullies is not a strategy for success. Every time dems decide to not 'violate norms' they guide America closer to authoritarianism and away from democracy. If they don't learn that lesson quickly, there may not be a next time...
Especially as laid out by Brynn in this post. The obstacles are truly insurmountable if the D's play by the rules. Despite the comparisons, Trump, unlike Orban, is not a rational actor. He is mentally unstable and showing clear signs of physical deterioration. He will cling to power until his dying breath. The only option is to rock the boat, and break some norms and rules. Not because the R's play dirty, but essentially to save Democracy.
Dems don't need to play dirty, they need to play smarter and not paint themselves into the fairness corner. I would not pay good money to watch a fighter rake one small punch to the chin and then lay motionless on the floor. And I will stop funding dems if they continue to take a beating in the corner with their gloves at their sides. Dem voters keep saying they want more fight from their frail party and while that is sometimes attempted, they are never unrelenting as are republicans. I have had enoughof tyranny of the minority.
Non-American’s observation: your constitution was a ground breaking revelation in 1787. It never envisaged a dishonorable scoundrel being elected by a majority. It also contains many compromises to get the states to join. Without a re-do you all are screwed and revising your Constitution will NEVER happen. You now live in a repressive autocracy (like many people). Sorry to inform but you guys lost, they won, it’s over.
The constitution isn't worth the paper it's printed on as far as I'm concerned. It's a failed experiment by a bunch of slaveholders with (dubiously) good intentions. Worshipping it the was stupid, but unfortunately time machines don't exist so we can't go back and fix things.
The supreme Court will veto any structural change to undo all the rigging Republicans have done
The Republicans in Congress will veto any attempt to expand the Court because they're not about to let their fascist utopia ever end
Hell, I could see some Republican dipshits inventing some kind of bullshit legal challenge to the idea of expanding the court, expediting it up the courts, and then the fascist hacks using their legislative powers to cement the size of the court for good.
The only way we're getting out of this is a Republican mass extinction event. The closest we got was COVID, but despite the best efforts of a lot of Republicans, too many of the fuckers survived.
We are not descending toward competitive autocracy, we are already there. Why call it competitive when it actually isn’t? Because we now have rigged voting that makes it appear to be competitive? Let’s call it what it is – a fascist dictatorship.
Thank you for saying this out loud. I have been writing about this very thing. I am afraid it will take a civil or world war to remove this cancer and if the liberals win, they need to start over again with a new constitution incorporating all we have learned over the past 250 years. Just my opinion…
Wow, bleak end to the week. The killing of the VRA and its immediate aftermath - rapid rollback of the hard won rights people literally gave their lives for - has put me in a similar place. Not only can the court see the immediate effect of their actions but they even worked to expedite the impact of the ruling (looking at you, Sam Alito). Without at least court expansion Democrats will likely never have a meaningful presidency for a generation if not longer.
I mean, the problem is obvious, as the author has written about elsewhere and previously - the Republican party is not a good faith actor and is neither committed to democracy, free and fair elections or the rule of law.
The system can't fix itself because one party doesn't want the system to fix itself.
The other part not addressed in this though is the literal billions in corruption and grift from the US government that will need to be addressed. From payoffs to Flynn, Babbitt, Proud Boys and even Trump himself, who is going to make the American citizen whole again when the money has been stolen and dispersed?
One final point: the problem Republicans are going to find is when the pressure becomes too much. Democracies, the rule of law and legal protections are pressure valves again the politics of violence - what option but to take extra-legal action do people have with those removed?
The whole reason the entire Republican establishment is supporting these efforts to stay in power forever is that they know what they are doing is prosecutable. They won’t give up power without a fight. Of course, politicians seem to be unrealistic in thinking that pardons will heal – when has that ever happened? My guess is never. Those pardoned go on to reorganize and try again, learning from their mistakes the first time around.
This is THE critical message of our time. Sadly, around 1/3 of Americans are with Trump no matter what. It defies my understanding, but it's reality. Another group of Americans- perhaps even a majority- are tuned out to what's happening and, frankly, don't want to be bothered. The fundamental principles on which the country was built are abstractions that they have taken for granted. This is why the economy always rises to the top of key public concerns. Running campaigns on valid issues like democracy, civil rights, voting rights, doesn't capture interest in the same way as prices. On the positive side, we know that most Americans don't really care about norms - or even laws - which could clear the way for Democrats to break norms to establish new and better ones. While recognizing the peril of this path, we are now in the position of having no choice other than to concede to kleptocratic, kakistocratic, oligarchic, racist, misogynistic, illiberal authoritarianism. The Supreme Court will be an impediment to any corrective actions, so that must be addressed quickly. It’s important that those who do understand complex ideas stay informed and supportive and not be discouraged when they don't hear those expressed prominently in campaigns. These are fraught times.
America has reached the point where the majority of voters would not be upset to see Trump leave office like an earlier fascist, Mussolini. Bennito left office feet first - hanging upside down in the town square.
Trump has over 2 years to rig the 2028 election, with a live test run this November. What if Trump is re-elected by an impossible supermajority? Will non-MAGAs go January 6th on Congress? Will America tolerate an insurrection that aims to tighten up our constitution and fix all the broken guardrails? It is the MAGAs who have all the guns and boy-scout-like militia clubs who play pretend combat for fun on weekends. Things might get nasty. Some 22% of Jan 6ers had criminal records, and 33 have already been returned to prison for post-pardon felonies.
Don’t worry - Stephen Miller will be declared interim (forever) “Head of State” after they declare marshal law following the election results showing “obviously rigged results and antifa attempts to overthrow”. To be honest Stephen Miller is the greatest political mastermind in 50 years.
I believe Orban not only stepped down after losing, but also said he would not take his seat in Parliament. He can scheme within his party, but not in government. . . for now.
Thanks for the correction. I thought I had seen that he would still remain a member of parliament. I believe he could still do a lot of damage ala Trump during the Biden administration - while Trump had no official capacity, he still controlled the Republican party.
Fortunately for Hungary, Magyar has tools available to him that Biden didn't. Also, Orban was scheming and aggressive in solidifying his power, but I don't think holds the cult devotion that Trump has. We have a deeper problem here, both in terms of government structure and partisan fanaticism.
As to the seemingly insurmountable problem with SCOTUS … there is also shame. I don’t think casual acceptance of racism - or rape - is as acceptable today as it was in the Fifties (when I was a child). Already the Roberts Court is scrambling to defend its indefensible actions.
They're immune from any real consequences, though. Even moreso than a congressman or even the president.
You are absolutely right! The right wing six live comfortably in an elitist gated community hovering far above the plebes.
But not just the restoration of democracy … but of civility itself. Trump has introduced a milieu of deception, violence, and inhumanity that will take generations to overcome. If overcome at all.
Violate norms? That is the republican strategy since Reagan. And it worked for the most corrupt party in American history. Sure, there was the McCarthy era, but then someone asked, have you no shame. Dems are afraid to break norms because they want everyone to like them a lot. From Clinton ignoring the Reagan era crimes and criminals, to Obama ignoring the mostly GOP banksters and fraudsters after the GWB created Great Recession, to Merrick Garland and play-fair Joe Biden slow walking the vast collection of trump crimes, dems are notorious for not wanting to violate norms as GOP kicks norms to the side and dons KKK robes in celebration of the racist, corrupt Robert's Court ruling against VRA, after they already violated women's rights with overturning Roe.
Amazing how play nice dems follow the rules and the courts beat them up, then cheating GOP break laws and ignores constitutions and courts do nothing. Only in Amerika and probably Russia and China and North Korea.
If dems do not learn to play hardball with brush back pitches they are going to continue to have dirt kicked in their faces and lose regardless of them having more votes nationally, or locally. Playing pattycake with bullies is not a strategy for success. Every time dems decide to not 'violate norms' they guide America closer to authoritarianism and away from democracy. If they don't learn that lesson quickly, there may not be a next time...
Especially as laid out by Brynn in this post. The obstacles are truly insurmountable if the D's play by the rules. Despite the comparisons, Trump, unlike Orban, is not a rational actor. He is mentally unstable and showing clear signs of physical deterioration. He will cling to power until his dying breath. The only option is to rock the boat, and break some norms and rules. Not because the R's play dirty, but essentially to save Democracy.
Dems don't need to play dirty, they need to play smarter and not paint themselves into the fairness corner. I would not pay good money to watch a fighter rake one small punch to the chin and then lay motionless on the floor. And I will stop funding dems if they continue to take a beating in the corner with their gloves at their sides. Dem voters keep saying they want more fight from their frail party and while that is sometimes attempted, they are never unrelenting as are republicans. I have had enoughof tyranny of the minority.
Non-American’s observation: your constitution was a ground breaking revelation in 1787. It never envisaged a dishonorable scoundrel being elected by a majority. It also contains many compromises to get the states to join. Without a re-do you all are screwed and revising your Constitution will NEVER happen. You now live in a repressive autocracy (like many people). Sorry to inform but you guys lost, they won, it’s over.
Plenty of us are aware.
The constitution isn't worth the paper it's printed on as far as I'm concerned. It's a failed experiment by a bunch of slaveholders with (dubiously) good intentions. Worshipping it the was stupid, but unfortunately time machines don't exist so we can't go back and fix things.
This is a really well written and practical (not sugar coated) assessment of what'll be needed. Thank you.
These infographics show the rot in the Roberts Supreme Court and help visualize parts of your analysis.
Meet the operatives who made Bush Jr. President and now on the Supreme Court ready to help Trump! Check this map.
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/10/28/operatives-who-made-bush-jr-president-now-on-supreme-court-helping-trump/
Mapping John Roberts’ Supreme Court 12 Worst Crimes Against American Democracy
https://thedemlabs.org/2025/10/16/john-roberts-supreme-court-12-worst-crimes-against-american-democracy/
Follow the corruption in the Robert's Supreme Court
https://thedemlabs.org/2026/05/04/supreme-court-ethics-quiz-get-out-of-jail-free-2026/
Problem: 1. REPUBLICANS
2. The structure of the Constitution
Probblem 2A: Unethically populated SCOTUS
Problem 2B: Malapportioned Senate
Problem 3: Ridiculously uninformed electorate
The media is owned and operated by Nazis,
The supreme Court will veto any structural change to undo all the rigging Republicans have done
The Republicans in Congress will veto any attempt to expand the Court because they're not about to let their fascist utopia ever end
Hell, I could see some Republican dipshits inventing some kind of bullshit legal challenge to the idea of expanding the court, expediting it up the courts, and then the fascist hacks using their legislative powers to cement the size of the court for good.
The only way we're getting out of this is a Republican mass extinction event. The closest we got was COVID, but despite the best efforts of a lot of Republicans, too many of the fuckers survived.
We are not descending toward competitive autocracy, we are already there. Why call it competitive when it actually isn’t? Because we now have rigged voting that makes it appear to be competitive? Let’s call it what it is – a fascist dictatorship.
Thank you for saying this out loud. I have been writing about this very thing. I am afraid it will take a civil or world war to remove this cancer and if the liberals win, they need to start over again with a new constitution incorporating all we have learned over the past 250 years. Just my opinion…
It probably will take a civil war. Whether that's winnable? That I'm not sure about.
If it does come to pass, though, and if we somehow win, we need to eradicate the Confederacy completely, unlike the last time we did this shit.
Wow, bleak end to the week. The killing of the VRA and its immediate aftermath - rapid rollback of the hard won rights people literally gave their lives for - has put me in a similar place. Not only can the court see the immediate effect of their actions but they even worked to expedite the impact of the ruling (looking at you, Sam Alito). Without at least court expansion Democrats will likely never have a meaningful presidency for a generation if not longer.
I mean, the problem is obvious, as the author has written about elsewhere and previously - the Republican party is not a good faith actor and is neither committed to democracy, free and fair elections or the rule of law.
The system can't fix itself because one party doesn't want the system to fix itself.
The other part not addressed in this though is the literal billions in corruption and grift from the US government that will need to be addressed. From payoffs to Flynn, Babbitt, Proud Boys and even Trump himself, who is going to make the American citizen whole again when the money has been stolen and dispersed?
One final point: the problem Republicans are going to find is when the pressure becomes too much. Democracies, the rule of law and legal protections are pressure valves again the politics of violence - what option but to take extra-legal action do people have with those removed?
The whole reason the entire Republican establishment is supporting these efforts to stay in power forever is that they know what they are doing is prosecutable. They won’t give up power without a fight. Of course, politicians seem to be unrealistic in thinking that pardons will heal – when has that ever happened? My guess is never. Those pardoned go on to reorganize and try again, learning from their mistakes the first time around.
This is THE critical message of our time. Sadly, around 1/3 of Americans are with Trump no matter what. It defies my understanding, but it's reality. Another group of Americans- perhaps even a majority- are tuned out to what's happening and, frankly, don't want to be bothered. The fundamental principles on which the country was built are abstractions that they have taken for granted. This is why the economy always rises to the top of key public concerns. Running campaigns on valid issues like democracy, civil rights, voting rights, doesn't capture interest in the same way as prices. On the positive side, we know that most Americans don't really care about norms - or even laws - which could clear the way for Democrats to break norms to establish new and better ones. While recognizing the peril of this path, we are now in the position of having no choice other than to concede to kleptocratic, kakistocratic, oligarchic, racist, misogynistic, illiberal authoritarianism. The Supreme Court will be an impediment to any corrective actions, so that must be addressed quickly. It’s important that those who do understand complex ideas stay informed and supportive and not be discouraged when they don't hear those expressed prominently in campaigns. These are fraught times.
America has reached the point where the majority of voters would not be upset to see Trump leave office like an earlier fascist, Mussolini. Bennito left office feet first - hanging upside down in the town square.
Trump has over 2 years to rig the 2028 election, with a live test run this November. What if Trump is re-elected by an impossible supermajority? Will non-MAGAs go January 6th on Congress? Will America tolerate an insurrection that aims to tighten up our constitution and fix all the broken guardrails? It is the MAGAs who have all the guns and boy-scout-like militia clubs who play pretend combat for fun on weekends. Things might get nasty. Some 22% of Jan 6ers had criminal records, and 33 have already been returned to prison for post-pardon felonies.
Don’t worry - Stephen Miller will be declared interim (forever) “Head of State” after they declare marshal law following the election results showing “obviously rigged results and antifa attempts to overthrow”. To be honest Stephen Miller is the greatest political mastermind in 50 years.
Best not to confuse ruthlessness and being a mastermind.
Orban is still in the government and he and his minions could still impede progress. I think we need to wait and see how that turns out.
I believe Orban not only stepped down after losing, but also said he would not take his seat in Parliament. He can scheme within his party, but not in government. . . for now.
Thanks for the correction. I thought I had seen that he would still remain a member of parliament. I believe he could still do a lot of damage ala Trump during the Biden administration - while Trump had no official capacity, he still controlled the Republican party.
Fortunately for Hungary, Magyar has tools available to him that Biden didn't. Also, Orban was scheming and aggressive in solidifying his power, but I don't think holds the cult devotion that Trump has. We have a deeper problem here, both in terms of government structure and partisan fanaticism.
Agree.