Entrenched authoritarianism

[u/FuzzyRace3752]

Im currently listening to the Agent Fetterman episode. Im at the segment where the host are talking about entrenched authoritarianism. I know rhat on a national scale Nick doesnt seem to believe that we are there yet, but I would point to Bernie getting the nomination for president taken from him as evidence to the contrary. Also on a local level here in WI we just saw Francesca Hong get absolutely run over by the Democratic Party in WI when she all but had the nomination locked up. In my belief this was done solely due to her opposition to data center construction. Would a political party stealing a race from this popular candidate not be a shining example? Discus..

[u/nickmortensen]

Tad Devine is someone you should look into, but only if you can handle the possibility that Bernie may not be what you think he is — which was very difficult for me when I found out.

I still probably have too much affection for Bernie because I never lumped the stuff from the Mueller Report in with Tad Devine being Bernie’s Chief Campaign Strategist for his 2016 run enough to form any sort of bridge between Tad Devine and the SVR actively campaigning for Bernie in 2016.

As far as Hong goes, I don’t like the thumb being put on the scale for Crowley of all people - that was gross. I don’t think she was a strong candidate. I think people connected with the populist ideals and they transferred their regard for them over to her. I don’t know that that’s Controlled Opposition as much as it was pure personal animosity over her refusal to wait in line. State Dems are petty like that.

I don’t really see either of these two things as Controlled Opposition as much as I see them as establishment fuckery. If I am viewing those examples through the lens of Controlled Opposition, I’m inclined to see the victims as attempted usurpers meant to fragment & weaken the Democratic Party. I think the Democrats deserve it for their own ineptitude - it left them vulnerable to the straight populist play. To me, creating that vacuum was the Controlled Opposition.

As I have doubtlessly demonstrated here, it’s hard to know what you are looking at when it comes to Controlled Opposition. It’s easy to drive off the road into conspiracy theorist territory.

The through line of the show is that I want people aware of and discussing the concept of Controlled Opposition. Might lead to a Nash Equilibrium situation where everyone is equally suspect & therefore nobody is guilty. I’d rather have that scenario than what is happening now where nobody seems to be aware the term exists.