Tonight Donald Trump will come on television to lie.
The lie has been told before, many times. Terrible demonized opponents, most probably Communists, have tried to subvert the the will of The People. It's a crisis. You must sacrifice your civil liberties, even if only briefly, in order to allow the State to take on this terrible, terrible danger.
Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party told the lie in 1933. Communists, the German people were told, had burned down the Reichstag. The solution was to put the gun to the head of the fragile German democracy and blow its brains out.
Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the People and the State of February 28, 1933
In virtue of Article 48(2) of the German Constitution, the following is decreed as a defensive measure against communist acts of violence endangering the state:
Article 1
Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Therefore, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, warrants for house searches, orders for confiscations, as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed.
Article 2
If in a state the measures necessary for the restoration of public security and order are not taken, the Reich Government may temporarily take over the powers of the highest state authority.
Article 3
According to orders decreed on the basis of Article 2 by the Reich Government, the authorities of states and provinces, if concerned, have to abide thereby.
Article 4
Whoever provokes, or appeals for, or incites the disobedience of the orders given out by the supreme state authorities or the authorities subject to them for execution of this decree, or orders given by the Reich Government according to Article 2, is punishable—insofar as the deed is not covered by other decrees with more severe punishments—with imprisonment of not less than one month, or with a fine from 150 up to 15,000 reichsmarks.
Whoever endangers human life by violating Article 1 is to be punished by sentence to a penitentiary, under mitigating circumstances, with imprisonment of not less than six months and, when violation causes the death of a person, with death, under mitigating circumstances, with a penitentiary sentence of not less than two years. In addition the sentence may include confiscation of property.
Whoever provokes or incites an act contrary to public welfare is to be punished with a penitentiary sentence, under mitigating circumstances, with imprisonment of not less than three months.
Article 5
The crimes which under the Criminal Code are punishable with penitentiary for life are to be punished with death: i.e., in Paragraphs 81 (high treason), 229 (poisoning), 306 (arson), 311 (properties), and 324 (general poisoning). Insofar as a more severe punishment has not been previously provided for, the following are punishable with death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment not to exceed 15 years:
1. Anyone who undertakes to kill the Reich President or a member or a commissioner of the Reich Government or of a state government, or provokes such a killing, or agrees to commit it, or accepts such an offer, or conspires with another for such a murder;
1. Translated from Reichsgesetzblatt I, 1933, p. 83.
2. Anyone who under Paragraph 115(2) of the Criminal Code (serious rioting) or under Paragraph 125(2) of the Criminal Code (serious disturbance of the peace) commits the act with arms or cooperates consciously and intentionally with an armed person;
3. Anyone who commits a kidnapping under Paragraph 239 of the Criminal Code with the intention of making use of the kidnapped person as a hostage in the political struggle.
This decree is in force from the day of its announcement.
Berlin, February 28, 1933
The Reich President von Hindenburg
The Reich Chancellor A Hitler
The Minister of Interior Frick
The Minister of Justice Dr. Gürtner
You are going to be told that tonight.
The 2020 election was stolen, Donald Trump will lie. It must have been, as his fragile toddler's ego can't handle if it wasn't. Surrounded by sycophants who help sooth his suspicions that he's dumb (spelled, as he just apparently learned, with a "b"), he truly can't handle the truth. So the solution is to put the gun to the head of American democracy and blow its brains out.
Trump's administration, with its own goals and desires, all of them anti democratic, have their own aims in this. MAGA is a set of willing dupes, drunk on the lies and apparently unwilling to get up from the bar stool and get a ride home.
There's a very real chance that Trump will succeed at this. From today, until November, democracy will be besieged. If the Republicans cannot completely subvert the November election, they'll seek to subvert it thereafter. If the Democrats win in the fall, the period from November until January will be an all out effort to destroy the results of the election. It won't even be subtle.
And sadly, many Republican members of Congress, like John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, will go all in to help Trump even though, in backrooms and with their close friends, they undoubtedly think he's a lunatic.
The question usually is for something like this, what can be done. Well, being honest and open about your honesty from now until January is about all most can do. Don't vote for the Chuck Gray's, Harriet Hagemans, Reid Rasners and Megan Degenfelders. Be true to your conscience and the country.
And frankly, don't bother with Trump's parade of lies tonight. Trump's only real power is that people who surround him are convinced they will not bear the price of his sins. They will, at some point. Sending the message that we're done listening to Trump starts letting them know that the bill is coming due very soon.
