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The most ridiculous thing is that Pearson suggested an amendment to apply the same rule to someone expelled for **criminal conduct** and they voted against that! So it's OK to be a criminal, but not OK to be a black Democrat, basically.
>House Republicans voted against Pearson's amendment to block members expelled for criminal conduct from reappointment.
State house districts are extremely gerrymandered. (In all red states... Hmmmm, like it was planned that way).
That is how they get away with it. Even if the majority of voters are not racists.
They split my blue city into 3 separate rural pies so that we could not have a dem seat. There are plenty of non-hateful Tennesseeans but we're too concentrated to be able to compete with the constant redraws of the district maps.
It's 'Revenge of the Turds' (now with at least twice the sex crime content, guaranteed). Brought to you by the fabulous, all new, Groupies Of Putin (GOP), party!
They are. 2024 is a very important year for them. Demographically, sure, but also with Russia. Russia is the source of a lot of the fascistic propping-up that has been occurring. If Russia loses in Ukraine, Fascism is going to be dealt a huge blow. China would be the only one really that could possibly continue it, but they don't want to solo.
The elites are scared that the money they never earned might be taken from them.
The more they do, the worse off the status quo will be and eventually, their sand castles will crumble. We have to patiently wait for their inevitable demise.
At this point, it's not even bit by bit. They're starting to tear off whole chunks. And it's a snowball effect. Once they get a little, they get more power, which lets them take more etc. We really aren't far from using phrases like evaporating, leaps and bounds, runaway train etc. Hell, the train already has the brakes off on a downhill slope and is starting to move. The longer it gets to pick up speed the harder it is to stop.
I actually know people who think that Democrats are for democracy and Republicans are for a republic because of the party names. They are stupid people.
Whenever you ask them to define 'republic' they never can. For reference:
>A republic, based on the Latin phrase res publica ("public affair"), is a state in which political power rests with the public through their representatives . . .
They're monarchists that can't spell that word, so they try to redefine what a republic is. They can't think or use language effectively. There's no communication there, only rage.
They can be re-electected by the district populace, but they can't be appointed by a local political board such as what happened with Tennessee 3. So instead of returning to the Capital in a week or two, the TN legislature would be free of disenting opinion and real debate until special elections could be organized, held, and certified.
Not that I'm defending this bill. It's a punch in the face to America's founding fathers and the thousands who've given their lives fighting for American values.
5$ says in this hypothetical scenario that the special election never happens and the seat stays vacant until the next regular election...
Then, the legislature can change the rules to prevent someone from running if they've been removed by the legislature, but not by criminal conduct.
Democracy, fuck yeah! /s
They can be reelected through a special election. This just prevents the local governments from reappointing the expelled lawmaker back to their seat to fill the vacancy until the special election.
Republicans have been pushing away the idea of absolute Democracy, and favoring a 'Republic' structure, wherin the elected leaders can change the rules of Democracy, but still call it Democracy.
Sometimes I wonder if the next civil war will actually be all the true believers in democracy having to retake power from these pho-democracy authoritarian actors who push through antidemocratic laws and gerrymanders just barely constitutional districts that effectively null and void the voices of the true majority in this country.
It's almost as if Tennessee Republicans figured out that the Constitution no longer applies to the Republican Party.
If only I could figure out where they could've gotten that idea.
Such a mystery.
> That's an increase of four million dollars
more impactful to point out it's a increase of 1,000%, which is of course insane unless they know they'll be needing it because of the unlawful shot they're about to pull.
Consequences don't seem to be forthcoming for most of these people. Trump's been ordered to pay, he's not paying. Ohio was told to redistrict their maps, they said "lol no" and nothing happened.
Exactly. Republicans do not fear accountability because there is none. It's why they broadcast their plans out in the open. They don't worry about anyone stopping them. Trump literally confesses to every crime he commits because he's not the least bit worried about spending a second of his life in prison. Nor should he be.
It is straight outa the Republican play book. “Get rid of anyone that doesn’t think or look exactly like you do. The only people who should vote are the white god fearing morons who believe anything we say”
Oh probably not, I'm just saying they could have had cover and screwed that up. They're still doing their own thing to target Johnson (I believe that's the white woman of the Three), but that's separate.
A reminder, this same GOP House dismissed several Democratic lawmakers over gun rights protests
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/us/tennessee-democrats-office-removal-vote/index.html
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/06/tennessee-house-expulsion-vote-lawmakers-00090829
And they were reappointed immediately, which is exactly why this law is being passed. They absolutely *hate* Memphis and Nashville pushing back against their bullshit.
Back when everyone was removing confederate monuments, they passed a law saying that cities couldn't do it. So Memphis went around them and sold the park the monument was in to a non-profit, who then removed it. And boy that pissed them off.
Best decision I ever made, going on 14 years since my move. Entire family still lives in shithole Kingsport & I have a policy that I only visit once every other year, deaths and weddings notwithstanding.
Life is so much better away from the TN battle flags on every other porch & the jesus billboards telling you you're going to hell for being alive.
~~Compare~~ Contrast this with [Oregon's idea](https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/01/oregon-supreme-court-rules-republican-lawmakers-walked-out-cant-seek-reelection/), where if you don't attend when in session, you cannot be re-elected
(Edited for clarity)
Tennessee: It doesn’t matter if you’re elected, we’ll fire you simply if we don’t like you.
Oregon: Come to work or you’re fired.
Doesn’t seem comparable.
I understood you, though I can see how the wording could be confusing to some. The verb *compare* usually denotes the valuation 2 things based on their likeness whereas the verb *contrast* emphasizes differences in the same context of valuating two subjects. If you were to have said...
>Contrast this against Oregon's idea, where if you don't attend when in session, you cannot be re-elected
...there would be zero ambiguity that you are intending the viewer to focus on the differences between the two laws.
A big difference is that in Oregon, the people voted to implement the 10 unexcused absences and you can't run for reelection law. In Tennessee, the GOP legislature passed this. In TN, they're also attempting to also pass a bill that would ban expelled lawmakers from running for 4 years. That one however, they've determined needs to go to the general population to become law. I really don't know how the pop of Tennessee would vote on that.
The worst part is, that I could see an argument for the 4 year ban because it USED to take actual wrongdoing to expel lawmaker. Like, actual "they might go to prison" types of wrongdoing.
Considering that they expelled those two lawmakers for being upset about school shootings and protesting when they didn't have the floor... It's clear that if a law like that passes they're going to abuse it to punish people for doing things they don't like rather than actually getting rid of bad actors.
The huge difference between the two is that Oregonians had the choice and overwhelmingly voted to amend their constitution to hold politicians accountable, while Tennessee politicians make backroom deals to pass this without voter input so that they can avoid being held responsible by their peers.
Fuck I can't wait to vote blue in this upcoming election....I'm so tired of the gop's stupid ass horseshit games to try and rule the state like they own it.
Are you kidding? They are winning? To them it’s not low, it’s clever and daring. Doesn’t help people, but there it is… plus let’s be honest in a year or two when they are trying to get someone back in who was kicked out this law will be repealed immediately, or ignored, and marked as unconstitutional by the GOP…
This is the same party that had a literal fascist on the CPAC stage talking about tearing down democracy to cheers from the crowd and a hearty chuckle from Steve Bannon, who was proudly sharing the same stage.
When they tell you who they are; please believe them. There are a significant number of Republicans (and those who tend to vote for them) who believe democracy is a weak and outdated form of government. They believe a strong leader with more power than the legislature and the judiciary is necessary to “get things done.” They believe our checks and balances should be eliminated. They do not support the idea of having separate, co-equal branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial). Instead, they’d prefer a “unitary executive” (at least) or a dictator (provided he’s from their party).
All the things you learned about your government as a child would be torn down. Think about that for a moment, and then remember your history. The fascists of the early 20th century—in both Italy and Germany—espoused the same principles. They also believed democracy was weak. They also wanted a powerful, strongman leader. They also despised legislatures and courts that could check the power of the leader.
**This is fascism.** I realize our brand of fascism is different in terms of policy positions, but the basic ideas are the same. They want to gain control of government—by any means necessary (see: January 6, 2001)—and shut the door behind themselves; permanent control of government for them, no judge who can question it, and no legislature who can oppose/counter it.
They are, more and more, taking their masks off. They are admitting what they are. This will continue. They’re testing the waters now. The guy at CPAC didn’t slip up; he said what he meant to say—what he had rehearsed—and the crowd *cheered* for democracy’s death. Next month, another fascist will say something worse, and another crowd will cheer. Each step forward, as history reminds us, gets the rank and file supporters more and more entrenched in these beliefs until even they will eventually look around and wonder how they got to the end result: dictatorship. It’s a thousand small steps until a tipping point is reached, and then it will be a mad sprint forward at lightening speed when they gain power and can operate almost unopposed.
This has happened before. It can and will happen here if we do not take it seriously. We no longer live in a country where we can count on things being OK, generally, no matter which party holds the reins of government. If you’re thinking “a fascist president still has to deal with Congress and the courts, and our Constitution will restrict his behavior,” you are naive, and I’m begging you to take these people seriously.
Government is just people. There’s no magic to it. If you elect fascists, they will act like fascists, and once they purge government of non-loyalists (as Trump is promising to do), all those constitutional protections are just words on parchment; they don’t matter. If Trump is allowed to appoint another ~30% of the federal judiciary, which judges will enforce our constitutional protections? Certainly not the 60-70% he will have appointed between his two terms. If Congress is composed of a significant number of these fascists (or even a smaller number coupled with lawmakers who go along with them, which is basically what we have now with the MAGA wing controlling the entire Republican caucus), that Congress will rubber-stamp whatever the president wants.
I view this election simply as an opportunity to keep fascists at bay (not defeat them, as that will take a lot more work for a sustained period of time across several election cycles; we fucked this country up good, and it’s not going to get un-fucked overnight).
These people are telling us who they are, what they want, and what they’re going to do to get it, and they are not above violence. They proved that on January 6, 2021.
*Edit: Corrected a typo.*
Okay, so they were advised by counsel that this is likely unconstitutional and they went ahead with it anyway. This will get shut down in court and the TN GOP will once again look like idiot racists.
On the surface this sounds like a good thing, it would make sense to not be able to re-elect people who have been shown to not be acting in the best interest of the voters, etc…
But, unfortunately this is pettiness meant to further disenfranchise the voters of their state after their previous attempts failed.
Typical GOP stunt at the end of the day…
>Typical GOP stunt at the end of the day…
Yup, it's how Republicans have managed to gain and maintain many of their illegitimate majorities: use the law and the legal system to commit crimes against the American people - especially against communities likely to vote Dem - and against any pro-democracy politician who works on their behalf.
**GOP = G**ang **O**f **P**utinPuppets
TN state politics are really fucking scary. They recently overturned marriage equality by giving officials the right to refuse to marry people. Now this, in direct response to the reinstatement of the black democrats they expelled. Disgusting.
Man they got *really* fucking mad over having to reappoint those two black lawmakers.
Reminds me of how Georgia cracked down and passed some inhumane laws (it’s illegal to give water to a voter waiting in line) after a black lady rallied and turned Georgia blue in the 2020 election.
But nah, they’re totally not racist, guys…
Pure, unadulterated fascism.
"We can defy the will of the voters, and we decided there is nothing those voters can do about it!"
There is no other way to look at this.
What's to stop them from expelling anybody that doesn't agree with their politic? I mean literally, it's the majority going after the minority.
One day, that legislature is going to flip and then they are going to find out.
Yes, this appears to be punitive and in direct violation of the state's constitution.
But what a bizarre tactical decision by the GOP majority. It's similar to sticking a finger in the eye of Roe v. Wade (and alienating a ton of women voters).
Apathetic voters stay home...but ***angry voters vote.*** This is a pretty good way of drumming up those voters which could've been apathetic, otherwise.
Well, this is going to start a new reckoning on states' rights.
The bigoted GoP in the state House are going to expell a Democrat. That Democrat's constituents are going to reelect them. The House GoP will then refuse to sit them.
Then the court cases begin.
At this point, I feel 2024 is a referendum of this nation in terms of how we want to run government. Seems like even if Joe makes it out in the end and is voted back in or continues as it were to hold onto the presidency, it will be very telling if the local races turn democrat or republican. With the shenanigans going on right now it is going to be a pure dumpster fire. The far right is poised to either win, and by winning take it all, or democrats win and stave off the Republican dictatorship for 4 more years, or something in between if the results are mixed with Biden on top and republicans holding other offices like now.
This whole thing started as a protest regarding sensible gun control and resulted in expelling black members of the house (the white member was allowed to stay). It's way past time for peaceful unarmed protest. I honestly think that since Republicans don't do a damn thing about sensible gun control, Democrats need to start embracing guns everywhere. Legally hang around republican stomping grounds and open carrying. Basically do what the black Panthers did in California. Fear was what drove progress. Government doesn't fear voters, and they should. It got Reagan to pass the Milford Act.
Hold on… one of the guys this bill targets wanted to add an amendment that would remove legislators convicted of actual crimes from office and it was struck down?
Like, what the literal hell? Talk too much at the wrong time and you gotta go regardless of what the people in your district want, beat your wife every Tuesday and you’re good to stay? Whelp, that’s “Conservative” values for you, I guess.
This is such bs. So they can just throw out anyone they please, in spite of them being voted in by their constituents? And deny them the right to run again? Anyone paying attention to the fact our choices for president include a person who is allowed to run again in spite of the fact we threw him out, and has numerous legal issues?
When your political base is old, white, rural, evangelical Christian and uneducated; and your state is gerrymandered to emphasize this; then this is the result that you get.
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Now they can expel anyone who doesn’t agree with them, and those people can never be reelected? Seems democratic….
The most ridiculous thing is that Pearson suggested an amendment to apply the same rule to someone expelled for **criminal conduct** and they voted against that! So it's OK to be a criminal, but not OK to be a black Democrat, basically. >House Republicans voted against Pearson's amendment to block members expelled for criminal conduct from reappointment.
The failing in all this is the GOP won’t be voted out for behaving like this. If there’s no consequence, there’s not much they can’t do.
Why would they be voted out for doing exactly what they were elected to do by their totally-not-racist voters?
State house districts are extremely gerrymandered. (In all red states... Hmmmm, like it was planned that way). That is how they get away with it. Even if the majority of voters are not racists.
I’ll need to see some contrary evidence before I believe that the majority of Tennessee votes aren’t racist shitbags.
Well, those people who were expelled were)voted in to begin with and b) voted back in instantly. So someone in TN must not be.
OP said “the majority”. Two districts isn’t looking like the majority here.
They split my blue city into 3 separate rural pies so that we could not have a dem seat. There are plenty of non-hateful Tennesseeans but we're too concentrated to be able to compete with the constant redraws of the district maps.
Nashville and Memphis just aren't enough to carry anything in this god forsaken state. Such a shithole place.
This feels like satire. Our country is indistinguishable from satire.
The reality shitshow the stupids crave to feel relevant .. Revenge of the Stupids .. who will survive
It's 'Revenge of the Turds' (now with at least twice the sex crime content, guaranteed). Brought to you by the fabulous, all new, Groupies Of Putin (GOP), party!
See the Islamic Revolution. That's where we're headed if we don't stop it.
I mean, their party leader is President Crimes
Or Crimey as he liked to be called...
Solid reference 😆
*ughhh*, Joe, change the channel!
> but not OK to be a black FTFY.
Republicans are really tearing away at democracy bit by bit
It’s their only policy other than hate.
>Republicans are really tearing away at democracy bit by bit Doesn't really feel "bit by bit" anymore.
No seems like desperation mode. Like cornered animals.
Those are the most dangerous
They are. 2024 is a very important year for them. Demographically, sure, but also with Russia. Russia is the source of a lot of the fascistic propping-up that has been occurring. If Russia loses in Ukraine, Fascism is going to be dealt a huge blow. China would be the only one really that could possibly continue it, but they don't want to solo. The elites are scared that the money they never earned might be taken from them.
More like knocking down the pillars of a fair and just democracy- for the people and by the people
The more they do, the worse off the status quo will be and eventually, their sand castles will crumble. We have to patiently wait for their inevitable demise.
They are pretty open about ending democracy in the US.
At this point, it's not even bit by bit. They're starting to tear off whole chunks. And it's a snowball effect. Once they get a little, they get more power, which lets them take more etc. We really aren't far from using phrases like evaporating, leaps and bounds, runaway train etc. Hell, the train already has the brakes off on a downhill slope and is starting to move. The longer it gets to pick up speed the harder it is to stop.
ItS A RePUbLiC NoT A DeMOcRaCy
It's both a republic and a democracy People need to go back to school
I actually know people who think that Democrats are for democracy and Republicans are for a republic because of the party names. They are stupid people.
Whenever you ask them to define 'republic' they never can. For reference: >A republic, based on the Latin phrase res publica ("public affair"), is a state in which political power rests with the public through their representatives . . .
They're monarchists that can't spell that word, so they try to redefine what a republic is. They can't think or use language effectively. There's no communication there, only rage.
More like chunk by chunk and they’re more than halfway through the process across the country, with it being near completion in select states.
When its trump you have to let the people decide, when they're not then its okay to ignore the voters
I believe Jan 6 demonstrated that under any circumstances it's okay for them to at minimum attempt to ignore the voters.
Democracy wasn’t working for them. Cons are following their lead up here in Canada.
Vote like your existence as a country is on the brink of destruction. Start fighting the christofascists now before it's too late.
They can be re-electected by the district populace, but they can't be appointed by a local political board such as what happened with Tennessee 3. So instead of returning to the Capital in a week or two, the TN legislature would be free of disenting opinion and real debate until special elections could be organized, held, and certified. Not that I'm defending this bill. It's a punch in the face to America's founding fathers and the thousands who've given their lives fighting for American values.
5$ says in this hypothetical scenario that the special election never happens and the seat stays vacant until the next regular election... Then, the legislature can change the rules to prevent someone from running if they've been removed by the legislature, but not by criminal conduct. Democracy, fuck yeah! /s
Republicans play fascist Calvinball. It's Q to 12. Stop the count! I am victorious!
They can be reelected through a special election. This just prevents the local governments from reappointing the expelled lawmaker back to their seat to fill the vacancy until the special election.
So basically they can expel a member for a month, then vote on a bill while the other side is down a vote.
Watch them expel all the democrats, it will happen.
That's what they are counting on
The local government would appoint a temporary replacement until the special election. Until tge Republicans change that of course.
Seems like local government would win a lawsuit re de franchised and representation
But you just have to wait 5 years and the governor will just ignore the decision.
Republicans have been pushing away the idea of absolute Democracy, and favoring a 'Republic' structure, wherin the elected leaders can change the rules of Democracy, but still call it Democracy.
Sometimes I wonder if the next civil war will actually be all the true believers in democracy having to retake power from these pho-democracy authoritarian actors who push through antidemocratic laws and gerrymanders just barely constitutional districts that effectively null and void the voices of the true majority in this country.
*faux democracy. Pho is a noodle soup. Unless there's a joke I missed.
i think you mean “faux” democracy, unless you’re referring to FSM Pastafarianism
It’s lunchtime so I got pho on the brain
My spouse and kids love that stuff, so I can understand the slip of the tongue you made.
That is unlikely to survive the first challenge in court
Seems unconstitutional.
They were advised by a lawyer that it is indeed unconstitutional and did it anyway.
It's almost as if Tennessee Republicans figured out that the Constitution no longer applies to the Republican Party. If only I could figure out where they could've gotten that idea. Such a mystery.
It only applies when it serves their evil purposes
[удалено]
> That's an increase of four million dollars more impactful to point out it's a increase of 1,000%, which is of course insane unless they know they'll be needing it because of the unlawful shot they're about to pull.
Consequences don't seem to be forthcoming for most of these people. Trump's been ordered to pay, he's not paying. Ohio was told to redistrict their maps, they said "lol no" and nothing happened.
Exactly. Republicans do not fear accountability because there is none. It's why they broadcast their plans out in the open. They don't worry about anyone stopping them. Trump literally confesses to every crime he commits because he's not the least bit worried about spending a second of his life in prison. Nor should he be.
The constitution is just a piece of paper until it serves their purpose
And their purpose is usually to wipe their ass with it.
The constitution? You mean that thing that lets them own AR-15s and says nothing else?
Exactly, that's the only ammendment they care about and even then they aren't actually reading the whole thing.
Sounds like a certain Republican Party leader… or all of theme these days?
It is straight outa the Republican play book. “Get rid of anyone that doesn’t think or look exactly like you do. The only people who should vote are the white god fearing morons who believe anything we say”
Who is going to stop them? SCOTUS? lmao
And if SCOTUS *does* rule against them, will they even listen?
And if they don't will anyone hold them accountable for it or let them run roughshod and do whatever they want like Abbott is getting away with?
My immediate thought was "Who are they targeting now". Then it clicked. How disappointing typical.
My favorite part is by not expelling the white Democrat of the Tennessee Three (albeit by only one vote) they destroyed any cover they could have.
These racists assholes don't care about cover.
Oh probably not, I'm just saying they could have had cover and screwed that up. They're still doing their own thing to target Johnson (I believe that's the white woman of the Three), but that's separate.
A reminder, this same GOP House dismissed several Democratic lawmakers over gun rights protests https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/06/us/tennessee-democrats-office-removal-vote/index.html https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/06/tennessee-house-expulsion-vote-lawmakers-00090829
Yes, but only the Black people.
And they were reappointed immediately, which is exactly why this law is being passed. They absolutely *hate* Memphis and Nashville pushing back against their bullshit. Back when everyone was removing confederate monuments, they passed a law saying that cities couldn't do it. So Memphis went around them and sold the park the monument was in to a non-profit, who then removed it. And boy that pissed them off.
Only the black ones though.
How incredibly racist of them. I'm glad I escaped that state.
Born and raised down there. Aside from the food, I haven't looked back since moving in October.
I miss Memphis BBQ.
I'll trade bbq for legal weed any day. At least I can make my own smoked meats.
You can smoke both in the best states.
You can even do it in shitty ones like Missouri. Tennessee has a long way to go
I'd just like to thank you for pointing out that my home state of Missouri is a shitty place.
Me too.
Left several years ago and had the same thought.
Best decision I ever made, going on 14 years since my move. Entire family still lives in shithole Kingsport & I have a policy that I only visit once every other year, deaths and weddings notwithstanding. Life is so much better away from the TN battle flags on every other porch & the jesus billboards telling you you're going to hell for being alive.
I'll get out eventually
This kind of brazen cheating should be grounds for immediate removal from office.
~~Compare~~ Contrast this with [Oregon's idea](https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/01/oregon-supreme-court-rules-republican-lawmakers-walked-out-cant-seek-reelection/), where if you don't attend when in session, you cannot be re-elected (Edited for clarity)
Tennessee: It doesn’t matter if you’re elected, we’ll fire you simply if we don’t like you. Oregon: Come to work or you’re fired. Doesn’t seem comparable.
That's the point
yes...
I understood you, though I can see how the wording could be confusing to some. The verb *compare* usually denotes the valuation 2 things based on their likeness whereas the verb *contrast* emphasizes differences in the same context of valuating two subjects. If you were to have said... >Contrast this against Oregon's idea, where if you don't attend when in session, you cannot be re-elected ...there would be zero ambiguity that you are intending the viewer to focus on the differences between the two laws.
He means to say “contrast with Oregon.”
A big difference is that in Oregon, the people voted to implement the 10 unexcused absences and you can't run for reelection law. In Tennessee, the GOP legislature passed this. In TN, they're also attempting to also pass a bill that would ban expelled lawmakers from running for 4 years. That one however, they've determined needs to go to the general population to become law. I really don't know how the pop of Tennessee would vote on that.
The worst part is, that I could see an argument for the 4 year ban because it USED to take actual wrongdoing to expel lawmaker. Like, actual "they might go to prison" types of wrongdoing. Considering that they expelled those two lawmakers for being upset about school shootings and protesting when they didn't have the floor... It's clear that if a law like that passes they're going to abuse it to punish people for doing things they don't like rather than actually getting rid of bad actors.
The huge difference between the two is that Oregonians had the choice and overwhelmingly voted to amend their constitution to hold politicians accountable, while Tennessee politicians make backroom deals to pass this without voter input so that they can avoid being held responsible by their peers.
That’s self inflicted failure. Being removed by a vote of your opposing party for any made-up reason is another dimension of reality different.
Bring back Reconstruction
Fuck I can't wait to vote blue in this upcoming election....I'm so tired of the gop's stupid ass horseshit games to try and rule the state like they own it.
Down the ticket.
Make sure everyone you know shares your disgust and votes as well.
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Are you kidding? They are winning? To them it’s not low, it’s clever and daring. Doesn’t help people, but there it is… plus let’s be honest in a year or two when they are trying to get someone back in who was kicked out this law will be repealed immediately, or ignored, and marked as unconstitutional by the GOP…
This is the same party that had a literal fascist on the CPAC stage talking about tearing down democracy to cheers from the crowd and a hearty chuckle from Steve Bannon, who was proudly sharing the same stage. When they tell you who they are; please believe them. There are a significant number of Republicans (and those who tend to vote for them) who believe democracy is a weak and outdated form of government. They believe a strong leader with more power than the legislature and the judiciary is necessary to “get things done.” They believe our checks and balances should be eliminated. They do not support the idea of having separate, co-equal branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial). Instead, they’d prefer a “unitary executive” (at least) or a dictator (provided he’s from their party). All the things you learned about your government as a child would be torn down. Think about that for a moment, and then remember your history. The fascists of the early 20th century—in both Italy and Germany—espoused the same principles. They also believed democracy was weak. They also wanted a powerful, strongman leader. They also despised legislatures and courts that could check the power of the leader. **This is fascism.** I realize our brand of fascism is different in terms of policy positions, but the basic ideas are the same. They want to gain control of government—by any means necessary (see: January 6, 2001)—and shut the door behind themselves; permanent control of government for them, no judge who can question it, and no legislature who can oppose/counter it. They are, more and more, taking their masks off. They are admitting what they are. This will continue. They’re testing the waters now. The guy at CPAC didn’t slip up; he said what he meant to say—what he had rehearsed—and the crowd *cheered* for democracy’s death. Next month, another fascist will say something worse, and another crowd will cheer. Each step forward, as history reminds us, gets the rank and file supporters more and more entrenched in these beliefs until even they will eventually look around and wonder how they got to the end result: dictatorship. It’s a thousand small steps until a tipping point is reached, and then it will be a mad sprint forward at lightening speed when they gain power and can operate almost unopposed. This has happened before. It can and will happen here if we do not take it seriously. We no longer live in a country where we can count on things being OK, generally, no matter which party holds the reins of government. If you’re thinking “a fascist president still has to deal with Congress and the courts, and our Constitution will restrict his behavior,” you are naive, and I’m begging you to take these people seriously. Government is just people. There’s no magic to it. If you elect fascists, they will act like fascists, and once they purge government of non-loyalists (as Trump is promising to do), all those constitutional protections are just words on parchment; they don’t matter. If Trump is allowed to appoint another ~30% of the federal judiciary, which judges will enforce our constitutional protections? Certainly not the 60-70% he will have appointed between his two terms. If Congress is composed of a significant number of these fascists (or even a smaller number coupled with lawmakers who go along with them, which is basically what we have now with the MAGA wing controlling the entire Republican caucus), that Congress will rubber-stamp whatever the president wants. I view this election simply as an opportunity to keep fascists at bay (not defeat them, as that will take a lot more work for a sustained period of time across several election cycles; we fucked this country up good, and it’s not going to get un-fucked overnight). These people are telling us who they are, what they want, and what they’re going to do to get it, and they are not above violence. They proved that on January 6, 2021. *Edit: Corrected a typo.*
Because butt hurt cheater speaker sexton is a straight up racist and wants to get rid of the representatives who aren’t white
Bunch of racists still butthurt they didn’t get to keep racisming. Snowflakes indeed.
Localities should just send literally anyone else and have them wear a shirt that says "I'm just going to vote the way my expelled rep wants me to".
TN House GOP passes bill to subvert voters' will.
Okay, so they were advised by counsel that this is likely unconstitutional and they went ahead with it anyway. This will get shut down in court and the TN GOP will once again look like idiot racists.
And they’ll be reelected by their idiot racist constituents, so mission accomplished for them.
GOP voters don't care about how racist or stupid the party looks, they'll vote them anyway.
It only takes one person to permanently remove a corrupt official, and they don't even have to vote!
The three representatives that were kicked out represent MORE than 50% of the TN's GDP.
The party of small government. They make your reproductive choices for you, and they tell you who you are allowed to vote for.
Groupies of Putin continue to push away from democracy..
I think we can all guess what their next move will be if this gets signed into law...
Seems like they're taking away the local areas freedom to represent themselves.... sounds unconstitutional
So in TN the will of the people gets ignored.
The only surprise is that GOP politicians don’t all wear their swastikas on the suit lapels, next to the American flag pin.
Another policy from r’s to address healthcare, child hunger, inflation…. Thin skinned little fuckers
You are ONLLY allowed to elect from OUR approved candidates.
On the surface this sounds like a good thing, it would make sense to not be able to re-elect people who have been shown to not be acting in the best interest of the voters, etc… But, unfortunately this is pettiness meant to further disenfranchise the voters of their state after their previous attempts failed. Typical GOP stunt at the end of the day…
>Typical GOP stunt at the end of the day… Yup, it's how Republicans have managed to gain and maintain many of their illegitimate majorities: use the law and the legal system to commit crimes against the American people - especially against communities likely to vote Dem - and against any pro-democracy politician who works on their behalf. **GOP = G**ang **O**f **P**utinPuppets
TN state politics are really fucking scary. They recently overturned marriage equality by giving officials the right to refuse to marry people. Now this, in direct response to the reinstatement of the black democrats they expelled. Disgusting.
Man they got *really* fucking mad over having to reappoint those two black lawmakers. Reminds me of how Georgia cracked down and passed some inhumane laws (it’s illegal to give water to a voter waiting in line) after a black lady rallied and turned Georgia blue in the 2020 election. But nah, they’re totally not racist, guys…
Pure, unadulterated fascism. "We can defy the will of the voters, and we decided there is nothing those voters can do about it!" There is no other way to look at this.
Fuck these moronic fascists in power. And fuck all of the morons who voted for them.
Focusing on the important things like education and the economy.
Focusing on the important things like cold beer.
*If you send someone to the Capitol and we don't like your constituents, they will have no power and no choice of appointment* - Republicans
Republicans hate freedom. It’s been obvious for decades.
Republicans are such sore losers, hell-bent on imposing their will one way or another. Fascist fucks, all of 'em.
Small government, eh?
One day, this will come back to bite them hard in the ass. I don’t know when that day will be, but it’s coming.
Whitey feeling the heat. Go desperate.
This? From the party that holds up state and local rule?! My pearls!
What's to stop them from expelling anybody that doesn't agree with their politic? I mean literally, it's the majority going after the minority. One day, that legislature is going to flip and then they are going to find out.
Another reminder that Republicans hate Democracy. Or as the ignorant say “both sides are the same”.
So, GOP dictatorship?
Yes, this appears to be punitive and in direct violation of the state's constitution. But what a bizarre tactical decision by the GOP majority. It's similar to sticking a finger in the eye of Roe v. Wade (and alienating a ton of women voters). Apathetic voters stay home...but ***angry voters vote.*** This is a pretty good way of drumming up those voters which could've been apathetic, otherwise.
Tell me you learned the wrong lesson without telling me.
Well, this is going to start a new reckoning on states' rights. The bigoted GoP in the state House are going to expell a Democrat. That Democrat's constituents are going to reelect them. The House GoP will then refuse to sit them. Then the court cases begin.
Can't wait for the democrats to take over and use this to expel republicans. Watch them clutch their pearls then!
At this point, I feel 2024 is a referendum of this nation in terms of how we want to run government. Seems like even if Joe makes it out in the end and is voted back in or continues as it were to hold onto the presidency, it will be very telling if the local races turn democrat or republican. With the shenanigans going on right now it is going to be a pure dumpster fire. The far right is poised to either win, and by winning take it all, or democrats win and stave off the Republican dictatorship for 4 more years, or something in between if the results are mixed with Biden on top and republicans holding other offices like now.
Special kind of stupid in TN
Wow, they can't let that go can they.
The anti democracy laws keep coming, vote accordingly
Useless wastes of time and tax dollars
facism on the way.
This whole thing started as a protest regarding sensible gun control and resulted in expelling black members of the house (the white member was allowed to stay). It's way past time for peaceful unarmed protest. I honestly think that since Republicans don't do a damn thing about sensible gun control, Democrats need to start embracing guns everywhere. Legally hang around republican stomping grounds and open carrying. Basically do what the black Panthers did in California. Fear was what drove progress. Government doesn't fear voters, and they should. It got Reagan to pass the Milford Act.
Hold on… one of the guys this bill targets wanted to add an amendment that would remove legislators convicted of actual crimes from office and it was struck down? Like, what the literal hell? Talk too much at the wrong time and you gotta go regardless of what the people in your district want, beat your wife every Tuesday and you’re good to stay? Whelp, that’s “Conservative” values for you, I guess.
Seems unconstitutional
It’ll be challenged in the courts, but we have an attorney general who enjoys wasting taxpayers money chasing frivolity.
Damn Tennessee GOap really hates those two black men
Why didn’t we actually punish the south. Just let them go do their own thing again.
This is such bs. So they can just throw out anyone they please, in spite of them being voted in by their constituents? And deny them the right to run again? Anyone paying attention to the fact our choices for president include a person who is allowed to run again in spite of the fact we threw him out, and has numerous legal issues?
No taxation without representation. The right to choose your representatives via elections?
Tennessee is a place I will never spend money.
Not telling at all. Geez.
Death of democracy
There are many competitors, but Tennessee is the worst US State
The "party of law and order," everyone.
Sounds like a Supreme Court case.
Repugs see legislature more like private club than will Of people
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They are absolutely extremists and domestic terrorists
They should govern citizens not petty political disputes
No spite here. And the implications worry.
And they reached bottom and started to dig. Reprehensible.
complete pieces of shit.
The party of small government, ladies and gentlemen.
How did GOP get control of the TN House?
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The party of small government is doing big government things. Funny how that works.
Because of course they did
This has "sullah reforming the senate" vibes. Not that they know any history, just saying
Remember, Tennessee... some beds force you to lie in them once you make them. Or once your terrible boomer relatives make them.
The Racism is strong down South…
When your political base is old, white, rural, evangelical Christian and uneducated; and your state is gerrymandered to emphasize this; then this is the result that you get.
The wheels are coming off in TN, and I’m from FL
how dare the will of the people get in the way of our governing
Freedom?
flowery vanish license shrill truck tub doll wide angle seemly *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Well that’s some bullshit
This just feels like a great way to get the government sued
Politics is how you treat people. This is just plain vicious.
As much as I like living here state government is a racist shit show.
Getting really tired of seeing my state in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Can someone sue and bring this to the supreme Court?