The lightning move toward autocracy

[Death 296]

1 minute ago, CaptainObvious1 said:

Just corrected you in the main thread.  You're wrong there, wrong here, and usually wrong in general.

Nope. I'm right and have been saying for awhile that this is the playbook. You're a focking idiot.

[Death 296]

22 minutes ago, CaptainObvious1 said:

Just corrected you in the main thread.  You're wrong there, wrong here, and usually wrong in general.

Yeah, rotate out the ones he disagrees with and puts in The New York Post and OAN.

It's Hungary and NAZI Germany in the making, boyo.

 

[jonmx 2,301]

1 hour ago, Death said:

Yeah, rotate out the ones he disagrees with and puts in The New York Post and OAN.

It's Hungary and NAZI Germany in the making, boyo.

 

You are easily one of the dumbest fockers on the internet. 

[Voltaire 5,033]

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

A Cautionary Tale From Hungary:

### **1. Constitutional and Legal Overhauls**

- **2011 Constitution (Fundamental Law):** After winning a supermajority in 2010, Fidesz rewrote Hungary’s constitution to centralize power. The new charter weakened checks and balances, politicized institutions like the judiciary, and entrenched conservative social policies (e.g., defining marriage as between a man and a woman).

Democrats tried this Senate Democrats suffer defeat on voting rights after vote to change rules fails | CNN Politics

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Court Packing:** Orbán expanded the Constitutional Court from 8 to 15 judges, appointing loyalists. Later reforms stripped the court’s power to review fiscal and constitutional amendments, neutering its oversight role.

 

Democrats to introduce bill to expand Supreme Court from 9 to 13 justices (nbcnews.com)

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Electoral Gerrymandering:** Fidesz redrew electoral districts to favor rural areas (its base) and reduced parliamentary seats from 386 to 199, amplifying its majority despite winning less than 50% of the vote in subsequent elections.

Map of Illinois Congressional districts

OIP.ccl1YhhthDvjukv3uXRtlwAAAA (474×474) (bing.com)

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

### **2. Capturing Independent Institutions**

- **Media Control:** Orbán’s allies bought up private media outlets, consolidating them into pro-government conglomerates (e.g., KESMA). State media became a Fidesz propaganda machine, marginalizing opposition voices.

LOL The left owns / owned every outlet on the planet but the truth got out anyway. Here's what they were up to in 2021: Content Moderation Trends for 2021 on a Global Scale | Conectys Blog

 

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Central Bank and Fiscal Council:** Orbán weakened the independence of the Central Bank and replaced fiscal watchdogs with loyalists, enabling unchecked spending and cronyism.

 

Debanking is a Pride and Joy tactic of Democrats : Scott: Banking Committee Will Investigate Debanking | United States Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (senate.gov)

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Prosecutor’s Office:** The chief prosecutor, a Fidesz ally, has ignored corruption cases involving Orbán’s inner circle while targeting critics and opposition figures.

Oh like fake charges against President Trump in civil and criminal cases, the January 6th prosecutions of a protest that got out of hand and Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro going to jail.

 

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

### **3. Weaponizing the State Against Opposition**

The entire Biden administration

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Electoral Manipulation:** Fidesz used state resources for campaigning, granted citizenship and voting rights to ethnic Hungarians abroad (who largely support Fidesz), and imposed restrictive campaign finance laws that disadvantage opposition parties.

This is how CNN excuses the Republican election observers getting kicked out of the Cobo Hall convention center and cardboard coving the windows just before all the Biden ballots got dropped and handed the state to Joe. At least they acknowledge it happened and provide a photo.

Right-wing media portrayed window covering at ballot center as nefarious. Here’s what really happened | CNN Business

 

All those urequested ballots mailed out and the ballot harvesting being conducted. 

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Smear Campaigns:** Government-aligned media and officials routinely vilify opposition figures, NGOs, and journalists as “traitors,” “Soros agents,” or “foreign puppets.”

LOL. Times a thousand in US politics and this forum

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Legal Harassment:** Opposition leaders and independent journalists face lawsuits, tax audits, and criminal investigations designed to drain resources and silence dissent.

Sounds familiar. 

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

### **4. Eroding Civil Society and Academic Freedom**

- **NGO Crackdown:** A 2017 law forced NGOs receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign-supported organizations,” stigmatizing groups critical of the government (e.g., human rights advocates). In 2021, a homophobic law banned LGBTQ+ content in schools, further polarizing society.

U.S. bishops: FBI document targeting Catholics is ‘religious profiling’ | Catholic News Agency

14 hours ago, The Girlfriend said:

- **Attack on Academia:** Orbán forced the Central European University (CEU), founded by George Soros, to leave Hungary in 2019 by refusing to recognize its U.S. accreditation. Public universities were restructured under government-controlled foundations, stifling academic freedom.

Evergreen College: How Activists Took Control of a University: The Case Study of Evergreen State (quillette.com)

U of Missouri: University of Missouri Protests Spur a Day of Change - The New York Times (archive.is)

Harvard University settles two antisemitism lawsuits | CNN

---

Its OK when the Biden adminstration does it. I could go on but that's about all the digging I feel like doing at this time. 

[listen2me 23 1,779]

With so much winning lately, the Dems dont know what to say.  So its back to the Hitler playbook.  Which was one of the bigger reasons why they lost the election.  

Excellent 

[Maximum Overkill 1,580]

Just now, listen2me 23 said:

With so much winning lately, the Dems dont know what to say.  So its back to the Hitler playbook

Yup, and the idiots can't even realize that the Hitler Playbook is exactly what got Trump elected AGAIN.  

[EternalShinyAndChrome 3,595]

Volty with a decisive takedown for the win!

[The Girlfriend 92]

 

Republicans, particularly under Trump’s influence, have increasingly mirrored Viktor Orbán’s brand of right-wing authoritarianism, while Democrats have remained more aligned with liberal democratic norms. Here’s how the GOP resembles Orbán’s model of “illiberal democracy”:

1. Undermining Democratic Institutions – Like Orbán, Republicans have sought to weaken democratic norms by casting doubt on election integrity (e.g., Trump’s “Big Lie” about 2020), pushing voter suppression laws, and attempting to subvert election results through legal and extralegal means.

2. Control Over Media and Misinformation – Orbán has reshaped Hungary’s media landscape by consolidating control and pushing pro-government propaganda. Similarly, Republicans benefit from a right-wing media ecosystem (Fox News, OANN, Newsmax) that distorts reality, spreads conspiracy theories, and vilifies opponents.

3. Weaponizing Nationalism and Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric – Orbán’s hardline nationalism, built on fears of immigrants and cultural decline, closely parallels GOP rhetoric about “great replacement theory,” border security, and the demonization of asylum seekers. Both use xenophobia as a political tool.

4. Attacks on LGBTQ+ Rights and “Woke Culture” – Orbán has restricted LGBTQ+ rights under the guise of protecting traditional values, a tactic echoed by Republican efforts to ban books, limit trans rights, and frame diversity initiatives as “cultural Marxism.”

5. Judicial Manipulation – Orbán has stacked Hungary’s courts with loyalists to cement his power. Republicans, particularly under Trump and Mitch McConnell, similarly packed the judiciary with conservative judges, including the Supreme Court’s rightward shift, enabling decisions that roll back civil rights and entrench GOP power.

6. Authoritarian Admiration and Political Repression – Both Orbán and the GOP have shown a willingness to weaponize the state against political opponents, whether through legal crackdowns, gerrymandering, or demonizing opposition leaders as traitors. Trump’s attempts to prosecute rivals, encourage state repression, and dismiss democratic processes strongly echo Orbán’s tactics.

 

In contrast, Democrats generally support pluralism, media independence, voting rights, and institutional checks—aligning more with traditional democratic values rather than Orbán’s illiberal model. The GOP’s shift toward Orbán-style governance reflects a broader global trend of right-wing populism rejecting liberal democracy in favor of authoritarian control.

[The Girlfriend 92]

Both Democrats and Republicans have been accused of undermining democracy, but the nature and scale of their actions differ significantly. Republicans have embraced a more systematic, aggressive approach to eroding democratic norms, while Democratic offenses tend to be less extreme and more procedural. Below is a comparison of their respective attacks on democracy:

 

Republican Attacks on Democracy

1. Election Denial & Subversion-  The GOP, particularly under Trump, has spread false claims about election fraud, culminating in attempts to overturn the 2020 election, the January 6th insurrection, and efforts to install election-denying officials in key battleground states.

2. Voter Suppression  Republican-led states have passed restrictive voting laws that disproportionately impact minorities, such as strict voter ID laws, purges of voter rolls, and limits on mail-in voting.

3. Gerrymandering & Structural Manipulation Republicans have aggressively drawn congressional districts to maximize their power while minimizing Democratic votes, often in ways that dilute minority voting power (e.g., in Wisconsin and North Carolina).

4. Judicial Takeover The GOP, particularly under Mitch McConnell, blocked Democratic judicial appointments and fast-tracked conservative judges, including a Supreme Court supermajority, which has since rolled back civil rights (e.g., abortion rights).

5. Legislative & State-Level Power Grabs  In states like Wisconsin and North Carolina, Republican legislatures have stripped power from incoming Democratic governors to maintain partisan control.

6. Attacks on Press & Institutions Trump and other Republicans have labeled the press the enemy of the people, undermined trust in the FBI, and dismissed any unfavorable rulings or investigations as rigged.

 

Democratic Attacks on Democracy

1. Attempted Election Reforms Favoring Their Side Some Democratic-backed proposals, like HR1 (For the People Act), aimed to expand voting access but also included measures such as public campaign financing that Republicans argue would benefit Democrats disproportionately.

2. Gerrymandering in Blue States While not as widespread as GOP efforts, Democrats have engaged in gerrymandering in states like Maryland, Illinois, and New York, though courts often strike down extreme maps.

3. Pushing Court Reform (Court Packing)  Some Democrats, frustrated by the rightward shift of the Supreme Court, have floated expanding the court a move critics argue could undermine judicial independence.

4. Executive Overreach -Democratic presidents, particularly Obama and Biden, have used executive orders to bypass Congress on policies like immigration (DACA) and student loan relief, leading to accusations of governing without legislative authority.

 

Conclusion: Republicans Are the Greater Threat to Democracy

 

While both parties have engaged in undemocratic behavior, Republican actions pose a far more existential threat. GOP efforts are systemic, focusing on election subversion, voter suppression, and judicial entrenchment to maintain minority rule. Their willingness to reject legitimate election results (2020), encourage political violence (Jan. 6), and rewrite state laws to control future elections make them a greater immediate danger to democracy.

 

Democrats, while guilty of gerrymandering and executive overreach, generally seek to expand voting rights and maintain democratic institutions rather than dismantle them. While some Democratic proposals (e.g., court expansion) raise concerns, they do not threaten the fundamental electoral process in the way Republican actions do.

 

In sum, both parties have flaws, but Republican attacks on democracy particularly their efforts to undermine elections and institutional checks are significantly more dangerous and far-reaching.

[jbycho 318]

5 minutes ago, The Girlfriend said:

Both Democrats and Republicans have been accused of undermining democracy, but the nature and scale of their actions differ significantly. Republicans have embraced a more systematic, aggressive approach to eroding democratic norms, while Democratic offenses tend to be less extreme and more procedural. Below is a comparison of their respective attacks on democracy:

 

Republican Attacks on Democracy

1. Election Denial & Subversion-  The GOP, particularly under Trump, has spread false claims about election fraud, culminating in attempts to overturn the 2020 election, the January 6th insurrection, and efforts to install election-denying officials in key battleground states.

2. Voter Suppression  Republican-led states have passed restrictive voting laws that disproportionately impact minorities, such as strict voter ID laws, purges of voter rolls, and limits on mail-in voting.

3. Gerrymandering & Structural Manipulation Republicans have aggressively drawn congressional districts to maximize their power while minimizing Democratic votes, often in ways that dilute minority voting power (e.g., in Wisconsin and North Carolina).

4. Judicial Takeover The GOP, particularly under Mitch McConnell, blocked Democratic judicial appointments and fast-tracked conservative judges, including a Supreme Court supermajority, which has since rolled back civil rights (e.g., abortion rights).

5. Legislative & State-Level Power Grabs  In states like Wisconsin and North Carolina, Republican legislatures have stripped power from incoming Democratic governors to maintain partisan control.

6. Attacks on Press & Institutions Trump and other Republicans have labeled the press the enemy of the people, undermined trust in the FBI, and dismissed any unfavorable rulings or investigations as rigged.

 

Democratic Attacks on Democracy

1. Attempted Election Reforms Favoring Their Side Some Democratic-backed proposals, like HR1 (For the People Act), aimed to expand voting access but also included measures such as public campaign financing that Republicans argue would benefit Democrats disproportionately.

2. Gerrymandering in Blue States While not as widespread as GOP efforts, Democrats have engaged in gerrymandering in states like Maryland, Illinois, and New York, though courts often strike down extreme maps.

3. Pushing Court Reform (Court Packing)  Some Democrats, frustrated by the rightward shift of the Supreme Court, have floated expanding the court a move critics argue could undermine judicial independence.

4. Executive Overreach -Democratic presidents, particularly Obama and Biden, have used executive orders to bypass Congress on policies like immigration (DACA) and student loan relief, leading to accusations of governing without legislative authority.

 

Conclusion: Republicans Are the Greater Threat to Democracy

 

While both parties have engaged in undemocratic behavior, Republican actions pose a far more existential threat. GOP efforts are systemic, focusing on election subversion, voter suppression, and judicial entrenchment to maintain minority rule. Their willingness to reject legitimate election results (2020), encourage political violence (Jan. 6), and rewrite state laws to control future elections make them a greater immediate danger to democracy.

 

Democrats, while guilty of gerrymandering and executive overreach, generally seek to expand voting rights and maintain democratic institutions rather than dismantle them. While some Democratic proposals (e.g., court expansion) raise concerns, they do not threaten the fundamental electoral process in the way Republican actions do.

 

In sum, both parties have flaws, but Republican attacks on democracy particularly their efforts to undermine elections and institutional checks are significantly more dangerous and far-reaching.

Rusty is so tiring. 

[Voltaire 5,033]

14 minutes ago, jbycho said:

Rusty is so tiring. 

Rusty is Death and jerry tells us this is a different Sanctuary personality. Meanwhile, Gutter appears to be missing. Maybe they decided to start enforcing gay pedophile laws where he lives.

[jbycho 318]

42 minutes ago, Voltaire said:

Rusty is Death and jerry tells us this is a different Sanctuary personality. Meanwhile, Gutter appears to be missing. Maybe they decided to start enforcing gay pedophile laws where he lives.

Death or Rusty guy told me he put me on ignore, and when I replied to him he replied with some message that I am on ignore with a '' added from him. He then did it at least  4 more times. As if I cared or something.  The very first time I replied to the girlfriend alias I got the exact same reply with the exact same '' added on. 

I have never seen anyone post that personal  system generated message other than those two aliases. And yet they happened the same day under two aliases. I've never even seen those system messages before. He probably made them up. But oops. "Oh shoot. What alias am I in!??"