164 Comments
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Louise James's avatar

I have to say, it was jarring watching the footage of the jackbooted government thugs going after protesters in Belarus and noting how much they looked like the government thugs doing the same to people in Portland, D.C., Seattle, etc.

Doloras Funkette's avatar

"Bolshevik" and "Menshevik" refer to the majority and minority factions of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, respectively pro- and anti-Lenin, after 1903.

Cliff Hendroval's avatar

I was particularly taken with the Portland Dads who came out a couple of days after the Portland Moms carrying leafblowers to blow the tear gas away from the protesters.

gnosis's avatar

Excellent reporting — thank you, Evan!

valgalky23's avatar

The Daily Beast has sucked for some time now.

valgalky23's avatar

What is all this "trump will be reelected" shit that's been flying around the last few days? To hell with that.

FAFO PAB!! Demme's avatar

I don't know about that, but he lives in Iowa, and things seem bleak to him.I told him to look at the polls.He is discouraged after he was so sure that Hillary would win, but I told him that Biden is doing better than she was at this point.But I think the REAL reason is Iowa.

Delu's avatar

Trump is not unique, he's simply American.

Wythers's avatar

Richard Pipes, one of Reagan's aides. Always came across as a virulent polemicist to me. Sure, he was an historian at Harvard, but still. Anyway, Pipes' theme is that there was no 'class' strife behind the revolution, that it was all orchestrated by evil intellectuals. Ugh.

MilesGregarius's avatar

It seems we citizens need to up our game on that support.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it's who's truly essential, who's really deserving of respect and gratitude. And who the mooches and the leeches really are.

Regret's avatar

Authoritarianism never shrinks, power keeps concentrating until something terrible happens.I think Biden is a good guy, but I am willing to bet a lot of monies that he won't reduce the power of the executive branch, he will probably increase it even more.

Zyxomma's avatar

Perfect post, Evan. I'm a second generation American, and Dad's side of the family came here from Belarus.

Zyxomma's avatar

There are several films of that title, but I think the one you mean is from 1985.

satcomguy's avatar

Bill Barr was probably taking notes.

With his non-wanking hand....

RickK's avatar

The difference is... I got nothing. We need to be hyper-vigilant the next five months.