"...I can’t know exactly what Trump will say on Monday and neither can Democrats, but the certainty that it won’t contain a sincere assessment of life in America, or of how he plans to govern, drastically limits the element of surprise. It allows us to anticipate broad themes he might adopt, and increases the urgency of refuting or repudiating them in advance. The best way to inoculate people to deception is to give them the tools they need to detect it.
"And so I am pleading with Democrats: Enough post-election chastening and consensus rituals, and enough pretending Trump has earned the benefit of the doubt. Instead, prime Americans for the lies he’s likely to tell, and make it clear why he isn’t to be trusted." [snip]
"Trump is also not set to inherit American carnage. He’s set, once again, to inherit a strong economy and social peace threatened almost exclusively by his fellow travelers. He’s also set to pretend otherwise.
"And so my plea to Democrats is to put just a little effort into limiting the number of people Trump will fool with whichever deceptive course he chooses. Assign someone, anyone capable of delivering remarks competently, to pick some platform, any platform, and say what’s true: Despite a campaign season worth of lies and agitprop, Joe Biden built an economy stronger than any in decades; when Trump predictably declares he inherited and reversed a disaster, it will be a lie. If and when he wrecks the economy again, it will be his fault. Joe Biden inherited a crime wave from Donald Trump and returned crime to below its pre-Trump levels. He inherited a depressed economy, and delivered full employment. Biden conducted his presidency with actual magnanimity—or, at least, without malice—and we’re about to be reminded why we voted him into office in the first place..." (our emphasis) --Brian Beutler, in his "Off Message" Substack, on why Democrats need to prebut the Malignant Fascist's upcoming barrage of lies with someone capable of increasing the pulse rate of the average American (that's not you, Chuck Schumer!). The idea that Democrats should have a "shadow government/ cabinet" of articulate people (not always office holders!) to prebut MAGAt lies is perhaps too sensible for a party still enamored of "norms," tradition, and seniority to adopt. But, consider if the party had forceful advocates in various policy arenas to puncture the torrent of lies about to become "official government positions" under the Malignant Fascist, as opposed to the disorganized approach taken historically by Democrats. We've got to do better, somehow.
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