Let's Just All Stop and Take a Deep Breath Today

Hello Friends,It’s been distressing to watch the progress of the Republican murder bill. This is the bill that’s going to strip millions of Americans of access to healthcare. It’s going to close down hospitals. It’s going to take food out of the mouths of hungry children.It’s just awful. It’s an affront to humanity.I watched an interview with the Senator from Alaska who only voted for the bill after she carved out exceptions for herself. A reporter asked about the cruelty of the bill and she stood there staring at him for 10 seconds.Please upgrade to paid if you are able, I really appreciate it! Upgrade at 30% offIt was the stare of rich, defiant, and entitled people who have just done something to hurt their fellow human beings and who really resent that you’d dare to call them out on it.How dare you?She had some long, dithering explanation for how she had a responsibility to the people of Alaska. Just once I’d like reporters to ask, “But don’t you have a responsibility to humanity? You just voted for something that’s going to inflict agony on millions of people.”How do you sleep at night?How do you sleep at night?How do you sleep at night?Sigh.This has been the steady march of the last 10 years. The Democrats refuse to fight for us. They beg for donations so they can roll out of the way the second the conflict comes. Call for a recount. We gave you all that money so you’d call for a recount. Fight for us! Fight for humanity!But they don’t. Instead, they shake their heads and start begging for donations again. I’m starting to think they’re in it for the donations. They don’t care about what’s right or wrong any more than the Republicans.Now the Republicans have built a concentration camp in Florida that’s surrounded by alligators. There are provisions in the murder bill that allocate huge sums of money to ICE.The president can’t use the military against American citizens.But he can use ICE.So, the easiest thing for a fascist dictator to do is turn ICE into a gestapo unit as well-funded as the US military.The US military is the most expensive fighting force in the world.The US police force is the third most expensive.What’s ICE going to be now? Do we want the complete podium?Then we’re all worried about elections. Will there be elections? I don’t think the last one was fair. But the thing is, there have been little rays of light. Some Republicans are acting like the midterms will happen.Narcan Leon is threatening to primary Republicans. Other Republicans are retiring rather than vote for the bill.Every day of delay helps us. The bill still has to pass the house. From there, how long will it take for this ICE gestapo to form?The primaries for the midterms start in March. We’ll be in election season at that point.But look, even if there aren’t elections. None of this is practical. Take Ukraine for an example. The Russians thought they’d march in and roll over the whole country. Ukraine is still fighting.That’s their home. That’s their home. That’s their home.This is OUR home.A friend asked me if my daughter wanted to play soccer this fall. I said, “No, there are ICE raids and soccer games are likely to be targets.”He was stunned. He is a white guy so he’s not really thinking about this yet. After all, it’s not on the news. They haven’t seen it. It’s not real to them.But soon the hospitals will be shut down. Children will be hungry. Masked men in body armor will be hauling your friends and neighbors away.Will Americans start to protest then?They’re already protesting now. Not enough. Not nearly enough, but millions are.Millions.For the last 10 years we’ve been holding our breath in the face of inadequate action as our nation made its steady march to fascism.Fascism is here, it’s just not equally distributed yet.It must be stopped.We have to take a deep breath and find our resolve. Take a deep breath today. Dig in. Get ready.Thank you for listening! This publication is reader sponsored. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow!Upgrade at 30% offUpgrade at 40% offUpgrade at 50% offUpgrade at 60% offTwenty dollars a yearMy CoSchedule referral linkHere’s my referral link to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this, it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you).I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe