this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2026
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I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, obviously it's a bad thing in the short term. I'm sure the current administration will continue to lie in more egregious ways. For example, if there were no clear bystander videos, would the DHS be releasing doctored bodycam footage to show Alex Pretti pulling his gun and trying to shoot ICE officers? Does that sound far-fetched? It's technically feasible. It might seem too big and blatant a lie, but that lie has already been told in words from the DHS and Trump administration. Why not embellish it further?
And of course it's enormously dangerous because no matter how blatant the lies are, there are many people who will accept them at face value, because they are too uneducated, or too locked into the "us and them" mentality to ever doubt the story that their team is selling.
So how could it be a good thing? Well, if the USA manages to rid itself of this cancer, the Trump administration will serve as irrefutable proof that government institutions cannot be considered intrinsically trustworthy, or relied on to act in good faith. There needs to be checks and balances like never before. That was always true, but knowing it and being able to act on it are two different things. The Trump administration's eagerness to lie, cheat and cause suffering, even in the most clumsy and blatant ways, shines a clear light on dangers that were already there. It is an exemplary model of the abuse of power, and I hope that one day we will be in a position to take lessons from it. Maybe I'm being overoptimistic. It seems like the lessons learned from Nazi Germany were mostly the "how to do this" kind. But there is a chance to make things better here, not just better than they are now but better than they were before.
This only works if the population is wanting to sustain it. Previous horrible presidencies has shown us that they will sweep it all under the rug and move on to the next bad thing.
Previous presidencies have indeed done that, but that's why this particular situation gives me a glimmer of hope. The rot is at the point where it all needs to be ripped out. All branches of government are loaded with MAGA appointees, the supreme court is politicized and disgraced, the whole Republican party is complicit in crimes against the nation. Business as usual just isn't an option any more. I'm not saying that things are automatically going to get better, and unless there is a major cleanout of the Democratic party, it's doubtful that they would. Just saying that there is a chance now that didn't exist before.
I agree. When we take it back, we can't just go on like business as usual. We have to crush MAGA, and purge it from our government and society, before we can move on and fix the systemic problems that have been neglected for far too long. Our Citizens, our Nation, the World, and History require that before we can redeem ourselves.
We can do that by declaring MAGA to be the the National Security Threat that they unarguably are. They have committed sedition, treason, had an Insurrection, stole hundreds of classified documents, permanently damaged our relationship with our allies, strengthened our enemies, damaged our economy on the international stage, engaged in mind-boggling corruption, sent death Squads into the streets to kill American citizens, etc. Whether their destructive intentions have been deliberate, or just as the result of their virtuosic incompetence isnt relevant, they are still an existential threat to the future of this nation, and must be prohibited from existing.
In addition, active members, especially MAGA leadership and elected MAGAs, need to be designated Domestic Terrorists, and Insurrectionists, and prohibited from holding public office for life, under 14A/S3.
The second Trump administration needs to be found invalid, due to election fraud, and all legislation, executive orders, appointments, etc., should all be rolled back. That includes his pardons, and all those traitors should be sent back to prison. Those who attempt to evade the order, should get an additional 10 years on their sentences. Laws should be passed that presidential pardons cannot be used to cover, advance, or excuse criminal activity.
The Democratic Party can become the party of the right that they've always wanted to be, and a true progressive party can rise to represent the left.
Hardcore Right Wing Nut Jobs will have to recalibrate their politics and learn to fit in, or remain MAGA and be reviled by society like KKK and Neo-Nazis should be.
I agree with what you're saying, but also I think that after a crisis like the current one, there is potential to seriously examine general questions of how we got here, what systemic problems have led to this, and what weaknesses in our systems have been exposed by this. It's a unique opportunity to fix what is broken, because all serious people can find common ground in the understanding that things have gone to shit lately and that it does need fixing. It's a rare chance for good faith discussion and significant change. Well-informed proponents of positive change might actually be heard and taken seriously.
The dangers of false propaganda using image manipulation is one important consideration but there are many, many others. You'd probably want to start with the failure of democracy in the USA and how the electoral system needs to be reformed.
And I agree with that 100%. I've been voting for a looong time, and my pet issues are Medicare 4 All, and Campaign Finance Reform, the most important issues in America at the moment, IMHO.
However, we will never be able to accomplish those objectives, or anything else, as long as MAGA is roaming the landscape, literally raping and pillaging. They represent an authentic existential threat to American Democracy, and must be crushed and purged BEFORE we can move on, and start the reforms that this nation needs badly.
I have absolutely no doubt that if there were no external videos we would all be seeing pictures and videos of Alex Pretti brandishing, and most probably shooting a gun. No doubt whatsoever.
I wouldn't put it past the orange child rapist and cronies to make up a complete back story about Alex being "involved with domestic terrorists" etc etc.
They will do absolutely anything to stay in power.
The real question is:
If they did AI up some pics and videos then would anyone with clout pull them up on it?
Again, I doubt it.