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Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) openly admitted that she and her Republican colleagues were “all afraid” of “retaliation” from President Donald Trump as she criticized what she called “unlawful” executive overreach and sweeping federal cuts.

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[-] Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world 263 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

"We are all afraid", says one of the literally only people on the planet with the power to actually do something about it.

Seriously. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, YOU FUCKING CHODE.

This whole ordeal can be stopped by about half a dozen Republicans any time they want.

Threaten to leave the party, go independent, and caucus with Democrats to appoint a new House and Senate speaker. It would take, what, 3? Maybe 4 Republicans in each chamber to flip control of Congress. You don't even have to hold your nose and vote with Democrats on actual funding bills or anything. Just vote with Dems on curtailing Trump's actions and impeaching the fucking bastard. Even if you can't get him removed from office because the rest of your party are spineless cowards, you could at least pass bills to do things like reverse these stupid tariffs and actually reclaim power that was granted to you by the Constitution in the first fucking place.

This woman, Rand Paul, and Susan Collins have all spoken up. All they need to do is find one more Republican willing to say "We are willing to caucus with Democrats to elect a new Senate majority leader unless our demands to curtail these damaging Trump tariffs, reclaim Congressional powers, and reverse these destructive policies are met." That's it. Same in the house. 3 Republicans in the house willing to stand up and caucus with Democrats to get shit back under control.

But if all you're going to do is complain about being "afraid" when you're simultaneously rubber-stamping his entire agenda, then have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up, because you voted for this. And if the rest of us are going to have to suffer because of your cowardice, then we're going to at least get some entertainment out of it along the way once the leopard starts eating your face.

I have absolutely zero pity for some of the most overpaid, well-protected, resourceful people on the planet when they're the ones complaining about being afraid. Fuck you. What about the rest of us? You seem to have been perfectly OK with it when it was just the brown people and poors being effected.

[-] MyDogLovesMe@lemmy.world 70 points 4 days ago

“We are all afraid!”, …but we don’t want to lose our privilidge by opposing him.

Fuck you cowardly cunt.

As noted, a small group could end this.

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[-] in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 35 points 4 days ago

It's interesting you mention why Republicans are so unwilling to consolidate votes, yet the only time in history where they did consolidate votes was to prevent Hunter S Thompson from becoming sheriff of Aspen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_Aspen

[-] Mjb@feddit.uk 16 points 4 days ago

The Christian nationalists would absolutely crucify them, it's career suicide and they know it.

[-] MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world 32 points 4 days ago

So what? It's better for the country.

I'm thinking they are more fearful of their friends and family being murdered.

[-] entwine413@lemm.ee 27 points 4 days ago

Lol, the Republicans never cared about what's best for the country

[-] blitzen@lemmy.ca 17 points 4 days ago

In a just world, they should feel that capitulating to Trump’s agenda would be actual suicide.

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[-] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 40 points 4 days ago

Chris Van Hollen travelled to a dictatorship to free a man wrongfully imprisoned without due process by two authoritarians, while these simpering cowards whine about the monster they created.

[-] Helvetica@sh.itjust.works 97 points 4 days ago

She's 67 years old. She's been in the Senate for over 20 years. She can decide to retire after her current term and they can't use the threat of a primary against her. It's her choice to cower in fear and empower the destruction of our democracy. Because she is watching that happen. In the end she's just another pathetic boomer willing to bow to trump to cling to power.

[-] booly@sh.itjust.works 24 points 4 days ago

they can't use the threat of a primary against her

She lost the 2010 primary during the height of the Tea Party movement, ran a campaign to have people vote for her as a write in candidate, and won as a write in.

In the end, the problem is that her vote doesn't actually matter this cycle, at least not by itself. In order to flex any muscle she'd need to actually persuade some colleagues to stand up to Trump. At this point she's more of a Republican Fetterman than a Republican Sinema/Manchin.

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[-] mister_flibble@lemm.ee 24 points 3 days ago
[-] Redditsux@lemmy.world 93 points 4 days ago

“We are all afraid,” Murkowski told the crowd on Monday.

Pausing, she added: “It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. And I’ll tell ya, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”

  • This, right here, is the most open and honest admission of what the US is today, by the ruling party elite: A dictatorship. An authoritarian state.
[-] Poach@lemmy.world 47 points 4 days ago

Do the fucking job you were elected to do, coward.

[-] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 24 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

They are doing the jobs they were paid to do, by corporate America.

Being ineffectual corporate-whores who capitulate to capital is the core requirement of every politicians job description in the 21st Century. Though, it turns out corruption is incompatible with democracy and the rule of law. Who would have thought?

[-] Lennnny@lemmy.world 18 points 3 days ago

Politicians: Take the job and the paycheck to represent the people, bow out when it's time to do that.

I might get called extremist for this, but senators and representatives should be willing to kill their career and reputation in politics to fight for their constituents. Otherwise, are we just paying them to have a good time??!

[-] LanguageIsCool@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

There definitely needs to be a restructuring of incentives

[-] JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world 26 points 4 days ago

I remember when my politicians had, yknow., a fucking spine and principles. Yes. Im that old.

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

Didn't think there were any Revolutionary War Veterans left alive.....

[-] SlippiHUD@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago

I have emailed my congressman this article and asked if he was just a coward. I'm unhopeful for a response.

[-] zenpocalypse@lemm.ee 30 points 4 days ago

Clearly they are not yet NEARLY afraid enough about the path they're allowing the Trump admin to take.

Oh no, you might get primaried?

[-] smeenz@lemmy.nz 8 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

They're terrified that if they get primaried, they will no longer be in a position where they can mostly avoid the impact of trump's petulance.

You know, like the common people

[-] RymrgandsDaughter 19 points 4 days ago
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[-] Theprogressivist@lemmy.world 47 points 4 days ago
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[-] MolecularCactus1324@lemmy.world 42 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Do your FUCKING jobs!!! You literally have the power to remove him. ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE HIM!!!! YOU HAD TWO OPPORTUNITIES ALREADY!!!!!!!!

[-] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago

But they’re fine with letting the country burn so they can keep their jobs.

[-] Xanza@lemm.ee 41 points 4 days ago

If only we had a body of elected representatives that were able to do something about the situation.....

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 21 points 4 days ago

For anyone wondering, she did vote to convict trump during his second impeachment.

Not sure what’s she’s done between now and then, but she’s no McConnell or Green,

[-] felixthecat@fedia.io 29 points 4 days ago

Spineless traitor. She has a crucial vote and ability to impeach trump and says this shit. Lady if you dont grow a spine you're gonna burn either way.

[-] Allonzee@lemmy.world 34 points 4 days ago

As bad as things are, it's cathartic to watch the old guard, bourbon sipping Republican party that originally weaponized misinformation to further the agenda of big corpo (faux news since they existed: "Herp derp climate change is a hoax for scientists to sell books") realize that though their long in motion coup worked, they lost control of it in 2015 when King confidence scheme scam artist stole their grift out from under them by saying the dogwhistles they used to string their racist base along out loud with a dumb little dance.

Its not helpful, but knowing Mitch McConnell and John Roberts know they sold out their entire society's future not even for their benefit or the benefit of the right small room of classy old money bigots, but for some crass asshole that's as belligerent and willfully ignorant as their sucker voting base to take the reigns of post democracy machiavelian power they so carefully curated since the 70s as they watch powerlessly, and IN FEAR no less?

Poetry.

🎻🎻🎻

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[-] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 9 points 3 days ago

"but what if I get primaried?" They ask as people are being sent to life in prison without being charged with a crime.

Jesus Christ, how do you make it this far in politics with this little spine or conviction? Is it really that easy?

[-] ExtantHuman@lemm.ee 35 points 4 days ago

You and your colleagues could actually stop him instead of lining up to defend/allow his fascist actions.

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[-] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 20 points 4 days ago

Confirmation of something we already know, or should already know - elected politicians are craven cowards.

This is actually great news. We can get them to side with us against HitlerPig. All we have to do is make them fear the citizens more than HitlerPig, and there are a LOT more of us than them.

[-] kaprap@leminal.space 25 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It's not the trump organisation, it's the republican party, and by not doing anything, you're supporting them, and saving your own ass in the case the republican party fails.

Keep up the good work propelling fascist imperialism forward

[-] VasovagalSyncope@lemmy.world 17 points 4 days ago

Right wing ideologies depend on fear

[-] AngrySquirrel@lemm.ee 24 points 4 days ago

Cowardly traitors.

Fascism requires such cowards to enable their regimes.

[-] Sanctus@lemmy.world 31 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

You chose this. Purged everything that wasn't MAGA so that all that was left was hate. Dont be a bitch now. All those GOP motherfuckers were straight creaming on election night. Lie in your nut stained beds.

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[-] Snowstorm@lemmy.ca 22 points 4 days ago

Doesn’t she realize that to an authoritarian government, the senate having the ability to break his power is the most threatening thing ever : the more you wait the more you need to be fearful because your life will be shortened. Right now, it is in Trump’s best interest to disappear congress and the supreme court. And the supreme court is mostly dealt with by now because proven powerless. He has two years two deal with Democrats and way more time to deal with whoever he believes a problem, but the senate is an everyday threat to his power.

Holy fucking christ.

reach into your purse and find your balls, you servile fucks

[-] WrenFeathers@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

And there it is.

They lack the courage it would take to step down, and the strength it would take to stand up.

These are the exact qualities he needs from the sheep that are required to serve him.

[-] Formfiller@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago

Are they afraid of ending up in this CECOT mound?

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[-] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 18 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

If you can't summon up as much bravery as the folks actually fighting back, GTFO. I'd call her a cunt but she lacks the depth and warmth.

[-] dephyre@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

You nailed it, we're getting into a "following orders" type scenario now, if you don't agree with what they're doing but too scared to do anything to stop them, then step down! If you can't do your job which is to protect the people you represent then let someone else step in.

[-] wosc@lemm.ee 17 points 4 days ago

I mean I get it, because I'm also scared of Donny. But at the same time... It kinda is someone's job to stand up to him, no?

[-] prole 19 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

It's literally her job

[-] Jumpingspiderman@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

Gutless treasonous scum. The face of the GOP.

[-] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

Republicans are so spineless they let a low IQ felon rapist take over their party and cuck them.

[-] BassTurd@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago

5-10 Republicans, that's all it would take to impeach him in the house, and less required to remove in the senate. Clearly he can ignore most lawful orders, but if Congress came together to stop him, I'd argue that would be the end of him, no matter how hard he wants to fight.

[-] stonedtemplepilot@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Leopards be feasting

[-] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 9 points 4 days ago

Neat. Unfortunately, my tiny violin was repossessed.

Fuck these people. She supported this , and now she’s going to pretend to have feelings. No, you don’t get to do that. We remember.

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[-] lemmyng@lemmy.ca 14 points 4 days ago

"We are afraid", they say while wiping their tears away with $100 bills.

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this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2025
732 points (100.0% liked)

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