Oderint Dum Metuant: “Let them hate you so long as they fear you.” (Lucius Accius, 2nd Century, BC).
Fear secures the rule of most despots. And when that fear erodes and hatred takes over, the despot is overthrown.
Such is likely to be the fate of Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey.
Christie is renowned as a “control freak.” Even so, as Richard Nixon learned to his sorrow, events often have a way of eventually taking control. With “Bridgegate,” events have forced the initiative from the Governor’s office into the hands of the investigating committees of the New Jersey Legislature and the United State Congress. Perhaps for the first time in his incumbency, Chris Christie is on the defensive. Not an enviable position for a controlling bully.
History provides numerous examples of events spinning out of control, leading to unexpected and unintended consequences. At first, the American revolutionaries thought of themselves as loyal Englishmen, seeking redress from their Sovereign. But after the shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, the die was cast and there was no turning back.
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, one in eight East German citizens were informants for the Stasi. But when the people poured into the streets and the army refused to fire on them, the regime was finished.
Similarly in the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev, to his everlasting credit, decided that the time had come to release the nations of Eastern Europe from Soviet captivity. What he had not expected was that the wave of national independence would extend within the borders of the Soviet Union and include fourteen of the fifteen Soviet republics. But when a few Communist apparachiki attempted to overthrow Gorbachev, ordinary Russian citizens (including several of my personal friends) filled the streets of Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and other cities. And when, as in East Germany, the Red Army refused to fire on the protesters, the coup collapsed.
A year or two before the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, and then of the Soviet Union itself, the American military-industrial complex and the militant Right believed implicitly that the Cold War was a permanent condition of global politics. The ensuing events were simply unthinkable.
And so on – in British India, the American South, South Africa. The impossible becomes possible, and then inevitable. As Gandhi observed: “ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
It appears that the Christie may be at, or beyond, such a tipping point, following which there is no return.
Like most despots, Chris Christie is merciless. He has shown no concern whatever for the collateral damage of his vendettas. Not for the residents of Jersey City or Hoboken, whose Mayors chose not to endorse him. And not for the commuters, school children, and EMS victims of Bergen County. His victims are many: the school teachers of New Jersey, numerous officials and politicians including the aforementioned mayors. Now that the Bully is losing his grip, it is time at last for these victims to turn on him. And you can count on it. They will.
Will Bridget Kelly and other Christie’s former deputies, once steadfastly loyal and obedient, silently tolerate the insult and humiliation that Christie is now piling on them? Not likely.
When forced to testify, will they choose full disclosure over prison? Is there a John Dean among them? Probably.
Will Christie and his lawyers be able to stifle or destroy all evidence linking the scandals to the Governor? In this age of e-mails, copiers, smart-phone cameras and YouTube, Probably not.
Chris Christie is finished. He will be out of office within the year.
Oligarchs take note. Your turn may be next. You may own the Congress, the Courts, the Media, and most of the nation’s wealth. But for every one of you there are several hundred of the rest of us – your victims.
A revolution is inevitable. Let us hope and pray that it will be peaceful. FDR, Gandhi, King, Gorbachev, Sakharov, and Mandela have led the way.
“The people, united, cannot be defeated.”
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $125,000 in one-time donations and to add 1400 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
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