The history told here is meant to illuminate the difficulty of ridding a democracy of a militant demagogue—not to recommend the method adopted by the Roman Senate in 439 BCE
This is a story that has a lot do with the world we live in today. Although the demagogue is not the same, and we can not appoint a dictator in the United States to deal with it, the moral still stands; an example must be made. We must do as they did and make sure that there is a strong example for future generations. A strong example of a demagogue and how he/she was dealt with.
Because a friend told me that I should do more to clarify my categorical nonviolent beliefs about demagogues and democracy, I changed the last paragraph of this piece from:
"In our own more peaceful and domesticated times, we hope that the constitutional rule of law—in New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.—will serve the same purpose in the case of Donald J. Trump, the first full-blown demagogue in our history to ascend to Oval Office."
To:
"Today in the United States, we deplore political violence of any and all kinds. We live by the rule of law—pure and simple. In our peaceful and domesticated times, we hope that the rule of law—in New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.—will serve the purpose of sparing our democracy further insult and injury by Donald J. Trump, the first full-blown demagogue in our history to ascend to Oval Office."
Wow - just insanity. Scary that you would write such a thing. It speaks to an irrational obsession based on emotional outrage and ignores logic or justice. This violent rhetoric has been the meat of the Left for years (aka Mao, Stalin, Chavez, Castro, et al) but I'd hoped for better from Americans. I guess I was wrong.
I remind you once again that AC is a forum for constructive dialogue, debate, and learning. I am here to share history and my viewpoints and to learn. Criticism of others and accusations are not a part of this forum, and that includes criticism of me and your accusations, such as in this comment. I request once again that you either engage in constructive dialogue, debate, and learning––or you unsubscribe. Thank you.
Apr 23, 2023·edited Apr 23, 2023Liked by Eli Merritt
First, actual debate and civil dialogue requires considering all aspects of a situation. I was pointing out the seriousness of inflammatory rhetoric and your impassioned appeals to the emotions of the populace, given your articles contents. And yes I was shocked.
Second, I'm curious if you are going to do a deep dive into the Biden family involvement with foreign nationals and the potential implications of a president/family who has received millions of dollars that may compromise his involvement in Ukraine, China, Russia, the Mideast, policy matters? Could be a good chance to show balance.
About a deep dive into the Biden family, I do not plan to do that research because I do not identify Biden as a clear and present danger to our democracy in the same way I do Trump, who I believe is best described as an "authoritarian demagogue" by nonpartisan political science. You might not believe me when I say that I am not at all a partisan of the Left, as you intimated earlier. I care deeply about our democracy and do not believe it will survive if it is overtaken by demagogues and authoritarians––no matter what political party they hail from. I know my heart. I know my mind. Give me a Democrat who is a clear and present danger to our democracy, like Trump, and I will get to writing about that person, for sure. In the meantime, I would enjoy to hear more about the millions that you suggest Biden received and what your concern is. The emolument clause of the Constitution? I know little about it but always want to learn.
Always glad to share info. The Biden family has made millions selling influence to Joe. The laptop, texts, and associates have indicated that money was channeled to the family, including Joe Biden (ie 10% to the Big Guy held by Hunter.) It was structured to provide "plausible deniability" per Jim Biden. Yet Joe Biden, multiple times incuding in debates, has said he "no knowledge" of Hunter's business dealings. Strange since Hunter's business partners visited WH over 80 times when Biden was VP and Secret Service records show that Hunter Biden took over 400 flights and visited 29 countries on Air Force 2 but Joe had no knowledge? Hunter had no experience or skills relevant to his international dealings and has never registered as a foreign agent. Some examples of the corruption:
- Hunter was on Ukrainian Bursima board and paid $50,000/ month for 4 years despite no experience in oil and gas. And if you remember, in 2018, Joe Biden bragged that as VP he threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid from Ukraine unless Ukraine fired the lead prosecutor investigating corrupt Burisma. Why? Emails show Hunter's Bourisma contact told Hunter to "close down" all "cases/pursuits against" the company's owner. Hunter replied, "Looking forward to getting started on this." The next month, Joe Biden visited Ukraine and told its president and its prime minister that if the nation's chief prosecutor was not fired, he would withhold $1 Billion in U.S. aid from Ukraine. Hmmm?
- In 2017 Hunter worked with CEFC energy and family members and associates collect $1.3MM. Mr. Ye met with Hunter in Miami three weeks after his father left the vice presidency and offered Hunter Biden $10 million a year for a minimum of three years for “introductions alone,” as Hunter Biden would later write in an email to CEFC executives . And, Mr. Ye sent Hunter Biden a 2.8-carat diamond, worth $80,000.The deal with CEFC, under Hudson West III LLC, would eventually pay the Bidens $4.8 million over the span of 14 months,
- Included in the CEFC monies was a $1 million retainer for Hunter , "to represent Patrick Ho, who was charged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe leaders from Chad and Uganda,” for oil leases and to help Iran evade international sanctions, according to the Post. Mr. Ho was investigate as a potential spy or agent for China.
- Leaked emails reveal Hunter Biden's real estate company received a $40million investment from Yelena Baturina, the widow of Moscow mayor.
- In 2016 Hunter facilitated the sale of an American operated cobalt mine in Congo to a Chinese company, harming US control of renewable energy sources and in direct opposition to US interests.
- Recently, Hunter sold multiple "paintings" in the WH and in NY for up to $500k but didn't release his "buyers". Hmm ?
- Hunter paid joe $49,000 per month to rent house in Delaware. Pretty expensive for Delaware real estate?
- There are 150 transactions involving either Biden's brother James or Hunter's global business transactions that have been flagged for further review by U.S. banks.
Selling influence and the commensurate quid pro quos are only one part of these revelations. Worse was the censorship of truthful information in October 2020 by the Press in order to influence an election. As well as the arms of government working on behalf of a political campaign (Biden's) .Revelations that Blinken coordinated the inaccurate and now debunked "51 intelligence officers" saying the laptop was Russian Disinformation (not impactful bc of the porn and drugs but because of the international dealings above), that the FBI, who had the laptop knew it wasn't, and then acted on behalf of a politician, is classic fascism . One of those "intelligence" officials (D. Wise) admitted they knew Hunter Biden laptop ‘had to be real’ but signed ‘disinfo’ letter anyway and Mike Morell has testified that he organized his 50 colleagues to sign the false accusations. Then the Press censored truthful information, keeping the electorate ignorant of truth. And uninformed electorate is antithetical to Democracy. But that's what we had in 2020. And what about the emolument clause? See above.
This is a story that has a lot do with the world we live in today. Although the demagogue is not the same, and we can not appoint a dictator in the United States to deal with it, the moral still stands; an example must be made. We must do as they did and make sure that there is a strong example for future generations. A strong example of a demagogue and how he/she was dealt with.
Bravo! A precedent of legal accountability and punishment for attempting to overturn a presidential election is essential. Right you are.
Because a friend told me that I should do more to clarify my categorical nonviolent beliefs about demagogues and democracy, I changed the last paragraph of this piece from:
"In our own more peaceful and domesticated times, we hope that the constitutional rule of law—in New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.—will serve the same purpose in the case of Donald J. Trump, the first full-blown demagogue in our history to ascend to Oval Office."
To:
"Today in the United States, we deplore political violence of any and all kinds. We live by the rule of law—pure and simple. In our peaceful and domesticated times, we hope that the rule of law—in New York, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.—will serve the purpose of sparing our democracy further insult and injury by Donald J. Trump, the first full-blown demagogue in our history to ascend to Oval Office."
Wow - just insanity. Scary that you would write such a thing. It speaks to an irrational obsession based on emotional outrage and ignores logic or justice. This violent rhetoric has been the meat of the Left for years (aka Mao, Stalin, Chavez, Castro, et al) but I'd hoped for better from Americans. I guess I was wrong.
I remind you once again that AC is a forum for constructive dialogue, debate, and learning. I am here to share history and my viewpoints and to learn. Criticism of others and accusations are not a part of this forum, and that includes criticism of me and your accusations, such as in this comment. I request once again that you either engage in constructive dialogue, debate, and learning––or you unsubscribe. Thank you.
First, actual debate and civil dialogue requires considering all aspects of a situation. I was pointing out the seriousness of inflammatory rhetoric and your impassioned appeals to the emotions of the populace, given your articles contents. And yes I was shocked.
Second, I'm curious if you are going to do a deep dive into the Biden family involvement with foreign nationals and the potential implications of a president/family who has received millions of dollars that may compromise his involvement in Ukraine, China, Russia, the Mideast, policy matters? Could be a good chance to show balance.
This book might interest you. It give case studies of American demagogues from both parties.
https://www.amazon.com/American-demagogues-Twentieth-Reinhard-Luthin/dp/B0007DVP4A/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2WAV0UI3FTR3J&keywords=reinhard+h.+luthin.+demagogues&qid=1682293356&s=books&sprefix=reinhard+h.+luthin.+demaoggues%2Cstripbooks%2C137&sr=1-2
I only mean in this piece to show how difficult it is for democracies to save themselves from demagogues. Please remember this piece: https://elimerritt.substack.com/p/how-was-wisconsin-demagogue-joe-mccarthy. McCarthy is another example of the difficulty. I will likely write about others.
About a deep dive into the Biden family, I do not plan to do that research because I do not identify Biden as a clear and present danger to our democracy in the same way I do Trump, who I believe is best described as an "authoritarian demagogue" by nonpartisan political science. You might not believe me when I say that I am not at all a partisan of the Left, as you intimated earlier. I care deeply about our democracy and do not believe it will survive if it is overtaken by demagogues and authoritarians––no matter what political party they hail from. I know my heart. I know my mind. Give me a Democrat who is a clear and present danger to our democracy, like Trump, and I will get to writing about that person, for sure. In the meantime, I would enjoy to hear more about the millions that you suggest Biden received and what your concern is. The emolument clause of the Constitution? I know little about it but always want to learn.
Always glad to share info. The Biden family has made millions selling influence to Joe. The laptop, texts, and associates have indicated that money was channeled to the family, including Joe Biden (ie 10% to the Big Guy held by Hunter.) It was structured to provide "plausible deniability" per Jim Biden. Yet Joe Biden, multiple times incuding in debates, has said he "no knowledge" of Hunter's business dealings. Strange since Hunter's business partners visited WH over 80 times when Biden was VP and Secret Service records show that Hunter Biden took over 400 flights and visited 29 countries on Air Force 2 but Joe had no knowledge? Hunter had no experience or skills relevant to his international dealings and has never registered as a foreign agent. Some examples of the corruption:
- Hunter was on Ukrainian Bursima board and paid $50,000/ month for 4 years despite no experience in oil and gas. And if you remember, in 2018, Joe Biden bragged that as VP he threatened to withhold $1 billion in aid from Ukraine unless Ukraine fired the lead prosecutor investigating corrupt Burisma. Why? Emails show Hunter's Bourisma contact told Hunter to "close down" all "cases/pursuits against" the company's owner. Hunter replied, "Looking forward to getting started on this." The next month, Joe Biden visited Ukraine and told its president and its prime minister that if the nation's chief prosecutor was not fired, he would withhold $1 Billion in U.S. aid from Ukraine. Hmmm?
- In 2017 Hunter worked with CEFC energy and family members and associates collect $1.3MM. Mr. Ye met with Hunter in Miami three weeks after his father left the vice presidency and offered Hunter Biden $10 million a year for a minimum of three years for “introductions alone,” as Hunter Biden would later write in an email to CEFC executives . And, Mr. Ye sent Hunter Biden a 2.8-carat diamond, worth $80,000.The deal with CEFC, under Hudson West III LLC, would eventually pay the Bidens $4.8 million over the span of 14 months,
- Included in the CEFC monies was a $1 million retainer for Hunter , "to represent Patrick Ho, who was charged in a multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe leaders from Chad and Uganda,” for oil leases and to help Iran evade international sanctions, according to the Post. Mr. Ho was investigate as a potential spy or agent for China.
- Leaked emails reveal Hunter Biden's real estate company received a $40million investment from Yelena Baturina, the widow of Moscow mayor.
- In 2016 Hunter facilitated the sale of an American operated cobalt mine in Congo to a Chinese company, harming US control of renewable energy sources and in direct opposition to US interests.
- Recently, Hunter sold multiple "paintings" in the WH and in NY for up to $500k but didn't release his "buyers". Hmm ?
- Hunter paid joe $49,000 per month to rent house in Delaware. Pretty expensive for Delaware real estate?
- There are 150 transactions involving either Biden's brother James or Hunter's global business transactions that have been flagged for further review by U.S. banks.
Selling influence and the commensurate quid pro quos are only one part of these revelations. Worse was the censorship of truthful information in October 2020 by the Press in order to influence an election. As well as the arms of government working on behalf of a political campaign (Biden's) .Revelations that Blinken coordinated the inaccurate and now debunked "51 intelligence officers" saying the laptop was Russian Disinformation (not impactful bc of the porn and drugs but because of the international dealings above), that the FBI, who had the laptop knew it wasn't, and then acted on behalf of a politician, is classic fascism . One of those "intelligence" officials (D. Wise) admitted they knew Hunter Biden laptop ‘had to be real’ but signed ‘disinfo’ letter anyway and Mike Morell has testified that he organized his 50 colleagues to sign the false accusations. Then the Press censored truthful information, keeping the electorate ignorant of truth. And uninformed electorate is antithetical to Democracy. But that's what we had in 2020. And what about the emolument clause? See above.