🥂Congrats to Wisconsin and to the Honorable Justice Susan Crawford for slaughtering fascism in last night’s special election!!
Filibusters: The Art of Psychological Warfare
(And Wasting Time for a Damn Good Cause)
Oh, the filibuster. Normally, it’s just an excuse for politicians to hear themselves talk while the rest of us suffer. But when used correctly, it’s actually a psychological weapon—one that can drive authoritarians up the wall, throw a wrench in their power grab, and force them into public meltdowns. So, let’s talk about how the filibuster is less about procedure and more about mind games.
🔥 1. Exhaust Them Into Submission
Fascists love efficiency. They want to push their policies through as fast as possible, with minimal debate and zero resistance. A filibuster is basically a giant “Not so fast, buddy” that forces them to sit there and suffer.
- Talking for hours isn’t just annoying—it’s a deliberate endurance test. Who’s willing to stay the longest? Who breaks first?
- The longer it drags out, the more tired, frustrated, and sloppy the opposition gets.
- People make mistakes when they’re exhausted. Slipping up on live TV? Losing their temper? That’s the good stuff.
Think of it as a mental obstacle course where the goal is to see how long before the bad guys snap.
🎤 2. Hijack the Narrative (And Make Them Watch)
Here’s a fun fact: people don’t pay attention to what politicians do until it becomes an ordeal. A filibuster is like turning a boring bill into must-see political theater.
- It forces the media to cover it. No one cares about a 10-minute debate. But a senator holding the floor for hours? Now that’s a story.
- It exposes the ugly truth. A well-executed filibuster isn’t just stalling—it’s a monologue on why the other side is full of it.
- It energizes resistance movements. Seeing someone actually fight back? That fires people up.
A filibuster is less about persuasion and more about performance. The goal isn’t to change the minds of fascists (good luck with that), but to wake up the public and get them to care.
👀 3. Disrupt Their Power Trip
Fascists thrive on control. They want predictable, smooth legislative takeovers where no one questions them. A filibuster? Oh, it’s a giant middle finger to their plans.
- Chaos breeds mistakes. The longer they’re forced to engage, the more likely they are to lose control of the situation.
- It makes them overreact. Nothing says “I have authoritarian tendencies” like trying to silence opposition on live TV.
- It exposes their impatience. If they’re rushing something through, you should be asking why.
Basically, a filibuster forces the opposition to show their true colors. If they can’t handle a little procedural resistance, how do you think they’ll handle real dissent?
🧠 4. Psychological Warfare: The Ultimate Test of Will
Here’s a fun psychological fact: the longer someone defends a bad position, the harder it is for them to back down.
- People don’t like admitting they’re wrong. If they’re forced to defend something for hours, they’ll double down just to save face.
- The longer a fight drags out, the more emotionally invested everyone becomes.
- It turns into a battle of who wants it more—and that kind of pressure can break people.
A filibuster isn’t just a stall tactic; it’s a power move that says: We will fight this with everything we have. Are you sure you’re ready for that?
⚡ 5. Force Their Hand (And Make Them Look Like Tyrants)
Here’s where it gets really fun. If a filibuster is too effective, authoritarians will do what authoritarians do best: change the rules.
- They’ll try to shut it down. (Which, uh, looks really bad.)
- They’ll get impatient and make legal mistakes.
- They’ll expose their authoritarian tendencies to the world.
This is exactly how Joseph McCarthy fell apart in the 1950s. He was riding high on his fear-mongering campaign—until opponents used lengthy Senate debates and public speeches to poke holes in his narrative. The longer he was forced to defend himself, the more erratic and paranoid he became. Within a few years? Censured and disgraced.
The same thing happened with Nixon. His Supreme Court nominations? Filibustered into oblivion. His slow-motion downfall during Watergate? Delays gave journalists, activists, and investigators time to tear him apart.
A filibuster won’t single-handedly stop fascism, but it can make them crack under pressure. And when fascists start making mistakes, that’s when the real resistance moves in.
Week 10 in Review
do not forget to catch up with last week’s summaries of their shenanigans and our resistance accomplishments.
🚀 Today’s To-Do List
💰 1. Boycott Billionaire Bootlickers 💰
Corporate America is bankrolling Trump’s dystopian vision. Let’s make them pay.
🚫 Boycott These Companies:
- Tesla (Elon’s Musk-rat is cozying up to authoritarianism. No Teslas, no charging at Superchargers, no SpaceX merch.)
- Home Depot (Co-founder Ken Langone is funding MAGA nonsense.)
- Chik-Fil-A (Still donating to anti-LGBTQ+ causes.)
- AT&T (A major donor to Trump-aligned candidates.)
- Walmart (Their money flows straight into GOP campaigns.)
💵 Move Your Money: If you bank with Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, or Bank of America, switch to a local credit union or an ethical alternative (find one here).
2. Get in the Streets on April 5
The “Hands Off!” National Protest is going to be massive. Trump, Musk, and their Department of Global Operations and Empowerment (DOGE) have been tightening their grip on civil liberties—so we’re hitting the streets.
📍 Find a protest near you (link to local events)
🖨️ Print protest signs & flyers (download here)
🗣 Bring noise-makers (pots, pans, megaphones—it’s gotta be LOUD.)
3. “Dining for Democracy”
If you work in food service (or know someone who does), join the passive resistance movement against Trump’s lackeys:
❌ “Accidentally” lose their orders
⏳ Serve them last, if at all
🔥 Add extra “seasoning” (a.k.a. spice up their night with tiny inconveniences)
This is already happening in D.C.—let’s take it nationwide.
4. Shut Down the Digital Pipeline
🚨 Trump propaganda is spreading like wildfire online. You can help stop it:
🔄 Report disinformation
⚠️ Mass-block MAGA influencers to kill their engagement.
💬 Join anti-fascist social media groups and amplify resistance content. (Follow these accounts)
5. Organize a General Strike
The next “Economic Blackout” needs more momentum. Here’s how to prep:
📌 Get your coworkers involved—talk about walkouts, sick-outs, or work slowdowns.
📢 Spread the word—use StrikeMap to find and support local actions.
6. Make Your Representatives Miserable 🔥
Elected officials are dodging accountability like cockroaches when the lights come on. That’s where YOU come in. Here’s what to do:
📞 Flood their phone lines: Call your House and Senate reps DAILY. Demand they oppose Trump’s latest fascist power grabs. (Find your reps & numbers here)
📧 Email & fax them: Use Resistbot to quickly send messages. Short, blunt, and furious is the way to go.
📍 Show up in person: Check your rep’s schedule for town halls. If they’re hiding, go to their district offices and demand a meeting. (Find town halls here)
Sources (Because Receipts Matter)
- Levitsky, Steven, and Daniel Ziblatt. How Democracies Die. Broadway Books, 2018.
- Risen, Clay. The Bill of the Century: The Epic Battle for the Civil Rights Act. Bloomsbury Press, 2014.
- Freeman, Joanne B. The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018.
- “Filibusters and Democracy: A History.” Brennan Center for Justice, 2022.
- Beschloss, Michael. Presidents of War. Crown, 2018.
So, who’s ready to talk until the fascists cry? 😏
