This Hollow Resistance Is A Case Study In Republican Cowardice
Martin Niemöller was a right-winger who embraced much of the Nazi agenda right up until Hitler came to power in 1934. At that point he realized— too late— what a horrible mistake he had made and he became an outspoken critic of the Nazi regime… and spent 1937-1945 in concentration camps. He died in 1984 and is best remembered for this quote, which is on display at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in DC and at Holocaust memorials all over the world, including in Boston, Skokie, St Petersburg (FL), and Richmond.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak for me.
I’m sure Lisa Murkowski is just one of almost every Republican senator who knows the quote. And yet she has still been faithfully helping Trump build his neo-Nazi regime by voting to confirm even the worst of his nominees, from Russell Vought and Tulsi Gabbard to Pam Bondi, RFK, Jr. and Kristi Noem. So… it’s with a jaundiced eye that I read her weak protestations about Trump’s mass firings, firings that were being publicly discussed while she was voting to confirm Trump’s henchmen. This should not be any kind of surprise to Murkowski or anyone else. “Federal and nonprofit employees across Washington are reeling, some preparing to be jobless as Trump takes an ax to their agencies. Government aid workers abroad have had to foot the bill to relocate their families back home, their programs and livelihoods suddenly cut short. Food is at risk of spoiling as it sits waiting to be distributed in relief projects that may not continue. The Trump administration’s response has roughly amounted to so what?” Trump himself: “I campaigned on this. I campaigned on the fact that I said government is corrupt, and it is. It’s very corrupt.”
Friday, she tweeted that the Trump regime’s responses to her questions about the mass layoffs have “been evasive and inadequate.” She posted this on Friday evening:
Maybe she should have spent less time whining about Denali and more time working with her colleagues to stop building the regime she knew full well was going to bring ruin and misery to her state and country.
She would have learned a lot from one of those colleagues, Connecticut’s Chris Murphy, who told his supporters yesterday that “The four agencies that DOGE has targeted from the outset tell a clear story— not about cutting government waste but about making Elon Musk richer.”
First, he went after USAID because he knew China would benefit more than anyone. Who depends on China for their own financial benefit? Elon Musk who makes and sources his car parts from China. He also has dozens of outstanding regulatory issues in China. He makes China happy by destroying USAID, and he’s greased the wheels for himself and his business.
Musk targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency created after the 2008 financial crash to protect consumers from fraud and abuse. It’s helped return $21 billion to working people that were ripped off. But recently, Musk has said he wants to set up a new global payment app on Twitter. What agency would protect consumers from abuse in that system? CFPB. So he destroys it.
DOGE targeted the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Right now, the NLRB has 20 open cases against Tesla for union busting. What happens if it functionally does not exist? There’s no accountability for Musk when he and his team try to stop their workers from organizing for better working conditions and protections. And I think the past month is pretty good evidence for why workers need protection from a retaliatory megalomaniac billionaire like Musk.
He’s also targeted the Treasury Department— gaining full access to the government’s payment system. How convenient is that for someone trying to build their own global payment app? He can research competitors and rivals and maybe even add them to the “Do Not Pay” list, a classified list of companies that cannot receive funds from the Treasury.
If Elon Musk succeeds in wiping out even just those four agencies, he and his billionaire cronies are going to make a ton of money off that. It’s a massive benefit to the powerful corporations that already have too much control of our economy and democracy.
Given the chance, none of them will hesitate to exploit workers, the planet and our government— even more than they already do— to enrich themselves.
This is the story that we have to stay focused on and keep the pressure on to stop.
Murkowski should too. Her complex relationship with Señor T has been marked by both opposition and reluctant cooperation. Despite her history of challenging him— including her vote to convict him during his second initiatives. Trump's antagonism towards her has been overt. In 2021, he pledged to campaign against her reelection, endorsing her primary opponent, Kelly Tshibaka. She was reelected without GOP support demonstrating her resilience in Alaska's political landscape. However, her continued support for Trump's agenda raises questions about her commitment to the principles she has previously defended. While she voices dissent against certain actions, her voting record too often aligns with the very policies she critiques. This inconsistency not only undermines her credibility but also contributes to the erosion of democratic institutions she claims to protect.
Murkowski's predicament reflects a broader challenge within the Republican Party: balancing personal convictions with political pressures. Her actions suggest a prioritization of party alignment over steadfast adherence to democratic values. As history has shown, such compromises lead to the gradual dismantling of the institutions that safeguard liberty and justice. In this critical juncture, it’s absolutely imperative for leaders like Murkowski to move beyond performative dissent and take definitive stands against actions that threaten the nation's democratic fabric. The preservation of democracy depends not on rhetoric but on courageous, consistent action in the face of authoritarianism. She should get together with as many Republicans as she can find and upend the Kash Patel nomination. I doubt she’ll do that— or even vote against it herself. Like so many so-called mainstream conservatives, she’s made a career out of tut-tutting Trumpism while ultimately enabling its worst excesses. She votes to confirm its architects, feigns surprise when they implement their agenda, and then offers toothless critiques when the damage is already done. It’s a pattern we’ve seen time and again, from the gutting of reproductive rights to the erosion of democratic norms.
What’s happening now isn’t a mystery. It’s a coordinated, deliberate dismantling of the institutions that stand between democracy and oligarchic rule. Trump and his backers, especially Musk (an overt Nazi), aren’t just playing politics— they’re consolidating power in a way that will be nearly impossible to undo if allowed to continue. Murkowski can tweet her disappointment all she wants, but unless she and her colleagues act with real courage— refusing to confirm Patel and opposing the Trump/Musk agenda with more than just words— her legacy will be that of an accomplice, not a dissenter.
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