People Are Going Silent': Fearing Retribution, Trump Critics Muzzle Themselves

One of the aspects of the Stormy Daniels story that I didn't feel got enough traction amongst all the jokes was this bit:

> a guy walked up on me and said to me, “Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.” And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, “That’s a beautiful little girl. It’d be a shame if something happened to her mom.”

An article about it thought it sounded outlandish but found other examples:

> My name is Carmine. I don’t know why you’re fucking with Mr. Trump but if you keep fucking with Mr. Trump, we know where you live and we’re going to your house for your wife and kids.

https://www.vox.com/2018/3/26/17164212/stormy-daniels-trump-...

In my adult life, I've never personally experienced a rise of a dictator-like figure that I've seen countless times in movies and documentaries.

This is feels very similar.

It's been going on for a while. Congressmen and senators have allowed threats of violence to control how they vote:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/11/mitt-ro...

To quote the article, "Some of the reluctance to hold Trump accountable was a function of the same old perverse political incentives—elected Republicans feared a political backlash from their base. But after January 6, a new, more existential brand of cowardice had emerged. One Republican congressman confided to Romney that he wanted to vote for Trump’s second impeachment, but chose not to out of fear for his family’s safety. The congressman reasoned that Trump would be impeached by House Democrats with or without him—why put his wife and children at risk if it wouldn’t change the outcome? Later, during the Senate trial, Romney heard the same calculation while talking with a small group of Republican colleagues. When one senator, a member of leadership, said he was leaning toward voting to convict, the others urged him to reconsider. You can’t do that, Romney recalled someone saying. Think of your personal safety, said another. Think of your children. The senator eventually decided they were right."

That is not a well functioning democracy.

Cowards. If you're not able to do your job and speak truth to power out of fear then you don't belong in office.

Wow really? And what was NYTs role in all that huh? I think they need to look in the mirror a bit