Calhoun
A popular message of panic from the Democrats is that there’s nothing that can be done about Donald Trump because Mike Pence is even worse.
The logic of this is that somehow Pence doesn’t already have power in this administration (anyone believe that?). The leaked quotes this week from Trump seemed to try and push Democrats back into that belief. “Don’t ask that guy, he wants to hang them all” talking about gay rights, feels like an intentional leak to try and give himself some cover through fear. Maybe I’m wrong, but it feels too cartoony to be genuine, but then again, maybe that’s where we are now.
Also, John C. Calhoun was a monster who firmly believed that slavery was a “positive good,” said in a speech before the Senate on February 6, 1837. One plus side to him, however, is that he also pushed for minority party rights which is really the only reason why the Democrats are able to fight back against this administration at all. Of course, Calhoun was fighting for it so that Southern slaveholders would still have a seat at the table, but as Dan Carlin says “imagine this power in the hands of someone you hate.”
