‘We are all afraid’: Murkowski says fear of retaliation from Trump administration is ‘real’

[Say it aint so]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said a fear of retaliation under President Donald Trump's administration is rising to levels she's not seen before, acknowledging this week that it is so pervasive that even the outspoken senator is "oftentimes very anxious" to speak up out of fear of recrimination.​

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The Alaska senator, who has been among Trump’s most prominent critics in the Republican Party, made the startling admission at a conference of nonprofit and tribal leaders in Anchorage on Monday. Addressing a question about how to respond to people who are afraid in the current political climate, Murkowski responded: “We are all afraid.”​

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“It’s quite a statement,” she continued after a long pause, in remarks first reported by the Anchorage Daily News. “We’re in a time and place where — I don’t know, I certainly have not — I have not been here before. And I’ll tell you, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice because retaliation is real. And that’s not right. But that’s what you’ve asked me to do and so I’m going to use my voice to the best of my ability.” --POLITICO ​

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There are no Alexei Navalnys in the GOP. None

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I approve this message.​

 

[Aryeh Jay]

When I play war games, I normally choose the Fascist sides. I can get behind a Fascist government with the proper motivation. But darn! I was hopeful for a Hitler type and could even tolerate a Franco. But we got stuck with a poor Mussolini knock off.

 

[ozso]

Maybe if he hadn't been attacked so much, there wouldn't be an issue of possible retaliation.

Oh boo hoo, we've attacked someone to the Nth degree and now we might get some comeuppance whaa.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Maybe if he hadn't been attacked so much, there wouldn't be an issue of possible retaliation.

Oh boo hoo, we've attacked someone to the Nth degree and now we might get some comeuppance whaa.

Democratically elected leaders in free countries don't get to retaliate against critics. That's how dictatorships operate.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ozso]

Democratically elected leaders in free countries don't get to retaliate against critics. That's how dictatorships operate.

-CryptoLutheran

They've done a lot more than just criticize. Since no president has ever been attacked so relentlessly, in so many ways, in trying to take him out, there's really no precedent for this.

 

[A2SG]

They've done a lot more than just criticize.

Oh? What did this "a lot more" comprise of, exactly? Judges ruling against Trump when he acts contrary to the law, do you mean? Gee, if Trump is concerned about that, perhaps he should stay within the law.

But, since he can't be prosecuted for any crimes he commits when acting in an "official capacity," I guess he feels he can do whatever he wants. Unfortunately, while he is president, that's not the case. Checks and balances, and all that.

Since no president has ever been attacked so relentlessly, in so many ways, in trying to take him out, there's really no precedent for this.

Oh boo hoo, Trump does stuff people don't like, and gets criticized for it whaa. Welcome to life as a public figure.

Presidents get "attacked" all the time, and have for as long as the US has been a country. I seem to recall an instance where the Senate Majority leader once said that his "chief legislative goal" was to ensure one particular president be a one-term president.

-- A2SG, he failed, by the way.....because that particular POTUS simply did his job lawfully and the people responded by reelecting him....

 

[ViaCrucis]

They've done a lot more than just criticize. Since no president has ever been attacked so relentlessly, in so many ways, in trying to take him out, there's really no precedent for this.

Trump could be the most unfairly treated president of all time, and it still doesn't matter. Free countries don't have leaders that retaliate against their critics or political opponents. Dictatorships do that, not free democratic nations.

As far as a president that has faced criticism. Well he also happens to be the most deplorable human being that has ever disgraced the Oval Office. He deserves every criticism he gets, and then some. And that is the right of We the People. Not a privilege, not a suggestion, but an inalienable right endowed by the Constitution of this Republic called the United States of America.

I get to call Trump any name I want, loudly, proudly, and in the street. And it is my right as person living in these United States.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ozso]

Trump could be the most unfairly treated president of all time, and it still doesn't matter. Free countries don't have leaders that retaliate against their critics or political opponents. Dictatorships do that, not free democratic nations.

As far as a president that has faced criticism. Well he also happens to be the most deplorable human being that has ever disgraced the Oval Office. He deserves every criticism he gets, and then some. And that is the right of We the People. Not a privilege, not a suggestion, but an inalienable right endowed by the Constitution of this Republic called the United States of America.

I get to call Trump any name I want, loudly, proudly, and in the street. And it is my right as person living in these United States.

-CryptoLutheran

That's so full of biased partisan vitriol it's no where close to being objective.

 

[Say it aint so]

Trump could be the most unfairly treated president of all time

It's actually the opposite.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Maybe if he hadn't been attacked so much,

Attacked by the GOP??? Murkowski is a Republican Senator expressing fear of retaliation from the Republican president.

That is bizarre.

there wouldn't be an issue of possible retaliation.

Again, we’re talking about a Republican president retaliating against Republican leaders because they don’t toe his line.

That is not normal. That is a dysfunctional party.

Oh boo hoo, we've attacked someone to the Nth degree and now we might get some comeuppance whaa.

Again, absolutely bizarre how okay you seem to be with this intra-party schism you guys have going on. The GOP is going to have to get its own house in order before they can even think of bringing the rest of the country together.

 

[Say it aint so]

This is not good.

We can't have a separate but equal branch of government if officials are literally scared to take a public stance. This is not the first time we heard of this. Google this "republicans fear death threats privately" and you will read story after story of republicans saying in private what Sen. Lisa Murkowski said aloud. Law firms are scared. Higher institutions of learning are scared. Media outlets are scared. This is not what the founding fathers had in mind at all. It's what they purposely left behind. Although approval ratings of Trump are dwindling, people doesn't take consideration of how dangerous this direction is As long as either it doesn't directly effect them or along they way they can hang on to some "owning the libs" story. Everyone loves an authoritarian, as long as it's "your" authorization.

 

[ViaCrucis]

That's so full of biased partisan vitriol it's no where close to being objective.

Being against dictatorships and in favor of Constitutional Democracy is biased partisan vitriol?

Are you feeling okay?

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

It's actually the opposite.

Right, if anything he deserves 10x the amount of condemnation he is getting. It should be louder and harsher.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

Maybe if he hadn't been attacked so much, there wouldn't be an issue of possible retaliation.

Oh boo hoo, we've attacked someone to the Nth degree and now we might get some comeuppance whaa.

Your argument implies that Democrats' unkind actions justify President Trump's similar behavior. This viewpoint may fuel the current chaos in American politics. Each side condemns the other, yet rationalizes their own misconduct by pointing out the other's faults.

We often see this type of illogical argument in kindergarten, where children say, "Teacher, Simon poked me, so I poked him back."

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Your argument implies that Democrats' unkind actions justify President Trump's similar behavior. This viewpoint may fuel the current chaos in American politics. Each side condemns the other, yet rationalizes their own misconduct by pointing out the other's faults.

We often see this type of illogical argument in kindergarten, where children say, "Teacher, Simon poked me, so I poked him back."

Kindergarten sounds about right.

 

[Say it aint so]

They've done a lot more than just criticize. Since no president has ever been attacked so relentlessly, in so many ways, in trying to take him out, there's really no precedent for this.

Not attacks.

Self inflicted gun shot wounds given his outright fraud, impeachments, indictments and conviction. Every single quagmire he has found himself in is by his own design.

 

[ozso]

Your argument implies that Democrats' unkind actions justify President Trump's similar behavior. This viewpoint may fuel the current chaos in American politics. Each side condemns the other, yet rationalizes their own misconduct by pointing out the other's faults.

We often see this type of illogical argument in kindergarten, where children say, "Teacher, Simon poked me, so I poked him back."

This is more like the kid who loves to attack but suddenly becomes the victim when called to the principal's office.

 

[ozso]

Not attacks.

Self inflicted gun shot wounds given his outright fraud, impeachments, indictments and conviction. Every single quagmire he has found himself in is by his own design.

I'm sure that's been the basic claim made in a lot of witch hunts.

 

[ozso]

Being against dictatorships and in favor of Constitutional Democracy is biased partisan vitriol?

Are you feeling okay?

-CryptoLutheran

No, but the commentary of your post was imo.

 

[Fantine]

Rep. Murkowski, don't worry. When all the billionaires see their businesses losing tons of money due to the tariffs, they will urge you to vote against Trump's economic policies--and their support will be far more valuable than the support of an unpopular president.

Never thought I'd say this, but God bless the billionaires. Charles Koch is, through a subsidiary, already suing on the tariffs. It shouldn't be hard to get all those Lincoln Project members to follow suit.