Just a reminder the architect of these protests is Norm Eisen and he told us this was the playbook in 2019.
In Norm Eisen’s “Democracy Playbook” (specifically The Democracy Playbook: Preventing and Reversing Democratic Backsliding, originally published by the Brookings Institution in 2019 and updated in later versions), civil protest is framed as a legitimate and essential component of democratic resilience, particularly in the face of authoritarian tendencies.
Key Themes from the Playbook Regarding Civil Protest:
1. Nonviolent Protest as a Democratic Tool
•Eisen emphasizes peaceful mass mobilization as a key mechanism for resisting authoritarian encroachments.
•He draws on examples from Eastern Europe, the U.S., and Latin America to show how civil protests can defend democratic norms, especially when institutions are under threat.
2. Strategic Protest to Pressure Institutions
•The playbook encourages strategically timed protests to coincide with political decisions (e.g., Supreme Court rulings, elections, executive overreach) in order to pressure courts, legislatures, and public opinion.
3. Coordination with Civil Society & Media
•Protests are seen as most effective when coordinated with civil society organizations, legal advocacy groups, and sympathetic media.
•The document urges forming alliances with NGOs, academics, and international observers to amplify protest messaging.
4. Framing & Messaging
•Eisen stresses that successful protests need a clear moral message, emphasizing “defense of democracy,” “protection of rights,” or “constitutional accountability.”
•Framing should avoid violent rhetoric and instead focus on inclusion, lawfulness, and democratic integrity.
5. “Pre-Bunking” and Countering Authoritarian Narratives
•The playbook suggests that activists prepare preemptive narratives to counter expected government backlash (e.g., labeling protests as “unpatriotic” or “insurrectionist”).
•Encourages “pre-bunking” through media campaigns and grassroots education.
Tell me how that’s not the literal playbook for these Tesla protests?
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