If Trump loses and stages a coup
What will you do if Trump loses and stages a coup?
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-can-you-do-if-trump-stages-a-coup (New Yorker - today)
And in The Atlantic -
“A Pro-Trump Militant Group Has Recruited Thousands of Police, Soldiers, and Veterans.” https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/right-wing-militias-civil-war/616473/
I have no way of calculating the odds of this… but the toxic psychology is certainly present. The best weapon may be Trump himself and his lack of the sort of tactical finesse that characterizes successful despots.
I believe the military high command is not generally on board with such a plan should it get to that point. I am genuinely afraid of the heavily armed Trump supporter who stalks the streets… just based on personal experience and observation. An escalation in right wing domestic terrorism seems very likely. Even if he wins.
Our younger daughter - a complete, total, urban girl - has asked to come stay with us in the country for the month of November because she is convinced that L.A. will be a very dangerous place then.
It’s really hard to project because Trump is a manipulating sociopath and malignant narcissist. Plus he will face many legal challenges once he is out of office. He knows the office is protecting him right now. Technically he is in charge of the military but there are big divisions within the military itself concerning him. If they are ordered to get involved in the political process it is all up to the joint chiefs of staff. It could be a full blown armed revolution or the military might ignore a Trump completely. Of course then Trump coukd Fire them and replace them with sycophants and cult members. Very scary times indeed
With his tweets and at his rallies Trump is trying to frighten voters by telling them that their cities and suburbs are going to be attacked by looters and left-wing anarchists if Democrats are elected. He’s claiming to be the law and order candidate, while sending dog whistles to the Proud Boys, other paramilitary groups, and nazis. “Stand by if they claim to win the election,” he tells them, meaning, “Get ready to keep me in the White House by force of arms because if I lose it will be because of a rigged election. Look at all of these 60 million cheering supporters! How could I possibly lose, right? The polls are fake news! Take your machine guns and go to the polling places November 3. Don’t let them steal the election!”
In the red states, what do Republican voters think when they see heavily armed militia members appearing to ‘support’ their police during protests? Are they glad to see this kind of support? Are the red state police chiefs and sheriffs asking for this kind of support? Are Republicans really blind to the other countries where a despot loses an election but remains in power by force?
Are they blind to Dr. Fauci and his family being threatened and needing bodyguards? https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/05/899415906/fauci-reveals-he-has-received-death-threats-and-his-daughters-have-been-harassed
Obviously we are on the brink of mainstream commentators, editors, people like AOC being threatened by Trump cult members and the brown shirt thugs he encourages.
Digging up this old thread because Trump encouraged a coup which got much further than any attempt in American history.. I did not originally respond because I thought the idea of a coup too far-fetched, but here we are. unsmoked’s, New Yorker article is intended for us nobodies, and boils down to no compromise with Trump to make changes, do not use violence, take photos and videos of Trump’s goons using violence and post them on the internet or send them to news reporters. That’s not much, but the point is to not make it easy for Trump.
I have no way of calculating the odds of this… but the toxic psychology is certainly present. The best weapon may be Trump himself and his lack of the sort of tactical finesse that characterizes successful despots.
I believe the military high command is not generally on board with such a plan should it get to that point. I am genuinely afraid of the heavily armed Trump supporter who stalks the streets… just based on personal experience and observation. An escalation in right wing domestic terrorism seems very likely. Even if he wins.
(see post # 8)
There should be legal repercussions for incitement to revolution/riot/armed-entanglements. IMHO.
I have no way of calculating the odds of this… but the toxic psychology is certainly present. The best weapon may be Trump himself and his lack of the sort of tactical finesse that characterizes successful despots.
I believe the military high command is not generally on board with such a plan should it get to that point. I am genuinely afraid of the heavily armed Trump supporter who stalks the streets… just based on personal experience and observation. An escalation in right wing domestic terrorism seems very likely. Even if he wins.
Right. Even if he wins. Worse if he loses.
I just noticed that Pompeo didn’t make it to Belgium to renew our European alliances. Any connection with his not applauding his boss’s coup attempt?
The cancellation of the visit, expected to be the last travel of Pompeo’s term, comes as Washington is in turmoil over the assault on the Capitol by a crowd urged to action by President Donald Trump. Pompeo has criticized the attack but not Trump.
My guess is that Trump is trying to make Biden’s attempts to restore our reputation abroad as difficult as possible.
And there’s even more sand in the gears for the Biden administration. Pompeo overturned the One China policy by normalizing relations with Taiwan and angering Beijing, placed Cuba back on the state sponsor of terrorism list and declared the Houtis in Yemen a terrorist group thereby endangering aid into the region. Just in the last week.
There should be legal repercussions for incitement to revolution/riot/armed-entanglements. IMHO.
Republican lawmakers are in a remarkably enviable position. Their president attempted a coup with the aid of a number of lawmakers, and yet they have the power to forgive themselves and no accountability to their legislature. Maybe the voters will remove them?
My feeling-around-in-the-chicken-guts prognostication says Trump will pardon every Republican involved, including himself. The Democrats will protest, but the Republicans will give themselves immunity.
There should be legal repercussions for incitement to revolution/riot/armed-entanglements. IMHO.
Republican lawmakers are in a remarkably enviable position. Their president attempted a coup with the aid of a number of lawmakers, and yet they have the power to forgive themselves and no accountability to their legislature. Maybe the voters will remove them?
My feeling-around-in-the-chicken-guts prognostication says Trump will pardon every Republican involved, including himself. The Democrats will protest, but the Republicans will give themselves immunity.
On the other hand, I saw a report suggesting that his lawyers have told him a self-pardon would open him up to civil lawsuits, as a pardon acknowledges wrongdoing. And, supposedly, he feels that if can’t get a pardon, nobody else can—sucks to be you, Ivanka & Jared.
Just a report, but boy I can absolutely imagine Trump going that route.
There should be legal repercussions for incitement to revolution/riot/armed-entanglements. IMHO.
Republican lawmakers are in a remarkably enviable position. Their president attempted a coup with the aid of a number of lawmakers, and yet they have the power to forgive themselves and no accountability to their legislature. Maybe the voters will remove them?
My feeling-around-in-the-chicken-guts prognostication says Trump will pardon every Republican involved, including himself. The Democrats will protest, but the Republicans will give themselves immunity.
On the other hand, I saw a report suggesting that his lawyers have told him a self-pardon would open him up to civil lawsuits, as a pardon acknowledges wrongdoing. And, supposedly, he feels that if can’t get a pardon, nobody else can—sucks to be you, Ivanka & Jared.
Just a report, but boy I can absolutely imagine Trump going that route.
I get the feeling that Trump’s Praetorian Guard has him tied up in a cage in the basement of the White House so that he can’t make things worse.
There should be legal repercussions for incitement to revolution/riot/armed-entanglements. IMHO.
Republican lawmakers are in a remarkably enviable position. Their president attempted a coup with the aid of a number of lawmakers, and yet they have the power to forgive themselves and no accountability to their legislature. Maybe the voters will remove them?
My feeling-around-in-the-chicken-guts prognostication says Trump will pardon every Republican involved, including himself. The Democrats will protest, but the Republicans will give themselves immunity.
On the other hand, I saw a report suggesting that his lawyers have told him a self-pardon would open him up to civil lawsuits, as a pardon acknowledges wrongdoing. And, supposedly, he feels that if can’t get a pardon, nobody else can—sucks to be you, Ivanka & Jared.
Just a report, but boy I can absolutely imagine Trump going that route.
I get the feeling that Trump’s Praetorian Guard has him tied up in a cage in the basement of the White House so that he can’t make things worse.
more like the lawyers telling over and over that if he Pardons himself or the Insurrectionist, he, too will be tried for Sedition.
Problem is: Trump has nearly nothing left to lose. I fully expect him to tell Biden: “Pardon me, or I’ll nuke Iran”.
74,222,958 votes, or why Trump thinks he can orchestrate the murder of policemen and legislators and not be arrested.
orchestrate verb
2. arrange or direct the elements of (a situation) to produce a desired effect, especially surreptitiously.
“Good news! He’ll be gone in a week!” https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/daily-cartoon/tuesday-january-12th-godzilla-gone
Q: Gone in a week? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiXeK7mz1yk (Move cursor to 9:24 if you haven’t seen this couple yet - about 1 minute). I have a feeling they’re not going anywhere in 7 days.)
Conspiratorial thinking? Gone in 7 days? https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/united-states-of-conspiracy/ (PBS FRONTLINE - watch full episode)