Trump's Coup d'état.

[Meadmaker]

Biden did end up the unlikely hero that delivered the world (well, ok, the US) from the forces of weird, but I think he'll have a lot to answer for if he caves in to ...I don't know, conventional tradition?... and ends up pardoning Trump after all.


As for reforms: Surely this lame duck thing needs to be scrapped, entirely? After the elections are over, get things entirely out of the incumbent President's hands. Designate him or her lame duck, officially, and curtail his or her powers very substantially, leaving them with the barest minimum for the day-to-day running of the country. Ensure that no one else can do what this loon has done (and might still do). Should something like that emerge from this mess, then this crazy stress test the system has been subjected to, would have served some meaningful purpose after all.

I do think shortening the lame duck period should be a high priority. There's no reason to have someone still wielding power months after they have lost an election. To make that happen will take a few things, though.

What we are seeing right now is that it takes a long time for the US to count the votes. Technically, there are a few states who haven't completed the process even today. I think the last states are due to certify their counts Monday, and of course there's still litigation going on even if no intelligent person takes it seriously. There's no reason it should take so long or be subject to so much confusion. (I first wrote "doubt", but that's somewhat misleading. There really is no doubt for anyone who is paying attention, but with 51 different sets of rules and lots and lots of different vote counting mechanisms that might even be different from one county to the next, there's lots of opportunity to sow doubt among the gullible.) There's no reason we couldn't provide a uniform system of vote processing that would allow votes to be counted and certified within days.

In other nations, once the votes are certified, power is handed over almost immediately. There's no reason we couldn't do the same. It would require some changes in the laws that shape the federal bureaucracy, but I think those are probably good changes anyway.

So, count me in on a constitutional amendment to shorten the lame duck period, give Congress the ability to pass laws that govern how elections are conducted, and if necessary change the bureaucracy in such a way that power can be effectively transferred rapidly. If those things are done, there's no reason inauguration day can't be the Monday before Thanksgiving. That doesn't really give enough time to organize parades and fireworks, but maybe that's not such a bad thing anyway.

 

[cosmicaug]

Biden did end up the unlikely hero that delivered the world (well, ok, the US) from the forces of weird, but I think he'll have a lot to answer for if he caves in to ...I don't know, conventional tradition?... and ends up pardoning Trump after all.

This is a big part of why we are where we are. Nixon's pardon should never have happened.

 

[cosmicaug]

It's not about stupidity. It's cult member behavior. This is a personality cult.

I like how this Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present author put it:
"Once his supporters bond to his person, they stop caring about his falsehoods. They believe him because they believe in him"

In any case, it's hard to imagine that he'd ever be elected president again.

Also from that article, something relevant to a post I tried to make but failed (pointing out that while I don't find that proposition as fanciful as eerok does, I think Trump is not the real danger anymore —maybe I didn't submit, maybe the software ate it...):

But there’s also reason to fear the future. As Zeynep Tufekci points out in The Atlantic, Trump has lain the groundwork for a more learned, disciplined and talented strongman to take the reins. With the Electoral College always a threat to trump the public’s will and gerrymandering running amok, the next strongman won’t even have to lie and cheat if he plays his cards right. “The situation is a perfect setup, in other words, for a talented politician to run on Trumpism in 2024,” writes Tufekci. “A person without the eager Twitter fingers and greedy hotel chains, someone with a penchant for governing rather than golf.”

 

[Chanakya]

I like how this Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present author put it:
"Once his supporters bond to his person, they stop caring about his falsehoods. They believe him because they believe in him"



Also from that article, something relevant to a post I tried to make but failed (pointing out that while I don't find that proposition as fanciful as eerok does, I think Trump is not the real danger anymore —maybe I didn't submit, maybe the software ate it...):

Very true.

If someone as blatantly, unarguably, entirely incapable (and intemperate, and ignorant, and indisciplined, and narcissistic, and a jerk, and plain crazy) as Trump could still find such widespread support worship from so very many people, it's easy to imagine a trimmer neater upgraded version actually transforming everything for good, beyond recognition, to a dystopia from which it might be impossible to claw our way back.

It's not as if the same sort of thing isn't happening elsewhere in the world!

 

[Chanakya]

I do think shortening the lame duck period should be a high priority. There's no reason to have someone still wielding power months after they have lost an election. To make that happen will take a few things, though.

What we are seeing right now is that it takes a long time for the US to count the votes. Technically, there are a few states who haven't completed the process even today. I think the last states are due to certify their counts Monday, and of course there's still litigation going on even if no intelligent person takes it seriously. There's no reason it should take so long or be subject to so much confusion. (I first wrote "doubt", but that's somewhat misleading. There really is no doubt for anyone who is paying attention, but with 51 different sets of rules and lots and lots of different vote counting mechanisms that might even be different from one county to the next, there's lots of opportunity to sow doubt among the gullible.) There's no reason we couldn't provide a uniform system of vote processing that would allow votes to be counted and certified within days.

In other nations, once the votes are certified, power is handed over almost immediately. There's no reason we couldn't do the same. It would require some changes in the laws that shape the federal bureaucracy, but I think those are probably good changes anyway.

So, count me in on a constitutional amendment to shorten the lame duck period, give Congress the ability to pass laws that govern how elections are conducted, and if necessary change the bureaucracy in such a way that power can be effectively transferred rapidly. If those things are done, there's no reason inauguration day can't be the Monday before Thanksgiving. That doesn't really give enough time to organize parades and fireworks, but maybe that's not such a bad thing anyway.

And an easier-to-conceive-of-and-easier-to-implement stop-gap: Between election time and actual change of guard (even if that change is only to the next version of the same set of people), for that period just curtail the President's powers to the bare minimum necessary. Trim away everything else for that short limited period. That much at least is very easily done, it only wants enough people "up there" wanting to have it done.

 

[phiwum]

Exactly. He's pushed the limits and exposed holes that that need to be plugged. For example, we need a Constitutional amendment prohibiting a POTUS from pardoning her/herself, family member, or anyone from any crime directly related to or benefiting the POTUS.

I also find it difficult to believe that Trump could be elected POTUS again. People were fooled it 2016 because he was an unknown entity and some were willing to take a chance on him. He is no longer an unknown entity. We know him for what he is and he has been overwhelmingly rejected.

Overwhelmingly rejected? He got more votes than any candidate in history aside from Biden. Yes, the population has increased, but that's still significant support.

I have no trouble believing that Trump could win 2024. It all depends on what happens between now and then, obviously, but the Republicans have four years to treat Biden as a usurper and to pitch 2024 as the opportunity to right the wrong of the fraudulent 2020 election. It's possible that saner heads will prevail once Trump is out of office, but so far, the great bulk of the GOP is more than willing to go along (silently or vocally) with Trumpian strategies.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

This just posted to FaceBook by a friend:

Copied:
Holy crap! General McInerney just confirmed the 305th MIB(Military Intelligence Brigade) is the Kraken: Servers were not only seized in Frankfurt, but they were in a CIA facility and "not taken without incident"(it is rumored we lost soldiers fighting our own CIA: The FBI has also compromised: This thing runs from heads of the media, to compromised judges through some of the legislature and to top politicians! This is coming out, it is treasonous and it is deep rooted. I don't care about your politics. We CANNOT let this election fraud go by. Because it is much deeper than a greedy politician trying to secure his place. It is an outright attempt to overthrow our government from within. Foreign involvement of Iran, China and Russia have been confirmed. It's time to stand up everyone. Let them know "We The People" might argue amongst ourselves, but we will not let our country be sold out to foreign interests through a group of greedy influential politicians. We need to round them all up, hold them in Gitmo until their military trial, and I don't give a darn about timelines. If we don't have this sorted by Dec. 14 or Jan. 20, we cannot transfer power to the man foreign actors are trying to force us with. He is at best compromised and at worst a traitor that sold us all out and should be punished to the fullest extent treason allows. Pray for our country, pray for our friends and family. If this 3 star general hasn't lost his mind, it's going to get very real as when this evidence is brought forward. These people are going to have to either make a deal to turn over others higher up, run or band together and try to take control. This is about to become the most historic event we will likely ever see.

 

[Resume]

This just posted to FaceBook by a friend:

Copied:
Holy crap! General McInerney just confirmed the 305th MIB(Military Intelligence Brigade) is the Kraken: Servers were not only seized in Frankfurt, but they were in a CIA facility and "not taken without incident"(it is rumored we lost soldiers fighting our own CIA: The FBI has also compromised: This thing runs from heads of the media, to compromised judges through some of the legislature and to top politicians! This is coming out, it is treasonous and it is deep rooted. I don't care about your politics. We CANNOT let this election fraud go by. Because it is much deeper than a greedy politician trying to secure his place. It is an outright attempt to overthrow our government from within. Foreign involvement of Iran, China and Russia have been confirmed. It's time to stand up everyone. Let them know "We The People" might argue amongst ourselves, but we will not let our country be sold out to foreign interests through a group of greedy influential politicians. We need to round them all up, hold them in Gitmo until their military trial, and I don't give a darn about timelines. If we don't have this sorted by Dec. 14 or Jan. 20, we cannot transfer power to the man foreign actors are trying to force us with. He is at best compromised and at worst a traitor that sold us all out and should be punished to the fullest extent treason allows. Pray for our country, pray for our friends and family. If this 3 star general hasn't lost his mind, it's going to get very real as when this evidence is brought forward. These people are going to have to either make a deal to turn over others higher up, run or band together and try to take control. This is about to become the most historic event we will likely ever see.

Your friend is way behind the times.

Fact check: Story of Army raid to seize election servers in Germany is false . . .

The U.S. Army, Scytl and election security officials all refute the claims
The claims center on a purported raid by the U.S. Army in Germany. But no such raid took place. On Saturday, a spokesperson from the Army told the Associated Press, "Those allegations are false.”

Scytl also put out a statement on Friday to refute the claims, including that it currently does not have servers or offices in Frankfurt.

"The US army has not seized anything from Scytl in Barcelona, Frankfurt or anywhere else," the statement explained.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

I don't quite buy the "beware the future Demagogue who is like Trump, but smart" menace:

Trump's supporters like him exactly because he makes a ton of mistakes: it's evidence that he is not one of the "elites" or a "politician": someone more suave, clearly smart would trigger their alarm bells.
And the top politicians in the US will spot an actual shark instantly, because they are sharks, too: Trump got in under their radar, precisely because he doesn't have any real long-term plan or discipline.

I believe that the US democracy, or what's left of it, could deal much better with a Lex Luthor than an evil Wizard of Oz.

 

[cosmicaug]

I don't quite buy the "beware the future Demagogue who is like Trump, but smart" menace:

Trump's supporters like him exactly because he makes a ton of mistakes: it's evidence that he is not one of the "elites" or a "politician": someone more suave, clearly smart would trigger their alarm bells.

Nonsense. The #Cult45 Trump base doesn't even recognize that Trump makes mistakes. Just take a look at anything Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame) says. Heck, the whole QAnon nonsense is premised on an appearance of incompetence covering up some genius, cunning plan to uproot the "Deep State" pedophile cannibals (or whatever).

In the end, Trump simply is not some unique, once in all recorded history snowflake bearing the one and only key to autocracy in the US; but which cannot be reproduced ever again due to its uniqueness so that if we survive Trump everything will be fine.

The problem with Trump is not Trump.

And the top politicians in the US will spot an actual shark instantly, because they are sharks, too: Trump got in under their radar, precisely because he doesn't have any real long-term plan or discipline.

I believe that the US democracy, or what's left of it, could deal much better with a Lex Luthor than an evil Wizard of Oz.

If the Wizard of Oz can bluff his way through the presidency to pretend to be the supercompetent Lex Luthor well enough for at least the #Cult45 base to buy the act (while maybe failing ultimately because he simply doesn't actually have the Luthor skills), what is there to stop Lex Luthor from pretending to be the Wizard of Oz?

 

[Elvis666]

If the Wizard of Oz can bluff his way through the presidency to pretend to be the supercompetent Lex Luthor well enough for at least the #Cult45 base to buy the act (while maybe failing ultimately because he simply doesn't actually have the Luthor skills), what is there to stop Lex Luthor from pretending to be the Wizard of Oz?

Ego.

 

[acbytesla]

How does Trump's rhetoric evolve through this week? Does it hit him when Safe Harbor day has come and gone this Tuesday? Or after December 14 (Next Monday)when each state's electors cast their votes?

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Maybe.

But Trump's Presidency is the result of decades of media campaigning by Ailes and others - we have been joking since the 90s that Trump would become President in a distopian future. The #45 Cultists have gotten used to seeing him once a week on Fox.

Do you see anyone, anyone at all on the right with similar widespread familiarity?

Republicans might be hoping for the second coming of a Trump-like figure, but I just don't see it.

 

[Thermal]

I don't quite buy the "beware the future Demagogue who is like Trump, but smart" menace:

Trump's supporters like him exactly because he makes a ton of mistakes: it's evidence that he is not one of the "elites" or a "politician": someone more suave, clearly smart would trigger their alarm bells.
And the top politicians in the US will spot an actual shark instantly, because they are sharks, too: Trump got in under their radar, precisely because he doesn't have any real long-term plan or discipline.

I believe that the US democracy, or what's left of it, could deal much better with a Lex Luthor than an evil Wizard of Oz.

Right, but since they lost, they might well refine what worked the first round. We're not talking Lex Luthor. More a Dickey Spencer. Just proper enough to tip the scales back in their favor. Enough players in their masses can connect those dots back to power

Plus VP Cheney slithered in with nary a notice. The occasional Lex can make it through.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

The #Cult45 Trump base doesn't even recognize that Trump makes mistakes.

Case in point? COVFEFE.


Interestingly, when I typed C-O-V-F...into the postm my iPad autofilled the rest!

 

[Thermal]

Case in point? COVFEFE.


Interestingly, when I typed C-O-V-F...into the postm my iPad autofilled the rest!

But it let "postm" slide?

 

[Fast Eddie B]

But it let "postm" slide?

Oops! Corrected.

 

[Thermal]

Oops! Corrected.

No prob. Why look how often autocorrect confuses an N for an L:

...The #Cult45...

 

[Firestone]

The Coup d'état attempt has ugly consequences in Michigan.
Members of the legislature from both parties are getting death threats.

A Black Democratic Rep, Cynthia A. Johnson, has been threatened with ... lynching.

One caller told state Rep. Cynthia A. Johnson, D-Detroit, that she should be "swinging from a … rope."

That echoed another call received by Johnson, who is Black, that predicted the lawmaker would be lynched, according to multiple voicemails Johnson posted on her Facebook page.

The calls are some of many threats received by Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Michigan, as President Donald Trump and his allies continue to rely on conspiracy theories — not credible evidence — to argue widespread fraud led to a stolen election.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/po...cemails-saying-she-should-lynched/3849695001/

 

[Safe-Keeper]

The Coup d'état attempt has ugly consequences in Michigan.
Members of the legislature from both parties are getting death threats.

A Black Democratic Rep, Cynthia A. Johnson, has been threatened with ... lynching.

I was really relieved when there weren't acts of violence or terrorism around the time of the election. With Trump persisting with his narrative about a stolen election, though, I'm growing more worried again.