this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2024
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[–] [email protected] 104 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Trump is less of a threat than the people who support him.

[–] [email protected] 61 points 4 months ago (1 children)

A lot of Senators, House members, SCOTUS Justices, and other officials in the states make 34's schemes possible. They're in an unhealthy codependent relationship because they've already said and done so much evil in support of DonOLD's operations that they risk losing face and power if they gave up helping the Weird Orange. They're worse cowards than Sleepy Don at this point: Mike Johnson, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, JD Vance and many many many more.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I think you mean 45? Or is that cuz of his charges or something

But yeah honestly the entire GOP apparatus is currently at the very least complicit if not actively belligerent in the attack on democracy.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

I think 34 is his felony count.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

He prides himself on being the 45th President. But he's more than earned the moniker 34 for what he did in New York. Everyone remember that he had 34 counts for interference in the election in New York. That hush money was to deceive voters. Mr. 34 is a criminal!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Yes, but what unifies them is a personality cult. 100 fringe groups that don't work together achieve nothing. But they've all decided to follow Trump, which collectively gives them power.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 4 months ago (9 children)

No matter what happens, I'm worried. I'm not even American.

Resident Canadian here.... If Trump loses, we're possibly looking at another January 6th, and potentially it will be far far worse this time... If he wins, there may be a similar uprising for the same reason.

If he's elected and sworn in to office, there's a very real chance that he will be the last president, voted in to power by an election, and sworn in.

Every outcome is scary. Good luck you guys.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago

I'm not really worried about another January 6th if Trump loses. The reason why it was a threat was because Trump was still in power and he or his lackeys made sure there wasn't much security that day.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago (2 children)

What the republican machine is setting up for this go around is at the local level. They are putting funding into "election monitoring" and there is also the risk that certain states or localities refuse to certify a Kamala win.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

certain states or localities refuse to certify a Kamala win.

This is guaranteed to happen. Thankfully, it seems it will only be happening in states we weren't counting on anyway.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Idunno, man. I thought I heard of some of this shit going down in Georgia, which was an important swing state for Biden in `20. Arizona was also important, and I'd be surprised if there aren't MAGA crazies installing themselves into the election machinery there. Pennsylvania is another state to worry about.

edited to add this link to a story about this, even though it's paywalled and I can't read it: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-swing-state-officials-election-deniers-1235069692/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Those are great points. I agree that this is dangerous. I have hope for Arizona because they have a Dem governor. Georgia... Georgia is little spookier.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

They also hold the House and have captured the Supreme Court (three of the justices were lawyers on the Bush side of Bush v. Gore!). They are clearly setting themselves up to declare Trump the winner regardless of what the actual Electoral College vote is.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

While that’s possible, I kind of suspect that if Trump clearly loses this election, the Republicans will just start distancing themselves from him.

He’s 78 and on trial for multiple felonies. In 4 years he’ll be 82 with 2 election losses in a row and possibly be still embroiled in legal battles. I just don’t see the Republicans trying as hard as they did in 2020 to keep him afloat when they can just ditch him and focus on their rebrand for 2028.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

It’s already happening with his voters/followers. I went to a rodeo last weekend, it was small but still very “country”. I did not see one person wearing trump gear. 4 years ago it would’ve been hard not to see someone wearing a trump shirt or hat.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

His ideas are concerning and the confidence with which he goes about expressing them, even more so.

What gives me relief is the piss poor execution and the incompetent people he surrounds himself with. He has turned and burned so many loyalist of his that he is left scraping the barrel. His campaign is rule by clowns and he surrounds himself in an echo camber of social media and poltical personalities. Even if he were to win, it will crumble, much like his many many businesses, as their is no foundation.

Even if Harris wins, it's not like there is some magic utopia her administration will create. I do wish Trump wasn't such a distraction so we could have meaningful conversations about public policy that matters instead of talking about crowd sizes and where someone's parents were born.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Everyone on every level is aware of these possibilities. We have a democratic president in power this time so things will go far differently if the 1/6 route is chosen. It will be a dark day for sure but at the end of it we won't have to worry about a lot of idiots anymore.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Think less "Jan 6 2.0" and more "Brooks Brothers Riot 2.0," except with the controversy manufactured by traitorous election boards refusing to certify due to blatant lies instead of "hanging chads," and a SCOTUS stacked with partizans itching to help them get away with it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

It won't be worse. The current administration wouldn't be supporting it or sanctioning it like last time.

The clowns that would try to commit sedition again would be managed just fine. The Capitol will be locked down and the national guard will be called up.

Trump losing is the only option for American democracy. He will be irrelevant after this next loss. The party will 180° on him as soon as he loses. Especially when they lose down the ballot and lose both chambers.

They are looking for any reason to get their party back that would do it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

J6 was only able to happen because Trump was the current president. They're in a far better position to be ready this time.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If he loses, not only will there be a Jan 6 2.0, but some of those red states are going to pass BS laws to make an even harder push to ensure Blue candidates ever win their state again.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Already been done. GA passed a law in 2021 allowing the legislature to take over any county election office they deem 'incompetent' and promptly started the investigations that will let them throw out Atlanta ballots.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well if there is another insurrection, you can bet good money on it that the US government is ready this time

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

The Oath Keepers were already planning to flee to Kentucky and start an insurgency after Jan 6th. Even random insurgencies throughout the rural U.S. or a stream of hightening terrorist attacks in an American Years of Lead could be incredibly scary and terrible for the country.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 4 months ago

Sounds like a national security issue, which would lead to official acts. You're in the clear, Joe.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 4 months ago

What's that, a clear and present danger you say?

[–] [email protected] 31 points 4 months ago

Sleepy DonOLD has a lot of foreign debts and a lot of shady foreign ties. He talks openly about being for sale to the likes of Elon Musk and other billionaires. He uses the levers of populism to scratch his narcissistic itches while simultaneously grifting those foolish enough to be the marks of his confidence schemes. He's a powerful tool under the influence of some of the American people's greatest enemies. Worst of all, he's a criminal using his position in the Republican Party to avoid going to jail and make himself into a king with enough power that he would be the envy of England's King Charles I or King John, who were forced to have to obey the rule of law. Joe Biden needs to work harder and faster to restore freedom to the US. People need to vote blue and, just as importantly, stand up to 34's sycophants and greedy lawyers.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 4 months ago

More of a threat if he wins.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Threat to democracy? Good thing eliminating threats to democracy is an Official Act for the Executive Branch, of which President Biden is the head.

Nudge nudge

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You should check out what the supreme court ruled on for presidential immunity recently. He could tell the military (core presidential power) to put a bullet in literally anyone for any reason because the motives behind any core presidential power action cannot be questioned. Then just to make sure the people who actually do it don't get in trouble for murder, he could use another presidential power to pardon them premtively.

The funny thing is that the Republican appointed judges ruled that way because Trump is struggling in court.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

I'm pretty sure that's what they were referring to.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago

Yikes, sounds like this would be a great time to exercise that official acts thing Dementia DonOLD got pushed through.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Then exercise some of that unlimited power the supreme court just gave you and deal with it while you're still president!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

What unlimited power? It's literally his job to protect us from dangers, is it not?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (4 children)

And somehow the DNC is completely powerless to stop him.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

What do you want them to do besides increasing security?

No one wants to vindicate the guy by preemptively taking action against him for the uprisings that haven't yet occurred even if we're absolutely certain that they will in fact happen.

Biden is retiring after this term. Even though he has the power and can offer valid reason for enacting an official act against Trump I don't think he wants to be responsible for sparking any sort of conflict or be known for it after he retires. The man has done a lot already, this isn't a burden that falls squarely on his shoulders. It's our burden as a country.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

He should go after the ones bankrolling him and pushing hard wing ideologies to him. But yet again the same would have to apply to democrats financing billionaires. I guess let's shoot the messenger and hope no one smarter and more popular comes after him.

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