rolling “Trump is gonna win” containment thread

I mean there is a much more plausible explanation that they're thinking "It's still a better move for a GOP elected official not to oppose Trump so openly that the hardcore Trumpists would figure it out, better to let this thing deflate on its own"

Said on another thread my neighbor removed Trump flag from his pickup truck on Thursday but US and blue lives matter flags remain. Yesterday I noticed the don't tread on me mixed with confed flag was down from mast on house, dunno how long ago that happened.
Then I thought hmm maybe he grabbed the Trump flag and hitched a ride with a buddy to Phx to go protest. We shall see if Trump flag makes a return

eephus otm

otm where I sweat or otm where I talk myself down

I meant that most career politicians are just keeping their heads down in the hopes that things just deflate

OK I do think that makes the most sense

I had a paranoid moment about the coup possibility, but I just don't see the mechanics of it working. Federalist Society and all, I don't think the judiciary is sufficiently degraded to allow it. And the courts are his only conceivable avenue, it's not going to come from the military.

In court, you have actually prove things.

have to

Eephus, I hasten to note that abject terror and eerie calm can in fact coexist, and both may be right.

It's Schrodinger's news cycle.

Wetting your pants while also taking celebratory bong hits is prolly appropriate to the moment.

Carry on and stay thirsty my friends

Wetting your pants while also taking celebratory bong hits is prolly appropriate to the moment.

are you literally looking in my window right now

YMP looking through all of our windows rn

You should at least have the sense to draw the blinds, sheesh

You especially, Lunch.

I've been having some panicky feelings tonight, too, after reading this Masha Gessen piece (from a few days ago), calling Trump's declaration of victory an "attempted autocratic breakthrough," and the stuff about how the GSA administrator won't authorize the transition to begin.

My nightmare is that network news is going to be trotting out Trump like his opinions mean something, like Newt Gingrich, until the end of time.

I'd be scared if these weren't the dumbest motherfuckers who ever lived

that was my reaction to the original coup talk

the Gessen piece isn't making me feel panicky about the January transition. 2024 and beyond tho ...

Hopefully we can have an orderly wind-down of America by then

Upper miss brings truth

I'd be scared if these weren't the dumbest motherfuckers who ever lived

Hah, yes. The press conference for their long-planned coup d'etat would somehow end up being held at Cooter Tat's, a Dukes of Hazzard-themed tattoo parlor outside of Macon.

(Y'know, because "coup d'etat" sounds kinda like "Cooter Tat") man I really need to to go sleep now

Ah, yr not gonna top what actually happened

Masha Gessen is a kook, wouldn't listen to much to what she's saying.

I am not concerned about any coup nonsense; a ums pointed out, these guys would pull of a coup that ended with them hanging off a bridge over the Potomac.

I am worried about an effective transition due to the hollowing out of agency professionals over the last 4 years and a determination by Trump goons to hamstring the next administration as much as possible. Even little things like passwords and legacy knowledge are going to be lacking.

of = off

BUt what if the next wave of GOPers has a few more braincells. Is the world f-ed.
or is this the last stand of a dying brand.

Cobra Kai Never Dies, my friend

Masha Gessen is a kook

Also *they

I've liked their New Yorker stuff.

Trump is not complex. His declaration of victory "by a lot" was an attempt at an autocratic breakthrough. But, typically for him, it was only effective at deluding his most clueless supporters, who are mostly good for driving around in pickups yelling "we love Trump". They aren't organized and he has no interest in organizing them, so they're useless to him for overturning the election.

my mom called Trumps voter fraud line and told them she saw a guy in Atlanta alter the ballots by staring at them for several minutes

<3

(It was a prank call, maybe shouldn’t have posted that)

Trump is not complex. His declaration of victory "by a lot" was an attempt at an autocratic breakthrough. But, typically for him, it was only effective at deluding his most clueless supporters, who are mostly good for driving around in pickups yelling "we love Trump". They aren't organized and he has no interest in organizing them, so they're useless to him for overturning the election.

― the unappreciated charisma of cows (Aimless), Monday, November 9, 2020 1:01 PM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'd say this is right, which is why I both agree that Trump was attempting *something* and that at the same time calling it a fancy term like "autocratic breakthrough" gives it too much credit. He's reacting instinctively and trying everything he can, but it's not like he developed some sophisticated plot to remain in office/seize power. He doesn't have the chops or the wherewithal for a true autocratic breakthrough, even as POTUS. In the same sense that it would be a stretch to call the Whitmer kidnapping plot an "attempted coup," since they didn't get that close, and even if they had kidnapped her it's not like they could have overthrown the government of Michigan.

the phrase "autocratic attempt" is a good one, i think, because he really did try to cancel the popular will and re-install himself as prez with his attacks on the mail and the legitimacy of the electoral process. it's looking like he failed, but he did "attempt" it.

somewhat half-assedly of course

rolling trump is gonna coup containment thread

Coup coup kachoo

I know, but when's the joke coming that that's the punchline for?

got stuck in a doctor’s waiting room today and dealt with a half hour harangue by some older dude about how trump is gonna pull it out (fake signatures on ballots on Wisconsin) and I said “uh huh” so many times that I died

can't wait til audits causes Trump to lose votes in recounts

Clay, you have more fortitude than I do. I would have told that geezer to fuck off.

Trump is prepping to quell mass protests if he manages to stay in power. Firing of Esper is part of a contingency plan that has been in place for just this occasion. I’m not saying he can pull this off, but he’s ready to try. Obviously Trump is too inept/lazy to orchestrate a coup, but I smell Barr all over this.

The last thing I want to smell is Barr on anything.

The SecDef - especially a new one - is not going to have the leverage they need here. They would need to fire the generals that aren't loyal.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HOtO_HSvY7I/X6b6WSpcnXI/AAAAAAAAA4U/vOZEK4IbcGoQ82Qg1Qq8qZmAk-TntY5hACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/72dT.gif

Pivoting from the general politics thread, as it better belongs here:

It's rich to see so many in the media claiming the 2024 nomination is "Trump's if he wants it

I can pretty easily see him elected again in 4 years, when a lot of mitigating factors will likely be ... de-mitigated? The things working against him are harder to gauge: his age (though he'd be as old as Biden is now), his health, his legal jeopardy (though iirc a felon can still run for president). But worst of all, as hopeless as congress will be for the next couple of years, if Trump immediately runs again then a whole bunch of basic safeguards that need to be bolstered or put back in place could fail to take root, as the GOP, still controlled/dominated by Asshole, will absolutely block even basic precautionary measures, claiming they are being pushed to prevent Trump from winning again, which of course would be cheating/a preememptive coup/undemocratic/some bullshit. Which makes the GA races all the more key, to get stuff enacted while the Dems can.

Best case scenario, if he runs, is he runs third party.

this is why they need to prosecute him, not that going to jail for a little while will stop him from running again.

or +- 45% of the country from voting for him anyway