Trump Thread 2.0

[bradmer]

I'm not sure how much it matters anyway. If there's no certified election result by noon on January 20, Trump's term ends and the speaker of the house automatically becomes president. We've never done that before and who knows how it would go - but the constitution is pretty explicit (although I get that a lot of the Trump GOP would like to wipe their asses with it, except the parts they can use it to their advantage). I'd put the chances of the election actually being delayed pretty close to zero. Trump is a windbag who likes to make outrageous statements and claims but rarely follows through or backs them up when called out on it.

I mean, I'm not willing to immediately dismiss anything with how this year has gone, but I think this idea that Trump is going to basically declare himself king and refuse to leave is pretty unlikely. Plus, if you think people are pissed/rioting now, they are sure as hell not going to be happier if that did happen. I do however think he will do anything and everything he can to subvert the election process and bend it to another win, because he knows he can't do it fairly. This is a president who has never had an average popularity over 45% during his entire term, most of the time it's been stuck between 41-42%.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I would have agreed, but the concerning detail of the P.E.A.D.'s are that they suspend the constitution as I understand it. New ball game, new rules by the game creator or dictator. The US Constitution gets trumped. Up until a couple of weeks ago I never thought this could be possible with our democracy, even if it isn't very probable. It's that it's possible.

[nando]

Oh yeah, if you don't think this is personal - fuck you. Seriously.

USCIS Schedules Staff Layoffs if Congress Does Not Come to Its Rescue

https://cis.org/North/USCIS-Schedule...ome-Its-Rescue

We started my wife's citizenship application (legally, duh) before all of this started. But she's stuck in the queue and nobody is processing anything, not just because of COVID - it's also because of Trump policies from the very top. It's already been pushed back months, and if it's not approved she won't even be able to renew her green card potentially. God forbid Trump wins another term. It will literally break apart my family.

On top of that nobody here can cross the border, it's totally devistated families and business along the whole border region on both sides. I wanted to punch this MAGA hat wearing asshole in the face as he picnic'd with his girlfriend/wife/mistress/whatever right on the 49th parallel (the only place in the whole country we can meet with family), but that wouldn't have done any good, as if he'd ever realize that Trump is pretty much directly responsible for the disastrous pandemic response, the reason the border is closed and 90% of Canadians want to keep it that way.

[nando]

Ho-Hum.. more of the same.

8 days into semester, Notre Dame halts in-person classes as 146 students get coronavirus

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...dents-n1237195

In case it isn't obvious, Trump's response to the pandemic has been an utter disaster and his failures pile up by the thousands (of deaths) weekly. The only hope now is one of the vaccines will work, otherwise the US is totally fucked. I do have a lot of hope that at least one or more vaccine will pan out (and have invested as such, yay capitalism!), but that doesn't do any good for the couple hundred thousand people who will already be dead by the time they are available. Plus, even if you are young and survive the actual virus, it's not clear that you will ever be the same after - there's no indication that the long term effects are negligible, instead what we know so far doesn't look so great.

[nando]

Exactly what is being done, the people searching out the limits of the P.E.A.D.'s are looking to subvert the diplomatic process. The problem is that the President has hinted at using this document to postpone elections and that is horribly rong. Collectively our top elected officials need to behave as if they have their country and constituencys' interests' at heart and do the right thing instead of lining their pockets. Even the President can't postpone time and the clock is ticking.

I'm not sure how much it matters anyway. If there's no certified election result by noon on January 20, Trump's term ends and the speaker of the house automatically becomes president. We've never done that before and who knows how it would go - but the constitution is pretty explicit (although I get that a lot of the Trump GOP would like to wipe their asses with it, except the parts they can use it to their advantage). I'd put the chances of the election actually being delayed pretty close to zero. Trump is a windbag who likes to make outrageous statements and claims but rarely follows through or backs them up when called out on it.

I mean, I'm not willing to immediately dismiss anything with how this year has gone, but I think this idea that Trump is going to basically declare himself king and refuse to leave is pretty unlikely. Plus, if you think people are pissed/rioting now, they are sure as hell not going to be happier if that did happen. I do however think he will do anything and everything he can to subvert the election process and bend it to another win, because he knows he can't do it fairly. This is a president who has never had an average popularity over 45% during his entire term, most of the time it's been stuck between 41-42%.

[roguetoaster]

I'm sorry but this idea is a fantasy. How many dictators have been successfully taken out by a lone actor in modern times? I can't think of any. The only times it has been by force, it took concentrated military force to do so, and often the results weren't any better than what they had before.

Not necessarily dictators, but leaders, PM of Serbia, Bhutto, the King of Nepal/others, President DPRC, Rabin, probably others I forget. These people were secure, or were thought to be.

Exactly what is being done, the people searching out the limits of the P.E.A.D.'s are looking to subvert the diplomatic process. The problem is that the President has hinted at using this document to postpone elections and that is horribly wrong. Collectively our top elected officials need to behave as if they have their country and constituency's' interests' at heart and do the right thing instead of lining their pockets. Even the President can't postpone time and the clock is ticking.

At this point I think he is searching for a reaction from the other side to energize his base. He could be serious, and I don't discount it, but I still have faith in those who would have to execute his orders, at least those beyond his selected staff.

[bradmer]

There is simply no one so secure that they cannot be killed so long as the killer acts completely alone, has decent funding, continues to live a fairly normal life, is willing to tolerate collateral deaths, and is prepared to not survive. Obviously many attempts fail, and failure is likely to lead to significant consequences in that nation.

Also, dictators typically subvert the normal processes of government to sieze and then remain in power. Clearly there are other ways, and specific sequences of events that leave the door open to a takeover of a representative system.

Exactly what is being done, the people searching out the limits of the P.E.A.D.'s are looking to subvert the diplomatic process. The problem is that the President has hinted at using this document to postpone elections and that is horribly rong. Collectively our top elected officials need to behave as if they have their country and constituencys' interests' at heart and do the right thing instead of lining their pockets. Even the President can't postpone time and the clock is ticking.

[nando]

There is simply no one so secure that they cannot be killed so long as the killer acts completely alone, has decent funding, continues to live a fairly normal life, is willing to tolerate collateral deaths, and is prepared to not survive. Obviously many attempts fail, and failure is likely to lead to significant consequences in that nation.

I'm sorry but this idea is a fantasy. How many dictators have been successfully taken out by a lone actor in modern times? I can't think of any. The only times it has been by force, it took concentrated military force to do so, and often the results weren't any better than what they had before.

[nando]

Where there's smoke, there's a raging inferno..

Trump says he didn't discuss hacked emails with Roger Stone. A bipartisan Senate report says he did.

The report says the committee assessed that Trump discussed hacked emails with Roger Stone — even though Trump told Mueller he didn't recall doing so.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...id=recommended

The question is, why do the GOP members of this committee still support him? I guess in that position where power is apparently all that matters, it's easy enough to make excuses and justifications even in the face of their own evidence.

[roguetoaster]

But it only takes voting to prevent one.

Yours is a romantic notion, but not consistent with history. Before being called dictators by history, they were called great men by those that supported and gave them power. Ultimately it's a perversion of history to forget that histories greatest despots were voted in to power.

There is simply no one so secure that they cannot be killed so long as the killer acts completely alone, has decent funding, continues to live a fairly normal life, is willing to tolerate collateral deaths, and is prepared to not survive. Obviously many attempts fail, and failure is likely to lead to significant consequences in that nation.

Also, dictators typically subvert the normal processes of government to sieze and then remain in power. Clearly there are other ways, and specific sequences of events that leave the door open to a takeover of a representative system.

[CarpHunter]

It also only ever takes one determined person willing to give up their life to remove a dictator.

But it only takes voting to prevent one.

Yours is a romantic notion, but not consistent with history. Before being called dictators by history, they were called great men by those that supported and gave them power. Ultimately it's a perversion of history to forget that histories greatest despots were voted in to power.

[roguetoaster]

Not necessarily, here's a link from those asking questions. The United States is only a sig away from being a dictatorship, would be a stretch but look who has hinted at all his powa under the hood...

It also only ever takes one determined person willing to give up their life to remove a dictator.

[bradmer]

If it comes down to it, tens of thousands of people still have to go along with it. Also, we don't know the extent of those emergency powers, or under what circumstances then can be invoked, or even if there is any type of oversight/review.

Considering the era of their origin, I suspect that the original intent was to provide a legal justification for otherwise illegal action in the event of a sudden military conflict. However, if they were in the way it looks like they may have been there's probably some sort of JCS tie in.

Not necessarily, here's a link from those asking questions. The United States is only a sig away from being a dictatorship, would be a stretch but look who has hinted at all his powa under the hood...

[nando]

Clusterfuck.


https://www.dailytarheel.com/article...ters-edit-0816

This also perfectly describes the Trump administration as well. ;)

[ForcedFirebird]

He is gonna have a field day with this:

https://m.thebl.com/us-news/fake-russian-collusion-ex-fbi-lawyer-will-plead-guilty-to-forging-documents-against-president-trump.html

[roguetoaster]

Presidential Emergency Action Documents or P.E.A.D.'s
Looks like he may try to postpone the election for real with those secret powers he's been talking about. No congress to consider, only close advisers to guide/steer the new Amerikan dictatorship should they try it. To know about them Trump had to have his attorneys' digging for ways to circumvent democracy. None of this looks good for anyone under the flag so I am cautiously optimistic that those closest to him will not allow it to happen.
Senior Senators and Congressmen who review classified CIA stuff claim they never knew this existed. Perhaps because it's the Justice Dept?

If it comes down to it, tens of thousands of people still have to go along with it. Also, we don't know the extent of those emergency powers, or under what circumstances then can be invoked, or even if there is any type of oversight/review.

Considering the era of their origin, I suspect that the original intent was to provide a legal justification for otherwise illegal action in the event of a sudden military conflict. However, if they were in the way it looks like they may have been there's probably some sort of JCS tie in.