Nothing complicated. I’m just idly whiling away some time…
I’m with you. I don’t know who dreams up these scenarios. Bill Maher has an excuse of being perpetually high. Everyone else, sheer paranoia. I chalk it up to TDS. Maybe it’s time to have a telethon for this insidious affliction.
The McConnell speculation is the only one I see as having any chance of having any real effect on the election or the nation, and it’s not even ultimately up to Trump.
I’ve asked before, and I’ll ask again: suppose Trump refuses to vacate the presidency. What legitimate and likely means does he have to force anyone anywhere in DC to pay the least bit attention to anything he wants? I don’t see any. He refuses to leave. That means he has what kind of power and authority? None, as far as I can tell.
Trump will leave saying he has accomplished more than any President in history. He will also say that he wants to spend more time with his family. Melania will be put on suicide watch.
About 5% chance of Trump trying. Exactly 0.0% chance of it working.
I think it’s more likely that, the day after losing the election, Individual 1 essentially quits – leaves D.C., cancels any remaining appointments and stops performing anything remotely resembling presidential duties. He launches a 10-week temper tantrum from Mar a Lago, whining about election fraud, blaming his advisors and bragging about the greatness of his presidency.
And nobody gives a shit.
People said that Presidents Bush and Obama wouldn’t leave after their terms in office, too.
IOW, the idea is nonsense.
I can’t see any way Trump holds on to power illegitimately. What is he going to do, go on TV and say, “The election results are FAKE because: Argle. Gargle. Bargle. GOO!” Only the dipshits will take him seriously, just like now, only his schtick will be worn that much thinner by then.
Can he inspire riots? I dunno, but this country has endured major riots. It has endured a civil war even, though I seriously doubt Trump has the skills to pull a Jefferson Davis.
Nope, come inauguration day, Trump is a gone daddy. I think Cohen is just trying to inflate his importance with this line. “There is a terrible crisis! I am the only one who can protect us!” Wonder where he learned that one? :rolleyes:
Trump won’t simply refuse to leave, should he lose but not vacate on Jan 20th, it will be because either the election result or the requirement to leave is still being challenged in court. I’ve no idea how likely that is, but if he’s not conceded defeat, and the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled that he’s defeated and must leave, then no-one’s going to drag him out.
The 2000 election was insanely close, yet the SCOTUS managed to decide it before New Years Day. How big a fustercluck* do you think 2020 is going to be for it not to be settled by Jan. 20.
Whether or not he concedes is irrelevant.
*Thanks, The Punisher
Trump claimed voter fraud when he won the election so he will absolutely claim voter fraud if he loses. The danger isn’t in him not physically leaving the White House. The danger lies in his base not accepting the legitimacy of the elections even if the vast majority of Republicans claim that they should. Trump, realizing his real estate licensing scam is now over, will indulge his ego by forming a right wing media company and becoming “the voice of the people.”. He’ll be almost be as dangerous out of office as he was in it.
One where Trump gets to put a couple more judges on the Court, but they aren’t quite ready to outright fake an election result, but don’t want to give it to the Dems either.
I should say I don’t think this will happen (sadly, I think Trump will legitimately win), but if he is to lose but not leave, that will be how.
The slight difference there is neither of them was standing for re-election, and so were not in a position to falsely claim they’d won. There was no chance that either of them would refuse to leave, but there is a small chance that Trump will.
I’ve never claimed that trump is Hitler. Stylistically he’s a lot closer to Mussolini, but whatever. He’s unquestionably an authoritarian, with little regard for democracy or the institutions of same. And I’m old enough to remember the “he won’t leave” argument being made about Nixon and has been recycled about pretty much every two-term president since. And yes, it hasn’t been true but like a lot of things isn’t true right up until the moment it is. Don’t forget this isn’t coming from some lefty loon, but someone who has been active in Republican circles and who has a decade long relationship with the individual (one) in question.
Actually, we’re both mistaken because the new Congress begins on January 3, and the electoral votes are counted on January 6.
That was the point I was trying to make (obviously not very well). While there are no guarantees whatsoever, the Senate in the 117th Congress could be controlled by Democrats — relegating McConnell to a well-deserved irrelevance.
One way would be to facilitate Russian interference in the 2020 election—this time to the point of actually changing vote totals in the machines.
It’s well-documented that the Trump Administration has declined to fund (or actively de-funded) efforts to protect our elections:
Though that’s from July, I’m not seeing any evidence that the situation has changed in favor of ‘protecting US elections,’ and plenty of evidence that Trump is continuing to communicate with Russians and keeping those communications secret. From a January (2019) report:
And of course Trump (or his enablers) may have met secretly with the Russian Foreign Minister, who was present in Vietnam while Trump was there for the talks with KJU:
…In all these meetings with Russian officials, is it possible that plans for getting Russian technicians and/or hackers into the US are being discussed? Is it possible that Trump feels that with Russian help, vote totals that will protect him from facing justice over his various crimes will be obtained?
I’m not sure how we could rule that out. Both parties have shown they have no qualms about such actions, and given the secrecy of Trump’s communications with Putin and his deputies, who would bet that the 2020 election isn’t part of the arrangements being made?
The saddest thing about this is, if it happened, the reaction from the general population would be a tweetstorm followed by protests the following weekend, IF the weather was nice enough.
This reasoning is mentioned under “TFTSTHAN” on this webpage or here.
Three years ago, I would have said you’re being too harsh.
But now I feel they deserve this.