Yes, and probably. At least in the sense that Barr is continuing to whittle away at Democracy.
Sort of. Barr released a memo that allowed investigations of “substantial” claims of fraud. Typically DOJ would be barred by policy from investigating local election matters at this time. The specific quote from Barr was that investigations “may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.”
Worried? Perhaps. But every claim I’ve seen so far is either broad and unverified (i.e. large enough to swing the election but entirely without proof) or specific and anemic (i.e. possibly true but only effecting tiny numbers of voters).
New Tweet from POTUS this morning: WE ARE MAKING BIG PROGRESS. RESULTS START TO COME IN NEXT WEEK. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Next week, next week. I guess that’s better than “two weeks”.
I have the impression that the timing of the American electoral system is still geared to a bygone era when travel and communication was slow and difficult, perhaps even before railroads.
Time to move into the 21st century.
I feel most of the toxic to inconvenient differences between the US and Europe stem from the former’s tenacious clinging into centuries-old systems, legislation and values.
Maybe this is another thread’s worth of discussion, but… suppose Trump got Trumpist judges to give up the states of PA and GA, giving himself the election.
What would happen? What would you do?
My bold.
That blinking is when the hive mind clicks in and takes over. This is followed by vacant stares and robotic, repetitive statements.
Haven’t we floated the idea before that Republicans are The Borg?
One reason even Trumpist judges would be reluctant to do this is the country would go nuts, and with good reason. They saw the outpouring of joy last Saturday, just like the rest of us. It really can’t be undone without serious harm.
Very true. In many ways, the US is a victim of its own success. By being the first modern democracy, it’s stuck with a bunch of experimental half-measures that later-founded democracies avoided.
But it doesn’t HAVE to remain stuck with them.
It’s actually been adjusted once already. Presidential inauguration used to be in March.
Yes. And it’s made even worse by the fact that many of those half-measures were designed specifically to limit democracy and to provide equal (and some cases more than equal) political voice to states whose primary goal at the time was to continue the institution of slavery.
I’m not seeing this at all. I think their stupid shenanigans are increasing Biden’s political capital. Biden or surrogates are going to be able to point to the dumbfuckery to whip Congressional votes. And it helps Democratic voters stay engaged.
What’s weakening Biden is the (probably Russia deployed) story of centrists vs leftists in the Democratic Party. That shitfire has to be put out pronto.
I’d think about Rudy’s press conference in the garage of the landscape company located between the crematorium and the dildo store with viewing booths (I wonder if, since COVID, those booths are sanitized after every use)…and laugh my ass off. That one never gets old.
Seriously, the Rudy clown show has delegitimized what could have been a mild to moderately effective campaign to gin up evidence of “voter fraud”. God, that assclown was pulling this same shit all over Ukraine for year, as a personal representative of the President of the United States. Never forget that.
I’m sure if any totally bought off judge made such a ruling, it would be reversed so fast your head would spin.
And if by some remote chance they manage to tie things up past January 20th, the Trump and Pence terms expire and Acting President Pelosi would take office.
Which claims would those be, exactly?
And this gives them the excuse to call in the military, to control the “rebels”. It’s all in the authoritarian takeover playbook.
I don’t think the military would cooperate, especially at the level of command.
Whatever goon squads they can get together then. Right wing militias. Federal agents from obscure agencies with firepower. (like they used in DC).
Perhaps. Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t think most conservative republicans would support an authoritarian takeover.
Sure, they would prefer to keep Trump (or ideally a different Republican) in the White House, but that’s a far cry from what you’re suggesting. And IMO, that’s what it would take to keep Biden at bay: military intervention to keep down an uprising more massive than this country has never seen.
I agree. Even Republicans are smart enough to realize that if power in the country comes from the barrel of the gun, then who needs Congress? Name one authoritarian government where the legislature has any real power.
I don’t think we need to pay too much heed to the Barr memo – it seems like a blatant attempt to mollify his boss without actually doing anything. He just issued a statement that says “you are hereby authorized to do your job” and put official stamps and seals on it. Of course, even that much trashed the normal DOJ chain of command and resulted in the resignation of the head of Election Crimes. But it’s much ado about nothing.