# How much of a problem is a post-President (or lame duck) Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 27, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079 "2020-01-27T22:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/21 "2020-01-28T19:47:34Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > If you cant beat a mentally declining DJT in TWO elections…you deserve eight more years of him. I don’t control how stupid and hateful the country is. I don’t deserve him personally. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/22 "2020-01-28T19:48:51Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > AFTER he’s gone? He’s not going to go quietly. In fact, he has on more than one occasion made thinly veiled threats about what his followers are capable of if the Democrats “cheat” him out of a second term. So what? I’m sure some Trump die-hards will continue to kill people in his name but it won’t be a political issue. A few riots, even if some extreme nuts bring their guns, won’t overturn the election. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/23 "2020-01-28T19:51:24Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > If you cant beat a mentally declining DJT in TWO elections…you deserve eight more years of him. It’s not just Trump we have to beat. It’s the conservative political machine that puts Republican candidates in office even when they come in second place in elections. That machine gave us George W. Bush as well as Donald Trump. We need to dismantle this machine and restore democracy in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/24 "2020-01-28T19:54:35Z")
As for Trump personally, I have a feeling that if he loses this year, he’ll refuse to accept his time has passed. He’ll just start running to get back in office in 2024. Worst case scenario for Trump? He collects millions in donations from his die-hard supporters. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/25 "2020-01-28T19:58:11Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I doubt very much that Trump would be able to remember any classified information. Or know what it is. Unless, of course, Putin has asked him for specific data. Which I think is a real possibility. Check his suitcase and pockets. He should be frisked when he leaves. Fun (and relevant) Fact: Small thumb drives and memory cards will easily fit inside a human rectum. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/26 "2020-01-28T20:01:14Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > In addition, he will continue his quest for as much attention and money as he can acquire. What are the chances that he will divulge sensitive, perhaps even highly classified, information in order to sell books and secure speaking gigs? What mechanisms are in place to put reins on an ex-President who feels unbound by convention, common sense, and patriotism? I’m sure that Trump would WANT to reveal classified information in order to show how smart and important he is, but there is no way in hell he would be able to REMEMBER even one iota of information that is of any value to anyone. So no worries on that front. ETA great minds think alike - should have read the whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/27 "2020-01-28T20:18:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s not just Trump we have to beat. It’s the conservative political machine that puts Republican candidates in office even when they come in second place in elections. That machine gave us George W. Bush as well as Donald Trump. > > We need to dismantle this machine and restore democracy in this country. NO…you need to fix your house before complaining about how bad the neighborhood is. If the Dems would stop eating their tail, take responsibility and actually be the good guys they purport to be…they’d never lose another presidential election. again…they lost to DONALD FUCKING TRUMP. After getting a black president elected twice. And are in great danger of losing again. To Donald Trump. It’s not because the country is full of ‘inbred, hick illiterate toothless cousin-fuckers’ It’s because there are millions of people that don’t want to be associated with the likes of Don Lemon or a party that runs smears against its own with its propaganda network. And IF Sanders does lose the nomination…why the FUCK should his supporters help people who called them ‘Bernie Bros’ and "Russian tools’ for 5 years?? And I have no great love of Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/28 "2020-01-28T20:27:49Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s not just Trump we have to beat. It’s the conservative political machine that puts Republican candidates in office even when they come in second place in elections. That machine gave us George W. Bush as well as Donald Trump. > > We need to dismantle this machine and restore democracy in this country. I think you are talking about the constitution and not the republican machine. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/29 "2020-01-28T20:35:24Z")
Nemo, Agreed, but it may be too late. Whatever Trump says at the moment is the law for the moment. If the Senate does not remove him from office it sets a precedent that essentially removes impeachment as a remedy. In the future Trump and his successors can simply ignore impeachment. The party in power is no longer bound by the Constitution Trump does not need an amendment to stay in office. He simply announces that the rule is being waived so it does not apply to him. Same for elections. No need because he is the most popular and beloved President in history. It may require a coup by the joint chiefs of staff to get rid of Trump. The military is the ultimate protector of the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/30 "2020-01-28T20:58:44Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Nemo, > > Agreed, but it may be too late. Whatever Trump says at the moment is the law for the moment. If the Senate does not remove him from office it sets a precedent that essentially removes impeachment as a remedy. In the future Trump and his successors can simply ignore impeachment. The party in power is no longer bound by the Constitution > > Trump does not need an amendment to stay in office. He simply announces that the rule is being waived so it does not apply to him. Same for elections. No need because he is the most popular and beloved President in history. > > It may require a coup by the joint chiefs of staff to get rid of Trump. The military is the ultimate protector of the Constitution. And yet…he WILL leave either in 2021 or 2025 and there will continue to be elections. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/31 "2020-01-28T21:01:46Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think you are talking about the constitution and not the republican machine. See a lot of mentions of gerrymandering and voter disenfranchisement in the Constitution, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/32 "2020-01-28T21:08:10Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Nemo, > > Agreed, but it may be too late. Whatever Trump says at the moment is the law for the moment. If the Senate does not remove him from office it sets a precedent that essentially removes impeachment as a remedy. In the future Trump and his successors can simply ignore impeachment. The party in power is no longer bound by the Constitution > > Trump does not need an amendment to stay in office. He simply announces that the rule is being waived so it does not apply to him. Same for elections. No need because he is the most popular and beloved President in history. > > It may require a coup by the joint chiefs of staff to get rid of Trump. The military is the ultimate protector of the Constitution. If Trump has a saving grace, it’s his incompetence. He’s too dumb to pull off being a dictator. He needs a whole bunch of legal institutions to prop him up and keep him in power. If he abandons those legal institutions, he won’t last a month before he’s overthrown. As for impeachment, I agree; the Republicans in the Senate are going to let Trump get away with his crimes. But then we will decide in November, if those Republicans will get away with what they did. If the Senators who backed a guilty President lose their own seats over doing so, you’ll never see future Senators making that same mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/33 "2020-01-28T21:24:44Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Nemo, > > Agreed, but it may be too late. Whatever Trump says at the moment is the law for the moment. If the Senate does not remove him from office it sets a precedent that essentially removes impeachment as a remedy. In the future Trump and his successors can simply ignore impeachment. The party in power is no longer bound by the Constitution > > Trump does not need an amendment to stay in office. He simply announces that the rule is being waived so it does not apply to him. Same for elections. No need because he is the most popular and beloved President in history. > > It may require a coup by the joint chiefs of staff to get rid of Trump. The military is the ultimate protector of the Constitution. This post would require a series of expensive upgrades before it can even be wrong. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/34 "2020-01-28T21:36:35Z")
Perhaps so, we’ll see how it unfolds. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/35 "2020-01-28T21:39:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > See a lot of mentions of gerrymandering and voter disenfranchisement in the Constitution, do you? Gerrymandering does not change state borders so it has no affect on the electoral college. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/36 "2020-01-28T21:49:10Z")
Nemo, I’ve usually dismissed the ‘Trump will hold onto the Presidency by any means’ stuff as absurd. I considered such speculation to be nonsense. But, Trump keeps escalating his fruitcake behavior and nobody cares. The only thing they care about is that Trump stays in power. What was once absurd now seems unlikely but possible. I agree that our one remedy is a Blue Wave in November that holds the House and captures both Senate and the Presidency. But, what if the Dems get the Senate and not the Presidency. Would the public back another impeachment, no matter how well deserved? ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/37 "2020-01-28T22:37:23Z")
I’m still waiting for Bush to invade Iran as I was promised in 2007 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/38 "2020-01-28T23:04:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This post would require a series of expensive upgrades before it can even be wrong. > > Regards, > > Shodan How about actually contributing something to this thread, rather than just dropping a what-you-think-is-funny drive-by? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/39 "2020-01-28T23:15:12Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Gerrymandering does not change state borders so it has no affect on the electoral college. You apparently didn’t understand what I said. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s not just Trump we have to beat. It’s the conservative political machine that puts Republican candidates in office even when they come in second place in elections. That machine gave us George W. Bush as well as Donald Trump. > > We need to dismantle this machine and restore democracy in this country. The conservative political machine is more than just the President. It’s the House of Representatives and the Senate which allow a President to commit crimes and start wars. It’s judges appointed to legislate the conservative platform into laws from the courts. It’s state legislators who rewrite district borders so the minority party wins elections. It’s local bureaucrats appointed by conservatives who get to decide whose ID is acceptable at the voting booth. I’m not imagining this. It all happened in this country. We had one-party rule in southern states for decades. They made sure that every level of government but one was controlled by them so there was nobody you could turn to to try to fix the system. The one exception was the federal government, which was the only authority that was able to step in and restore democratic rule in the south. And that’s the political system conservatives are trying to rebuild. Sure they call themselves Republicans now instead of Democrats but the real difference is this time they’re trying to establish a one-party system on a national level. They want to make sure that this time, there’ll be nobody who can stop them once they take over. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079/40 "2020-01-28T23:47:27Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Trump does not need an amendment to stay in office. He simply announces that the rule is being waived so it does not apply to him. > [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Well, the GOP has not been really keen on following any other part of the Constitution. Why would they let that stop them? So when people point out that the Constitution has a hard limit of 2 terms on the presidency, the response here is just to handwave that fact aside? That’s a bit akin to Flat-Earthers who respond to photos showing a round Earth with, “aww, shucks, Photoshop.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-a-problem-is-a-post-president-or-lame-duck-trump/847079.md?page=3)