# It wasn’t a coup **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 13, 2021, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407 "2021-01-13T05:29:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/662 "2021-02-02T03:39:46Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > A funny video from Mrs. Betty Bowers. AWESOME and Hilarious! I especially like the side-by-side vids of Trump and Charles Manson mugging for the camera. > [@asahi](#): > > We’re two, maybe three, election cycles from potentially losing American democracy for a long time, possibly forever. That far away? > [@Strassia](#): > > c) I am much more likely be pendantic and say it was a putsch encouraged to provide cover for an attemped autogolpe then say it wasn’t a coup attempt. Why use an unfamiliar German word _putsch_ when we have a perfectly good French one that means the same thing? 😉 > [@madmonk28](#): > > I think that it has done more damage to the US than 9/11. I doubt that we recover. No question. This is the single greatest threat to American Democracy we have faced. Far greater than the Cold War, or Naziism, or Japan attacking Pearl Harbor, or North Korea getting nuclear missiles that can strike the US mainland, or tampering from Putin and China and Iran in trying to befuddle American politics, or a failed land war in Asia for questionable political gain (Vietnam) that disillusioned the American people, or even the Civil War arising from Succession. This is a long growing calculated effort to undermine the democratic process and confidence of the American people that our democracy and democratic institutions work. And it’s taken the storming of the Capitol building and direct threat to Congress to wake many of us up, and many more are still blind, even willfully so. You know, thinking about this coup and the insurrection invasion, I’m reminded of an event from much earlier from Trump. You know, back when he exhorted all of his followers that he was sick and tired of the protestors at his events and they should punch them in the face. And then, when one protestor was being escorted out of the arena by the police, one of Trump’s followers ran up and punched the guy in the face. Anybody else now see the foreshadowing that event portended? > [@Mikkel](#): > > Filipino, he quote a proverb in Tagalog and say that’s the language they speak at home. You are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/663 "2021-02-02T03:54:32Z")
It’s not “succession”. It’s **SECESSION**. I see this all over the place (not just here) and I suspect I need to blame autocorrect, but geez, louise, people, we are not talking about a monarchy here. Yet, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/664 "2021-02-02T03:59:55Z")
Shhh! You don’t want to upset Crown Princess Ivanka. Bad things happen… ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/665 "2021-02-02T04:06:43Z")
Can I piggy back on this and point out that the building is the Capitol, with an O not capital. Drives me fucking crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/666 "2021-02-02T04:22:51Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Can I piggy back on this and point out that the building is the Capitol, with an O not capital. Drives me fucking crazy. Oh, please do! > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Shhh! You don’t want to upset Crown Princess Ivanka. Bad things happen… I will dream sweet dreams of her throwing herself on the ground and pounding her fists and kicking her feet like the brat she truly is. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/667 "2021-02-02T04:24:46Z")
First, putsch is a more specific type of government overthrow. Coupe could refer to any type of extralegal internal change in government by a relatively small group. Putsch refers to a sudden violent version. Second, most of the things you compare this to were threats either to the country itself, or it’s place in the international order. What I for one fear will result in a country with same borders, same military, and same economy (at least to begin with), but an entirely different form of government. Finally, there was a ton of foreshadowing, if by foreshadowing you mean the ex-POTUS explicitly saying he wouldn’t step down or threatening that the “tough” people who support him will do something if the Dems get out of line. But of course those were just jokes, until they weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/668 "2021-02-02T04:51:22Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > Coupe Dammit, autocorrect, now we will get side tracked by car puns. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/669 "2021-02-02T04:51:46Z")
I don’t want to see this thread driven down that road. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/670 "2021-02-02T05:02:11Z")
Just back up slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/671 "2021-02-02T05:03:03Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > Dammit, autocorrect, now we will get side tracked by car puns. Automobilecorrect ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/672 "2021-02-02T05:24:10Z")
We couldn’t a-ford to not dodge this. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/673 "2021-02-02T05:37:49Z")
Can we shift to a lower gear on the puns and get back to the thread already? ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/674 "2021-02-02T06:10:06Z")
At this point I guess I have to steer into it and hope it runs out of gas. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/675 "2021-02-02T07:12:09Z")
These puns are driving me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/676 "2021-02-02T08:32:00Z")
If these puns don’t stop, this thread is going to brake. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/677 "2021-02-02T09:36:06Z")
Sedan and shaddup ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/678 "2021-02-02T13:08:17Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > These puns are driving me crazy. We’ve got a bumper crop of them, but I know some people are eager to see them in the rearview mirror. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/679 "2021-02-02T13:30:39Z")
Well… after all it was an attempt at an [autocoup](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/autocoup). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/680 "2021-02-02T13:41:30Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > It’s not “succession”. It’s **SECESSION**. Oops. I blame autocorrect, but not the phone’s, my mental one. I’m supposed to have a really high vocabulary. How’s that working out for me? At least I didn’t say “[succussion](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions)”. > [@Strassia](#): > > First, putsch is a more specific type of government overthrow. Coupe could refer to any type of extralegal internal change in government by a relatively small group. Putsch refers to a sudden violent version. Thanks. I’ve never encountered the word until all this started happening. Ah, the days when I didn’t need to know these distinctions. Also, that was a bit of a joke. See, the setup is to expect me to point to an English word. I mean, French is such a confusing mess between spelling and pronunciation, at least to an English speaker, that it’s comical that we use a French term so casually. I know, a fair amount of French had been absorbed into our lexicon, I still find it amusing. I mean, who doesn’t laugh about “horse doovers” or struggle with _esprix de corps_ and get tangled up by _homage_? (“Oh mahj” or “hommadge”?) French seems silly. They appear to ignore the letters that are there and pronounce ones that aren’t. [/sidetrack] > [@Strassia](#): > > Second, most of the things you compare this to were threats either to the country itself, or it’s place in the international order. What I for one fear will result in a country with same borders, same military, and same economy (at least to begin with), but an entirely different form of government. Exactly. This is s different kind of threat to our country, one that is much more insidious. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407/681 "2021-02-02T14:37:55Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > French seems silly. They appear to ignore the letters that are there and pronounce ones that aren’t. [/sidetrack] As opposed to the inherently logical and phonetical pronunciation of English words? Like the “r” in “colonel” and the “f” in lieutenant”? 😁 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-wasn-t-a-coup/930407.md?page=35)