# The American Coup: 11.9.2020 - **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182 "2020-11-09T23:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/281 "2020-11-12T20:04:20Z")
Being Democrat. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/282 "2020-11-12T20:10:02Z")
Of course none of them have committed any crimes. My point is that if the Big Doofus who will soon not be president had half the mystical powers to get away with anything that heā€™s ascribed, it wouldnā€™t matter. Everyone keeps assigning him these godlike powers - he doesnā€™t have any. Heā€™s just a big dumb rage monsterā€¦ which is plenty dangerous on its own! But there seems to be this perception that he literally does whatever he wants and is never blocked, which I think is factually not true. He gets blocked plenty, which is good, and which - this is important - should keep us all off the ledge right now, at least to some degree. Iā€™m not sure it benefits us to give this deeply stupid man more credit than he deserves. ---
**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:** [November 12, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/283 "2020-11-12T20:11:26Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Or does the nation have to wait until Jan. 20 for the transition that should have started in November? This. I think the transition may well be done only after Trump departs the Whitehouse in a petulant snit. This will probably happen well before Jan 20, possibly as early as December. He will cry and whine about ā€œcheatingā€, as he leaves the whitehouse. Heā€™ll probably literally take a piss on the Resolute Desk when he leaves. Iā€™m pretty sure that Putin is stroking his ego, and is orchestrating all of this garbage. Russia is the main beneficiary of this. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/284 "2020-11-12T20:37:00Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > Iā€™m not sure it benefits us to give this deeply stupid man more credit than he deserves. Except for going on 5 years now, weā€™ve all been asking the same question: How has this fucking moron got this far? It seems Chance-The-Gardner-esque. Except pretty much everyone is in on the joke, including the GOP members of congress and members of his administration, that heā€™s a fucking moron. Yet, here we all are. No closer to having the answer to the question. Surely there is going to be some cosmic reveal to this joke, right? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/285 "2020-11-12T20:42:11Z")
I think you make a good point. But somewhere along the line, the calculus changes for CFSG **and** his supporters, minions, Cabinet, and enablers. ā€œFreedomā€™s just another word for ā€¦ nothinā€™ left to lose.ā€ Where weā€™ve been for the last four years has been awful. But Iā€™m not sure weā€™ve yet been ā€¦ where we are now. Will that change the willingness of Trump, Inc. to accede to his monomaniacal sociopathy ? TBD. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/286 "2020-11-12T20:43:04Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Or does the nation have to wait until Jan. 20 for the transition that should have started in November? I think theyā€™re going to wait until January 6, when Congress counts the Electoral votes and Pence announce Biden and Harris won, before they finally admit the election is over. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/287 "2020-11-12T21:16:49Z")
[His wife](https://twitter.com/sfpelosi/status/1326993101647302657/photo/1), for starters! But a number of GOP congress folks have already called Biden ā€œpresident electā€. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/288 "2020-11-12T21:21:14Z")
Which is, coincidentally, the day after the Georgia run-off elections. I think that is the biggest piece of the puzzle. The Republican senators are scared to death that heā€™ll kill their chances in Georgia with a tweet if they donā€™t support him sufficiently. But I think all this noise is going to be good for the Democrats in Georgia. They arenā€™t going to be able to placate Trump and gaslight the nation until January 5th. And if they get ridiculous enough, the Dems may even get some of the borderline Trump voters back. Not many, but I figure 5% or so might be swayable if the Republicans get too insane. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/289 "2020-11-12T21:23:06Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > [His wife](https://twitter.com/sfpelosi/status/1326993101647302657/photo/1), for starters! ā“ Ainā€™t nothinā€™ there. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/290 "2020-11-12T21:27:28Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Ainā€™t nothinā€™ there. Thatā€™s what she said. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/291 "2020-11-12T22:26:11Z")
I guess they pulled it down as quick as they could! It was Melaniaā€™s announcement about the White House Christmas decorations (which, you know, who gives a fuck about those?). The announcement stated that 2020 would be their last in the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/292 "2020-11-12T22:29:51Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Contempt of court? Oh, no, whatā€™s next, the comfy chair? It can be punished by up to six months in prison. Itā€™s not nothing. Screwing up the whole country to score cheap political points would suffice for six months in prison in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/293 "2020-11-12T22:29:53Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > _The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed;_ > If those 3 states donā€™t appoint, then the threshold to win drops to 247. If Biden wins Georgia, he still wins. Thank you. I did not realize that. Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/294 "2020-11-12T22:36:04Z")
Oh my God, thatā€™s hilarious! How are there no screenshots of the tweet anywhere?? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/295 "2020-11-12T22:44:53Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I guess they pulled it down as quick as they could! It was Melaniaā€™s announcement about the White House Christmas decorations (which, you know, who gives a fuck about those?). The announcement stated that 2020 would be their last in the White House. It was fake news ā€“ the lady who retweeted it in the link you posted took her retweet down and posted this: [https://www.twaku.com/sfpelosi/tweet/1326998307835502593](https://www.twaku.com/sfpelosi/tweet/1326998307835502593) Eta: the edit history strip the context here ā€“ I was genuinely excited at first but as I looked into it I was disappointed to learn it wasnā€™t true. ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/296 "2020-11-12T23:14:12Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > [@Akaj](#): > > > > Contempt of court? Oh, no, whatā€™s next, the comfy chair? > > Screwing up the whole country to score cheap political points would suffice for six months in prison in my book. Do you mean, if you did that, youā€™d be happy to serve six months? Or that youā€™d be satisfied seeing that person serve six months? Because for a crime with that kind of impact I think six months is about 19.5 years too short a sentence. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/297 "2020-11-13T01:01:56Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > Judges, who time and time again have ruled against Trump, even those heā€™s appointed. Again, though, winning the lawsuits isnā€™t the point. The point is to rile up half the population into thinkingthere must have been some fraud. Then, pointing at all the ā€œunresolved questions,ā€ claim the result of the election in PA, WI, MI, AZ and GA cannot be accurately ascertained. Republican legislatures invoke federal law: > **[3 U.S. Code Ā§ 2 - Repealed. Pub. L. 117ā€“328, div. P, title I, Ā§ā€Æ102(a), Dec....](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/2)** And appoint Trumpist electors. Thereā€™s nothing you can practically do to stop them. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/298 "2020-11-13T01:21:59Z")
For this to happen, states would either have to fail to certify the results of the election for some reason, or the courts would have to give an order to stop states from certifying the results. Not sure how the first hypothetical would play out, but if a court gave such an order, it would be quickly appealed up to the state Supreme Court and/or the U.S. Supreme Court. In any event, if the state legislatures try this anti-democratic move, I believe the relevant SoS and governors would also have to cooperate. And the courts could step in here as well. One good thing is that all of this is out in the open. If state legislatures try to pull this, the public will know who is responsible. I donā€™t mean to sound so sanguine here. Iā€™m still very concerned about how this is all going to play out. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/299 "2020-11-13T02:26:53Z")
If it was that easy Republicans would have done it long ago. The National Task Force on Election Crises, in its paper [A State Legislature Cannot Appoint Its Preferred Slate of Electors to Override the Will of the People After the Election](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e70e52c7c72720ed714313f/t/5f625c790cef066e940ea42d/1600281722253/State_Legislature_Paper.pdf) goes into great detail to explain how failure requires more than delays or disputes in vote counting ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/300 "2020-11-13T02:53:00Z")
I donā€™t get ā€œthe lawsuit failed, but the Legislature gets to count it as evidenceā€ line. In that case the lawsuit is irrelevant. The legislature can just choose to override the election on their own. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=16)