# 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:** 152
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3027 "2021-01-13T18:30:15Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Trump doesn’t need support of the whole military though… just the ones in DC, right? At least at the start? The Joint Chiefs of Staff are in DC, or at least just across the Potomac. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3029 "2021-01-13T18:48:03Z")
I’m going to be cautiously optimistic and say that anyone receiving his orders would refuse, though I’ve given up trying to predict Trump at this point. On a different topic, I started poking around some of the “alt-tech” apps like Gab, and all I can say is, holy shit there’s a boat load of casual insanity there. The concern I have - speaking of the military and law enforcement - is that the cranks will make less noise if they’re off of FB and twitter, but they’re going to harder to monitor as well. ---
**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 13, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3030 "2021-01-13T18:49:29Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > they’re going to harder to monitor as well. Disagree. If you are “poking around” these apps and groups, you can be damned sure that the homeland security folks and the FBI are doing more than “poking around” ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3031 "2021-01-13T18:52:48Z")
I’ve no doubt they’re doing that right now, but I’m concerned about three or six months from now. ---
**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 13, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3032 "2021-01-13T18:55:00Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > three or six months from now. With any luck, many of the idjits currently posting on these sites will either be in prison, or will be pretending that they never said anything positive about Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3033 "2021-01-13T19:38:07Z")
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s chief of staff said that when they were sheltering in the Congresswoman’s office, they discovered that all of their panic buttons had been ripped out. Ahead of the attack. If this is true, it would have to have been an inside job. People are now, without evidence, questioning the suicide of the Capitol policeman. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3034 "2021-01-13T19:44:29Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I’m going to be cautiously optimistic and say that anyone receiving his orders would refuse Trump’s fitness for office is obviously now front and center, and made official with impeachment proceedings today by the House. At least that means that anyone in the chain of command knows that they have clear protection to refuse any order that they feel is illegal. Or, conversely, that someone choosing to follow a seditious order cannot credibly claim that they were “just following orders”. It doesn’t give complete comfort, but anyone in the military who now dares to collude with Trump to foment insurrection must be totally committed, the stakes are raised. If they commit to a conspiracy to overthrow the government, either it succeeds or they are doing hard time for treason. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3035 "2021-01-13T20:04:04Z")
As well they should. Nobody is making any accusations just yet, but you have to admit it looks a tad suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2021, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3036 "2021-01-14T06:03:33Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It doesn’t give complete comfort, but anyone in the military who now dares to collude with Trump to foment insurrection must be totally committed, the stakes are raised. If they commit to a conspiracy to overthrow the government, either it succeeds or they are doing hard time for treason. If you shoot at the King, you better not miss! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3037 "2021-01-15T12:58:26Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > It’s kind of like after a guy breaks into your home, threatens your family, and after you capture him and tie him to a chair waiting for police, he cries and says you are being mean to him and why can’t everyone just hug and let him go? The remorse of psychopaths. Not sorry for the harm they caused; not sorry for the wrong things they did - sorry they got caught; sorry this is happening to _them._ ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3038 "2021-01-15T14:18:16Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > **John Scalzi** , author of _Old Man’s War_ , _Redshirts_ , etc. has a great blog post up about recent events: Yes, he makes the same observations that some of us have been making, but he frames the Republican strategy a bit differently in words. > [@k9bfriender](#): > > The even better news is that we ran up a huge bill in doing so, and all that money now belongs to us, your expensive lawyers and accountants, but _you_ are penniless.” Nah, he’ll just stiff his lawyers again. Just like he’s already doing with Juliani. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Yes. But what I am saying is there will not be the _votes_ . His no longer being there will give plausible cover to those arguing it’s moot and refusing to vote for it and I have no reason to doubt there would be at least 34 of them. True that. The the House members already used timing as a justification for their no votes. The Senate has plenty of cover with “He’s already out of office, now it would just be a political game.” Ignoring that there must be consequences for that type of action. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > The QAnon conspiracy theorist trampled to death by her own fellow Y’all Qaeda mobsters? She was carrying a “don’t tread on me” flag. From that article, the friend who tried to pull her out says, > [@](#): > > Despite his loss, Winchell doesn’t believe President Trump bears any responsibility for his friend’s death or the three others killed during the riots, instead shifting the blame onto Antifa and other “instigators.” > > “She was killed by an incited event and it was not incited by Trump supporters,” he told CBS46’ Zac Summers. Right. All those white antifa members storming around in the crowd. > [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > _ **The President of the United States raised an army to attack the legislative branch because he didn’t want them to formalize the election.** _ > > He did this openly, on federal property, and conservatives were cool with it. > > Everyone needs to understand this. You are absolutely correct. > [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > I am seriously asking, what are the legislatures going to do? Nothing for this election. But they are going to really stir up the shit and prep for the next elections and the ones following that. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3039 "2021-01-15T15:21:34Z")
The guy with the zip ties is a retired Air Force officer. I hope they court martial him. > **[Several more Capitol rioters have been arrested including man who carried a...](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/us/Kevin-Seefried-arrested.html)** > > A federal prosecutor said that a retired Air Force officer who stormed the Senate chamber holding zip ties had intended to “take hostages.” ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3040 "2021-01-15T16:37:32Z")
As the timeline gets more clear, cnn reported that mike pence was 1 minute away from insurgents. He was whisked into a room, one minute later insurgents gained access to the corridor. 1 minute and the vp’s secret service would have been in a very heated battle. How pence did not use the 25th, I don’t know or understand. Trump should have been out and under psychiatric evaluation that night. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3041 "2021-01-15T16:48:58Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > How pence did not use the 25th, I don’t know or understand. - The 25th doesn’t apply to God. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3042 "2021-01-15T16:51:19Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > 1 minute and the vp’s secret service would have been in a very heated battle. Once they start shooting the battle is over; the mob would have panicked and fled, and there would have been a stampede. A mob of QAnon cultists and aggrieved snowflakes isn’t going to have the discipline to stand up to gunfire. I remain flummoxed as to why there wasn’t more shooting. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3043 "2021-01-15T16:56:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I remain flummoxed as to why there wasn’t more shooting. After watching the video of the mob beating cops with sticks and poles as they tried to force one of the doors, I really can’t understand why they didn’t respond by shooting. The rioters were using deadly force. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3044 "2021-01-15T16:59:45Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I remain flummoxed as to why there wasn’t more shooting. I think there was very much the idea in the heads of the Police that they couldn’t shoot their way out of trouble. Yes, early on there was probably a “these are my peeps” thing going on, but when you’re surrounded by a violent mob, with 50x as many rioters as you have bullets, you’re more likely to make it home to your wife and kids by appealing to their humanity than by opening fire. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3045 "2021-01-15T17:02:04Z")
There’s more information out suggesting that there was likely intent to carry out assassinations – that raises the stakes considerably. My sense is that some members of congress will have to be expelled (not to mention prosecuted), which is going to be an extremely contentious issue in its own right, but that is a fight that we will have to have. I am hopeful that Biden hasn’t inherited a military and federal law enforcement that hasn’t been too politicized yet. One of his top priorities will be rooting out the extremist enemies within. This is also looking like an undertaking that involved some serious financial effort and political coordination. I won’t cross-post but I posted a link to a story on another thread about how cryptocurrency transactions (at least $500K) were conducted by right wing activists – and that’s what we know so far. This was clearly an attempted political hijacking by…someone. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3046 "2021-01-15T17:02:55Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I think there was very much the idea in the heads of the Police that they couldn’t shoot their way out of trouble. In the case I was referring to, the cops weren’t surrounded. They were inside a doorway and the rioters were outside trying to fight their way in. If the cops had shot the ones in front no one else could have approached them. It’s true that one of the cops was dragged out into the mob but they should have opened fire as soon as anyone set hands on him. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/3047 "2021-01-15T17:07:07Z")
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Trump pardons them all. The reason being, he can intimidate the shit out of people who impeach him, knowing that these radicals are out there. This is why the 25th Amendment and immediate impeachment and conviction are so vitally necessary. Every day he has a chance to calculate, is a day that he will likely consider protecting his rabid pack of jackals. > **[‘He has an obligation to them’: Attorney for ‘QAnon shaman’ asks Trump to...](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/15/attorney-qanon-shaman-trump-pardon-459608)** > > Jacob Chansley, a 33-year-old man from Phoenix, was one of the most recognizable perpetrators of the Capitol siege. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=151) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=153)