# 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:** 38
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/742 "2020-11-23T15:17:31Z")
1. Yes, and 2. Why wouldn’t it be accepted? If those are the 16 electoral votes Michigan sends, what basis would Congress have for not accepting them? ---
**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:** [November 23, 2020, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/743 "2020-11-23T15:19:34Z")
Or create a national state of emergency when people take to the streets to protest - that card is still in the deck. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/744 "2020-11-23T15:21:06Z")
What would that do, exactly? I agree this whole situation is really bad, but declaring an emergency doesn’t allow him to declare himself the winner. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/745 "2020-11-23T15:22:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 1. Yes, and 2. Why wouldn’t it be accepted? If those are the 16 electoral votes Michigan sends, what basis would Congress have for not accepting them? Thanks for the answers. 🤦‍♂️ I was thinking of a different situation where competing slates of electors would be present; _mea culpa_. ---
**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:** [November 23, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/746 "2020-11-23T15:27:53Z")
He could attempt to suspend civil liberties. My real point is, we just don’t know what he is capable of trying, and what Republicans are capable of supporting. ---
**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 23, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/747 "2020-11-23T15:43:12Z")
I haven’t gotten that bored yet, but … for those who have … > **[AGuideToEmergencyPowersAndTheirUse\_2.13.19.pdf](https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/AGuideToEmergencyPowersAndTheirUse_2.13.19.pdf)** > > 670.61 KB ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/748 "2020-11-23T16:57:01Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I was thinking of a different situation where competing slates of electors would be present; _mea culpa_ . I don’t even know if that’s a thing. If it is, I guess Congress could accept them all, as Biden would still win. Doesn’t really matter if he wins 322-248 instead of 306-232. Michigan would effectively be removing themselves from contributing to the vote. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/749 "2020-11-23T17:05:40Z")
But accepting it would legitimise the practice of routinely invalidating results you dislike. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/750 "2020-11-23T17:14:31Z")
Oh, I’m not saying it’s a good idea. ---
**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 23, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/751 "2020-11-23T17:21:50Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t even know if that’s a thing. If it is, I guess Congress could accept them all, as Biden would still win. Doesn’t really matter if he wins 322-248 instead of 306-232. Michigan would effectively be removing themselves from contributing to the vote. I don’t think that accepting two slates of electors from a given state is an option. When Congress counts electoral votes on January 6, if there is more than one slate submitted by a state, they have to decide which slate to accept. Again, I don’t believe “both” is an option. ---
**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 23, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/752 "2020-11-23T22:10:23Z")
Looks like Trump’s attempt to bribe or coerce those Michigan legislators has failed. > **[Michigan certifies Biden's win as Trump challenges in other key states fizzle...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/michigan-certify-election-results-monday/index.html)** > > The Michigan State Board of Canvassers voted Monday to certify the state's election results, formally granting President-elect Joe Biden the state's 16 electoral votes -- and all but erasing any pathway for President Donald Trump's to overturn the... ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/753 "2020-11-23T22:27:08Z")
Thought you guys might appreciate this. Another turkey fighting the results of an election: > **[Trump Once Joked at Turkey Pardon That One of the Birds 'Refused to Concede...](https://people.com/politics/donald-trump-joked-at-turkey-pardon-carrots-wouldnt-concede/)** > > "Unfortunately, Carrots refused to concede and demanded a recount, and we're still fighting with Carrots," President Trump said in 2018, in a moment that got revived on social media this week ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/754 "2020-11-30T06:22:19Z")
Some federal judge (Judge Batten) ordered Georgia to temporarily preserve and not wipe voting machines, then reversed his own order because the machines are under control of individual county election officials rather than at the state level. The state was named as the defendant and could not be held to this order so it was reversed. WTF? Why on earth would this judge entertain a suit from the crazy Kraken team? Other than the obvious reason, that he’s probably a Republican, though I haven’t looked into it to be sure. There was no changing of votes from trump to Biden. Stop the steal? Don’t you mean stop the shit? I’m so tired of this. > **[Debunking Trump Tweets: No Big Win in Georgia for #TeamKraken](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/teamkraken-georgia-injunction/)** > > A claim that Trump's legal supporters won "a major injunction" in trying to overturn election results in Georgia proved to be short-lived. Apparently the wiping is set for November 30. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/755 "2020-11-30T14:17:14Z")
On Fox & Friends over the weekend they were still casually talking about trump just pulling a coup and swapping out electors. Who needs minor technicalities like “any evidence of fraud whatsoever”? I thought talk of this was finished after trump’s ham-fisted attempt to sway Michigan legislators by inviting them to the WH a couple weeks ago. Twitter link to the video clip below, and a key quote from Will Cain of F&F: > There may not be enough evidence for a court system, but there should be enough evidence for state legislators to change their electors. > ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/756 "2020-12-01T17:56:43Z")
That won’t happen now, but you’d better believe that Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Devin Nunes and other Trumpist bootlickers in Congress are going to challenge every single slate of Democratic electors from all the battleground states. That’s a thing they can do; the Democrats did it to a few states in 2000 and 2004, but the GOP is going to amp it up big time. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/757 "2020-12-01T18:09:38Z")
I dare say they’ll challenge each and every Biden slate of electors. It will drag out the process for hours but the base will eat it up like popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/758 "2020-12-01T18:40:43Z")
It could delay the process by days. Gaetz et al. may be hoping they can delay it so long it’s declared a failure and then the House delegations can elect Trump. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/759 "2020-12-01T19:53:09Z")
Looks like Barr has gone rogue. > **[Disputing Trump, Barr says no widespread election fraud](https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-william-barr-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d)** > > WASHINGTON (AP) — Disputing President Donald Trump’s persistent, baseless claims, Attorney General William Barr declared Tuesday the U.S. Justice Department has uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could change the outcome of the 2020... ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/760 "2020-12-01T20:06:08Z")
I think he’s fired before the sun sets. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182/761 "2020-12-01T20:18:33Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I dare say they’ll challenge each and every Biden slate of electors. It will drag out the process for hours but the base will eat it up like popcorn. Please fight my ignorance: What does it mean to “challenge a slate of electors”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=37) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-american-coup-11-9-2020/925182.md?page=39)