Absolutely. Or it would be something else equally stupid meant to disqualify him. Like he was born in Kenya maybe?
Let’s get something straight, if the GOP was complicit in Trump’s attempt to steal the election Trump would have won.
I predict 2 full years of the Senate having investigation after investigation into “THE FRAUDULENT ELECTION”
That’s pretty much all they are going to be focused on, while the country falls apart around them. Which of course, they will blame on Biden.
You know what? It would have no effect. At all.
So your position is that the american system has failed, and that it’s a stealth dictatorship wholly under the control of the GOP, then? Democrats only ever win because the GOP allows it? Biden won with their endorsement?
The concerning part is that “those people” number in the tens of millions. Lunatics used to be the fringe, but nowadays the right wing actively cultivates them.
The GOP is complicit in their silence and denial of reality. They are complicit.
The GOP clearly isn’t complicit in a coordinated, well-planned takeover. GOP figures who actually have real power over election certification have not exercised it to overturn election results.
However the GOP is completely complicit in providing political cover for this attempt and giving it legitimacy. If there actually was a coordinated plan they’ve already laid the groundwork for its legitimization, and it’s not really that much of a step to let a real coup happen next time if it’s orchestrated by someone competent.
My position is what the GOP says or doesn’t say is inconsequential, what matters is what they did. They stopped Trump when it mattered. Having establishment members speak out against Trump would have done jack shit. What people seem to want is for them to commit career suicide for absolutely no gain, this is simply unrealistic.
Not yet they haven’t.
So far the courts have held up. And some lower-level officials (up to state Governors, so maybe not so low-level) have held up.
But I still have some fear that Trump will try one more executive play. Perhaps a martial law gambit. Or some Executive Order regarding election tampering. Maybe I’m wrong, and once the courts have ruled he will go quietly. But I honestly wonder if he might make them stop him. And if he does, then we will see how many actually do.
Well, yeah…so far. But everything that’s happened so far has been good.
Other people have already responded to this, but I’ll add a few things. First off, you’re right that many state level GOP officials and GOP-nominated judges have done their jobs in the face of this attempted election steal. So I’m wrong to impugn the entire GOP - they are not all complicit in this post-election power grab. I should have specified national GOP politicians.
But you’re wrong (as I think you’re doing) to define that complicity only means interfering in the counting of votes or actively filing lawsuits, etc. As the post you responded to detailed, their lack of denunciation of these tactics is unprecedented and is absolutely undermining our democracy in ways that are going to be more apparent over time.
And finally, let’s get one thing straight: I don’t quake in fear due to Internet Tough Guy language like “let’s get one thing straight,” so you can leave that nonsense at the door.
I disagree, I think their denunciation of this tactics would be absolutely pointless, meaningless and it would accomplish nothing other than to end their careers just to make us feel better. It is just unrealistic to expect them to throw away their careers in a completely useless gesture.
This statement is pretty much proof that our democracy is horribly damaged—standing up for plain, straightforward democratic principles, truth, and the rule of law would be career suicide? That’s terrifying. And pathetic.
I don’t see what’s so big about the problem of letting your political opponents spend a bunch of money on lawyers filing lawsuits with absolutely no chance of winning. If such lawsuits actually did something, then we should be worried. I’m not worried about most Republicans being silent, because it’s not like anything actually illegal is going on in court. There is a massive amount of idiotic propaganda surrounding all their legal actions, but what’s going on legally is pretty much entirely following the letter of the law. The only issues are places where the law allows for people to make spurious objections to procedures, and even then the overall system has continued to work just fine.
All of the propaganda is advertising for campaigns donations. I’m fairly certain that they know they will not succeed in courts, but they do know that it will line their coffers with more donations. That’s the entire reason.
The fact that denouncing a man trying to overthrow democracy would be bad for a GOP politician’s career is indicative of the size of the problem.
Their job is good stewardship of their jurisdiction, not the preservation of their job. Any politician truly worth his or her salt should accept that losing his or her job can sometimes be part of the job.
Also, this shit wasn’t encouraged in the past and, guess what, AFAIK, there weren’t plots to kidnap and execute governors, and to storm state legislatures, and there weren’t former generals calling for the imposition of martial law.
Trump and his supporters are enabling and supporting each other in a sick and potentially violent vicious circle.
Let’s face it, the true stolen election was in 2016.
Anyway, looks like more establishment Republicans are breaking away:
The problem is that this is a snowball that only gets bigger the longer it keep rolling. As Trump continues to scream the message that the election was stolen, with no significant disagreement from those in his party, his followers will become more and more fervent in their demands of Republican officeholders to reverse the outcome.
Sure, for now they can duck into an alcove when they see a reporter and deflect that its a matter before the courts. But on January 6, Senators and Representatives are going to have to vote whether to accept Biden electors. When the new Senate convenes, Republican Senators will have to decide whether to allow Biden nominees to pass. Trumpists will demand that Republicans refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the new Administration. They’ll demand that they block all nominees, shut the government down, oppose Biden at every turn and refuse to even negotiate with him. Because doing so would be tacitly acknowledging that he’s legitimately the President.
Maybe I’m a pessimist, but I just don’t see any way out of this that doesn’t result in (best case scenario) four years of complete gridlock and inability to govern or (worst case scenario) political violence.
They would not be throwing away their careers, they would be acknowledging that their career is validated by, and is intended to uphold, democracy.
Democracy is good for those in charge. If the people decide that they don’t like them anymore, then they are peacefully told that, and they get to retire. If you don’t have a democracy, then the transition to a new regime usually ends up with those in charge executed.
Gadhafi could have “thrown away” his political career by supporting democracy, instead he was brutally tortured and killed by the people when he was ousted from power. Worth it, in your opinion?
“Et al” indeed…the insanity is contagious: