# The reaction if Trump wins again in 2020 (versus in 2016)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [November 10, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257 "2019-11-10T22:01:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/41 "2019-11-12T20:14:20Z")

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> [@pool](#):
>
> I think if Trump wins there could be a couple violent demonstrations in places like Portland or something. I think after about a week it will be business as usual for the most part, aside from social media outrage. With Trump having a potential entire four more years of power, there will probably be renewed attempts for impeachment.

Portland?

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**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/42 "2019-11-12T20:17:39Z")

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> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> Can one of you guys start a “Left-wing violence incidents” thread? I keep hearing about all this left-wing violence from people, but haven’t really seen any. Perhaps a nice thread so others like me can keep abreast of the terror of left-wing violence that I seem to be missing out on.
> 
> thanks!

I suppose somebody could start a thread if they want, but if by “haven’t really seen any” you mean you’re unaware of any of the incidents of left-wing violence in recent years, I’d direct you towards a few names you could Google to get you started, just off the top of my head:

James Hodgkinson  
Micah Xavier Johnson  
Eric Clanton  
Connor Betts  
Willem Van Spronsen

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/43 "2019-11-12T20:19:23Z")

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> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> There have certainly been incidents of violence by left-wing people. Funnily enough though, the people who go on and on about them never seem to notice the far more common violent incidents by non-left-wing people.

I’ve seen a few incidents of violence of people with black hoodies on. Is that left-wing violence? How would one know? Are they interviewing the black hoodie-wearers afterwards?

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**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 12, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/44 "2019-11-12T20:51:23Z")

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> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> Can one of you guys start a “Left-wing violence incidents” thread? I keep hearing about all this left-wing violence from people, but haven’t really seen any. Perhaps a nice thread so others like me can keep abreast of the terror of left-wing violence that I seem to be missing out on.
> 
> thanks!

Wait for it, wait for it: Antifa!

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**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 12, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/45 "2019-11-12T20:53:45Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Right now, a Trump reelection is the longest of odds. But let’s say lightning strikes twice and Trump somehow manages to do it again.
> 
> IMHO, the reaction will depend entirely on the margin of victory.
> 
> If Trump wins narrowly, like last time, the resistance movement will go on for basically another 4 years. If it is very narrow, there may be recounts. And if he wins in the Electoral College narrowly (i.e., 270-268) while losing the popular vote by a big margin, there may be considerable violence.
> 
> If Trump wins big, though, and there is truly nothing to dispute or recount, there may be an exodus of many Democratic voters from the nation (many threatened to leave in 2004 if Bush was reelected, or in 2016 if Trump was elected, but this may be what finally pushes them to actually do it.)

If Trump wins big, I would assume that he’s gained popularity with a majority of the country, which seems unlikely when you consider that his favorability ratings hover around 40% – 45% when there’s a 4-week long stretch in which there’s relative calm.

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**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/46 "2019-11-12T21:14:03Z")

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> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> I’ve seen a few incidents of violence of people with black hoodies on. Is that left-wing violence? How would one know? Are they interviewing the black hoodie-wearers afterwards?

Well, Eric Clanton got caught, and his background, profiles, and targets of his attack, all make it pretty clear it was “left-wing violence” at least in his case.

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/47 "2019-11-12T21:25:03Z")

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> [@HurricaneDitka](#):
>
> I suppose somebody could start a thread if they want, but if by “haven’t really seen any” you mean you’re unaware of any of the incidents of left-wing violence in recent years, I’d direct you towards a few names you could Google to get you started, just off the top of my head:
> 
> James Hodgkinson  
> Micah Xavier Johnson  
> Eric Clanton  
> Connor Betts  
> Willem Van Spronsen

Sure, I know about those people. They were all over the news, you might have seen it. But people are SO worried about left-wing violence, I thought I was missing out on hundreds of incidents of left-wing violence.

But nope, as it turns out, 5 people over 5 years doesn’t seem to be that outrageous. I figured as much. Especially since one was a guy with a bike lock, and 2 were practicing their 2nd Amendments rights to defend against tyranny.

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/48 "2019-11-12T21:30:07Z")

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If I may junior-mod a bit before this turns into an omnibus political-violence thread: I am hoping the thread will be about a lot more than just that.

Things like:

1. Would any Americans move out of America to a foreign nation because Trump is reelected, and if so, how many?
2. How much of a gap between popular vote and Electoral College vote is “acceptable” and where is the boundary where it would be considered too extreme? (Suppose Trump loses popular vote by 5%, but still is reelected?)
3. Since Trump would be a lame duck, why wouldn’t Senate Republicans go along with his impeachment and let Pence be president?
4. What forms of non-violent resistance might Democrats take in Trump’s 2nd term? (other than voting)

Etc. etc.

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/49 "2019-11-12T21:32:13Z")

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Me particularly? I already don’t feel like I have a say in Mr. Trump’s re-election so the entirety of my reaction to it would depend on the national circumstances between then and now. If Trump closes an awesome deal on China and drops the Tariffs and N. Korea denuclearizes, that sort of stuff would make me happy. In fact, I would just be reacting to those instead of the election.

The margin of victory in the electoral college or the popular vote is not that important to me, unless it is so infinitesimally small as to justify scrutiny.

~Max

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/50 "2019-11-12T21:33:54Z")

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1. No. Nobody would move out
2. Any gap is acceptable. Because the Electoral College is how Presidential Elections work.
3. I have no answer for this
4. Complaining about Trump on Message Boards and Twitter. (Same as this term)

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**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/51 "2019-11-12T21:37:48Z")

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> [@Slash1972](#):
>
> Sure, I know about those people. They were all over the news, you might have seen it. But people are SO worried about left-wing violence, I thought I was missing out on hundreds of incidents of left-wing violence.
> 
> But nope, as it turns out, 5 people over 5 years doesn’t seem to be that outrageous. I figured as much. Especially since one was a guy with a bike lock, and 2 were practicing their 2nd Amendments rights to defend against tyranny.

I don’t know which 2 you think “were practicing their 2nd Amendments rights to defend against tyranny”. Three of the five shot innocent people. The fourth one carried a firearm, but I’m not clear if he got any shots off. And yes, the fifth one used a steel bike lock for his violent assaults.

My off-the-top-of-my-head list certainly wasn’t intended to be comprehensive or all-encompassing. I’m confident there are more incidents than this limited sampling.

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**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/52 "2019-11-12T21:40:04Z")

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> [@HurricaneDitka](#):
>
> My off-the-top-of-my-head list certainly wasn’t intended to be comprehensive or all-encompassing. I’m confident there are more incidents than this limited sampling.

All the more reason for a new thread!

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**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/53 "2019-11-12T21:44:15Z")

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> [@Velocity](#):
>
> If I may junior-mod a bit before this turns into an omnibus political-violence thread: I am hoping the thread will be about a lot more than just that. …

Sorry, just saw this, I’ll stop discussing left-wing violence here.

> [@Velocity](#):
>
> … Things like:
> 
> 1. Would any Americans move out of America to a foreign nation because Trump is reelected, and if so, how many?
> 2. How much of a gap between popular vote and Electoral College vote is “acceptable” and where is the boundary where it would be considered too extreme? (Suppose Trump loses popular vote by 5%, but still is reelected?)
> 3. Since Trump would be a lame duck, why wouldn’t Senate Republicans go along with his impeachment and let Pence be president?
> 4. What forms of non-violent resistance might Democrats take in Trump’s 2nd term? (other than voting)
> 
> Etc. etc.

1. Probably not / very few.
2. IDGAF about the “popular vote” as far as the Presidency is concerned. You either win 270+ electoral college votes or you don’t.
3. Because they don’t consider the things he’d done impeachment-worthy. Vice-President Pence can be President in 2029.
4. Screaming at the sky, crying some more, protests, extensive Twittering, refusing to serve Republican officials (“serve” in this context means in the context of customers, like at restaurants and such), etc.

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**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:** [November 14, 2019, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reaction-if-trump-wins-again-in-2020-versus-in-2016/843257/54 "2019-11-14T12:39:30Z")

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> [@HurricaneDitka](#):
>
> 1. Because they don’t consider the things he’d done impeachment-worthy.

Or because they don’t care whether they’re “impeachment-worthy” or not, because there is no crime, corruption or treason they will not excuse or even facilitate as long as it benefits them and the perpetrators have (R) after their names. As currently seems to be the case.

IOKIARDI.

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