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Celerity

(42,636 posts)
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:07 PM Aug 2020

Trump's Latest Declaration Is Beyond Terrifying

Trump said, “I have the right to do it. We haven’t gotten there yet. We’ll see what happens.”

https://thebanter.substack.com/p/trumps-latest-declaration-is-beyond



WASHINGTON, DC -- In the past several weeks, we’ve been observing how Donald Trump is aggressively attacking both absentee ballots and the swing states that offer them. It’s well established that he intends to undermine as many state absentee ballot laws as he can get away with, through a well-funded series of legal challenges to the process. Most recently, the Trump campaign filed a lawsuit to stop Nevada from offering absentee ballots. So far, the campaign to re-elect our first fascist president has spent more than $20 million in its jihad against voting during a severe pandemic, and there’s no end in sight. We can also count on Trump litigating absentee ballots during and after Election Day, likely targeting too-close-to-call counties that could flip the electoral votes of an entire state, if necessary.

This is real. It’s happening now.

And it’s getting worse.

I hate to add to the horror show -- I really do, but it’s crucial for us to be prepared by knowing exactly where Trump might be headed so we can fight back with equal or greater force. I’m talking about, at the very least, assembling an unstoppable Justice League of lawyers ready to swing into action with a game plan for defending the law -- plus, citizen activists should be prepared on a moment’s notice to surround the White House until Trump concedes, irrespective of whether he sends in his stormtroopers to attack again. You might recall that the Supreme Court ruled five-to-four that Trump’s rescinding of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program was “arbitrary and capricious,” and that the administration had to immediately begin accepting applications from new Dreamers, young immigrants brought to the United States as children. Likewise, the only word from Homeland Security is that Trump officials are considering whether to try again to end the DACA program. In other words, the Trump administration has flagrantly defied the Supreme Court. For nearly four years, we’ve all wondered whether he’s capable of doing it. And now, he’s done it. Since the decision was handed down in June, not a single first time Dreamer application has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency. We should absolutely assume that it’s because Trump has ordered the agency not to accept those applications. After all, Trump hasn’t given us any reason to assume otherwise.

Consequently, the door is wide open for Trump to do it again. It’s a chilling preview of what could happen in the event of a series of legal challenges to absentee ballots -- challenges that could end up before the Supreme Court. So, even if the conservative-leaning Bench rules against Trump, it might not matter. Of course, there also might not be any functional outcome to ignoring the Court, beyond simply refusing to concede or vacate the office. In other words, ignoring the Supremes might not win anything for Trump. However, Trump also thinks he can pass his own laws without the participation of Congress. Perhaps you’ve overheard him repeating the line: "The Supreme Court decision on DACA gave me the right to” create laws, a significant expansion of executive authority backed by former Bush administration torture-defender, John Yoo. So far, Trump hasn’t exercised this nonexistent power, but he’s threatened to authorize an alleged law regarding healthcare, which also hasn’t occurred yet. But it still might. Trump, during a recent episode of the Trump Show, live from the White House press room, said he has “the right” to pass a national law that bans the use of absentee ballots. Trump said, “I have the right to do it. We haven’t gotten there yet. We’ll see what happens.” No. He doesn’t have the right to do anything like that, but the law hasn’t really been a robust bulwark against Trump’s maniacal whimsy to date.

The truly scary thing about his declaration is this: by now he’s fully embraced the authority to deploy secret shocktroopers into American cities to enforce his will upon the people, making it quite likely he’ll try to do it again. This could end up being his enforcement mechanism for laws he claims to have passed himself. To be clear: We know he’s already defied the Supreme Court. We know that he’s entertaining the authority to make his own laws, including one that would apparently stop the use of absentee ballots -- state authority to conduct elections be damned. Look, practically speaking, it might all be moot, leading to almost nothing -- toothless executive orders to be overturned by the next administration, hopefully. Or he could be bluffing without any specific plans to even bother. So often, however, the notion that, “He’ll never do that!” quickly evolves into, “I can’t believe he actually did it!” Even if the election goes off without a hitch, there are many other ways he could exploit these powers to stir up all kinds of horrors aimed at other issue areas. Again, the intention here is to proceed with our eyes wide open so that we’re ready for action. Trump is absolutely a dictator with zero personal restraint. He’s capable of anything. Meanwhile, we should all add these Trump-exploited loopholes to the list of things that need to be permanently welded shut forever after Trump is finally airlifted out of the White House at long last. And he will be.
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Trump's Latest Declaration Is Beyond Terrifying (Original Post) Celerity Aug 2020 OP
K & R Nevilledog Aug 2020 #1
He can do whatever he wants if no one stops him Poiuyt Aug 2020 #2
+1 pandr32 Aug 2020 #6
This can't be real. smirkymonkey Aug 2020 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author Celerity Aug 2020 #8
I really can't say what I am thinking right now. smirkymonkey Aug 2020 #11
For cons, the ends justify the means, and because of that, they very likely will come far too close Celerity Aug 2020 #13
Hear, hear! smirkymonkey Aug 2020 #14
cheers! Celerity Aug 2020 #16
This post violates the Mission Statement of Democratic Underground LastLiberal in PalmSprings Aug 2020 #19
what are you talking about??? I was showing the poster I replied to an example of what we are up Celerity Aug 2020 #20
I aplogize for my reply to your post. I got confused. I try to read and follow all the LBN and GD LastLiberal in PalmSprings Aug 2020 #21
it is oki, and I deleted it as I did not want an alert and a hide over a misunderstanding Celerity Aug 2020 #22
He has no such right and he knows it. crickets Aug 2020 #4
I suppose he can try torius Aug 2020 #7
The Constitution does not give presidents power over elections. It's pretty clear on the point. crickets Aug 2020 #10
Agree..there has already been legal push back to his nonsense. Thekaspervote Aug 2020 #9
+1 crickets Aug 2020 #12
Everything's legal until someone complains. Laelth Aug 2020 #5
How fucking dare he stand up there like he is the king of the world? smirkymonkey Aug 2020 #15
Good read. KentuckyWoman Aug 2020 #17
Amazing that no one can stop him. Not us, not the Dem Congress, Laura PourMeADrink Aug 2020 #18

Poiuyt

(18,087 posts)
2. He can do whatever he wants if no one stops him
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:11 PM
Aug 2020

It's time for republicans and the courts to stand up to him.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
3. This can't be real.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:16 PM
Aug 2020

This can't be happening. How can someone so stupid, so incompetent, so unlikeable, so corrupt, possibly be winning the game? What the hell is wrong with this country that we can't stop someone this fucked up and deranged?

No sane person can possibly support this psychopath. Why can't we just fucking haul him off and put him in front of a firing squad? It has happened in other countries where there was rule of law before there wasn't. Before the people had finally had enough and put a stop to it. We behave because we think we have to. But they aren't behaving because they think they DON'T have to. Fuck them all.

They have broken the social contract and once it is broken, it's broken. That means we don't have to hold up our end of the bargain either.

Response to smirkymonkey (Reply #3)

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
11. I really can't say what I am thinking right now.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:39 PM
Aug 2020

I would be banned for life.

I think maybe I should go watch a funny movie or something. This is really getting to me. It bothers me that people like this even exist.

Celerity

(42,636 posts)
13. For cons, the ends justify the means, and because of that, they very likely will come far too close
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:52 PM
Aug 2020

to destroying the union itself.

The Republicans have morphed into a pack of jackals who want to kill or enslave their self-defined enemies, and will sacrifice their own to do it. They see it as war, and almost never give an inch, unless they sense a short, tactical retreat will further enable and ensure a long term setting up of their foe for a more thorough slaughter.

Democrats at present, for the most part, just want their opponents (some still refuse to look at them as enemies) to submit themselves, even if just a bit, to their 'better angels' and to behave in a more humane and somewhat rational fashion.

The 'they go low, we go high' crowd still thinks that an overwhelming victory can be had with little to no overall inherent risk. They see it as a philosophical dispute at its core, and are willing to make compromise an oft-employed default stance when faced with a countervailing force. Theses are the types who appeal to the 'innate, natural goodness' of Americans, as if the US has some sort of birthright and pre-ordained outcome to produce this sort of zeitgeist, pulled from some mythical aether, ginned up almost 250 years (oh what a short, short time that is!) ago, and carried on, borne like the Ark of the Covenant across innumerable Red Seas.

To think this is the height of folly, as the humans who make up the 331 million population of the nation are just as HUMAN as any other nation state's, and are just as fallible and susceptible, given a poisoned and ill-intended set of inputs, to produce the same atrocities as any other. I need not preach this to anyone of African descent back in the century plus long post-Civil War, pre Civil Rights American milieu, let along the entirety of the centuries starting in 1619 at Jamestown.

It is time to disenthrall ourselves of many notions that lead ultimately, despite some pussy-hat marchings, some fusses kicked up, and some cleverclogs social media rants, etc., to passive acceptance and an assured defeat that will end in blood and tears.

If not, long-wave history absolutely says the first group WILL eventually win, and unless the second group adopts some of the first group's precepts, and realises that it is indeed a war, and that the other side WILL kill you, then all the worst conceivable ruinous events shall occur, be it quickly or not, as surely as night follows day.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
14. Hear, hear!
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 10:34 PM
Aug 2020

I was going to write a lot. I almost did, but I erased it. I am a little too riled up right now so I don't want to say things that I will regret later, but I am very angry about what is going on in the world right now.

Thank you for your input. It was very impactful and thought provoking. Perhaps I will say more later when I am not so upset.

19. This post violates the Mission Statement of Democratic Underground
Sat Aug 8, 2020, 09:00 PM
Aug 2020

About Democratic Underground
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Participating in lively, thought-provoking discussions;
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We are always looking for friendly, liberal people who appreciate good discussions and who understand the importance of electing more Democrats to office.

Celerity

(42,636 posts)
20. what are you talking about??? I was showing the poster I replied to an example of what we are up
Sat Aug 8, 2020, 09:19 PM
Aug 2020

against. It is an explanatory post, NOT (OBVIOUSLY) some sort of advocacy for that fuckstick Dan Pipes


did not the

SHIT LIKE THIS



at the top of it give you are clue?????






AND

you wilfully ignore NOT ONLY MY OP

and are trying to false frame me as pushing RW shite

but, also ignore (further in my colloquy with the poster I replied to with the post you are whingeing on about)

THIS:



and their reply




smdh

21. I aplogize for my reply to your post. I got confused. I try to read and follow all the LBN and GD
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 02:30 AM
Aug 2020

posts and occasionally (not often, fortunately) I just totally fuck up, which I did in this case. I see now how well your post was structured. I apologize again for acting like a jerk.

crickets

(25,896 posts)
4. He has no such right and he knows it.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:17 PM
Aug 2020

The condemnation of this should be as loud as it was when he tried to float the idea he could delay the election.

crickets

(25,896 posts)
10. The Constitution does not give presidents power over elections. It's pretty clear on the point.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:39 PM
Aug 2020
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing [sic] Senators.


There are plenty of states that would cry foul, loudly, if he actually tried to pull this one off.

eta - this is regarding Congressional elections specifically but the point still stands. States run their own elections. Clarifications and corrections welcomed if anyone wants to chime in.

Thekaspervote

(32,605 posts)
9. Agree..there has already been legal push back to his nonsense.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:34 PM
Aug 2020

We, first need to vote no excuses accepted. Be aware on social media what is going on, call it out when you can.
And lastly not be bullied into believing he can or has the right to do so...he doesn’t.

The closer the election comes and beyond the more crazy he’s going to sound and behave. Don’t buy it, don’t believe it. He is nuts!!

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
5. Everything's legal until someone complains.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 09:18 PM
Aug 2020

Too few people are willing to stand up to Trump.

It is what it is.



-Laelth

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
15. How fucking dare he stand up there like he is the king of the world?
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 10:48 PM
Aug 2020

It just annoys me so much that he has no idea how stupid, worthless, incompetent, hated, ugly, pathetic, and ridiculed he is. Just how degraded, disrespected, laughed at, scorned, mocked, rejected, laughed at, ignored, disregarded and loathed he is.

That he thinks he is the King of the World and that everyone loves him and that he is such a special person is truly pathetic. It is really so sad that he has absolutely no self-awareness. That he actually thinks that because the dregs of the earth adore him, it means something. He is such a repulsive excuse of a human being. It almost makes me feel sorry for him. Not quite, but almost.

KentuckyWoman

(6,666 posts)
17. Good read.
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 11:00 PM
Aug 2020

He did not get there by himself. He has support and enablers. More than just Mitch. There is an end game being pursued that is far bigger than DJT.

Even if you lop off the flowers the plant goes merrily on. Until the root is dead, the battle continues.

 

Laura PourMeADrink

(42,770 posts)
18. Amazing that no one can stop him. Not us, not the Dem Congress,
Thu Aug 6, 2020, 11:37 PM
Aug 2020

Not the Senate, not the Federal courts.

Amazing one person has all the power and there's nothing we can do as people..just vote him out. And vote out anyone who could have stopped him and didn't.

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