posted
Donald Trump has taken direct control of the justice department, to benefit his allies. Nobody in the department is stopping him. Pence won't. The Senate won't. Nobody else can. And he won't stop himself. I have no hope for American freedom lasting the year.
His next move will be to arrest his opponents, and declare the November election either cancelled or invalid. The day that happens, America becomes a dictatorship. Criticism will no longer be safe.
At that time, there will be two options to remain safe: remain silent, or flee the country. I recommend anyone with the option to flee, do so. I do not have that option, and I must remain safe, for my children. As such, at that time I will delete all my personal public postings, here and elsewhere.
Those of you who choose safety, or those who choose less-safe paths, God be with you. I hope to see you on the other side.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
Registered: Mar 1999
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
...You have kids niw? Holy fuck.
You fail to recognize the third option: armed insurrection.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Omega: Donald Trump has taken direct control of the justice department, to benefit his allies. Nobody in the department is stopping him. Pence won't. The Senate won't. Nobody else can. And he won't stop himself. I have no hope for American freedom lasting the year.
Look, I was #NeverTrump before it was even a thing. I think the guy is, by nature, a classical 30's-era fascist-wannabe. He ran that way during the Republican primaries in 2016 and on that basis I spent tons of time online, worked in my state, and even drove halfway across the country to try to stop him.
That said, his actual administration has been nothing worse and little more than a big wasted opportunity where an American with mid-20th Century sensibilities could've achieved something meaningful in the post-Obama pendulum swing. He's just a feckless, reckless person who matches any step forward with at least 1.25 steps back.
But, respectfully, the thesis that he's going to try to cancel the election is literally the exact same sort of conspiracist lunacy that some folks would shovel out about Obama, just as nuts were shoveling it out about Bush the Younger. I bet you could find Usenet posts from the 90s saying that about Clinton (who, like Bush, also had Hitler pics made about him), and probably weirdo newsletters saying the same about Bush the Elder and Reagan. I'm sure they were all as full of heartfelt "it brings me no joy" solemnity as folks ever-so-gleefully post today.
The issue with all the dark-future conspiracist wacko-ism is that it makes believers feel awesome. You're smarter and more elite, knowing Very Important Things™ others don't, a canary in the coal mine ever ready to scream "I told you so!" while falling to the bottom of the cage. And even when the predictions don't come to pass, be it incarcerations or temperatures or whatever, the feeling is still there and invariably gets maintained because impending doom is always just a day away.
But, alas, one isn't smarter for knowing what ain't so.
One must be very careful not to fall into the trap of those who would have us angrily pecking at our input devices as our bloodshot eyes and spittle-flecked chins, illuminated only by the screen of our device of choice. They'd love us to be shaking with rage at the latest faux political atrocity by some rando that we're supposed to really, really care about this time. ("You Won't Believe What This Random Guy From The Party We Want You To Hate Said This Time!", with comments "the blood is on so-and-so-leader's hands!")
More specifically, Trump's opponents aren't all being tossed into gulags and he isn't suspending the election. Unlike some administrations, he hasn't even sicced the IRS on his political foes (though he did threaten as much back in the day) nor has he tried to go after all the aides and advisors to his enemies with perjury trap nonsense. Hell, he hasn't even tried to cover up his own foreign policy failures by tossing some random maker of really crappy Youtube videos in the slammer, nor has he airlifted a single unmarked bill or straw-purchased a single bump-stock for armed ne'er-do-wells as part of a ploy to ban things. Pence has completely failed to shoot any of his own friends in "hunting accidents" and they haven't even flipped off a single Japanese leader.
Kidding aside, as hard as people are looking for / imagining any trace of active fascism from Trump and his executive branch right now (even if they don't understand the political and philosophical underpinnings of fascism and so believe it's right-wing thuggery with government imprimatur), we'll know pretty far in advance when to expect the brownshirts to come knocking. I'd be more worried about that in a Sanders administration, when the media would be less likely to report damaging information, and . . . as Antifa shows . . . there'd be so many volunteers.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
Trump is (and always was) a conman. Not a "con artist" as he is not that talented.
If he were born into a poor or middle-class family, he would have been imprisoned decades ago but, since he's rich, he can afford good lawyers and accountants to cover his ass...
Unless the Democrats completely eff up the next election, he's out of office since his base isn't large enough by itself.
As far as Barr et. al. - there will be fallout from what the Justice Dept. did. Why Barr did that well the Trumpster could have just pardoned Stone is beyond me...
Registered: Feb 2003
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
Okay, but consider....armed insurrection & destruction of the status quo.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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"His next move will be to arrest his opponents, and declare the November election either cancelled or invalid."
How exactly would you propose that he cancel the election? Do you think that, just because he says so, election authorities all over the country will just say "oh, okay"? The only way he could stop people from voting would be to send the armed forces to every election precinct in the country to physically enforce the matter. So far, all of his bullshit has been stuff he's gotten away with because of the complicity of the already-corrupt Republicans in Congress and his lackeys in the Cabinet. I really don't think that the rank-and-file members of the military are prepared to enforce a violent takeover of the country on his behalf.
And, if the election goes forward and he loses, he can claim all he wants that it's invalid. But, come January 20th, the military and the Secret Service will officially be working for the new president, and I don't think they take kindly to people being in the White House who are no longer authorized to be there.
Registered: Mar 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Shik: Okay, but consider....armed insurrection & destruction of the status quo.
See, this is why the 2nd Amendment shouldn't be a partisan issue. If one thinks Trump is Doncheeto Mousse-olini then one shouldn't be aiming for a ban.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
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