[GT] US election - It's 2020, what could possibly go wrong?

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by flylock shox

Trump is basically a virus

I think Trump is the symptom and his supporters are the virus.

[868904]

Originally Posted by GGG

I have been thinking about this for a while and I think we underestimate Trumps charisma. His ability to effectively propagandize to the point where he convinced 50% of republicans that the election was rigged. This might be the much harder skill than being an effective authoritarian.

I think the mini trumps will see far less success in the future than Trump did.

I hate Trump but I’d do anything for Ivanka.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

But which thing is going to the Supreme Court? There's no "Trump wins the election" case. They'd have to somehow elevate a case in each of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania that alleges that the outcome should be overturned due to fraud. But they haven't even alleged fraud in any of the cases they've actually put before the court, so far as I'm aware.

I don't know what there is for the SCOTUS to even rule on.

[KevanGuy]

I'm not sure what they'll come up with but Trump appointed three judges for them and I think he'll want his pro quo.

[flylock shox]

Originally Posted by GGG

I have been thinking about this for a while and I think we underestimate Trumps charisma. His ability to effectively propagandize to the point where he convinced 50% of republicans that the election was rigged. This might be the much harder skill than being an effective authoritarian.

I think the mini trumps will see far less success in the future than Trump did.

Agreed.

Not long after he was elected, I was arguing that he is likely the greatest performance artist of all time. The greatest protection the USA has from the scenario where a genuine fascist rises to power isn't (IMO) the strength of US institutions or the rarity of people with fascist ambitions, rather, it's the rarity of people who could duplicate Trump's talents for con artistry.

[Dion]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1331014324899377152

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

I think Trump is the symptom and his supporters are the virus.

That's how I see it too. Trump exists because he is giving those people what they want. I don't think there is anything overly charismatic about him in general. He has always come off as a narcissistic duffus. I don't think it would be that rare to find another person that can do that.

The only thing Trump had going for him was that he has a name. People like him are all over the place, but he had the platform to stand on.

[The Fonz]

https://twitter.com/senalexander/sta...800371203?s=21

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

https://twitter.com/senalexander/sta...800371203?s=21

Take pride in his considerable accomplishments...

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by direwolf

Thanked for the Baby Jane clip

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by GGG

I have been thinking about this for a while and I think we underestimate Trumps charisma. His ability to effectively propagandize to the point where he convinced 50% of republicans that the election was rigged. This might be the much harder skill than being an effective authoritarian.

I think the mini trumps will see far less success in the future than Trump did.

Republicans have thought the election will be rigged for months by watching FOX News every night.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Titan

I agree with the sentiment but I think a lot of credit has to go to US democracy, hopefully not prematurely.

It has withstood an unprecedented attack from within and managed to deliver a legitimate result. Yes, it received a significant black eye but it won in the end. In a somewhat bizarre way, I am actually proud of US democracy. It did what it claims it is supposed to do.

This process uncovered many warts that need to be addressed with specific legislation. For example, why is the certification of a state's election a party-line issue? That should be a simple administrative process without discretion. The US has far too many 'norms' in its process, but that can be fixed.

The GSA has now approved transition funds and I see now the Orange Dingleberry has now authorized the transition to begin. We are near the end of this bizarre episode.

Interesting viewpoint but I have to say I disagree. We should be thanking whatever god we pray to that Trump was a bumbling goof who shot himself in the foot repeatedly eventually causing his own demise. If this was any kind of competent coordinated administration it could easily, easily, have been a much worse outcome.

IMO those mechanisms that were in place showed how full of holes the US political system is. It's outdated from centuries ago. Catering to the rich and powerful. Systematically racist in nearly all areas. There is nothing I admire about the US political system during these last 4 years or even prior. Democracy in the US may have "won" in the end. But a 2 party system that allows voters to show blind loyalty to either ''team'' and make it a part of all areas of their identity is a #### democracy. Not to mention voter suppression, gerrymandering, the electoral college and whatever other forms of bull#### exist that allows the possibility of a skewed result. Blows my mind that somebody could look at this kind of system and see it as a model form of government.

I am relieved Biden won. But I still have anxiety what could and very well likely happen in 4 short years. The next republican candidate isn't likely to be a bumbling goof like Trump. Look for a stronger, younger more competent candidate. Even with Trumps shortcomings, corruption and incompetence he still got 70 million people to vote for him. US politics are absolute #### and so is a sizable portion of their population.

I will NEVER rest easy until Trump and his cronies are held accountable, prosecuted and mechanisms put in place to ensure this never happens again. The last 4 years ripped everything wide open for the world to see and it's a nasty ugly wound. I don't give the American system any credit. I see it as dangling by a thread on the edge of a cliff and barely hanging onto a branch is managed to snag at the last second. Lots of work to do to close that wound and pull themselves off that edge.

[devo22]

lol, this is hilarious on a number of levels.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1331077065475493894

[AltaGuy]

I don't think Trump ever really believed he was going to overturn the results.

He wants immunity and money. He thinks of himself as the bully businessman who can get out of any jam because he's super ####ing awesome. Delaying and questioning the legitimacy of the election gives him leverage, and already got him a sizeable slush fund from the rubes.

I'll be very angry if Biden or anyone else wants to "turn the other cheek" on this sad-sack administration. Biden doesn't - and shouldn't - be the one who comes for Trump and Co, but they need to stand aside and let the new Justice Department, the SDNY, etc go full throttle at the traitors.

[nfotiu]

Trump's tweeting out support for Randy Quaid's videos this morning.

If anyone hasn't been following the Cousin Eddy actor:

Randy, the actor, had tried to drive to Siberia, but they “couldn’t figure out how to get there.” She said, “We’re running for our lives.” She wanted me to meet them the next day in Vancouver’s Chinatown—which couldn’t be arranged any other way, as the Quaids don’t use cell phones anymore, because, Evi said, “they’re tracking us.”

“They” were “the Hollywood Star Whackers” the couple had been talking about in television interviews ever since they arrived in Canada in October, seeking asylum. The “Whackers,” they said, were the same people who may have “killed” David Carradine and Heath Ledger, possibly set up Robert Blake, and could now be targeting Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. “Are either of you mentally unstable, schizophrenic, or on drugs?,” Andrea Canning asked on Good Morning America. “Do you think we are?” demanded Evi. “No!” said Randy.

I found the Quaids sitting in their car outside a Chinese tearoom on a block glowing with red and yellow neon lights. Nobody was around. It was night. Their car, a black Prius, was crammed with stuff—clothes, coats, shoes, papers, a pillow, blankets, and an excitable Australian cattle dog named Doji, who was hoarse from barking while he was in the pound when his owners were being detained by Canadian immigration.

The car smelled of fast food and dog pee and Randy’s cigars. I asked the Quaids if they were living in their car. “Only on nights when we’re too terrified to leave our stuff or don’t feel secure,” Evi said. “We used to have a Mercedes. This whole ordeal has forced us to become incredibly green.”

“Priuses are deceptively roomy,” drawled Randy, who’s originally from Houston. “We’re tall people, and the legroom is important.”

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/01/quaid-201101

[GGG]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Republicans have thought the election will be rigged for months by watching FOX News every night.

Not really true. Roughly the same amount of republicans and democrats thought the election wouldn’t be fair up to the election. Then in split. So before the election the level of partisan mistrust didn’t exist just a general mistrust by Americans.

[The Fonz]

Trump retweeted this:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1327043884082409474


WTF

[Cali Panthers Fan]

^JFC...spoiler that thing will ya? That's going to give people nightmares.

[PsYcNeT]

The meltdown as Trump supporters start to realize that there was no plan and Trump is, in fact, a complete moron babyman is wild.

NSFW for swears. Make sure you look at the whole thread, because uh, some people are getting an FBI visit over this.

NSFW!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1331019823262953472

[devo22]

^ but there was a plan, it just wasn't to actually win those cases. It was a.) making transition as uncomfortable for Biden as possible, b.) grifting his supporters out of money for his "legal defense" to set up a slush fund, and c.) setting up his post-presidency OAN/Newsmax propaganda machine.

and yeah, I hope some of these asshats do get an FBI visit over this. Scary stuff.