The thing we keep re-learning during our run-in with Trumpism is that there truly is no “bottom”. There is literally NOTHING Donald Trump won’t do to dismantle, undermine, betray, sell out or destroy our Democracy. His very well-being depends on his staying in power. Remember — we may think of him as just “Donald Trump” but the SDNY still sees him as “Unindicted Co-Conspirator #1” in the case of the People v Michael Cohen.
The reason Robert Mueller felt so hamstrung (other than his total fealty to the rules) by his assignment is that he believed he was prohibited by DoJ rules from indicting a sitting president. If Robert Mueller had not felt constrained by that bit of DoJ leftover from the Nixon years, all indications are he would have recommended prosecution — of Trump & everyone around him.
As we were painfully slow to grasp: our problem isn’t just Donald J Trump. Our problem is his party. The Republicans aren’t loyal to Trump out of fear — though some may be and some may have been pushed here because they were compromised — they’re loyal to Trump out of shared purpose. Most Republicans have as much use for representative democracy as Trump does.
Chief Justice John Roberts has made it clear that the SCOTUS is now part of the Republican machine. Forcing Wisconsinites to vote in person today — disallowing any extension of vote-by-mail deadlines — is a pure power grab and a blatant example of voter suppression. The SCOTUS okayed Wisconsin THROWING OUT thousands of legitimate votes. If those were guaranteed Republican votes, do ya think we’d be having this conversation?
Regardless of what Trump does, he cannot cancel the election. He can however do everything in his power to make it as far from free & fair as possible. He could conceivably — because he’s good at cheating as is the rest of his party — “win” again. Let’s go there. Let’s say that happens.
Let’s say Trump manages to “win” an election and create a situation where enough people go along with the bullshit that there’s an ounce of legitimacy to it. Let’s say Trump DOES stay in the White House. What would happen then.
Well, at first — let’s be real — things will get brutal. Trump will go after his enemies. He’ll shut what’s left of America down. It may even look for a couple of seconds like the bad guys really will get away with everything. But then reality will kick in — and some things will happen that neither Trump nor any Republican can do anything about.
For starters, the coronavirus will come around again. And when it does, Trump & the Republicans will fuck up the response just as badly. It’s in their nature.
As Americans grow angrier at what Trump & the Republicans have done — and we WILL learn exactly just how responsible Trump & the Republicans are for the extent of the “carnage” here in America — their desire for retribution will not dim. Rather, it will begin to glow with volcanic intensity. I wouldn’t count on the military or many police departments to be there to back up any Republican power play.
But, let’s say — for shits n giggles — that Trump does get the military & PDs to go along with his authoritarian power grab. Here’s one Judgment Day even Donald Trump can’t get out of. One way or another — sooner or later — Donald Trump will die. He’s not exactly the healthiest person walking around; that means it could strike Trump suddenly.
Take Trump out of the equation and what happens? Would all the other Republicans be able to keep this fascist monstrosity together? Don’t forget — this IS a cult of personality. It’s not based on the law or anything. They’re making the “rules” up as they go along — and the only thing holding it all together is Donald Trump himself. The fact that he “is”.
So — now, let’s say, he “isn’t” anymore.
Take this to the bank: no one’s filling that vacuum. Oh, various Republicans will try. But the air will have suddenly rushed out of the toxic side show. Being pirates, all of them out for themselves, the Republicans will grab for power themselves. They’ll go after the Trump kids — cos they won’t want Ivanka or Junior or Eric lording anything over the once daddy is gone.
While America watches, the Republicans will finish this exercise in self-destruction all by themselves. They will feed on themselves like a school of ravenous but stupid piranhas.
It’s just a fact. At some point, what the Republicans have done & are doing will end — because Trump will. And without Trump being the front man, the con artist di tutti con artists — the reality show star — the press will stop behaving like co-dependent hop heads. Think any other Republican can get up before the cameras and get away with shit the way Trump does?
Name them.
The Republicans — being short-sighted day traders by nature — will never look down the road to see what’s coming at them. They believe in magic. They believe that once they shove permanent minority rule down the majority’s throat that they’ll get to live “happily ever after”.
They have no idea how incredibly wrong they are.