Ok guys! We are all a bit upset about the elections last Tuesday, but let's take a few good things from it:
1. The Democrats have relearned an important lesson. Instead of focusing on the boogyman (aka-Trump), Democrats need to focus on how to solve issues, much as they did in 2020. It is better they learn this now as opposed to the midterms.
2. The Republicans and Trump have learned that (shock!) the Republicans don't need a crazy Trumper to win. I recall that the Republican candidate in Virginia tried to both garner Trump's support and yet keep him at arm's length.
3. Democrats need to learn that most of the country is not ready for progressives yet. Moderates are the ones with the best chance to win. So as painful as it is, progressives need to tamper down their demands and actually work with the party to get wins, else Republicans will regain Congress and ensure that the country will do nothing except pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Now, Democrats do have a way forward. And this is where Trump comes in.
As we know, New York and Georgia are looking into possible charges for Trump. And timing is EVERYTHING!
If I were to guess, I suspect that charges will be announced between January and June of 2022.
The timing is very important. As you know, many primaries for the republicans will occur during this time. Trump, being Trump, will try to assert his power to (1) try to force current Republicans to make the charges go away and vamp up his "my election was stolen" lies in an attempt to avoid prosecution and (2) court the most loyal Trumplicans who will vow to overturn the law if they are elected.
Now, this can go two ways. I imagine that if Trump's candidates win, it will leave a bad taste in the mouths of conservative independents and anti-Trump republicans. They will either refuse to vote or vote for the Democrats. But if Trump's handpicked candidates don't win, then he will tell his voters to stay home. Either way, Democrats have a big chance if they play it right.
Many will point out that Trump won't go that far. That Trump will not blow up the party at midterms because he needs them if he wants to be re-elected in 2024. However, if faced with the possibility of imprisonment, I think Trump will do it because he believes he can use his political capitol to force the Republicans to submit to his will (he has done this all his life, and has only really failed in 2020, which he probably believes is a fluke.) In Trump's mind, he thinks that if he pressures Republicans long enough, they will overturn the election and thus save him from prison, else they lose elections for the foreseeable future.
What Trump cannot understand is that Republicans CAN NOT give him what he wants. Can you imagine if they tried? The country will dissolve into civil war. While the possibility of bloodshed may not dissuade them, the idea that the economy will tank certainly will make Republicans think twice.
And once Trump understands this, he will destroy the Republicans party.
The Republicans have no option if Trump declares war on them. They have kissed Trump's (CENSORED) so much that nothing worse than surgery can separate them. They will try the McConnell approach, but learn that you pay the price once you have catered to a tyrant for so long.
The path is there. Democrats can take advantage. But they must be prepared to stop playing nice and go after Trump without fearing reprisals from his followers. They are going to hurt us anyway, so why not take down their leader while we still can. The time for action is now. I only hope Democrats take it.
The path is there. Democrats can take advantage. But they must be prepared to stop playing nice and go after Trump without fearing reprisals from his followers. They are going to hurt us anyway, so why not take down their leader while we still can. The time for action is now. I only hope Democrats take it.
I agree. You can still be on the high road and be tough. Pollyanna is just not going to cut it here. Perhaps the democrats need to adopt Goober the Clown.
@allyn, I don't think they're afraid of reprisals from his followers. If anything, they're afraid of not getting it right (e.g., having an iron case, following all of the pertinent laws, legal procedures, etc). They know they won't have another chance.
@tgraf66 I respectfully disagree.
I practice Criminal Law and represent defendants. I looked at the Georgia voting laws, and based on my reading of the law and looking at similar cases, I think that it is pretty clear that Trump is guilty of various voter fraud laws. They have him on TAPE asking the officials to "find" enough votes to overturn his lose. Yes, he doesn't out and say "make up fraudulent votes," but you never hear a mob boss say "kill this guy" either.
You know, this brings up an interesting question. Let's suspend reality and pretend that Democrats develop a spine and actually bring indictments against Trump and company, political concerns ignored. If Georgia and/or New York brings indictments, will Florida extradite, or will the governor protect him?
For that matter, will Lindsey Graham face any problems for his role in attempting to make Georgia change the votes? After all, why would Lindsey Graham, who represents South Carolina, call Georgia about how they conduct votes? He doesn't represent Georgia, and he is not "officially" on Trump's staff that gives him the authority to make such calls. Perhaps Georgia should file charges against Graham first and see if he will testify that he made the call because Trump told him to (thus proving conspiracy). Also, I don't see Trump's supporters going riot-mode if Graham is arrested (might be a good way to pressure Trump and set the South Carolina governor in a position to go against Georgia).
Can you imagine? Florida and South Carolina shielding Graham and Trump from Georgia? Can these governors claim "law and order?" Can they claim that they apply the laws fairly to everyone? It is not as though they will go to jail or anything anyway! They both have so much money they can basically make bail as they are being processed (basically, they walk in, get fingerprinted, get their mug shot, and then walk out the door.) So you can't say that they are hurting from being indicted as a result. So why should they be treated any different than anyone else. (and no, they can't compare the situation to Clinton. They had numerous investigations there, and they had plenty of chances to indict if there was proof of criminal wrongdoing. Because the Republicans didn't do it, it more more than likely that there was not proof to begin with.)
Basically, Democrats need something to hope for right now. We need to see that someone will be punished for all the corruption that has occurred and the attempts to make our country into another Taliban-run dictatorship. We need to see Trump indicted so we can see him on the TV screaming about fake news and witch hunts so we can laugh at his panic. We need to see Republicans cringe when Trump tries to incite another riot so that they can walk the tightrope of between supporting Trump and pretending "law and order." We need to watch Trump lash out at establishment Republicans and endorse the craziest candidates to beat them in the primaries so that Democrats can stay in control.
In short, our democracy is under siege, and it is ironically up to lawyers and judges, of all people, to save it. But only if Georgia and/or New York indicts Trump within the next few months (or at least someone close enough to him that makes him panic).
We need Trump in panic mode. When he is, he lashes out and attacks Republicans. But more importantly, we need to see Trump treated the same as any of us would be if we committed the same crimes he did. Enough fearing Trump's supporters. I would rather face an army of armed Trump supporters than let Trump walk and continue to try to retake the Presidency. Eventually fear and abuse give way to resolve, and the threat of violence of death is preferable than living in perpetual fear of our attackers. But someone needs to take the first step. I sincerely hope they do so.
One question I have, regarding Bannon-they knew he would defy the subpoena. There's a lot of well, it takes time, they have to do this, that, and the other thing-why wasn't it done in advance then, if it can/could be?
@allyn I've often wondered whether Trump and his administration would ever be tried in The Hague Court for crimes against humanity, specifically regarding the separation of children from their parents at the border and the incarceration of these separated families. How does this work? Could this possibly happen?
Let's suspend reality and pretend that Democrats develop a spine and actually bring indictments against Trump and company, political concerns ignored
I almost went on a rant, but I'll just point you to Teri Kanefield. She was also a defense attorney, and she doesn't agree with any of the cynicism and doom-saying either. She also has a much cooler head than I do right now.
@tgraf66 -- Love that Teri Kanefield compared cynicism to self-pity. It got me thinking in an entirely different way.
If you need to be talked off the ledge, read her Twitter feed or blog. She's amazing.
@tgraf66 -- Love that Teri Kanefield compared cynicism to self-pity. It got me thinking in an entirely different way.
If you need to be talked off the ledge, read her Twitter feed or blog. She's amazing.
Oh, I like this. She says things I've been thinking but says them coherently. (lol)
Here's a good post on why Democrats should not trade in their metaphorical knives and NPR totebags in favor of bringing WMD's to the metaphorical gunfight:
https://terikanefield.com/why-democrats-should-not-fight-like-republicans-and-more/