I just posted this to my social media feed. (Someone asked me how we can fight back...)
I am doing two things daily:
1. I am scouring my social media for any lies and propaganda posted by my friends, acquaintances, etc. I post directly to the source including facts backed up by evidence. We know that there are hackers out there trying to influence our election and we have to be vigilant to set the record straight as much as we can.
2. I have joined www.votefwd.org and am writing personalized letters to people who either are not registered to vote in this election, or who have not voted in a while. They do not target one party over another. Their goal is simply to encourage people, regardless of party affiliation, to vote and that will help to ensure that it is the voice of the people who determines the outcome of this election, not the SCOTUS or the corrupt Governors of swing states who want to declare the election rigged before it even happens and pick their favorite electors giving Trump a "win" in their state. If we can encourage a record voter turnout, than maybe their games will be pointless.
I get the helpless feeling and definitely the panic we are feeling. I, for one, cannot sit idly by and watch the debacle play out in slow motion before my eyes. I have to do something. And everyone who feels the way I feel can and should do something. Believe me, it helps to ease the stress because I know that I am doing everything that I can to effect change, sans run for office myself. :)
@sistermoon I read Trump's cards a while back and they were terrible for him and so far they've been coming to pass with Sun + Death (revelations that will ultimately sink him). Look at everything that has been coming out, Woodward tapes, etc. Things keep going the way the cards told me, this time next year he'll be in Mar A Lago whine tweeting about how he was just trying to make America great again.
It doesn't matter how many loyalists T has installed now, once he officially loses the election, the military and the new administration report to the new POTUS, not him... the GOP and the military in its entirety would have to be willing to stage a coordinated official coup and I don't see that happening, as despicable as many of them are...T has created many enemies within the military establishment...he is not liked.
Sorry, the above was a bad link. This should be better....
Respectfully, I disagree.
I had a longer response typed to explain why I feel this way but decided to delete it.
At any rate, I certainly don't wish to argue, and I certainly don't believe all is lost. But I do think it's dangerous to pin our hopes on someone or something saving us when many of the institutions meant to check the power of this administration have achieved nothing (or at least very little) over the past four years.
I have no wish to argue either. And I certainly do agree that T and the whole situation is very dangerous and deeply upsetting.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/13/2020-election-contested-donald-trump-226869
Note that this article was written in May of 2019.
I think he's changing his strategy. He knows he is going to lose and is using the SCOTUS opening and GOP legislations in swing states to stall the results while he installs loyalist EC voters and let his 6-3 majority Supreme Court uphold the actions, making him the winner.
He is actually starting a coup d'etat from the inside at this point.
I feel that after Biden wins and inaugurated, Trump's loyalists, avid supporters, and the hate group will return to the fringes of society. I did a quick scan of Biden's presidency and saw that he has a list of things he will do on his agenda and see the items on the list checked off after it is implemented.
Here's my two cents-
We all know that Twitler is the master of distraction. I am frustrated with the media for giving this story legs. T is not going to be able to turn red-faced, stomp his feet, whine that he doesn't like the election results and get the SC to toss out the results, even a SC with a 6-3 majority, if that happens. That would be a brazen, bold-faced authoritation coup. That is why we need to see to it that this election is a bluenami, a blowout so massive that no one can even think of contesting the results. The majority of Americans want the SCOTUS seat filled after the election. Now, McSlimeball doesn't care, but this bs they're trying to pull will come back to bite them in the ass. Trying to kill the ACA is the biggest political mistake in a century.
About the electors-I can't do links, but please go to Twitter and look up Teri Kanefield. She's a lawyer and has a beautifully explained, easy-to-understand thread on why the elector scenario is not going to happen. PLEASE read it, all of it. It will make you feel better, I promise, and explains why the likelihood of this scenario being pushed by Twitler, is almost zero. Again, Twitler wants this story in the news to demoralize voters, get them to throw up their hands and say, what's the point of voting, he's just going to change the results anyway.
I understand visions and feelings of unease and fear and everything, but do not give into them! That's what the enemy wants more than anything. Yes, enemy. Of democracy, of freedom, of equality, of fairness. FIGHT. Make sure you, your kids, your family, your friends, are registered to vote. Donate money, volunteer for Biden.
I guess it's my sucker and loser ancestry, but I'm with Yogi; you wouldn't have won if we'd beaten you.
Polarberry is right. He really can't pull off what he is proposing. He's puffing up his chest like a cornered animal to look bigger and scarier than he is, and may even be hoping he can trade some immunity from prosecution in exchange for leaving peacefully. I've read Teri Kanefield's thread. I too recommend y'all read it. It's going to be okay.
@writerjenny I'm with you -- but remember...cornered animals can do a LOT of damage and cause a LOT of harm.
Exerpted from The Atlantic What if Trump Refuses to Concede?
The worst case, however, is not that Trump rejects the election outcome. The worst case is that he uses his power to prevent a decisive outcome against him. If Trump sheds all restraint, and if his Republican allies play the parts he assigns them, he could obstruct the emergence of a legally unambiguous victory for Biden in the Electoral College and then in Congress. He could prevent the formation of consensus about whether there is any outcome at all. He could seize on that un-certainty to hold on to power.
Let us not hedge about one thing. Donald Trump may win or lose, but he will never concede. Not under any circumstance...
Trump’s invincible commitment to this stance will be the most important fact about the coming Interregnum. It will deform the proceedings from beginning to end. We have not experienced anything like it before.
I love Kanefield's Response because it helps us stay focused on the power we have to believe in our election process. I hope the press and our leaders also follow this lead.
- First, remember that each state has rules that govern the certifying of their elections.
- Yes, laws still matter.
- The Trump legal advisor wants you to think they don’t. Why? Because when enough people lose confidence in democracy, democracy will fail.
- That’s why…a goal of active measures is to get you to lose confidence in democratic processes.
- Trump is trying his best to get you to lose confidence in democratic processes.
To add about Biden's presidency, the items on the agenda are listed from top priority to low priority.
Did anyone see how crowds greeted Trump and Melania yesterday (Thurs) when they visited RBG's viewing? Trump booed and then Crowd Chanted "Vote Him Out! Vote Him Out." It was painful to watch. I wish he would just duck and run away and never come back.
@jeanne-mayell I watched that video of T and Melania at RBG’s casket and the crowd spontaneously shouting “vote him out” about ten times today. It’s satisfying.
Jeanne, I agree 100%! Just because they won't get away with it doesn't mean they won't try. There is nothing they won't do, legal or illegal, to retain power. That's not opinion; that's fact. Look at the last four years. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind that every one of them would turn a blind eye to a stolen election, especially if they were part of the stealing.
I adore President Obama, but I think one of his biggest mistakes was giving rethugs like McConnell the benefit of the doubt. Most of them don't give a tinker's damn about the Constitution or the rule of law unless they can use it to benefit and enrich themselves.
Most of the time, the damage and harm cornered animals cause can be repaired. And here comes Joe Biden to do just that. I just bought the American Collector Special Issue, Joe Biden. I miss decency and intelligence.
"The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget."
Thomas Szasz