Yesterday, September 23, was one of the worst days in American political history. On this day, the incumbent president, Donald Trump, came out as an enemy of the people, showing resentment and matter-of-fact impatience with the election and voting. “Get rid of the ballots,” Trump said on camera yesterday, during a White House briefing. Even as evidence mounts that voters have had it with this president, he keeps ratcheting up his assault on their democratic sovereignty.
“I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster. We want to have — get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very trans- — we’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly; there’ll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control.”
The suits and skirts blandly analyzing what will happen “if Trump doesn’t leave” have forgotten the lead actor in this story: the voting public, especially the majority who for fours years has had to sit by as this despicable man has corrupted and upended the constitutional order on which the nation’s prosperity and dignity depend.
What will happen if Trump disregards the wishes of the people for whom the government exists? Trump strikes at what he can’t control: The people will not tolerate a subversion of their will.
Orange head is an enemy of the people. To say such a thing-“get rid of the ballots”-shows an awful and total disregard for our Constitution. That good ol’ firebrand Elizabeth Warren said that orange head is on the verge–once again–of committing treason.
He committed treason once already, yet weak-kneed GOP Senators wouldn’t even allow witnesses to testify to those charges in the impeachment trial. And again, hardly a one, hardly a one, has come out to attack orange head and say boldly what Warren has or something similar. . . The acquiescence, their quiet, is treachery as well, if they do not “defend and uphold our Constitution” in obedience to the oath of office they took.
I kinda presume that he thought he was referring to the ‘mail-in’ ballots BUT that is NOT what he said. We all know he–and the entire right wing (now all of the GOP)–want to get rid of citizens having any meaningful vote. Just a token voice like Trump’s BFF, mentor, and idol Vlad the Impaler Pootin.
I have realized that the Repubs don’t actually fear Trump. He is their avatar, their meme, their leader–in name only: McConnell is more activist ‘leader’. But as long as he [Trump] keeps stirring the sewage he and they have pumped into the swamp, they’ll let him think they follow him.
NONE of them even pretend anymore to live the oaths they all pledged.
Interesting. Some observers think the US is sliding toward competitive authoritarianism–basically an authoritarian government with the trappings of democracy like Russia. Trump has styled his presidency after dictators like Hitler. He hates the Constitution and any thing like resistance. I hope there is a massive victory for Biden that is never anything but after election night.
The Republicans have been telling themselves some kind of story–I have given up trying to understand them–but I like your theory–it’s plausible.
Thanks, Allen.