What if Trump’s campaign is cover for a slow-motion coup?
What if Trump’s campaign is cover for a slow-motion coup?
Even if Trump can’t really mobilize large numbers of people to the streets, just prolonging a sense of chaos might be enough
Summary
Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric and actions suggest he may be preparing not just for an election, but for a “slow-motion coup.”
Despite being seen as an electoral liability for Republicans, Trump has primed his followers with narratives of stolen elections and positioned 2024 as an existential battle. This approach parallels far-right populist movements worldwide, where loyalty is signaled through belief in conspiracy theories.
With ongoing lawsuits, targeted claims of “non-citizen” voting, and support from some judicial figures, Trump’s strategy hints at an attempt to disrupt and delegitimize the electoral process if he loses.
I wouldn't even say it's slo-mi. They're literally explaining that it has always been, if it's not extra clear from his own recent comments.
What if? That's absolutely what they're trying and they've said as much.
It's pretty obvious there's a shitload of Republican leadership fully invested in overthrowing democracy. They can't win any other way.
Question is... Do we let them? If we want meaningful reform we need the House/Senate, we need to vote like it's the last meaningful vote to ever be held in this once great nation, and hopefully prove ourselves wrong in doing so.
They don’t care what gets destroyed, as long as they win
Littlefinger embodied as a political party.
Been saying it since he said he didn’t need more votes: votes are his plan b.
It's not even a coup. He's very close to winning the electoral college as it is because Americans are fucking idiots. It's just going to be a procedural matter not a coup per se.
Kamala should be meeting with the military to prepare a response. This is not a time to be polite.
Maybe that should be Biden. Kamala doing it would be a bad look.
The Guardian is just figuring this out now?
A cover? Yeah like the kings new clothes maybe.
The people need to put a stop to this!
And how?
You'll hear responses like general strikes or large scale protests. I'm cynical, but I have a hard time believing anything can be done aside from voting and hoping it works.
The US is too spread out, patches of humanity too separated to make a general strike work. (what are people in rural Montana going to think when their one grocery store clerk doesn't show up for work?)
Almost half of Americans actually want a coup so that the "right" people will be punished in a righteous fury - they don't give a shit about reality or democracy (or even the hope of democracy).
I'm so fed up and broken down by it all.
By voting, staying informed, participating in protests, pushing stv ranked choice, boycotting unethical businesses.
It obviously is
It’s already cover for a slow motion grift.
These facist have so many sleepers, that even if he doesn't win, he'll still win.
And also that for democracy to survive, you need to win every time, whereas they only need to really win once in order to establish dominance.
It's not an even battle, not by a long shot.
I hear you that it's tiring and intimidating dealing with fascists. That said I don't think it's factual to say they only need to win once, and believing so creates a strategic disadvantage.
Factually, world war 2 is the classic example of fascists needing to win continually and being unable to do it. The Nazis had a good showing in an election, Hitler was made chancellor and then they used that foot in the door to take over the government and seize many countries. But they lost in the end, and that was a result of resistance, not just militarily but the sum of every individual act of opposition.
There's a concept of anticipatory obedience. Corporations and local governments sometimes fell over themselves to do what they thought the fascist government would ask before the actual ask. Even if Trump seized power, that wouldn't be the end. They need us to cooperate. And by resisting in a concrete way (not just #resist posting of course) we will stop fascism.
It's never over. Fascism is destined to lose. It's a question of how much suffering and injustice can we avoid by defeating it sooner.
And believing like they want us to believe, that it's all over, is a strategic disadvantage. If we believe we're beaten or that victory is impossible we'll act that way. Believe that we can win, and spread that belief, and we'll act that way.
Is not so much that he will win (he's obviously being used, and we'll have no actual power himself); it's more that the rest is are gonna lose, I'm afraid.
Reminds me of the original AVP catchphrase: "Whoever wins, we lose".