Orange stain second term results thread

[pmv]

3) no need to hold elections anymore, declare emergency, martial law, etc

4) even if they do hold elections, the GOP controls the FEC and soon to be post office.

So there will be "elections."

Currently (3) doesn't seem very likely. Things would have to deteriorate a lot further before that became plausible. But I can't see why Trump would have seized control of the FEC (and post office) in the way he has if he and the GQP weren't intending to make use of that power, so it's quite likely something bad is going to happen in that respect.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Currently (3) doesn't seem very likely. Things would have to deteriorate a lot further before that became plausible. But I can't see why Trump would have seized control of the FEC (and post office) in the way he has if he and the GQP weren't intending to make use of that power, so it's quite likely something bad is going to happen in that respect.

That's easy to predict, they'll just intercept all mail in ballots and redirect to a central voting registrar (trash bin).

 

[Brainonska511]

Currently (3) doesn't seem very likely. Things would have to deteriorate a lot further before that became plausible. But I can't see why Trump would have seized control of the FEC (and post office) in the way he has if he and the GQP weren't intending to make use of that power, so it's quite likely something bad is going to happen in that respect.

Trump dropped the post office plans too, at least for now.

And "no elections" seems unlikely since they are all organized at state and local levels.

It's far more likely that Trump and co are going to seriously break something and will have to face the public backlash.

And after Trump is gone, we really just need a New Reconstruction: rebuild and fix what was broken to make it more resilient, and fix the Republic to get rid of any idea of a unitary executive. (I would also accept as a bonus flogging law professors and media editors through the streets for laundering bad faith arguments for years)

 

[K1052]

That's easy to predict, they'll just intercept all mail in ballots and redirect to a central voting registrar (trash bin).

It’s all fun and games until a blue state governor orders their National Guard to take over the USPS in their state.

 

[K1052]

Trump dropped the post office plans too, at least for now.

And "no elections" seems unlikely since they are all organized at state and local levels.

It's far more likely that Trump and co are going to seriously break something and will have to face the public backlash.

And after Trump is gone, we really just need a New Reconstruction: rebuild and fix what was broken to make it more resilient, and fix the Republic to get rid of any idea of a unitary executive. (I would also accept as a bonus flogging law professors and media editors through the streets for laundering bad faith arguments for years)

Trump’s econ polling is already in the shitter before they break something they cannot hide. When his overall approval sinks into the 30s is when things will get spicy.

 

[Brainonska511]

It’s all fun and games until a blue state governor orders their National Guard to take over the USPS in their state.

Also, federal workers take their jobs seriously, despite Republican propaganda. Trump would need a huge coordination effort of unwilling participants to succeed on some of these elaborate proposals. And given his penchant for pissing everyone off, I somehow don't see that happening.

Usually, when you want to make a dictatorship, you don't piss off your internal and external security forces while simultaneously making the economy bad and the public unhappy.

 

[brycejones]

That's easy to predict, they'll just intercept all mail in ballots and redirect to a central voting registrar (trash bin).

At least in Michigan you can track when your mail in ballot is received and counted. Just redirecting them to a dumpster at the post office would be very obvious.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

At least in Michigan you can track when your mail in ballot is received and counted. Just redirecting them to a dumpster at the post office would be very obvious.

But the question is, what are you going to do about it? Go to a polling station? You can't legally vote twice and you don't have proof your vote isn't going where it's supposed to go. If it just gets blackholed, what's your recourse other than setting fire to shit?

 

[Brainonska511]

But the question is, what are you going to do about it? Go to a polling station? You can't legally vote twice and you don't have proof your vote isn't going where it's supposed to go. If it just gets blackholed, what's your recourse other than setting fire to shit?

In MA, if your ballot was not accepted by the local election official, there is no reason you can't vote in person. I don't see how that would be any different elsewhere (if your mail ballot will miss the deadline, then your in person vote will be the thing that counts).

 

[brycejones]

But the question is, what are you going to do about it? Go to a polling station? You can't legally vote twice and you don't have proof your vote isn't going where it's supposed to go. If it just gets blackholed, what's your recourse other than setting fire to shit?

To be blunt if we get to the point where they are blackholing mail in ballots in wholesale lots its going to be time to start burning shit.

 

[K1052]

VA prepares to fire 83,000 employees.

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/03/va-plans-lay-many-83000-employees-year/403477/

Musk/Vought planning like six different little experiments which are like this:

 

[Brainonska511]

VA prepares to fire 83,000 employees.

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/03/va-plans-lay-many-83000-employees-year/403477/

Musk/Vought planning like six different little experiments which are like this:

View attachment 118960

Touching the stove before summer, so that there will be lots of people angry and suddenly unburdened by employment that they'll have plenty of time to protest or make trouble. And what bad things could come from hurting the VA so that people with military training can't access the services they need or earned?

 

[K1052]

Touching the stove before summer, so that there will be lots of people angry and suddenly unburdened by employment that they'll have plenty of time to protest or make trouble. And what bad things could come from hurting the VA so that people with military training can't access the services they need or earned?

The first couple rules of any autocracy is that you take care of the military and the pensioners. They are just deciding to particularly fuck them over instead.

 

[RalphTheCow]

I don’t understand what Trump thinks he has to gain by pissing off virtually everybody, particularly by crashing the economy.

 

[MrSquished]

I don’t understand what Trump thinks he has to gain by pissing off virtually everybody, particularly by crashing the economy.

He's a dumb person that doesn't understand how things work. It's as simple as that.

 

[brycejones]

He's a dumb person that doesn't understand how things work. It's as simple as that.

I would add surrounded by people with really really bad ideas who will tell him constantly how brilliant he is while feeding him their horrible ideas to implement.

 

[MrSquished]

I would add surrounded by people with really really bad ideas who will tell him constantly how brilliant he is while feeding him their horrible ideas to implement.

Yep. And this is what will give a slight crack in the door for them to fail early. If the opposition can be effective as well. So far we have not seen an iota of that unfortunately.

 

[RalphTheCow]

I would add surrounded by people with really really bad ideas who will tell him constantly how brilliant he is while feeding him their horrible ideas to implement.

Yes, we definitely have a naked emperor. Fairy Tale 101 is stumping MAGA.

 

[RalphTheCow]

Yep. And this is what will give a slight crack in the door for them to fail early. If the opposition can be effective as well. So far we have not seen an iota of that unfortunately.

I may be way off, but you would think at some point republicans would see an opening and dash for the door. Maybe as their constituents break out the tar and feathers and torches and pitchforks.

 

[gothuevos]

It’s all fun and games until a blue state governor orders their National Guard to take over the USPS in their state.

Can't do that if your national guard has been federalized.

 

[Jaskalas]

I may be way off, but you would think at some point republicans would see an opening and dash for the door. Maybe as their constituents break out the tar and feathers and torches and pitchforks.

They've had three chances to vote against him and TWO chances to impeach him.
No, the religious faithful will never break with Cheeto Jesus. Anything you think or say is bad, their propaganda has told them to love. Alt-reality has no limits.

 

[K1052]

Can't do that if your national guard has been federalized.

If Trump orders ballots in say California destroyed under protection of the state NG there will almost certainly be a mutiny as they refuse orders from the SecDef. De facto secession crisis mode.

 

[ivwshane]

I don’t understand what Trump thinks he has to gain by pissing off virtually everybody, particularly by crashing the economy.

If you look at it through the lens of Trump and republicans being an asset for Russia or a fascist movement, it all makes sense. In fact that’s the only way it makes sense.

People who don’t remember history (hint we’ve been here before) are doomed to repeat it.

 

[gothuevos]

If Trump orders ballots in say California destroyed under protection of the state NG there will almost certainly be a mutiny as they refuse orders from the SecDef. De facto secession crisis mode.

Would they refuse orders tho?

All of them?

Then what if Texas sends their NG to help quell unrest? Or the outright military under the Insurrection Act?

Yes of course it would be bloody but the point is that it would get quelled one way or another.

Secession talk is just lol when you don't have the means to enforce/keep it.

 

[K1052]

Would they refuse orders tho?

All of them?

Then what if Texas sends their NG to help quell unrest? Or the outright military under the Insurrection Act?

Yes of course it would be bloody but the point is that it would get quelled one way or another.

Secession talk is just lol when you don't have the means to enforce/keep it.

Would they refuse orders tho?

All of them?

Then what if Texas sends their NG to help quell unrest? Or the outright military under the Insurrection Act?

Yes of course it would be bloody but the point is that it would get quelled one way or another.

Secession talk is just lol when you don't have the means to enforce/keep it.

Governors can refuse such a deployment. Anyway practically the TX guard would probably be “greeted” by CA guard.

There is not enough military power in the us to quell a rebellion of like half the country if they precipitate one.