Trump’s Disgraceful Endgame

[Gunnar]

There are good points on all sides of the political spectrum. The truth almost always lies somewhere in the middle. Anyone who doesn't see that is partially blind.

Exactly! All sides need to spend more time listening to each other, less time demonizing each other and zero time issuing death threats to those with whom they disagree.

[Jersey Girl]

There are good points on all sides of the political spectrum. The truth almost always lies somewhere in the middle. Anyone who doesn't see that is partially blind.

Exactly! All sides need to spend more time listening to each other, less time demonizing each other and zero time issuing death threats to those with whom they disagree.

Or God forbid they work in collaboration with each other. They might get something constructive done.

[Philo Sofee]

Well. Not really. We’re in unprecedented territory. I’d say just get comfy, put on some Netflix, and make yourself a hot cuppa chocolate. But, yeah, there’s really nothing stopping Trump from following through on this beyond his own nagging sense that this wouldn’t work out for him in the end. If he did follow Flynn’s advice, I could see a million or so ‘patriots’ following his direct orders. I could further envision them smoking some fools, “arresting” Democratic politicians, and essentially establishing an authoritarian government in red states. At that point things would heat up pretty quickly and the balkanization of the states would be a real possibility depending on how much ethnic enclaves would lock down their respective territories. It all hinges on the whims of a megalomaniac authoritarian narcissist.

- Doc

The military would absolutely TROUNCE his piddily attempts. He cannot win if he takes this stance. It might, however, be a fantastically legal way to get rid of a LOT of his stupid followers in a war.....it would be horrendous, but, they are oblivious to logic, but not bullets and bombs.

[Res Ipsa]

I keep trying to imagine what it’s like for ordinary folks a couple weeks before a coup happen. It makes me realize I have no idea. I agree with Cam that this is unexplored territory. I don’t lose any sleep over it, but I have to admit that I don’t have the faintest idea how the military or anyone else would react.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Well. Not really. We’re in unprecedented territory. I’d say just get comfy, put on some Netflix, and make yourself a hot cuppa chocolate. But, yeah, there’s really nothing stopping Trump from following through on this beyond his own nagging sense that this wouldn’t work out for him in the end. If he did follow Flynn’s advice, I could see a million or so ‘patriots’ following his direct orders. I could further envision them smoking some fools, “arresting” Democratic politicians, and essentially establishing an authoritarian government in red states. At that point things would heat up pretty quickly and the balkanization of the states would be a real possibility depending on how much ethnic enclaves would lock down their respective territories. It all hinges on the whims of a megalomaniac authoritarian narcissist.

- Doc

The military would absolutely TROUNCE his piddily attempts. He cannot win if he takes this stance. It might, however, be a fantastically legal way to get rid of a LOT of his stupid followers in a war.....it would be horrendous, but, they are oblivious to logic, but not bullets and bombs.

Well. Sure. But would it? The military isn’t going to glass a city on American soil. If the federal government did that they’d immediately lose the war. Also, the military would most likely split into loyalists and a few other factions. The military only has x-number of troops willing to shoot their fellow Americans, I’d wager those types would go to Trump, but it’d be astonishingly small. Most likely you’d have a large number of military types unwilling to engage in any sort of civil war and troops would be going AWOL left and right, no pun intended.

The real problem lies with the civilian and veteran populations that support Trump, and genuinely loathes Liberals, Leftists, and the like. Since the military can’t possibly control a country the size of the US, never mind how armed to the teeth everyone is, it’d have to depend on states and municipalities for order. That’s where I suppose deeply red states could possibly go Trump’s way, minus racial or ethnic enclaves. Essentially lines would be drawn, and that’s where things get really tricky, especially if China, Russia, and the EU get involved. That’s where if a low intensity but hot civil war kicks off with opposing government factions that feel legitimized by their populations, the balkanization thing could actually happen.

Best not think about it. Why ruin a perfectly good pandemic with a civil war?

- Doc

[Moksha]

Do military people hold any grudges for things that Trump has said about them?

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Do military people hold any grudges for things that Trump has said about them?

You kind of have a few factions.

Faction #1 - Never Trumpers - This is probably around 40%, which is reflective of the general population because the military is a pretty good cross section of our middle and lower class strata. They, of course, seethe at having a moron and utter degenerate as their Commander in Chief. They do, in fact, remember his disrespect for living and dead military personnel.

Faction #2 - The Flynnians - These are the Forever Trumpers and sizable contingent of apocalyptic Christians who are like the Conservatives on this board. They’re stupid, don’t read, easily influenced by paranoia and conspiracy theories, and devout to whatever cause they think is the most important cause (guns, illegal immigration, America is under attack, abortion, taxes, whatever).

Faction #3 - The One-Termers - These are the Enlisted folks who just want to pay off college loans, get the GI Bill, or wanted to do something interesting before they have to commit to the drudgery of a career. They just want to not get caught partying. Politics is generally pretty far away outside of the snippets they catch from colleagues discussing it. The Officer side is similar except they’re either knocking out their service obligation because of ROTC, Green to Gold (I don’t know what the non-Army equivalent is), or they’re just trying to leverage their time into a good private sector gig. in my opinion, they don’t get wrapped up in politics until later.

Faction #4 - The Grey Men - These guys are different from the Flynnians because they’re typically pretty irreligious, pretty grounded, get into SOF type units, and the kind of people you hope never pick up a weapon outside of target practice or deer hunting once they’re retired or out. They’re into their own thing and don’t really care what politicians say about anything. They’re the guys who’d actually know what they’re doing if crap goes sideways, and you just hope they stick with the feds if the feds are trying to hold the country together in the event of a civil war. They’re genuinely terrifying because they’re the true alphas who live their lives on their terms, which don’t necessarily align with yours.

Faction #5 - The Derpoids - This is a hodgepodge of dudes who have no identity outside of the military service, the burnouts, the stolen valor types, and the wannabes. They’re all over the place and they don’t matter. They’re the ldsfaqs of the world.

- Doc

[ajax18]

Behind in almost all the major polls, Trump stormed within a hair’s breadth in the key battlegrounds of winning reelection,

The polls are just a part of the mainstream media propaganda machine for the Democratic party. It's an attempt to keep down enthusiasm of Republican voters and donors.

[canpakes]

The polls are just a part of the mainstream media propaganda machine for the Democratic party. It's an attempt to keep down enthusiasm of Republican voters and donors.

How does that work? Tell me how Republicans won’t vote for their preferred candidate because a poll that they don’t believe anyway might indicate that their candidate may not be leading.

Did those same polls reduce attendance at Trump rallies?

[ajax18]

How does that work? Tell me how Republicans won’t vote for their preferred candidate because a poll that they don’t believe anyway might indicate that their candidate may not be leading.

It's more directed at people who would donate money to the campaign. There was a lot of doubt in the polls in 2012. Oddly enough the polls turned out to be pretty accurate. The polls have been discredited in 2016 and 2020. So thankfully they won't have much effect. But there is good reason to suspect significant voter fraud. As long as the Democrats control the bench, there's not much you can do to stop it. It looks like Covid is here to stay and so is cheat by mail voting.

Did those same polls reduce attendance at Trump rallies?

Apparently not.