Yeah, there are multiple points where Trump trying to cancel the election to stay in power runs afoul of procedure, the law and the constitution. I’d be feeling more sanguine about that being likely to stop him, however, if he weren’t getting away with blatantly, unquestionably violating the law on a regular basis. No one seems to actually be responding when Trump does things like that.
Then you have Brian Kemp cancelling the state supreme court elections so he can directly appoint someone, after Republicans added extra seats to the court. (The court largely recused themselves, with the remainder going along with the plan.)
Which he has no power to do. More importantly, perhaps, I don’t see how he would do it, given that elections aren’t run nationally, ultimately. This perhaps is the biggest stumbling block the idea - he can’t just declare them closed and have that “order” have any effect. At least some states would just continue with elections in the absence of a compelling reason not to. (Though this may be worse - only “blue” states vote, Trump loses big, declares results invalid… or only some swing states get voting closed and Trump wins, declares the invalid results valid…)
You know what else Congress controls? The firing of the I.G. There’s a legally mandated 30-day period of congressional review when the president wants to get rid of whoever is in that position. What actually happened? The guy showed up for work and found himself locked out of his office without warning, no congressional review. Blatantly illegal, yet still being treated as a done deal.
I think that there are no mechanisms in between Trump and elections that would allow him to stop them directly is going to be the bigger impediment. Instead, the Republicans are gearing up for massive voter disenfranchisement and intimidation.
The earlier it’s done, the more resistance that builds up before the point when elections would happen. Create chaos nearer the election and I suspect more people are willing to accept it, just so there’s someone in power when the new term is supposed to start, because the uncertainty would be treated as worse than the rejection of democracy.
Yeah, except that the right-wing created boogie-men that were complete fantasies, and Trump actually talks about doing the shit we’re worried about (or at least talks about doing something adjacent). Also: look at all the shit the right accused Obama of doing or planning, and how much of that Trump has actually done. It was projection and a warning.
Exactly. Like emoluments. Oh, oops.
Yeah, I think that’s not just more likely, it’s a certainty. (I mean, they’re already doing it.) However, I can see Trump creating so much chaos around the elections that the outcome is treated as if it’s in doubt, the Supreme Court weighs in, and we’ve got Bush v. Gore all over again. (I.e. the court makes a totally partisan ruling that benefits Trump, despite not having a legal leg to stand on, and he wins despite being the clear loser.)
Except that given who owns most of the guns in this country (and have a willingness to resolve issues using them), the ammo box is going to be utilized by the authoritarian followers trying to make sure there’s no voting, to support Dear Leader.
Stochastic death-squads?
