Trump

[Haibane]

Biden doesn't have to. The electors declare him president and on 20th Jan, 45 leaves whether he bleats like a brat or not. Fucks are not given by Biden on this one I imagine. He is probably calmly ignoring this nonsense.

[legomaster00156]

I am not crazy enough to be able to think like Trump.

[Beguile's Mistress]

And there goes my claim to sanity! 

[Dhi]

It's not about retaining the presidency anymore, it's about retaining the cult.

[Haibane]

I think it is, and always has been, about himself. He is doing this just to prove to himself he isn't a loser. He's Donald Trump and he always wins. That's all that matters in the whole world. He won, fair and square and in order to beat him the enemy must have cheated. He's recently said his "elite legal team" are making him "look bad" because they can't expose this obvious and massive fraud. He just keeps droning the same old mantra and the rest of the world will ignore him, except, as has been pointed out, the cultists.

[Missy]

I never watch any videos featuring him now and I can't even bear to look at his face. His whole expression is one of contempt and "me, me, me". I have to scroll past his image when reading news articles. He almost makes me nauseous. Thank the gods its nearly over; soon we can get the popcorn out and watch his downfall. Or more likely his slippery escape from justice.

well to be honest I would rather not say the first thing I thought when I started watching that video, I make light of it because it's way more healthy and I have made no real effort to watch him or anything with few exceptions. Describing him as disgusting is insulting to all things disgusting.

I think the overall consolation of it all is though he's prettymuch made his place in history as the most pitiful excuse for a president in American history. He's already made it into college history courses as a con-man and well if the rising generation is even remotely sensible they'll teach it in grade school with the same manner of attention to apply to the Nazi's and the holocaust. Trumps legacy is over 300 000 gravestones, economic ruin, petulance, ineptitude and failure. Perhaps by 2050 no one will be laughing at my jokes at all.

Trump; Verb
1. to make a play as if to win the game, only to lose with the worst possible hand. "well that was quite the trump card son"
2. Having excessive and entirely baseless confidence. "Did you see the way that guy was shouting? Just going off like a trump"

In all seriousness though I guess all that's really left to see is what Biden (hands-off) DOJ decides to do about Trumps, activities. To be honest I respect and support Biden for leaving it up to the new DOJ to make the call, but I think given the circumstances America can't afford not to prosecute Trump. With so many of the granted norms having been violated by him or otherwise in his name, we've seen just how fragile democracy really is, the actions of the governing officials after this point will determine the future course of American democracy, no system is stronger than the will of it's bearers to uphold it.

[Andol]

Eh I doubt that they will end up charging him with anything at this point... given that it seems the norm for politicians to just continue to get away with crap for whatever reason. Plus an event like that sounds like a great way to simply drum up the cult of the people who support him so much already.

well to be honest I would rather not say the first thing I thought when I started watching that video, I make light of it because it's way more healthy and I have made no real effort to watch him or anything with few exceptions. Describing him as disgusting is insulting to all things disgusting.

I think the overall consolation of it all is though he's prettymuch made his place in history as the most pitiful excuse for a president in American history. He's already made it into college history courses as a con-man and well if the rising generation is even remotely sensible they'll teach it in grade school with the same manner of attention to apply to the Nazi's and the holocaust. Trumps legacy is over 300 000 gravestones, economic ruin, petulance, ineptitude and failure. Perhaps by 2050 no one will be laughing at my jokes at all.

I really hope they don't to be honest... comparing historical genocides on that massive of a scale to Trumps bumbling administration, is a very bad apples to oranges comparison in sheer terms of the horrific nature of the events. So in that case is not appropriate...

[Missy]

I really hope they don't to be honest... comparing historical genocides on that massive of a scale to Trumps bumbling administration, is a very bad apples to oranges comparison in sheer terms of the horrific nature of the events. So in that case is not appropriate...

I understand your meaning, I really just meant in the sense that it's something that shouldn't happen again; so really I meant more in the form of attention given to the matter more than a simplistic comparison, in the sense that either is meritous of a 'never-again' mentality.

Really though I do believe his conduct sets a dangerous precedent which serves merely to undermine the stability of democracy as a whole, just my opinion though.

[gaggedLouise]

It's not about retaining the presidency anymore, it's about retaining the cult.

True, but there's little doubt I think, that he would have been ready to commit to a coup d'etat *if* he'd had more solid support from 1) the GOP legislatures of the swing states he lost and 2) the military. After it became plain that his campaign with the courts was failing badly, he's been trying to put pressure on republican state senators to make them override the election results and hand the victory to him, aiming to bypass the electoral college. If the plan had really been swung into action, it would have coincided with bringing in the military and perhaps Trumpist and alt-right armed militias to put down protests with force, and casting Democrats and "lefties" as rebels, traitors and a subversive rabble. Both republican state legislators and top military people made it clear they would not get on the train with him for something like that, but if he had had better support from them, it's a road he would have tried.

[Andol]

Really though I do believe his conduct sets a dangerous precedent which serves merely to undermine the stability of democracy as a whole, just my opinion though.

I agree with you there, especially depending on if a large number of Trump voters go forth with the mindset that the election was stolen for the next four years. Plus the whole mindset of people who just refuse to listen based on not agreeing with election results. We have been seeing small pockets of it, but I wonder if such things will get bigger.

Meh I kind of find the idea of Trump starting a coup especially one that uses the military to lean a bit into the conspiracy territory. Drum up his voters for support yes... Make a bunch of absurd legal challenges... sure... but a military coup... hardly.   

[legomaster00156]

I agree with you there, especially depending on if a large number of Trump voters go forth with the mindset that the election was stolen for the next four years. Plus the whole mindset of people who just refuse to listen based on not agreeing with election results. We have been seeing small pockets of it, but I wonder if such things will get bigger.

Meh I kind of find the idea of Trump starting a coup especially one that uses the military to lean a bit into the conspiracy territory. Drum up his voters for support yes... Make a bunch of absurd legal challenges... sure... but a military coup... hardly.

It is, literally speaking, a conspiracy theory. That does not make it untrue, or even unlikely.

[gaggedLouise]

It is, literally speaking, a conspiracy theory. That does not make it untrue, or even unlikely.

Trump is certainly coldblooded enough to try to do it, though I don't think he was the one coming up with the idea, the game plan of such a coup. That's more likely tp have been some aide or friend of his.

This time around it didn't work, but watch out, somebody else follwing in his footsteps could try the same kind of plan in the future.

[TheGlyphstone]

In all seriousness though I guess all that's really left to see is what Biden (hands-off) DOJ decides to do about Trumps, activities. To be honest I respect and support Biden for leaving it up to the new DOJ to make the call, but I think given the circumstances America can't afford not to prosecute Trump. With so many of the granted norms having been violated by him or otherwise in his name, we've seen just how fragile democracy really is, the actions of the governing officials after this point will determine the future course of American democracy, no system is stronger than the will of it's bearers to uphold it.

Even if the Feds don't go after him for all the things he did, there is still state-level cases. New York is really, really, really interested in finding out just how much of their tax money he's been cheating them out of all this time...

[gaggedLouise]

Even if the Feds don't go after him for all the things he did, there is still state-level cases. New York is really, really, really interested in finding out just how much of their tax money he's been cheating them out of all this time...

Agree - also, Kamala Harris is probably *very* eager to see him getting prosecuted, and she will push for it.

[Haibane]

This time around it didn't work, but watch out, somebody else follwing in his footsteps could try the same kind of plan in the future.

And that is why people on both sides need to look long and hard at what just happened and how the world's most prestigious political leadership role almost wrecked democracy. Its critical that the problems his antics have exposed are dealt with. So that no-one can attempt the same again and the cracks in the foundation that he has chipped open need to be, don't just need to be cemented over, the whole structure needs to be made tougher and more robust.

There is no question that being the egotist he is, he would have gone for a third term if he could in some way have twisted things to his ends, or even declare himself a king. His ego would just have found that the perfect hat. Look at people like Putin who are able to twist things to their liking. I do admit that Putin is a much cleverer man than Trump and he has a much easier task to hand in bending the laws he's constrained with to his will, but a Putinclone is where Trump would have ended up.

[Haibane]

Federal appeal court throws our Trump's Pennsylvania case.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-55109168

Next stop; SCOTUS :(

[Deamonbane]

Trump's campaign paid three million dollars for a recount in Milwaukee County, resulting in Biden's lead increasing by 132 votes.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-wisconsin/recount-in-wisconsin-county-demanded-by-trump-increases-bidens-margin-idUSKBN28802N

[TheGlyphstone]

Trump's campaign supporters paid three million dollars for a recount in Milwaukee County, resulting in Biden's lead increasing by 132 votes.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-wisconsin/recount-in-wisconsin-county-demanded-by-trump-increases-bidens-margin-idUSKBN28802N

Fixed that for you. 

[Oniya]

well to be honest I would rather not say the first thing I thought when I started watching that video, I make light of it because it's way more healthy and I have made no real effort to watch him or anything with few exceptions. Describing him as disgusting is insulting to all things disgusting.

I think the overall consolation of it all is though he's prettymuch made his place in history as the most pitiful excuse for a president in American history. He's already made it into college history courses as a con-man and well if the rising generation is even remotely sensible they'll teach it in grade school with the same manner of attention to apply to the Nazi's and the holocaust. Trumps legacy is over 300 000 gravestones, economic ruin, petulance, ineptitude and failure. Perhaps by 2050 no one will be laughing at my jokes at all.

In all seriousness though I guess all that's really left to see is what Biden (hands-off) DOJ decides to do about Trumps, activities. To be honest I respect and support Biden for leaving it up to the new DOJ to make the call, but I think given the circumstances America can't afford not to prosecute Trump. With so many of the granted norms having been violated by him or otherwise in his name, we've seen just how fragile democracy really is, the actions of the governing officials after this point will determine the future course of American democracy, no system is stronger than the will of it's bearers to uphold it.

To be fair, we already have 'trumpery' and 'trumped up' in the current OED.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trumpery

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trumped%20up

[Laughing Hyena]

Federal appeal court throws our Trump's Pennsylvania case.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-55109168

Next stop; SCOTUS :(

SCOTUS? I assume supreme court for the appeals? Great that means the newly appointed judge presides yes? Time for her test of character

[Oniya]

Trump donor sues to get his 2.5 million dollars back.

'Scuse me while I laugh uproariously.

[Laughing Hyena]

Speaking of the Supreme Court, lets look at the possibility of the election being overturned. Legal Eagle has been a good source of information and as such Im listening to this to get a little bit more insight on this matter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha7iWECm_8E&t=4s

[Haibane]

I don't think the supreme court has the balls to overturn the result. I don't even see how legally they can, once the electoral college votes. It would mean complete chaos and effectively the end of US democracy. There would be complete uproar. The fact that the Republicans being pushed along by Trump are even trying to go this far speaks volumes of how corrupt and insensitive to fairness and the voice of the people they are. I'm pretty sure it would split the Republican party into moderates and extremists, splitting their vote and so wreck any future chance of a GOP president. And this on top of so far not a single shred of meaningful evidence, just one person basically shouting a lie over and over and drilling it into the heads of his supporters. Politics does not and cannot function on such practices.

BTW, as regards the etymology of the word "trump" and its derivatives these have been in the English language for centuries; its probably that his family name comes from one of these words or meanings, not that these meanings and words stem from his name. I imagine we will see some new uses of "trump" in the future but I really doubt they are in the OED already in reference to 45.

[Kitteredge]

My feeling is the GOP is quite done with Trump, if individually they are too cowardly to poke their heads up and admit it. They've captured the federal judiciary very well and can focus on keeping the Senate. The SCOTUS will likely be the same. They're too busy making religiously crazy rulings like exempting places of worship from coronavirus regulations. That's probably our future as far as the SCOTUS goes for now, although I can see them quietly helping to make voting harder in the next few years. For Trump, however, he can't help them any longer, so moving on.

[Haibane]

Trump donor sues to get his 2.5 million dollars back.

'Scuse me while I laugh uproariously.

I'm having a Nelson Muntz moment.