Could there be a coup in the US come election time?

[IglooDame]

No offense to anyone in here who's actually working for the American government, but the levels of incompetence present within would probably preclude any sort of actual coup.

However, if Trump refuses to leave, I hope somebody just drags him out and throws him in the trash. Your country has shown this guy way too much respect

You may be mistaking respect for the office with respect for the individual. I wouldn't urinate on President Trump if he were on fire, but he is still the president of my country and if I were still in uniform I would still salute the commander in chief.

But dragging him out and throwing him in the trash? Too good for him.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I wouldn't urinate on President Trump if he were on fire, but he is still the president of my country and if I were still in uniform I would still salute the commander in chief.

If you were in uniform, would you salute him if he was on fire?

 

[Zardnaar]

No offense to anyone in here who's actually working for the American government, but the levels of incompetence present within would probably preclude any sort of actual coup.

However, if Trump refuses to leave, I hope somebody just drags him out and throws him in the trash. Your country has shown this guy way too much respect

Trump would inspire it not organise it. As you said to incompetent.

 

[El_Machinae]

If you were in uniform, would you salute him if he was on fire?

Yes, and like any good soldier he would just stand there saluting until his salute was acknowledged and returned. And then he could go about doing whatever he was going to do

 

[IglooDame]

Yes, and like any good soldier he would just stand there saluting until his salute was acknowledged and returned. And then he could go about doing whatever he was going to do

Sailor, technically, but otherwise you are precisely correct.

 

[Socrates99]

Trump would inspire it not organise it. As you said to incompetent.

His admin really hasn't been much more competent. That's the funny part. It's been a collection of inept goons.

 

[Joij21]

Why would there even be a coup come election time? Trump could as well win it fair and square, and unless there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary then it seems unlikely. Even if we were to hypothetically assume that Trump will rig the election, then a coup only becomes probable if he was really sloppy, like I mean REALLY SLOPPY. If one accuses him of fraud but there is still uncertainty as whether accusing him was for purely partisan reasons, then the accusation would fall to the wayside. Especially so if the accusations seem vague and hard to prove.

 

[El_Machinae]

It's a good question, and I think it shows the opposite side of the concern. I think that most people don't think there will be a coupe if Trump wins. Most people acknowledge that it's possible. Even if it's a squeaker. Oh, there will be lawsuits for Hanging Chads, etc., but that's not the same thing.

For four years, Trump has been warning about the legitimacy of the election. The concern is that he's whipping up his base into believing there's no way he could lose without some wholesale fraud taking place. So, if Trump loses (especially if it's a squeaker), the feeling is that there's no pathway to which he'd concede gracefully. We know there will be lawsuits after the election, lots of them. But whether there will be so many that there's no victor known before the swearing-in ceremony is a different question.

And I don't think the populace is ready for the next Pro Tempore to just get the position if Trump can't figure things out in time.

 

[Commodore]

I'm worried that neither candidate will concede gracefully if the election is a squeaker. Whoever wins better win in a damn landslide to avoid this election turning into even more of a poopshow than it already is.

 

[El_Machinae]

I think this continues to be the "both sides" narrative. One person started claiming that there were millions of illegal voters 4 years ago. One person started claiming that there was massive ballot fraud possible with mail-in voting. One person predictably lied about the size of his Electoral College victory. One person is actively claiming that there is no way they can lose without fraud on the other side

 

[Berzerker]

Hillary Clinton advised Biden to not concede under any circumstances

 

[Zardnaar]

Hillary Clinton advised Biden to not concede under any circumstances

Link?

Winner might not be clear on election night.
I don't think we had a winner for 6 weeks last election.

 

[Berzerker]

 

[El_Machinae]

Again with the 'both sides' narrative. I guess that will always be true.
The guy who 'remembers' dancing muslims in New Jersey after 9/11 has told his base that millions of illegal voters are trying to steal the election.

Also, Clinton = / = Biden. She's speaking as a citizen, referring to waiting until all the ballots are counted and all the court-cases are finalized. He's speaking as the hired manager of a national intelligence apparatus, indicating that a clear loss on his part would (even then) merely be evidence of election fraud. There's no 'both sides' here.

 

[Commodore]

Again with the 'both sides' narrative

Because it's true. While you are quick to point out statements made by Trump and other Republicans, you conveniently gloss over the fact that Democrats spent almost the entirety of Trump's term not accepting the results of the 2016 election. Also let's not forget Al Gore's refusal to concede the election all the way back in 2000. I challenge you to name the last Republican presidential candidate to actually refuse to concede an election they lost instead of just blustering about it.

So yes, there is a very real concern that neither party will accept the results and bow out gracefully if it's a close call. And actually it's the Democrats that have a very recent history of throwing tantrums when they lose, so I'd say the greater risk of an attempted coup comes from them.

There's no 'both sides' here

You know what? You're right. The only threat of a coup comes from one side: the Democrats. Republicans talk about overturning elections, but the Democrats have demonstrated an actual willingness to attempt it in recent years.

 

[Kyriakos]

Tbh, in Gore's case it was a lot closer, and was about just one state iirc (Florida). So it did make sense to request a recount.
That said, Gore did manage to not win in his home state, so he has himself to blame as well.

Not that it should matter re what the Dnc is. It's not like the Dnc would be more to the left had Gore become potus.

 

[BCheek]

You know what? You're right. The only threat of a coup comes from one side: the Democrats. Republicans talk about overturning elections, but the Democrats have demonstrated an actual willingness to attempt it in recent years.

Not to mention the democrat's support, enabling, and/or lack of concern for the blm and antifa riots.

 

[El_Machinae]

More "both sidesing".

You're completely unprepared, and are trying to convince other people to be as well. We're talking orders of magnitude difference here.


There will be hanging chad style lawsuits regardless. That's a given. But there is near universal acceptance that Trump won the last election through the Electoral College by about 70,000 votes. The question last election was how much he was colluding with foreign interference. He's the only one lying about both the size of his electoral college victory and claiming that there were millions of illegal votes.

The 2000 election will always be contentious, given that George W's brother stopped the recount in Florida. Thankfully, the Republicans have learned the warnings about family dynasties that future Clinton voters didn't properly internalize in time.

I'm sorry, no, he's literally laying the groundwork to the destruction. I've said it before, the most dangerous words he said were "millions of illegal voters"

Push back against my glossing over, that's useful. But don't be complicit in glossing over the threat he is creating

 

[Commodore]

Tbh, in Gore's case it was a lot closer, and was about just one state iirc (Florida). So it did make sense to request a recount.
That said, Gore did manage to not win in his home state, so he has himself to blame as well.

Not that it should matter re what the Dnc is. It's not like the Dnc would be more to the left had Gore become potus.

Requesting a recount is fine. That fool requested three though. That kind of crap is why there should be a limit of one recount allowed no matter what. A candidate should not be allowed to keep requesting recounts just because they keep coming up as the loser.

2000 election will always be contentious, given that George W's brother stopped the recount in Florida

Actually it was the Supreme Court that stopped the recount when they sided with Bush in Bush v. Gore.

But don't be complicit in glossing over the threat he is creating

I'm not. I recognize that there is a very real threat from both candidates. Although I will say I don't think Biden's threat comes from Biden himself, but rather his party. If Biden loses I think he personally would have no problem conceding, but the party will pressure him not to and challenge the election results. And even if he doesn't, the Democrats will just continue as they have and spend another four years trying to undo Trump's reelection.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

A candidate should not be allowed to keep requesting recounts just because they keep coming up as the loser.

has the winner ever been the one to request a recount?