Category: Trumplandia

Once Trump’s Tyranny Is No Longer Abstract, All Hell May Break Loose

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

One thing I’ve noticed about a lot of the liberal, hand wringing think pieces about any possible impending Trump second term is how abstract they are. They don’t really get into the nitty-gritty of what the reaction in Blue states might be if Trump went “full tyrant.”

Now, if Trump is all talk and is more Victor Orban in his autocracy, then I think he will be fine. He will lay the cornerstone for an autocratic state that will probably last for the rest of my life. We will continue to have “elections” but they will be anything but free and or fair.

My fear is, of course, that Trump is so dumb and bonkers that he goes full hard tyrant and does such crazy shit that the country buckles in some way. If Trump canceled, say, the midterms or the 2028 elections, then that would be….oh boy, a bridge too far for most people Red or Blue.

Or if he really did gather up 20 million undocumented people, put them in camps and started to deport them. That would be something, on a practical basis, that a lot of Blue states simply would not stand for. And that doesn’t even begin to address what might happen if, say, Trump started to use Red National Guard troops on the populations of Blue States.

That kind of “hard” tyranny is the kind of stuff that gives me pause for thought. The country would be shaken to its core in a way not seen sense the American Civil War. I have pondered some “legalistic” ways Trump might be deposed by the military, but, alas, I don’t even think that would help much because Trump would replace too much of the leadership of the military.

The point is — if Trump wins, the US could buckle in a pretty dramatic fashion. And if Blues were able to successfully depose Trump, that would only set the stage for a civil war, with Red states leaving the Union in protest. So, for everyone’s sake, I think some situation where Trump loses and simply drifts off into the political darkness would be the best for everyone involved.

Thinking of April 2025

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I have some appointments set for April of 2025 that have got me thinking what America might look like at that moment. I’m rather concerned that no matter what, the country could be in chaos.

If Harris wins, it could be because either there’s a secession crisis going on or a “recognition” crisis going on where by some Red states imply refuse to acknowledge that Harris is president. Meanwhile, if Trump wins — Jesus Christ. Things could be in total chaos — especially my state which is two states, one Red, one Blue, fused together who hate each other.

But I just don’t know. It could be I’m way, way, way overthinking all of this. It could be that Harris wins and that’s that. There are no problems and Trump rants a lot but ultimately just slinks away into the political darkness.

That would be the solution that kind of saves the day, all things considered. But who knows at this point, I suppose. I sure as hell don’t. All I hope is I can safely get to my appointment and not have to worry about armed gangs stopping me, demanding to know my political affiliation.

Though, because I’m a survivor, I have begun to sort of game out that possibility. Yikes, will that suck. As I keep saying, I suppose I will head north if things get that bad. North seems like where somewhere like me might find succor. Though, I suppose I might swing by Richmond to at least touch base with some relatives on my way there.

Maybe.

I’m Unnerved By The Near-Term Future of The United States

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I would like to think that maybe the United States can make it through the next few months without, in some way, collapsing. I say this in the context of it could be that no matter who wins, some pretty horrific shit might happen. If Trump loses, he could go “full tyrant” to the point that the country collapses because Blues refuse to take his shit anymore.

At this point, I’m just really perplexed about what may happen one way or another. I just don’t know.

I do feel, in general, a deep sense of unease.

I keep thinking about the specifics of how and why I might become a domestic political refugee. Like, how might it specifically happen. My guess is because my politics are well known enough that someone will knock on my door and tell me I need to leave my home — or else.

Or, I suppose, things could get kind of “hot” for me in my area to the point where I make the move to leave on my own, even though no one outright tells me I need to leave.

I keep imagining there being refugee camps in places like the rural parts of PA, upstate NY and maybe Maine. Those seem like the types of places such camps would arise if there came a need for them.

Or something like that. I just don’t know. And I really don’t like the uncertainty of it all.

Trump Is Demonstrably Bonkers & Yet The Race Is Tied — Lulz?

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It definitely seems as though there simply isn’t anything we can do now when it comes to Trump. He’s demonstrably bonkers and, yet, for a variety of reasons, no one is changing their mind.

A lot of this comes from how absolutely partisan the two sides are now. It also comes from how there is a lot of momentum within the American political system for fascism. There are a lot of people who know Trump is a bonkers fascist and that’s what they want.

One thing I really think about is what are we going to do about the Trump agenda. What happens if he wins and really does do all this fascist bullshit he seems so happy to pontificate on? What happens when the problem is no longer abstract, but rather very very concrete.

My fear is, of course, that if Trump really does any of these bonkers things he says he wants to do that he will be “deposed” in some way. This makes me very nervous. I really don’t want such thing to happen because I hate violence of any sort.

But the key issue is — in general, we risk a lot of political instability in the United States over the next few months, regardless of who wins. Trump winning, however, could very well cause a severe reaction to the counter-revolution that Trump promises to implement if he is re-elected.

Civil War Watch?

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

The signs are there for something pretty bad to happen post-election. I continue to see some very violent MAGA paraphernalia in the deep red part of Virginia where I live. It is enough to give one pause for thought if you combine it with everything else going on in a broader sense.

The key thing for me is what the reaction will be in states like Texas if Trump loses – even by a lot – and he starts to rant at the top of his lungs that the system is so fixed that the only option for them is a National Divorce. It definitely seems as though some states, probably starting with Texas, will take Trump up on the suggestion.

So, it doesn’t really matter if we really beat hard — what matters is if first, will Trump demand a National Divorce if he does lose and second, will anyone take him up on the demand? I say this in the context of there being ANOTHER problem — it could be that there will be some sort of certification shenanigans on the part of Republicans on a local basis.

If that happens and Trump somehow “wins” even though he clearly lost, then things might get far more messy — specifically, it might be very riled up Blues who decide to somehow “depose” Trump since he “win” would be totally illegitimate.

Let me note — I hate conflict and / or violence and just laying out in abstract form what might happen. I’m just really, really worried. My sense of general unease continues to linger the closer we get to the election. I can’t predict the future and have no idea how things will shake out, but it definitely feels like something pretty bad might happen at some point, starting after Election Day.

A Continued Sense Of Unease

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I continued to have a sense of unease about this fall and winter. I know I’ve been writing for years about this moment in time, but that doesn’t make it any easier to process.

It definitely seems as though this maybe be it. We’re going to find out, one way or another, if the USA is going to collapse in to civil war and / or revolution because of Trump or if his election in 2016 was something of a fluke and the high water mark of fascism in the country.

I just don’t know the answer at the moment, which is the source of all of my unease. I can already see it in my mind — Trump loses, demands a National Divorce and my state, Virginia, collapses into an intra-state civil war. I have to leave my home and, before you know it, I’m living in a refugee camp in up state New York or something.

Ugh.

Or, alternately, Trump *wins* and things get so bad that I have to figure out a way to get out of the country. This is a bit tricker because, well, I have no money. But maybe there will develop some sort of “Underground Railroad” for Blues who need to get out of the country or something.

Something like that.

I just don’t know. The whole thing puts me on edge. But, I suppose, we will all learn soon enough one way or another.

Smug, Wealthy Liberals Are So Insufferable At Times

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Sometimes, I get the sense that the United States really is ripe for some sort of severe political disruption. The crux of it, of course, is income inequality. My fear is — no matter who wins the 2024 election — things are going to get out of hand.

The very thing that is our strength — or diversity — will be the thing that causes us to implode if, say, Trump either demands a National Divorce or if he wins and goes “full tyrant.”

Under either scenario, some really, really bad things might happen. The United States could buckle this fall and winter into a very precarious political situation. And, yet, just broaching such a thing is a pretty profound concept.

It just doesn’t seem possible that something like that might happen.

I Don’t Know What To Tell You About The 2024 Election

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

The key thing about the 2024 election is, because of the Electoral College, the fact that we have a collection of anti-MAGA interest groups going against a fascist party is hidden. As such, I just don’t know what to tell you — if Trump wins, this could be it — American democracy as we know it could be over.

Now, of course, MAGA shitheads will say I suffer from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The reason this is so dumb is “TDS” is more about hand waving on the part of MAGA cocksuckers than it is about having an honest political debate about anything.

Anyway, the point is — if Trump wins the key issue is how bad things might get. If Trump “autocrat-lite” like Orban in Hungary, then he can found an autocratic state in the United States pretty easily. We won’t have free and fair elections anymore — but we will have elections.

The fear is, of course, that Trump is so stupid that he will attempt to end elections all together — then we have a problem. A big problem. I just don’t see the American populace accepting something so dictatorial. There’s one thing for such tyrannical behavior to be abstract and yet another for to actually happen in the concrete.

So, I just don’t know. It will be interesting to see what happens. I hope Trump loses, but we have to prepare for him to win.

Pondering Post-Election Instability

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I just don’t know what to tell you about what might happen after the election this fall. I have written an obscene amount over the years about my fears that there will be some sort of civil war one way or another.

And, yet, maybe I’ve simply over thought things a great deal. Maybe — either way — we’re just not in a position where the country will collapse like I fear. I really hope that is the case.

I would prefer not to go through a civil war or any other type of significant political disruption in late 2024, early 2025. But that’s what I have been ranting about for way too long. It’s all I talk about on this blog, it seems — the absolute worst case scenario.

A lot depends, in my opinion, on what happens if Trump loses. If he loses and starts to rant for the need for a National Divorce, do states like Texas and South Carolina heed his call, or do they just ignore him? That’s the big question of the moment.

And I just don’t know the answer to it.

But one issue that I continue to linger on is how far Blues are willing to go if there is some sort of Certification Crisis. Is it possible that Blues would be will to challenge any effort on the part of MAGA to steal the election? I just don’t know. I really don’t.

The 2024 Election Is Rushing Towards Us

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I don’t know what to tell you, folks. I continue to be very, very worried about what is going to happen as part of the 2024 election. I only feel this way because, as I keep saying — you go bankrupt gradually, then all at once. At the moment, it seems like this is going to be just another election.

And, yet, there are two pretty dark scenarios that we have to address.

One is, Trump loses and he rants about the need for a National Divorce. That leads states — probably starting with Texas and / or South Carolina to head for the door, leaving the Union. I know how paranoid that sounds, but Texas in particular is already itching to leave the Union because of the situation at the border.

The other, even darker situation, is Trump wins and he goes full tyrant to the point that he is, in some way, deposed. That causes a civil war because Red States leave the Union in protest.

I don’t *really* think such a thing is going to happen, but I do worry. I worry a whole lot.