Will America let Trump get away with it?
By Thom Hartmann A...
As an American dies every minute from coronavirus because Donald Trump and the Republican Party refused to do anything about it, they are now trying to use the coronavirus to mess with the election this November.Trump's Postmaster General is actively destroying the Post Office and slowing down the mail to create a crisis for people who want to vote by mail, while Republican governors are closing urban polling stations and stripping people from the voting rolls left and right.
Now, to distract from the worst economic news in the history of the United States, from John Lewis's message and funeral, and to set up his challenge when he loses the election, Trump is suggesting we should delay the election.
Few people thought he would get away with asking for foreign help to win an election, but he did. A few people thought he would get away with saying terrible things about women and being charged with sexual assault, but he did. Few people thought he would get away with eliminating environmental rules and poisoning our rivers, but he did. Few people thought he would get away with giving a $3 trillion gift to himself and his billionaire buddies, but he did.
Now Trump is trying to set up a situation where he wins even if he loses. By casting doubt around the election, when he loses it he will continue to claim that he is the legitimate President of the United States.
This will almost certainly be a disaster for democracy, both here in the United States and around the world, all because Donald Trump wants to keep himself from going to jail. We can't let him get away with it.
-Thom
Comments
#2
GAAAWLOOHOOHOOH-LEEE!! SURPRISE!! SURPRISE!! Trump wants to postpone (cancel) the election.
Of course, no surprise to anyone left of Adolph Hitler. It has become apparent for some months now that Trump has lost interest in running for reelection or having an election. Yes he loves having his little Klan rallies where the adoring, pitchfork toting, neo-confederates shower him with their unflagging adoration. However, as Thom said, and as I’ve said a number of times, Trump is desperately trying to stay out of jail and the only way he can do that is stay in the Whitehouse. But as it has become more and more apparent that he doesn’t have a chance in hell of winning the election…desperate times call for desperate measures.
Plus he can pocket all of those campaign contributions if their is no campaign.
Kinda ironic ain’t it? We have a political system that allows one of the most corrupt, degenerate, incompetent, dimwitted, evil lowlifes on the face of the earth to avoid accountability, as long as he can remain in the Whitehouse.
#3
He needs to be cast as a traitor to democracy. Everyone knows what we do to traitors.
He has betrayed the constitution for sure. And BETRAY is the root of the word traitor. Yes, we know it is supposed to be an act 'during a war" - but WAR IS NOT DEFINED in the Constitution and technology changes over time. We experienced a CYBER ATTACK. We lost that attack just as if we were physically attacked because our assets are more than just lives and land. Our institutions are the property of the Commonweath as well.
So I say we must consider election meddling as an act of (cyber) war and make that act - from gerrymandering, to voter suppression , to hacking or asking for foreign assistance ALL ACTS OF (CYBER) WAR - and with the appropriate penalties no matter where they come from.
I told people this would happen 3.5 years ago having worked close to Donny Trump in AC from 86 ro 99.
I write here: https://englishcode.wordpress.com/2020/07/05/contested-election/
This will get worse folks. I dont see how it does not end like a Tarantino movie.
#4
Big thing is the Democrat party needs to step up to the plate and do something about this. They have looked the other way for all the crimes that past republicans have commited, They believe that they are off the hook for any crime they commit and will just keep getting worse.
#5
The idea that there could be massive fraud from mail-in voting is idiotic on its face. When you consider the potential severe penalties for absentee ballot voter fraud and the minimal effect any one individual could have on an election, the risk could hardly be worth the possible huge fines and years of imprisonment.
Any volunteers? Didn’t think so!
Further, any concept that millions of voters could be organized to pull off voter fraud without detection is also ridiculous. Trump’s administration investigated that possibility after the last presidential election, but quietly shut down the investigation when no fraud was found.
In the extremely rare cases that voter fraud has been found, its almost always a Republican that is crazy enough to attempt such a thing.
However, election fraud is another matter. Republicans have mastered the art of election fraud and so far, have largely been able to get away with it…voter suppression…closing polling places in minority areas…photo ID laws…and on and on and on, even though there is no evidence that there was ever a voting fraud problem in the first place
In fact, if you think about it, Voter Fraud Laws are the most effective laws on the books as there are virtually no cases of voter fraud prosecutions or convictions, especially when compared with any other crime on the books. Hell, if all laws were as effective as Voter Fraud Laws, all the jails and prisons would be empty and almost all police officers would be out of a job.
#6
There is a cell somewhere with the Trump name on it. If he enters it, he becomes a number not a name. One can dream anyway. We shall see what NY prosecutors have been working on. I hope there's enough cells for his family and cronies. Again, only dreaming.
Wigsalon's Tarantino remark made me laugh, but this quote from VP Biden might mean a classic war pic is more apropos or something like A Few Good Men:
Saying he was "so damn proud" of the military leaders who have recently criticized Trump, Biden continued, "you have so many rank and file military personnel saying, well, we're not a military state, this is not who we are. I promise you, I'm absolutely convinced, they will escort him from the White House in a dispatch."
Doesn't that paint a pretty picture?!
"You and Whose Army" is a common phrase, song and a movie. Joe has an answer!
#7
We already know beyond any doubt Trump and Trump supporters are racists. Stirring up the fires of racial hatred and then delaying the election sounds right out of Hitler's playbook. As does eugenics; sabotaging pandemic precautions, apparently because it's much more deadly to the black community. Our government is deeply dysfunctional and our voters collectively dumb as a stick.. Millions of people voted for Trump when it was quite obvious. Racism is the only answer that fits.
#8
interesting how Trumps tweets to delay the election are on the same day that it is announced that the GDP plunged 33%.
#9
stopgap:Good points.
The possibility of fraud is always present in most if not all aspcets of our lives. Fake food, fake news, fake Presidents. We have always been taking measures to minimize fraud. The same has happened with "distance voting". I am pretty sure that by now this is much safer than some Florida machines counting votes casted by physical presence. It is also much safer than the "legal" mega-fraud of gerrymandering.
Quite possibly the WH annoncements expose not so much arrogance and narcissim, but fear. Strategically, a narcissistic opponent who has reached the phase of fear is best left alone to simmer in it. Ignoring such an opponent will only inrease his fear, till he runs away at top speed.
#10
Question for Thom:
The republican controlled Congress in 2006 passed the poison pill law for the post office to fund a retirement plan 75 years into the future. Is it possible for the Post Office to borrow funds from accumulated money in that fund to take care of their present needs? I realize that that would not fly with the present Postmaster General, but with a new administration, would this be possible? They would have to put in that retirement fund an IOU to be paid on some future date.
#11
From Wikipedia:
Louis DeJoy (born June 20, 1957[citation needed]) is an American businessman and Republican Party fundraiser who was appointed in May 2020 by unanimous selection of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service to serve as the 75th United States Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the world's largest postal organization. Since January 2020, DeJoy has donated $360,000 to President Trump’s re-election campaign and roughly $70,000 to the Republican National Committee.
#12
Can someone tell me how to stop being charged by CKO Patreon Membership, something I never signed up for???
#13
See the response to the email you sent me, for the Patreon subscription you took out yourself in May. Resolution in the email.
-Nigel-
Webmaster
#14
Does anybody notice that even a 33% plunge in the GDP (largest in history) does not affect this hyper sugar injected stock market? On top of that plunge in the GDP, deficit spending this year (just finished the 7th month) is 4 trillion with a lot more to come. Is America Great yet?
#15
Legend #8: "interesting how Trumps tweets to delay the election are on the same day that it is announced that the GDP plunged 33%."
That is a key dot to connect in why the U.S. is losing the war on truth and sanity: whenever hard reality gains a foothold, Trump conjures up a new outrage to distract a media addicted to sensationalism and triviality. You'd think after three and a half years of this see-through tactic that our nearsighted newshounds would quit taking the shiny bait of a madman and focus on the bigger picture, as dismal as it is.
Which is: Americans are now dying at a rate of one a minute in a totally out-of-control pandemic, resulting in one of the fastest and deepest economic collapses in history, directly caused by the psychopathic hallucinations of one man, Donald John Trump the mass murderer, and his mob of dummies and crazies and greed mongers, populating a Republican Party of real domestic terrorists, whose delusional ideologies and attitudes are killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians -- terrorists from Addison Mitchell McConnell Jr. residing at the pinnacle of power down to the maskless wonders waving the flag of traitors on the streets.
The smoking gun: The Trump administration deliberately did not implement an aggressive and effective national testing, contact-tracing, and surveillance program early on when it could have made all the difference because they made a crass, cold-hearted -- criminal! -- political decision that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was at the time attacking mainly blue states and so it would be good politics for them to blame it on the Democratic governors.
And that, good citizens, is the biggest dot to connect that is being duly buried in the cacophony of lesser news.
#16
Here is a good joke. 95 days from the election a group of Republicans want a Balanced Budget Amendment. This is actually at an ALEC meeting. Somehow they seemed to have forgot that they would have to raise taxes on the wealthy. These poor mis-guided soles.
Deepspace, It is all so predictable. Bring back baseball, they are dropping like flies. Even social distance golf has had 8 players come down with it. A summer camp in GA has 260 cases after 1 night. Of course they did not wear masks and had indoor activities due to the heat. 50 million unemployed and there is demonstrations in the streets. Guess what happens when people have nothing better to do. Why not employ them as contact tracers etc. Because that would take organization and a plan. We are up to the 1000 deaths a day that Dr Fauci predicted a couple of weeks ago. The ridiculous part to this is, we are much better at treating it than we were a few months ago. After testing positive, louie Gohmert continued to walk around Congress without a mask. I predicted a couple of months ago, no NFL season. Still bet that I am right. Republicans continue to fight wearing masks and hawk Hydroxychloraquinn as if this is going to make it magically disappear. I could go on and on.
#17
with the attack on mail in voting is it possible to allow more people to vote that rather than election day could it be election days, maybe tuesday wednesday and thursday
i realize it is way more volunteers needed but it might be the easier fix and can individual voting precincts disconnect from the internet to limit hacking and just manually tally ?
#18
we have so many talented people on the left with strong followings, as evidenced by the myriad presidential hopefuls.
a weakness of the trump administration is his supporting cast which has a revolving door or inconsistency and ineptitude
can we use this to our advantage by having biden , upon accepting the nomination, also announce his supporting cast of cabinet members, using the strength of each and bringing in the votes from each member. maybe elizabeth warren for education, and so on ,showing a united front of powerful support , dedicated to helping turn this country around and begin to heal the divide ?
#19
50 states = 50 different voting rules. Some good (blue) and some bad (red).
#20
Trump is goingto ban Tik Tok and "other Chinese Apps" What next? Computer and cell phones made in China? Anything that you can watch Sara Cooper on?
#21
No Sarah Cooper?! Say it ain't so, Joe.
#22
zorro45071: Excellent input for Biden's staff.
Since i plan to attempt to vote someone in (and not waste my vote by attempting to vote someone out), if Biden's team wants my vote (it is just one, and statistically worthless), it better make secure commitments that significant posts will be filled by highly competent people. There are plenty of such people in USA. For example, Andrew Yang, Warren, Sanders, mayor Pete etc. I am sure such people know also other competent people. At crucial times it is best to bet on knowledgeable "horses" with the right vision.
#23
awn013, Thanks for you comments regarding my post. Spot on! Been busy and haven’t had a chance to post lately.
#24
If a covid-19 vaccine was approved today. Would anybody trust the Trump Administration to distribute it in a fair and efficient program?
#25
Polls not good in MT in Senate race. MT thinks that it is not hit by Covid-19. They are against wearing masks because of Big Sky open space. Fox News keeps them blind. They are one of the worlds leading hot spots. cases doubling every 18 days. On the world chart the worse Country is 20 days.
#26
Lotta' relevant and "on target" comments above, but, I don't trust the American electorate to make any kind of informed decision about COVID 45. We live in a nation where the most popular mass media show is "Friday night Smackdown". IMO,Americans have regressed so much, the vast bulk of them can't discern between entertainment and reality. The deck is stacked, the oligarchs own the farm, so, unless our current rulers decide Covid 45 (DJT) is a liability, instead of an asset to be used, we'll get COVID 46 in November. And, if Biden wins, our current rulers still win. Only if the masses rise up, and stay engaged, can we save our "democracy" ( which it isn't). I've heard many times that; "This is the most important election in our lifetime".
This time, it is.. It's a shot at a REAL democracy, and a real chance for this nation to live up to it's rhetoric. I'm not optimistic...
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
Thom & Louise at a "private audience" with His Holiness Pope John Paul II at his summer palace, Castle Gandolfo, Italy
From Screwed:
"I think many of us recognize that for all but the wealthiest, life in America is getting increasingly hard. Screwed explores why, showing how this is no accidental process, but rather the product of conscious political choices, choices we can change with enough courage and commitment. Like all of Thom’s great work, it helps show us the way forward."
From Screwed:
"Hartmann speaks with the straight talking clarity and brilliance of a modern day Tom Paine as he exposes the intentional and systematic destruction of America’s middle class by an alliance of political con artists and outlines a program to restore it. This is Hartmann at his best. Essential reading for those interested in restoring the institution that made America the envy of the world."
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Thom Hartmann is a creative thinker and committed small-d democrat. He has dealt with a wide range of topics throughout his life, and this book provides an excellent cross section. The Thom Hartmann Reader will make people both angry and motivated to act."
Fortunately only Congress can change the election date, and it won't. The Constitution is also firm about the end of his term, so he could only rule past that as a military dictator. I rather doubt the armed forces would go along with that, and we can be sure that a resistance movement would develop darn fast in this country. It's not impossible that he will try, but unlikely he will succeed. What is sad is how many people still go along with him, including the uniformed goons in Portland.
What does worry me is a "Hitler in the bunker" mentality when he starts issuing crazy orders as the walls are close in. Adolf tried to bring Germany down to rubble because the people "failed to win the war", and fortunately most of his officers ignored the orders to blow everything up. Donald might have better luck starting a war with Iran (or, God help us, China). Maybe by that time people will realize he's just an angry little boy with a box of matches and step in. A nice trip from the White House to the Mad House could be in order. We hope.