During the campaign, it was kind of hard to picture the specifics of how Trump might pull such a thing off. Alas, it’s getting less hypothetical by the week.

  • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
    6·
    11 hours ago

    The constitution is what gives them all their authority. If they don’t hold it up, the government has abdicated.

    • Joe@discuss.tchncs.de
      7·
      10 hours ago

      Organized force and the subsequent compliance of the masses is what gives authority. The rest is theatrics to give the illusion of legitimacy and popular support. This works quite well…until it doesn’t.

      The question becomes: What will the police and military do, when push comes to shove? What will citizens do, and what will the response be?

      • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
        3·
        9 hours ago

        The police will protect wealth. The military will follow orders if they are made plausibly legal. Which is why a third term really doesn’t hold up. There is no plausible way that is legal.

        • Joe@discuss.tchncs.de
          3·
          8 hours ago

          You are assuming the military will intervene to defend the US constitution? They might be a bit busy, by the looks of it…

          • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
            2·
            4 hours ago

            Depends entirely on their ability to sell it. I know Trump has been purging anyone not loyal to him over the country from leadership, but will the ones left follow illegal orders? No one knows of course, but I have to believe a lot of them are going to be hesitant or unmotivated and confused.

            But yeah, Trump doesn’t need the military when he has ice, looks like. Though I’ll tell you, as a former soldier and person with eyes, I’d give the people much better chances against ice than the army.