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authoritarian regimes, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Fascism, History, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, Poland, Rule of Law, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Constitution, Vladimir Putin January 18, 2021

Trump’s future

Anne Applebaum: “Trump’s adventure is over. He will spend the rest of his life in court.”
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WELT: Glauben Sie, dass das, was am 6. Januar 2021 in Washington geschah, nun das Ende von Trumps Karriere darstellt – oder ist es eher ein Beweis dafür, dass er noch genügend Energie besitzt, um auch künftig noch eine prägende Rolle in der Welt zu spielen?

Anne Applebaum: “Trump’s adventure is over. He will spend the rest of his life in court.”

Anne Applebaum: Trumps Abenteuer ist vorbei. Er wird den Rest seines Lebens vor Gericht verbringen. Doch auch wenn seine Rolle als Politiker am Ende sein mag, der Trumpismus wird weiterleben. Er ist sehr wirkungsvoll: Er basiert darauf, dass eine Alternative zur Realität aufgebaut wird, in der alle Probleme oder auch differenzierte Themen einfach ausgeblendet werden; man erlaubt den Menschen, in einer fiktiven Konstruktion zu leben – was ohne einige Medien und die sozialen Netzwerke unmöglich wäre, ohne diesen von Fox News und anderen Kanälen der extremen Rechten erschaffenen Echoraum oder die Verschwörungstheorien, die dort propagiert werden. All das wird weiter existieren. Es fragt sich nur, wer die Führung in dieser Welt übernimmt, die Trump hinterlässt.

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Biden Administration, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Fascism, House Democrats, Impeachment, Iran, Joe Biden, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, propaganda, Rule of Law, Russia, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Military, Vladimir Putin January 3, 2021

Emergency responses to a Trump military coup

If the demonstrations lead to violence and Trump sends troops or other federal forces in to restore law and order, perhaps invoking the Insurrection Act, who knows what could happen amid the ensuing chaos?

If Trump reports there is a “terrorist threat” to e.g., blow up the Capitol, or undertakes military action against Iran, a military coup could be well underway.

Trump is desperate and unhinged, surrounded by lunatic advisers who have been talking about imposing martial law for weeks.

Democrats and everyone else should take the threat of a Trump attempted military coup seriously.

It is time to mount a full court defense of American democracy.

Trump might not and probably would not succeed in carrying out a military coup. But he is desperate enough and crazy enough to try.

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Biden Administration, coronavirus, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Fascism, History, Joe Biden, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, propaganda, Rule of Law, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Constitution December 31, 2020

2020–one of the greatest years in American history!

American democrats, including some courageous Republicans, defeated a fascist threat of enormous power and potential.

That should be reason enough for all of us to celebrate the year of 2020, and the hope it has spawned, this New Year’s Eve, with great joy.

In 2020, American democracy and the Republic were preserved, and the significance of these events will by noted by historians for generations to come.

Americans were sorely tested by the fascist challenge in 2020, and they met the test.

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Donald Trump, House Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Congress December 31, 2020

Democrats’ cheap ploy with $2,000 stimulus check could cost them the Senate

The Democrats, by going for this cheap shot to embarrass the Republicans while implementing a bad policy, have given Georgians a strong reason to vote for the Republicans in the Senate run-off elections on January 5, 2021.

It is just one reason, and there are myriad other reasons to vote for Jon Ossoff and Rafael Warnick for Senator.

But, for the undecided voter of traditional Republican bent, the Democratic ploy may raise traditional concerns about Democratic spending.
What might be done, even at this late date?

It’s not clear anything can be done at this point to counter the risk occasioned by this mistake.

But it would make great sense to shift attention from the $2,000 relief payment to a plan to extend and increase federal enhanced unemployment benefits, and to fund state and local governments.

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demonstrations, Deutschland, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Fascism, Germany, Justice Department, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, Political assassination, propaganda, Rule of Law, Russia, Trump and Putin, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Military, Vladimir Putin December 26, 2020

Nashville blast: Attack on our communications infrastructure; potential relation to Trump’s attempted coup

On the risks of a military coup, see David Ignatius, “Until Biden’s win is certified, the U.S. remains vulnerable, Washinbgton Post, December 26, 2020 (4:51…

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Africa, authoritarian regimes, Bahrain, China, coronavirus, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Extradition, extrajudicial execution, Fascism, History, human rights, International Law, Middle East, Non extradition-treaty country, Political assassination, presidential pardon power, Qatar, Qatar, religious belief, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, State Department Legal Adviser, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, The Bahamas, Trump and Putin, U.S. Constitution, UAE, Vladimir Putin December 24, 2020

Where can Trump go to escape the law? Israeli settlements in the West Bank?

First, because it is occupied territory it is far from clear that the U.S. extradition treaty with Israel would be held to apply. In any event, if an extradition request were made to Israel, the treaty’s dubious applicability to the occupied territories would offer Trump and his co-conspirators ample opportunity for litigation and delay–and, if need be, escape.

Second, if Trump becomes the object of an extradition request, or an INTERPOL “red ticket” for his arrest, should his West Bank settlement refuge become risky, he can always slip over the border into Saudi Arabia.
…
If Saudi Arabia represents a strong and secure fall-back location for Trump and his co-conspirators, the West Bank represents a huge potential for real-estate and other developments by Trump and his minions.

One can easily imagine one or more West Bank Trump Tower and Golf Resorts  in the West Bank.  The weather is ideal during the winter months in Europe, which is a relatively short plane ride away (six or seven hours from Paris).
…
But it is time to act.  The clock is ticking.

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corruption, Crimes Against Humanity, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Extradition, Fascism, Joe Biden, Nagorno-Karabakh, Nancy Pelosi, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, Non extradition-treaty country, propaganda, Rule of Law, Russia, Saudi Arabia, self-defense, Trump and Putin, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Military, use of force, Venezuela, Venezuela, Vladimir Putin December 22, 2020

This loony President is the most dangerous man on earth

Should we be afraid of what Trump might do in the waning days of his presidency!

ABSOLUTELY. WE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY AFRAID.

This is not a joke.

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China, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Extradition, Fascism, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, Non extradition-treaty country, presidential pardon power, Rule of Law, Russia, The Bahamas, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution December 20, 2020

Trump weighs military coup options

Trump reportedly discussed with the duo (Michael Lynn and Sidney Powell) Flynn’s idea of declaring martial law and having the military “rerun” the election — or, failing that, appointing Powell as a special counsel to probe (nonexistent) election fraud.
…Never before in U.S. history has there been a record of a president discussing a military coup to stay in office. Is there any doubt that if Trump could find any active-duty generals willing to carry out this plot against America, he would give it the go-ahead? In this instance, all that is preserving the Constitution is the military’s fidelity to the rule of law.
–Max Boot

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U.S Foreign Relations December 17, 2020

Where can Trump go to escape the law? The Bahamas?

Assuming he’s not arrested before he gets to Mar-a-Lago, once he is there, if he gets tipped off that the feds or the local police are getting ready to move in and arrest him, he can quickly jump on a plane to Nassau or another island, locations which are only a short private plane ride away.

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Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, Fascism, Libya, Nazism, Neo-Nazis, Rule of Law, Trump Coup d'état, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution December 13, 2020

Biden’s mistakes in appointing cabinet and top officials suggest he will be a transitional President

There is, however, one possible consideration that could have weighed in Austin’s favor in Biden’s thinking. If Biden were concerned about the possibility of Trump’s involving the military in his attempted coup d’état, the choice of Austin would make eminent good sense.
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By his appointments, Biden is revealing himself to be a transitional President. He wants, and perhaps needs, a trusted coterie of advisers to help him steer his way through the next four years.

By proceeding with these appointments, despite strong criticims and even the potential negative impacts on the Georgia Senate run-off elections, he is showing himself to be what he promised: steady, consistent, and loyal to his principal supporters.

In a transitional administration, that may be enough.