Update 5/24/24 12:54 — This story on the front page re-enforces my concerns:
Our leaders, in this case Dick Durbin, are completely clueless as to the danger the billionaire-owned SCOTUS represents. Even if Durbin wasn’t feckless and naive, there is virtually nothing he can do about Alito. Roberts cannot remove him from the court, and he won’t recuse, neither will Thomas, no matter how obvious the evidence they are biased and corrupt. They can only be removed by impeachment, which is not going to happen any time soon, and certainly not before the election.
To clarify somewhat on the point of my diary, I have no doubt we will win the election in November. I will vote, want everyone to vote, and will drive people to the polls. The issue is that Trump and the people who own and operate him (Russia, Saudi Arabia, various billionaires and criminal enterprises), will not accept a loss. They will contest all races, presidential, House, Senate, etc. They will then appeal, appeal, and appeal, until they wind up with the six votes that count.
I woke up this morning at exactly 3:47 AM. My brain simply switched on in full terror mode, heart racing, Adrenalin coursing. Although half of my mind was in full fight/flight mode, the other half ignored it and began analyzing data from the last 9 years of ever increasing emotional trauma at the hands of Donald Trump and his supporters/enablers.
From the day he came down the escalator until yesterday’s endorsement by Nikki Hailey, it has been an ever spiraling journey into the mind of madness, stochastic violence, actual violence, literal insurrection, literal treason, turning back the clock on race relations, women’s equality, LGBTQ+ rights, the destruction of unions, the denial of science, the abolishment of child labor laws, the erosion of safeguards, and the normalization of fascism.
I know I will be accused by some of hyperbole and hysteria, but no matter how I play out the coming six months in my head, I come up with the same evidence that regardless of election results in November, the country, society and government we knew, is likely over.
Trump and his vile ilk of supporters and stakeholders have corrupted almost every level of our government, our judiciary, our religious institutions, our law enforcement, our media, our financial institutions, and our society. There will be a second insurrection in the next election. How do I know this? Because they are planning it openly, without any attempt to conceal those plans. They have no fear of being held accountable for their lawbreaking, nor of being thwarted as they were in 2021. The failures of the 2021 insurrections have been identified and corrected at all previous failure points.
Trump has made it absolutely plain that he will not accept any election result that shows him losing. He is willing to commit any crime, trample any right, destroy anyone who gets in his way. He may not be able to do it before the election, but he certainly will even all scores after the election. He is prepared to unleash his hoard of flying monkeys online, or in the streets, to attack all who oppose him. He has never been accountable for any crime, or indecency, he has perpetrated in his entire life, and has no intention of starting now. He has loudly, and clearly stated his intent to be a dictator, to break any law he pleases (and if his lawyers are to be believed, up to and including murder). He believes in NAZIsm and White Nationalism, and literally is promising to create a new “Reich”. He will withdraw from NATO, betray our allies, create concentration camps, deport millions (including citizens), ban abortion and contraceptives.
And he will have lots of help in his endeavors.
These are Trump’s allies. Dedicated to doing whatever it takes to restore him to the White House, regardless of vote results.
The GOP House of Representatives — Members of the House involved in the 2021 insurrection have not been held accountable, or even brought up on charges. Many of these people have not only not faced consequences for their actions, but are still in office and have made clear their intent to participate in another insurrection this year. While there were a handful of representatives who did oppose the insurrection, they were either voted out of office, resigned, or did not run for re-election. The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has made it plain that should the issue of certifying the election for Biden come before him, he will not hesitate to hand the election to Trump. He and other influential members of the House have sworn fealty to Trump, and parrot his lies about stolen elections, illegal votes, and dodgy voting machines. Their part in November is to create enough doubt about vote counts that certification does not take place, per the Constitution, and that the decision of who will be president is thrown to the House, so it can be given to Trump.
The GOP Senate — While the Senate Republicans lack a majority in the chamber, they have pretty much all endorsed Trump and called the previous election into question in order to discredit the November election. They have also vocally demonstrated their loyalty to Trump and his lies. They stand ready to advocate for those lies in the Senate, and create as much confusion and doubt about the election as they can. Their plan is also to achieve a majority by any means necessary, no matter how illegal. Their other job is to insure that Trump cannot be convicted if impeached, as they did in 2021. Like the House, many powerful and influential senators, including former presidential candidates who ran against Trump, are now all in on backing him no matter what he does or says. All that matters to them is power, not the Constitution, not the law, not decency, not their legacy, not their constituency, not even their own party, just raw power.
The Supreme Court of the United States — Trump’s three hand-picked advocates on the Court, and their three confederates previously appointed to the court, have already put their part of the plan into motion. Trump’s ludicrous view that he is “immune” to prosecution and thus above the law, would have been denied promptly by any objective court. Instead, it is being entertained as a serious issue requiring their consideration. Two members of the SCOTUS (and their spouses) have been either involved in the 2021 insurrection plot, or have displayed sympathy to the plot. At this point the SCOTUS will still (probably) rule against Trump, but having intentionally delayed the decision, they have already given him the victory he needed. They stand ready in the post-election chaos to rule favorably on any Trump motion that comes before them.
GOP Federal judges and Appeals Court judges — These judges are standing by to help Trump with any lawsuits that reach them. Even should some issues reach courts prepared to side with the Constitution and the actual Rule of Law, the SCOTUS is their to overturn those rulings. Judge Aileen Cannon has already successfully sabotaged the classified documents case against Trump, and will toss the whole matter as soon as Trump resumes power.
The FBI — Agents at the FBI have done a lot of ground work for Trump, dating back to 2016 when they slow-walked investigations into Trump’s illegal communications with foreign governments and money laundering activities. They also threw as much mud as they could at the Clinton campaign in the closing days of the 2016 election.
The Secret Service — Assisted Trump in the 2021 Insurrection by the wholesale deleting of incriminating communications from their phones. They also seemed ready to take Mike Pence into “protective custody” prior to his crucial presiding over the vital vote certification. I am sure they have similar plans for Biden and Harris in the coming election.
Billionaire Allies — These people have been providing money and logistical support to Trump, helping him finance his various lawsuits, campaign ads, dirty tricks, voter suppression and disinformation operations. They will bankroll, overtly or covertly, any legal challenges in the election in order to get them before the Supreme Court justices they have already bought and paid for. It is a small investment that will pay them huge dividends in the long run, with next to zero risk.
The Corporate Media™ — These companies have assisted Trump by normalizing his insane and illegal behavior, while casting as much doubt as possible on Biden (and Hilary Clinton back in 2016). They distort/omit/manufacture stories as needed to advocate for his views and actions.
Big Oil — Trump stood before them and set the price of his bribe at $1 billion. They have now planned a fundraiser for Trump in Texas, accepting his offer.
The Heritage Foundation — This group has been the backbone of Project 2025, which is nothing short of the dismantling of the Federal Government, and its conversion to a fascist dictatorship. They have already begun vetting loyal lackeys who will replace professional, career government officials, and unquestionably do Trump’s bidding.
Evangelicals — Their job has been to galvanize the hordes of fanatics who hate women, gays, lesbians, trans, atheists, Muslims, Jews, and liberals. They amplify Trump’s lies, and give cover to his immoral and illegal activities. They sell Trump as their god’s “Chosen One”, who must be obeyed as a if he were their god. They are doing this in exchange for a place in the government that pushes their brand of Christianity.
Trump Voters — About 1/3 of all voters will vote for Trump regardless of his moral or ethical failures, or criminal activity. They have openly advocated for Trump as a dictator.
White Supremacists/NAZIs/Racists/QAnon/III%ers/Proud Boys/etc — These groups prepared to commit violent acts at Trump’s behest. They will be at the forefront of active voter suppression and violence against poll workers. They will be used as shock troops were needed.
Local Law Enforcement/Police Unions — Will give Trump legal cover and support for voter suppression and attacking/arresting any protesters who dare defy him.
Russia/Vladamir Putin — Trump’s puppet master, and apparently owner of quite a bit of kompromat on Trump and many, many Republican leaders (the only logical explanation for people who were virulently opposed to Trump, suddenly shifting to supporting him unreservedly). His ongoing operation to restore the former Soviet Union involved getting the UK out of the EU (successful) and destroying NATO (ongoing, and a dead cert with Trump back in power).
The Saudi Royals — Long time allies of the GOP, despite their involvement in the 9/11 attacks. The Saudis have flat out bought Trump’s son-in-law for $2 billion. They know that Trump in power will stymie green energy and transition to EVs insuring their oil profits for decades to come, and allowing them to deal with their enemies in their own uniquely bloody manner.
I wish this was all delusions on my part, but we have seen all this documented on this site, and others for nine years now. Trump and his supporters have been quite explicit about their plans. They have told us exactly what they will do, and have no fear they will be thwarted.
To paraphrase Kyle Reese in The Terminator:
“Listen, and understand! Trump and his supporters are out there! They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And they absolutely will not stop... ever, until we are dead!”
Do I want people to give up? No! Do I want people to vote? Absolutely! I will drive people to the polls myself. But I think that a lot of folk on our side is still in denial, still relying on institutions, and norms, and votes to save us. Some of our leaders continue to prattle on about restoring norms and bipartisanship (looking at you, Dick Durbin), utterly oblivious to the fact that they are trying to reason with insane people. Dangerously insane people.
I want to be wrong. I want someone to show me how it is NOT this bad. I want to wake up from this near decade’s long nightmare. But no matter how many times I do the political math, I get the same result. Roughly 1/3 of the electorate oppose Trump, 1/3 support him without reservation, and 1/3 are clueless. But that it irrelevant because Trump will not except defeat no matter how decisive. He is prepared to burn this nation to the ground to stay out of jail.