What we’ve been seeing is an attempted coup
To the Times:
The definition of a coup in political science is the illegitimate over throw of a duly elected government. What Trump is trying to do is stay in power after losing the election, which is just as bad.
This is what Donald Trump has been attempting to do since Presidentelect Joe Biden was announced the winner of the election on Nov. 7. By not doing the honorable and patriotic thing, which is to concede the election and aid in a peaceful transfer of power, Trump is throwing mud at the constitution, and dangerously inciting his base into believing the falsehood that somehow, forces conspired against Trump in a rigged election.
Fortunately, the incoherence and incompetence of the efforts ... dozens of lawsuits claiming fraud and conspiracy with no evidence, have for the most part, been laughed out of court. And twice, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear cases designed to cancel the election results of millions of voters in the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and here in Pennsylvania, which was the state that put Biden over the top.
For years, the bizarre, ignorant and often cruel behavior of Donald Trump as president has astonished his foes as to why he has so many supporters. Surely, he couldn’t get elected after promoting the racist conspiracy theory of President Obama being born in Kenya? Surely, women couldn’t vote for him after his crude “Access Hollywood” tape where he confessed to regular sexual assault of women? Surely his separation of parents from their children at the border couldn’t be tolerated by most Americans? Surely the GOP can’t support Trump after Helsinki, where he stated on the world stage with Putin that he trusted the Russian premiers’ word more than the U.S. intelligence agencies? Surely his over 20,000 lies as categorized by fact checkers since he has been president would keep the majority of Americans from believing him? The majority of Americans, yes as proven by the election. But a substantial minority of Americans still buy what Trump is selling, including a massive conspiracy designed to steal the election from him. Seventy % of Republicans believe him! This has truly dangerous implications.
Already during this election season, a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan was uncovered. Trumpistas have threatened election officials in Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona. In Georgia, Secretary of State Rafensberger, the man in charge of the Georgia elections and a pro-Trump conservative, has been receiving death threats because of his refusal to overthrow the results of the voting.
In one state an election official had Trumpistas harass her at her home! With Trump refusing to give up his false claims and continuing to fan the flames, what can happen is potentia lly very dangerous. And what of the Republican leaders, who surely should know better? Only a handful of elected Republicans acknowledge Joe Biden as president-elect. Amazingly, 126 GOP members of Congress and 17 Attorneys General of 17 states backed the final lawsuit that was shot down by the Supreme Court. In refusing to stand up to him and the angry mob, Republican of f icials have gone from coddling a sore loser to effectively abandoning democracy.
T here is no sign of Trump ever conceding the election, and every indication that he will keep his base incensed as a platform to delegitimize the Biden presidency and energize his re- election in 2024. What our nation needs is for the Republican leaders of this country to stand up collectively and say, “Emperor Trump has no clothes.” The GOP has to make it obvious to all that the f uture of our democracy is more important than the future of Donald Trump.