There are less than 50 days left in the US presidential election, and the internet is on fire with talk about what will happen if Trump doesn’t win. And it’s not just social media. Even major news outlets have floated the idea that if Trump loses, the country is facing a Constitutional Crisis.
Back in June about 100 political insiders — former government officials, academics, and journalists held for a four-day wargaming simulation of the 2020 election as part of the Transition Integrity Project. They gamed the possible scenarios for the coming election and came to the conclusion unless Biden wins overwhelmingly, Trump will refuse to leave office, and there will be violence in the streets. They also gamed the outcome if Trump wins, of course, but this still resulted in violence in the streets, just from another direction.
And the Daily Beast reported last week that a gathering of progressive groups called “Democracy Defense Nerve Center” met to develop a game plan should Trump refuse to leave office. On top of that, the Democrats are raising record funds for the transition to Inauguration Day, possibly in anticipation of a Trump legal challenge.
But is this just fake news? Is it a fictional scenario?
The right leaning magazine New Republic thinks so, and mocks Democrats for worrying too much about Trump stealing the election, and not enough about Trump winning the election.
But there are also valid reasons to be concerned. This week famed Republican rat-fucker Roger Stone told Alex Jones’ Infowars audience that ballots on election night should be seized by federal marshals. He also told Jones that Trump should consider invoking the Insurrection Act and arresting the Clintons, ex-Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, and anyone else involved in illegality. And Trump hasn’t helped matters, already claiming the 2020 election is rigged.
There is also the spectre floating that should Trump leave office, his excuse, and his family’s, for not being investigated or prosecuted disappears, and he will be as bound by law as every other multi-billionaire.
But I also wonder if Democrats are genuinely worried? Although they’ve set a record transition team fundraising goal of $7 million — citing Trump refusing to leave, as well as the pandemic — but the House Democratic Leadership met this week to discuss not whether Trump would refuse to leave should he lose the election, but rather would he lash out and “Do something dramatic” as Politico puts it, and shut down the government?
Not to belittle government shutdowns — they’re serious business — but in the current climate they’re also fairly typical budget negotiating tactics.
Either way the 2020 election is great radio, and I’ll be on the ground in America’s Deep South, through Election Day and right up to December, monitoring the situation. Stay tuned.