Nearly half of the voters have seen Trump in all of his splendor—his infantile tirades, his disastrous and lethal policies, his contempt for democracy in all its forms—and they decided that they wanted more of it. His voters can no longer hide behind excuses about the corruption of Hillary Clinton or their willingness to take a chance on an unproven political novice. They cannot feign ignorance about how Trump would rule. They know, and they have embraced him.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/large-portion-electorate-chose-sociopath/616994/ — Wayfarer

Right, even if Biden wins, this is the hard pill to swallow. No excuses this time, everyone knows who he is and they want more. He's a true reflection of American cultural values.

Just want to point to out again that about a third of elgible voters didn’t vote, so Trump really has a little less than a third of the country’s support among elgible voters.

I believe that only about have the eligible voters voted last election. Trump got roughly half the votes. This would indicate that his support has gone from one quarter of the eligible population to one third, over his time in office. Unbelievable, America on self-destruct.

Is that not a new development since the advent of Trump-Russia collusion? I remember in 2017 thinking it strange that it was the Democrats not the Republicans who were making such a big deal about how Russia Is Bad. — Pfhorrest

That was my understanding too, but I think it’s part of a longer term decline in relations. Reflecting that, American anti-Russian sentiment, which Russians are sensitive to, has been getting significantly worse since 2013, according to this Wikipedia article.

There's a small part of me which would like to think that libs and dems will now be forced to see the vacuity of their 'Russian interference' bullshit and just recognize that no, tens of millions actively want and desire Trump in power, and that US politics is fundamentally warped through and through and cannot be attributed to some external, exogenous force.

But probably not.

He's a true reflection of American cultural values. — praxis

of half of the electorate. Would that it was less.

Reflecting that, American anti-Russian sentiment, which Russians are sensitive to, has been getting significantly worse since 2013, according to this Wikipedia article. — jamalrob

Incidentally, I recently went to see the movie Tenet here in Moscow. The audience found Kenneth Branagh’s cartoon Russian villain and the other Russian references hilarious.

But probably not. — StreetlightX

Indeed, I guess nothing except a resounding Trump victory could have made that happen. Even in that case, I actually find it impossible to imagine them confronting it at all.

There's a small part of me which would like to think that libs and dems will now be forced to see the vacuity of their 'Russian interference' bullshit and just recognize that no, tens of millions actively want and desire Trump in power... — StreetlightX

As if Trump's popularity cannot have anything to do with and/or be helped by foreign interference and/or disinformation campaigns?

It might, it might not, but the hysterical discourse around 'foreign interference' has been employed in every instance to deflect from the absolute wreckage of American internal dysfunction. It's an excuse not to address the fact that, I dunno, the democrats have run two dogshit candidates who, in the face of an electorate clamouring - violently - for change, stand for the opposite of that. Nearly 70 million American citizens have voted for Trump - and people want to talk about foreign interference? They can go fuck themselves.

Must be FoReIGn InTeRfErEnCe

How trump would handle a transition of power:


'I think the point is to make us despair. To see ourselves as... animal and ugly. To make us reject the possibility that God could love us.'

stop, you have violated the law :lol:

by the nine divines...

eight, motherfucker

Talos is divine, but not an Aedra.

It's an excuse not to address the fact that, I dunno, the democrats have run two dogshit candidates who, in the face of an electorate clamouring - violently - for change, stand for the opposite of that. — StreetlightX

You know, I have been wondering if Hillary Clinton is secretly smiling over the nail biter race. After everyone treated the 2016 loss as her personal fault, this may be a kind of satisfaction.

I think we have to acknowledge the man has a great charismatic gift. — Hippyhead

I think we have to acknowledge that anyone who confuses obnoxious, whiny, and moronic with charismatic has had a fucked up upbringing.

Will Trump run again in 2024?

We can only hope that he will, against the Republicans who're about to drop him like a rock, and then he'll split the right-wing vote.

It's an interesting question. Would the Republican Party embrace Trump again? Imagine that Trump spends the next four years building on his near victory on a platform like TrumpTV. What Republican candidate could compete with that?

On the flip side, once Trump is no longer President he loses any immunity to investigation and prosecution. An awful lot of people on both sides are going to be digging deep to find the biggest pile of dirt they can.

I have a very original slogan for the next four years...

Lock him up!
LOCK HIM UP!
LOCK HIM UP!

That would be a great outcome. He could run again over the cell block phone in his orange jump suit.

We can only hope that he will, against the Republicans who're about to drop him like a rock, and then he'll split the right-wing vote. — Pfhorrest

Why'd they drop him though? That doesn't seem in their interest. Much better to make him into a Martyr and keep him around as a "shadow president". Then you can wheel him out whenever you need justification for your obstructionism and keep his base on your side.

Trump will remain President until January 20 of next year.

What kind of trouble might a humiliated narcissist cause during the transition?

Is the worst yet to come?

What kind of trouble might a humiliated narcissist cause during the transition? — Hippyhead

He's going to pardon himself, his family, and all his henchmen.

The biggest danger is that some armed right-wing groups will start some trouble, and Trump will praise and encourage them.

The biggest danger is that some armed right-wing groups will start some trouble, and Trump will praise and encourage them. — Relativist

It's the most immediate danger to people on the ground, but in isolation it's unlikely to do damage to the institution. I think the stance of the GOP will have a far more lasting effect. If they further amplify the accusation of fraud, more and more people will believe it.

I have a prediction! :-)

Trump will announce his candidacy for 2024 on FOX at the same time Biden is taking the oath of office on Jan 20.

You read it here first.

The biggest danger is that some armed right-wing groups will start some trouble, and Trump will praise and encourage them. — Relativist

That's a danger for sure. But I'm as yet not willing to rule out some larger danger. I don't know what, but we shouldn't take it as a given that Trump will just whine and complain and then peacefully leave the White House. Some of his soap opera hysterics is just calculated show biz, but there's a not entirely stable person underneath the show biz. Losing this election is a very public humiliation. It's unclear to what degree his psyche can handle that.

I'm not trying to be a hysterical alarmist, but there is at least a possibility that the next 90 days could be the most dangerous period of the Trump presidency. He still has fully legal vast powers until Jan 20.

What if he tries to start some international crisis? What will the military chain of command do if Trump gives them some dangerous order? Remember, the military is all about chain of command, chain of command, chain of command. Who in that chain of command is going to stand up and say, "Nope, we ain't doing that"?

I dunno, hopefully this is worrying over nothing....

One suggestion is that he will resign early and Pence will give him a global pardon. Then he's free and ready for the next election.

One suggestion is that he will resign early and Pence will give him a global pardon. Then he's free and ready for the next election. — unenlightened

Wouldn't help him against state crimes, e.g. the NY investigation into his taxes.