How America could fail its democracy test

[brooklynite]

Financial Times


The Pentagon has always found “war games” indispensable. Informed role players provide a sharper sense of how military escalations unfold. The same is true of the electoral battlefield. In three out of four US election games run by the Transition Integrity Project, a non-partisan group created by Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law school and Nils Gilman of the Berggruen Institute, the US republic hit constitutional impasse by the conclusion in January 2021.

Even in the fourth scenario, where Mr Biden had clearly won the popular vote and the electoral college, the result was contested. Mr Trump only agreed to leave office after Mr Biden promised him a blanket pardon.

It is the other three prospects we should worry about. Much like the situation outlined above — in which I helped play the role of the media — presidential incumbency is a huge advantage. America is unique in giving its losing chief executive another 10 weeks of power — nuclear button included — before handing over to the winner.

It is one thing when the defeated president is Jimmy Carter or George HW Bush (the last two one-term presidents). They personified fair play. It is quite another if the loser is Mr Trump. As they say, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. No pardon. And attack and reverse any pardon Pence might give tRump. . . . . nt

[brooklynite]

3. You cannot reverse a Pardon...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. I don't think that's been tested in court. I think a corrupt pardon arrangement would be reversible

If tRump pardons Pence and Pence pardons tRump, that would be a criminal arrangement, a conspiracy using a legal angle in a way that would definitely go against Founder's intentions, I'm sure.

Even if tRump were not to pardon Pence (perhaps both think he doesn't need pardoning), there might be emails or other evidence to show tRump was promised a pardon in exchange for resigning to elevate Dense (Pence).

Bottom line: I do not think it would be necessary or advisable in any way to promise tRump a pardon in exchange for leaving (as the article suggests doing). It would be a terrible precedent and against the rule of law in a democracy.

tRump needs to go Jan 2021 at the latest and even if it takes heavily armed troops to drag him out of the White House while holding back crowds of gun-toting MAGAts, it will have to be done one way or another.

[brooklynite]

6. Article II, Section 2:

"and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment"

Other than Impeached officials, no restrictions specified.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Likewise, First Amendment doesn't specify many if any restrictions, but they are applied as needed

It mentions no restriction against shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theatre, but you do not have a First Amendment right to do so.

[FM123]

2. This is the scary part right here - what will those ten weeks look like....

"America is unique in giving its losing chief executive another 10 weeks of power — nuclear button included — before handing over to the winner."

Either he will spend that time scrambling to clean up and cover up his criminal activity to avoid jail or he will be gathering matches to set the WH on fire in retaliation.

[matt819]

4. IMHO. . .

We should see more writing about the various outcomes of the election:
Biden landslide
Biden electoral win, Trump popular win
Biden popular win, Trump electoral win
Trump popular & electoral win

And then the spanners in the works, i.e., voter suppression, opposition to mail-in ballots, lawsuits, SC gets involved, etc.

As much as I'd like to see more intelligent writing about this, one thought I have is that the more we see written, the greater the potential to motivate Trump voters (or not - who the fuck knows anymore).

Granted, it's speculation in all cases, but I think speculating about a trump win is important. Many people say that we can kiss democracy goodbye. I'm one of those people. But, in practical terms, what happens?

Or would this just be a waste of time. Basically, STFU and get out and vote?

[wiggs]

7. I think media are letting us down again, staying on the horserace and drama of an election

rather than talking about the chances of having a fair election and what that means

dem officials too. should be an every day discussion