“Donald Trump believes that he should be the ruler — the dictator of the United States of America. He actually is looking to change the Constitution. When Donald Trump jokes about 12 more years … he is not joking. Donald Trump does not have a sense of humor. So I want you to understand that when he says 12 more years, if he wins he is going to automatically day number one start thinking how he can change the Constitution for a third term, and then a fourth term, like what he said to President XI and like what he said to so many other people.” — Michael Cohen, on CNN’s “Don Lemon Show,” September 9, 2020 (click here)
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Trump defenders have pointed out that Michael Cohen is a proven liar. And he is. He went to prison for lying to Congress. But he also was Trump’s personal lawyer for a dozen years, and Trump’s fixer, so he obviously knows Trump well. Moreover, Trump himself has talked about serving more than two terms.
I’m not ready to believe Trump would overthrow the Constitution and establish a dictatorship in America. That’s too fantastic to contemplate. Stretch his authority, yes, he already does that. But if that’s his intent, there are obstacles in the way. How would he get around the fact that Congress and the states must ratify any change to the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms? Or would he just shove the Constitution aside and rule by edict?
And if he did, would Republicans whose complicity he needs go along? They might. If he becomes a dictator, he’ll be their dictator, carrying out their agenda. I don’t think many Republicans in Washington D.C. have any love for democracy. What about the military? The Joint Chiefs chairman has pledged not to get involved in politics, but would they stand aside from this? They take an oath to defend the Constitution.
Cohen is an alarmist, and I don’t want to be one. I don’t want to believe Trump would be allowed to seize power. Or that the Republican Party and its representatives, senators, and judges would let him. There’s an alternative explanation: He loves to troll his opponents and critics. But sometimes the most audacious scheme can succeed where mere overreach would fail because no one believes anyone would do and therefore no one saw it coming. But I’m skeptical that what Cohen’s telling us is something more than typical Trump bluster.
We will find out. We all know a fella named Adolf Hitler managed to become the supreme ruler of Germany. That a fella named Castro (with our help) became a Dictator. That Lenin and his Bolsheviks were the last party standing and took over the Russian state starting years of civil war. There was the French Revolution and the terror and finally Napoleon. We have said none of this could ever happen here. Of course it could. I think one could suggest either candidate capable of a coup. Still it is the place they are in life that suggests all of this is overblown. Maybe they both have the dynamism of Ruth Ginsberg, but they are men and the odds are against both of surviving 12 years of being in the office.
I for one disagree with the limitation of a President to two terms. I agree with Washington it is enough for anyone to do two terms as President and time to leave, usually. The problem with the two term limitation is that the President becomes a lame duck almost from the time he takes the oath of office for his or her second term. Unless they are fortunate to have their party in Congress and how we are doing politics in America for the past 10 administrations that is not likely. So any President becmes just more and more impotent in office during their second term, though it should mean they are much more active and able to take more risk. Shake things up if necessary. Maybe Trump could be a refreshing second term in this respect. At least it will be entertaining.
What would an organization like Black Lives Matter do it it had true political power, or even unlimited political power since it controls all the levers of power. Oddly their philosophy was shared by a infamous person. One Adolf Hitler. Whose path to power was how terrible the German people had been treated by the victorious French and Germans. Based on nationalism and well race. One race over another. Of course he was totally in favor of blacks being in Africa and totally in charge of Africa and being great in their sphere, just not as great as the Aryans of course.
You truly do not understand Black Lives Matter. It’s a decentralized movement, not an organization with a leader. It’s seeking police reform, not political power. Their “philosophy” is racial equality and equal treatment for blacks, not Aryan supremacy. Don’t conflate them with white supremacist Hitler admirers. Only the far right is driven by notions of racial superiority.
“I’m not ready to believe Trump would overthrow the Constitution and establish a dictatorship in America.”
I am certain that that is what he intends to do. But my opinion doesn’t matter.
We should ask and poll Republicans if they would support such at thing. If they wouldn’t then we have nothing to worry about. But if they would support such a thing, which I am also certain that they would, there would be some great excuse to support it (all be it, invalid). And that’s where the problem lies.
The Hump can’t be the Hump without his supporters….they are the blame.
From several biographies of insiders who worked during the Drumpf administration, they also believe he is power mad. By increments the opportunity that presents itself to seize by taking rule of law away from congress, circumventing laws. Where his attorney general comes in. Sending in state-by-state, heavily armed law enforcement in grabbing people/protesters off the street and into unmarked cars and driving them to ?police stations? when there are protests. He tries to rule all by force and by his will above the laws.
Our opinions don’t matter even if based on factual accounts by many who formerly worked for him which includes witnesses, his
former attorney, former fbi agents, former generals and military officials. His followers described as cult followers eat this stuff up.Truth doesn’t matter, to them,nor facts. They follow they swallow whatever he says. Extremists in mind and thought, a lawless undisciplined lot of non-thinkers.
God Bless America. Or the America we used to know.