1/You know what's more productive than calling Trump a Nazi?
Trying to imagine the worst that Trump might conceivably do to this country.
I thought about this a bit after the election, and here was my conclusion.
Trying to imagine the worst that Trump might conceivably do to this country.
I thought about this a bit after the election, and here was my conclusion.
2/Currently, Republicans control 32 state legislatures.
With two more, they could call a Constitutional Convention to propose amendments to the Constitution.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conventio…
With two more, they could call a Constitutional Convention to propose amendments to the Constitution.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conventio…
3/With 38 state legislatures - 6 more than they currently have - the GOP could then ratify amendments to the Constitution.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_F…
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_F…
4/Once you can propose and ratify Constitutional amendments at will, you can *theoretically* do basically anything.
Legalize slavery.
Strip women of the vote.
Anything.
Legalize slavery.
Strip women of the vote.
Anything.
5/Would Trump legalize slavery or strip women of the vote? I highly doubt it. But here is what I do think he - or a similarly minded successor - would do:
End birthright citizenship.
nbcnews.com/dateline/video…
End birthright citizenship.
nbcnews.com/dateline/video…
6/Now, what does it mean to end birthright citizenship?
It might simply mean that no new birthright citizenships can be handed out.
OR, Trump might try to make it RETROACTIVE.
It might simply mean that no new birthright citizenships can be handed out.
OR, Trump might try to make it RETROACTIVE.
7/Ending birthright citizenship retroactively would mean that anyone who was born to non-citizen parents on U.S. soil - whether those parents were here legally OR illegally - would be stripped of their U.S. citizenship.
8/That would mean that a large percentage of the Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern citizens of the United States would suddenly become non-citizens - and without visas or citizenship, they'd all be liable for immediate deportation by ICE.
9/Obviously, this would be a large-scale program of ethnic cleansing (though Trump defenders would insist that it wasn't ethnically based).
It would have the effect of restoring America to something approximating the demographics of the 1950s.
It would have the effect of restoring America to something approximating the demographics of the 1950s.
10/Now, do I think it's LIKELY that the GOP will do this?
Of course not.
Do I think it's likely Stephen Miller has thought of this idea?
I think it's certain he has. And several steps beyond, too.
Of course not.
Do I think it's likely Stephen Miller has thought of this idea?
I think it's certain he has. And several steps beyond, too.
11/Of course, this policy might cause a civil war, but that would merely give Trump an excuse to do far worse stuff.
Large-scale civil war might cause those laughable "Nazi" scenarios to become not-so-laughable.
See the Spanish Civil War for a historical analogy.
Large-scale civil war might cause those laughable "Nazi" scenarios to become not-so-laughable.
See the Spanish Civil War for a historical analogy.
12/Anyway, remember, this is a worst-case scenario.
It is not a prediction.
The purpose of a worst-case scenario is to realize the amount that might conceivably be at stake in our current political era.
It's a lot.
(end)
It is not a prediction.
The purpose of a worst-case scenario is to realize the amount that might conceivably be at stake in our current political era.
It's a lot.
(end)
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