Okay. Let's take a deep breath here.
I too have a tendency for worst case scenarios, but the one below is VERY unlikely.
Was just talking it through last night with a colleague.
I'll explain...
I too have a tendency for worst case scenarios, but the one below is VERY unlikely.
Was just talking it through last night with a colleague.
I'll explain...
https://twitter.com/toddgitlin/status/1285619714551689216
Actually interfering with people's right to vote by placing unidentified federal agents at polling places enough to sway the election is logistically and legally infeasible.
Unlike the protection of federal property, the feds have no authority over most polling locations.
Unlike the protection of federal property, the feds have no authority over most polling locations.
But even assuming they ignored the authority question and tried to post up at polling locations to shut them down or intimidate voters
a) it's clearly a violation of the law;
b) they don't have sufficient manpower to interfere at all the voting locations they'd need to target.
a) it's clearly a violation of the law;
b) they don't have sufficient manpower to interfere at all the voting locations they'd need to target.
Intimidating voters at the polls, that's some banana republic shit right there.
It's the kind of thing that we decry when it happens in other countries, and is a sign that a country no longer has free and fair elections.
It would be the end of America as a democracy.
It's the kind of thing that we decry when it happens in other countries, and is a sign that a country no longer has free and fair elections.
It would be the end of America as a democracy.
Further, I don't think the can interfere with the counting and tabulation because of the ways those are counted, and handled at the state and local level.
I don't think even Barr would go that far as to intervene where it would result in a lack of free and fair election.
I don't think even Barr would go that far as to intervene where it would result in a lack of free and fair election.
And it I don't think the GOP Governors and most Senators would go along with a lack of free and fair elections.
I DO have many other nightmare scenarios where Trump exercises autocratic tendencies.
Just not this one.
I DO have many other nightmare scenarios where Trump exercises autocratic tendencies.
Just not this one.
Side note, I studied @toddgitlin when I was an undergrad. Didn't know he was on twitter.
I wasn't going to go into the other nightmares, but many are responding to them.
Could someone interfere with voting through other means? Yes.
Just not with unidentified federal agents at polling stations or tabulation stations.
Could someone interfere with voting through other means? Yes.
Just not with unidentified federal agents at polling stations or tabulation stations.
The nightmare scenario for me does not revolve around physical interference and intimidation at the polling site, but creating uncertainty and confusion around the result to call it "fake news".
A peaceful transition of power depends on the outgoing President, not the incoming.
A peaceful transition of power depends on the outgoing President, not the incoming.
There are plenty of things to worry about. I worry about them all the time.
Just not this particular scenario.
Just not this particular scenario.
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