I respectfully disagree. We’re in a situation where the only thing that can stop Republicans from pulling off this attempted authoritarian takeover is certain other *Republicans* (including on the courts) saying no. That outcome hasn’t been an open question before, but it is now.
https://twitter.com/mjs_DC/status/1325976989258440704
The key point is that they don’t have to win these lawsuits in order to use these lawsuits to “win”—to hold onto power after Jan. The GOP legislatures in PA+MI could cite these cases to appoint their own electors. They’ve previously indicated that they would not, but they *could*
The question of what happens next in that scenario (or some other similar one) would eventually reach SCOTUS, which could decide it’s a political question. (They might even cynically cite Bush v Gore as negative precedent, a reason not to get involved.) It could go to the House
But point here is not to game out specific forms that this might take—but to show that what’s needed to prevent all this is dissent *from Republicans*
MI+PA state parties could decide to accept the results; GOP justices could strike the challenges.
But that’s an open question!
MI+PA state parties could decide to accept the results; GOP justices could strike the challenges.
But that’s an open question!
We should not assume that McConnell and Barr and the rest don’t actually want to win—but we also shouldn’t assume that their intention matters in the end. They question is whether they can pull off a coup, and the answer is that they will unless+until someone in the GOP says no.
It actually doesn’t matter much in the end if some of them are doing this to appease Trump or if they actually intend to see it through—at a certain point it becomes a different thing. A jump ball that they don’t control. That this is unlikely to happen doesn’t mean it could not.
I’ll add: even as I would caution against blanket assurances that an authoritarian takeover of the sort that’s currently being attempted—and yes, that’s what it would be; and yes, they’re trying—I recognize this tradeoff, where speaking frankly about the threat may legitimate it.
https://twitter.com/wertwhile/status/1326170970508435456
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