This Isn’t An Election. It’s A Power Grab!

Project Lincoln advisor Trygve Olson is Making Sense:


For Trump, elections aren’t about determining who holds power. He is playing a zero-sum game. For Trump and his enablers, elections are merely a tool in their attempt to capture power.

This is evident in how the campaign is unfolding and in their Autocratic Intention Signaling.

It will only intensify in the days, weeks, and months to come — regardless of the outcome on Election Day. We are no longer engaged in the win-win game of elections and democracy as we know it; we are in an existential zero-sum struggle to defend the democracy our founders bestowed upon us.

The sooner this is understood by the media, the Harris Campaign, and all those standing up against what Trump is doing, the more likely democracy is to prevail — and right now, it is teetering on the precipice.

Trygve Olson: Democracy Expert trained 1000’s worldwide to fight for it. Sr Advisor @projectlincoln & @LDIDemocracy. Weekly on @allbaughshow. WI boy, Girl Dad, Packer Fan

Trump to FOX Host Maria Bartiromo on what worries him about election day: “I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within … sick people, radical left lunatics. And it should be easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”

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Author: craigcrawford

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67 thoughts on “This Isn’t An Election. It’s A Power Grab!”

  3. LP’s latest

    Trump keeps saying #ThingsFascistsSay

    and

    These immigrants are the biggest threat to America.

  6. Armed militia threat forces emergency workers to relocate in Rutherford County – County Local News

    In a recent tweet by Rex Chapman, a concerning allegation was made regarding federal emergency response personnel in Lake Lure, N.C. The tweet claimed that employees operating in Rutherford County, N.C. were forced to stop working and relocate due to threats from an “armed militia” in the region. This shocking revelation raises questions about the safety and security of government workers in the area.
    The alleged incident described in the tweet highlights the challenges faced by emergency response personnel when dealing with potential threats to their safety. The decision to move employees to a different area demonstrates the seriousness of the situation and the need to prioritize the well-being of government workers in the face of potential danger.
    The use of social media to report on such incidents raises further concerns about the spread of misinformation and the impact it can have on public perception. While twitter can be a valuable tool for sharing information quickly, it is essential to verify the accuracy of the information before jumping to conclusions.
    The tweet by Rex Chapman does not provide any additional details or context surrounding the alleged threat, leaving many questions unanswered. It is crucial to approach such claims with caution and skepticism until more information is available to confirm or refute the allegations.
    The safety and security of government workers should always be a top priority, especially in situations where there is a perceived threat of violence. Federal emergency response personnel play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of communities during times of crisis, and any threats to their ability to carry out their duties must be taken seriously.
    As the story unfolds, it will be important to monitor any developments and updates regarding the alleged threat to government workers in Rutherford County, N.C. The safety of all individuals involved must be ensured, and steps should be taken to address any security concerns that may arise in the future.
    In conclusion, the tweet by Rex Chapman sheds light on a potentially alarming situation involving federal emergency response personnel in Lake Lure, N.C. The safety and security of government workers should always be a top priority, and any threats to their well-being must be addressed promptly and effectively. As more information becomes available, it will be crucial to assess the situation and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of all individuals involved.
    [continues with said tweet & responses to same]

  7. The Big Dog has figured out exactly how to make himself useful without backlash.

    Bill Clinton today in rural South Georgia:

    “When I volunteered to help Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, I told them ‘send somebody else to the big places; somebody that needs the TV coverage.’ I said, send me to the country; I know where I belong!”

    Watch the video. Age might be catching up with him, but he’s still got it.. https://x.com/flywithkamala/status/1845562508255363084

  11. “SERIES 3 EPISODE 48: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN”

    “Three times this weekend Trump announced he will invoke “The Alien Enemies Act” which gives him the personal, arbitrary power to send to a concentration camp, or to deport, anybody in this country based on their race. Make no mistake that he means it. Trump’s anti-immigrant, specifically anti-Hispanic, hate speech has now climaxed with a promise to invoke the 1798 law that permits the president – in war time – to arrest and detain or deport without a hearing or without evidence of crime – American citizens and others – at his personal whim – based on their race. NOT where they were born, NOT whether they’ve committed or been suspected of a crime, NOT whether they are here legally or illegally. Based on their race.”

    “The last time this country used it, in one of the most shameful episodes in our history, they rounded up the Japanese. Nearly all that lived in the Continental United States. Nearly none of them accused of crimes. Nearly all of whom had been born here. And you were Japanese, if you were one-sixteenth Japanese.”

  12. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lbj-convince-the-lowest-white-man/

    “That’s the context [see link] of one of the most famous statements on race ever attributed to President Johnson, an off-the-cuff observation he made to a young staffer, Bill Moyers, after encountering a display of blatant racism during a political visit to the South. Moyers tells it in the first person:

    “We were in Tennessee. During the motorcade, he spotted some ugly racial epithets scrawled on signs. Late that night in the hotel, when the local dignitaries had finished the last bottles of bourbon and branch water and departed, he started talking about those signs. “I’ll tell you what’s at the bottom of it,” he said. “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
     

    Some PAC and maybe an additional entity needs to run two ads back-to-back; one with the LBJ quote and one with welcoming the stranger, helping the marginalized and loving one another.

    You’re never going to get through to racists, but if they are also entrenched in something with a lot of rules that calls itself Christianity, you can probably shame them into not following the orange devil into fascist hell.

  13. Preparing the battlefield

    Trump was asked on Fox News on Sunday about polls indicating that many Americans aren’t confident their votes will be accurately counted, a lack of confidence that he stoked with his lies that the 2020 election had been stolen. “I don’t feel confident when you have mail-in voting,” he replied, laying groundwork to question the results again.

  14. Washington Post: How Trump may try to challenge the election results if he loses again
    — Those who oversee elections in key states are once again bracing to be harassed and threatened for doing their jobs
    — Trump has not committed to accepting the outcome of the upcoming election, no matter who wins
    — It could again take several days to declare a winner. As the public waits for results, false narratives quickly spread
    — Even if lawsuits fail, they can slow the process down and create the impression that the validity of the results are in doubt
    — Trump loyalists who are local or state election officials could refuse to certify their results and hamper the dispatch of electoral votes to Congress in time for the Jan. 6 congressional certification
    — Electoral college meetings in each state on Dec. 17 could draw protests. Some officials fear disruptions could prevent electors from voting

    Disruption Goes Local
    Trump supporters where Harris won “will not be spending two months packing up their SUVs and driving to D.C. They are going to be focusing their efforts on county seats, county courthouses, little county voting centers in hundreds of places all over the country if Trump loses.” — David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research

    free link to full article.. https://wapo.st/3YkDoyy

  15. Those NC idiots are just doing what they think will please dear leader.  I guess their hungry neighbors who can’t drive out of their neighborhood because there are trees and power lines down need to look for the militia to clear the roads, restore the power and get water and food to them. Fucking idiots.

  17. Doing my disaster services jobs I have had local police escort me and my vehicles when I was doing food and water deliveries, Had the National Guard protect shelters, and when I was running a shelter I had police escort me in and outside the buildings.  There can be a lot of raw feelings when a disaster destroys everything you own.   And, doing those sfb was not spreading lies and disinformation. 

  18. Michael Flynn Details Trump “Tribunal” to “Execute the swamp”

    This is the guy Trump has vowed to put back in his White House…
     
    General Michael Flynn, at the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival Friday night in Greele PA, said he would  “sit at the head of a military tribunal to not only drain the swamp, but imprison the swamp, and on a few occasions, execute the swamp.”
     
    “I definitely believe we need accountability. There’s a way to get after this, but we have to win first. These people are already up to no good, so we gotta win first. We win, and then Katie Bar the door. Believe me, the gates of hell, my hell will be unleashed.”
     
    AP (May 15, 2024): Trump tells former adviser Michael Flynn: ‘We’re going to bring you back’

     

  20. Bill Clinton in Columbus GA just now:

    “I’ve been traveling around South Georgia the last couple of days, went to the fair, and everybody is in such a good humor. I even had a guy with a MAGA hat ask me to take a picture. It made me feel good, there might be hope for this country yet. We need more ‘us’ and less ‘them’. This us and them thing is eating us alive”

  21. RachelBitecofer

     

    Donald Trump left thousands of largely senior citizens stranded at his Coachella rally because he didn’t pay the buses to come back and pick them up.

  22. Bill Clinton to Harris GA supporters about MAGA voters.

    “Don’t forget, they’ll be better off if you win, but you won’t be better off if they win”

  27. Rule of Thunb:
    If it’s illegal, indefensible, reprehensible, disgraceful, or dishonorable and there is some question of whether or not he did it—He did it, no question. 

    Just f’rinstance, those .guys wearing union T-shirts pretending to be union guys for Trump. Nah.

  28. FOX News statement: “Vice President Kamala Harris is sitting down with Fox News Anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday for her first interview on the Fox News Channel 6 PM/ET on October 16th”

  30. Olbermann played a clip of dipshit at one his rallies threatening immigrants with the “death penalty”
     
    How is this nazi-wannabe a nominee for President and how the fuck is this race so close

    …a good example of the “Autocratic Intention Signaling” mentioned in the original post

  31. Q. “How is this nazi-wannabe a nominee for President and how the fuck is this race so close”

    A. Fucking republicans.  
    Including those republicans who are now squealing the loudest against slump, because it was THEM who got him there

    Pah-TOOey.

  32. …like, do they know what they’re supporting?
     
    Are my neighbors with trump signs just waiting for the permissive signal to commit ethnic violence? Must be, right?

  33. The point arose during the general banter the other night that all babies, toddlers and very young children are all just LITTLE REPUBLICANS.   
    That was funny.

  34. One guy I know in Texas is all thinking they’re going to be turned loose with guns at some point.   I ask ‘em sometimes how you gonna know who to shoot.?  Will there be a local bossman to point out the ones to shoot?   I picture his old ass creeping around the neighborhood with his AR 15 looking for somebody to shoot……oh damn, I just think how on fucking earth does somebody get THAT STUPID?   

    Do they think Russia and China going to be sittin there in lawn chairs, sippin on a lemonade and watching the show? Oy.

  35. Thoroughly pissed off!!  Just went grocery shopping and several vegetable sizes are being discontinued with the 16 oz. being replaced by 12 oz.  There will be a slight reduction in price but not enough to compensate for the shrinkflation.  Harris & Congress better come through with the anti-gouging legislation.

     

  36. Fox host: You tweeted ‘when the looting starts, the shooting starts.’ Why those words?

    Trump: So, that’s an expression I’ve heard over the years

    Fox host: Do you know where it comes from?

    Trump: I think Philadelphia

    Fox host: No, it comes from 1967. It was from the chief of police in Miami who was cracking down on Black neighborhoods and he said, ‘I don’t even care if it makes it look like brutality. I’m gonna crack down. When the looting starts, the shooting starts’ 

    Trump: Yeah

    https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1845873535299760280?t=zaNUhHQ8KAG0W7nmyB-2tA&s=19

  37. if Gen Z thinks it’s hard to buy a house now, wait until trump kicks out (or executes) all the people that build them

    if you think produce is expensive, wait until trump kicks out (or executes) the people that harvest and process it

  38. Slowly stocking up on canned and dry goods here, just in case the numb-nuts with guns feel like it’s their chance to shine.  

    Prices went down a tiny bit late in the summer, but they’ve crept right back up to where they were and beyond.

    Yes, Jamie, something needs to be done about the price gouging and it needs to happen NOW, during the Biden/Harris administration.    This can not wait.  Harris can continue the work, but putting this off is like putting off a border bill.   Do something about prices now, please.

    While they’re at it, Dems can also make noise about school lunches and  SNAP. 
     

  39. What can Biden do?  Republicans won’t even pass border legislation they write themselves, nevermind progressive price-relief proposals 
     
    Vote Blue up and down

  40. Another important reason to vote, even if you live in the “reddest” of states, is to contribute to the popular vote total, which bolsters the legitimacy of a claim of victory amid a disputed result

    …and the republicans ARE GOING TO dispute the results if they lose

  41. TOP OF DRUDGE

    Harris— 49

    Trump—46

    This is the first release of TIPP’s 23-day tracking poll series. “Recognized by The Washington Post in 2020 as the most accurate national presidential poll.”

  42. These immigrants are the biggest threat to America.

     
    Thiel, Musk and Murdoch, I’m definitely going to counter with this rogue lineup next time I get the old I’s ‘fraida them immigrants line tossed at me by a magger. Probably throw in melania too. Where is she, by the way? 

  45. Will the Republican/neo-Nazi hate speech make the national, evening news?  

    Will MAGAts realize the “something” that went wrong at tRUMP-chella was due to Orange Adolf only needing warm bodies for awhile and not giving a crap when he was done with them?

  48. the instagram link i posted to the trumpchella abandonment video last night works

    not much to see, just a bunch of trumpers stranded in the desert, in the dark

    once again, perfect metaphor

  52. @archer_rs
    So now confirmed. The bus company that the Trump campaign booked refused to return and collect the visitors to the rally after their repeated requests for payment were ignored. Another example in the long history of Trump not paying his bills (see building suppliers in New York

  53. The local classical station does such a good job during rush hour to keep the road rage down
     
    The other people must not have it on

  59. “ Another example in the long history of Trump not paying his bills”

    if trumpco don’t spend da money where do da money go

  60. i’m listening to early 2000’s pop, it was a dark time

    “…it was the lamest of times, it was the Bushiest of times…”

    9/11 was bad for the culture

    Fetterman is good onstage, very Pennsylvanian

  62. Harris in Erie, PA plays clips of Trump’s “enemy within” comments.

    “This is among the reasons I believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America and dangerous. Donald Trump is increasingly unstable and unhinged, and he is out for unchecked power.”

  63. Brilliant. We can’t go to Trump rallies, so she’s bringing the rally to us. And letting the boo’s roll in. 

  64. Word on the street is he spent a good bit of time at his last rally dazed and confused and playing Disc Jockey.  Probably was past his bed time.  

  65. KamalaHQ
    Trump appears confused on stage
    Noem: Sir, do you want to play your song and greet a few people?
    Trump: What song?
    Noem: Well you had said you wanted to close with a specific song

  66. Holy $&@! this is the most bizarre political campaign event i’ve ever seen, and i’ve been watching ‘em here with y’all for YEARS
     

    The “music portion” is at the end, Noem looks lost and horrified, trump is undeniably cognitively-impaired

    The “town hall” portion ain’t less bizarre, btw

    indescribably bonkers

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