52 thoughts on “Is A Coup On The Horizon?”

  2. I just wonder why nothing is being done to enforce the court orders against the E.O. The White House people were asked about the court orders and the president’s staff said the court orders had no effect, that the ban and all parts of the E.O. were going forward regardless. So yes if tRump and people can do whatever they want, make laws with E.O.’s and cut out congress, and the can ignore the courts which no other administration has ever done, then yes we are in a coup. It scares me a lot. Hugs

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  3. I guess I’m naïve, but I would have never even thought about a coup until I read Michael Moore’s article and then the other one by Yonatan Zunger. But now I most definitely see the signs … and it scares me a lot, too!

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  4. Here’s another article by Yonatan Zunger (lengthy but worth reading) that addresses where things are headed. Warning: It’s depressing, but for those of us who want to preserve our nation and the freedoms it has always represented, we need to be aware and take whatever action we can to ensure what he writes about NEVER happens!

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  5. Nan I think Michael Moore has dramatically overstated the situation. The action by the acting Attorney General was blatantly political. I think this analysis makes far more sense than what Michale Moore says:

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      • Nan I have not yet read the article by Zunger, I will do a bit later.

        I certainly have concerns about Steve Bannon’s role. Putting him on the National Security Council is irregular and, in my view, unwise. Indeed I have seen recent references to Steve Bannon as a sort of Grima Wormtongue type character (if you are familiar with Lord of the Rings).

        I mentioned some time back that Trump’s biographer had concluded that Trump was prone to be influenced by the ‘last person in the room’, if that is Steve Bannon then it is indeed scary.

        I doubt that Trump has any real sinister motives, I see him more like an ego centric simpleton who really just wants adoration. But others around Trump might indeed have more of a Machiavellian bent. What I am pondering is how a person with a fragile ego like Trump will react to all the criticism he is receiving, will it cause him to listen more to a ‘Wormtongue’ type character who massages his ego? I fear it will.

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      • Nan I read the first Zunger article. It is certainly thought provoking. If there is any motivation for Trump, the ‘personal enrichment’ one seems to accord most with what we know of him.

        Some of the other machiavellian strategies seem more likely to be those of his ‘inner circle’. That does not make then any less concerning, but I am starting to think that Trump is more likely the puppet than the puppet master. How better to manipulate him than to promise him wealth and fame. As JZ and I discussed elsewhere we suspect that Trumps financial position is considerably less than he likes to imply.

        So Nan I thought the Zunger article was very good.

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    • Hello Peter. I am not sure that the AG’s actions were so political. Over the last few years we have seen many state AG’s refuse to defend laws they deemed unlawful. We have also have the video of her confirmation hearing where the AG nominee Sessions basically tells her that part of the job is to determine if a law is legal and tell the president if it is not, and stand up to the president if they insist. Add to that the law was not vetted by other departments. In fact I have read only one report that says the justice department signed off on the law for the administration, all other reports up the point of firing said that no other departments had seen the order. Also I have watched different newscasts where they have interviewed different lawyers who say the order is not constitutional and that what it tries to do can’t be done by E.O.. In fact one interview said that the congress would have to pass laws to do the job and that an E.O. couldn’t be used that way. So I really don’t know which side is right. Be well. Hugs

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      • Scottie thanks for your thoughtful response, as always.

        I must admit that in this highly charged political environment I have been scratching my head to try to determine where I might find some truly objective commentary. I fear at present that the emotions on both sides of the fence are affecting objectivity among the commentators.

        But I suppose one persons ‘objective commentator’ is another persons ‘biased observer’.

        There is no doubt the Immigration Executive Order was poorly implemented and the underlying rationale not clearly communicated. Certainly a wise person would consult with the various arms of Government before promulgating an announcement that had dramatic impact on the lives of so many people.

        If it is any comfort you might be pleased to read this article:
        http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/31/politics/lgbt-protections-trump-continues-obama-policy-federal-workers/

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        • Hello Peter. I understand and I agree with you. I admit I am not really fully objective. I am looking at things with a feeling of anger and disgust. I am trying hard to let my mind lead and not my heart. However no one likes to be bullied, no one likes to be mistreated ( at least politically ), and no one likes to have their feelings or needs ignored. That said I try to be practical. I can’t see why people applaud what the republicans did to Obama and yet get upset when it is said that democrats should do the same to tRump. I think what is good for the goose should be OK for the gander. I know it is not a good way to govern a country or run a department, but one side can’t always be denied and mistreated while the other gets the goodies. I keep thinking more people voted for Obama. The people did have their say on the court nominee by voting for Obama. Hillary won the popular vote. The court seat the republican congress stole is simply a power grab and it hurts the country for generations. IF tRump had nominated a person in the political center I would say they deserved hearings and a vote. But he went as partisan as possible. These things that are happening affect me personally. I can’t forget that. To some it is not really that important or the cost of it is distant. For me the cost is close, clear, and present at all times. I can lose everything very quickly.

          Peter I don’t get angry because people have a different opinion than I do, that is their right and I support that. What I want is for people to talk rationally about it, explain themselves, see the reality of what this all means. I thank you for continuing to talk rationally even if we disagree. IF we can do it without resorting to insult and anger we have done better than our leaders can do.

          Be well. Maybe by talking this out we can see the human costs and the fears / desires we all have. I was surprised to find the unwillingness to even see the unfairness of the last 8 years and how it colors my view of the next few years. I was surprised to see that some refused to give the courtesy back that they had demanded be shown to them and their views.
          Oh and on the keeping of the LGBTQ protections, it is only temperary. Peopel keep pointing to it, while they forget the horrible positions of all the nominees and advisers on anything dealing withthe LGBTQ community. I remember years ago when tRump wouldn’t even let a known gay person touch food containers, his plate, his utensils, serve him. HE is a germaphobe as he said and he felt gays were full of germs. So I doubt he has changed from then. He has just learned to hide it better.

          Be well, hugs

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        • Scottie, your comment: To some it is not really that important or the cost of it is distant. is just another way of what I’ve been saying … until it “hits home,” i.e., affects YOU personally, it’s just so much rhetoric.

          Individuals with empathy and who try to see all sides of an issue are, unfortunately, very rare because we all have our built-in biases. But we can overcome this to a degree by looking outward … beyond our immediate circumstances and try to identify with those who are affected. I think most people who frequent my blog are these kind of people.

          Unfortunately, tRump is void of this quality. He lives for himself, his business, and his family. All others are simply useful tools to help him accomplish his end goals. And until his supporters figure that out (if they ever do), the next four years are going to be “hell” on earth.

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        • ‘until it “hits home,” i.e., affects YOU personally, it’s just so much rhetoric.’

          Nan it reminds me of an interview from the wonderful 1970’s TV series, ‘The World at War’. They were interviewing Germans about the persecution of the Jews in 1930’s. Your statement is akin to what a German said about the persecution, she did not really believe it until her doctor, a Jew, said he had lost most of his patients and assumed she would not want him to be the family doctor anymore. It was only then that she started to appreciate what was happening.

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    • This describes what’s happening to a “T” — Welcome to the shock event, designed precisely to jar the political system and civil society, causing a disorientation and disruption among the public and the political class that aids the leader in consolidating his power.

      Scary, scary stuff! Especially when one considers how few people recognize what’s happening and instead are totally in support because, well, their preferred candidate is sitting in the White House.

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  7. Nan, my 15-yr old son thinks tTrump is a “certifiable crazy man!” His words. LOL He found a website that has most all of “Crazy Man’s” infamous quotes and plays them often on repeat. He and his classmates get a huge kick out of listening to all of them. My son’s favorite?

    “You’re FIRED! You’re FIRED! You’re FIRED! You’re FIRED! You’re FIRED!” That comes from his 2004 show The Apprentice. Nothing much has changed, huh? Oppose me… and You’re FIRED! Washington D.C. might be emptied of all federal officials pretty soon! Hahaha 😛 😉

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    • At the very least the President seems to display signs of personality disorders (I am no psychologist so can’t offer a diagnosis).

      I keep casting my mind back to an interview with Trump’s biographer I heard a few months back. The interviewer concluded that a lot of Trump’s brash behaviour was a front and that underneath he was really an insecure person.

      But having said that, from my time in Christian ministry I learnt that most of humanity puts on a sort of mask when communicating with the outside world and underneath many people are quite different, usually less assured.

      I would argue that your son’s interpretation is pretty much the mainstream view of the rest of the world. Among my friends and acquaintances in Australia I am not aware of a single person who has confidence in President Trump. Most thought of him as a bit of a joke before all this president business arose – now many are plain scared.

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      • Peter,

        My son’s tRump assessment is stark by the fact that he has been living with his Mom and step-Dad since 2002 — that is a home and maternal grandparents & family of hardcore evangelical Fundamentalists. They are Republican-to-the-death and were heavy supporters of Ben Carson and/or Ted Cruz, if that doesn’t tell you a lot. Thus, to hear this coming from my (indoctrinated) son — who’s beginning to find his own wings and brain, perhaps cuz of his Dad! 😀 — is indicative of the consequences of ALWAYS voting strictly by and for a party-ticket. Critical-thinking skills — or Cognitive Strain WITH Cognitive Ease; probably more the former! — should dictate a voters decision, not an ideology. This video furtherr explains what I mean…

        Obviously it is IMPERATIVE that a society maintain a healthy balance between these two cognitive conditions to ensure stability and progress. They should/must also nurture and embrace novel, challenging, skrutinizing even uncomfortable ideas and concepts in order to avoid the pitfalls of artificially created cognitive ease and agnotology! It’s a fabulous hedging-safety mechanism against meglomaniacs and oligarchies! Duh!

        I know, I know… just talking like this scares the SHIT out of a lot of Americans! LOL 😛

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        • Professor I heard an interview the other day with leading Australian social researcher Hugh mcKay. He observed that the rise of social media means that more and more people are only seeking news that accords with their existing worldview and now have a greater capacity to ignore middle of the road views. This seems to be a major factor affecting the crazy world of politics at present. It is the insidious side of social media, the so-called echo chamber.

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          • Yes. Insidious. Not that freely accessible information is necessarily bad, but the skills, tools, patience, determination, and ability to suspend temporarily one’s own biases with which to discern, compare, contrast, etc, what appears good to self and a great number… seems to be what is causing the agnotology.

            When no physical harm is happening with a novel, scrutinizing, or unknown idea, then cognitive strain is often a very good thing! 🙂

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          • I did. Yes, I most certainly did. I did NOT have to look it up because I’m, you know, like a smart person, and I KNEW what it meant. More bigly than ANYONE EVER knew what ANYTHING EVER meant, I knew what this word, which I’ve NEVER once heard of before, meant. Thank you for loving all I do and say, and thank you for being one of the hundred billion people in America who love me. Have a nice day. 🙂

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          • Hahaha! Sorry Nan. But as an educator, I WILL NOT allow constant boring Cognitive Ease to infect my classroom and students!!! Especially artificial cognitive ease, which often begats more risk and agnotology!!! 😛 😉

            If I did allow it — like other “institutions” masturbate themselves in it weekly or daily on Sunday mornings — then I would be committing one of the most horrific cardinal sins of teaching…

            “Teaching them WHAT to think…”

            …not HOW to think. 😉 ❤

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        • Professor that video was very good. It reminds me of something I learnt in managing people, which was that it is not change that troubles people so much as sudden unexpected change. I found that to change something, the best approach was to float the idea a long time ahead of when the change wa due to come into effect and then by the time it was implemented many people were so used to the idea being discussed they accepted the change quite readily.

          I think Donald Trump has taken his playbook of psychological tricks from Hitler who like Trump tended to be bombastic and unpredictable as a deliberate tactic. Lets hope he does not adopt some of Hitler’s other traits.

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          • Agreed Peter. Unfortunately, Nature and the forces of the Multiverse/Universe are most often oblivious to what any human being wishes, let alone humans who see and live their lifes completely opposite. LOL 😉

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        • I didn’t watch the entire video (I’m not a big video watcher) — but the beginning … when he talks about repetition … I immediately thought of Christianity. Over and over and over again the words and stories are repeated from the pulpit until … well, I don’t think I need to explain what happens. The guy in the video does it far better than I could. 🙂

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          • Indeed Nan. Repeat things endlessly and inside one’s head and those peers around you… in unison, and it all becomes “true” until the forces of Nature, other humans/animals, and the Multiverse/Universe say otherwise. LOL 😛

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    • P.S. I agree with Michael Moore. Sadly, many will continue to refuse to see what’s happening, live in their naive world of false equivalency, where they perceive all things political to be equal to each other, and our country will be destroyed because of it. I can say this, anyone NOT agreeing with the pure, insipid, vile evil of what tRump and his “Wormtongue” of a man, Bannon, are doing to our land, has very clearly not yet been personally damaged and hurt by what they’re doing. To them I say this: Just give it time, and soon you too will feel the destructive energy of this orange monster and his army of demons as they strip something from you you never thought you could lose. Unfortunately, for many, this may very well be their lives, and, like the man said, by then it’ll be far too late.

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  9. Interesting report here just hit the press in Australia. Seems Donald Trump’s talk with our Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, the other day was his worst discussion ‘by far’ with a world leader.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-02/donald-trump-shared-worst-call-with-malcolm-turnbull/8234904

    What I find fascinating is the accompanying photos. Noticed two things in particular:
    – President Trump looks to be in a foul mood; and
    – Steve Bannon, of course, sat in on the discussion.

    Seems to me this story has been deliberately leaked from the White House. Now I wonder what motivation they could possibly have for leaking it?

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  10. I see less of a coup and more the appointing of a dictator.

    If a coup occurs, it will be we the people taking back our damn country. If the coup is taking applications call me.

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    • If the coup is as you see it (taking back our country) then I wouldn’t hold my breath because way too many people think the Orange Monster is just what we need to put all those nasty “politicians” in their place. For them, he is the one that’s taking back our country.

      I agree it would be nice if we could clean our political house, but I would have preferred it being done by someone other than the group that’s currently wielding the broom.

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      • It’s not a majority who support Putin’s Orange Puppet. Most people do not. The protests and outrage over this are very encouraging to me. Thing is, everyone who’s been hurt by this orange asshole need to vote in EVERY single upcoming election, local and Federal. I’m a pessimist by nature, but I am encouraged by the organizing I see. Putin’s Orange Puppet may just have awoken the sleeping, apathetic millennials who have been dream walking through reality for far too many years. FIGHT!! OBSTRUCT!! And make f**kin’ noise!!! EVERY SINGLE DAY!!

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