I mean cool...
Republicans: No we don't plan on doing that now.
Republicans at election time: ok send the troops. Hey we didn't think we were going to when you asked previously! What are you going to do about it?
this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
198 points (100.0% liked)
politics
28845 readers
1711 users here now
Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!
Rules:
- Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.
Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.
Example:
- Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
- Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
- No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
- Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
- No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning
We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.
All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.
That's all the rules!
Civic Links
• Congressional Awards Program
• Library of Congress Legislative Resources
• U.S. House of Representatives
Partnered Communities:
• News
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
The answer: we have to show up anyway, even with the threat of violence.
First of all, VOTE.
Sign up to be a poll worker, election judge, election observer, etc. Volunteer to drive people to their polling place. Volunteer to escort voters who are most at risk of intimidation or suppression, especially if you're a white male. Use that privilege for good.
I’m at the point I’d sign up to be an armed observer at the edge of whatever perimeter it’s allowed - big question is how I signal I’m one of the good guys.
Go 1700s style and hire a kid to follow you around carrying a pride flag on a long pole and a drummer / saxophonist playing some George Michaels tunes
wear something appropriate to have on a pride float and make sure your gun matches.
Play Take Your Tyrant by Tyr.
There was an 'emergency'.
Assuming you're correct, this is still the right thing to do. Make them swear on it, then we can use the paper trail, which likely exists, to hold them accountable in the future for, at minimum, for perjury.
That's genuinely no joke no exaggeration what hitler did. Send hired thugs to election sites to "protect" them in a time of crisis (which they blamed on a convenient enemy).
This is a misdirection. They are going to purge voter rolls a few months before the election (again) ... register independent if your state allows it. They are not likely to purge independent voters, they are just after "the libs".
If you do this ( I have) make sure you know whether you have an open or closed primary in your state. You may want to switch back to Dem after the primary so we don't end up with another Kamala situation.
The correct answer is D, "All of the above."
To insist it's just one thing or just one other thing is a false dichotomy. This is not "Two paths diverged in a yellow wood," lol.
They can -- and absolutely will -- do both. And all. They WILL arm polling places, and they WILL purge voter rolls.
And I would easily bet money that they will do even more that we haven't even thought of because so many of us are just now becoming acquainted with election fuckery in the US.
We all have to believe and behave as though they are going to come out full force in EVERY way they can to stay in power.
Okay, what are you going to do if he does send troops? Nothing? Call the election illegitimate and actually combat the fascists?
Organize escorts for minorities so that people can vote
If you have to sue to find out, the answer is probably yes.
Yes and no; these asshats have an aversion to admitting ANYTHING as they’re convinced it will be used against them.
Q: “Is the sky blue, yes or no?”
Anyone in the Trump regime: “We all know that the sky exists, AS IT HAS for forever. Furthermore, any idiot knows what color the sky is. If you want to know what color it is, just walk outside and raise your eyes. This entire question is a hit job!”
"The Dow is over 50,000!"
Ok, I'll admit I'm surprised to see the Dems have have relocated their cojones. That's good, but let's take it to the next level and find a way to prevent the government from a literal and complete nosedive into martial law?
They don't have any real power. So its going to be on us to pull that off
Don’t worry, just like with the war powers acts, if the Dems find out that there is a concrete plan to steal the elections you can rest assured that 4 Dems from safe districts will join up with the republicans to vote down any attempt to stop it.
https://time.com/7382846/democrats-who-voted-against-war-powers-resolution-iran-conflict-trump/
212-219 because 4 Dems crossed over, if they had held to the “party line” that’s a 216-215 vote.
The best thing for the Democratic Party is for everyone to blame those 4 politicians. It happens every time though, different politicians, always just enough.
There’s only two ways to interpret whats going on. The first is the one the party wants you to believe, they are just too weak to keep their members from voting against the party. They like this because they can reframe that weakness as a strength, you see they are such a big coalition and put such a priority on independent decision making that it’s a good thing that just enough Dems defect every time to keep the party from achieving any goals. What can they do? Aw shucks, guess whatever horrible thing we just failed to stop is going to happen.
The second way, which I think is closer to the truth, is that they are bought. For each issue there’s some deep pocketed interest going “alright pick a few people from safe seats, just enough to pass / vote down this thing.”
Otherwise it’s just terrifically bad luck right? Every consequential vote has a different set of just the right number of defectors to not do anything.
All the while the emails and texts go out pleading dor just a little bit more money. Sure we couldn’t get the bill you wanted passed, but if you give us some more money for our fight fund, boy you won’t believe how much we will not fight next time.
As a lifelong democrat that donated thousands of dollars to them over the years, I’ll still vote for them because our voting system means there’s no good alternative, but I’m no longer believing they are anything but controlled opposition. They make noises, they go on tv and say “oh this is bad,” but when it comes to actually doing anything about it they are always just a little short. They need just a few more seats, just a couple more donations. Ok we’ve got a 58 seat majority in the senate, but you know, it’s really time to compromise and make sure the republicans get what they want.
Saw this posted elsewhere: https://www.salon.com/2010/02/23/democrats_34/
The tactic is called the Rotating Villain or Designated Villain, and the Democratic leadership has been using it for a VERY long time.
I've been trying to call these fuckers out anytime it happens. Not just the rotating villains, but the leadership too, when they conveniently can't whip those votes.
The people these Democrats represent need to be made fully aware, everytime there's a primary.
Edit: And from one of my previous comments with regards to one of the ICE funding votes even after the public executions in January:
"A lot of people are forgetting how a minority whip works in Congress. The term "whip" comes from a fox-hunting expression—"whipper-in"—referring to the member of the hunting team responsible for keeping the dogs from straying from the team during a chase.
That vote went down in one of two ways, either of which is the leader and the whip's direct responsibility.
1: those Democrats voted on their own, in the exact number needed to pass. In which the whip is responsible for whipping up their votes to No and failed here, and Democrats need to promote a new person and primary the congressperson responsible, along with the ones who voted in favor.
2: that Whip caved under pressure and grabbed the exact number of votes needed to pass, from Congresspersons in "safe" districts or who were already planning on retiring. In which case, Democrats need to promote a new person and primary the congressperson responsible as well as primary the ones who voted in favor.
The Senate Democratic leader is Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) The Senate Democratic Whip is Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
The Eight Senate Democrats/Independents who voted in favor were: Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) Sen. Angus King (I-ME) Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
The House did not have enough votes to defeat it, and all voted against but here are those leaders too. The House Democratic leader is Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) The House Democratic Minority Whip is Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) "
Now just need to amend that second point from " Congresspersons in safe districts" to the " Rotating Villains".
Actually, I agree with you, which saddens me. I voted for Bernie anyway. I had to type his name into the voting machine. I knew Bernie had no chance, but I felt like I should stick with my principles. When Biden was chosen over Bernie, I felt a shift in the Force. I was glad Biden won, but also recognized that somehow the political terrain had changed, possibly beyond recognition.
All of the major political players are just that, players in a neverending game of ... whatever this is.
I remember the day so clearly when Bernie had won a few of the early primaries, Biden was coming in 4th and seemed like he would wash out.
A colleague told me something big had happened, it was the day all the other centrist candidates pulled out right before Super Tuesday and threw their support behind Biden. It worked he ended up winning a bunch of primaries in a bunch of states that would later go on to vote for trump in the general election, but that was enough for the media to crown him the winner.
I was in California at the time, working phone banks for Bernie, and there was tons of excitement for him. That day was a gut punch, I remember thinking “we haven’t stopped our slip into fascism just pressed pause”
Ive never wanted to be wrong more in my life. Now I look around and think about the 4 years where we could have zealously prosecuted MAGA for the crimes they committed right out in the open (every time I bring this up people go, “oh you want them to punish their enemies and ignore the law.” No I want them to enforce the laws which would have the side effect of actual consequences for MAGA)x
Instead, and unthinkably after a terrible pandemic response and literal attempt to overthrow democracy, the bland 4 years did nothing to prevent another trump term.
- Biden didn’t deliver punishment for MAGA to hold them accountable
- Biden didn't change the conditions of American life enough to make the siren song of the fascists unpalatable
This isn’t to say he didn’t do anything good, but look where we are. The actions failed to meet the moment and now we are asking ourselves “will an armed paramilitary force prevent people from voting?”
Love Biden or hate him, this is where we are.
They have not.