To me, the risk is less that they can establish totalitarian control nationwide—it’s that they could control DC to such a degree that a new government could not assemble there
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This liminal state we're in now that hasn't triggered full resistance/war (but where he controls $, troops) is actually a weirdly strong position for him bc everyone's still betting on waiting out the next few years. If he's outright makign the military decide like that ... I dunno, it's a risk!
aug 23, 2025, 5:55 pm • 2 0 • view
I agree with you, but I think we’re in big frog boil territory rn. Military gets more and more used to doing things it really shouldn’t be doing
aug 23, 2025, 5:58 pm • 6 0 • view
Yep, agree. I mean I guess to your point and the OP's, imo the only real way to cement an autocracy is to build it on top of the already existing structure. If we elect a congress and they refuse to seat it such that it causes secession etc. then they've already lost consolidation bc it's just war
aug 23, 2025, 6:06 pm • 3 0 • view
(But obviously I don't really trust my fuzzy analysis of the situation bc [gestures wildly])
aug 23, 2025, 6:06 pm • 0 0 • view
One could imagine the 121st Congress assembling in Philadelphia or Baltimore and having to organize a coalition of blue state national guards to take control of DC back
aug 23, 2025, 5:43 pm • 13 1 • view
There are plenty of blue state NG in new England, any sort of trumpist military stronghold would be in either Texas (which would have to suppress internal dissent) or, like, Montana I do not like making these sorts of considerations
aug 23, 2025, 7:19 pm • 1 0 • view
MAGA cannot win a civil war. They can, however, start one at basically any time.
aug 23, 2025, 7:20 pm • 1 0 • view
Yeah I’m not actually too worried about a (durable) Trumpist dictatorship. I am worried that America’s cold civil war finally goes hot.
aug 23, 2025, 5:44 pm • 11 0 • view