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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA bipartisan group secretly gathered to game out a contested Trump-Biden election. It wasn't pretty
July 26, 2020
WASHINGTON On the second Friday in June, a group of political operatives, former government and military officials, and academics quietly convened online for what became a disturbing exercise in the fragility of American democracy.
The group, which included Democrats and Republicans, gathered to game out possible results of the November election, grappling with questions that seem less far-fetched by the day: What if President Trump refuses to concede a loss, as he publicly hinted recently he might do? How far could he go to preserve his power? And what if Democrats refuse to give in?
All of our scenarios ended in both street-level violence and political impasse, said Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown law professor and former Defense Department official who co-organized the group known as the Transition Integrity Project. She described what they found in bleak terms: The law is essentially ... its almost helpless against a president whos willing to ignore it.
Using a role-playing game that is a fixture of military and national security planning, the group envisioned a dark 11 weeks between Election Day and Inauguration Day, one in which Trump and his Republican allies used every apparatus of government the Postal Service, state lawmakers, the Justice Department, federal agents, and the military to hold onto power, and Democrats took to the courts and the streets to try to stop it.
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https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/25/nation/bipartisan-group-secretly-gathered-game-out-contested-trump-biden-election-it-wasnt-pretty/
Fiendish Thingy
(15,619 posts)Michigan state law dictates that electors are appointed by the sec of state based on the results of the state popular vote- the law does not allow for two slates of electors to be sent to Congress.
The article mentions the worst case scenario was if Trump wins EC, but Biden wins popular vote by 5+%. They dont discuss the outcome that seem most likely - Biden wins by a clear margin both EC and popular vote.
JHB
(37,160 posts)How big a restraint chair they'd need to haul his ass out of the White House? Safeguards against him fleeing to Russia? Ignoring his orders more than usual?
It just seems like they didn't game that scenario out because there are no uncertainties: Biden becomes president on Jan. 20.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,619 posts)Not as titillating copy as the scorched earth scenario.
Girard442
(6,075 posts)...we're OK. Yeah, there could be trouble in the streets and that would be unfortunate, but not an existential crisis.
The real problem would be when major factions in law enforcement and the military back him. Then we'd be screwed. There has to be an ongoing effort by all Americans to reach out to head off any sympathizer movements.
FakeNoose
(32,641 posts)... because the US military hates his guts. They can't wait to see him gone.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)were factored in. That would influence how republicon Senate would see things pre-election, and post-election.
superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)No government executive should have the unchecked powers afforded the office of President
Tear this fucker down and start over.
Thekaspervote
(32,771 posts)CTyankee
(63,912 posts)If they are correct in their final assessment, we are in more trouble than I imagined. The free press will be the heroes emerging from this dysphobic time. I had no idea our system of government could be so frayed when facing such brute force opposition. It is a nightmare and I fear, as I never before feared, for my country.
LiberalArkie
(15,716 posts)!0 people are put together with war game scenario. If most of them come out with the same outcome, the 10th person has to take the opposing point of view and defend it.
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)know how the levers of power can be manipulated. All the more frightening.