[Mick]

I am glad that some people are recognizing that there are people in positions of power who are trying to orchestrate a coup. When I suggested on this board that there was a non-zero probability chance of a coup post-election a few months ago, people were quick to attack me for it. I'd like to think that opinions have shifted since then. Coups benefit from people denying that coups are possible.

It's amazing how Covid-19 has brought out the best and worst in people in so many ways.

A coup isn't possible for all the reasons stated previously.  There is zero chance, no chance, none, nada.  No one would stand for it, not Biden supporters, not trump supporters, no one in the military, no one in civilian life.  The current system has worked pretty well for longer than all of our lifetimes, the average American does pretty well, and yes, there is a very small, very tiny proportion of the population who do, say and believe in ridiculous things like COVID-19 is the same as any flu.  Please don't elevate that stupidity into anything remotely like broad acceptance.

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I actually fear something else. I think our institutions are actually pretty resilient. There are always some people on both sides of any issue that are rabid supporters and beyond reason. What I actually fear is the fact there there are probably 60+ million people who are basically rational and voted for the current POTUS anyway. Many of these people are single issue voters. They aren't going to vote for any candidate who is on the other side of a given issue no matter how bad the selected candidate may be on all the other issues. Many more people believe the current political class has totally abandoned them and desperately want literally anybody else. The latter group should really give pause to those who are concerned about our democracy. The "crazies" are bad enough, but much fewer in number. It is the people who aren't crazy (or stupid, believe it or not) who still believe the current POTUS is a better choice that should raise questions about where we are as a democracy.

Goose hits the nail on the head.  People who feel abandoned, who don't feel they have a voice turn to populist alternatives, or at least alternatives that comply with their history and experiences.

[Mick]

I am glad that some people are recognizing that there are people in positions of power who are trying to orchestrate a coup. When I suggested on this board that there was a non-zero probability chance of a coup post-election a few months ago, people were quick to attack me for it. I'd like to think that opinions have shifted since then. Coups benefit from people denying that coups are possible.

It's amazing how Covid-19 has brought out the best and worst in people in so many ways.

A coup isn't possible for all the reasons stated previously.  There is zero chance, no chance, none, nada.  No one would stand for it, not Biden supporters, not trump supporters, no one in the military, no one in civilian life.  The current system has worked pretty well for longer than all of our lifetimes, the average American does pretty well, and yes, there is a very small, very tiny proportion of the population who do, say and believe in ridiculous things like COVID-19 is the same as any flu.  Please don't elevate that stupidity into anything remotely like broad acceptance.

---

I actually fear something else. I think our institutions are actually pretty resilient. There are always some people on both sides of any issue that are rabid supporters and beyond reason. What I actually fear is the fact there there are probably 60+ million people who are basically rational and voted for the current POTUS anyway. Many of these people are single issue voters. They aren't going to vote for any candidate who is on the other side of a given issue no matter how bad the selected candidate may be on all the other issues. Many more people believe the current political class has totally abandoned them and desperately want literally anybody else. The latter group should really give pause to those who are concerned about our democracy. The "crazies" are bad enough, but much fewer in number. It is the people who aren't crazy (or stupid, believe it or not) who still believe the current POTUS is a better choice that should raise questions about where we are as a democracy.

Goose hits the nail on the head.  People who feel abandoned, who don't feel they have a voice turn to populist alternatives, or at least alternatives that comply with their history and experiences.