Most of the things Donald Trump has been saying he will do
once he is inaugurated on Jan 20, 2025 all require one thing happen, before they can take place.
The US House and Senate must both pass an identical Bill into law and send it to the desk of the president, so that he can sign it into law.
There will be 47 Democrats in the US and 53 Republicans in the US Senate, come Jan 3, 2025.
So if the Senate Minority Leader (whom at this time looks to be Chuck Schumer of New York) does during the four years of the Trump administration, what Mitch McConnell did ENDLESSLY during the Obama years and Biden years? Then most of that vile shit won’t happen.
Because if Chuck Schumer leads the Democratic Caucus in the US Senate to motion for Filibusters and then for a Cloture vote to try and stop that Filibustering, nothing will happen. Because as we all know, it takes 60 “aye” votes to get past that Cloture vote; which is Rule #22 of the Standing Rules of the US Senate.
This is what happens:
Notwithstanding the provisions of rule II or rule IV or any other rule of the Senate, at any time a motion signed by sixteen Senators, to bring to a close the debate upon any measure, motion, other matter pending before the Senate, or the unfinished business, is presented to the Senate, the Presiding Officer, or clerk at the direction of the Presiding Officer, shall at once state the motion to the Senate, and one hour after the Senate meets on the following calendar day but one, he shall lay the motion before the Senate and direct that the clerk call the roll, and upon the ascertainment that a quorum is present, the Presiding Officer shall, without debate, submit to the Senate by a yea-and-nay vote the question:
"Is it the sense of the Senate that the debate shall be brought to a close?" And if that question shall be decided in the affirmative by three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn -- except on a measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, in which case the necessary affirmative vote shall be two-thirds of the Senators present and voting -- then said measure, motion, or other matter pending before the Senate, or the unfinished business, shall be the unfinished business to the exclusion of all other business until disposed of.
Does that mean they have to do it for every vote? No, they could negotiate on an actual Budget Bill on time by Sept 30, 2025; but I sincerely doubt that THAT will ever be on the agenda. It will continue to be the Last-Minute emergency votes to pass another continuance and a supplemental spending amendment to the last budget bill ever passed; just another patch-on-tire fix to keep the government running for another few months, and sometimes even just for a few more weeks.
But for EVERY bit of bullshit legislation to further erode our Civil Rights; to institute wholesale seizure of and then the subsequent deportation of up to 20 million people without proper documentation to live and work and this country; to end Medicare and Social Security permanently?
HELL YES they had better become the purveyors of the “Tyranny of the Minority” in the US Senate.
Because if they don’t, for those of you who’ve read the book 1984 by George Orwell, that’s future of These United States of America.
Fascism and authoritarianism gone wild.
Which leads me to the thing I actually fear might happen once Trump again takes the seat of President of the United States.
That he will fire all of the Joint Chiefs and install Trump ass-kissers in their places, then he will declare Martial Law and attempt to use the US Armed Forces here on US soil under the guise of needing to quell ‘unlawfullness and violence’ that they will be there to save cities that are “being destroyed by Anti-Fa”
Which Trump claimed last time around. That cities like Portland, Oregon had been burnt down, in chaos, because of some marches and it’s often accompanied vandalism. But the latter was often found to be result of MAGA groups like the Proud Boys — and in the PDX example that is exactly what local news reported at the time took place. Trump’s own goons were the ones causing damage, the protestors weren’t doing any of it.
Of course there is the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 to restrain the use of the Armed Forces on US soil…
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which removed the military from regular civil law enforcement, was enacted in response to the abuses resulting from the extensive use of the army in civil law enforcement during the Civil War and the Reconstruction. The Act allows legislated exceptions.AbstractCongress, by legislation, has allowed the use of the military in cases of domestic violence, protection of Federal property, and enforcement of some Federal laws and court orders. The growing drug problem in the United States and the inability of Federal and local law enforcement officials to meet the challenge of massive drug inflow led Congress in 1981 to enact legislation providing for military cooperation with civilian law enforcement officials. Although recognizing the Posse Comitatus restrictions, the law opens the door for extensive use of the military in civilian law enforcement. The military has been slow to respond because it does not wish to become embroiled in civilian law enforcement, and there are questions concerning funding. Further, the military does not want to have its readiness capability impaired by diverting resources toward civilian law enforcement. The Department of Defense has developed directives to provide types of direct and indirect assistance to civilian law enforcement agencies. Currently, the military collects information and uses military equipment in tracking violators of the drug laws. Demands for greater military involvement in the war on drugs are being made. Military cooperation with civil law enforcement agencies can be expected to increase. (Author abstract)
… but the Congress in 1981 decided that there are times that Act can be abridged.
What reason do YOU think Trump will pick as the one to allow him to use the Armed Forces on US soil, against Americans?
I’m betting on Domestic Violence. Even if the domestic violence he claims to be why he must sic the Armed Forces on The People, is nothing more than another fever dream he ginned up, because hey, that’s what the guy does.
He did it the four years he was already president.
Remember the sharpie and map of the project path of Hurrican headed towards Florida?
Remember during the 2024 campaign when he talked (endlessly) about encounters with the fictional cannibal, Hannibal Lector — like the two of them had sat down to a meal last week?
He like to make shit up and then send it out into the world and know that because he, Donald Trump, said it that the people who hear it will just know it was true. Even if it was just another big fucking lie he made up out of thin air.
So, yeah, ending Medicare perhaps attempting to deport up to 20 million people? I don’t think that he can do that, at least not if Chuck Schumer has one god-damned bit of bone or cartilage left in his spine, and sets upon the path of the Tyranny of the Minority in the US Senate.
But US Military and military tanks in US cities by the end of the summer 2025?
I’m very god damned afraid that THAT could happen.