It's otherwise known as a self-coup or an autocoup.
A self-coup, or autocoup (from the Spanish autogolpe), is a form of putsch or coup d'état in which a nation's leader, despite having come to power through legal means, dissolves or renders powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assumes extraordinary powers not granted under normal circumstances. Other measures taken may include annulling the nation's constitution, suspending civil courts and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.
That is what Trump tried to pull off, for two months of catapulting the propaganda of his big lie of election fraud, after many months of laying the groundwork for it.
Every Republican who does not move to hold Trump accountable is, therefore, an accomplice in Trump's failed autogolpe.
If Majority Leader Schumer doesn't make it a secret vote, unfortunately I get the impression there's no way 17 R Senators will vote to convict (along the lines of the "chilling reality" described in your "White Supremacist Terror Does Work" post).
ReplyDeleteIf it *is* a secret vote, I think all bets are off. And in the event of a secret vote, I think it would be quite a hoot if the vote turned out to be 100-0 to convict.
-B