I'm confident he'll win again and worry there'll be riots in major cities. The front runner for the Democrats, Biden, doesn't even seem to be really campaigning. I think their strategy is "The less people see Biden the more they like him" so he has carefully been timid enough to stay out of the news. And Biden is definitely a back to former status quo candidate.
And I'm worried that if he loses, he won't accept the results of the election, and that many of his most rabid fans will follow him into the abyss. I'm worried that his jokes about staying President betray his actual desires, and that his lack of knowledge and respect for the Constitution and rule of law, or of norms of decency, alongside his narcissism and lack of inhibition, will cause him to do just that. I'm worried that this country has become two countries, and that Republicans would rather stick it to the libs than follow their own oft stated principle s. I worry that the talking heads self interest in stoking controversey and outrage puts ratings before truth, god, and country. I worry that no one wants to find the truth anymore,band that some believe that there is no truth, only power. I worry that each side no longer sees the other as friends, neighbours, allies, or even as Americans, perhaps not even fully human.
People have said the same thing about at least the two most recent previous presidents. There's zero chance of him not stepping down. Even if Trump were the type of person to try that, which he's not, in order for the type of coup you're talking about to work you have to have support of the military. Any attempt to do this would last all of about ten seconds.
I am aware that it is an American tradition to worry about Presidents defying their term limits, declaring national emergencies to seize power, and all that jazz. It's a tradition I approve of, especially given the increasing power of the executive branch, and Congress's weak-kneed approach to reigning that in.
That said, Trump's "jokes" about such things are not ordinary and are deeply inappropriate. Also his attempts to get the military and the police to show personal loyalty to him is also unusual, and deeply inappropriate. Even if, as you say, he couldn't pull it off even if he tried, that doesn't mean it is not setting bad precedent. Norms are much harder to build up than to tear down, and the rule of law as we know it cannot survive without them.
All major indications are that he was prepared to lose and concede the 2016 election. He didn't appear to have written an acceptance speech. He didn't have a cabinet picked out. He is rumored to have had a deal in the works to start his own cable channel, Trump TV. You don't do that stuff if you're planning on committing a coup to overthrow the country after losing an election. I remember the first six months. He was not behaving like a person who seriously thought he'd be running the country, legitimately or otherwise. There is no reasonable concern here. He's a reality TV personality and says a lot of stupid shit. I don't like him a president, but these hair on fire fears and conspiracy theories are baseless.
I'm not talking about 2016, and never have been talking about 2016. but it's pretty clear you are not actually responding to anything I've actually said, so no point in continuuing the conversation. probably no point to begin with, since when it comes to politics people's heads don't stay on straight.
but presidents saying "stupid shit" is not something I take lightly
I understand you're not talking about 2016. But the Trump that was totally ready to concede and not ever even become the President in 2016 is the same Trump running in 2020.
