Facing unbearably bad news induces a self-hypnosis of denial
Trump insists he’ll win, but aides say he has no real plan to overturn results and talks of 2024 run
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-election-results-strategy/2020/11/11/a32e2cba-244a-11eb-952e-0c475972cfc0_story.html
Facing unbearably bad news induces a self-hypnosis of denial, which appears to be underway to disregard the prospect of Mr. Trump exercising singular executive authority over US justice and military capabilities to continue in office under national emergency decree. A slew of comparisons with autocratic denial of elections in less-endowed countries omit the great gap between the power of tinpots and the US global power supremacy. The US has worked to support illegal takeovers with the threat of using its military, legal and economic dominance.
But consider that a US presidential takeover of a democratically elected successor has no monster to oppose it. There may be good reasons to not consider such an unprecedented coup in the leading avowed democracy, that is, don't even suggest such an abominable action to inspire that very action for which there is no feasible defense, presuming law, courts and commander in chief combine to legitimate and enforce the draconian suppression of opposition in the name of national security.
Would the United Nations dare to challenge a US authoritarian regime which is the principal enforcer of UN intervention in disputes? Not likely to do more than issue toothless condemnations while surrounded by US domestic police forces backed by military National Guards and worldwide bristling forces under the uncheckable power of the US Commander in Chief.
US continuity of government procedures for national attack are war-gamed regularly to train for exercising the emergency powers of the president. Not at all difficult to apply that realistic training to a real world proclamation by executive order of a national threat, insider rather than outsider.
Tough minds and tough measures are mother's milk to Mr. Trump and his supporters, so think about what may be occurring in secret right now. This is not rhetorical, it is not a drill.