I'm aware this post might cost me my 10 year old HN account, but am willing to offer something up for the small chance of having any influence pro democracy.
To keep it 'on topic', what will protect US startups from being taken over from the government?
But I mean it in a non-violent-way.
regulation of a militia.
regulation of militia, by way of the peoples right to bear arms, not being infringed.
Violence is not the solution.
genocide is not a solution either. when those that have been given consent to govern act in a manner that is an assualt against the people, the people are the last line of defense in such a situation, that is what 2A is about, enabling the people to have at least a long shot at regulating the militia that has been assimilated by a tyrant.
violence is not a solution until pacificm is a death sentence. every living thing on this planet has a right to defend itself and its posterity from attack. that doesnt mean laying down to be culled.
I see in other comments you’re not suggesting people be armed. I always suggest one be armed and have training, because words have no value when your safety is in jeopardy, and your safety is your responsibility; no one else will assure it for you.
Lawyer. Passport. Locksmith. Gun. (A Talk About Risk and Preparedness) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33509164 - November 2022
[1] (American Revolution, Civil War, etc)
I was hoping to discuss ways on perhaps pointing out (and how to defend) the last institutions that prevents the US from being in a civil war or authocracy.
I'm also writing to, I guess, just express some shock on how the US still sort of functions like nothing is going on.
As a civilian, the best you can do is observe as the gears of democracy turn; if shit hits the fan, you can decide to leave for somewhere safer until the country restores democracy (totally valid, no shame in self preservation, lots of developed countries to pick from for near term residency), or stay while it happens. Manage your risk appetite accordingly, it’s all that is within your control. Have a plan. Better to have it and not need it versus need it and not have it.
Have some hope, these are not competent or serious people at work.
Vance and his crypto bros Thiel and Musk do not have the raw meat appeal of Trump with the masses, and even if they have blackmail on legislators, it might pale by an Epstein data dump.
Just my two cents.
The good news is he’s old and unhealthy. He’s likely to die rather soon, and IMO I’d be very shocked if JD can hold the coalition together.
JD is already disliked by the economic populist right and the white nationalists.
There will be GOP infighting paired with the Democrats almost certainly holding Congress after 2026, and the whole thing will get bogged down.
After 2028 we can put a bunch of these people in prison for the crimes they’ve been bragging about on Twitter, and get to work rebuilding our government.
It's far from impossible he can hold the GOP and others together. He only needs to explain what you just wrote; If we stop being on top, we'll all die in jail.
Also, Musk is wild card in the mix.
There is something legitimately wrong with Trump’s brain that makes him capable of this cult dynamic. It is a generational talent/curse and no one around him replicates it.
Voters don’t care about Pam Bondi, JD, Miller et al going to jail. Different factions of the MAGA cinematic universe care about different subsets, and would be more than happy to throw the others to the wolves.
Only Trump himself manages to hold it all together.
Or if his plane would be shot out of the sky. Who would oversee the investigation? Who would accept that outcome?
Out of that a state of emergency can be called, postponing elections indefinitely.
That would be the last step. Not seeing many steps in between that need to be taken, or that can prevent it.
Trump continues to lose supporters and that would lop off all but the most extreme.
Anyway arm the libs.
I'm not advocating arming anyone btw.
And he is just making things more unpredictable for himself and the people who support him.
bigyabai•1h ago
Democracy seems to be well and good, though. Save your complaining for when (if) Franken-Trump refuses to give up the Oval Office.
juliushuijnk•1h ago
estearum•1h ago
Last time around he didn’t have an entire political party and cabinet fully in cultish thrall, but this time he (probably) will.
In any case, there are plenty of Constitutional controls being violated. Peaceful transfer of power is not the only critical function.