It Was Always Going to End Like This

We should not be remotely surprised that a coup attempt, however incompetent, took place today. From the moment Donald Trump took office, it was clear he would never leave it peacefully. Even if he had won a second term, he would not have left office peacefully unless maybe he passed it on to Don Jr. or Ivanka. He was already talking this way with his “Democrats wasted my first term, I deserve three” bullshit. The entire essence of Donald Trump is to never, ever give up power.

Now, the coup was incompetent, run by a bunch of yahoos. I actually ran into some of them today. Sometime in New Jersey, I realized that I had timed my grave trip to the South with this idiocy. And at a rest stop north of Baltimore, I ran into a bunch of the fascists decked out in their Trump gear, going back to whatever caves they came from, presumably in New Jersey.

But this needs to be a serious warning to all of us, as does the entire four years. Despite being both incredibly lazy and amazingly stupid, Donald Trump has nearly broken American democracy. This is the culmination of 26 years of a fascist rise that goes back to Newt Gingrich become Speaker and Trent Lott Senate Majority Leader (and DO NOT let the latter off the hook, the old segregationist). The next one may not be either as lazy or as stupid.

It’s a long 14 days until January 20. I simply do not believe that Trump will leave office voluntarily on that day. Something will have to push him out. Those wheels may be spinning. Twitter has FINALLY suspended his account. The National Association of Manufacturers (!!!!!!!!!) has called for the use of the 25th Amendment. Pence clearly gave the orders to the National Guard today. McConnell is done with him. Trump won’t be president after noon on January 20. But he may have to be escorted out by federal marshals. Or who really knows. It’s a wild ride.

But again, none of this is even remotely surprising. This was the obvious end of this hell.