So one year from now.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

Two questions -

A. Do you personally believe mid term elections will take place? What is your reason behind either yes or no?

B. Do you believe we will move closer to Dictatorship as a nation, or will circumstances of some kind halt it's progression?

I sit back and hope for an interesting discussion as at this point, it all looks insane to me and I don't know what to think. Even if I am not still here, I care regardless, as I am leaving people I respect and care about behind and I worry for them. Rob

[Alan]

I see no reason to believe the 2026 midterms will not take place and my rationale for that belief is that there's simply no reason not to.

As for moving closer to dictatorship, I'll stand by my belief that a Constitutional Republic such as ours will not tolerate it. The only way I can see it ever happen is if we allow the Democratic Socialists transition us to a pure Democracy where constitutional protections are subverted to the vagaries of public opinion. I think that could very well happen eventually, but hopefully not in my lifetime.

[early morning]

As for moving closer to dictatorship, I'll stand by my belief that a Constitutional Republic such as ours will not tolerate it. The only way I can see it ever happen is if we allow the Democratic Socialists transition us to a pure Democracy where constitutional protections are subverted to the vagaries of public opinion. I think that could very well happen eventually, but hopefully not in my lifetime.

Thanks much for the laugh of the day!

[gimmethesimplelife]

Thanks much for the laugh of the day!

Agreed 100 percent but I didn't want to be the one to say this. Thank You for doing so. Rob

[Alan]

Agreed 100 percent but I didn't want to be the one to say this. Thank You for doing so. Rob

LOL, maybe you could give us your thoughts on your questions. You did say you hoped for an interesting discussion, please help us out with something of substance.

[Rogar]

The 2026 will go on. Will the redistricting give the GOP more seats?

I think we're in for a few more years of an authoritarian regime, which I don't think is the same as a dictatorship. My take is that we will actually go the other way when people find out the Trump way is not the American way.

[iris lilies]

The 2026 will go on. Will the redistricting give the GOP more seats?

I think we're in for a few more years of an authoritarian regime, which I don't think is the same as a dictatorship. My take is that we will go the actually go the other way when people find out the Trump way is not the American way.

There are usually pushbacks or “corrections” to large political philosophies and actions, but what we are left with still will be more authoritarian than I want. It all was moving in that direction anyway.

on a brighter note though, I heard yesterday that the UK will no longer arrest and jail people for “hate “expressions. They are going to continue to record those instances, though. Keep in mind that free speech doesn’t exist there as it does here.

I see that as a miceocosm of action/reaction. There was no arrests for “hate” talk, then there was arrest and jailing, now the pushback has left UK citizens with a simple “recording “by authorities of their expressions of “hate.” Keep in mind “hate “ is hard to define, and when we’re dealing only with words, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

[LDAHL]

A. Yes. Because I can see no evidence that it is possible under our constitutional system, or any serious sentiment toward altering that system. What I do see are right and left wing fringe types baiting each other by saying ridiculous things.

B. No. Hysterical paranoia to the contrary, I don’t see any reasonable evidence of a drift toward fascism. The efforts in that direction on both the left and right are being thwarted almost everywhere.

[rosarugosa]

I recall my husband saying back in 2012 that there wasn't going to be an election in November, that Obama was going to declare Martial Law and remain in office. I didn't think this was likely and I think he often gets his info from dubious sources, so I wrote on the calendar for election day "there was no election in the US this year." Of course the election was not cancelled, and I was able to point to the calendar as evidence that dire predictions on Twitter don't always come to pass.
So short story long, I am optimistic that there will be mid-term elections, although I'm concerned about the flurry of gerrymandering activity.

[early morning]

There are elections, and elections. Authoritarian countries have (closely run with much oversite by those in power) elections. I don't see holding elections as being the same thing as protecting democracy as we have come to know it. So while I agree there will continue to be elections, I don't necessarily agree that holding elections is the be-all/end-all to ensure the continuation of our Constitutionally formed, we-the-people ran, government.