And so it begins…

  • madjo
    link
    fedilink
    417 days ago

    It’s not a joke! For heaven’s sake, media, it’s not a joke!

    • @Event_Horizon
      link
      197 days ago

      Exactly. And this isn’t even the first time he’s said it!

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    387 days ago

    George W. Bush made a joke about being a dictator, but never tried to actually be one. Trump has been trying to be a dictator from the moment he was born…

  • yeehaw
    link
    fedilink
    257 days ago

    Good thing he’s old AF and overweight. Maybe that will impact him even before this term is done…

    • @Goodmorningsunshine
      link
      287 days ago

      Yeah, President Vance? Every option has us screwed no matter how long Trump lasts

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        147 days ago

        The one benefit of Vance replacing Trump is that he doesn’t have a cult like Trump does.

        • @Hazor
          link
          77 days ago

          I suspect (naively hope?) Vance would be less inclined to just hand over national security information to Putin, so … maybe two benefits?

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            107 days ago

            What about his behavior to date makes you think that? I feel like that sounds snarky but I don’t intend it that way.

            • @Hazor
              link
              7
              edit-2
              6 days ago

              For all his faults and evils, Vance is not a narcissist who pathologically seeks the approval of those he sees as high status, which is what has compelled Trump to try so hard to be buddies with dictators. Vance is more cunning than Trump and would need to have a profit motive beyond just an ego stroking before putting his position at risk (even if the risk is evidently slight, but his relatively low popularity / lack of cult following makes me think/hope he’d have a harder time getting away with stuff than Trump). I suspect most dictators don’t have much to offer Vance in the way of profit that he couldn’t just as easily secure for himself as president without the personal risks of selling out the country to foreign adversaries, and the most salacious scandal we’ve heard about him has to do with a couch rather than Epstein so the kompromat is probably minimal or nil.

              Don’t get me wrong, a President Vance would be awful in a lot of ways, and arguably worse than Trump in some ways. It’s just that I don’t imagine him as being quite as much of a national security risk. But, again, maybe it’s just naive hope. 🤷

      • @RampantParanoia2365
        link
        57 days ago

        I’d put down $50 on his administration taking measures to get Trump out of the way to install Vance.

        • @RedAggroBest
          link
          87 days ago

          Remember that he went off the rails on Truth Social about the 25th amendment basically ranting about the chain of command when the president is incapacitated. It seemed like a weird one but I remember reading it and my first thought was “He found out his people are gonna throw him out with a dementia diagnosis.”

  • @EnderMB
    link
    247 days ago

    I don’t see him lasting his full term. Dude’s old, is incredibly unhealthy, and has enough power-mad people around him that the first sign of weakness will probably be enough for medical intervention and Vance becoming president. Becoming president AGAIN at his age is possibly the dumbest thing he can do for his health.

    • @Allonzee
      link
      26
      edit-2
      7 days ago

      Sadly his Klan loving father lived to 93, and being POTUS is like having a dedicated one person ER following you around.

      Also, the office only ages you if you’re committed to performing the job, Trump uses the office to troll the people he can troll and, more urgently, personally profit for anyone that offers him or his businesses a bribe in exchange for a Presidential act. He doesn’t work even in business, he issues broad, pie in the sky dictates and encourages his own employees infighting about the details. He’s bragged about this.

      Trump was the first President in my lifetime to accelerate the aging of those he governed rather than himself. Like so many other things people seem to forget, he spent a lot of his first term golfing.

      Not that I’m complaining on that point, golf motherfucker! Do less!

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      147 days ago

      This is something I don’t think they even acknowledge or think about. Some of their shit in comparing him to Hitler (and they do that in a positive manner) is when they claim that some of the shit that is happening to him is like him being imprisoned after the Beer Hall Putsch (referring to Jan 6th). This is stupid. Hitler was barely in his early 30s at the time and he was actually at the START of his political career. Trump was never imprisoned and when he did his shit he already had very real political power that Hitler never had in 1923.

      Trump the oldest presidential nominee ever and I hope that he will stay the oldest. We don’t need that kind of geriatic shit in any political office anywhere.

  • @wildcardology
    link
    167 days ago

    Brave of him to assume he’ll still be alive by year four

  • @RememberTheApollo_
    link
    47 days ago

    Forever could be thankfully short thanks to his awful health and lifestyle.

    But then these damn Skeksis stay on the throne a lot longer than should be possible.

  • @werefreeatlast
    link
    26 days ago

    It’s just a joke 🤣… he’s got like 5 years of good cognitive abilities tops. Then after he’ll be like all the other old farts. Barely makes any sense and is just totally old and dilapidated. No way they’re gonna keep him in power then. He might just croak.

    • Xerø
      link
      fedilink
      24 days ago

      That’s why Thiel made sure that J. D. Vance was his VP. Vance would inherit the dictatorship.

      • @werefreeatlast
        link
        14 days ago

        No doubt. Probably two years of trumpfus and two of JDv. The Simpsons predicted it. It shall be true.

    • Sabata
      link
      fedilink
      46 days ago

      I’m betting we get 2 years of Vance. Trump is circling the drain.

  • @Sam_Bass
    link
    47 days ago

    Long as his “forever” ends at or before 2027

  • @demizerone
    link
    English
    37 days ago

    All it takes is one fair election to be won decisively by an autocrat. The democratic party handed it to this shit head. Worst yet, he doesn’t even have to rig the election system because the democrat party is fucking incapable of attracting voters and it doesn’t look like they are going to fix what is broken about the party.

  • @LittleBorat3
    link
    27 days ago

    I would not worry that this guy stays around too long,he might croak.

    Then fucking Elon is going to take over

    • @tiitaOP
      link
      828 days ago

      Not really… This time America voted for the felon to become a dictator

      And the felon will do whatever he can to make it happen.

      Last time it was still a misguided presidency.

      • @Hobbes_Dent
        link
        758 days ago

        I hear ya, but I mean he ‘joked’ about it before this election too.

      • metaStatic
        link
        fedilink
        278 days ago

        in the 10 minutes of the Rogan interview I could stomach he talked about how surreal it all was, how it was a joke, he didn’t want to be a politician, and he didn’t expect to win.

        He was expecting it this time and he knows what he can get away with.

        • Rhaedas
          link
          fedilink
          138 days ago

          It could be that simple. He didn’t realize the potential the first time around and so many things got in the way, including a disaster that tried to force a leadership role on him. This time enough was changed and built up to prevent the obstacles, and he not only can avoid justice for his past, but he can, in his own words, “do anything and they’ll let you.”

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            68 days ago

            When you’re a demagogue, they let you do it. I just grab the country by the pussy, I don’t wait.

        • @someguy3
          link
          88 days ago

          I don’t know how anyone could be impressed by that interview. It was 3 hours of a narcissist saying how great he is.

          • metaStatic
            link
            fedilink
            38 days ago

            While Joe was interrupting him he almost sounded coherent. as soon as he let him go I honestly thought I’d had a stroke.

            If you made it through 3 hours of that you might want to get yourself checked out.

      • @mkwt
        link
        -128 days ago

        This time America voted for the felon to become a dictator

        No, they just voted for the term that runs 2025-1-20 to 2029-1-20. The dictator thing might end up happening, but it’s not what was voted on.

        • @TurnpikeRangers
          link
          298 days ago

          Fuck that, he said multiple times that he’d be a dictator (on day one). He’s talked about terminating the Constitution. He tried to overthrow the 2020 election. He’s the only person who has ever argued that Presidents should have immunity, and then his hand-picked Supreme Court gave it to him. He said multiple times that this is the last time you’ll have to vote.

          There is no gray area. He wants to be a dictator and will do EVERYTHING to make it happen. And his fucking supporters want it, too. Don’t give them any leeway and don’t give him any leeway. Call his and their bullshit out every fucking chance you get.

          There is exactly one argument that fascists understand.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            148 days ago

            People aren’t paying attention. This is the last legitimate election the US will have. They control all three branches of government. The words in the constitution are meaningless if no one is there to uphold them.

            We are experiencing history.

            Sept 9, 1776 - Jan 20th, 2025.

        • Enoril
          link
          fedilink
          78 days ago

          I load the gun, put it on my head, pull the trigger but i don’t want to die!

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          7
          edit-2
          7 days ago

          HE LITERALLY TOLD US, USING THE VERY WORD, THAT HE WILL BE A DICTATOR HOLY SHIT I’M LOSING MY MIND

          It is exactly what was voted on

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    1138 days ago

    Luckily, the process of repealing or changing an amendment likely won’t change anytime soon, even with a Republican trifecta at the federal level, as it requires overwhelming public support. As outlined in Article 5 of the Constitution, any such change requires at least two-thirds of the Senate and the House to agree on the modification, with that change then requiring ratification by a minimum of three-quarters of states in the nation.

    I wouldn’t be so confident. If the majority decides to ignore it, then a constitution suddenly holds very little weight. Remember how the Roman Empire was once a Republic, until someone decided it wasn’t anymore? Remember how 1930s Germany was a democracy, until someone decided that had to end?

    Trump might argue some weird logic regarding the 22nd and 12th amendment. Or he might just declare a state of national emergency because of a new migrant caravan or some such shit, and postpone elections indefinitely. If he tries anything of the sort, it will all come down to whose side the military is on.

    • @TheEighthDoctor
      link
      7
      edit-2
      7 days ago

      Burn the senate building, arrest some democrat kid and say there is a deep state satanic conspiracy with the democrats to destroy the God Appointed Trump Presidency, throw fake news all over the place and call for another election and/or emergency bill that gives him unlimited power.

      What is that thing about story not repeating itself but rhyming?

    • @tehn00bi
      link
      478 days ago

      What happens if they declare all democrats are enemies of the state and remove them from office and put their people in?

    • peopleproblems
      link
      47 days ago

      Yeah, and that fuckwits name was Paul von Hindenburg in Germany.

      The fall of the Roman Republic was way more complex though wasn’t it? Like the Senate killed Ceaser and then voted to give his son unlimited tenure as Commander In Chief? There’s a lot to unpack there

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        57 days ago

        I didn’t mean “someone” this literally. In both cases, many people were directly involved or allowed things to happen by not intervening.

        My point was the more general one that a system of government only remains in place for as long as those who have the power want it to. (Whoever that may be: an elite, the people, the military, the clergy, some combination…) The US seems to be entering a phase where a big part of those in power wants to move from liberal democracy towards authoritarianism. If they turn out to have a stable majority and follow through with their plans, then the US Constitution won’t be worth more than the paper it was written on.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      07 days ago

      Can he just run as someone else’s VP and then the someone else abdicates or whatever? No messing with constitution required. Obviously requires a lot of trust though.

      • @Bytemeister
        link
        English
        47 days ago

        No, the VP has to be eligible for the presidency. If for some reason they are not, then the presidency would roll to the speaker of the house.

        • @Dkarma
          link
          27 days ago

          Rules no longer apply

          • @Bytemeister
            link
            English
            37 days ago

            Rules still apply until they are selectively removed or ignored or re-interperted by the Supreme Court of Sycophants later. But as it stands right now, those are the rules.

    • @3PO40K
      link
      278 days ago

      You would think they would figure it out right? It’s not a joke.

      • @T00l_shed
        link
        168 days ago

        You’d think, but then 75 or so million people either didn’t, or wanted this.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    568 days ago

    He is 78, in awful health, and has no interest in a legacy or supporting a successor. He keeps everyone around him at odds and maintains enough infighting that no clear heir apparent could really show up.

    So like, he really only will hold power long enough to make everything terrible. So we got that goin for us.

    • @minnow
      link
      548 days ago

      You know how long Caesar was dictator for life before he was assassinated? Less than a year.

      But the damage was done, and Rome had a civil war over whether it would go back to being a Republic like it had been or if it would have an autocratic ruler. Obviously, the latter won out.

      A lesson from history.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        298 days ago

        Let’s not lump Trump in with Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was a war hero and a capable leader who’s final crimes were giving out citizenship and housing.

        Trump’s final crimes will be giving all our state secrets to every other government in the world and obliterating our infrastructure.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            27 days ago

            He was elected as Dictator many times on a yearly basis and sometimes multiple times a year. He was so vastly popular the citizenry they killed the assassin’s, hunted down an heir and put him in power.

            Julius Ceasar and his follow on Agustus were insanely capable leaders that did great things for their country. The empire was so great and lasted twice the time America has, it’s fall caused the Dark Ages.

            Rome is a bad example here because technically the Dictatorship was good for them. Rome fell due to corruption that came in via enabling the Christian church to operate freely. Now that is a much better analog here that we enabled religious organizations to become tax free political action committees and uncapped their ability to influence government. This meant the evangelical grifters became the most powerful political entities in America.

      • @gdog05
        link
        198 days ago

        We have so many lessons from history to pull from right now that you would need multiple professors to explain them all and yet they were all ignored.

        • @jj4211
          link
          17 days ago

          Professors? You must mean those librul elites. I do my own research!

      • Billiam
        link
        108 days ago

        You know how long Caesar was dictator for life before he was assassinated? Less than a year.

        So you’re saying he was dictator for life? 😂

    • @givesomefucks
      link
      English
      148 days ago

      Yep, when trump dies his “movement” explodes. They won’t consolidate around one, and trump would never have a clear successor because then he risks everyone siding with them.

      MAGA ain’t a movement it’s a person.

      When he’s gone the knives come out and the party will balkanize itself

      • Pennomi
        link
        English
        268 days ago

        I wish I had your optimism

        • @jj4211
          link
          27 days ago

          Ideally, we would have avoided all this risk, but we didn’t, and for the time being, the best self-care for most of us is to keep in mind scenarios that may play out to reduce harm. Infighting has long been a normal to happen when the GOP asserts itself, so it’s not crazy to imagine it being ultimately the block for attempts to dismantle some of the political structure (the powerful players know how to play this game, and are hopefully worried enough about losing that power in any big change that they will work to protect the mechanisms currently in play).

        • @givesomefucks
          link
          English
          198 days ago

          Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

          The only right way to be an optimist about the big picture is to make sure you’re ready for when shit goes sideways on the day to day stuff.

          For instance a big silver lining about four years of trump, this is one of the few scenarios people stay politically engaged after the election, thru the midterms, and onto 2028.

          Republicans have the Oval, the House, and the Senate. There is not much they can do that people will blame on Dems.

          Historically he’ll lose House or Senate in two years. Hopefully both, but ideally the Senate. There’s benefits to the other way around too tho.

          Adjust your timescale you’re looking at this with. 4 years ain’t long, two years ain’t shit. Think of all the fucked up horrible shit we’ve done as a country. Realize that even if things get worse then they ever been in America (incredibly unlikely) we’ve bounced back before and we’ll bounce back eventually again.

          This is going to suck.

          But 20 years from now we might look back on this as the last speed bump before we finally fixed our political system. Empires burn down all the time, but ash makes fertile soil.

          • @aesthelete
            link
            78 days ago

            There is a possibility that in their haste to suck him off, the Republicans either all but eliminate or completely nuke the filibuster. If this happens and we have another election, there is no way it isn’t a positive development IMO. The filibuster absolutely sucks and is a clear obstacle to majoritarian rule in the country.

            If they pull this to do wildly unpopular things on a short time scale, it will suck, no doubt, but they will likely pay a huge price for doing unpopular things in the next cycle.

    • @BrianTheeBiscuiteer
      link
      58 days ago

      I find it equally likely he tries to be in power until his last breath as it is for him to set the White House ablaze just before handing the keys to it’s next owner.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      57 days ago

      It will definitely be interesting to see at which stage each “well, maybe it won’t be that bad” people realize that, yes. It will.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      28 days ago

      Well, we’re going to see plenty of new crimes in the next 4 years, and Trump is going to be motivated to stay out of jail if it’s even still remotely possible. I think he’s going to do everything he can to stay president until he’s actually dead or incapacitated.