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This is not a coup, because Trump is still in his lawful 2nd and final term. Until then let's call it Gleichschaltung [1], because that's what it is: bringing a
by Propelloni 2y ago
This is not a coup, because Trump is still in his lawful 2nd and final term. Until then let's call it Gleichschaltung [1], because that's what it is: bringing all aspects of society under totalitarian control.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleichschaltung https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleichschaltung
- agnishom 2y agoHim assuming the office of the president is legal. But him trying to replace the law which has gone through due process using executive orders is unlawful. It is not a coup because he became president by force. It is a coup because he is consolidating power. (The president is not supposed to be all powerful.)
- Propelloni 2y agoThe Wikipedia-article explains why "consolidating power" as part of the government is Gleichschaltung and not a coup. A coup is the sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government [1] which is not the case here. [1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/coup https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/coup
- brendoelfrendo 2y agoNo one is going to start calling this Gleichshaltung, so stop trying to make it happen. Words can be flexible. The current situation approximates a coup, and so people will call it a coup. Honestly, splitting hairs over definitions while our government is being stripped for parts? This is part of the problem!
- agnishom 2y agoRelax. To be fair to them, Gleichshaltung has a nice ring to it
- brendoelfrendo 2y agoI mean, to be fair to them, Gleichshaltung is a good word for what's happening. I'm not opposed to discussing the analogues between current events in the US and Hitler's consolidation of power in Germany. But I find the insistence on "proper" terminology tiresome. I don't think it's the other commenter's fault in this case, so maybe I shouldn't be so snippy, but it's a really common tactic among bad-faith actors to "well, actually..." a discussion into a debate about semantics rather than a debate about the actual matters of real import. It's a learned defensive behavior on my part, but not right in this situation. What matters is that we see what is happening and can describe it in a way that we all understand, not that we use specific technical terminology.
- Propelloni 2y agoFair enough, I yield. I'm on your side, it is dire times, and we have more urgent things to do than discussing proper distinctions on an internet forum. Any action now is better than the perfect action later, so let's get out on the streets and protest, instead.
- brendoelfrendo 2y agoAgreed!
- agnishom 2y agoFrom the link you posted: "a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, especially by part of an army" The violent part and the army part seems to be optional
- pavlov 2y agoIt’s true, Vladimir Putin never did a coup either. He became a dictator through ostensibly democratic steps (without any actual democracy of course). I wonder if Trump and Vance in 2029 can somehow pull the Putin/Medvedev switch, where the real leader takes a nominal secondary position until they can fix the constitutional issue.
- tomrod 2y agoButterfly revolution.
- tmountain 2y agoIt's an administrative coup, and it goes like this: 1) Remove all opposition for DOJ (already done) 2) Pass executive orders that should require congressional approval (doing) 3) Illegally seize control of the treasury (doing) 4) Broadly dismantle key government services (doing) 5) Watch politicians say, "you can't do that!" with no recourse (doing) Continually take control more and more broadly until you have absolute power.
- tootie 2y agoAlso, ignore judges affirming you can't do that due to point 1. No one will enforce their judgements. Next step is attacking enemies. They will start prosecuting political rivals.
- tmountain 2y agoYeah, and late night TV hosts.
- Propelloni 2y agoThe Wikipedia-article is pretty explicit about Gleichschaltung (what you describe) as is the definition of coup: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/coup https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/coup I'm not going to stop you calling it a coup, but your opponents will just smile and say "not true" and they would be right.
- miltonlost 2y agoDefinition 2: a sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power, often by the army Musk is committing illegal acts, over a weekend, in taking government power by, at minimum, not being appointed and confirmed. This is a coup by the definition YOU provided.
- whatshisface 2y agoThis is nowhere close to the first time illegal acts were committed by the executive branch.