Do you think the Repubs would ever launch a military coup?

[Taverner]

They tried to once against FDR (see Gen Smedley Butler), and many argue the assasination of JFK was a military coup.

Do you think if the Repubs lose in 2008, they will try to take over via a coup, to "restore order"?

[Philosoraptor]

1. Forgive me but, yes.

[originalpckelly]

2. Yes.

Like you said, they already tried the business plot.

[BOSSHOG]

3. I'm optimistic

there are too many non bush lovers in places of power in the military to allow that to happen. And besides whose side will the troops be on?

[porphyrian]

4. That presumes the military shares the goals of this administration beyond chain of command. - n/t

[EC]

32. That presumes they'll use the U.S. military

they won't, they'll use mercs...

[porphyrian]

34. Then it's not the military. - n/t

[atreides1]

5. I doubt it

Especially if they have to depend on their supporters to provide the bodies needed, because the majority of the US military is bogged down in other parts of the world, and I hjave a good feeling that what military is left will remove the Republicans, before they follwo them again.

[quinnox]

6. No

Only in a science fiction scenario.

[leftofthedial]

7. 2000 was a coup

with the tacit approval of the military (and help from their covert intelligence operations)

repukes would do *anything* that they believed would put a nickel in their pockets.

[Taverner]

9. If you're talking about Election 2000, it was not a coup

A stolen election, yes - but done so by crafty manipulation of returns and votes. They gave themselves a slight edge in an otherwise very close win by Gore.

But not a coup - a coup involves the military dissolving government.

[leftofthedial]

15. I beg to differ

it was clearly a coup launched from within the hard-right "bush" wing of the national security establishment. The "election" was one step in a long march of RW extremism that primarily serves the military-industrial complex Ike warned us about.

It has brought the US to the edge, if not over the edge, of fascism.

It does not look superficially like the stereotypical banana republic coup, because the US is vastly more huge and complex and the fascists have become more sophisticated. The effect, though, has been the same. Ruthless accrual of dictatorial powers in the executive branch. A rabid militarization of society and ceation of a permanent war-footing for society. A rapid diminution of civil liberties. A near-complete marriage of "governance" and corporate interests.

This is the end game and the end aim of global capitalism. Just because the new dictator didn't wear epaulets and a sidearm doesn't mean it wasn't a coup.

[Taverner]

18. I agree with everything you said, except it being a coup

A coup has a very specific definition - that is takeover and dissolution of government. Like when Julius Ceasar crossed the Rubicon.

[leftofthedial]

23. what was 2000 if not the takeover and dissolution of government?

within a year of the takeover, we had a virtual complete shift to a dictatorial government, with the executive calling all the shots and controlling all three branches.

maybe we're just pissing in the semantical wind . . .

[Taverner]

24. Congress was unchanged. The SC was unchanged.

Government itself was unchanged

The only difference was that the president was chosen by the Judicial branch.

Now you can argue unconstitutional - but not a coup

[leftofthedial]

28. neutered, to me, is not "not changed"

there are overt military operations and covert military operations

sending anthrax through the mail to ensure the compliance of opposition leaders as opposed to sending them to prison is a difference in style and method, but the result is the same.

[Taverner]

30. There is enough evidence to be skeptical

The Anthrax Mailings were one, Sen Paul Wellstone's death was another...

However, if it were a full blown coup, there's no way we could have had the victories in '06

[baldguy]

36. The change in power in 2000 was a coup.

A coup is when one part of the government (activly by the GOP-controlled USSC & inactivly by the GOP-controlled Congress) takes over the rest of the government (The Presidency rightly won by Gore) using illegal means. Nowhere in the Constitution is the USSC given the power to determine who wins a presidential election.

[leftofthedial]

37. the political wing of the coup alienated the military wing

and they both alienated the intelligence wing

plus, not all coups are ultimately successful

[ContraCommando]

8. Probably before he leaves office

That would seem to be the best bet. Rather than taking a chance with another election that they might (will) lose.

[onenote]

10. No.

Characterizing the Business Plot of the 1930s as a serious attempt to launch a military coup is a bit of a stretch. To quote historian Arthur Schlesinger: "No doubt MacGuire did have some wild scheme in mind, though the gap between contemplation and execution was considerable and it can hardly be supposed that the republic was in much danger."

[no_hypocrisy]

11. It would present a couple of benefits to them:

1. A Congress controlled by democrats would be irrelevant.

2. No expectation of arguments against WH policy.

3. * would finally be installed as the Emperor.

[Connonym]

12. Unfortunately, yes

and sadly the thought no longer seems so :tinfoilhat:

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. YES, but I don't think the military would follow their orders.

However, they may remove the psycho from office if he tried to do that. Too many military Generals are against this cabal and what they're doing.

[bullimiami]

14. yes. there are those in the R party who dont believe or care about democracy.

i think they are capable of a military coup as well.

[zbdent]

16. I swear that the Repukes were stirring up the country in preparation

of just such a thing if the recount in Florida were allowed to continue in 2000 ... and Osama bin Laden wouldn't have had to lift a finger against the US because he'd be watching CNN's coverage of the "courageous Republicans" trying to "claim the rightful office" from the illegitimate "Resident Gore" ... with the NRA's backing, and the Religious Reich's blessings ...

[CJCRANE]

17. They've already missed their chance.

IMO if United 93 had taken out Congress or the White House then Bushco would have been justified in declaring a State of Emergency (and hence ushering in a de facto military dictatorship).

So, that 41 minute flight delay and those brave passengers may have saved American democracy.

[Taverner]

20. Wow...never thought of it that way

In retrospect, we may have ended up in the better scenario...

[Ganja Ninja]

19. No the military is not too fond of the GOP right now.

There may be a few dead enders but they don't have the stones to try a coup.

[Dogmudgeon]

21. Not a chance in hell

Remember the coup in the former Soviet Union to undo perestroika? The plotters lost their nerve after the first private told them to stick it. Within a few hours, the plotters, all of them long-time hard-liners, were either in hiding, polishing their alibis, or drunk. In one case, a plotter was found not only stone drunk but sobbing, begging mercy from the police who found him. (He thought they were there to arrest him; they were responding to the old Soviet equivalent of a 911 or 999 call.)

The modern neo-Con Republicans are like that. Their tyranny is wide but not deep. They look like they have backbone, but it's just a ramrod they stuck in their coat to keep appearances up. I'm surprised it took six years to get them to fold, but the Press has to take the blame for giving them so much support, as it has done for every Republican in power since 1978.

The job NOW is to teach our Democratic lawmakers how to assert themselves. In spite of the chronic DU whining about it, I believe it can be done -- and THIS is the time to do it.

--p!

[aquart]

22. Sweetie, the military hates their guts.

So my guess is, they could try, but it wouldn't work.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

25. Today's Republicans wouldn't , of course. Never is a long time.

I can't make any predictions about what American politics will be like 100 years from now - it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that one party or another might resort to a military coup.

But todays Republicans would never even dream of attempting a military coup.

[meldroc]

26. Nixon thought about it.

Just before he resigned, IIRC, Kissenger mentioned that he still had the military option, but Nixon probably thought he wouldn't be able to pull it off, so he resigned instead.

I wouldn't put it past Cheney and co. to do this if they think they have the best chance of retaining and increasing power this way.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

27. No

The military has a strong affinity toward conservatives provided they have military experience themselves. Nobody in the neo-con universe would have the "pull" among the military to ever even consider such a thing.

[BuyingThyme]

29. Did it on 9/11.

[EC]

31. With CACI and Blackwater and the Jesus army

yes....

[alfredo]

33. the closest I know of is Curtis Lemay and Gen Lemnitzer

and Operation Northwoods. I believe they were also ready to act against JFK at his inauguration.

[Solon]

35. Yes, but it wouldn't involve the ACTIVE military...

More likely they will pull in the veterans, from the American Legion, like last time, in addition to some private armies for hire. As far as the mechanics, they would have to take over the Nation's capital and at least half of all state capitals. Most likely this would trigger a civil war, especially if they fail to take the largest states, especially California and New York. Both those states alone, would be able to start a civil war that would last a while, also the active military may or may not sit on the fence during the conflict, most likely they would simply dissolve, as the soldiers will simply fight for one side or another, given their personal beliefs.

The wild card is our nuclear arsenal, Bush could pull off a bloodless coup if he threatens to nuke a few U.S. cities to demand compliance. I strongly doubt even HE is that insane, but I've been wrong before. Besides, most of the missile sites will be the first targets of whatever insurgency springs up from such an action by a President.

It would be messy, and I don't think he would be able to stay in power for long.

[eerriicc]

38. nah

we're more likely to do that then they are.

They are individualists, they will each fester in private

We are collectivists, one of our protest marches will eventually get too large, become violent, then overtake the government.