KRUGMAN: The lame duck period is going to be INSANE.

[kpete]

Trump hasn't even been defeated yet, but he's lashing out like a vindictive man with nothing to lose. This will only get worse as the election approaches, and will be a nightmare during the lame duck 1/

One thing I didn't say in the op-ed is that a post-election Trump won't be like a normal ex-president, who can go on the speaking circuit, have somebody ghost-write his memoirs, and generally kick back a bit 2/

Instead, he — and his family — probably face personal financial ruin if they lose the shield of office and the flow of income to Trump properties. Given the rampant corruption of his administration, many of those around him probably face prosecution 3/

If Trump were a third-world dictator, we might try to ease him out by offering refuge in a villa on the French Riviera in return for leaving town peacefully. Unfortunately, that's not an option; so expect extreme and dangerous behavior 4/

The lame duck period is going to be INSANE.

.............

As far as I can tell, nobody has offered a plausible political motive, any way in which refusing even to try rescuing the economy helps Trump’s prospects. What this looks like, instead, is vindictiveness.

[***]

Yet getting a relief deal would have required accepting a compromise with that “nasty” woman Nancy Pelosi. And it seems that he would rather let the economy burn.

.........

The thing is, if he’s behaving like this now, when he still has some chance of winning, how will he act if he loses?

The most immediate concern is that he won’t accept the election results. But we should also be worried about what will follow if he is forced to accept the will of the people, but is still running the country. Trump has always been vindictive; what will he do if and when he has nothing left but spite?

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Rice4VP]

1. Hopefully he just packs his stuff and goes

to Maralargo on November 4 after it’s obvious that Joe Biden has won. Good riddance. They can scramble to figure out who will run things until January 21...it would be no different from the last 4 years.

[Sherman A1]

2. That is a significant

Understatement.

[AleksS]

3. I've said it before, and hope I'm wrong, but

I expect a “USA Fire Sale! Everything’s got to go!”

I expect field agent names and postings, national secrets, monuments, artworks, documents, properties, all to show up for sale to the highest bidder.

He’s got to raise that $400 million somehow.

[unblock]

4. he doesn't talk about it, but *this* makes sense of pelosi's push to talk about the 25th.

there have been many comments on du already that the 25th isn't going to happen, republicans would never agree to it.

and that's certainly right, *before* the election.

but as soon as donnie loses, republicans might very well be open to the idea that they no longer benefit from having madman disaster donnie in charge, seeking vengeance on all his perceived enemies, which might well include a number of republicans who he feels didn't do enough for him.

after he loses, republicans might very well prefer to have a (somewhat) more stable pence in charge, so that they can ram through what's left of their agenda, mostly getting as many more right-wing judges as they can before time runs out.

the excuse of it being a medical determination gives them political cover as well as the distance from the next election which then is at least two years away.


so now i'm thinking the pelosi's push for the 25th amendment might actually not be about electoral politics, but about good governance to handle the lame duck session.

[docgee]

5. This is what the 25th amendment meeting is about.

Everyone knows he will lose bigly, by yuge margins. They are planning to yank him before he can declare martial law or some other crazy shit.

[Nay]

8. Let's hope it works. nt

[2naSalit]

6. I agree with Dr. Krugman.

Watch out around Nov. 10th, seems like something is going to happen around that time. I just have a feeling. Not a really good one.

[Nay]

7. This is the reason I want COVID to disable him to the point where he cannot

do such damage.

[Towlie]

9. If Trump is caught on camera learning of his defeat...

think of all the "Trump is informed that..." videos with German subtitles that will pop up on YouTube.

[Duppers]

10. This.

K&R

[Cha]

11. Rt..This is who the Virus Fucker is.. No Shit it's

it's going to be More DISEASED RAT RABID BAT SHIT CRAZY!

[Baclava]

12. My guess is him and his family will be busy shifting millions back into his bank accounts ASAP

[oasis]

13. Threaten Trump with Article 25 and see how that grabs his sorry ass.

Bring it on.

[Withywindle]

14. Yeah, that's it, this is my biggest fear

We're going to see some unprecedented bullshit in that time period, and it's scary as hell.

[canetoad]

15. Three words that stand out

Shield of Office.

The three, no four (Jr. Eric, Ivanka and Jared) of them had not planned for the scrutiny that would come with office and will dog them when the cabal is no longer in office.

Once Trump was elected and the intense scrutiny began, there was no option but to create a dynasty and seize permanent control of the US.

No more Shield of Office for you lying, grifter fuckers.

[peggysue2]

16. Think Krugman is definitely onto something

The country won't be safe until Inauguration Day and Joe Biden takes the oath. Until then, Trump's anger and vindictiveness is a real threat. We've seen how he acts toward even the slightest criticism. Can you imagine a nationwide rejection/humiliation?

Think the comments upthread about Pelosi's 25th push makes a lot of sense now. Put it out there for post-election consideration because you never know. There may be some Republicans, once humiliated at the polls, who might act responsibly, a last ditch effort to gain redemption of some sort.

We can hope at least.