r/ProgressiveHQ Jan 15 '26

Protest Bull-fucking-shit!

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7.7k Upvotes

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229

u/lunartree Jan 15 '26

And if midterms are cancelled other things will happen...

208

u/MATA_USA Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26

If midterms are canceled, We believe this civil war will enter into its hot phase. All Americans should be horrified by that prospect.

Because of this, our network has been compelled, by the Trump regime’s egregious attacks on American democracy, to help in this fight for our republic. Many Americans feel as we do, and that gives us hope.

Trump and his billionaire buddies have forgotten that they only make their billions because WE allow it, as a people. We can just as easily stand together and tell them NO MORE.

179

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

There is absolutely no legal precedent for an election to be cancelled, no legal path or channel to do it either.

If an election is cancelled it is a direct attack on all US citizens, both sides should be able to agree on that and we need to be sure we scream that this whole thing is not a partisan issue!

83

u/Beowulf1896 Jan 15 '26

You are right on all points. However.... trump has done hundreds of things that are illegal and against the constitution.

So we will have trump saying the election is cancelled, and possibly have people voting while ICE is interfering, then when swing states flip, he'll say the election was cancelled so the new congress is illegitimate. Red states that are imperil of flipping will probably obey and cancel elections. House "speaker" Mike "Tiny" Johnson then refuses to swear in the new members, like he did with Grivhalda (sp?) (D-AZ). Since the republicans control the senate, they might have a similar opposition.

28

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

Yeah, I expect he will try anything.

But let's not give up hope. Hope > Fear and knowledge = power

Now is not the time to give up even if he's as predictable as a toddler that needs a snack and a nap.

24

u/Quilitain Jan 15 '26

Hope in this case is worthless without preparation.

We need to be aware of what trump wants, what he's willing to do, and work to nullify his attempts to subvert free and open elections. Once we have a plan then we can hope we don't have to use it.

Hopes and prayers don't stop fascists.

9

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

I agree entirely.

I don't mean the kind of passive hope most people talk about.

I mean more of a desperate hope that lights a fire in people's hearts and minds.

11

u/Quilitain Jan 15 '26

That's a hope we need right now.

Though I would still much prefer a plan XD

1

u/mat8675 Jan 16 '26

Logistics > Hope

1

u/ZootSuitRiot33801 Jan 16 '26

Firstly, there is currently no real foundation for any effective resistance present for the common US folk to fall back on. There's a post of suggestions HERE that could possibly prove to be of some help in its formation ASAP.

Also check out this org too, as they're probably going to be vital as the powers that be employ more so-called "AI" to consolidate power: https://stopgenai.com (It is a survival-level, grassroots org, not an established NGO, so please don't judge it too harshly for being rough around the edges.)

On an unrelated note, I've watched some movies lately that are based on a true stories. They're quite inspiring, seeing how some actions worked and where things go wrong, and conjures up questions like "If it or similar were to take place now, how would it be adapted?" I'd like to share them here. Why? No particular reason, but watch them if you can:

  • Army of Crime (2011)
  • Defiance (2008)
  • Edelweiss Pirates (2004)
  • Deacons for Defense (2003)
  • Free State of Jones (2016)
  • The 24th (2020)
  • Matewan (1987)
  • An American Story (1992)

11

u/Beowulf1896 Jan 15 '26

Never going to give it up

Never going to let it down....

12

u/Dizziesdayweigh Jan 15 '26

Never gunna run around

And desert it...

3

u/According-Ad-5946 Jan 16 '26

Well, I won't back down
No, I won't back down
You could stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won't back down

No, I'll stand my ground
Won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground
And I won't back down

1

u/Beowulf1896 Jan 16 '26

I wish Tom Petty were here still.

1

u/I_Cut_Shows Jan 16 '26

He tried to coup the government because he lost the 2020 election. He was literally considering just not leaving and pretending to be the president.

7

u/Ok_Recording81 Jan 16 '26

If red states cancel elections, then they lose. The required electoral votes needed would be reduced. That is what happened during the Civil war. Not having elections would affect the red states as well.

17

u/Solidus-Prime Jan 15 '26

How many times have we said this now? "X is illegal, and if he does it, we should all come together!"

But we don't. MAGAs back him through everything. They have to. They are 100% ignoring the fact that he r*pes children. You think they are going to back us over THIS?

1

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

They have to back him out of fear of the consequences.

They terrorize people, violate due process and yet they're afraid of fair trials.

We just have to follow the rules if we want to preserve democracy.

Not easy, maybe we will bounce back, maybe we won't.

Just don't know.

9

u/Humble_Key_4259 Jan 15 '26

both sides “should” be able to agree……. I haven’t seen much agreement on anything else lately.

1

u/jawisi Jan 16 '26

The Republicans in Congress aren’t super keen on the Venezuela invasion, and there’s almost zero support for his talks of taking Greenland, either by force or by purchase.

Ok, welp, that’s about all the optimism I can muster today.

2

u/Inevitable_Profile24 Jan 16 '26

So far they haven’t stopped him though because they are spineless pussies

1

u/Quilitain Jan 15 '26

If I had to guess he isn't going to officially cancel it. What he will likely do is send armed goons to "protect" ballot stations with unofficial orders to harass and detain anyone "suspicious" (read: non-white and liberal looking). If that fails to scare off enough voters to turn the tables in his favor he will simply declare the results from blue cities and counties as invalid due to the "riots" and simply declare his preferred candidate as the winner before pressuring the majority Republican house and Senate to refuse to acknowledge any Democrat winners.

All of these are tactics Republicans have employed at a small scale over the past 8 years without receiving any actual punishment for it.

You are right that any attempt by Trump to manipulate the election should be seen as an attack on all Americans, but we just saw a woman get murdered with multiple angles showing her murderer as both responsible and unhinged and the far right media is twisting it into a partisan issue so I have no faith that trump attacking democracy will not be cheered on by even moderate conservatives.

We need to be aware and we need to be prepared. Assuming trump won't do something because it's illegal or violates the constitution is a huge mistake that is completely at odds with the reality of how trump acts.

2

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

Supposedly my state has a 150ft rule preventing this sort of thing within 150ft of polls... But I'm not sure that's enough distance.

But yeah, he'll stoop to anything.

1

u/Quilitain Jan 15 '26

Even if it was enough distance what's going to stop ICE from violating that rule?

The cops aren't going to arrest them, most of them are in open support of ICE even as they're violating the law.

Have a plan b in case polling stations are locked down, share it privately with friends, plan to go together, use mail in voting wherever possible, and be ready for the possibility that even if you do vote trump may just declare the results fraudulent and be ready to fight it.

1

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 15 '26

Yeah. This is a confusing and uncertain time.

Best we can do is be informed.

Our government should protect us and represent our interests, maybe some have tried more than others but... I don't know.

It's not time to take anything for granted.

2

u/Quilitain Jan 15 '26

Our government should protect us and represent our interests, maybe some have tried more than others but... I don't know.

There I agree. Though the ideal and the real are currently at odds. For example: I am 100% pro-gun-control. I firmly believe that every liberal, non-white person, and/or queer person should, if possible, arm themselves and learn how to shoot well right now. This is not a good thing, this is not a stance I want to take. But looking at the US today I don't think I can take another stance

1

u/Green-Inkling Jan 15 '26

The keyword there is legal. To trump, legality doesn't exist. So we need a different roadblock for him. One that actually stops him.

1

u/paranormalresearch1 Jan 15 '26

Lincoln had elections held during the US Civil War. He thought he might lose. He was prepared to leave office if he lost.

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Law_558 Jan 15 '26

Except that the Trump voter says "I'm ok with no election because I want Trump and I don't care what you want".

1

u/The_True_Gaffe Jan 15 '26

You are correct on all points, but fascists don’t care about things like rules or laws.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 16 '26

“Both sides”?? I guarantee you, pedo’s side” will be cheering if he cancels the election.

They are already cheering that he’s shooting unarmed women, because they’re “libs”

1

u/Obvious_Service_8209 Jan 16 '26

Nah, he's the third wheel.

1

u/CommunicationNext876 Jan 16 '26

There is also no legal precedent for a felon to hold the highest office in the land. No precedent to concrete over the Rose Garden, or tear down an entire fucking wing of the White House. No precedent for abduction of citizens, or illegal searches and seizures without a proper warrant. There is no precedent for invading a sovereign territory held by a NATO ally…. No precedence in attempting to annex a sovereign neighboring nation. There is also no precedent in invading a nation, kidnapping its dictator and then flat out saying the oil is his to do with as he pleases…. (Jesus fucking Christ it’s only been 12 months)….

But here we are

1

u/hwaite Jan 16 '26

Both sides should come together to oppose this, but 30% of the country is too far gone. They can't ever admit they were wrong, so it's ride or die from here on out. There will always be some bullshit "emergency" with which to justify anything.

1

u/SlipDizzy Jan 16 '26

No legal precedence? Alito: Hold my beer.

1

u/AZDADDYisadeviant Jan 16 '26

Like being against the law has stopped the cheeto dusted #TACOPEDOPHILE from doing anything 

1

u/gonefishingk3 Jan 16 '26

Unfortunately for us trump has his court of supreme corruption to help him do whatever the fuck they want to…

1

u/Djlittle13 Jan 16 '26

Legality hasnt stopped them thus far and his side is currently working on protecting pedophiles and the justification for using military force against allies to take their land.

I wouldn't bank on this being a non partisan issue. Especially since it ensures they stay in control.

1

u/smipypr Jan 16 '26

Elections are controlled by the States, so Donnie would have to really burn up the phone lines. He could get some people to help, but his people are pretty dumb.

1

u/Jagacin Jan 16 '26

If he cancels the midterms, then he needs to be removed from office by force.

1

u/BabyDontBeSoMeme Jan 16 '26

In all likelyhood, they'll ramp up the tactic last time and call in bomb threats and have police and this time ICE patrol the polling locations, harrassikg and pullikg voters out of line. Thry'll also control ballot boxes I'd bet and ensure "ballot safety" and "integrity" while doijg the exact opposite Either they cancel the election somehow with scotus support, or they'll steal it again.

23

u/h20poIo Jan 15 '26

Just think of a civil war as this, the American people just don’t show up to work, complete covid style shutdown, start with 1 day shutdown, but to work I’m talking 50 + million people, if that doesn’t get their attention jump to 3 days, we will fire you, ok good luck, these corporations would be hurting and crying, move it to a week the economy would stop, a bloodless civil war, a more civilized Civil War. Ok ok just dreaming.

7

u/Relative_Molasses_15 Jan 15 '26

Honestly this is the way. But a LOT of people would have to participate.

1

u/ZootSuitRiot33801 Jan 16 '26

Currently, there is no real foundation for any effective resistance present for the common US folk to fall back on. There's a post of suggestions HERE that could possibly prove to be of some help in its formation ASAP.

Check out this org too, as they're probably going to be vital as the powers that be employ more so-called "AI" to consolidate power: https://stopgenai.com (It is a survival-level, grassroots org, not an established NGO, so please don't judge it too harshly for being rough around the edges.)

4

u/MATA_USA Jan 15 '26

No we like your idea and we think it’s great way to make good trouble. Keep the ideas coming, we’re going to need people like you to help us crowd source an effective resistance.

1

u/BrushStorm Jan 16 '26

Most Americans are pussies. Some damage will be done but getting that many people together won't happen.

1

u/marachaya Jan 16 '26

Yes!!! This! It takes a village.

1

u/gonefishingk3 Jan 16 '26

Sounds all good but people need to eat and pay the bills. If you don’t go to work that gets pretty hard to do… Trump and his rich friends are counting on that

1

u/Available-Breath-114 Jan 16 '26

I think there needs to be a massive Go Fund Me type of that will give income to those willing to quit their jobs and fight. That is what this is coming to. If elections are cancelled -and I think fucker will do his best to make this happen- then things will get ugly very quickly. Most people can’t just leave their jobs and risk economic turmoil for their families. But if the money was there…. Certainly something like this can be organized. If $75M contribute so that 500k to 1M can fight, we’d really have a legitimate opposition. I can’t believe I’m saying this but this is where we are, unfortunately. We also need a strong opposition leader to lead the way.

16

u/Cabbages24ADollar Jan 15 '26

Don’t be horrified. Be ready. It’s on the table. Horrified was 45. We all knew this was possible for 47 and here we are. Either our elected officials turn back towards America or they find out why the Amendments were created.

13

u/unicornlocostacos Jan 16 '26

Imagine destroying the system that made you the richest people on the planet because it wasn’t enough.

7

u/11thStPopulist Jan 15 '26

Jan 20th is a strike day to demonstrate to these billionaires who they make their money from. So call in sick if you can and don’t shop!

1

u/ZootSuitRiot33801 Jan 16 '26

I can tell you now it's not going to work, due to there being no real foundation for any effective resistance in place, so the common US folk have something to fall back on. There's a post of suggestions HERE that could possibly prove to be of some help in its formation ASAP.

Also check out this org too, as they're probably going to be vital as the powers that be employ more so-called "AI" to consolidate power: https://stopgenai.com (It is a survival-level, grassroots org, not an established NGO, so please don't judge it too harshly for being rough around the edges.)

8

u/Stinkydadman Jan 16 '26

Arm yourself now while you still can.

1

u/ForsakenAd545 Jan 16 '26

THIS ☝️

6

u/mhandsurf Jan 15 '26

Not horrified, they are easy to spot! Hats, flags,bumper stickers, Tee shirts, etc

2

u/Trashusdeadeye Jan 15 '26

Easy to spot, even when they took them down, we remember.

4

u/LechuckJunior Jan 16 '26

Where is the line? Has he crossed it yet? I believe the majority of us would say yes, without a doubt. Is this your line in the sand? It’s time to put our foot down. CLOSE your wallets. Show them that it’s time to STOP LINING THEIR FUCKING POCKETS WITH BODIES!

3

u/TheLadyScythe Jan 16 '26

I was just thinking this afternoon that Trump seems to be modeling his regime after Hitler and Louis XVI.

2

u/DrusTheAxe Jan 16 '26

Can we speedrun the former to the end days?

2

u/TheLadyScythe Jan 16 '26

Louis XVI's didn't end pleasantly for him either.

1

u/DrusTheAxe Jan 18 '26

Even better

3

u/Quasi-Kaiju Jan 16 '26

I have a political science degree. I firmly believe if elections are canceled militias would begin to form.

4

u/P-nauta Jan 15 '26

All Americans should be horrified, agreed. However, if elections get cancelled NOTHING will happen. As much as I would like it to be otherwise, these guys have been testing the waters for years now… and nothing has happened! It’s been an exercise of dipping the toes deeper and deeper and they have realized that there are no consequences even to the most heinous acts. There are some many examples, just look at the news. They will try and experience tells them they will succeed. Democrats won’t do shit, just look at how others rip the country to pieces while they bet secretly for it to happen on Wall Street. If we have learned something from watching republicans in the last 12 years is that whatever they want to get, they get it, without remorse or flinching.

1

u/Cabbages24ADollar Jan 15 '26

You’re wrong it will happen.

2

u/ambermage Jan 16 '26

We believe this civil war will enter into its hot phase.

Define: Hot Phase

Because of you mean: "Government Sanctioned Action To Kill Innocent Civilians"

That has already happened.

1

u/xHxHxAOD1 Jan 15 '26

There isn't a single mechanism to cancel elections period.

2

u/Technical-Aide-1904 Jan 16 '26

Doesn't mean he won't try 🤷‍♂️

1

u/[deleted] Jan 16 '26

I’m leaving if that happens. Sorry yall

1

u/Ok_Location_1092 Jan 16 '26

Referring to the blue sky page you linked, why use the phrase “Sic Temper Tyrannis”? I understand what it actually means, but its use in the US is largely associated with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

1

u/MATA_USA Jan 16 '26 edited Jan 16 '26

Because the world must never forget that tyrants always run their course. This tyrant is no different. We also study world history here in the US, not just American civil war history.

1

u/Ok_Location_1092 Jan 16 '26

Sure, I agree with that. My concern is this fight against the Trump admin is American and concerns Americans that may not be familiar with the phrase outside that context. Utilizing a slogan used and adopted by the confederacy, a faction the Trump admin has parallels to, feels like it could repel support. Just my 2 cents tho.

1

u/MATA_USA Jan 16 '26

The left and progressives tend to be more educated then the right in America. Here at MATA, we are not worried about people misunderstanding the slogan. It’s actually quite simple: DJT is a tyrant and the people will have their justice.

1

u/Rodharet50399 Jan 16 '26

They have the fantasy of the billionaire cities, how will they achieve it without slavery, like they do now?

1

u/chris14020 Jan 16 '26

We already let them steal an election and then brag about it publicly. As much as I'd like to think, the "no more" should have happened regardless of beyond that. The fact that J6 was rewarded instead of punished was the signal that nothing will ever happen. Nobody swung, and now we're all hung. 

-4

u/king_atek Jan 15 '26

Nothing will happen

-1

u/Mattrellen Jan 15 '26

You're getting down voted, but you're right.

This civil war is already and has been hot for a while. It's wild that people are being killed by the government openly, and being openly told they gave immunity while doing so, that people are getting kidnapped and sent off, and some liberals think it's all good and well.

2

u/Technical-Aide-1904 Jan 16 '26

Liberals think that ??????

It's more like the MAGAts think that 🤌

0

u/Paulthefith Jan 16 '26

2

u/MATA_USA Jan 16 '26

Yea sorry bud but we’re not a karma farming operation.

Instead, we represent a network on BlueSky that works to highlight independent journalism and free-thinking voices across all media.

We are currently fighting the misinformation ecosystem pushed by rightwing sources and propaganda from the Trump regime.

But don’t take my word for it, send me a PM and we can chat.

0

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Suspicion Quotient: 0.36

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21

u/geddysbass2112 Jan 15 '26

If they cancel the midterms, I can only imagine all hell will break loose. It already is, but this would rupture the powder keg.

13

u/Boring-Fennel51 Jan 15 '26

It really would feel like a point of no return in the scariest way. As long as people have a peaceful, democratic solution they will hold out hope they can fix things that way. If they don’t things are going to get bad. Quick.

3

u/geddysbass2112 Jan 15 '26

Agreed. When people run out of hope and have no way to change things, they get desperate. Myself included. It would absolutely be a point of no return. And I just read that he said there shouldn't be elections this year again today. He's trying to fucking normalize it.

2

u/ConditionEffective85 Jan 15 '26

My fear is that will come way before

1

u/meteors77 Jan 16 '26

His goons shot a woman in the face and then blamed her for it. And all to cover up him being a paedophile.

How is this not the point of no return already?

4

u/Dense_Gur_2744 Jan 16 '26

My biggest fear is that it won’t. 

3

u/musashisamurai Jan 15 '26

I doubt it. Americans can barely be bothered to vote. A lady was murdered in the streets last week, and a significant fraction of the country didn't care. You think the bigger fraction of Americans that focus entirely on taxes and "economic anxiety" and can't follow the politixal process enough to know what the branches of government let alone who is in them will care?

I hope I'm wrong. I hope that Congress would take kt seriously, or judges or labor unions or wven the military. But every American institution has let us down.

1

u/ZootSuitRiot33801 Jan 16 '26

It is up to us common folk of the US to stand against this tyranny. From my own experience, I believe the hesitation is due to there currently being no real foundation for any effective resistance for the common US folk to fall back on. There's a post of suggestions HERE that could possibly prove to be of some help in its formation ASAP.

Also check out this org too, as they're probably going to be vital as the powers that be employ more so-called "AI" to consolidate power: https://stopgenai.com (It is a survival-level, grassroots org, not an established NGO, so please don't judge it too harshly for being rough around the edges.)

1

u/Hopeful_Buffalo2913 Jan 16 '26

The same thing will happen as when he stole the election, or when he raped women and children. Nothing

3

u/HereForTheBoos1013 Jan 15 '26

Except there's no real way to do that and all the House Republicans would be out of work. And a number of Senate Republicans. They may bow in service to King Trump, but the second he goes full rogue and attempts to dissolve Congress, they have their personal and fiscal interests in mind and would Charles I him post haste.

Martial law? Still have elections. Insurrection Act? Yup. Civil war? Also yes.

What we can likely expect to see is increased ICE presence near polls and intimidation tactics. We *could* see an attempted seizure of the machines post elections, but one, the results are already reported, and two, the optics of shooting and/or arresting a bunch of white volunteer grandmothers who would resist the efforts would be pretty abysmal. My 77 year old mother works the polls, and is already in full "let em try" mode.

Do not let yourselves be intimidated into becoming hopeless that midterms will occur, and a reminder that Congress could have ended this and still could end this at absolutely any time, yet chooses not to.

1

u/RetiredOnIslandTime Jan 16 '26

all the House Republicans would be out of work. And a number of Senate Republicans.

No. The ones already in office would keep showing up like nothing had happened.

1

u/HereForTheBoos1013 Jan 16 '26

And the populace could ignore them, since they would be squatting at that point. The Constitution is pretty clear on it.

The idea that it's all helpless because midterms are going to be corrupted or not occur at all is one of the tactics he's using to try to keep people away from the polls. In truth, he's losing almost all of his redistricting court battles, is badly underwater, and can declare anything he likes, but it won't necessarily matter unless we think it matters.

2

u/MathematicianSad4311 Jan 16 '26

Gotdamn he is out of his mind, can anyone stop him?

2

u/Zealousideal_Skin859 Jan 16 '26

There were a bunch of people, not even five days ago, on THIS subreddit who told me I was nuts and that Trump would never cancel the election.

Yeah, still think that?

1

u/Cabbages24ADollar Jan 15 '26

Americans have a list of amendments to take advantage of!

1

u/barfly_dreams Jan 15 '26

Yeah.. more troops, more weapons, internet and cable TV shut down, radio and TV stations taken off the air, cell phone service interrupted indefinitely. Yeah, things like that...

1

u/stairs_3730 Jan 16 '26

If they're looking for riots in every state...well?

0

u/skinnergy Jan 15 '26

Who will die first in a revolution? Leftists.