Donald Trump flirted with the idea of being president for three terms – a clear violation of the US constitution – during a bombastic speech for the National Rifle Association in which he vowed to reverse gun safety measures green-lighted during the Biden administration.

“You know, FDR 16 years – almost 16 years – he was four terms. I don’t know, are we going to be considered three-term? Or two-term?” The ex-president and GOP presidential frontrunner said to the organization’s annual convention in Dallas, prompting some in the crowd to yell “three!” Politico reported.

Trump has floated a third term in past comments, even mentioning a prolonged presidency while campaigning in 2020. He has also tried distancing himself from this idea, telling Time magazine in April: “I wouldn’t be in favor of it at all. I intend to serve four years and do a great job.”

  • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Why on earth would you think democrats would allow for someone better in 2028? Biden’s win will prove that they can continue propping up fascist extremists and you’ll vote for fascist lite.

    You’re not describing a strategy, you’re describing a slow death.

    • FakeGreekGirl@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      7 months ago

      Even so, still better than a perpetual Trump dictatorship.

      If Trump wins, he will, without a doubt, try again to end American democracy. He did before. And whatever you think of our current situation, at least we have a fucking voice right now.

      • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        It’s likely not better though, as the longer we let Dmeocrats play dick-grab with the GOP without actually fighting back tooth and nail (like politician’s like Biden are unwilling to do) the more the GOP is able to use their power in a way that’s concealed.

        The reason RvW had a political effect is because it was shocking and too sudden. What will happen if we keep voting the lesser of two evils is people will get more and more acclimated to having their rights stripped away in small ways, rather than witnessing the horror in a way that’s easy to understand.

        Even now, in this discussion, it’s difficult for you to see the pattern that’s occurring from the strategy you’re proposing of fear-based voting.

        It’s uncertain whether a Trump term will allow for the GOP to enact their fascist take-over in full, but continuing to vote for the same milque-toast democrats is 100% a recipe for fascism because they will never reform on their own, and the general public will accept fascism if it comes slowly. I’m not going to try to tell you how to vote, but just own the consequences when they come and don’t try to blame others.

        • FakeGreekGirl@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 months ago

          You seem to still be thinking in terms of Trump doing a term and going away. He won’t. He proved that on 1/6/2021, and his little jokes and musings now only reinforce it.

          I have every expectation that, if Trump manages to become President again, he is not leaving that office until he dies. He will undo American democracy to keep his power. He already tried before.

          Biden sucks. Democrats suck. You won’t catch me arguing with you there. But Trump is the death of the Republic.

          • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            Fear-based politics are worthless to me. That is the reason the GOP treats the Democrats as prey, not a threat.

              • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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                7 months ago

                Literally where we are, right now. The only (slim) chance of getting out is reforming the democratic party and shocking the general public awake.

                Your way has been a proven failure, it’s not an option.

                • FakeGreekGirl@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                  7 months ago

                  And what chance do you think the Democrats are going to have to reform after Donald Trump undoes the entire democratic process and proclaims himself president for life?

                  He’s not going to go away quietly. We know this. He proved it on 1/6, and he’s outright saying it out loud again now. Stop pretending he’s just another politician. He’s a wannabe despot, and we need to not give him another chance to become an actual one.

                  Look, Biden is garbage. The Democrats are garbage. But at least they’re garbage that play by the fucking rules. If Trump wins, I honestly do not believe we are going to get another chance at this.

                  • Facebones@reddthat.com
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                    7 months ago

                    And what chance do you think Democrats are going to reform if you reward them for continuing to sprint rightward and enacting all the fascist policies NOW that you keep claiming you’re the only defense from?

                    Moving the goalposts any time a third party even comes close to the requirements for inclusion? Check

                    Having it legally ruled that voters and donors have no say in the DNC’s picks? Check

                    Pushing legislation to remove the red tape from stripping leftist orgs of nonprofit status? Check

                    Pushing legislation to make ANY criticism of Israel legally antisemetic so any school that allows protests can be stripped of funding and accreditation? Check

                    But at least they’re garbage that play by the rules

                    … yes, but do so to further the same fascist agendas.

                  • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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                    7 months ago

                    And what chance do you think the Democrats are going to have to reform after Donald Trump undoes the entire democratic process and proclaims himself president for life?

                    There’s no guaruntee he will actually be able to achieve this, it’s actually unlikely. The president is not a king, Project 2025 or not, they aren’t realistically going to be able to keep him in office longer than his term.

                    The only way out of this is getting fighters in office and the only way of doing that is making milque-toast “bipartisan” politicians politically unviable. And it is a long shot, but continuing support of the democratic establishment that has produced failure after failure simply will not work, no matter how long people do it. It won’t give us any opening

                    Neoliberalism has brought us to this point. It needs to be cast to the side as quickly as possible, not allowed to continue dragging the Democratic party down.

                    Look at it this way; Biden is willing to play chicken with our democracy himself, so what does that tell you he and the DNC think the actual immediate threat level is here? They seem pretty confident that it’s no big deal that Biden is neck and neck with Trump. That should be comforting to Biden supporters.

                • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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                  7 months ago

                  “Doing things that seem reasonable has proven a failure, so now it’s time to try things that are obviously suicidal instead.”

            • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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              7 months ago

              So why are you so terrified of Democrats? Seems to me like you’re all about emotion-based politics, including fear.

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        7 months ago

        I’ll take the lack of an argument as a confirmation that you understand what I said is true. Anyone who’s been alive for more than a single election has witnessed it, it’s pretty undeniable.

    • zbyte64@awful.systems
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      7 months ago

      I don’t even expect Democrats to “learn their lesson” by loosing an election, let alone reform democracy.

      • Facebones@reddthat.com
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        7 months ago

        They made it clear in 2016, they’d rather the Republicans win than give even an INCH to the left of mid right establishment dems.

    • Facebones@reddthat.com
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      7 months ago

      Hard agree. I’m tired of people saying the only way to avoid fascism is the guy who

      • sidestepped congress multiple times to fund/supply genocide,

      • is pushing legislation to strip leftist orgs of nonprofit status,

      • pushing legislation to make ANY criticism of Israel legally antisemitic so they can strip any college that allows protests of funding and accreditation

      • coming from a party that at the slightest whiff of a challenge had it legally ruled that they do what they want, voters and donors be damned

      • also a party equally complicit in moving the goalposts any time a third party comes close to meeting requirements for inclusion.

      America has always been fascist, ruled by a singular corporate party with two wings. The quiet part is out loud now and even prominent democrats and pundits can’t help themselves but break out all the fascist stops on leftists.

      When democrats and liberals say “we have to stop fascism” they mean “we have to protect my status quo and the fascism that benefits me.”

      • Suavevillain@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        It most comes down to maintaining comfort. Liberals have no issue with groups being harmed by state violence from police and other groups when they aren’t the targets. Dems had 4 years to prepare and look forward to what is coming, and the best we have is Joe Biden standing between the status quo and Trump’s full-blown fascism.

        • Facebones@reddthat.com
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          7 months ago

          They like to ignore that dems have had a few opportunities with the trifecta to actually codify these issues and enact stronger policies against the threats we face now (that were apparent at the time) but the problem is democrats don’t WANT to lock those basic rights issues down because they need the existential threat. Their only platform for like 20 years now has been “not those guys” so if they actually codified (for example) abortion or even better added it to an amendment - They wouldn’t be able to push this narrative that if you don’t vote for milquetoast mid right Biden then you’re actually WORSE than the fascists and you hate women and you’re handing their freedom to “”“the right”“” on a silver platter.

          America has always been a single corporate party system, and both wings of that party are pushing for fascism because it’s the end goal of any capitalist system. It’s just a fight between “marginalized folk are slowly and quietly suppressed so my life continues as normal” fascism or “quiet part out loud day one which I would have to acknowledge” fascism.