This would give him a barely there excuse to call for the Insurrection Act and suspend voting and take over the whole government with no accountability!!! So good bye midterms and good bye voting for anything until he is dead!!!
I hear you,Laura. And you’re right to flag the Insurrection Act as a risk vector. And...here’s the good news...most people miss:
1) He can’t “suspend voting.”
Election dates are set by Congress...administration is run by states and counties. There’s no lawful button a president can push...to cancel the midterms nationwide.
2) The Insurrection Act isn’t a magic wand.
It only authorizes using federal troops to restore order in narrow scenarios. It does not erase the Constitution...state authority...or the courts...and the military’s oath...is to the Constitution...not a person.
3) Decentralization is our armor.
Fifty states...thousands of counties...independent secretaries of state...bipartisan canvassing boards...too many choke points to “take over the whole government.”
4) The real threat is softer:
*abuse of “emergency” optics to intimidate
*federal agency pressure
*targeted arrests/subpoenas to chill turnout
*disinfo to depress participation
These can disrupt...not cancel...elections; unless we’re passive.
So here’s what we do now:
Harden the process...recruit poll workers/observers...support county clerks...push for extended early voting/ballot-drop options.
Lawfare ready...pre-filed injunction templates...state AG coordination...hotline coverage for voter intimidation.
Voter insulation...mass early-vote drives...ride-to-the-polls networks...printed “what to do if challenged” cards.
Narrative firewall...clear scripts countering “it’s illegal to vote during X emergency” lies...rapid-response content ready to publish.
Pressure governors/SoS...public commitments that elections proceed...regardless of federal theatrics.
Bottom line: He can create chaos...but he can’t cancel the calendar. Our job is to reduce the chaos window...so votes...get cast...and counted.
Thank you Jack. I'll take this as marching orders- most valuable activities to support in my county and (red) state. I'm organizing a group of local people to bolster our election workers. We are training safety marshals, skilled in de-escalation.
Thank you Jack, for laying out this important piece of the regime's authoritarian strategy. I pray our Generals can/will prevent a military disaster.
Please forgive me for asking- is there simultaneously a sort of plot by autocrats to break up the world into 3 zones of influence (hemispheric defense?), wherein Putin controls Europe, Xi controls Southeastern Asia, and the US regime controls all of North and South America?
That’s a really insightful question, Virginia...and one that’s been floating around a lot lately.
There is truth to the idea that authoritarian powers are trying to carve out spheres of influence...but it’s not quite as formalized or coordinated as a “three-zone plan.”
What we’re seeing...instead...is a kind of parallel opportunism...each autocrat exploiting instability... to expand reach...where the U.S. and its allies are distracted.
Putin wants dominance over his near-abroad...and leverage over Europe’s energy grid.
Xi wants control of maritime trade routes...and buffer states across Asia.
And Trump’s camp...if you look at the rhetoric coming from Vought...Miller...and the Project 2025 network...wants to consolidate the Western Hemisphere...under a “strongman-led, anti-globalist” vision...they can market as hemispheric security.
So...while it’s not a signed pact...you’re absolutely right that they benefit from each other’s success; every authoritarian who expands his influence...normalizes the model for the next.
And yes...that’s exactly why the integrity and independence of our military leadership...is so critical right now. The uniformed command isn’t partisan...it’s constitutional...and they may end up being the firewall between dangerous political ambitions...and actual global catastrophe.
He is chumming the the water. He wants a reason to pull the trigger or set the hook. He will start a problem and then use it as an excuse to use the war power act. Epstein files will be put on hold.
Exactly, John...that’s the pattern. He’s creating the conditions for a “crisis”...he can then claim requires extraordinary powers.
It’s how every authoritarian move gets justified...first...stir chaos...then...claim only you can fix it.
But one key distinction...the War Powers Act...still requires congressional notification and oversight. It’s not a blank check. He can posture...deploy limited forces...or declare a temporary emergency...but he can’t legally rewrite the Constitution.
The danger is political manipulation...not formal law. While the Epstein files might get buried in the noise for a bit...they won’t disappear...and the very act of trying to bury them only confirms how damaging they are.
So yes, you’re right...he’s chumming the waters, John. But this prick is doing it because... he’s running out of real defenses.
I'm so over Republican President's getting us into " Little Wars" as a way to boost their popularity or win elections‼️🤬 I'm glad you wrote about this Bad strategy, Jack. Good Job and will reStack ASAP 🙏
Thank you, Karen...I really appreciate that. And you’re right… this pattern of “small, winnable wars” to boost approval...is one of the most cynical plays in American politics.
They sell it as patriotism...but it’s always about power...and distraction.
I’m glad this piece landed with you...every time we name the tactic out loud...it loses some of its effectiveness. Thanks for reading...sharing...and staying loud about it!
Is the current president playing with a full deck or not? So many are saying he is not. If that is so, who (or who all) is fearful of losing their grip of the authoritarian reins?
If he is competent, MarALago, like Miami, is not that far away either. What is his risk assessment for his pride and joy?
Lastly, if the illicit drug trade is truly the bottom line, is Trump simply eliminating the competition (for a friend, of course)?
No worries at all, Mary...great questions, actually.
Here’s how I see it:
On Trump’s state of mind:
He’s not “incompetent” in the traditional sense...he’s erratic... impulsive...and driven almost entirely by grievance and image maintenance. That’s what makes him unpredictable...not incapable. The people around him...have learned to feed those impulses...to steer policy...which is why we see such a dangerous feedback loop.
On who’s afraid of losing control:
It’s less one person than a network; donors...media partners...and political operatives who’ve built empires off his chaos. They’re terrified...not of him losing power...but of the entire structure of influence and profit...collapsing with him.
On Mar-a-Lago and risk:
That’s a sore spot for him. Trump values personal safety...through loyalty; he assumes proximity...and wealth...are shields. But he also knows proximity to Venezuela...makes him appear strong and “hands-on”...to his base...which feeds his ego...more than prudence does.
On the drug-trade angle:
It’s not that Trump’s “eliminating competition” directly. It’s that drug-war rhetoric...gives him a perfect pretext for military posturing...and domestic crackdowns. The cartels are props in a larger political production...not the real target.
So, short answer:
He’s not out of cards...he’s playing a dangerous hand for personal survival...not strategy. The people pulling strings behind him fear losing the machine...that made them rich...and powerful...and that’s...what keeps this whole act running.
These autocrats borrow from each other's playbooks. Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs comes to mind. A societal problem distorted and magnified, becomes an excuse for state terror.
I’d like to know more about this too, Mary. He’s obviously not well. Everything else I read suggests Stephen Miller and Russ Vought are really in charge. It’s all part of Project 2025. But they realize Vance doesn’t have the following Donald has. So they’ll prop him up as long as they can.
I think you’re right to connect those dots, Joanne...that’s where a lot of the real action is.
Trump’s clearly showing signs of decline...physically...cognitively...and emotionally... but the machine around him...is functioning just fine.
Stephen Miller...and Russ Vought...have been building a shadow government framework through Project 2025...for years now.
They don’t need Trump sharp...they just need him presentable...long enough...to carry their agenda over the finish line. After that...Vance (or whoever they position next) becomes the face...while the same people keep pulling the levers.
That’s why it’s so critical people see the operation behind the personality...because the real continuity of power isn’t about Trump’s stamina...it’s about the infrastructure his loyalists built to outlast him.
That said, no Cult (and MAGA IS a Cult) survives without an ultra-persuasive Cult LEADER. Trump is an anomaly. There is no one even remotely capable of stepping in as the figurehead...with the magnetism and hold Trump has had. That...will be a problem. They either solve it...or they'll struggle.
I agree, JR, and I wonder who else. Maybe the ‘who else’ can just be labeled Heritage Foundation Project 2025, but I wonder if it’s more than simply a domestic group. Maybe I’m being too farfetched. Who knows?
Glad it helped connect the dots, Sue...that’s exactly why I write these. Once you see the larger pattern...the chaos starts to make sense. Appreciate you being here...and staying engaged...because awareness is our best defense right now!
This is excellent intel, and I appreciate your time and effort so that we can put it to good use without Cheeto figuring it out. Another thing he hasn’t figured out is that he is the emperor who has no clothes on. Funny and sickening at the same time.
Appreciate that, Robert Oliver...and you’re right...it’s both absurd and unsettling watching him still believe he’s untouchable. The real power...now...lies with people...who see through the performance...and keep exposing it. That’s exactly what this community does ...and why it matters.
Hi Jack, I decided to stop being drowned in the constant firehose of bullshit and spend all my time on the one thing I believe is critical: PROTECT THE MIDTERMS. It's the last stop on the train to Trumpville. Either we get off or we're never going to be bound for glory and the America into which I was born and long to return to before I die.
This would give him a barely there excuse to call for the Insurrection Act and suspend voting and take over the whole government with no accountability!!! So good bye midterms and good bye voting for anything until he is dead!!!
I hear you,Laura. And you’re right to flag the Insurrection Act as a risk vector. And...here’s the good news...most people miss:
1) He can’t “suspend voting.”
Election dates are set by Congress...administration is run by states and counties. There’s no lawful button a president can push...to cancel the midterms nationwide.
2) The Insurrection Act isn’t a magic wand.
It only authorizes using federal troops to restore order in narrow scenarios. It does not erase the Constitution...state authority...or the courts...and the military’s oath...is to the Constitution...not a person.
3) Decentralization is our armor.
Fifty states...thousands of counties...independent secretaries of state...bipartisan canvassing boards...too many choke points to “take over the whole government.”
4) The real threat is softer:
*abuse of “emergency” optics to intimidate
*federal agency pressure
*targeted arrests/subpoenas to chill turnout
*disinfo to depress participation
These can disrupt...not cancel...elections; unless we’re passive.
So here’s what we do now:
Harden the process...recruit poll workers/observers...support county clerks...push for extended early voting/ballot-drop options.
Lawfare ready...pre-filed injunction templates...state AG coordination...hotline coverage for voter intimidation.
Voter insulation...mass early-vote drives...ride-to-the-polls networks...printed “what to do if challenged” cards.
Narrative firewall...clear scripts countering “it’s illegal to vote during X emergency” lies...rapid-response content ready to publish.
Pressure governors/SoS...public commitments that elections proceed...regardless of federal theatrics.
Bottom line: He can create chaos...but he can’t cancel the calendar. Our job is to reduce the chaos window...so votes...get cast...and counted.
-Jack
Thank you Jack. I'll take this as marching orders- most valuable activities to support in my county and (red) state. I'm organizing a group of local people to bolster our election workers. We are training safety marshals, skilled in de-escalation.
There isn’t a provision in the Insurrection Act that would stop or suspend elections. He will, no doubt, do anything to stop them.
This part I saw a mile away. He’s been setting it up for a long time. Pretty damn scary.
I saw it too. I told my Trump supporting neighbor in 2015 that he would start a war. She brushed it off.
Ha! You should make her a crow pie! 🐦⬛🥧📎🖇️
My Great-Aunt LOVED saying "Make'em a Crow pie!" lol
😆 We share many colloquialisms, huh? I think that’s fun.
Thank you Jack, for laying out this important piece of the regime's authoritarian strategy. I pray our Generals can/will prevent a military disaster.
Please forgive me for asking- is there simultaneously a sort of plot by autocrats to break up the world into 3 zones of influence (hemispheric defense?), wherein Putin controls Europe, Xi controls Southeastern Asia, and the US regime controls all of North and South America?
That’s a really insightful question, Virginia...and one that’s been floating around a lot lately.
There is truth to the idea that authoritarian powers are trying to carve out spheres of influence...but it’s not quite as formalized or coordinated as a “three-zone plan.”
What we’re seeing...instead...is a kind of parallel opportunism...each autocrat exploiting instability... to expand reach...where the U.S. and its allies are distracted.
Putin wants dominance over his near-abroad...and leverage over Europe’s energy grid.
Xi wants control of maritime trade routes...and buffer states across Asia.
And Trump’s camp...if you look at the rhetoric coming from Vought...Miller...and the Project 2025 network...wants to consolidate the Western Hemisphere...under a “strongman-led, anti-globalist” vision...they can market as hemispheric security.
So...while it’s not a signed pact...you’re absolutely right that they benefit from each other’s success; every authoritarian who expands his influence...normalizes the model for the next.
And yes...that’s exactly why the integrity and independence of our military leadership...is so critical right now. The uniformed command isn’t partisan...it’s constitutional...and they may end up being the firewall between dangerous political ambitions...and actual global catastrophe.
-Jack
He is chumming the the water. He wants a reason to pull the trigger or set the hook. He will start a problem and then use it as an excuse to use the war power act. Epstein files will be put on hold.
Exactly, John...that’s the pattern. He’s creating the conditions for a “crisis”...he can then claim requires extraordinary powers.
It’s how every authoritarian move gets justified...first...stir chaos...then...claim only you can fix it.
But one key distinction...the War Powers Act...still requires congressional notification and oversight. It’s not a blank check. He can posture...deploy limited forces...or declare a temporary emergency...but he can’t legally rewrite the Constitution.
The danger is political manipulation...not formal law. While the Epstein files might get buried in the noise for a bit...they won’t disappear...and the very act of trying to bury them only confirms how damaging they are.
So yes, you’re right...he’s chumming the waters, John. But this prick is doing it because... he’s running out of real defenses.
-Jack
I'm so over Republican President's getting us into " Little Wars" as a way to boost their popularity or win elections‼️🤬 I'm glad you wrote about this Bad strategy, Jack. Good Job and will reStack ASAP 🙏
Thank you, Karen...I really appreciate that. And you’re right… this pattern of “small, winnable wars” to boost approval...is one of the most cynical plays in American politics.
They sell it as patriotism...but it’s always about power...and distraction.
I’m glad this piece landed with you...every time we name the tactic out loud...it loses some of its effectiveness. Thanks for reading...sharing...and staying loud about it!
-Jack
Sorry for my being a little dense here, Jack.
Is the current president playing with a full deck or not? So many are saying he is not. If that is so, who (or who all) is fearful of losing their grip of the authoritarian reins?
If he is competent, MarALago, like Miami, is not that far away either. What is his risk assessment for his pride and joy?
Lastly, if the illicit drug trade is truly the bottom line, is Trump simply eliminating the competition (for a friend, of course)?
No worries at all, Mary...great questions, actually.
Here’s how I see it:
On Trump’s state of mind:
He’s not “incompetent” in the traditional sense...he’s erratic... impulsive...and driven almost entirely by grievance and image maintenance. That’s what makes him unpredictable...not incapable. The people around him...have learned to feed those impulses...to steer policy...which is why we see such a dangerous feedback loop.
On who’s afraid of losing control:
It’s less one person than a network; donors...media partners...and political operatives who’ve built empires off his chaos. They’re terrified...not of him losing power...but of the entire structure of influence and profit...collapsing with him.
On Mar-a-Lago and risk:
That’s a sore spot for him. Trump values personal safety...through loyalty; he assumes proximity...and wealth...are shields. But he also knows proximity to Venezuela...makes him appear strong and “hands-on”...to his base...which feeds his ego...more than prudence does.
On the drug-trade angle:
It’s not that Trump’s “eliminating competition” directly. It’s that drug-war rhetoric...gives him a perfect pretext for military posturing...and domestic crackdowns. The cartels are props in a larger political production...not the real target.
So, short answer:
He’s not out of cards...he’s playing a dangerous hand for personal survival...not strategy. The people pulling strings behind him fear losing the machine...that made them rich...and powerful...and that’s...what keeps this whole act running.
-Jack
These autocrats borrow from each other's playbooks. Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs comes to mind. A societal problem distorted and magnified, becomes an excuse for state terror.
Thank you for taking the time to respond, Jack, I appreciate it.
I’d like to know more about this too, Mary. He’s obviously not well. Everything else I read suggests Stephen Miller and Russ Vought are really in charge. It’s all part of Project 2025. But they realize Vance doesn’t have the following Donald has. So they’ll prop him up as long as they can.
I think you’re right to connect those dots, Joanne...that’s where a lot of the real action is.
Trump’s clearly showing signs of decline...physically...cognitively...and emotionally... but the machine around him...is functioning just fine.
Stephen Miller...and Russ Vought...have been building a shadow government framework through Project 2025...for years now.
They don’t need Trump sharp...they just need him presentable...long enough...to carry their agenda over the finish line. After that...Vance (or whoever they position next) becomes the face...while the same people keep pulling the levers.
That’s why it’s so critical people see the operation behind the personality...because the real continuity of power isn’t about Trump’s stamina...it’s about the infrastructure his loyalists built to outlast him.
That said, no Cult (and MAGA IS a Cult) survives without an ultra-persuasive Cult LEADER. Trump is an anomaly. There is no one even remotely capable of stepping in as the figurehead...with the magnetism and hold Trump has had. That...will be a problem. They either solve it...or they'll struggle.
-Jack
Thanks, Jack. Appreciate your clear, concise answers.
I agree, JR, and I wonder who else. Maybe the ‘who else’ can just be labeled Heritage Foundation Project 2025, but I wonder if it’s more than simply a domestic group. Maybe I’m being too farfetched. Who knows?
Restacked and shared in FB groups.
You're the best, Rae!
-Jack
What this administration really makes sense now. Thanks for this intel report.
Glad it helped connect the dots, Sue...that’s exactly why I write these. Once you see the larger pattern...the chaos starts to make sense. Appreciate you being here...and staying engaged...because awareness is our best defense right now!
-Jack
This is excellent intel, and I appreciate your time and effort so that we can put it to good use without Cheeto figuring it out. Another thing he hasn’t figured out is that he is the emperor who has no clothes on. Funny and sickening at the same time.
Appreciate that, Robert Oliver...and you’re right...it’s both absurd and unsettling watching him still believe he’s untouchable. The real power...now...lies with people...who see through the performance...and keep exposing it. That’s exactly what this community does ...and why it matters.
-Jack
Hi Jack, I decided to stop being drowned in the constant firehose of bullshit and spend all my time on the one thing I believe is critical: PROTECT THE MIDTERMS. It's the last stop on the train to Trumpville. Either we get off or we're never going to be bound for glory and the America into which I was born and long to return to before I die.