Amidst talk by left-wing radicals and anarchists of not accepting a victory by Donald Trump, there is increasing concern that an organized effort to disrupt America by rioting and looting in the streets might be made.
Realizing this, Trump pledged to quash any riots on election night. The possibility of unrest increases as state and local officials are warning they will be unable to call a winner in their states on election night due to mail-in ballots.
The remarks from the president came in an interview with Fox News host Jeanine Pirro set to air Saturday, in which he was asked how he would respond to incidents of rioting should he be declared the winner on Nov. 3.
“We’ll put them down very quickly if they do that. We have the right to do that. We have the power to do that, if we want,” Trump said.
“Look, it’s called insurrection,” he added. “We just send in, and we do it very easy. I mean, it’s very easy. I’d rather not do that because there’s no reason for it, but if we had to, we’d do that and put it down within minutes.”
Trump’s problem is that the “insurrection” would be spread out over several cities. But any threat to American democracy — including intimidation of those who are counting the votes on election night — must be put down with as much force as needed. It is absolutely necessary that the mob not dictate who wins elections in the United States.
It is unclear whether there will be rioting on election night or if the White House race will even be called in the hours after the polls close, due to the significant expansion of mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has expressed vocal opposition to voting by mail, asserting without evidence that the virtual ballot-casting practice would result in widespread voter fraud and yield unfavorable electoral results for Republicans.
Does anyone really believe the mob cares if the race is called on election night or not? Trump referred to possible election night violence as “an insurrection” and that’s exactly what it is. Whatever plans that will be executed that night will go forward regardless of who is ahead.
Trump has the option of deploying federal law enforcement to polling places to keep order and make sure voters are free from intimidation.
We’re going to have everything,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “We’re going to have sheriffs, and we’re going to have law enforcement, and we’re going to have, hopefully, U.S. attorneys, and we’re going to have everybody and attorneys general.”
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows insisted that Trump was not advocating a form of voter suppression, and Attorney General William Barr argued that sending federal agents to voting sites would be legal if they were responding to a “particular criminal threat” or “specific investigative danger.”
One need only look at the intimidation by antifa and other radicals who confront ordinary people at restaurants or out in the street to know that these people are capable of anything..
In the days and weeks that follow election night, as the two parties fight to count — or not to count — votes, the likelihood of violence in the streets increases. Democratic mayors who have heretofore refused to put down the insurrection will be overridden as Trump looks to protect the integrity of the vote — and American democracy.
It’s going to be a very bumpy ride.
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