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Laelth

(32,017 posts)
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 10:30 AM Jul 2020

What would happen if Trump tried to arrest the Governor of Oregon?

Recently, Uncle Vlad, in Moscow, arrested Sergei Furgal, the elected Governor of Khabarovsk, a region in Far-Eastern Russia, and had him shipped off to Moscow for “questioning” (and, probably, re-education). To their credit, the displeased people of Khabarovsk have been demonstrating in the streets for about a week over this assault upon their local sovereignty.

But what would happen in the United States if Trump decided he wanted to arrest a Governor—for example, that uncooperative and ungrateful Governor in Oregon who is a little peeved about unidentified (and unwelcome) federal agents arresting and questioning her citizens?

Here, the idea is laughable. Trump can’t arrest a governor. Trump wouldn’t even try it. It would never work. Mercifully, our outrageously unwieldy republic is HIGHLY resistant to totalitarianism. The states remain supreme.

It’s almost funny. These days you see governors telling the President to piss off (Michigan). You see mayors telling governors to piss off (Atlanta), and you see local school boards telling county commissioners to piss off (Orange County). This is one of those times when I can really appreciate the beauty of this ridiculously complicated, power-diffused (decentralized) system of government that we have.



-Laelth

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What would happen if Trump tried to arrest the Governor of Oregon? (Original Post) Laelth Jul 2020 OP
Or Georgia? n/t Igel Jul 2020 #1
I am not following you. Laelth Jul 2020 #4
Don't give him ideas. AleksS Jul 2020 #2
I appreciate the wisdom of your position. Laelth Jul 2020 #3
There will be repercussions for such an action. roamer65 Jul 2020 #5
The clock is ticking on this Cosmocat Jul 2020 #6
No doubt. Laelth Jul 2020 #14
As desperate as he is he could try doing this, duforsure Jul 2020 #7
The President doesn't have arrest powers SCantiGOP Jul 2020 #8
No. He doesn't. Laelth Jul 2020 #11
This would be second term stuff. He and his cabal realize slow steps are less noticeable. First jalan48 Jul 2020 #9
It certainly COULD be. Laelth Jul 2020 #10
Who would stop him? Sewa Jul 2020 #12
We do take liberal government for granted. I agree. Laelth Jul 2020 #13

AleksS

(1,665 posts)
2. Don't give him ideas.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 10:45 AM
Jul 2020

Don’t give Trump ideas.

The minute you say “ He can’t possibly sink that low,” is the moment he says “Hold my beer.”

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
3. I appreciate the wisdom of your position.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 10:51 AM
Jul 2020

“Don’t stir the pot.”

But part of me would like to see Trump try it. That would create a REAL Constitutional crisis the likes of which we have never seen, and, given the current state of the Republic, I suspect that the SCOTUS would be compelled to rule in favor of state sovereignty—i.e. FOR the Governor of Oregon.



-Laelth

Cosmocat

(14,535 posts)
6. The clock is ticking on this
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 11:11 AM
Jul 2020

If he gets to stay in the White House past January 20, all bets are off on this ...

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
14. No doubt.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 04:11 PM
Jul 2020

If Trump is re-installed next year, this 233-year-old republic will be in danger of sliding into fascism. So far, mercifully, that future feels remote.

-Laelth

duforsure

(11,880 posts)
7. As desperate as he is he could try doing this,
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 11:18 AM
Jul 2020

He's already criminalizing peaceful protesters, and using extreme violence against them, and openly violating their constitutional civil rights , and Republicans are saying and doing nothing to stop it. This will only escalate rapidly and he'll escalate his violence for intimidation and to instill fear, if judge's don't get this under control by ruling against it quickly.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
11. No. He doesn't.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 11:58 AM
Jul 2020

But DHS does, and I could imagine Trump fantasizing about the powers his buddy, Vlad, can wield.

I just don’t think that Trump could get away with it in this republic.

-Laelth

jalan48

(13,785 posts)
9. This would be second term stuff. He and his cabal realize slow steps are less noticeable. First
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 11:35 AM
Jul 2020

they will expand using the US military in all states across the nation.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
10. It certainly COULD be.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 11:56 AM
Jul 2020

Our primary goal must be to do what we can to insure that a second Trump term never happens.

Go Joe!

-Laelth

Sewa

(1,237 posts)
12. Who would stop him?
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 12:18 PM
Jul 2020

The acting head of DHS would drink his own piss if Trump told him to. There are rogue law enforcement agencies all across our country.

I like your question. Americans take too much for granted.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
13. We do take liberal government for granted. I agree.
Sat Jul 18, 2020, 12:27 PM
Jul 2020

But, under our Constitution, only the states have police powers. Let us hope that this doesn’t change under Trump.

-Laelth

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