How in the f*ck can 1 guy destroy the "strongest nation" so fast?

[Buddyzbuddy]

Don't answer, it's rhetorical. He had a Congress and Judiciary to help him. A Republican led Congress has stood by and watched our Nation burn.

I hope November isn't too late.

[leftstreet]

1. Congress is revealing the US is weak

Apparently there aren't 3 co-equal branches of govt

It's just a banana republic

[radical noodle]

28. Our Constitution is flawed

because it relies on most people upholding their oath to the Constitution which obviously means nothing to republicans.

[Nasruddin]

51. It's structurally flawed

Not to excuse stupidity, cowardice, and bad judgment.

The constitution and the Judiciary Act that followed it have a lot of flaws for a 21st century country and the society we have now.
It needs a re-think in many areas, and even some hacks would help some (no lifetime appointments).
The principal flaw I am thinking is rigidity. Some of that rigidity is inherent, and some is enforced by the supreme court,
which usurped control of interpretation almost from the beginning, with no consequences. We could hack some of that
out of the system by scoping the court but that wouldn't solve the rigidity problem.

[Mysterian]

63. The two major flaws are undemocratic apportionment of senators and the electoral college

Fix that and the republic could probably last a few hundred more years. I think a parliamentary sytem is better.

[GiqueCee]

78. When the Constitution was written...

... the population of the United States was about 4 million people, only landowning men could vote, and the big western states didn't exist. But, yeah, an overhaul of those key points, and others, is long overdue.
The Electoral College was a racist abomination the day it was conceived. No other elective office is subjected to that corrupt piece of shit. The President should be elected by the popular vote. Period.
When the GOP is banished to political Siberia, maybe we can make some much needed changes.

[intelpug]

102. Constitutional changes

And in order to make these constitutional changes.. Two thirds of the states must agree with them... Good luck with that

[AncientOfDays]

103. Electoral college

The EC is actually a bridge between 50 state election and 1 national election.

I think the real answer is to tweak the representation so that it more resembles the popular vote.

Originally I was for abolishing it, but then the Presidency/Vice presidency becomes a national election and we loose state control - and there's good reason for states to control their elections.

[BComplex]

82. In order to survive, the USA needs to remove the Opus Dei and extremist

republicans on the supreme court. They are truly terrorists in the republican take-over of the country.

[Snackshack]

65. The constitution works just fine....

it's the humans that make it look bad.

[Mysterian]

86. Then it doesn't work fine

Major amendments or a complete re-do are needed.

[Escurumbele]

89. Correct! When the constitution was written it iwas assumed that no traitors would occupy the White House, not in the

presidency, congress or senate. No safeguards for traitors, even though they should have thought about it because of Benedict Arnold.

I hope November isn't too late. Lets hope Democrats do their due diligence to prevent cheating. Why was a sheriff in California able to rob voting documentation? Democrats need to be proactive in order to prevent things like that, more is going to happen.

[kairos12]

99. Norms, customs, and oaths.

MAGA scoffs.

[wiggs]

80. In the past, the US credit rating has been downgraded because of inability to solve problems legislatively. With

this kind of congress and a WH which ONLY makes bad decisions...I can see that happening again.

[ShazzieB]

113. Tbh, I'm surprised that hasn't happened already. 🫤

[colorado_ufo]

87. In my opinion, the biggest flaw is something else:

Why is the president of the United States allowed to appoint the Attorney General? How is it possible to keep the Judicial and Executive Branches separate when this is the case?

Fix this one thing and you fix a lot.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Project 2025 consists of more than one guy.

Donald Trump is their talking hood ornament.

[yellow dahlia]

7. Exactly.

And the master plan pre-dates Project 2025.

[popsdenver]

62. SOME of us here

have been bitching and screaming our heads off, since HWBush's Republican CABAL committed Treason, to corrupt the 1980 Election and install Reagan as a pawn/puppet in the White House, while HW's CABAL worked in the shadows to deliver major blow, after major blow to the Middle class, and pass MASSIVE tax cuts to the Uber Wealthy and Corporations.......
Hell, there was even a large group, calling themselves "Reagan Democrats" calling those of us shouting out what was happening a group of "fanatical fringe, left wing crazies".........

The Republicans got away with that, and then did the EXACT SAME THING.... with Cheney's CABAL of Republicans, corrupting the 2000 election with the Supreme Courts assistance, (illegally), AND the 2004 election, .....installing WBush as pawn/puppet in the White House, while they steam rolled the entire nation into more tax cuts for wealthy/corporations, and a war in IRAQ that cost taxpayers over TWO TRILLION dollars at this point, so Cheney could have six U.S. Oil companies take over the oil of IRAQ........
(Venezuela anyone???????)

First was their "Project New American Century" manifesto in 1997, which, in fact, stated .....that their ability to shove their PNAC agenda through would be greatly assisted if there was "something" like pearl harbor to rally the people behind them........9/11???
(It is in writing folks, go and read it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The perfect title for a book, or large volume of books, about the past 45+ years would be: WHILE THE NATION SLEPT

Many politicians were merely walking down the jungle path, swatting at mosquitoes, and were oblivious to the herd of charging elephants.......Pun Intended

WASF

[yellow dahlia]

81. History lesson anyone?

If they could only use their skill sets for good instead of evil. Imagine.

[Traildogbob]

39. Exactly

Total support from Every billionaire in the world, the courts, a useless congress, willing treasonous scum, most all of the Media and the stupidest people on earth cheering it all on. Cherry on top…..religion.
All the stars aligned through decades of careful planning, and then put in the puppet to sell it all.
If only we could have history to tell us what would happen. A species way too stupid to survive.
Now the religion is cheering on the last big boom, ASAP, and they will be cheering and celebrating the missile launches like an old Cape Canaveral launch for moon exploration. USA USA USA. Virgins, mansions, streets of gold and a seat beside Jebus just over the hill. All white paradise awaits them.
They have even taught of a RAPTURE will be taking them home. It is the billionaire RAPTORS coming to take the out, not home. We knew they can’t spell, but this misspelling will be their end. Not a happy ending either. No take backs.
No kool aide was required. Just media.

[CTyankee]

106. Exactly! I like your allusion. It is perfect!

[gab13by13]

3. Many billionaires helped,

along with Russia, Israel, North Korea, helping to get him elected.

[yellow dahlia]

10. A lot of evil entities at work.

[Roc2020]

4. "strongest nation" in quotes

is very appropriate. the foundation has been cracking for decades now. Now the freefall is happening. China has won and taking over.

[Turbineguy]

5. He has a lot of help.

[GenThePerservering]

6. Obviously, we were not as strong as we told ourselves we were. nt

[Buddyzbuddy]

8. Hence, the quotes.

[EndlessMaze]

101. Or obliviously not as strong.....

[tanyev]

9. The GOP has been laying the groundwork for decades.

When the sociopath they needed to "seal the deal" emerged, they were all in.

[yellow dahlia]

11. Word

[FalloutShelter]

14. THIS

And:
Democratsrespect the rule of Law
Democrats are not violent
Democrats honor the Constitution
Democrats protest non-violently
Democrats paint signs and knit hats.

They are not afraid of us.
No kings will be huge but it will not deter them because THEY DO NOT FEAR US.

Democrats eat their own and fight over policy objectives when the house is on fire.

At the very least we need a general strike.
The very least.

JMHO

[Walleye]

27. Well, you heard Trump this morning, he hates Democrats, and his followers just following him

[OhioBack2Blue]

56. Trump was Dem for 25-30 years...

Sometimes I think the joke is on MAGA.

[Walleye]

68. Maga loves him for saying that he hates all of us

Hatred is all they have now.

[Cosmocat]

23. Correct

It absolutely was not just one man.

It was the whole Republican party / "Conservative Media" machine that mercilessly tore this country apart at the seems that allowed him to be elected.

Reagen and his government is bad schtick and countless other deleterious bullshit that they fed people day and night for decades turning the against the country itself.

[bdamomma]

12. Yup

one idiot pedophile with help from Project 2025 posse.

look at past history: Hitler, Mussolini, and many others. One WEAK man shaking up the world.

[awesomerwb1]

13. In the end, it may be the billionaire's coup

Taking over media, owning AI, owning elections, politicians, owning/manipulating global markets, owning the military, owning food supplies etc etc.

[a kennedy]

15. AND IT'S GONNA TAKE FOREVER TO FIX!!!!!

🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬 🤬

[Autumn]

22. I don't believe it will be fixed. It will be glossed over and the rot will continue.

[Cosmocat]

24. At best

nm

[Coventina]

16. Because we weren't really strong. Feet of clay and a rotten core.

[LaMouffette]

17. Our nation's Founders assumed that the majority of those elected to federal government would be honorable patriots.

They did foresee that a monster like Rump could attempt to seize power. They did not foresee that an entire party in Congress and the Supreme Court would be complicit enablers to this kind of domestic coup.

At the very least, the requirements to become president in the first place need to be ratcheted up, BIG TIME. I mean, Rump is a convicted FELON! Could we at least add an amendment to the Constitution that no convicted felons may be elected president?!

And strip the president of the power to pardon. Period.

[mopinko]

34. they thought they'd defend their own power.

i dont think they thought they’d all b good, but they did think they’d zealously guard their own power.

[Ilikepurple]

77. Yes, I also believe they thought the varied interests of the several states would also serve as a guardrail

I don’t think they envisioned a government where everybody would fall in line behind one set of political ideas or goals, but national and international corporations have created financial and political power detached from state or even US interests. Until recently, I naively thought at one time that at the very least, billionaires’ interests would conflict enough to forestall any serious steps towards fascism in this country, but seeing so many stand behind Trump in his second inauguration served as a warning that many of the world’s most wealthy and powerful individuals are on the same page. Why compete for our $ and labor when you can just take it by creating a market free of tangible competition?

[DBoon]

18. We have been rotting from within since Reagan was elected

All it took after 40 years of rot, one good push and then everything collapses

[calimary]

105. Yeah, that feels like the beginning of the end.

And the slick talking former announcer knew just how to get the public solidly behind him.

To me, that was the beginning of the end. And we haven’t yet found our way out. There are some folks who are trying to do so, but when they appear, people need to get behind them, BIGTIME, if they want those “good guys” to be able to guide the rest of us to safety.

[EdmondDantes_]

19. It's more than that

The rise of racist nationalist parties is everywhere.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. The smart ones in Congress are dashing for the exit doors,

refusing to run for another office because they know they have sucked this country dry and the American people know it.

[Autumn]

21. It's not one guy . There are 218 Republicans in Congress and a couple of Democrats that work with Trump

to destroy America.

[Oneironaut]

25. There was a whole undercurrent of Fascists ready to pounce.

The US has been trending towards authoritarianism for a while. They finally saw this as their chance to attack and destroy the system.

[Irish_Dem]

26. It was a long term plan.

Happened gradually, then suddenly.

[Boomerproud]

98. Yes, it was a long-termed plan with many tentacles like an octopus.

Only the ease of the takeover has been a surprise.

[Irish_Dem]

107. Exactly. We didn't expect everyone to fold like a cheap lawn chair.

Courts, congress, corporations, law firms, universities, etc.

[JHB]

29. Because 1 guy didn't he had lots and lots of help, by both his immediate support system and...

...the foundations for destruction laid over the last 40-50 years.

[unblock]

30. So fast? It took decades

Donnie didn't emerge out of the blue, he's the logical consequence of a decades-long mission of right-wing billionaires to create a propagandistic media with a mission to push their agenda at the expense of the people, democracy, and the truth, and to further consolidate their control, power, and wealth,

It goes back at least as far as Reagan/gingrich and hate radio.

Donnie would not have been possible in the '80s. He was only able to do what he is doing because the propagandists laid the foundation for a monster like him.

[haele]

31. It's been undermined since the Dulles Brothers threw in with the Mob

And the Financiers brought us Reagan to grease the skids to get their drones in place to implement their Plantation Economy plan.
DJT was only the wafer-thin mint at the top...

[kacekwl]

32. He had the backing of his master Putin

and co conspirators the entire Republican party.

[RockRaven]

33. He's a symptom, not the disease. America has been sick, declining for a half century.

[republianmushroom]

35. He is having plenty of help from about a third of the population.

He is not doing it by himself.

[Blues Heron]

36. It's a coup

[maxsolomon]

37. The American People are rubes and appointed him to do it.

November is too late.

The damage is done. No matter what happens in November, conviction in an Impeachment trial is a practical impossibility, so he's in power for 34 more months.

We'll suffer for these 4 years for the rest of my life, currently estimated to end in 2053.

[legallyblondeNYC]

38. It's the propaganda

They told a good narrative. And humans love a good story.
Even if they know it's a story.
Narrative works. Myth works. Propaganda works.

Particularly when you couple it with the addictiveness of social media.

[southmost]

40. its a entire political party

and it has been executed in stages at exponential speed

[Escape]

41. Majority rules in a Democracy..

A slight majority of Americans are now racists, liars, hypocrites and crooks.

[Fla Dem]

42. Our demorcracy always had flaws, but we had a congress that was "for the people and by the people".

Unfortunately we now have a government run by an autocratic, self serving and threating individual with a republican congress too scared for their futures to take any action to remove him.

[jmowreader]

43. It's not "one guy"

What you are seeing is them pulling out the Business Plot of 1933 and finding someone who’d go along with it.

[dclarston13]

44. One Guy did not destroy

The millions of Americans who voted for the clown are destroying it, as well as the complicit media who brainwashed them.

[Eddie Haskell 60]

45. Republicans are ultimately responsible

They confirmed his podcaster cabinet and refuse to check the executive as required by the Constitution.

[AllyCat]

47. We weren't that strong.

[LilElf70]

48. 3 answers

Citizens United, a corrupt Supreme court, and a moron that thinks he's way above the law and the constitution.

He's such a narcissist, he just has to have his name on money, so his name lives forever. It's sickening. ALL OF IT!!!

[Shipwack]

49. He is just exposing the existing rot.

We were never as strong as we seemed or boasted.

It was built on stolen land and forced labor.

We had some good structural elements, in our time, but they were built on a rotten foundation.

If we had acknowledged and addressed our sins (which probably would have been rough and painful), we might have avoided all this.

Or maybe not.

[Hope22]

50. He had coffers filled by corporations.

A network spreading lies for him 24/7. He had help with the counting of the ballots including personally strong arming election officials. What could possibly go wrong?

[czarjak]

52. "The American Dream is dead."

Was a threat?

[IbogaProject]

53. One?

The Gop and its wealthy supporters own this insanity. It's tens of millions.

[usaf-vet]

54. Because at least half of us have an IQ less than 60 and will swallow his shit.

[JoseBalow]

112. The median IQ is 100

With a standard deviation of 15

[hamsterjill]

55. I can't add anything to your post.

You summed it up brilliantly.

I hope November isn't too late, too, but I have my concerns.

[FakeNoose]

57. He's had lots of help ... this coup was all planned years ago and "Project 2025" was only a small part of it

[bluestarone]

58. First things first. This constitution held together for centuries!

Our forefathers could NEVER dream of weapons that could be used to destroy it. So many things had to take place before these fuckers succeeded in doing what they are doing today. Also blame can be put on STUPID no voting Americans that let these GREEDY, FILTHY RAPING BASTARDS do what they did, and continue to do. It could come to a point where we will have to do what they did to bring DEMOCRACY to our great country. November will be our last chance to stop these pile of shit bastards. Let's VOTE for the right reason. Undo the EVIL that these bastards brought to our country. VOTE VOTE VOTE!!

[Joinfortmill]

59. He's had a lot of help

[ZDU]

60. Religious Extremism... Hello America

😳

[Mysterian]

61. Because, over decades, the unpatriotic republican party had made it a crumbling ruins

Trump just came in to kick out the few remaining pillars.

[Snackshack]

64. One name comes to mind...

cj john roberts.

w/o the real world 'get out of jail free' card scotus gave djt... he never becomes president a 2nd time.


Even Brazil's supreme court knew better then to give a man who tried to overthrow the government immunity.

[TygrBright]

66. Not "1 guy". A whole political machine has been working on this for 70+ years. n/t

[Envirogal]

74. That is exactly what I was going to say.

The entire Republican Party and its members are complicit. That’s not one guy—that’s an army that staged a coup over our media and institutions.

[annielion]

67. I believe many have been working towards this for a long time.

Because I "know" that the election was stolen (others may "know" that it was not), I don't think this horror would have been possible had not this extremely flawed cult leader been handed not just the presidency, but the House and the Senate. The cult has failed. They are done. I'm hoping that once many people see the steal was real and was very thorough that we can recover more quickly.

[Scalded Nun]

69. 1 guy did not do this. 1 guy, along with a complicit GOP majority in both houses of congress, a corrupted justice

system, and a stacked, corrupt Supreme court have done (and continue to do) this. Based upon what I see as a lack up true push-back, I suspect military leadership has been co-opted and servile as well (do not confuse military leadership with the civilian DoD leadership, which is also as corrupt as it gets).

Make no mistake, though. They have not 'stood by and watched'. They have actively aided, abetted, ensured funding and otherwise championed all of 1 Guy's efforts. We must also include the wealthy individuals and corporations who are balls-to-the-wall intent on bringing down our Republic in order to re-frame it in their image.

And when we do prevail, we MUST ensure every fucking one of these treasonous assholes is held to account and punished accordingly.

[Martin68]

70. "How in the f*ck can 1 guy destroy the "strongest nation" so fast?" Because a significant portion of the electorate is

as depraved as he is. Then there are the enablers: the media, the right-wing Evangelical Church, and ultra-wealthy degenerates that support Trump for personal power and profit. And a majority of Republican Congress-critters.

[lees1975]

71. We had a Democratic house, senate and white house from 2020 to 2024 that sat on its hands and didn't do anything

to prevent this, including failing to prosecute him for his crimes. They had a chance and let it get away.

For two years, from 2021 to 2023 when we had control of both houses, we could have packed the supreme court. Failing to do so has brought us to where we are now.

I one of the last things to go is free and fair elections. No one is doing anything about that either.

But a lot of Democrats are using this crisis to raise lots of money. Worthless if we can't stop vote cheating, but the status quo must be preserved.

[ShazzieB]

72. The only part of the Judiciary that's helped him is SCOTUS.

Well, SCOTUS, and one particular judge in the Southern District of Florida whom we all love to hate.

Aside from to those examples (which have admittedly done the most profound damage), dozens if not hundreds of decisions have been rendered against Schlump in the courts. (Does anyone know how many? I have no idea.) I hate to see "the Judiciary" accused of helping him as if it's a pro Trump monolith, because it decidedly is not.

In my opinion, the Republican controlled Congress has been his chief aider and abettor. Judges render decisions on the cases that are brought before them. They do not have the power Congress has to initiate action against a rogue president.His sycophant V.P. and Cabinet of ass-kissing toadies are next on the list.

SCOTUS made a terrible mistake with their insane "presidential" immunity ruling, but the people who have the power to do something NOW are Congress (impeachment) and the V.P. and Cabinet (25th amendment). Let's put the blame where it belongs.

[Buddyzbuddy]

76. You are correct, ShazzieB.

I wrote "Judiciary" for expediency of including the Supreme Court and that crooked "Justice" in Florida.

I appreciate the fact the Judiciary as a majority are doing their best to save our Democracy.

And, again, it's not the whole Supreme Court that is corrupted, nor corrupted 100% of the time. But I think you get my point.

[QueerDuck]

73. Willing accomplices.

[SupportSanity]

75. It's a war of many people and countries who have spent years planning for the right moment.

And here we are.

[mike_c]

79. it wasn't just one guy...

...and it didn't happen that fast. Trump would never have been elected at any other time but the last 20-ish years. The way was paved by toxic partisanship, the rise of grievance politics (e.g. political talk radio, Reaganism, Citizens United, "shutting down the government" ), and professional irritants like the Tea Party. Unless Americans from all "sides" can find genuine common causes to bring them together, it's just going to get worse.

[nini]

83. 40 year plan. Started way back under Reagan

And here we are and the GOP is so proud and half this country are freaking hateful fools

[Festivito]

84. It's too late to ask Nero.

Although that could be an alternative name for our Krasnov.

[yourout]

85. Lots of help but In reality it's been brewing since..

Nixon.

[Clouds Passing]

88. P 25

[relayerbob]

90. It's actually taking longer than I expected

Too many lawyers and protesters getting in the way, I guess.

[debsy]

91. Another flaw is...

…people who couldn’t get a job at a McDonald’s can be elected to public office. Criminals can hold public office.

FBI checks are required for most people seeking employment in any job, public or private. You can’t get a bank account without credit checks. Loans, insurance, rentals, etc, all require some kind of background check. There are no such checks for those seeking public office. That is a huge problem, imho.

[Mblaze]

92. We still have the World Cup happening.

It could be a disaster.

[JT45242]

93. Putin and others have been playing a long game since 1980s

They did bury us with our own greed and corruption.

[Aussie105]

94. America let its guard down.

Too many looking for 'what is in it for me?'

Too many lacking morals and ethics.

Too many saying 'I need to get mine, and stuff you!'

[Buddyzbuddy]

95. YES, 1 GUY! Somebody more corrupt than Nixon, somebody with more dementia than Reagan and Somebody dumber than Bush Jr..

That's what it took to do what none of the others could. This vengeful useful tool of Putin's with the mind of a child more malleable than Playdough without filters or rational thought. The puppet that all Republican strategic manipulators before him put everything they could to back his play, this guy.
Nixon got caught lying and cheating, Reagan got caught just when his mind went to mush, Bush Sr. was only able to get away with his lies for 1 term. The Supreme Court appointed Bush Jr. as our President who lied us into a war and nearly bankrupted the Country but none of them could break our Nation.

No, it took this guy to do it. Sure, he had a lot of snakes help him but those snakes some of them the same snakes for 50+ years couldn't get it done without the Felon.

We, historically, collectively did not consider what he's done as possible. When I say this "fast" I'm referring to the last 55 years in which he has only been involved in the last 9. 10 since the escalator. He's accomplished what Japan, Cuba, Russia, China, Saudi's, the Southern States, and domestic terrorists couldn't do. In that respect, idiot that he is, has been quite successful.
All because he wouldn't listen to the people that told him "you shouldn't do this or that."
We, Democrats included, allowed this by not having enough imagination to think "what if". We were concerned about nuclear war from foreign countries, not domestic annihilation from within. We need to police our own leaders and hold them accountable, hold ourselves accountable for this failure to imagine the worst case. And then solve for the problem before it's a problem.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

96. Also he's been helped by

25 years of nationwide right wing, anti government, Democrat bashing. A great many of our fellow Americans are brain washed.

[DallasNE]

97. All True, But

Last edited Fri Mar 27, 2026, 11:32 PM - Edit history (1)

It misses the most important point. A plurality of Americans voted for a train wreck because that was better than “that woman”. Our neighbors are still too sexist to think a woman could stand up to Putin. They still harbor that feeling.

[madamesilverspurs]

100. Not to be ignored (IMHO)

is Reagan funding cuts to education. And the GOP has gleefully continued that disparagement. Reagan planted seeds that were harvested in '16 as evidenced by millions who boasted of doing their own research having never learned the art of critical thinking. We do, in fact, reap what we sow.


.

[Skittles]

108. not to mention his "trickle down" garbage

that created the underclass so easily misled

[Initech]

104. He also has multiple 24/7 channels of extremely divisive brainwashing propaganda at his disposal.

Which people watch voluntarily.

[Glaisne]

110. This has been decades in the making.

Conservatives have been planning and working towards for decades. It's been media consolidation, propaganda, money in politics, deregulation, grooming fascists, rigged elections, and so on. This is an end game that the right has been preparing for.

[samsingh]

111. it started with George w bush and the supreme court decision to select him as president

that laid the groundwork for more and more corruption

[LisaL]

114. It's not just one guy.

77 millions voted for him. So the country if full of MAGATs without whom this wouldn't have been possible.