It's sure looking like we're facing an impending coup.
Donald Trump is an authoritarian who does not recognize the rule of law, and does not permit any sort of accountability for himself. He has been attacking the investigations against him all year, but in the last week, members of his own party have been both attempting to shut down the investigations into Russian interference with the 2016 election, with the loud encouragement of his propaganda wing at Fox News.
So, what I think is about to happen is this: Like in 1973, there will be a second Saturday Night Massacre. Some number of Justice Department officials will be fired, until someone can be found to remove Robert Mueller. Unlike 1973, however, Republicans will not move against this abrogation of the Constitutional order. Republicans right now are so ideologically driven, and so committed to Trump, and so determined to get as many goodies for their wealthy patrons as they can, that they have essentially turned the US Congress into a rump Congress where the minority is not heard or represented, and they don't have input on legislation. Meanwhile, the Democrats are so committed to the old Constitutional order that they still believe this stuff can't happen here and they are engaged in business as usual without necessary planning for what happens when Trump seizes power and shuts down the regular Justice Department and FBI function of holding the administration to account.
2018 will be a dark year for America, and for anyone with an interest in peace, freedom, democracy, the truth and the free press, or the rule of law. And it's coming fast. And most of the people here will be cheering it on the whole way into the abyss. But it is make-or-break for the ability to save the Republic.
