The possibilities are endless:
nytimes.com/2020/10/28/opin … e=Homepage
[b]'On Oct. 23, the Pennsylvania state Republican Party asked the Supreme Court to take up the case again on its merits. If the court does so — back at full membership with Barrett potentially positioned to cast the tiebreaking vote — it raises the possibility that the outcome could once again be in the hands of the Supreme Court, just as it was in Bush v. Gore in 2000. The election would have to be close for this scenario to develop, but it is not impossible.
'An eventuality along these lines would play out against a background of grass roots mobilization on both the right and left that heightens the prospect of civic disruption. If Trump were to take advantage of chaos on Election Day and in its aftermath to claim victory, there is the near certain prospect of protests that would make this past summer’s Black Lives Matter demonstrations look mild in comparison.
'The radical right is currently the greatest focus of a potential for disruption.
'The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, a liberal nonprofit group, issued a report earlier this month, “STANDING BY: Right-Wing Militia Groups & the US Election,” that “maps a subset of the most active right-wing militias” including the Three Percenters, the Oath Keepers, the Light Foot Militia, the Civilian Defense Force, and the“street movements that are highly active in brawls,” including the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer.
'The Armed Conflict Location Group report warns:
'Militia groups and other armed nonstate actors pose a serious threat to the safety and security of American voters. Throughout the summer and leading up to the general election, these groups have become more assertive, with activities ranging from intervening in protests to organizing kidnapping plots targeting elected officials.
'The group’s report noted that both the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have specifically identified extreme far right-wing and racist movements as a primary risk factor heading into November, describing the election as a potential ‘flash point’ for reactionary violence.
'At the same time, liberal groups have not been sitting on their hands.
'A relatively moderate entity called Holdtheline has issued “A Guide to Defending Democracy” by Hardy Merriman, Ankur Asthana, Marium Navid and Kifah Shah, all active in leftist advocacy groups. The guide warns that “we are witnessing ongoing actions that destroy our democracy bit by bit.”
'The guide pointedly stresses nonviolence and describes two categories of protest, “acts of commission” including engaging in demonstrations, marches, or nonviolent blockades,” and “acts of omission,” including strikes of all kinds; deliberate work slowdowns; boycotts of all kinds; divestment; refusing to pay certain fees, bills, taxes, or other costs; or refusal to observe certain expected social norms or behaviors.
'A second liberal group, Choosing Democracy, is preparing for nonviolent protest in the event of “an undemocratic power grab — a coup.” The group asks supporters to take the following pledge:
'We will vote.
'We will refuse to accept election results until all the votes are counted.
'We will nonviolently take to the streets if a coup is attempted.
'If we need to, we will shut down this country to protect the integrity of the democratic process.
'As the Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Seattle, New York and other cities demonstrated last summer, in large scale protests it can be difficult to enforce a commitment to nonviolence.
'Not only that, but the federal indictment of Ivan Harrison Hunter, a member of the Boogaloo Bois, on charges that he “discharged 13 rounds from an AK-47 style semiautomatic rifle into the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct building” suggests that in the event of protests from the left, right-wing groups will attempt to foster and encourage violence.
'Police department across the nation are gearing up to deal with violence on Election Day and in its aftermath.
'“It’s fair to say the police are preparing in ways they never would have had to for Election Day,” Chuck Wexler, director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank, told Time magazine. Andrew Walsh, a deputy chief of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, told The Washington Post, “I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this in modern times.”[/b]
