Come January 20th, it appears we are going to have a series of constitutional crises in this country that we haven't seen since the Civil War. Off the top of my head we will have:
- Trump will declare a national emergency on immigration that could allow him to mobilize the military to carry out his orders for mass deportation.
- Trump will mess around with the "Advice and Consent" powers of the Senate with executive branch appointments, including possibly proroguing the Congress (sending them home against their will).
- Trump seems ready to attack the sovereignty of the various states, again when it comes to immigration, including nationalizing the National Guard.
- He has some gestural notions of revoking birthright citizenship, again under the guise of this concept that migration constitutes an invasion.
- He seems almost certain to withhold appropriated funds for a state he doesn't like. The next wildfire in California will not receive FEMA funds or assistance.
- He will try to abrogate America's treaty obligations, including to NATO.
Once again, we are leaning on the very, very weak reed of whatever spine the institutional GOP still retains. There are five uncalled House races, with Democrats leading in two of them, but within a handful of votes in the other three. Gaetz has already resigned, and Slotkin and Waltz should to, which could leave the House with a GOP majority of a single seat. If - as it appears - Bob Casey will lose in Pennsylvania, then you will have Murkowski, Collins and...who knows trying to stick up for the powers of the Senate. McConnell has made some grunting noises towards preserving the Constitutional powers of the Senate, as he will not run for re-election. If he could rally some of the Senate Lifers like Grassley, you could find just enough votes to prevent Attorney General Matt Gaetz or DNI Tulsi Gabbard.
Still, the guy who said he wanted to be a dictator on Day One sure looks like he's going to be a dictator on Day One.
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