What if we lose the midterms, So then what?

[indusurb]

Say that despite all the polling, Democratic redistricting, GOTV efforts, etc. etc. The MAGA administration manages to steal the midterms. The evidence of cheating will be pretty clear, but as the old saying goes, it's not the votes, it's who counts them.

So then what? Multiple lawsuits that wind up dead in the Trump controlled court system? Mass protesting that once again put millions on the streets, but are barely acknowledged by the media and barely noticed by the public at large?

So then what? Let MAGA have the illegitimate victory and hope both that they don't completely destroy the country, and that yet again we pin our hopes on the next elections, praying that it won't be rigged as well, which you know it will be.

So then what? This is reality we could very well facing come November, and while it is great to be optimistic and upbeat, but we need to start thinking about what we're going to do if they rig this next election six ways from Sunday, which they're already doing. The usual methods for remedying such theft aren't going to work, so we need to start thinking and planning for that contingency.

So then what?

[biophile]

1. Then it gets ugly

If voting can’t get us anywhere due to intimidation, threats, energy grid disruption, voter role purges, ballot rejections, long wait lines in blue districts, misinformation, disinformation, polling places removed or changed without notice, gerrymandering, and many other ways to prevent actual votes being counted- then it has to get much more aggressive than just standing on corners chanting.
From Voting to Violence.
Title of a good book, too, by the way.

[Happy Hoosier]

2. It depends.

If we win, but by small numbers, we hold back the madness, probably. At least to some extenet.

If the Status Quo is maintained, this will get worse, at about the same rate. So we'll be a mess, but will probably surive

If the MAGAts actually signficantly advance. We're fucked. Democracy is essntially dead. The deck will have been stacked against us too much.

In my feeling, this may be it.

MAYBE a Presidential win in 2028 staunchs the blood for a bit, but if Trump continues his attacks on voting rights, there'a a good chance we'll never have a fair election again.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Learn Russian?

[Swede]

6. Nyet!!!

[DFW]

8. I already did that.

I may have to consider Mandarin. Ni hao !!

[Irish_Dem]

11. Yes we must speak the languages of our new lord and masters.

Ni hao!

[DFW]

12. I can even play the balalaika

I fear that learning to eat with chopsticks may come in handier..

[Irish_Dem]

13. You will fit right in.

Yes we have to be practical.
Figure out how to eat under the new regime.

[DFW]

15. My brother's wife is from Japan. I had a very competent instructor.

I may not be very good at looking inscrutable, but at least I can attack sashimi like a seasoned pro.

[Irish_Dem]

20. The Japanese were using knives and forks in public 60 years ago.

I am a military kid and spent some years in Japan.
Americans would be the only ones using chop sticks in some restaurants.
It was funny.

Of course China is completely different from Japan on so many levels.

Chinese still use chopsticks to this day.
I visited China about ten years ago and have Chinese friends.
And love everything about Asia.

I will do better with our new Chinese lord and master.

I know nothing about Russia, nor do I want to.

[DavidDvorkin]

4. Then it's all over.

[Kaleva]

5. What are your plans?

If this is a major concern for you, I’d imagine you already have well thought out plans in place.

[mwmisses4289]

7. Thank you for this post!

Too many are acting like we have already won, when the election hasn't even happened yet. This is the same thing that happened with Clinton and Harris: we all believed we had it in the bag, then the rug was pulled out from under our feet.
Not sure what to do, short of hoping whatever deity is out there strikes them down, but I plan to vote.

[FalloutShelter]

9. This is exactly what we, as Democrats

Should be discussing seriously with our Dem. Reps and leadership.
Also among ourselves on this platform.
What is plan B?

Is there a plan, for organizing if the election is suspended or stolen (again)?

The party wants my money. I would like to see a plan .

[Irish_Dem]

10. Then we have lost our democracy.

Only two possibilities:

1. We no longer have free and fair elections.

OR:

2. The American people have voted out democracy and want a dictatorship.

[blubunyip]

14. Good question. We all need to face this

They have stolen and will steal again. We know that. So will the midterms be our line in the sand? Or do we just accept election theft again --and accept a future of more of the same?

I don't think so. I don't think people can take much more abuse by this rogue regime. So I think there would be an immediate reaction. I do not advocate violence--as the experts have said, violence would only bring more oppression and turn a lot of people against us. And nobody really wants violence. I think it has to be massive protests, strikes, all sorts of non-violent actions. A large number must object, by the best means available to each person. This is a good time to solidify networks, info sources, friends and neighbors--organize yourself and others. Reach out to every single person you can't think of who doesn't bother voting or thinks it doesn't work--get them out to vote! That is the only way we are going to know what our support really is and make it harder for them to steal. NOT the time to give up. Actually in fighting Fascism, there's no good time to give up.

Yes absolutely indusurb! We need to be thinking about what we would do the day after the midterms. Know the Enemy--but also know your friends.

[Celerity]

16. After '26 we only have 2 more cycles ('28 & '30) until the post 2030 census reapportionment smashes us in '32, both in

the House and then (and potentially even more negatively impactful and automatic, requiring no state legislative action) the Electoral College map for POTUS.

Post 2030 Census we could likely see a net swing of 22 to 30 or so US House seats (and thus also Electoral College votes) to Red States. I would guess, 4.5 years or so in advance, that it ends up around a net 24 to 26 seat loss from Blue to Red states.

Those lost Blue State House seats and lost Blue State POTUS EVs are going to be a massive spanner in the works for the US and the world going forward after the 2030 midterms in 4 years.

It is very likely going to be so much harder for us Democrats to win the US House and the POTUS after the 2030 midterms. It also puts the US Senate in an even more crucial 'final barrier' position.

In 2026 midterms we have a shot at taking back the Senate. IF we retain all our current seats we are at 47.

The following states can all be potentially flipped from from Rethug to Dem. (FL, KS, KY, and TN are not going to flip, there are no realistic signs (nor great Dem candidates) that I have seen in any of those 4 ruby Red states for a massive upset, and my list below for possible flips is already aggressive as hell):

AK
IA
ME
NE (independent Dan Osborn, who may not caucus with either party)
NC
OH
TX

Sweeping those gets us to 53 seats plus Osborn in Nebraska, IF we sweep all our current Blue-held seats.

Cooper in NC is the only one I would say is very likely to flip Blue. Next most likely are ME and OH and neither of those are locks.

That gets us to 50. IF Osborn wins and refuses to caucus with either Party, we would have control 50 to 49.

We need to win one out of AK, IA, and TX to get to 51 and remove any doubt about Osborn's intentions.

We are in some danger of getting flipped from Blue to Red in the following 3 states:

GA (thank fuck Govenor Brian Kemp did not run)

MI (this is going to be tough no matter which one of the 3 Dems wins our primary, as Rethug Mike Rogers is beating all 3 in the most current polls)

NH (this is the least likely flip IMHO, as we dodged a huge bullet when the extremely popular Rethug Governor Chris Sununu declined to run for the seat, his brother John is running but is a weaker candidate. Chris Sununu was up by almost double digits against any Dem before he declined, John Sununu trails any Dem, and Pappas will now be our Dem nominee).

[Fiendish Thingy]

19. Except...

Demographic changes in the US electorate may alter expected shifts in traditionally red/blue districts/states.

By 2032, there will be tens of millions more Gen Z voters, a huge proportion of which will be POC.

So yes, populations will shift in various states, shifting the assignment of congressional seats and EV’s, but so will the demographic makeup of states seeing major changes in the number of residents. It is expected to peak around 2035, when whites will become the minority nationwide.

But as the now famous Marshwan said in his statement to the LA legislature in its redistricting hearings, we are at last, finally, witnessing the death throes of the Confederacy. Yes, the racist spirit of the antebellum South will live on the hearts of many, but they will overwhelmingly be outnumbered by POC and young white voters who reject the politics of hate.

I think it’s entirely possible that, by the 2030’s we could see a whole new batch of purple swing states.

When Dems take the trifecta in 2028, in addition to making DC and, if they want it, Puerto Rico states, they could also expand congress, even assign multiple representatives to a single district, to be selected by proportional representation.

Of course, court expansion will also make it possible to re-author a Voting Rights Act with ironclad regulations and rules, which will be upheld by the new liberal majority on the court.

All it will take is electing enough courageous Democrats to make it happen.

[Fiendish Thingy]

17. What if the earth plunges into the sun, so then what?

Same odds as Dems not taking back the house.

So then what? This is reality we could very well facing come November, and while it is great to be optimistic and upbeat, but we need to start thinking about what we're going to do if they rig this next election six ways from Sunday, which they're already doing. The usual methods for remedying such theft aren't going to work, so we need to start thinking and planning for that contingency.

No, we fucking don’t.

We need to prepare the best strategies to maximize Dems winning both the house and senate, as well as control of as many state legislatures as possible.

That’s what we need to be doing.

Just because you can imagine something and type it on the internet does not make that thing plausible, possible or probable.

You appear to have accepted the false mythology that Trump is omnipotent and the states and the people are powerless, despite decades of evidence that he is merely a destructive, chaos-sowing failure.

Back in the real world, All the data support the exact opposite of your Doomer scenario. Even the republicans are preparing for defeat.

As they have for the past decade, most states are war gaming their potential responses to numerous scenarios. They have successfully thwarted numerous attempts at ratfuckery over the past several years- ask Tina Peters, Kari Lake and Rudi Giuliani.

Nothing can stop the Blue Tsunami in November.

[Emile]

18. Then we lost our Democratic republic.