Why Obama Could Not Stage a Coup

The American Thinker ^ | September 12, 2009 | Bruce Walker

[Scanian]

Some conservatives have begun to openly wonder if Obama is going to seize power in America. Would he want to do this? Perhaps so (a scary thought, but he has promised change.) No one dreamed that Carter, the worst president of the last century, wanted or planned to seize power. Clinton wanted to win power, but the worst anyone expected of Clinton was Huey Long bossism.

Obama rose in politics through the thoroughly corrupt one-party government of Chicago. His spiritual advisor sounds like a rabble-rousing storm trooper. His intellectual mentor, Saul Alinksy, like the Bolsheviks and Nazis, believed in state terrorism. If Obama wanted to follow their leads, could he? I believe not.

[waxer1]

Denial is not just a river in Egypt. I think this is happening right before our lyin eyes as we speak.

Even lefties I know see this happening and they are pleased with it.

This writer would be correct, but as some of us see, the checks and balances we once had are either diminished, or they don't exist at all now.

And what about those “honest and fair” elections? What a joke, no more of a disgrace to me and others. One of the reasons why our dear leader was elected is because of voter fraud.

2010 there will be elections, but it will not matter. Do not underestimate the civilian police force. I do think they are out there.

During the election all I heard from conservative talk show hosts, was voter fraud!!! When the election ended, they were silent.

It always amazes me when people think that a Nazi type situation cannot happen here. Of course it can. They said the same think about 911 too.

Anyway my two cents worth.

[opentalk]

Investigating the CIA, picking what laws to uphold and who to apply them to (Black Panthers, illegals), Czars,
Control of Media, Trillions of dollars unaccountable for from TARP... it is happening.

[nathanbedford]

Sometime ago I wrote the following post in reply to unsubstantiated but nonetheless completely unqualified assurances that there was no way that the military would support Obama in the event of an extra-constitutional takeover. The author of the article under consideration now fails to understand that Obama will not say to the world, " I'm about to abrogate the Constitution and become your dictator".

Rather, he will find or manufacture a crisis that puts the country in extremis and he will present himself as the solution to that crisis. Think of Napoleon, think of Adolph Hitler. The method will resemble what Hugo Chavez has done by smaller bites and Venezuela. Do not forget that Hitler got his ratification after the Reichstag fire.

Obama need not have 100% cooperation of our military, he need only have the acquiescence of a few members of the military and a few key points to take total control. He need only psychologically handcuff the military with plausible arguments that what he is doing is somehow constitutionally authorized. He will have wise men of the left told the country that it is all in order and necessary in view of the crisis.

Here's the first reply:

Reflecting on the relationship between Hitler and the Wehrmacht causes me to be less optimistic and more cautious about relying on the military to muitiny against their own constitutionally ordained government even though the government might be committing unconstitutional acts.

First, Hitler had his brownshirts. Think Acorn. Think about the kids marching in their quasi-military fatigues and chanting, homage to Barack Obama. Think about the contemplated camps to be set up.

Second, Hitler had his SS. In other words he created his own praetorian guard virtually all dictators. It was the failure of the Imperial guard at Waterloo that spelled the end of Napolean Bonaparte. I would expect to see some sort of special military unit set up to act as a strike force.

Third, Hitler co-opted the German army by essentially tricking them into taking an oath professing loyalty personal to him.

If, purely hypothetically speaking of course, our present president tried to suppress any potential citizen revolts caused by his tyrannical usurpations, one might expect about 12% of our population, located mostly in our central cities, to the fanatically on his side. Those who fought for freedom would be labeled racists. A clever president, and Obama is certainly that, would find a way to co-opt vast elements of our society so that they would support him out of greed to get part of the spoils, exactly as he is doing in the economic arena today as he co-opts leaders of major industries who support his takeover of the automobile industry, the insurance industry, the banking industry and, soon, the healthcare industry. I would therefore expect to see our military forced to choose between a much more evenly distributed set of antagonists than merely the government against everybody else.

A clever president in such a circumstance would manufacture incidents as Hitler did on the eve of his invasion of Poland by shooting some of his own prisoners and claiming they were, in effect, Polish terrorists. By these incidents he would at least create a fog, room for his propagandists to maneuver leaving the choices for the military much less clear.

At the end of the day it is not clear that it will be clear to the military which side they should choose if they want to take the "side of freedom." We live in a land of 300 million people and the military will not be asked to make war on their friends and families, they will be making war on anonymous demographic populations.

These, of course, are only the wildest speculations made in response to other wild speculation on the other side. I am not predicting or am I advocating any such thing as might be described But because it is not inconceivable, we should concentrate on winning the political struggle rather than lurking in our bunkers with hands clasped around our hunting rifles.

I agree with the author, Obama is unlikely to try for a coup. But that changes the instant the landscape changes. Let the country be devastated by a terrorist attack, let the financial system crash, let a plague loose among us, and watch the man on horseback emerge from the Oval Office. Would Obama contrive such a crisis? Probably not. But it is also worth remembering that the whole of Obama's life, everything he believes in, is directed toward reshaping the country in conformity with the radical ideals of Saul Alinsky and the Communist aspirations of The Frankfurt School. For Obama to deny himself his chance is to expect him to deny his whole life.

I submitted another reply in reply which dealt further with the assertion that the military would prevent Obama from contriving a coup:

He needs the support of the U.S. MILITARY.

How you gonna argue with that???

By arguing that Obama does not need the support of the US military, he needs the support of only a portion of the US military. Or, alternatively

He does not need the support of the US military he needs only the passivity of the US military while his extra military forces lockdown for him. Or, alternatively

It is not need the passivity of the whole of the US military but only the passivity of a portion of the US military at a few key strategic choke points. Or, alternatively

He operates under a patina of authority during crisis, (terrorist strike on the homeland or economic collapse) perhaps a national referendum, perhaps a rigged national convention, which gives him authority to suspend the Constitution and operate by Fiat, which only need be persuasive and plausible enough to permit the military to support him or remain passive.

If your salvation to protect us from an in-house coup is the US military, you're relying on one of the finest institutions in the entire world, but one with absolutely no experience in these kinds of affairs except as occurred in 1861 and you might be aware that the US military was hardly of one mind.

My heart is always cheered to hear absolutist affirmations of how the military will operate and how the stock market will behave from people who have no more credentials to judge than I do.

[4rcane]

think hondurus. The president there didn’t have the powers from the law enforcer side, but it didn’t stop the president from trying. The difference in the US and Honduras is that the politicans in the US don’t respect the constitution so WILL go along with Obama

[snoringbear]

“1. The military would be split and very disfuntional. Officers and NCO’s are 90% conservative, but there are a large percentage of black junior enlisted who would put race before all else.

2. The military could be moved outside the country. Start a war and move the bulk of the troops and equipment overseas, where they cannot return quickly.”

Good points; I agree that the military would be split and dysfunctional for a short period. The military is indeed very conservative but it is also pathologically loyal to the president (any president) and with the exception of our Civil War has been completely obedient. Even recently involving events such as the Branch Davidians and the Ruby Ridge stand off, the military obeyed government directives. But, things have changed a lot in the past fifteen plus years. So, we'll see. However, your hypothesis about moving troops out of the country to deal with some trumped up threat is worthy of consideration; especially being that units making up the combat arms are where the most conservative troops reside. One thing that may be on the side of the conservative equation though is the fact that the military is now made up of members who's fathers, grandfathers, uncles, etc, etc, have served. Another way to put it is that there is now a demographic who makes up a warrior culture within the U.S. and these are the people who now serve. And, I think it's highly doubtful that those in the military will fire on their civilian relatives when the big show down occurs.

[mad_as_he$$]

The author makes lots of assumptions. I suggest retitle the article “Why Hitler Will Not Stage a Coup.”. and then replace “Obama” with “Hitler” and date it 1938. Then reread it.

[Kandy]

They’re just waiting for THE moment of the crisis they’re creating themselves for their climaxing coup d’etat to be justified.

[stockpirate]

I want to know just where the 8.5 BILLION $$$ of TARP is going to be used for at ACORN.

Are they buying weapons and gear to create the army one of their leaders sopke of to start the war she spoke of having when they have an army?

[Non-Sequitur]

There won’t be a coup. From either political direction.

[jetson]

The military and police don’t like BOzo so he would have to assemble his civilian army who would soon become targets for target practice. Americans did not buy all of those guns for nothing. Too many Americans beleive in the second amendment.

[J40000]

I don’t believe that obama is the ‘leader’ of his crowd. He was chosen. I’m not just trying to hurl insults, but he isn’t smart enough to ‘lead’ anything.

[The Great RJ]

I agree that Obama would not succeed in staging a coupe for all the reasons cited. However, Obama will try to consolidate his power. His Czars are nothing less than a shadow cabinet who can wield great power without scrutiny or oversight. He will, especially after his stinging rebukes over health care and Van Jones, seek to silence talk radio, Fox News and Internet blogs. Look at how the Van Jones affair was reported in the MSM...this is what Obama wants silence and easy manipulation of the media.

Obama will use some trumped up crisis to trigger the emergency powers he is now seeking to take over the Internet and other media so that only "true" facts are being reported. Note how the White House is being very critical of the media and its reporting errors. My bet is the swine flu is being groomed as a major crisis that will trigger emergency powers. Despite a demonstrated mortality that is lower than snow shoe accidents, the H1N1 flu is being portrayed as worse than the Black Death and the 1918 pandemic. If lots of cases are reported this fall, watch for the White House to declare a national emergency and then attempt to sieze control of the media.

[LibLieSlayer]

Do not underestimate at least a hundred and fifty million guns owners of which more than half are armed well and have purchased 5 billion rounds of ammo and will not put up with hussein or his civilian nazis.

LLS

[aimhigh]

Nathanbedford, excellent response.

First, Hitler had his brownshirts. Think Acorn.
Think Acorn funded with 8 billion in tax dollars.
The CIA will be neutralized. The current investigations will be used to replace the internal leadership. Military leadership will see "change". Lead bullets will be outlawed to neutralize the average gun owner.
Current deficit spending will lead to an economic crash, then riots, then Marshall law. It worked in every communist takeover. Read about all the coups in Communist countries, and you'll see that Obama is laying the same foundation. And Obama has a head start - he already has the mainstream press ready to help him.

Once all the czars get grounded, we're going to see so much "change", we won't be able to react to it all.

[Caipirabob]

My heart is always cheered to hear absolutist affirmations of how the military will operate and how the stock market will behave from people who have no more credentials to judge than I do.

I do my darndest - *snicker*

Great post, always love reading your responses.

[FastCoyote]

The question is not whether the left can succeed in a coup, it is whether the right will be forced to try one. The jury is still out on that one.

[bereanway]

It does appear that zer0 is attempting to co-opt certain elements including vital industries along with the ability to lockdown the internet and the new media. No doubt he would attempt to gain the degree of control he thinks necessary through some sort of crisis.

I think that ultimately his biggest obstacle will come in the form of states and governors who have already bowed their backs at certain of his proposals. It will be much more difficult to control all 50 states many of whom have already taken steps to voice their displeasure than to control a more homogeneous political entity. To move all the states in the same direction would be like herding a bunch of cats. It’s not as simple as Chicago.

[Ole Okie]

I mean, if you pull away the ACORN necro-voters, how many live people actually voted for him?

Gad, man, you're going to disenfranchise the cemeteries??

Hear! Hear!

[Vaduz]

Obama rose in politics through the thoroughly corrupt democrat party and the sheep love it.

[patriot preacher]

First, Hitler had his brownshirts. Think Acorn.
Think Acorn funded with 8 billion in tax dollars.
The CIA will be neutralized. The current investigations will be used to replace the internal leadership. Military leadership will see “change”. Lead bullets will be outlawed to neutralize the average gun owner.
Current deficit spending will lead to an economic crash, then riots, then Marshall law. It worked in every communist takeover. Read about all the coups in Communist countries, and you’ll see that Obama is laying the same foundation. And Obama has a head start - he already has the mainstream press ready to help him.

Once all the czars get grounded, we’re going to see so much “change”, we won’t be able to react to it all.
___________________

I hate to say it A-H, but I am forced to agree with you. It seems to me the plan is “death by a thousand cuts” followed by one final, deep stabbing thrust....