DC after the election?

[Anonymous]

Wondering what DC will be like following the election. One of the shopkeepers in NWDC told me last week that they’d been told by DC authorities to consider boarding up their windows and/or closing for a couple of days just to be safe. Unfortunately, there will probably be some level of unrest regardless of who wins. But will it get destructive and dangerous? Downtown or into the burbs? Curious as to what others think.

[Anonymous]

What’s your fear?

[Anonymous]

I live in DC, but in one of the suburban-ish neighborhoods that's not walkable to anything. I'm not concerned living in the hinterlands, but I'd be a bit concerned if I lived downtown and he who shall not be named wins re-election. Not concerned at all if Biden wins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering what DC will be like following the election. One of the shopkeepers in NWDC told me last week that they’d been told by DC authorities to consider boarding up their windows and/or closing for a couple of days just to be safe. Unfortunately, there will probably be some level of unrest regardless of who wins. But will it get destructive and dangerous? Downtown or into the burbs? Curious as to what others think.

It could be a turbulent few months. If Biden wins big, then the wind is taken out of Trump's sails a bit. He can moan, groan, and complain, but he has a weak foundation upon which to cause or stir real trouble. If Biden wins narrowly, then the prospects for some violence from the right go up, as Trump will use a narrow victory to accuse election theft.

If Trump wins, then there will be widespread violence from the left. Thankfully, I think that's the least likely scenario at the moment.

This is life in a failed state, unfortunately.

D.C. will certainly be targeted. The suburbs probably less so. But any post-election violence will not be limited to Washington. We'll see it coast to coast -- primarily in urban centers.

[Anonymous]

I’m assuming that there will be protests and celebrations near the White House and the Trump Hotel, so I’d be concerned if I lived in that area. Also if Trump is going to be local, I’d be even more concerned. I haven’t heard either way, but I’m hoping that Trump will be in his new home state of Florida.

[Anonymous]

A lot of my Black friends are concerned for their safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of my Black friends are concerned for their safety.

Where do they live? I'm black and live in a predominantly black DC neighborhood, and I'm not concerned at all.

[Anonymous]

I would expect disturbances downtown, especially after dark, no matter what happens. People are angry on all sides, political violence is rising generally, and someone's going to be upset by the results or the lack of the results or the (federal or local) government response to the disturbance itself.

I wouldn't expect much if you're not close to the White House. I work near areas that saw disturbances at the inauguration and I've got a phone conference in the office the day after the election. It's in the morning, so I'm expecting it to be fine, but I'm getting out as soon as we're done, just to be safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of my Black friends are concerned for their safety.

Where do they live? I'm black and live in a predominantly black DC neighborhood, and I'm not concerned at all.

+1 I don't buy the PP's assertion. I'm black. No one in my black community or circle of friends has indicated or suggested this type of concern.

[Anonymous]

The main disturbances will be legal -- Kavanaugh and his conservative judge colleagues are going to try to steal the election by shutting down counts.

Based on the opinion SCOTUS issued last night about Wisconsin, it seems clear the plan is to stop all mail counts and declare victory the night of the election.

That seems very likely to happen –– Barrett will sign on even if Roberts decides it's too politically risky to his long-term conservative project.

The only question then is what happens next. I think we're all going to be surprised at just how much pent-up anger there would be. The women's march in 2017 brought a half-million to DC.

We could see five times that over the days following the election if SCOTUS tries to steal it.

If anyone says they can predict what will happen they are incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of my Black friends are concerned for their safety.

Where do they live? I'm black and live in a predominantly black DC neighborhood, and I'm not concerned at all.

+1 I don't buy the PP's assertion. I'm black. No one in my black community or circle of friends has indicated or suggested this type of concern.

not saying this is one, but watch out for the Racial Division Trolls here at DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of my Black friends are concerned for their safety.

Where do they live? I'm black and live in a predominantly black DC neighborhood, and I'm not concerned at all.

+1 I don't buy the PP's assertion. I'm black. No one in my black community or circle of friends has indicated or suggested this type of concern.

not saying this is one, but watch out for the Racial Division Trolls here at DCUM.

But you are saying this.

[Anonymous]

I live in a dense neighborhood close to downtown and I am not concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wondering what DC will be like following the election. One of the shopkeepers in NWDC told me last week that they’d been told by DC authorities to consider boarding up their windows and/or closing for a couple of days just to be safe. Unfortunately, there will probably be some level of unrest regardless of who wins. But will it get destructive and dangerous? Downtown or into the burbs? Curious as to what others think.

BS - what shop keeper in what neighborhood was told by which "authorities" to board up their windows?

I bet this is the same person who concocted the thread a couple of weeks ago stating that a lot of their neighbors in NW DC were making plans to leave DC on election night, also a totally BS thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The main disturbances will be legal -- Kavanaugh and his conservative judge colleagues are going to try to steal the election by shutting down counts.

Based on the opinion SCOTUS issued last night about Wisconsin, it seems clear the plan is to stop all mail counts and declare victory the night of the election.

That seems very likely to happen –– Barrett will sign on even if Roberts decides it's too politically risky to his long-term conservative project.

The only question then is what happens next. I think we're all going to be surprised at just how much pent-up anger there would be. The women's march in 2017 brought a half-million to DC.

We could see five times that over the days following the election if SCOTUS tries to steal it.

If anyone says they can predict what will happen they are incorrect.

This could end up in the courts but a lot of things have to break Trumps way but in any case it won't end up in the courts quickly - the only hard deadline is the date for assigning electors (12/14) which is then based on when each state officially certifies their electoral results. Even in elections with clear results almost no states certify their results within a week of election day so it is hard to fathom on what basis the Supreme Court would be able to intervene and move up the certification date - remember that Bush vs Gore in 2000 was essentially driven by the 12/14 deadline.

I think the greater opportunity for shenanigans might come from these mid-western states with Republican legislatures jumping on the election was stolen narrative to try to over-ride the official results and ordering the states electors to support Trump instead. That would require some serious chutzpah but that is not something the republicans have any lack of right now.

And if it comes to something that crazy I would expect any unrest to be in the offending states not DC.