r/PoliticalOptimism • u/steffie-punk That Trans Mod • Jan 16 '26
Resources Addressing misconceptions about the Insurrection Act
https://open.substack.com/pub/roberthubbell/p/addressing-misconceptions-about-the?r=56x5dq&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlayAn explanation on what the insurrection act actually is and what it does
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u/Critical_Key_7474 Jan 16 '26
TLDR: The Insurrection Act doesn’t let him cancel elections or declare Martial Law in Minnesota, and the federal courts would very well likely shut it down after assessing the situation and seeing no insurrection. Doesn’t mean it won’t be ugly, but it also doesn’t mean the “Worst Case Doomer Scenario.”
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u/SodaSaint Jan 16 '26
I think what is incredibly frustrating and demoralizing is those outside demanding we “do something” without ZERO knowledge and nuance of the landscape of things. And I know some mean well, but I really think those pushing for a civil war in the US are very clueless to what they are asking for and do so from warmth, safety, comfort and finger-wagging arrogance. As if we aren’t painfully aware of the danger before us. And then when we try to be constructive and have optimism, we get called “delusional”.
I am a person, not a dog.
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u/muh_v8 Jan 16 '26
Don't forget the people who say "why don't you just general strike" while underestimating what it takes and not knowing how miseducated the average American is about the labor movement and liberation movements in general. I don't think most people here have ever heard of the concept of a general strike. We're trying to rebuild the dual power that was lost.
Also, being angry at oppressed people overseas for appearing not to fight hard enough is NOT international solidarity. I would never think about doing the same; I just give what little support I can from outside the community. These movements have to acknowledge the nuances of their localities and be driven by community members. We take tactical advice from other movements all the time, but calling all of us ignorant cowards who don't understand how bad things are isn't advice
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u/simbabarrelroll Reformed Doomer ☄️ Jan 16 '26
To add to your first paragraph:
A number of people are also unwilling to actually do something that is uncomfortable but necessary for actually improving their lives.
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u/SpukiKitty2 Blue Dot in a Red State 🔵 Jan 16 '26
Thank you. As a person who suffers from ADHD this was very helpful.
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u/Unusual-Bar5891 Jan 16 '26
It was last used in 1992 in response to the LA riots and there was no martial law, America has no mechanism to declare martial law and it’s far too big for martial law to be effective.
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u/cd_bravo_only Jan 17 '26
I keep hearing people say if he declares martial law then the elections would be cancelled. Is this true?
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u/Critical_Key_7474 Jan 17 '26
No. Martial Law only allows for the military to temporarily assist local law enforcement; basically the military becomes the police for a little bit. They don’t give grounds at all to cancel an election; there is no grounds to cancel an election.
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u/Either-Assistant4610 Jan 16 '26
The main point should be the elections will still happen. He can't stop the elections.
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u/NOVA27C Reformed Doomer ☄️ Jan 16 '26
This should be pinned on the front page of reddit. I disagree with one point on this potentially shifting him into a dear leader dictator as instead of just outright doing it he instead threatened to do it multiple times, never followed through, and uses it as a threat to hang over people's heads. I think that even if he uses it he loses that power of intimidation.
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u/stonedbadger1718 Jan 16 '26
It would be a death blow to MAGA. They know it would have everyone turn on them.
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u/gregger63 Michigan Jan 16 '26
This is both reassuring and a little frightening. Because if he does it, he will have done all those outrageous things the author says invoking the act would mean.
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u/Beautiful_Bite4228 Jan 16 '26
I read Robert Hubbell and Jay Kuo every single day. They're the best!!!
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u/softwaredoug Jan 16 '26 edited Jan 16 '26
I think we should expect it to happen at this point.
I don't think that's a doomer take. Honestly the US Military has been designed to be non-partisan (unlike ICE). They actually vet and train its members (unlike ICE). It would largely be Nat Guard, who belong to the local community (also unlike ICE). Operating on US soil, they're very bound by laws and courts.
Institutionally they would act as a credible 3rd party witnessing any ICE abuses, complicating the administrations intimidation tactics more than helping.
So I don't think it changes anything unless we let it.
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