President Trump’s strategy for the 2020 election was made clear in Pennsylvania in 2016. There he claimed that he would only lose if there was voter fraud. You know, the political equivalent to the “heads I win, tails you lose” coin-flip scenario. The specter of voter fraud is his “Trump card” should he face defeat in November even though historically there is no evidence that much of this has occurred in our vote counting systems.

So in Trump world, if he wins, everything’s great again; if he loses, it delegitimizes the process.

What’s also very troubling is that there are plenty of dastardly things he and the Republican Party can do before voting day itself. They’re already trying to prevent mail-in voting claiming, once again, unsubstantiated “voter fraud.” Republicans are also the party that continues to try and make voting difficult with rules and regulations changes, their elections version of “Build That Wall.” Any party trying to limit the vote in a democracy should be automatically suspect.

If it’s clear Trump and his Republican enablers are going to lose in November, they could always concoct some national emergency that requires the whole thing be put off till “further notice.” But if the election does run its course and the Dems win, what then? Well, cries of widespread voter fraud followed by (pick one): 1. Everyone makes up and we go our merry way; 2. Trump declares martial law and we all wait it out hoping the Supreme Court steps in and does the right thing; 3. We descend into all-out civil war.

Think No. 3 is overly pessimistic? Maybe. But as to how low Trump could be willing to go, always bet the under.

Roy Estabrook

North Monmouth