Before going on with this topic, it might be useful to touch on the concept of planning of worst case scenarios. Even when such scenarios have a low probability of occurring, the consequences if they do occur can be very severe. So on balance, it’s good to be prepared.
For example, if you live in the Midwest in the U.S., you have probably experienced at least one tornado warning. When that happens, you are supposed to go to a safe place (most likely a concrete lined section of your basement).
Everybody knows that the probability of any given tornado actually approaching your house is quite low. But everybody goes down to the basement anyway, and waits the 20 or 30 minutes that it can take for the weather service to call the all clear.
It’s not that you really believe a tornado is likely to wander very close to your house today. But just in case, you don’t want to be anywhere near a window.
That is the spirit in which I’m discussing plans for responding to this administration’s pointedly political act of calling up of the National Guard in L.A. It’s not that we know for certain that the game plan is to escalate to an invocation of marshal law in order to scuttle the midterm elections. But just in case, we need to be prepared.
More tomorrow.