[larrled]

I feel like coups are more likely in developing or socialist countries. An American coup at this point seems very unlikely to work thanks to “learning from past failings” and stuff like advanced weapons systems. I mean heck, we can’t even escape the two party system, imagine overthrowing them and the federal government in one swoop, and doing that by means of citizen protestors occupying a building. Seems crazy to worry about that so much for years and years.

[cassianoleal]

A straight-up military coup is unlikely but not by much. In fact, former President Bolsonaro and most of his closest allies in government are on trial for planning exactly that.

In any case, other, "softer", coups have been happening with alarming frequency in South America, Brazil included.

[JumpCrisscross]

> coups are more likely in developing or socialist countries

Developing, yes. (Socialist, I don’t know.)

> we can’t even escape the two party system, imagine overthrowing them and the federal government in one swoop, and doing that by means of citizen protestors occupying a building

Protests are pretext.

The Brazilian protests didn’t anticipate overthrowing the government themselves. They wanted the military to depose the elected government. In America, a protest would be used either as an excuse to impose ersatz martial law or a sign that the people don’t agree with the election (or whatever). The actual killing moves are rendered by those who can command guns.