General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWARNING: Put on your tin foil hat before reading this.
Quoting from today's email from Democracy Docket:
In a recent, completely unhinged social media rant, Trump promised that there will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not! Obviously, Trump cant do that, but he may think he can because of a ridiculous claim that theres hidden language in the U.S. Constitution that vests electoral power in the federal government which was discovered by a retired hotel manager in Florida.
As election scholar Rick Hasen pointed out, John N. Goodman, a retired hotel manager in Florida, recently claimed he was looking at a microfilm copy of the original Constitution and found a faded shadow of text that says the federal government has electoral power over the states in certain circumstances.
The research was shared with anti-voting activist Steve Stern who hosts the popular MAGA podcast Stern American who then shared it with MyPillow CEO and election conspiracist Mike Lindell, who in turn met with Trump to share the find.
Trumps post noted that he has searched the depths of legal arguments not yet articulated or vetted on this subject, and will be presenting an irrefutable one in the near future. Could this be the irrefutable legal argument Trump plans to present soon? Isnt this the plot of National Treasure?
If you are not familiar with the reference to "National Treasure," here's a link.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Treasure_(film)
This is absolutely bizarre. But it's Mike Lindell and Trump, so . . . .
Walleye
(44,256 posts)QueerDuck
(1,339 posts)dflprincess
(29,271 posts)Last edited Wed Feb 18, 2026, 03:09 PM - Edit history (1)
Someone needs to tell Trump there's a treasure map on the back of the Declaration today will lead join to a like a gold. Plotting how to steal that would keep him busy for the next three years.
PCIntern
(28,141 posts)to retrieve the special glasses.
Jersey Devil
(10,802 posts)where, if I remember correctly, they went looking for a map written in invisible ink on the back of the Declaration of Independence.
bucolic_frolic
(54,657 posts)takes a long time for the ink to appear
Ilsa
(64,113 posts)How delightful to know that any of us can access the founding documents in their earliest drafts!
Wiz Imp
(9,511 posts)Ilsa
(64,113 posts)Conjuay
(3,013 posts)So what's another hundred years, give or take?
Blue Owl
(58,727 posts)Scrivener7
(59,052 posts)Last edited Wed Feb 18, 2026, 01:45 PM - Edit history (1)
this guy will get a following. Because the monsters among us will believe anything that makes others' lives miserable. And there are a lot of monsters.
Norrrm
(4,555 posts)Ilsa
(64,113 posts)Norrrm
(4,555 posts)A third toast would have been Elvis.
(I'm exposing my old age to mention Elvis.)
Wiz Imp
(9,511 posts)https://electionlawblog.org/?p=154326
That's right, some moron believes there's super secret language in the Constitution which is only visible trough a high powered magnifier viewing a microfilm copy in a Florida library. And Trump believes that moron. Seriously.
As to U.S. Term Limits v. Thrornton, that is a Supreme Court case in which the Supreme Court held that states did not have the power, even in the Article I, Section 4 Elections Clause, to alter the qualifications listed in the Constitution to serve in Congress. In the course of discussing how the Elections Clause power does not extended to altering congressional qualifications set forth in the Constitution, Justice Stevens wrote: {snip}
Ive bolded the language (between the asterisks) that the insane Substack post points to. It does not come close to saying what the substacker implies. Justice Stevens in U.S. Term Limits was commenting on the limited power of states under the Elections Clause to do things like dictate electoral outcomes. Thats surely right. But nothing in the case, or in the Constitution, or in the super-secret part of the Constitution visible only on microfilm in a Florida library, says that the President, acting unilaterally, has the power to make or alter state regulations on the conduct of elections. The elections clause indeed provides that the only body that can override states regulations of elections is Congress, not the President.
thought crime
(1,401 posts)ABC123Easy
(181 posts)Mblaze
(950 posts)That's definitive. 😂 😡
onethatcares
(16,975 posts)Smith-Corona typewriters and microfilm machines, Pretty much need X Ray spec to read them after 250 ;years
relayerbob
(7,405 posts)They had to fly in the micro film machines all the way from France and 1776.
onethatcares
(16,975 posts)they had a factory in Bowling Green
relayerbob
(7,405 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(10,810 posts)Thanks, AOG!
malthaussen
(18,524 posts)OldBaldy1701E
(10,810 posts)Comforting... but chilling...
usedtobedemgurl
(1,965 posts)They will show us the Constitution and on the back it WILK verify what this guy said. Of course, the verification will be in black sharpie. No one will ever know how it got there!
not fooled
(6,631 posts)How desperate are these people?
peggysue2
(12,461 posts)Leading with evidence of a super-duper revelation about a Constitutional reading/interpretation on elections (of course), then referencing Pillow Guy's involvement is the tell of the century, a neon sign reading FALSE.
As in Pinocchio-false, pigs flying through the bright blue sky false, Trumpy-Dumpty false.
The bigger, more outrageous the lie the more the rubes will believe it. At least that's been the theory pre-Epstein cover-up, a strategy that's worked for Trump.
It will be interesting how many MAGAs will take the bait. Also, who will actively push this horseshit, go shoulder-to-shoulder with Lindell.
The craziness never ends!
OGBuzz
(145 posts)Dave Id
(261 posts)Is there anyone anywhere who isn't a complete nut job or racist, fascist POS that supports Trump. This has gone far beyond ridiculous.
nuxvomica
(13,994 posts)Like when he asserted that Congress intended for the 14th Amendment to only be enforced by statute, even though parts of it have been enforced by the courts, frequently and with major effect, without relying on statute.
PJMcK
(24,939 posts)Constitutional Law scholars have parsed and dissected the Constitution for quite some time but they never found this important nugget but a retired hotel manager, (from Florida, no less!), found it.
Right. Got it.
peggysue2
(12,461 posts)Because scholars and experts are unnecessary, even suspect in a culture where the ordinary Joe and Karen can do their own research and feel happy, fully confident in the results. Particularly when those results line up with their personal suspicions and beliefs.
Freedumb fully defined.
Chasstev365
(7,460 posts)We can all feel your pathetic desperation.
Renew Deal
(84,832 posts)"The federal government will provide all healthcare services for residents"
Ilsa
(64,113 posts)
?resize=1313,876&quality=90underpants
(195,779 posts)I was going to say something about Nicholas Cage but I see they mentioned it.
Loony tunes