This makes complete sense. The 2024 presidential election is the do or die election for the GOP and the same for the rest of the country, although for different reasons. The Republican party is still laboring under the delusion that Donald Trump represents its conservative values on some level, even in the face of all that has come out about Project 2025 and its fascistic agenda. And make no mistake, the GOP is all in favor of Project 2025. Don’t take it from me, take it from Ted Cruz who endorsed gutting the Civil Service today and you’ll see that clip below.
A Republican who left the party after January 6, Myra Adams, is aware that this is the GOP’s last chance. She predicts that all hell will break out when Trump loses, because this is it, the roulette wheel is spinning, every nickel has been bet on 47 and if Trump can’t win, the this game is over. And then what?
But Trump can never lose! So, if he does, expect a 2020 post-election replay with much ranting, raving and contrived evidence. Team Trump will launch accusations of a corrupt, stolen election, cheating, judicial weaponization, illegal voters, foreign interference and rigged voting machines, resulting in legal challenges perhaps all the way to the Supreme Court. Our enemies will be watching for signs of electoral instability, democratic unrest and perhaps even a national security crisis.
That aside, a Trump loss inevitably means an internal civil war within the Republican Party. I believe a “war” is inevitable between the all-powerful Trump forces and those who want to move on from the Trump era and win the White House in 2028 without any Trump family members on the ticket.
Like all civil wars, this one could be brutal, because the GOP opposition forces see in Trumpism a political dead-end with a shrinking voter base. I publicly left the Republican Party Jan. 2021 thanks to Trump’s toxic brand. Today, identifying as a Republican is not about conservative governing principles but automatic loyalty to Trump, with his MAGA troops in control of the party machinery from top to bottom.
In 2016, the “Trumplican Party” was born (some would say “hijacked.”) After Trump’s unexpected victory, Republican Party leaders and activists who initially supported someone other than Trump were purged, resigned in disgust or else acquiesced to him.
Who would lead the GOP through the hazardous terrain of a non-MAGA future? It probably wouldn’t be Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who in this scenario would just be a losing also-ran.
So who would it be? Some names are familiar and obvious: Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who each look in the mirror and see a future president. Add a new name with popular Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who has had a contentious history with Trump — haven’t they all, though? That experience will embolden these leaders to forge a new path for the party, maybe led by one of them, or else a new leader will emerge.
Speaking of new leaders, a post-Trump era will need rising stars to combat entrenched MAGA warriors such as Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). How about a real warrior? A Lt. colonel in the Air National Guard who piloted missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. His name is Adam Kinzinger — once widely considered a GOP rising star — the former Illinois congressman who served from 2011 to 2023.
Kinzinger is at least a respectable person and if he and some other Republicans could cobble together what’s left of the party and return to some of their basic values, maybe they could dredge it up from the ruins. Or Liz Cheney. Let me be clear, Cheney never cast a vote I ever agreed with, other than to impeach Trump, but at least she believes in the Constitution and the rule of law. That’s a beginning. Democracy depends upon two functioning political parties. Or, upon several parties like exist in other countries, but in no way can we go forward with MAGA v. sane government. That is not going to work.
Kinzinger dared to say what many in the Republican Party (including elected officials) only think: “The Republican Party is no longer conservative. It has switched its allegiance from the principles that gave it purpose to a man whose only purpose is himself.”
Shockingly, Fox News cut away from Kinzinger’s speech. Were they shielding their viewers from the truth? If Trump loses, those viewers and voters must hear the truth to set the Republican Party free from Trump’s control. But first, the party is destined to wage a war for the future.
This makes a lot of sense. And now, as promised, Ted Cruz advocating for a Trump dictatorship. Teddy doesn’t care what happens to this country as long as he’s comfortable and doing his podcast in lieu of governing.
Ted Cruz, echoing Trump's Project 2025 agenda to take total control, says if Republicans win they will “clean out” civil servants from government and replace them with MAGA loyalists pic.twitter.com/0LS54snaZV
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 31, 2024
Mark this well: the GOP is fine with whatever Trump wants to do. They’re hoping and praying he gets back into power and they don’t care what the cost is. They’re lost and befuddled but they’re going to have to wake up fast when their orange boy loses. Again. And takes the down ballot races with him.
Here is my problem as simply as I can put it, and the simplicity here is so obvious as to be ridiculous.
I could never vote for that gas bag, orange turd of human waste. I am all in for Kamala. At least I was until that CNN interview where she endorsed the horrendous ongoing massacre in Gaza. Make no mistake, this is genocide and we can shut it down in a day, we bankroll that disgusting hateful excuse of a country.
So, there you have it. I can’t vote for the future war criminal Harris, looks like Jill Stein for me.
Here’s why I disagree with your take. If you have ever read my stuff either here or back in the day on DK then you know I have major issues with the IDF and the Likud Party (and other’s even crazier) and their long time standard bearer Netanyahu. I don’t think it’s unfair to say there’s been a longstanding unwritten policy of apartheid towards Palestinians in Israel. Add in that from the time the U.N. recognized Israel the agreement was to establish a Palestinian state and a sizeable tract of land on the West Bank was set aside for it AND that Israel has mostly had leaders who ignored that agreement and there is much to criticize.
Both Jewish people and Palestinians have an innate right to live in Israel with basic human rights. Sadly, religion rears its ugly head and zealots who are important ONLY because there is conflict do all they can to prevent any type of workable peace deal from happening.
The issue we’ve been dealing with due to Netanyahu is HOW Israel has gone about defending its right to exist. From where I sit yes, war crimes have not only been committed but become far too common. At the same time, cutting off ALL support to Israel and causing it to collapse… Are you serious? Just what the fuck do you think we’d have in the middle east if THAT happened?
This administration has worked tirelessly to stop the bloodshed. To broker a lasting cease fire. To buy time to get humanitarian aid flowing and start rebuilinding. And if the Mossad is sooooooooo fucking good as we are led to believe they can systematically take out Hamas leaders. But to call Harris, or President Biden for that matter war criminals is just flat out wrong. It caused quite an uproar in some circles when we cut certain types of weapons to Israel. Sadly they can get offensive weapons from people other than us but the message will eventually sink in that under continued Democratic leadership they know longer get to act like they’ve done under Netanyahu.
But Stein? Are you nuts? Sometimes one is forced to make tough choices. Ugly ones even. But think long and hard about recent history. A lot of people back in 2000 were pissed that Gore wasn’t liberal enough for them. So they voted for Nader and there were thousands who did so in FL. Well, they made their point and we got Baby Bush. Do you think for ONE SECOND that had 9/11 still happened that a President Gore would have done what Bush 43 did? Just look at the trillions of dollars lost (and due to the instability still ongoing in that part of the world the costs will continue) and the blood spilt. A LOT more of it that of innocent civilians caught up in the fighting than our own solders.
Look at 2016, and people (not all Bernie Bros, not by a long shot) who thought Hillary Clinton wasn’t progressive enough and voted for Stein. Or other third Party candidates and some even for Trump. Look at what THAT cost us!
And now you’re talking about doing the same thing again? Because Harris won’t pledge to abandon Israel totally? Do you REALLY think Jill Stein is the answer? If so then go away, and volunteer for the Trump campaign because your kind of advocacy is exactly what he needs to slither through like a snake back into the WH like he did in 2016. Maybe Pootie, who is Stein’s sugar daddy will give you a bonus.
Richard doesn’t say where he is. What’s crucial, is *where* you vote Stein. Not in swing states, obviously, or possibly now swing states. But in dead safe R or D states, where it can’t affect the actual outcome, there’s no harm, and it sends a signal, putting pressure on the Democrats to be less gung-ho for Israel.
There seems no talk of ‘tactical voting’ over there, whereas in the UK this is now a well-established practice, indicating dissent.
Indeed. I voted tactically in the last 2 general elections and it worked this year. I don’t agree with Starmer on a lot of things, but I disagree with the Tories a whole lot more! My current residence is situated in a very Tory area, but even though we didn’t vote them out of our town we certainly diminished their majority. The whole country did that – the Tories were stomped all over in a major way. Thank goodness!
So effectively, you vote for ‘that gas bag, orange turd of human waste’, who judging on past behavior would have even worse policies towards Gazans. Remember that part of Netanyahu’s success was the encouragement he got for his policies from Trump when he was in power. Remember the moving of the USA embassy to Jerusalem? Remember the dumping of the nuclear deal with Iran, done without informing US allies? Those sorts of things are what you’re saying you’d prefer over an administration that is actually DOING something to stop the carnage in Gaza. Realpolitik means things aren’t moving as fast as you’d like?
Suck it up snowflake. Don’t let the pursuit of the perfect become the enemy of the good.
Or go ahead, cut off your nose to spite your face.
Just remember, ‘that gas bag, orange turd of human waste’ only got in the first time round because of people acting as you propose.
Idiot.
👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎Jill Stein???!! NFW!
I would like to see a real authentic environmental party with scientists and professors in the party. So would many others. A real change for once.
the green party just stands for money that’s why it’s called the green party😆
Yeah, let’s all remember that Kyrsten Sinema began her political career as a member of the Green Party–until she couldn’t get elected to office that way (her single election under the Green Party moniker saw her come in 5th place in a field of 5). She joined the Democratic Party in 2004 and got elected to the Arizona House of Representatives and then to the Arizona Senate in 2010. After being elected to the US House in 2012, she started shifting some of her priorities to “going for the green.” Especially after 2014, when she became one of 5 Democrats endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce (which, at the time, still ignored the human-contributing factors of climate change).
It’s a bit bad that the US version of the Green Party seems far less interested in ecological issues than their non-US counterparts (then again, most other countries’ currencies are not green so they may have less reason to switch their “green” allegiance). Not saying that the Party’s supporters don’t truly believe in pro-environment policies and actions but it does seem that the current leadership is more willing to abandon its principles in order to attain power. (Sounds like another party one could mention.)
Richard…so your idealism is justification for a pointless rebellion that helps produce fascism in America, that GUARENTEES giving Israel the green light? No sane person is fine with the genocide there or anywhere past or present. Neither you or I can say what’s gone on diplomatically to stop this. I don’t know what Kamala or any world leader can actually do to stop a fascist dictator that has usurped a democracy. That being said, I’d rather have a smart person with a conscience and a sense of social justice grappling with that, than a malignant narcissist who could care less what happens to the Palestinians, oh, and US! I respectfully ask you to reconsider that this is a binary choice, and, if you care about the Palestinians, then Kamala is your best option.
Project 2025 is the Nazi Playbook, with the goal of resurrecting The Third Reich.
I agree with Ursula and Scott. Saving our democracy is the paramount goal right now. Biden/Harris have been fighting with Bibi and behind the scenes, they are trying to get rid of him and cram a cease fire down his throat–but only by assuring Trump’s defeat.
The massive protests in Israel yesterday have all but shut down the country, demanding Netanyahu’s resignation. We may be close to getting rids of two dictators. We can’t divide our strong momentum. We’re on the same side.
Will we experience violence WHEN Trump is defeated? I fear that is inevitable.
Concinnity, AMEN!
I just got out of the hospital on Friday with a major UTI that came close to.killing me. As I lay there staring at the ceiling, some gas bag who.sounded like a a RFK Jr fan, or for all I know WAS RFK Jr., pontificated for three nights in a row. I am.shocked that no one ran him down with a,laundry cart.
Yes. There are fates worth than death.
As for me. I survived. Neurological refused to.answer any questions. And it turned out to.have nothing to do with the actual diagnosis.
It’s good to have you back Gillian, We all hope you don’t just survive, but thrive. 🙂
I’m so sorry you had to experience that. I was in the hospital for five days in June, I believe it was, with kidney stones. That included a UTI. Not an experience I wish to repeat. You have my empathy. Been there.