“When will they ever learn, when will they evverrr learn?” — Pete Seeger
Man, I have seen some addictions in my life, but the hard core Trumpers are really something. They will follow him to the gates of insanity and death. I guess the last three elections haven’t been enough of a bottom for them. They need to go for Round 4 and another knock out punch. Okey doke.
If you swing over to Truth Social, you’ll see Donald Trump has has posted a link to an article in American Greatness, which posits the theory that Trump should run in 2024, GOP nomination or no GOP nomination. Why? Wouldn’t that be suicide? Oh, sure. But apparently the time has come where that seems to be a good idea; or the only option, like Thelma and Louise driving off the cliff. Incredible but true.
The MAGA manifesto you’re about to read depicts the GOP and Trump as two separate entities now. And perhaps that’s how it is.
The Republican machine has no intention of letting us choose Trump again: He is not a uniparty team player. They’d rather lose an election to the Democrats, their brothers in crime, than win with Trump.
That leads us to the inevitable question: What should we do when a majority of Republicans want Trump, but the Republican Party says we can’t have him? Do we knuckle under and vote for Ron DeSantis because he would be vastly better than any Democrat?
I say no, we don’t knuckle under. And I like DeSantis. I’d vote for him after Trump’s second term. But not before.
Here’s the thing: It is precisely the expedient view of “well, this person isn’t my first choice, but he’s the best available option who can win” which has allowed the uniparty to take over and ruin the country. We’re letting the Republicans get away with offering us a false dichotomy: A fake non-choice among candidates who are pre-selected for us. The Democrats did this themselves in 2016 when they stole the primary from Bernie Sanders.
I’ve stated my views on this before. We had a very strange dynamic in 2016, one that hopefully won’t repeat itself. The GOP was in tatters and the Democrats had a sizeable schism. I understood why the Democrats chose Hillary Clinton and agreed with the reasoning. I also had a gut instinct that it was the year of the populist and Bernie Sanders would have been the better strategic choice. I will go to my grave with this viewpoint.
Sometimes it is better to go with strategy above skill, if winning is the name of the game and let’s be practical, this is politics. It’s not a Democratic way of thinking, but it most definitely is a Republican one, and they win on strategy. Their candidates suck and their platform, nowadays at least, is non-existent. That said, the strategy being proposed here is sheer madness.
I’m sure I’ll be accused of being a shill for the Democrats here, and as far as I’m concerned that’s as credible as being accused of shilling for Russia these days. I’m not suggesting you have to do what I do, either. But I have no intention of supporting a Republican Party that manifestly contravenes the desires of its voters. The RNC can pretend Trump isn’t loved by the base anymore, that he doesn’t have packed rallies everywhere he goes. But I’m not buying it: Talk to Republican voters anywhere outside the Beltway, and it is obvious that he is admired and even loved by those who consider themselves “ordinary” Americans. […]
If you ask me, Trump’s presidency was much more “American” than it was “Republican.” That’s why it was such a success and why so many of us loved it. Now, if the Republican Party thinks it’s not big enough for Trump, it’s not going to be big enough for me either.
And here’s the bottom line. Are you ready for this?
Do I think Trump can win as a third-party candidate? No. Would I vote for him as a third-party candidate? Yes.
And then follows a tirade on Mitch McConnell, particularly his support of sending aid to Ukraine. Trump loves hearing that, because here’s the meme he posted on McConnell, just a few posts up from this article.
You know who I’m going to quote now, right? Lindsey Graham. “If we nominate Trump we will get destroyed…and we will deserve it.”
Truer words were never spoken. Trump is going down in flames. He is only too happy to take the GOP with him. And this has been foreseen. Jonathan Karl asked Paul Ryan a few weeks ago, “What happens if Trump doesn’t get the nomination? If he just goes across the street and registers as an Independent?” Ryan’s response was, “He’ll hand the country to the Left.”
Works for me.
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
Napoleon Bonaparte.
I’m amazed that this dialogue is even taking place, but that’s the size of it: Trump and MAGA are now a thing apartment from the GOP.
That suicide note was written long ago, Ursula. They’re just reading it again the way any of the faithful recite their prayers.
And the 2016 dynamic is dead and gone, killed by COVID and J6. Biden brought the Dems together in a way Sanders never could, then or now.
The suicide note is Trump threatening to run as a third party candidate is what has kept McConnell, McCarthy et al at bay these past few years.
They know that if Trump runs as a third party candidate he could take up to 30% of the GOP’s voters with him and any thoughts of becoming a majority in the house or senate will be gone for a very long time if not forever. Therefore my fervent New Years wish is for Trump to do just that and run outside of the GOP.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, irritate him.
-Sun Tzu
Also from Sun Tzu: defeating your opponent without fighting him is the true pinnacle of excellence.
Gee. Having to hold your nose and vote for the less crappy candidate.
Now he knows what it’s like to be a Democrat.
Pretty much every election since I turned 18 in 1976.
Also why I sat out election day for the first 25 years and plan to return to that approach. As the late George Carlin said, rather than voting, stay home and jerk-off. At least that way when you’re done, you’ve got something to show for it.