24 Comments

At its core, the GOP base now exists as a gestalt version of Trump himself: a pridefully-stupid, endlessly-narcissistic child that can no longer even be told simple truths about, oh, anything it doesn't like (and its spineless parents--the indulgent Mom/House and the Can't be Bothered Dad/Senate have given up even trying). As David Brooks pointed out, even Tucker Carlson was only giving THEM what they wanted to hear--because the truth hurts too darned much. The NR columnists echo this in so many words. Eventually this insano-child will try, very determinedly, to burn the whole house down in its fathomless, pointless rage. Let's not let it.

Expand full comment

Ignorance at its finest Robert, LMAO David Brooks, liberal Lilly liver masked as a supposed Repub. what a joke.

Expand full comment

Ignorance at its finest.

Expand full comment

Bring it Tin Hat Tom. And bring some verifiably-sourced, facts to your <cough> argument. Now, keep in mind, I can't actually argue with an idiot, so don't make me have to stop--I'm gonna enjoy this. I need you to realize when you're being humiliated--can't expend the effort otherwise. So, please, keep it coming--I can Steve Rogers your lame butt.

Fascinated by your undersea wind farm conspiracy. Did MJT tell you that one? Newsweek? NewsMax? The Bear in the Woods? The village with the missing idiot?

Expand full comment
author

Let's tone it down with the "Tin Hat Tom" moniker. I don't mind the two of you disagreeing vehemently with each other, but I do mind the insults. This is your first and only warning.

Expand full comment

Blehar states "everyone immediately can sense a fraud." Sorry, but the existence of millions of supporters who don't realize Trump is a con man who's fighting for himself, not them, would suggest otherwise.

Expand full comment

Yuck. How can you even be in the same room with no headspace? Decency is not a Republican trait.

Expand full comment

You ignorant ignoramus.

Expand full comment
author

This is your one warning. More comments that are nothing more than insults and you'll be bounced.

Expand full comment

Read Robert’s insults.

Expand full comment

Thank you for one of the best articles I’ve read on the “replacement of Trump problem”. I don’t have time to read everything from everybody so it’s nice to have someone who can bring it all together in such a thoughtful manner.

Expand full comment

I believe a good bit of misunderstanding is that of the nature of Trump supporters. It’s not that they agree with the surveys, it’s that they feel ignored by the Establishment. They look for one who is not part of the Establishment, Trump or otherwise. Remember who received the popular vote in the Democratic Primaries. It was Bernie Sanders. He just didn’t receive the super delegates. The Establishment really needs to take a self-assessment of what it values. Many feel that Global Leadership is more important than domestic issues.

Expand full comment

Bernie also didn’t have the votes of actual Democratic Party voters, which he wasn’t a part of. He didn’t just lose superdelegates, he lost actual primary voters. But I agree with you that populists are selfish and want to burn everything down, and have a weird notion of ‘elites’ being anyone who isn’t them. Trump, a billionaire by inheritance, major fuckup with an ability to go bankrupt in every venture he entires was ‘not elite’? Just shows how bankrupt populism is.

Expand full comment

Just also to add, this populist movement is not small or isolated to the US. It also has spread towards Europe in the form of Brexit.

“ Antiglobalism also became a driver of change within mainstream parties. Feeling pressure from antiglobalists over trade, immigration, and international cooperation, center-right parties became more nationalist and nativist and, in many cases, more protectionist. On the center-left, social democratic parties in northern Europe sought to outflank those on their left who criticized globalization as a “race to the bottom” by urging that welfare standards be harmonized to curb the “advantage” of low-wage countries in southern Europe. In the United States, Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders ran campaigns in 2016 that appealed to white working- and middle-class voters who felt left behind by globalization. At the height of the Cold War, parties on the center-left and center-right had more in common with each other than they did with the parties and factions on the political extremes. ”

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/make-center-vital-again?

The genesis may have been the destabilizing effect of globalization on the domestic front. War and global hegemony on one side, are conflicting with social upheaval on the other. Paraphrasing another writer, even if the West is in decline, it may need to guide the process towards a future it can live with.

Expand full comment

William Jennings Bryan ran for President 3 times. He had a base in the Democratic Party and lost 3 times. He had to lose twice before the party went with Alton Parker in 1904 and then they came back to him for the 1908 election. Point being if you have a 25% or higher base in your party you are very difficult to beat in intra-party elections. To pedants: yes I know this was before the primary system but the party boss were reflecting a voter reality as they wheeled and sealed.

Expand full comment

One of the best rules of thumb ever: when the headline ends in a question mark, we know the answer is No.

Expand full comment

"Or is the choice between Trump and a Republican worse than Trump?"

I challenge Dan's rhetorical question above, and the equating of "more right" to "worse." The worse aspects of Trump, in my opinion, are not about ideology, but his authoritarian/semi-fascism. If a DeSantis knocks Trump out of the race (not likely IMO), that would be better for the Republic than not, I'd think.

(Of course, cards on the table myself, there is no Republican currently running that I'd support.)

Expand full comment

Sorry Dan, won't happen again.

Expand full comment

Desantis is the De future!

Expand full comment

Trump and Biden not acceptable.

Facts are funny things.

Expand full comment

Oh yeah. Over 6 million illegals.

Expand full comment

LMAO, facts are funny things.

Whales dying blue states, 5% inflation, Biden and Trump, $14billion in new spending between two of these horrific people. Typical Demtard, ridicule and ignore facts.

Desantis, Florida rated number one in education and, top for law, safety and order. One of the best state economies, 2.6% unemployment , 28 months of lower unemployment compared to feds. The list goes in loser. How clueless are you? Unless Rachel Maddow less tells u tards, over 40 whales dead, sonar from windmills in Northeast waters killing them. If that was Florida, the Demtards would be screaming blaming Desantis. So ignorant Robert! Typical Dem playbook, just attack facts be damed. Go scratch loser.

Expand full comment

Oh yeah, the windmill farms in the bottom of Atlantic Ocean have killed over 80 whales. Beached because of sonar disruption. Thanks to the Democrats, that’s decency. You are so right. Another topic for DeSantis, he has a very strong successful record on environment in Florida. These are Dem blue states, the Sierra club has sold out with Dems. LMAO, this will be a Landslide for Ronnie.

Expand full comment

Four more years of Biden or Trump is not acceptable. Biden and Trump are beatable, Gov DeSantis is the candidate who can defeat Biden and Trump. DesAntis has a wide latitude, he’s signed many initiatives to highlight change. He has a very strong economy, rated strongest education system with change and social compact of change. He has the record to move GOP voters, and Independents. Women and Hispanics have supported him.

1. Lump Trump and Biden together, this will gain more traction with GOP and Independents.

2. Explain Trump and Biden have failed to address SS and Medicare. Both have lied. The Trustees of both have said they both have 10 yrs of solvency. They both have records of inaction.

3. Highlight the reckless spending of both, record debt, deficit and fiscal mismanagement. Record tax revenue to treasury is not enough. It’s the billions on both parts, they’ve spent America into now paying the highest interest of payment, drowning out other needs.

4. Reassure the need for peace through strength, national defense. Highlight a new lighter military. As a ex navy officer bring new leadership.

5. Challenge the federal bureaucracy agencies, shave the federal status quo and Democrat patronage system. Reagan’s PATCO example is something to study.

6. Bring new energy and perspective to the presidency, Biden and Trumps physical and intellectual dishonesty is documented. Lack of interest and regular Oval Office hours is telling. Set the example. Challenge the process and the federal personnel.

DeSantis is America’s Governor and he can win!

Expand full comment