When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass

[SNOWFLAKE]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality.

What then? Will the GOP return to its previous entry-level beliefs: limited government, free trade, the defense of liberty worldwide, and the notion that no one is above the law? Or has it become structurally illiberal, authoritarian, servile, and angry?
Trumpery is like a virus in a zombie movie, infecting the unlikeliest think-tankers, politicians, and columnists. People you have down as solid Reaganites will suddenly, like the ravening monsters in those films, start telling you that tariffs are a terrific negotiating tool or that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is more dangerous than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yet, take Trump away, and there is less ideological change than the headlines suggest. When, for example, at the end of last year, Japan’s Nippon Steel bought U.S. Steel in a $14.9 billion deal, precisely the kind of thing that Trumpsters and Natcons get most neuralgic about, only three Republican senators protested: J.D. Vance (R-OH), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). Had Trump been in the White House, at least another 30 names might have been mustered.
Something similar happened on the British Left at the same time. Between 2015 and 2020, Labor was led by Jeremy Corbyn, until then utterly beyond the pale. Like Trump, he was the unlikeliest imaginable leader of a personality cult, neither charismatic nor especially clever. Yet he caught the moment and fired up a group of supporters who, exactly like the Trumpsters, would hear no criticism of their man.

Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

 

[tshade]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

All things pass in time.
Some things won't pass for as long as historic records are kept. History will always record the stain of the era, and the black mark it will put on those who supported Trump

 

[Mycroft]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

I don't care about you, but yeah...that writer has some serious TDS going on.

I mean, just look at some of the things the writer spouts off with...

"Sure, he might try to run for a third term". The only times Trump has said anything that can be falsely construed as him trying for a third term has been when he is being sarcastic and snarking at his opponents. Total TDS on the part of that writer.

"arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr" None of his children have expressed any intention of ever running for President. Total TDS on the part of that writer.

Just that quote you provided, alone, has so much TDS going on it makes me wonder how that writer can stay sane and not scream into the night sky with elation or despair every time Trump is mentioned in the news.

 

[tshade]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

He was a bit too nice on trump---but it is a good read.
I mean, here we are talking about a person who is not qualified to get clearances to be a scout leader, let alone a school teacher, and people want him to represent the U.S. as president???? History will not forgive those who supported him.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

I don't care about you, but yeah...that writer has some serious TDS going on.

Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS.

Never fails. Count on you to be the first in here to defend Trump. As for TDS.............

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

"Getting it" and actually doing something about it are two different things.

The Republican Party is not going to change unless the voters make it change. They aren't going to reform themselves out of a sense of morality or decency....that is obvious at this point.

That is why I'm hoping for a crushing defeat of Trump and his disgusting, racist Repug MAGA Party in November. All of these GQP circus freaks need to be thrown out of office in November.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

"Getting it" and actually doing something about it are two different things.

The Republican Party is not going to change unless the voters make it change. They aren't going to reform themselves out of a sense of morality or decency....that is obvious at this point.

That is why I'm hoping for a crushing defeat of Trump and his disgusting, racist Repug MAGA Party in November. All of these GQP circus freaks need to be thrown out of office in November.

One rightwing rag "getting it" is still a step in the right direction.

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

I don't care about you, but yeah...that writer has some serious TDS going on.

I mean, just look at some of the things the writer spouts off with...

"Sure, he might try to run for a third term". The only times Trump has said anything that can be falsely construed as him trying for a third term has been when he is being sarcastic and snarking at his opponents. Total TDS on the part of that writer.

"arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr" None of his children have expressed any intention of ever running for President. Total TDS on the part of that writer.

Just that quote you provided, alone, has so much TDS going on it makes me wonder how that writer can stay sane and not scream into the night sky with elation or despair every time Trump is mentioned in the news.

Well, yeah....Trump wouldn't possibly LIE, would he? That would just be unthinkable.

Hopeless....

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

One rightwing rag "getting it" is still a step in the right direction.

How? It's not like they are going to stand up to Trump if he wins in November. They will cowardly fall in line, just like virtually every Republican in Congress did after Jan 6.

 

[Zyphlin]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

You don't actually read the examiner regularly do you? Their editor-in-chief is not a Trump fan and is not shy of criticizing him, and the magazine for years have frequently had pieces ranging from skeptical to critical of Trump and Trump related issues.

I generally agree with portions of the article, but think he has it a bit backwards. Trump will go away from the national scene before his breed of politics begins to ebb in the republican party

 

[Blue Dog]

I hope the authors opinion is proven correct.

That being said, I disagree for the following reasons. Movement conservatives have been on the march since Joe McCarthy wanted reactionary based populism to become the polestar of the party.

The former POTUS is a symptom of what has been building for decades. This “ideology” is not going to fade into the sunset, I believe in the argument that “nature abhors a vacuum”.

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

I hope the authors opinion is proven correct.

That being said, I disagree for the following reasons. Movement conservatives have been on the march since Joe McCarthy wanted reactionary based populism to become the polestar of the party.

The former POTUS is a symptom of what has been building for decades. This “ideology” is not going to fade into the sunset, I believe in the argument that “nature abhors a vacuum”.

The problem with this is that the MAGA movement is not conservatism. Loyalty to one man is not conservatism.

The whole point of MAGA is loyalty to Trump, cruelty, and constant white grievance victimization...that's it.

If Trump came out tomorrow and said he wanted to reinstate Roe vs Wade or ban AR-15s, then the vast majority of Republican voters would go along with that. These MAGA voters don't care about actual policies anymore.

 

[jpevans]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

Have Father Coughlan, Berry Goldwater etc gone away, or underground? Trumpfism by name will pass after a while, as MAGA Cult will survive in some form, with Leaders like MTG, Matt Gaetz etc. waiting for a figurehead to rise to leadership. The worse of Republicanism will survive, it may form a new party, it may continue in the GQP, but it'll be back. It is up to the lovers of the democratic system to keep it down, but it ain't going away.

 

[OrphanSlug]

Certainly not the worst opinion piece I've ever read, but it did come off as a combination of wishful thinking and overlooking what Trump actually accomplished.

It should be well known by now I am no Trump supporter, not a member of nor have an interest in being a supporter of Republicans, and generally speaking consider this subject a terrible collision of Trump Derangement Syndrome running right up against Trump Devotion Syndrome.

The harsh truth of the matter is an arrogant, narcissistic, misogynistic, military service avoiding, thrice married, wealthy New York Democrat found a way to not just completely displace the long existing establishment of the Republican Party, but also entirely take it over implanting his own establishment and turning the entire party into his own personally directed slush fund. Oh, and lest we forget has managed a way to avoid much legally speaking all the way up to today and it happens to include the Republican Party picking up at least some of that legal tab.

It really is extraordinary, and it makes the comparison (by the OP article) of Corbyn's rise in support of Labour and subsequent exit hardly worthy of mentioning.

The ultimate question is what will the Republican Party look like 8 or 16 years from now?

The obvious answer, danced around by the OP article, is any change will take someone (or some group) who can capitalize on, or remove, the establishment Trump has firmly put in place. It seems today like it is all about Trump but I doubt it ends with him given the sheer number of, and financial support from, the number of people still lining up to fund that party.

Money, power, influence, and frankly... ability... tends to move these things, that is sure what happened with Trump's takeover of the party. Note, this has nothing to do with political ideals really. Just who can claim ability to do something about them.

 

[element94]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

It's going to be extremely difficult to get the diabolical powers out of whatever that right wing party has become. I'd expect, after Trump, for it to get worse via a real nasty, but intelligent, piece of work running for office. Trump, as we know, is a criminal because he feels entitled to be one, but he's also just a goofy ignoramus.

 

[Cope]

I tend to agree that the loyalty that Trump gets his support from is a bit weird.
Republicans find themselves in a bit of a pickle with how loyal those Trump voters are, conservatives are left with little choice but to follow because the other side doesn't align at all.

Centrists/Independents are now more important than ever, for both parties, and yet we are lambasted by both sides of the same crazy coins from both parties.

Eventually someone will come to the center and garner the support needed from those centrists that will take the vote.

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

I tend to agree that the loyalty that Trump gets his support from is a bit weird.
Republicans find themselves in a bit of a pickle with how loyal those Trump voters are, conservatives are left with little choice but to follow because the other side doesn't align at all.

Centrists/Independents are now more important than ever, for both parties, and yet we are lambasted by both sides of the same crazy coins from both parties.

Eventually someone will come to the center and garner the support needed from those centrists that will take the vote.

"A bit weird"? It's downright pathological.

 

[btthegreat]

The exact same cultural white nationalist isolationist xenophobic dynamics that produced Trump will exist without him. The same post information age systemic and institutional weaknesses that he exploited to become the demigogic fascist threat to republican democracy will still exist without him. Every actor foreign and domestic, has learned exactly how to attack our uniquely balanced 250 year political system and tear it appart from the inside and from the outside. Our institutions of governance, journaism, education, have been proven increasingly ineffective, antiquated and we could not reform them in the face of the dire threat of trumpist fascism represented.

Not only can we not pass a constitutional amendment to reinvigorate our govt for the 21st century, Congresss cannot pass any major reformist laws. Its all paralyzed by conspiratorial hyperpartisanship on steroids, fueled by social media bypasses which leaves real journalism virtually useless to educate the voters even if they even wanted to do better, to learn more . All of this was bad enough without AI. We have a faux patriotism replacing the real thing, Red State/ Blue state tribalism shredding our common values, our common heretage, even our common sense of history has corrupted and Trumpism has institutionalized that byproduct.

All of that stays in a post Trump world.

 

[Mithrae]

The problem with this is that the MAGA movement is not conservatism. Loyalty to one man is not conservatism.

The whole point of MAGA is loyalty to Trump, cruelty, and constant white grievance victimization...that's it.

If Trump came out tomorrow and said he wanted to reinstate Roe vs Wade or ban AR-15s, then the vast majority of Republican voters would go along with that. These MAGA voters don't care about actual policies anymore.

I think you've got things the wrong way around there. It's not as if Trump came along with his own set of values and was just so handsome and intelligent and charismatic that Republican voters fell into line behind him, it's almost the exact opposite: He has hardly any values of his own, but he's good at paying lip service to some conservative values in some cases (eg. pretending to oppose abortion) and in other cases reflecting their baser instincts (eg. hyper-nationalism, despite likely having little nationalist loyalty himself). There was at least one prominent example in which he went against his core supporter's baser instincts - in promoting the Covid vaccine which his administration helped expedite and he therefore wanted to take credit for - and while there was no doubt a mix of reactions we pretty clearly saw that many of the most MAGA folk would not fall in line behind him even on this novel 'issue' with no real roots in conservative or right-wing ideologies:

“He’s out of touch on the vaccine,” one user wrote on a pro-Trump forum that was a staging ground for the Jan. 6 insurrection after Trump appeared on OAN. Another asked “Why lose half your base over a faulty vaccine actively being used to take away rights?” Someone else responded, “I love Trump but this shit is getting intolerable.” At a rally in Cullman, Alabama in August, Trump was booed when he told the crowd he recommended getting vaccinated.​

The only reason we might think that they would fall in line behind him is if we were under the impression that conservative moralism reflected their genuine values: That is, if we thought that they really cared about their sexual puritanism then their support for a *****-grabbing adulterer would imply that Trump had brute-forced his way past their cherished principles; if we thought they they really cared about small government then their turning a blind eye to his authoritarian tendencies would imply that he had somehow usurped their values with his cult of personality. But I don't think that's the case at all - I think that sexual puritanism for most conservatives is and always was more about outward appearance of piety or about chauvinism (or both) than about any real conviction that sex is only moral between a married man and woman, and in the case of 'small government' even moreso the Republican hypocrisy and authoritarian tendencies were very clear long before Trump became their nominee.

In short, IMO Trump isn't the disease... he's just a symptom of a very sick socio-political system.

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

The exact same cultural white nationalist isolationist xenophobic dynamics that produced Trump will exist without him. The same post information age systemic and institutional weaknesses that he exploited to become the demigogic fascist threat to republican democracy will still exist without him. Every actor foreign and domestic, has learned exactly how to attack our uniquely balanced 250 year political system and tear it appart from the inside and from the outside. Our institutions of governance, journaism, education, have been proven increasingly ineffective, antiquated and we could not reform them in the face of the dire threat of trumpist fascism represented.

Not only can we not pass a constitutional amendment to reinvigorate our govt for the 21st century, Congresss cannot pass any major reformist laws. Its all paralyzed by conspiratorial hyperpartisanship on steroids, fueled by social media bypasses which leaves real journalism virtually useless to educate the voters even if they even wanted to do better, to learn more . All of this was bad enough without AI. We have a faux patriotism replacing the real thing, Red State/ Blue state tribalism shredding our common values, our common heretage, even our common sense of history has corrupted and Trumpism has institutionalized that byproduct.

All of that stays in a post Trump world.

This to me is one of the most troubling aspects of our current national crisis. Almost as troubling as Trump himself.

If the Democrats somehow hang onto the Senate in November, then they need to end the filibuster. To be honest, the Democrats should have done this in 2021, when they still controlled the House.

We cannot continue to allow Trump and the MAGA Republican Party to hold our country hostage. We have to pass real election reform measures that will protect our democracy going forward.

Schumer should not even care how Republicans feel about ending the filibuster. Because if the Republicans ever get control of the Senate and White House again, they will end it.

 

[Integrityrespec]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

Republicans are't "going back to the old normal". The new normal is less full of placating the left. Better that way.

 

[Cope]

"A bit weird"? It's downright pathological.

I'm not nearly that hyperbolic.

 

[RIP U.S. Democracy]

I think you've got things the wrong way around there. It's not as if Trump came along with his own set of values and was just so handsome and intelligent and charismatic that Republican voters fell into line behind him, it's almost the exact opposite: He has hardly any values of his own, but he's good at paying lip service to some conservative values in some cases (eg. pretending to oppose abortion) and in other cases reflecting their baser instincts (eg. hyper-nationalism, despite likely having little nationalist loyalty himself). There was at least one prominent example in which he went against his core supporter's baser instincts - in promoting the Covid vaccine which his administration helped expedite and he therefore wanted to take credit for - and while there was no doubt a mix of reactions we pretty clearly saw that many of the most MAGA folk would not fall in line behind him even on this novel 'issue' with no real roots in conservative or right-wing ideologies:

“He’s out of touch on the vaccine,” one user wrote on a pro-Trump forum that was a staging ground for the Jan. 6 insurrection after Trump appeared on OAN. Another asked “Why lose half your base over a faulty vaccine actively being used to take away rights?” Someone else responded, “I love Trump but this shit is getting intolerable.” At a rally in Cullman, Alabama in August, Trump was booed when he told the crowd he recommended getting vaccinated.​

Really? If Trump came out tomorrow and said he wanted to ban all AR-15s, you don't think most Republican voters would still stand with him? They most certainly would.

Your Covid example actually proves my point -- a lot of MAGA voters did not like it when Trump promoted and advocated for the Covid vaccine. However, Trump still easily won the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination, didn't he?

The only reason we might think that they would fall in line behind him is if we were under the impression that conservative moralism reflected their genuine values: That is, if we thought that they really cared about their sexual puritanism then their support for a *****-grabbing adulterer would imply that Trump had brute-forced his way past their cherished principles; if we thought they they really cared about small government then their turning a blind eye to his authoritarian tendencies would imply that he had somehow usurped their values with his cult of personality. But I don't think that's the case at all - I think that sexual puritanism for most conservatives is and always was more about outward appearance of piety or about chauvinism (or both) than about any real conviction that sex is only moral between a married man and woman, and in the case of 'small government' even moreso the Republican hypocrisy and authoritarian tendencies were very clear long before Trump became their nominee.

In short, IMO Trump isn't the disease... he's just a symptom of a very sick socio-political system.

You're agreeing with me in this paragraph. You are basically saying that Republican voters no longer care about policy. That is true.

The Republican Party has been headed towards authoritarianism for a long time, especially since the racist Tea Party movement started back in 2009. However, the Tea Party movement did not promote loyalty to one man. That is a new phenomenon that started with Trump. The Tea Party at least pretended to care about long-standing conservative principles.

 

[noonereal]

OK, I have to admit to being gobsmacked. The following opinion piece is from............................ the Washington Examiner. Typically a rightwing rag. But it's gotten to the point where even they finally "get it" about Trump. Or just one author's opinion?

When the Republicans get back to normal, Trump and Trumpery will pass - Washington Examiner

What kind of Republican Party will former President Donald Trump leave after him? For there must come a time after Trump. Sure, he might try to run for a third term or arrange for a monarchical succession by Don Jr. But, though he cheats many rules, even the Donald cannot cheat mortality. What...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Here are some striking passages:



Time to accuse the author of that above article, and me, of TDS. And let's have some whataboutisms while we are at it

excellent opening post
However I disagree with the writer.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

How? It's not like they are going to stand up to Trump if he wins in November. They will cowardly fall in line, just like virtually every Republican in Congress did after Jan 6.

I hope the authors opinion is proven correct.

That being said, I disagree for the following reasons. Movement conservatives have been on the march since Joe McCarthy wanted reactionary based populism to become the polestar of the party.

The former POTUS is a symptom of what has been building for decades. This “ideology” is not going to fade into the sunset, I believe in the argument that “nature abhors a vacuum”.

Remember too, that the slant in the opinion piece above is from a rightwing site. They may have blinders on. However, for that site to publish THAT opinion is really something.