this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
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Former President Trump’s decision to skip the first Republican presidential primary debate is fueling Republican angst that his rivals will have little opportunity to catch up to him in the polls.

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[–] paddirn 122 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

“We let this monster of our own creation rage out of control for 8 years, and he’s still out of control!”

Edit: Also, the Party that tried to enable him to short circuit the democratic process and attempt a violent coup is suddenly upset… that he’s not following the democratic process. :(

[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 year ago

“We tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas!”

[–] PRUSSIA_x86 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

He who rides the tiger can never dismount.

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I think this is the real issue here, jfc.

A Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll of likely Republican caucus voters released Monday found that Trump’s lead over DeSantis has grown by 5 points since his indictment in Georgia last week on 13 criminal charges related to trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state.

His approval went UP after the indictment. This is absolutely insane and only shows how hopeless US politics has become. How do you roll that division back? Can you even roll it back if everybody wanted to? This cat is out of the bag and I don't see it going back in there any time soon.

The only hope I've left is the division of the GOP itself. Let the extremists go somewhere else politically and it'll hopefully lead to a more, what is the word again, fact based approach of politics when the extremists can be ignored because you don't have to appease them.

[–] elbarto777 50 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Why is all U.S. politics hopeless because of what's happening inside the losing party?

The dems are far from perfect, but their side is much less "hopeless" as you put it.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Because the Republicans currently have the support of something like 20% more of the population than the NAZIs did when they seized power.

Remember, unlike folks who believe in democracy, tyrants don't need a majority to win.

This is an extremely dangerous time for liberty in the US, and complacent attitudes like yours are only increasing the danger.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The rebulicans have plenty of politicians in power besides the president. As long as the voters favour trump they'll need to appease them to get into the other houses.

In an ideal world it will split there vote allowing massive dem gains. But that hasn't happened yet.

[–] RGB3x3 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

If there's anything the GOP is good at, it's mobilizing and motivating their voters. When they are all so alike, it's easy to get them to agree on the stupid shit.

The democrats have the issue of diversity, which makes it hard to motivate large groups of people on a single issue. Love the diversity for the strength it brings, but it makes it hard to feel you're getting adequate representation in a two-party, first-past-the-post system no matter who you are.

I wouldn't trade the diversity for the mess the GOP is though.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mainstream "normal" republicans won't actually not vote republican. They know that their only hope of maintaining some power is to continue to work with the batshit crazy regressives.

They got in bed with these people via the Southern Strategy, and they've only recently started making noises like they're uncomfortable. Once they're in the booth, though, they will still vote straight ticket.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I expect the Mitt Romney/Chris Christie wing to do a hostile take over of the Libertarian Party and abandon the GOP lable to the Trump wing.

It would be easier to take over a party that's already on all state ballots then create a new one from the ground up.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Honestly it’s just as easy as the media deciding they want us all to be friends again.

That’s legit all it takes.

If left and right wing media outlets would just start an initiative to bring the country together, everyone would fall in line. People only think what they are told to think.

The issue is that these corporations want money, and happiness doesn’t make money.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Lots of zombies out there.

[–] kava 4 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Hitler became dictator only after he was sent and got out of jail. Lula in Brazil more recently was sent to jail and then got out and won a presidential election.

The Justice system coming after you feeds the Trumper's belief that the system is against him. Therefore he is anti-establishment therefore they must vote for him because there is a very strong anti-establishment movement right now.

It's why I think it was a very dangerous and potentially foolish decision to bring charges against him. We may be starting a chain of events that will get out of control.

[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago (3 children)

You're right, we should just let Trump break as many laws as he wants because we are scared of his yokel supporters. That would be way better.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I don't think they are suggesting he should be allowed to break laws, but acknowledging the challenge the accountability brings with it.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The error with Hitler wasn't sending him to prison, it was letting him out again after only a few months.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think there is a bit of cherry picking in this. I don't think you're wrong that the charges will rile up his supporters, but plenty of dictators have taken power without going to jail.

The problem was already there, charges or not we were going to have to deal with a very violent mob, at least with charges filed we stand up for the moral value that all people (should be) are equal under the law.

[–] kava 3 points 1 year ago

I agree you don't need it but I think there's a certain zeitgeist going on right now and for example the last Brazilian president before Lula, Bolsonaro is also being prosecuted and they're trying to put him in jail.

These types of things are not normal in a stable and healthy democracy. We are teetering on the edge. I just hope Democrats can win this next election. I hate them with a passion but I think they can at least maintain the system functional for another 4 years.

[–] teamevil 5 points 1 year ago

Just never let the fuck head out and problem solved.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Like the name. Was just thinking of the wonderful comedian last night.

[–] [email protected] 53 points 1 year ago (7 children)

He’s not part of the party and never was. They let him come in and take over. It’s time for them to really up their language and actions against Trump rather than coddling him and his followers out of fear.

[–] Chainweasel 53 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That won't happen until long after he's dead. They'll prop him up as their golden calf until he can't speak anymore. Then like a light switch they'll have never supported him in the slightest and he was the evil man that took control of the GOP and made them look bad for 20 years.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Christ I hope Trump doesn't live another 12 years

[–] Chainweasel 10 points 1 year ago (6 children)

He has access to better healthcare than 99% of the rest of us. Despite his best efforts I don't think we'll be rid of him anytime soon.

[–] 7u5k3n 4 points 1 year ago

I think he's going to flee America and do some sort of radio / online media message as a deposed ~~dictator~~ president . And continue to grift until he can't.

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[–] Catma 21 points 1 year ago

Trump is 100% the Republican party of today. Maybe you could say he was an outsider in 2015 having little political experience but he is now the face of the party. He is leading in Iowa by 23 points and in national polls by an average of 37 points. Republicans courted the MAGA base for a long time and now that they have control of the party. The Republican party can no more excise Trump and his base than one could cut out their own heart and remain whole.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This is another example of how leniency for those who would make themselves king eventually leads to dictatorship. See you in another 5 years for the civil war.

[–] CADmonkey 18 points 1 year ago

See you in another 5 years for the civil war.

I worry that you're being optimistic

[–] Astroturfed 3 points 1 year ago

Promise? Maybe this time we can learn to take away their toys after they get sent home crying.

[–] GoofSchmoofer 27 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (9 children)

Where do the trump supporters go when trump dies?

Sounds like the beginning of a joke but really, what happens to the MAGA movement when the leader is no longer around? What happens to the GOP ? Do they become weaker and more divided? or can the national GOP rally around a new leader?

[–] btaf45 11 points 1 year ago

Sounds like the beginning of a joke but really, what happens to the MAGA movement when the leader is no longer around?

Every single one of them will claim they never really supported him.

[–] JustZ 9 points 1 year ago

Hopefully they all move to Russia and Belarus.

[–] Burn_The_Right 7 points 1 year ago

If we're lucky, they'll follow him to hell.

[–] ManosTheHandsOfFate 6 points 1 year ago

I think this is a super interesting question. My bet is that there will be a few years of GOP chaos after he dies.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

The only cultnof personality that has successfully handed down succession is the Kim dynasty in north Korea...

[–] PrinceWith999Enemies 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I mean this as a Cassandra-like prediction of doom:

The Trumps will become the republican version of the Kennedys. The Bushes tried it, but somehow we’re both over-intellectual and insufficiently prejudiced to make it work in today’s gop.

[–] dhork 5 points 1 year ago

Where do the trump supporters go when trump dies?

Don Jr, of course....

[–] FlyingSquid 4 points 1 year ago

They'll say he ascended and will await his return for thousands of years.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

Institutionalized racism, misogyny, homophobia, and white Christian separatism as party platform. No matter how "conservative" Republicans claimed to be, The Southern Strategy was the core value and singular driving force for the past 60 years. MAGA isn't a symptom, it's result

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

It's almost like you shouldn't have put your eggs all in one basket.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

To the surprise of absolutely no one.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

If the GOP actually does something, the only thing they can would be to kick him out of the GOP. However, if they do that, Trump will most likely form his own political party, and start attracting senators, governors, and house members to switch to his new party to give it legitimately.

I have been saying and I will keep on saying this, Trump is the modern day Hitler.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Clown show.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The only way to discourage this behavior is to help the other candidates make their pitch, which has to be why they are a better choice than Trump.

This should be how it works, the entire reason for the debate is that the attendees benefit from the attention.

[–] tacosplease 9 points 1 year ago

But will conservatives even watch a debate that Trump isn't attending?

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