I'd be in
by AquinasDomer (2024-04-17 11:24:44)

In reply to: Because he believes a full purge is needed  posted by gregmorrissey

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If I could get a guarantee that Cruz loses in Texas.

I am concerned that with more time the senate becomes more MAGAfied and party leadership/control matters more than individual members.

I really hope that once Trump leaves the scene we can go back to having boring politicians and fights over policy.

MAGA is here to stay -- it's what the voters want
by gregmorrissey  (2024-04-17 12:16:26)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, George W Bush, John McCain, Mitt Romney -- all RINOs who would be rejected by Trump and the MAGA contingent. For God's sake, we are probably less than a decade away from Trump being deemed a RINO which is pretty funny because he is the only one that is actually a RINO since he's a Democrat.

There is a giant swath of the country that feels like they've been left behind, and they aren't wrong. They've been shucked like an ear of corn for 50 years. Well, now there's nothing left but the husk --- and their votes. They don't care who the candidate is, they just want to see the whole thing blown up. I'm not sure I can blame them. I put far more blame on the single-issue abortion voter and the head in the sand debt/deficit voter. They were the ones that decided "I know this candidate is bat shit crazy, but at least they aren't an abortion-loving, heavy-spending Democrat". Nevermind that Republicans regularly run deficits that would make Democrats weak in the knees and that many Republican candidates have far different personal views and experiences with abortion than their political "stance" would suggest.

The fever eventually breaks
by AquinasDomer  (2024-04-17 12:43:51)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

We've had waves of nativism in the past, accelerating partisanship, etc.

Sometimes it takes a war or some sort of inflection point to reset things. Sometimes people just get tired of fighting each other and passions cool.

The problem right now is moderates have little to no leverage. There are many pro Ukraine/moderate GOP house members. They won't do anything to pressure leadership because they know they would be eaten alive in a primary and it doesn't matter in a general.

My hope is post Trump the MAGA types have less juice in the primary and the party cares a built more about leadership/governing. But alas probably not a hope grounded in reality.
MAGA is Trump.
by Revue Party  (2024-04-17 12:39:09)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

I think it ends with him.

The only common policy across MAGA is who can be the biggest asshole and the answer will always be Trump. The rest is just celebrity and fear. There's no mantle to hand because there's nobody to take it. No one's spent the past 40-50 years polishing his bullshit brand.

I hope you're right as well
by El Kabong  (2024-04-17 12:51:17)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

But I see people like Tucker Carlson out there, and maybe even Don Jr.

A little name recognition and charisma might get it done.

I guess we'll keep hoping.
Like it or not, Trump is insanely skilled at what he does.
by Revue Party  (2024-04-17 13:09:31)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

He has an animal cunning. He has a deplorable charisma but it is charisma. People should be studying his branding strategies which are less strategy and more finely tuned gut instinct.

I don't think we've had anyone remotely like Trump in 250 years and I don't expect another soon.

The second the GOP stops fearing him, I think it'll be a race to see who can disavow him the fastest and the loudest.

My money's on Marco Rubio. Fuck, I can't believe I voted for that guy in the primary.

I hope you're right
by gregmorrissey  (2024-04-17 12:48:38)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Cannot reply

It's possible that without the massive bully pulpit that Trump wields that moderate Republicans will be able to start winning primaries again after he's gone. Similar to this Hogan guy, I'm skeptical but hopeful.