busyUnderstand that the Republican Party has been building toward this situation for ~40 years. It's not an accident or a fluke. They have had, and promoted, very long-range plans to radicalize and divide politics to their own advantage. All the racist, misogynist, classist, etc. nonsense that Trump spouts is just the natural conclusion of the direction in which they have been pushing all this time. They've been aiming to elect people along those lines, and when it all comes together, we find ourselves faced with this bombastic, testosterone-poisoned troglodyte.
Suddenly, now that the station is in sight, people are deciding they don't want to be on this train. Well, better late than never. I just hope it's enough.
August 13 2016, 02:49:28 UTC 4 years ago Edited: August 13 2016, 02:49:56 UTC
We are as close as we may ever be to having the GOP officially concede the presidential election. I don't think they'd go that far publicly, but it is certain that privately the leaders don't want to spend their money on getting DJT elected. Instead, they are certainly focussing on the Congressional races and keeping control of both houses. I gloomily note that they have a good chance of doing that.
Trump is not one of their own. A decade ago he was a Democrat, then he spent a few years registered as an Independent. Then he swooped in and hijacked the GOP..... Because it had been getting weaker and weaker, in every presidential election.
To see this for what it is, you might like to look at a history of Ross Perot's party, "United We Stand", which became the "Reform Party". It was good as long as Perot was the nominee, but in 2000 he said he was tired of running, and then party would have to come up with its own nominee. Just like Trump in 2016, a guy named Pat Buchanan showed up, registered as a party member, and hijacked the party's nomination. The Reform Party has had a rocky time since then.
I wonder what the GOP will be doing come December about its primary system. I think we've agreed not to waste any tears on that party, but as it circles the drain we don't want them dragging the whole country down with them. I do think we will avoid that.
Thoughts
August 13 2016, 03:18:31 UTC 4 years ago
This at least reduces the chance of them simply cheating again to get him elected.
>> Instead, they are certainly focussing on the Congressional races and keeping control of both houses. I gloomily note that they have a good chance of doing that.<<
I'm not so worried about that. Hillary is so much of a disaster that she is tolerable only in comparison to the Republicans. She'll do less damage than them. But I think she will do a LOT of damage herself. I have not yet decided whether I think she would do more damage with actual control of the government, compared to the damage caused by more obstruction-to-stalemate like we've had in recent years.
>> I think we've agreed not to waste any tears on that party, but as it circles the drain we don't want them dragging the whole country down with them. I do think we will avoid that.<<
A dying elephant can still do a fuckton of damage. Plus we'd be left with one party in control of everything, which is not good.
Re: Thoughts
August 14 2016, 01:11:52 UTC 4 years ago Edited: August 14 2016, 01:14:28 UTC
Oh, yes. Don't misunderstand me. Although the GOP could still survive, I say we are seeing exactly that.
A shame we won't get an apology, an admission like "We Republicans are very, very sorry that our primary system and our moderate/teaParty division inflicted Donald Trump on the country. We apologize for the weakening of NATO, the barrage of insults heaved towards Islam and the United States of Mexico, and the general damage to the U.S.A.'s image resulting from this harrowing candidacy."
Trump has the ability to drag us down with him, if he gets in. When I said "I do think we will avoid that", that is my best guess. But we are already not unscathed.
>> Plus we'd be left with one party in control of everything, which is not good.
Yes, temporarily at least, I think. (I do wish I knew what I was talking about.) the Democrats in charge, but I think the GOP will have significant members still in Congress, if not control of both houses.
What seems likely is that, in the same way the GOP split into two, there would soon be a split between the new democrats and the traditionals ... that is, the differences between Bernie and Hillary would soon boil over, and we could have a two party system again sooner than one would think. We could have the Democratic Socialists up against the President and her party. Although they are chummy now, if there ever is any issue on which neither side would back down, it could get furious quickly.
(Again, I have a tendency to talk as if I know what I'm talking about. In fact, your guess is as good as mine.)
Re: Thoughts
August 14 2016, 01:20:54 UTC 4 years ago
If only. The Republicans are flailing to get off the train now that they see the station, but they're acting like they didn't build the tracks and shovel the fuel into the engine. >_<
>> What seems likely is that, in the same way the GOP split into two, there would soon be a split between the new democrats and the traditionals ... that is, the differences between Bernie and Hillary would soon boil over, and we could have a two party system again sooner than one would think. We could have the Democratic Socialists up against the President and her party. Although they are chummy now, if there ever is any issue on which neither side would back down, it could get furious quickly.<<
I could live with a center-left and a left party a lot better than a barking mad and a slightly less mad party.
>> (Again, I have a tendency to talk as if I know what I'm talking about. In fact, your guess is as good as mine.) <<
Mine are based on two things: a deep knowledge of history and a very powerful extrapolative engine. This makes it very easy to predict some things (i.e. tyrants never seem to remember that they are vulnerable; a civilization which does not meet the needs of its citizens will fall) while others are difficult because there is no one outcome which is greatly more probable than others.
Re: Thoughts
August 18 2016, 03:08:58 UTC 4 years ago
Re: Thoughts
August 18 2016, 04:54:36 UTC 4 years ago
August 18 2016, 03:05:21 UTC 4 years ago
Yes...
August 18 2016, 04:54:55 UTC 4 years ago