"Someone more skilled" than Trump could really do damage

[asahi]

Oh I agree with you that right now, we’re dealing with a proto-oligarch authoritarian regime - you’re a 1000% correct on that.

I’m looking at the future, and what I believe could be the radicalization of the American right.

[Jay_Z]

@Ziberian

It may actually be a perfectly viable plan. It’s exactly the plan Conservatives began implementing 25 or so years ago when people such as Jerry Falwell, etc decided to insert their religious beliefs into politics in a big way. They pushed their followers to run for local offices, from school board up, and it worked. I don’t know that anyone tracked how many of these folks moved up or even stayed with politics, but it was very effective at least at the local level. And, given our current political situation, you could argue it worked at a national level

That’s not what’s being proposed. Anyone can do that. What’s being proposed is that MAGAs run for county clerk in order to rig elections. I don’t think that’s an efficient path.

[Ziberian]

@Jay_Z

That’s not what’s being proposed. Anyone can do that. What’s being proposed is that MAGAs run for county clerk in order to rig elections. I don’t think that’s an efficient path.

Maybe not, but right-wingers ran for the school board to stop the teaching of evolution and that worked just fine (see Kansas). I know several Trump zealots would be happy to rig an election on his behalf. In my area county clerk is a well-paid, coveted, full-time position (a rare commodity here) so very definitely susceptible to influence.

[Little_Nemo]

@HMS_Irruncible

Anybody expecting Republicans to do a round of soul-seeking and an abrupt about-face is going to be mighty disappointed. I guarantee you that a main topic on the 2024 campaign trail will be “we must reclaim the stolen 2020 election by any means necessary and pursue drastic measures to ensure it never happens again.” Their sense of victimhood will never do anything but enlarge, and for that reason they’ll pursue even more audacious and outlandish schemes to stay in power.

I agree that the Republicans are not going to see a need to reform as the lesson to take away from 2020. But I don’t feel the leaders of the party are going to delude themselves into thinking the election was stolen from them. They know the Democrats won.

But they saw how close it was and they know they could have stolen this election if they had wanted to. They’ll be thinking “We got that far with an idiot on the ticket. Now that we got rid of him, we can nominate a competent crook and go the distance.”

[HMS_Irruncible]

@Little_Nemo

I agree that the Republicans are not going to see a need to reform as the lesson to take away from 2020. But I don’t feel the leaders of the party are going to delude themselves into thinking the election was stolen from them. They know the Democrats won.

I am not going to be the guy who forces arguments by challenging people to bet on it, but if I were betting on this, I would bet heavy that:

1. You are correct that they know the Democrats won. They knew it as soon as Arizona was called.
2. You are incorrect if you think they won’t be flogging the glorious lost, stolen election in 2024.

These people have learned not to let a popular lie go to waste. The Republicans that have to comply with the results of the 2020 election will comply with it while it’s necessary. The base will continue to insist that it’s stolen and eventually the politicians will follow what the base says. This is the pattern and I see no reason it should change.

[Velocity]

I don’t think Trump’s supporters are hugely concerned with whether someone like Trump improves their lives materially or not, because that stuff is fairly indirect. When or if your paycheck increases by $200 per week, or your hospital bill is only 2/3 of what it was before healthcare reform, do voters immediately think, “Thanks Trump,” or “Thanks Obama?” Probably not.

But if you think white men face discrimination, and you see Trump on television saying something like, “The TRUE discriminated-against groups in America are men, whites, heterosexuals, and conservatives,” then you immediately think, “Yes!!! Finally, someone who says it!” That is a far more direct jolt and boost to Trump’s support than something indirect like a fatter paycheck or slimmer hospital bill.

[Little_Nemo]

@HMS_Irruncible

You are incorrect if you think they won’t be flogging the glorious lost, stolen election in 2024.

I’m sure the party leaders will say it. But that doesn’t mean they’ll believe it.

There’s a divide between what Republican party leaders think and what Republican voters believe.