# Surprises coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 12, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166 "2024-11-12T19:54:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 64
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1261 "2025-02-01T06:54:08Z")
You say all this as if the GOP has somehow been obliterated. Y’all may not realize this, but the GOP seems to be doing pretty well where shit counts: holding onto power. Would that the Democratic Party could manipulate the levers of power so effectively. If they had, maybe we wouldn’t have Trump 2.0, and the metaphorical leopard-in-chief would be literally caged. We need to stop saying “Oh, look at how awful those Republicans are behaving, no manners!” and start coming up with ways to smuggle a gun into a knife fight. Because insisting on a gentlemanly brawl of fisticuffs is how they are fucking gutting us. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1262 "2025-02-01T07:59:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’ve been saying (essentially) that for a quarter of a century or so. I’ll Google this to find out how long that is… Oh. Porn. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1263 "2025-02-01T08:48:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Daniel Moynihan once said _“You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.”_ > > The right wing media disagrees. They have built an industry of providing a separate set of “facts” that support right wing beliefs. > > The central pillar of this industry is “people are saying”. In their minds, their justification for using “people are saying” is “Hey, we’re people, too!” The jury’s out on that, but it’s looking like the jury’s not going to agree with them when they return. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1264 "2025-02-01T09:28:59Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > You say all this as if the GOP has somehow been obliterated. They have. They invited the lunatics in and got eaten up from the inside; what exists now is a faction of maniacs wearing the skinmask of the old GOP like Hannibal Lector. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1265 "2025-02-01T15:07:53Z")
And yet, somehow, it’s the Democratic Party that seems like a hollow husk of itself. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1266 "2025-02-01T15:11:33Z")
Really? I don’t see that much has changed in 20+ years. That’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1267 "2025-02-01T15:21:02Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > One of the great tragedies of American politics in the 21st Century is the Republican Party’s failure to do any sort of real introspection after the Bush years. I would say the introspection should have started after the Reagan/Bush 1 administration and the small but strong Republican minority that wanted this country to be a Christian theocracy. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1268 "2025-02-01T16:31:39Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > the small but strong Republican minority that wanted this country to be a Christian theocracy. I mean, the GOP wanted power and control. They got what they wanted. That’s hard to argue against right after Bush 1. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1269 "2025-02-01T16:46:43Z")
I know, right? Democrats allow Republicans to walk all over them, even when Democrats hold the Presidency and both chambers of Congress, but somehow it’s the GOP that needs to look inward and figure out what it’s doing wrong? ---
**Author:** ![rejemy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@rejemy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rejemy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1270 "2025-02-01T20:03:46Z")
I was thinking about starting a new thread entitled “Surprises coming for people who think surprises are coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party” but decided it would be too confusing, and this thread has already gone somewhat off-topic, so I’ll just post this here. As much as Trump is a bull in a china shop, breaking stuff without giving a shit, he and his many handlers are just bright enough to understand that they shouldn’t bite the hand that gives them their power. If they disband FEMA, it will be replaced with ad-hoc grants from the Federal government to states that are in good graces. If they institute clumsy tariffs that hurt red states, they will continue to chaotically revamp them until only the people they want to hurt are hurting. If they hurt agriculture by scaring away non-citizen migrant workers, those workers will soon find themselves in detention camps where they will be compelled to work the same fields, but this time without pay. For sure, these fast clumsy moves will hurt everyone from time to time, but don’t get complacent about that. Everyone should assume that despite the chaos, the people in charge have their targets and their friends, and there is nobody to stop them from breaking any and all rules to hurt the former and help the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1271 "2025-02-01T23:38:52Z")
> [@rejemy](#): > > there is nobody to stop them from breaking any and all rules to hurt the former and help the latter. Given recent news, this does seems likely. (The ‘_he can’t really do anything really bad; he’ll be constrained by X, Y, and Z_’ people seem to be inexplicably less active, the past few days.) Now Elon Musk owns all the information in Treasury computers, and he has full control over payments made by the US government. (Presumably including Social Security benefits.) That does appear to indicate plenty of feasting for the leopards for some time to come. [https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/musks-team-given-access-us-government-payment-system-new-york-times-says-2025-02-01/](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/musks-team-given-access-us-government-payment-system-new-york-times-says-2025-02-01/) ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1272 "2025-02-02T00:03:39Z")
> [@rejemy](#): > > he and his many handlers are just bright enough to understand that they shouldn’t bite the hand that gives them their power. No, they are bright enough to realize that you can just gaslight people, like they did in multiple ways over covid for example, as 1m americans died. And note the distinction here: the suggestion in this thread is that many Trump voters are about to be hurt by his policies, not that they will necessarily _understand_ that and place blame accordingly. > [@rejemy](#): > > If they disband FEMA, it will be replaced with ad-hoc grants from the Federal government to states that are in good graces There are many millions of Trump voters in even the bluest states. And there is no reason for FEMA not to support them – there’s nothing that forces a trade-off between states, it just pure hate and vengence. So yes disproportionately more democratic and other voters may get their faces torn off than MAGA voters, but that wasn’t the question. A lot of Trump voters are going to be hurt that didn’t need to. > [@rejemy](#): > > If they institute clumsy tariffs that hurt red states, they will continue to chaotically revamp them until only the people they want to hurt are hurting. Sure in a hypothetical universe Trump could implement precise tariffs that help boost particular industries, even while being a slight drag on the economy overall. Back in our universe though, Trump is just doing blanket tariffs against whole countries’ imports, which most economists believe are going to cause misery across the US economy. It’s too soon to say, but in the meantime, it definitely doesn’t belong to the “refuting surprises coming” bucket. > [@rejemy](#): > > If they hurt agriculture by scaring away non-citizen migrant workers, those workers will soon find themselves in detention camps where they will be compelled to work the same fields, but this time without pay. They likely want to do this, but it’s probably up there with the wall and a new healthcare system for ambition. It’s not cheap to keep people in prison (so the economics make no sense) and you’d likely need whole new prisons in relatively out of the way places. The US imprisons more of its citizens than any other country and uses them extensively for slave labor; if it were possible to cover the lion’s share of agricultural work this way, it would already be happening. ---
**Author:** ![rejemy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@rejemy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rejemy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1273 "2025-02-02T01:41:51Z")
I basically agree with you. I suppose that it is fair to say that in the very near term, there will be some unpleasant surprises for the leopard-voting public, particularly those that are ethnic minorities or live in blue states. But Trump deeply understands his mandate, to “hurt the right people”. I expect that once the initial rush to take power is over and things get a bit more settled, 2-3 years out, the leopards will mostly only be eating the faces of those who didn’t support Trump. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1274 "2025-02-02T02:13:30Z")
> [@rejemy](#): > > If they disband FEMA, it will be replaced with ad-hoc grants from the Federal government to states that are in good graces. Sure, but, that’s still gonna hurt a lot of loyal Trumpists. Cut off California, which would likely be target #1? That’ll hurt the 6 million Californians who voted for Trump in November. Similarly, Illinois has 2.4 million Trump voters, and New York State has 3.6 million Trump voters. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1275 "2025-02-02T02:23:22Z")
They won’t end up blaming Trump for withholding aid, they’ll blame Newsom for _making_ Trump withhold aid, by brazenly not supporting Trump’s agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1276 "2025-02-02T02:29:10Z")
> [@rejemy](#): > > For sure, these fast clumsy moves will hurt everyone from time to time, but don’t get complacent about that. Everyone should assume that despite the chaos, the people in charge have their targets and their friends, and there is nobody to stop them from breaking any and all rules to hurt the former and help the latter. He’s doing a lot of stupid stuff, and a lot of that will hurt his supporters. Some of it will be stricken down and much will be winnowed down such that it is nowhere near as broad as announced. But they are firing off so much bullshit, and are learning from what doesn’t pan out that they will keep sane folk on the defensive, litigating simply to stay in their jobs, out of jail, and alive. And come 2 or 4 years, a whole lot of his braindead and/or craven supporters will leap at any excuse to vote against the woman/PoC/libtard. No matter how much they have to pay for their fucking eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1277 "2025-02-02T21:48:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They won’t end up blaming Trump for withholding aid, they’ll blame Newsom for _making_ Trump withhold aid, by brazenly not supporting Trump’s agenda. Yes, this. No Californian who voted for Trump will blame Trump for Trump’s withholding the federal aid that normally and routinely is given in particular circumstances. The power of self-justification (‘there’s _nothing_ wrong with the way I voted!!!’) is simply too strong. (And as you suggest, Newsom is right there, waiting to be blamed for insufficient fealty to Dear Leader.) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1278 "2025-02-03T06:49:01Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > You say all this as if the GOP has somehow been obliterated. > > Y’all may not realize this, but the GOP seems to be doing pretty well where shit counts: holding onto power. Would that the Democratic Party could manipulate the levers of power so effectively. If they had, maybe we wouldn’t have Trump 2.0, and the metaphorical leopard-in-chief would be literally caged. > > We need to stop saying “Oh, look at how awful those Republicans are behaving, no manners!” and start coming up with ways to smuggle a gun into a knife fight. Because insisting on a gentlemanly brawl of fisticuffs is how they are fucking gutting us. I didn’t think anyone here is saying that the GOP hasn’t been successful. They’ve succeeded wildly beyond what any reasonable person would expect. But the way they achieved that success, by giving up what scruples they might once have had and letting the clowns drive the car, has had tragic consequences for America. And the enablers haven’t been totally safe from blowback either. A number of once-influential Republicans have been cast out for deigning to do something that displeased their emperor. And I certainly agree that the Democrats need to rethink their tactics. They’re playing the game like it’s 1992, when taking the high road could get you far, and the opposition was still acting in a somewhat rational manner. But, as is so often the case on the left, no one can seem to agree on a way forward. And a leadership that has, for at least the past 10 years, been averse to taking real risks, hasn’t helped either. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1279 "2025-02-03T10:32:25Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > We need to stop saying “Oh, look at how awful those Republicans are behaving, no manners!” and start coming up with ways to smuggle a gun into a knife fight. Because insisting on a gentlemanly brawl of fisticuffs is how they are fucking gutting us. I mostly agree-we want the success of Trump and MAGA without using their methods (mostly). That’s a tricky road to navigate. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/1280 "2025-02-04T15:37:53Z")
Heard this story on NPR this morning. > **['Beyond betrayal.' Venezuelans in Florida are angry at Trump immigration policy](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5285470/venezuelans-florida-tps-immigration-trump)** > > Trump's decision to remove Temporary Protected Status means more than 500,000 Venezuelans may be forced to leave the U.S. Venezuelan Americans, many of whom voted for Trump, call it a betrayal. I was literally laughing out loud, and snickering “We tried to tell you.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166.md?page=65)