From the article:
Republicans may talk a lot about the border, small government, and supporting the police, but actions speak louder than words. When they actually get into office, the one thing they always pass are tax cuts. That’s the principle that conservatives truly believe in.
Podhoretz conveniently forgot to mention it.
Not exactly. “Extremely distrustful of big government” is the polite name given in RW circles to “tax cuts always, and especially for the rich.”
Sort of like how royalty don’t have “adultery”; they have “pedigree failure”.
Remember; I intensely dislike everything they stand for. The longer they remain unelectable the better for the USA. Up until just short of the point their leaders / enablers foment a revolution that’s got more legs than the Keystone Trumpkins of 6 Jan 20.
Are you sure about that? I thought “extremely distrustful of big government” was the conservative way of saying “the health care system should be run by the kind, generous people at insurance companies”.
Both of you are right-- and more. It means big gov’t is only good when it benefits the rich. It is bad when it expects the rich to “promote the general welfare” of anyone who’s Not Them, namely, the middle class, the poor, immigrants, women (esp. pregnant women), children (except fetuses), gays, people of color, the disabled, people who need health care (um…that’d be everyone). Also, people who care about the environment, people who want to vote, people who want schools to be places where you get an education, people who want to read any book at any time, people who don’t want to get shot in church, synagogue, school, at the mall, when walking down the street or sitting in their living rooms. In short, whiny, pinko, socialist, tree-hugging libruls. Gov’t is bad when it gives a fuck about anyone except Us. “Rich white conservatives matter, too, dammit!”
Like water eroding rock, Trump’s popularity and influence has been waning for a while - I always thought (and argued here) that the goal isn’t the One Big Thing that will bring him down, it’s the constant drip-drip-drip of controversy, noise, arguments, immoral and ‘that seems wrong’ actions…
And embarrassment.
Today was an Embarrassment Day. Even worse, it was a complete shot in the foot where the original target was not The Libs but MAGA itself. You think his detractors were eagerly awaiting this announcement, his supporters were whipping themselves up to “August 2021, the Plan will be unveiled” levels of hysteria.
And, after the excitement and hype… it’s this. Another blatant call for money for some crap photographs. Not even good ones: as being reported, apparently the Trump team just repurposed some internet clothing ads.
And this con was aimed squarely at them.
Posted this in another thread, but there are many out there in MAGA land wondering:
Not all of them, of course not, but far more than usual. Their cries of outrage are heard on Facebook, Twitter, and Twuth Swocial:
The mojo is gone. He has finally revealed to his supporters what he thinks of them, in a way thousands, tens of thousands, can no longer ignore. An amazing self-own.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
“Almost” embarrassed to be an investor…
Why almost?? WTF does it take?
When you surround yourself with sycophants, who tell you that you’re the greatest human being who ever lived, and you get to fire any who might cast doubt on that so then you hire more truly loyal sycophants, and you can pack stadiums with loyalists (who, like Grateful Dead fans, follow you from rally to rally, and brag about how many of your rallies they’ve been to), you start to believe that you can get away with anything. Especially if it makes you a buck.
And likely fueled by that thought, Trump thought he’d get away with this. “Embarrassment Day,” indeed.
Looking in on right-wing message boards, I’ve noticed that while there are some die-hard Trumpists who think this is a great idea, none so far have declared that they’re going to buy one of these things. Many not-so-die-hard Trump supporters have decried it. “It makes him look like a fool,” for example. Still others have said things to the effect of, “That’s it, with these stupid trading cards, DeSantis has my vote in the primaries.”
Like I said… drip, drip, drip.
When long-term Trump supporters are polled in 2036, asked what turned them off Trump, this will be a top 5 answer.
Well, I guess I’m discounting all the shit he can pull between now and then, true. 
Just to be clear, I see him draining money from GOP extremist wallets as a massive positive benefit, and I hope he keeps doing it.
I mentioned in another thread that 5 years ago the best thing Trump could do was die, now the best thing he can do is be on the ballot in 2024. Especially as a 3rd party.
He doesn’t make money for the campaign. He campaigns to make money.
“Trump broke into my house, ate all my food, fucked my cat, shat on the sofa and passed out naked in the front yard where everyone could see him. I’m almost embarrassed to be an investor…”
“Ladies and gentlemen… The Aristocrat!”
I’ve long held that the only way Trump ever loses his hardcore supporters is by coming out in support of liberal positions. That’s the only thing that will do it.
Doubt it. The hard core fanatics will all pretend this was their position all along. 5-D chess and all that.
You know, his policies are just enough of a mixed bag that I think, if he were to switch to being a Democrat, the Dems could find a use for him. Run him against a MAGAt in a swing state, and it might take a seat away from the GOP. At least we know he does have personal integrity, unlike so many other people in politics these days.
Bumping my own prediction from one month ago, bolding added.
I understand why you say this but sadly Biden and the Democrats need Trump to be the nominee in '24. Otherwise I fear it highly likely there will be a GOP President in the White House with them holding both houses of Congress as well. That will be a disaster for the country.
I’m not sure it’s more likely with or without Trump. Unless he dies, it seems very unlikely Trump will just disappear from attention-seeking. Past behavior shows that he won’t give up leadership of the Republican party without a big, big fight, and that could easily help the Democrats win against any Republican.
It seems to me the American Electorate has rejected GOP extremism in three straight elections. Almost every election denier running for Governor or SOS in swing states lost. CRT proved to be a loser as an issue. Attacking Trans people is not popular overall and extremely toxic for younger voters. All of this and the GOP house is going to double down on it and go pedal to the metal extreme. Unless and until the GOP changes course and moderates, and stops enabling and promoting the crazies, they will be facing the same electoral issue in state wide and national elections. I could be wrong of course. I often am. However it seems to me America has delivered this message to them in three straight elections and I don’t see it changing based on the GOP house investigating Hunter Biden’s laptop and why Twitter wouldn’t host his dick pics. That is not a winning issue for independents and moderates. They cannot win with only the crazies.
Also, look at the states most targeted in the coup planning. Georgia - 2 Dem Senators now, Pennsylvania - Dem Governor won and Dem Senator won, Wisconsin - Dem Governor re-elected, Arizona - all blue, Michigan - Blue tidal wave.
Big gains in local races in these places too. Michigan has the state trifecta now.
It’s almost as if trying to overturn the vote of these people caused a huge backlash against those doing it. The election results map of the midwest looks an awful lot like people in those states really regret letting Trump get in office and I’m not sure another authoritarian type is going to be able to swing that back the other direction right away.
Again, very good chance I’m totally wrong about all of this…