# Where do the Republicans go if Trump loses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 22, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268 "2020-09-22T23:19:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/81 "2020-10-10T03:05:09Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > According a link in the Senate races thread, Republican candidates are starting to edge away from him _now_ . His coattails have already shrunk to the size of postage stamps. Yeah, he’ll tweet (hopefully from a jail cell) but he’ll be yesterday’s news faster than W. was on January 21, 2009. And good riddance. I strongly suspect that, once he leaves office, Twitter will shut his account down for breaking their content rules within a week. They’ve pretty much said that they let him stay now because he’s President. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/82 "2020-10-10T11:37:40Z")
> [@deltogre](#): > > It tells me that those people really weren’t good people, to begin with. Now that it’s okay for them to be openly racist, sexist, or what-have-you, they simply appear batshit crazy to the normal, normalized world. We’re just witnessing the unravelling I have no idea, but isn’t it possible it goes both ways? That is, if a sane, responsible, wrong-within-normal-parameters person becomes the leader of the Republican Party, might many of these jerks go back to at least pretending to be normal, like they used to? In other words, if one person’s “leadership” gave them permission to let out their inner assholes, might another’s leadership help many of them to return to sanity? Even if my rosy scenario is possible, the tricky part would be the transition — the time when many frothers would resist going back to acting normal, because they have so much invested in their jerkiness. A little like when a VTOL plane like an Osprey switches from vertical to horizontal flight. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/83 "2020-10-10T12:45:46Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > , the tricky part would be the transition — the time when many frothers would resist going back to acting normal, because they have so much invested in their jerkiness. Right. The psychologically hard part is that this is the first time the frothers have been having _fun_ with society / politics in years. They just love flying their big flags on their pickup trucks, blowing their horns, saying outrageous or felonious stuff out loud. Putting _fun_ back in the box will be very very hard. ---
**Author:** ![deltogre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deltogre/32/5041_2.png) [@deltogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltogre)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/84 "2020-10-10T13:33:50Z")
I agree with that. What worries me isn’t the outward expression of assholish attitudes; it’s the hidden assholish attitudes that are unchanged. Isn’t that the real threat, here? And yes, they are invested in outward assholishness marching on, so they won’t let it go without a fight. Until the deep-seated, ingrained hatred and biases are eradicated, there will always be fringe groups willing and eager to play on them for selfish gain. ---
**Author:** ![Monocracy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monocracy/32/4493_2.png) [@Monocracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monocracy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/85 "2020-10-10T14:09:06Z")
My hope is that Trump attempts to start a media empire to cash in on his loyal supporters. It’s much better financially to have 10% to 15% of the population be rabid cultists rather than 50% who show lackluster support. It’s very easy to fleece cult followers. I felt he was going this direction after the George Floyd murder when Trump went all-in anti-protestor. Trump can then become a kingmaker in the Republican Party. And he will absolutely use this power to his personal advantage. He doesn’t care how many Republicans get elected. Republican candidates will then have the Sophie’s choice of either disavowing Trump, angering that base of solid conservative voters, or welcoming Trump’s endorsement, pushing away conservative moderates who are now sick of Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/86 "2020-10-10T16:05:18Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I have no idea, but isn’t it possible it goes both ways? That is, if a sane, responsible, wrong-within-normal-parameters person becomes the leader of the Republican Party, might many of these jerks go back to at least pretending to be normal, like they used to? It might not do them much good if their previous insanity is recorded and documented. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/87 "2020-10-10T16:07:07Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > In other words, if one person’s “leadership” gave them permission to let out their inner assholes, might another’s leadership help many of them to return to sanity? The expressions _can of worms_ and _toothpaste back into the tube_ come to mind. I’m not so sure turning a rock back over help, either. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/88 "2020-10-10T18:17:43Z")
True. Pandora’s box and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/89 "2020-10-10T18:58:41Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > I do know that if Trump is alive, receives a federal pardon, 50 state pardons, and loses… no one is going to care about him six months after January. Except for the red hat true believers, everyone is exhausted by him This is why I’m deeply ambivalent about the notion of “bringing Trump before the courts” and “prosecuting the case against him” if he loses the election. As much as we’d all like to see him _finally_ face the music, do we really want to be listening to music whose chorus are the words “Donald Trump”, for the next…year? two? three? Because, make no mistake, if Trump is truly prosecuted post-presidency, It is GOING to be The Donald Trump Show for the duration, and the duration is going to be long. Might be in everyone’s best interest to just move on. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/90 "2020-10-10T19:58:06Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Might be in everyone’s best interest to just move on.- That was Gerald Ford’s rationale for pardoning Nixon. It makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/91 "2020-10-10T21:14:41Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Might be in everyone’s best interest to just move on. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That was Gerald Ford’s rationale for pardoning Nixon. It makes sense. So making POTUS is the equivalent of a Get Out of Jail Free card? No thanks. Trump was a grifting con man before he was elected and continued to be one after her was sworn in – the mantle of the Presidency had no effect on him. I can reluctantly see the wisdom in not indicting a sitting President but in a just world he would have been out of office last January and facing indictments by now. Just because it’s taking the voters to fire him is no reason for him to not be confronted by his malfeasances, Besides, think of the popcorn sales. I’m checking the Chicago Board of Trade _now_ to see about taking a long position. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/92 "2020-10-11T04:08:06Z")
I’d be fairly satisfied to see Trump strung up by his toes in State courts. As for all his retinue of toadies, throw the book at them. The arguments revolve around: Should we prosecute Trump (keeping all the societal wounds alive, and creating the optics that we are jailing political opponents)? Or should we move on, creating a precedent that presidents really are above the law? Throwing all Trump’s bootlickers in jail could be a useful compromise, as we did after Nixon. A mad president like Trump could not do much without a retinue of toadies to carry out his mad orders. Throwing that whole lot in jail could send a message to future toadies not to play along like that. ETA: I would NOT want to see Biden pardon Trump, as Ford did with Nixon. We could abstain from actively prosecuting him, but we should never altogether take it off the table. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/93 "2020-10-11T04:20:18Z")
As for what to do about Trump’s crimes, IMO the first priority should be a full, accurate, and public accounting of his actions. We might find that they’re so bad that not prosecuting would be nearly impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/94 "2020-10-11T04:28:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > As for what to do about Trump’s crimes, IMO the first priority should be a full, accurate, and public accounting of his actions. We might find that they’re so bad that not prosecuting would be nearly impossible We certainly should have a full public accounting. (As many others here and elsewhere have suggested, a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” as it’s often been called.) Prosecute or not, we absolutely need to put the whole sordid mess of the Trump administration into the historical record. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/95 "2020-10-11T18:18:39Z")
No. That was the rationale for Reagan & Papa Bush to perpetrate Iran/Contra and for W to start a war with Iran so Darth Cheney could make big $$: they knew once they were out of office, they’d get a pass, a slap in the historical wrist, and that’s that. No More. Trump and his henchmen go down to the fullest extent of the law. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/96 "2020-10-11T18:57:52Z")
If Trump doesn’t die in jail, I suggest we remove the words “justice” and “karma” from the dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![erpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e56c9b/32.png) [@erpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erpa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/97 "2020-10-12T00:25:34Z")
I’m in agreement with everything you’ve said here, Madmonk. However, I’d like a reference as to how the GOP has been “pandering to white supremacists for decades”. In your opinion is fine, I’d just like an example…thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![erpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e56c9b/32.png) [@erpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erpa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/98 "2020-10-12T00:29:42Z")
I would disagree if in fact he loses. They will treat him like a wounded shark and hound him to his death. Not that they would reject his amoral principles, however… ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/99 "2020-10-12T00:31:59Z")
That’s easy. The Southern Strategy. In 2005, the GOP apologized for it and then you know, kept doing it. > **[Southern strategy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > In American politics, the Southern strategy was a Republican Party electoral strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans. As the civil rights movement and dismantling of Jim Crow laws in the 1950s and 1960s visibly deepened existing racial tensions in much of the Southern United States, Republican politicians such as presidential candidate Richard Nixon and Senator Barry G... ---
**Author:** ![erpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e56c9b/32.png) [@erpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erpa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268/100 "2020-10-12T00:36:14Z")
If in fact there is a God that wants to punish us, it wouldn’t be with the likes of Donnie Johnny… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-the-republicans-go-if-trump-loses/921268.md?page=6)