Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General Trump 2.0

I floated this idea on a Rightie dominated forum recently:


That's an amalgam of several posts responding to comments of utter abhorrence of subsidies being Socialism, and encouraging laziness and freeloading; and tariffs somehow being Capitalism, exhibiting strength, power, and dominance. I pointed out that both were acts of government interference in the sacred doctrine of free markets, but one type comes with immediate tangible benefits, the other being nothing but a heinous TAX (gasp!) consisting of empty and delusional speculation, putting more money in the much despised federal coffers.

Still no takers...

Folks, we are not dealing with a political problem, we are faced with mass insanity - a severe, widespread toxic personality disorder. Thinking about it from that perspective might make a difference in charting a path through the storm.

Ahh ... the eternal optimist

So, one should ask the question, predicated on the assumption there is a dictator in office, what would any righteous dictator do once in power? Would they allow free and fair elections? [The ones who have were almost immediately arrested for crimes against the state and imprisoned, and the ones who don't are still in power]. So we should expect there will not be free nor fair elections in 28 and maybe not in 26. Just one aspect for which to ponder.

Now as to the Courts, we have already seen the Supremes handing over monarchical power to Trump. So why would they back down now? Currently we have Trump allies calling on Roberts and Barrett to support Trump's power. That's a message from Trump. I have a hard time trying to decipher the calculus of an extortion against a Supreme, but it is clear at least 4 are firm hard supporter of Trump's power and probably an enhancement of that power. Gee he's the King .... I mean president. So I don't think it would take much to push either over to the side of dictatorship.

However, the lower courts have indeed in most cases tried to hold the administration to the rule of law. Unfortunately they are not the final written in stone opinion. For that we have to hold our breath while a 6-3 SC decides in the favor of the Law or political ideology. One example is the detention of a green card holder. Does such a person have the same rights as a citizen and can thus freely without government retribution express their political beliefs? I am 75% certain the Trumpist majority will sustain the government. Now if you think that sounds like a dictatorship, well it is.

Finally to wrap it up, and I am not the only person who has expressed this concept and it is getting more widespread coverage, there is no enforcement mechanism of a court opinion. To circle back, would a dictator allow the courts to dictate that dictatorial fiats are illegal? I have a smile on my face if you think so. Trump has already rebuffed court orders. Once this sinks in, why would anyone believe he won't simply ignore any order which doesn't appeal to his narcissistic delusions.

Yes my brother you are a short term optimist. I am a long term optimist. I know in 100 or 200 years the inertia of historical progressiveness will crush ideas which fail to adapt. That flame will always burn bright.

o gee Trump WH openly acknowledges they openly defied a court order.

Does anyone need more evidence????

The whole idea that Schummer had to back the cloture vote is flawed. So, the Republicans would blame the Democrats for shutting down the government. And so? The Democrats could just as easily frame the Republicans as the ones closing down the government.

The whole idea that they would be blamed for SS checks not arriving is easily countered. The Republicans had/have multiple avenues toward keeping the government functioning:

* Pass an actual budget
* Amend the continuing resolution to make it more palatable for Democrats and their voters
* Nuke the filibuster and pass the CR with their own votes

What the Dems have now done is to remove any reason for anyone to ever vote for them again. They are unwilling to do anything to stop the destruction of democracy in the US. They are unwilling to do anything to advance the concerns of the people who voted for them. All they seem to care about is to look like the adults in the room. Well, they've tried that for 25 years now to no avail. Maybe it is time to choose a different strategy, cuz this one ain't working.

There hasn’t been a budget passed on time since 1996. Which at least to me, means every congress since then has failed to do their job. I also think nuking the filibuster would be a very bad idea much like Senator Harry Reid’s first use of the nuclear option. How’d that work out? One thing for sure without the nuclear option the SCOTUS would look totally differently today as 60 votes would have been required for cloture. Which means the minority party regardless of who is president would have a say, a voice on who is confirmed to sit on the highest court in the nation.

I don’t get excited over one bill, one happening or one event. The actions of Trump as president and the GOP controlled congress will be put on the line come the midterms of 2026. There’s a slow trend going against both. But it’s slow and it takes time. Elections are referendums, usually on the party or president in power. The out of power party or the challenger usually doesn’t have to do anything or stand for anything except be there as an alternative. 2024 was a referendum on Biden and the democrats since they were in power. 2022 a referendum on Biden and company when the GOP regain control of the house. 2020 a referendum on Trump with his 41% overall job performance approval. 2018 another referendum on Trump and then the GOP congress which resulted in a 42-seat gain in the house for the democrats and so on. In any election around a quarter of the population votes based on how they deem the current president and congress are doing their job. If they approve of the job being done, they reelect and if they disapprove, they vote for the challengers. It is really simple; my advice is not to read too much into all of this. With both major party’s strength being even these days, election results are front and centered on this quarter of the electorate.

The filibuster has not lead to a centrist bill or confirmation in decades. It has led to the side willing to play hardball (read: the Republicans) getting their way.

If Reid had not done away with the filibuster for SCOTUS appointments, we would be sitting with a 9 - 0 ideological «split». Republicans would never have allowed a single «liberal» to be confirmed and would have waited until they had a Republican president before filling any vacancies. If anyone has any doubt, I give you Gorsuch and Barrett.

The Congress in general and the Senate in particular are are not the same as they were when we were children. One party has embraced maximalism to its upmost, even stating multiple times they they will never compromise with the Devil, i.e. liberals.

To keep pretending that nothing has changed in 60 years and to keep on operating as if all the old rules and procedures still apply is a sure recipe for ruin.

Everything is always changing. Adapt or die.