Politics Thread

[xubrew]

The Presidency went about how I expected it would, but the election and events post election are MUCH worse. You have, by some accounts, 70% of Republicans (I'm not sure I think the number is actually that high - I'm not sure how they are selecting respondents for their polls) who think that there was massive electoral fraud despite no evidence simply because Trump (and a hair dye streaked Rudy Giuliani) say so. I'm surprised by the amount of people that seem to be buying into this lunacy, and very concerned at the blueprint it provides for future populists with political ambitions.

Significant damage has been, and continues to be, done to our faith in the Democratic process. This Presidency has done far more lasting damage than any kind of good.

The one realization I have arrived at is just how many people there are out there who are susceptible to becoming cult members. I've always thought that it's part of human nature to easily believe what you want to believe, and easily dismiss what you don't want to believe. Being able to overcome that and admit that the facts don't back up what you want to believe is something that we are capable of. But, being able to ignore the facts and continuing to stick with what you want to believe no matter how obviously false or absurd it is is also something we are capable of. That's kind of what we are seeing now. Yes, that is disturbing. I think it may actually be more plausible to argue that Santa Claus is real than it is to argue that Trump really won the election.

[paulxu]

When the grift works...keep grifting.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/r...aud-propaganda

[boozehound]

The one realization I have arrived at is just how many people there are out there who are susceptible to becoming cult members. I've always thought that it's part of human nature to easily believe what you want to believe, and easily dismiss what you don't want to believe. Being able to overcome that and admit that the facts don't back up what you want to believe is something that we are capable of. But, being able to ignore the facts and continuing to stick with what you want to believe no matter how obviously false or absurd it is is also something we are capable of. That's kind of what we are seeing now. Yes, that is disturbing. I think it may actually be more plausible to argue that Santa Claus is real than it is to argue that Trump really won the election.

I agree. It's an easy cult, too. He isn't even asking you to let him sleep with you wives and daughters (yet). All you have to do is vote for him, and worship him. That's it. He'll even tell you that you're great, and all your problems are someone else's fault.

What I think is going to be profoundly interesting is to see if there is any real blowback for the Republican party post-Trump. They have basically been cuckolded by Trump for 4 years now. You don't have to look any further than the annual budget deficit by year to see how the once fiscally conservative and responsible Republican party has been co-opted. We aren't that far removed from the Tea Party refusing to vote for any legislature that increased spending without a corresponding offset. I actually respected those guys (although I thought they took it to a pretty extreme degree).

So where do you go from here? They still have a Senate Majority (and I think they will keep it), and the electoral map is favorable to Republicans so they should be in decent shape. The Democrats are a fragmented mess and I don't think they are likely to coalesce around a moderate platform any time soon (which they need to, IMO). This is where I think that they undermining of the elections may really hurt Republicans. If all the new Trump voters don't vote because they think the process is rigged and it doesn't matter anyways, that could be problem for them, particularly in midterm and down ballot races. If they can somehow keep that engagement I think it may become the secret sauce.

[bobbiemcgee]

Hmmm,, so the pres. is going down to GA to tell 'pubs to vote in another rigged and fraudulent election that can't possibly go their way. They should be so excited. Yeah.

[paulxu]

Lou Dobbs absolutely loses it over Bill Barr saying there's no evidence of widespread voter fraud, accusing Barr of joining "the Deep State and the Resistance" before saying this:

"He is either a liar or a fool or both. He may be – perhaps compromised."

The last time Lou Dobbs did this, Trump fired the head of election security the next day by tweet. (He had said we had an election free of fraud)

Will Trump fire Barr?

[paulxu]

There's your typical sucker grift, where you send money to what you think is a legal defense fun, and it really goes to Trump's PAC that he can use like he wants. Small donations...you get a red hat.

Then there's big boy grift, where you might get a presidential pardon.

The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House or related political committee in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court records unsealed Tuesday in federal court.
The case is the latest legal twist in the waning days of President Donald Trump's administration after several of his top advisers have been convicted of federal criminal charges and as the possibility rises of Trump giving pardons to those who've been loyal to him.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/01/polit...ent/index.html

[bobbiemcgee]

When the grift works...keep grifting.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/r...aud-propaganda

Pay for Pardons?

[bobbiemcgee]

Well MOR should be ecstatic. The 'pubs are impeaching DeWine.

[boozehound]

Lou Dobbs absolutely loses it over Bill Barr saying there's no evidence of widespread voter fraud, accusing Barr of joining "the Deep State and the Resistance" before saying this:

"He is either a liar or a fool or both. He may be – perhaps compromised."

The last time Lou Dobbs did this, Trump fired the head of election security the next day by tweet. (He had said we had an election free of fraud)

Will Trump fire Barr?

What the hell happened to Lou Dobbs? Didn't he used to be a legitimate journalist?

[X-band '01]

Well MOR should be ecstatic. The 'pubs are impeaching DeWine.

You mean 3 butthurt GOP House members suggested this back in August - two of which actually got primaried.