2024 - the MAGA Presidency and Revenge Tour

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:26 pm

Anecdotally, that's exactly what I'm seeing on local social media - local deplorables that are openly denouncing immigrants and "illegals" for stealing jobs, voting and taking benefits from "real Americans". Can't afford food at the supermarket? It's the illegals. Can't buy a house right now? Also the illegals. Kids being told it's ok to be trans or to read books about lesbians? Illegals voted those politicians and school board members in.

I know some of it is keyboard warriors, but the number of people that are openly comfortable with calling for immigrants to be rounded up when Trump is re-elected is a rather surprising. They're not using pseudonyms or bot accounts - these are actual people saying (openly) how tired they are of their communities being overrun with outsiders. I'm not being dramatic when I suggest it feels like they're a few hate-rallies away from taking up arms and actually rounding people up in the streets.

So the world is filled with people like me saying we're headed towards trouble, another group is actively egging it on and I guess the majority (?) is shrugging their shoulders, to focused on whatever it is that people do to occupy themselves and ignore politics.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:31 pm

My wife was at Shoprite last week and asked the butcher dept if they had any spare ribs. He replied they are stuck at the border while all the illegals are flocking in. If I was there, I probably would be banned from Shoprite for life. Seriously did I ask if you're a fucking moron? No then shut it.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:02 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:36 pm Yeah, someone that described the Confederate Flag as a symbol of "service, sacrifice and heritage" is absolutely the right person to be President.

I am firmly in the camp that believes the worst Democrat is better than the "best" GOP candidate at this point; the entire party is a cancer to American democracy.

Never said Haley was "the right person to be President." She's just leagues better -- i.e., not a clear and present danger to peace and stability -- than Trump.

Believe that all Republicans are as bad as Trump if you like. I think that's a ridiculous position to take, but it really doesn't matter. In order for us to be on the same page, we just have to agree that Trump is the absolutely worst possible person to appear on the ballot. It's irrelevant if the worst Democrat is better than the "best" GOP candidate. None of them pose the danger to the country - the world, really - that Trump does.

If we could somehow see a future where Haley becomes President, I could 100% live with that if it guaranteed that Trump would not. And it's not even a close call.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm

Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:50 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?

A world where Haley is the nominee is a world were Biden might not run. He's said as much.

Personally I think a Harris/Haley contest would be a coin flip.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 8:42 pm

malchior wrote:Those accomplishments don't mean much to the wide underclass our society has built. That is one of the chief disconnects that Trump channels. We have a large body of 'have nots' and they are angry.

This isn’t new. We’ve always had a wide underclass of have nots who wanted to blame immigrants. As far back as 1882, America blamed and restricted Chinese immigrants.

Trump gave them permission to spew their vile hate openly again. They had been driven underground by polite society.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:05 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 7:50 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?
A world where Haley is the nominee is a world were Biden might not run. He's said as much.

Personally I think a Harris/Haley contest would be a coin flip.

A world where Haley is the GOP nominee is (assuming Trump is not dead) one where Haley has openly promised to pardon Trump and his allies or where Trump rails against her and keeps the MAGA vote home.

Neither scenario is well captured by "Haley vs Biden" hypothetical polls.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:39 pm

milo wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:19 pm
Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:25 pm
Yeah, I said her ad *starts out* well. (Paraphrasing) "Joe Biden and the Democrats have brought nothing but chaos.
Yes, but aside from the 14 million new jobs created, the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, the lowest inflation rate among developed nations, the CHIPS and science act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the $1T approved for infrastructure improvements to repair roads and bridges, the reduction in insulin costs, the $4.8B in student loan forgiveness, ...

What have the Romans ever done for us?

So much this, where's the the MTG video of all the things "he's screwed up." It was a friggen awesome campaign ad for Biden and a reminder of how he's not nearly as horrible as his presentation.

malchior wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:12 pmwe have a large body of 'have nots' and they are angry. And Trump channels that into things like anti-immigrant animosity, taps into racism by saying other 'have nots' are living off their backs, he attacks academia, and the 'deep state' to distract them while he and his fellows loot the commons.

We have a large body of think they don't have their share (and they are most certainly not have nots by most reasonable standards)and TFG channels into the idea the immigrants and intellectual voodoo and lies are what is keeping their rightful piece of the pie from them.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 10:12 pm

But it's not the have-nots who vote for Trump. The actual have-nots (meaning citizens who are poor and suffering and living day to day on shallow paychecks) don't vote at all. (You're not a have-not if you own a $65k truck and twenty $700 guns and yearly season tickets to whatever sportsball team floats your boat.)

What Trump supporters really feel they lack is the control over society they believe their grandparents had. They hate that TV and the radio and their kids' or grandkids' cultural choices embrace the darkies, and they hate that so many ads during their big games depict mixed-race couples or even same-sex ones. They hate that they get dirty looks from strangers when they exhibit casual racism in public.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:24 am

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 10:12 pm But it's not the have-nots who vote for Trump. The actual have-nots (meaning citizens who are poor and suffering and living day to day on shallow paychecks) don't vote at all. (You're not a have-not if you own a $65k truck and twenty $700 guns and yearly season tickets to whatever sportsball team floats your boat.)

Sort of. My comment is targeted. In the "national average" this is on the money. The average Trump voter won't have a college degree. They will be white. To your point, people (overall) making 100K+ broke for him *slightly* but they are a smaller part of the total.

In any case, that isn't really what I'm talking about. What I was getting at is the type of voters where it counts due to the EC. In the sliver of states that give him a coin flip of a shot, MAGA voters are far more likely to be poor, white, non-college educated angry 'have nots'. However, there is some evidence that non-white, 'have nots' are breaking from Biden as well. It's not clear if it's real or if it does where that comes from but it's a worry.

What Trump supporters really feel they lack is the control over society they believe their grandparents had. They hate that TV and the radio and their kids' or grandkids' cultural choices embrace the darkies, and they hate that so many ads during their big games depict mixed-race couples or even same-sex ones. They hate that they get dirty looks from strangers when they exhibit casual racism in public.

I agree but this is more of an average at the "national average" level. The bad thing is all this culture war stuff plays well with both sets.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:39 am

malchior wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:24 am The bad thing is all this culture war stuff plays well with both sets.

THEY started it.

waitingtoconnect · Post by **waitingtoconnect** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:27 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:26 pm Anecdotally, that's exactly what I'm seeing on local social media - local deplorables that are openly denouncing immigrants and "illegals" for stealing jobs, voting and taking benefits from "real Americans". Can't afford food at the supermarket? It's the illegals. Can't buy a house right now? Also the illegals. Kids being told it's ok to be trans or to read books about lesbians? Illegals voted those politicians and school board members in.

I know some of it is keyboard warriors, but the number of people that are openly comfortable with calling for immigrants to be rounded up when Trump is re-elected is a rather surprising. They're not using pseudonyms or bot accounts - these are actual people saying (openly) how tired they are of their communities being overrun with outsiders. I'm not being dramatic when I suggest it feels like they're a few hate-rallies away from taking up arms and actually rounding people up in the streets.

So the world is filled with people like me saying we're headed towards trouble, another group is actively egging it on and I guess the majority (?) is shrugging their shoulders, to focused on whatever it is that people do to occupy themselves and ignore politics.

What disturbs me is the northern border talk. I mean I know that we need to overthrow Canadian democracy and replace it with a Jordan Peterson dictatorship but we need to keep that under wraps until trump steals the next election,

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 12:58 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 10:12 pm But it's not the have-nots who vote for Trump. The actual have-nots (meaning citizens who are poor and suffering and living day to day on shallow paychecks) don't vote at all. (You're not a have-not if you own a $65k truck and twenty $700 guns and yearly season tickets to whatever sportsball team floats your boat.)

What Trump supporters really feel they lack is the control over society they believe their grandparents had. They hate that TV and the radio and their kids' or grandkids' cultural choices embrace the darkies, and they hate that so many ads during their big games depict mixed-race couples or even same-sex ones. They hate that they get dirty looks from strangers when they exhibit casual racism in public.

Exactly. That's why his voters are poor AND well-off...it's not just about money, but about "the advantages and way of life that my white parents had when I was a kid seem to be fading"...and those advantages are not necessarily related to wealth.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:30 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?

Not at all. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that if I could do a deal that would avoid a Trump/Biden election and just install Haley, I'd do that deal in a heartbeat.

geezer · Post by **geezer** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:51 pm

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:30 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?
Not at all. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that if I could do a deal that would avoid a Trump/Biden election and just install Haley, I'd do that deal in a heartbeat.

Meaning that if it took giving Haley the presidency in exchange for Trump definitely NOT winning, you'd sacrifice a *possible* Biden win to do it?

That's not an insane POV at all.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:07 pm

Ya I would take that in a heartbeat as well. Trump wins it's all over. His first four years will feel like a blessing after he goes all Argentina on the government workers.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:14 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:31 pm My wife was at Shoprite last week and asked the butcher dept if they had any spare ribs. He replied they are stuck at the border while all the illegals are flocking in. If I was there, I probably would be banned from Shoprite for life. Seriously did I ask if you're a fucking moron? No then shut it.

I wonder who he thinks works in the slaughterhouses that supply his meat?

(Hint: Citizens with options don't last a full paycheck in those jobs.)

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:24 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:07 pm Ya I would take that in a heartbeat as well. Trump wins it's all over. His first four years will feel like a blessing after he goes all Argentina on the government workers.

I think this is where my disconnect is. I completely understand that if we re-elect Trump, it's going to a real short ride to big trouble. However, the GOP as a whole is pushing for insane things so putting any of them in federal elected office increases the chances of the continued slow march we've seen back into the Stone Ages.

To put it more succinctly, allowing a "Nikki Haley" to be elected (installed?) after openly communicating that the Civil War was about "freedom for states to do what they wanted" while we're actively looking at abortion and reproductive health access, gun laws, same-sex marriage laws, environmental protection laws...feels like she's giving away the plot. To be clear, I'm not trying to equivocate any of that to slavery, but her language is reinforcing the beliefs that MAGA voters have suggesting states should free from "government tyranny" and if they want Gilead, they can.

I guess my point is there's no scenario where I believe anyone from the GOP should be President, full stop. It's not that the Democrats are fielding amazing candidates, instead it's because they're not a party that's currently embracing fascism.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:09 pm

geezer wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:51 pm
Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 4:30 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:15 pm Maybe I'm not clear on what you're voicing then. Are you saying that in a world where Haley is the GOP nominee for President, you'd vote for her without hesitation instead of Joe Biden? Or that you'd just prefer the GOP shows some signs of not being openly fascist by nominating someone that is not Trump?
Not at all. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that if I could do a deal that would avoid a Trump/Biden election and just install Haley, I'd do that deal in a heartbeat.
Meaning that if it took giving Haley the presidency in exchange for Trump definitely NOT winning, you'd sacrifice a *possible* Biden win to do it?

That's not an insane POV at all.

Didn't we already cover this exact scenario somewhere already?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:11 pm

Yes, yes we did.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:55 pm Thought experiment: If you were given two options, which would you choose?

(1) Biden v. Trump with a 75% chance Biden wins; or
(2) Nikki Haley as the next POTUS

And I still go with the one that guarantees 0% Trump.

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:47 pm

Trump off of the primary ballot in Maine-

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... ry-ballot/

Donald Trump removed from Maine primary ballot by secretary of state

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:50 pm

The only way the GOP deradicalizes is by a sound defeat of Trump and ALL his MAGA wannabes. That includes DeSantis and Haley.

The choice is like deciding to have late-stage cancer or early stage cancer without treatment. In both situations, you’re going to die of cancer. But a different time horizon.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:57 pm

Jail time would help too

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 2:49 am

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:11 pm Yes, yes we did.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:55 pm Thought experiment: If you were given two options, which would you choose?

(1) Biden v. Trump with a 75% chance Biden wins; or
(2) Nikki Haley as the next POTUS
And I still go with the one that guarantees 0% Trump.

I did say I was a broken record . . .

waitingtoconnect · Post by **waitingtoconnect** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:57 am

Holman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 5:14 pm
Octavious wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 5:31 pm My wife was at Shoprite last week and asked the butcher dept if they had any spare ribs. He replied they are stuck at the border while all the illegals are flocking in. If I was there, I probably would be banned from Shoprite for life. Seriously did I ask if you're a fucking moron? No then shut it.
I wonder who he thinks works in the slaughterhouses that supply his meat?

(Hint: Citizens with options don't last a full paycheck in those jobs.)

Exactly- it’s not like hunting - if you’ve ever had to work on an industrial slaughterhouse killing floor…

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 6:41 am

Zarathud wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:50 pm The only way the GOP deradicalizes is by a sound defeat of Trump and ALL his MAGA wannabes. That includes DeSantis and Haley.

The choice is like deciding to have late-stage cancer or early stage cancer without treatment. In both situations, you’re going to die of cancer. But a different time horizon.

I don't often see eye to eye with you politically but this is my feeling, my fear, and even where my intellectual examination leads me. Gawd, do I need to be wrong, here.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:45 am

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:11 pm Yes, yes we did.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:55 pm Thought experiment: If you were given two options, which would you choose?

(1) Biden v. Trump with a 75% chance Biden wins; or
(2) Nikki Haley as the next POTUS
And I still go with the one that guarantees 0% Trump.

If you move that to 50% Biden wins (which is probably more accurate), I’ll agree.

Coin flip that Trump wins vs Haley as POTUS? I don’t even have to think about that.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:51 am

There's like zero chance there won't be another MAGA riot somewhere if Trump runs and loses again. Obviously the capital is going to be well protected this time, but you could have loonies attacking each states capitals. (I'd love to see them do that in Trenton.)

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:05 am

Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:51 am There's like zero chance there won't be another MAGA riot somewhere if Trump runs and loses again. Obviously the capital is going to be well protected this time, but you could have loonies attacking each states capitals. (I'd love to see them do that in Trenton.)

Yep. I think we need to prep for and expect serious civil trouble for any kind of hard-hitting anti-Trump events, even prior to election: continued removal from state ballots, successful prosecution of one of his trials, doesn’t become the GOP nom, etc.

If he passes those hurdles and loses the general? No idea.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:09 am

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 6:41 am
Zarathud wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 8:50 pm The only way the GOP deradicalizes is by a sound defeat of Trump and ALL his MAGA wannabes. That includes DeSantis and Haley.

The choice is like deciding to have late-stage cancer or early stage cancer without treatment. In both situations, you’re going to die of cancer. But a different time horizon.
I don't often see eye to eye with you politically but this is my feeling, my fear, and even where my intellectual examination leads me. Gawd, do I need to be wrong, here.

I think this is probably the wrong way to approach the problem. They've lost big. Repeatedly. For one, they are antidemocratic and handwave the losing by millions of votes part due to the EC which made the races "close". It is very hard in modern times to have a "decisive loss". It seems unlikely we'll see a Reagan type landslide in the foreseeable future. Trump lost by millions of votes but a razor margin in the EC.

Anyway the tldr; is if you're hoping on a big "loss" with these sore losers/malcontents especially with a horse race based media that'll megaphone all their grievances then you're going to be waiting a very long time.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:30 am

Most of the MAGA people lost in the midterms. I mean he had an army of people he tried to install and I think pretty much all of them failed. If it wasn't for the damn EC... Lose by 10 million votes and still win? Seems legit...

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:59 am

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:45 am
LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 7:11 pm Yes, yes we did.

Kurth wrote: ↑Thu Aug 24, 2023 11:55 pm Thought experiment: If you were given two options, which would you choose?

(1) Biden v. Trump with a 75% chance Biden wins; or
(2) Nikki Haley as the next POTUS
And I still go with the one that guarantees 0% Trump.
If you move that to 50% Biden wins (which is probably more accurate), I’ll agree.

Coin flip that Trump wins vs Haley as POTUS? I don’t even have to think about that.

I feel like a Haley win would just be like the frog in the boiling pot - she doesn't seem so bad, which will make the next election easier for someone even worse. Whereas a Trump win would bring more people to the realization that "the leopard ate my face!? But I voted for it!" So I'd still go with 1, with the knowledge that a Trump win would get more people to realize how bad the GOP really is. I also like to think even the worst of the GOP would not agree to a Trump dictatorship and that the billionaires would realize an unfettered Trump is bad for business.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:36 pm

Trump's personal response to the Maine decision? Posting a link to the Maine Secretary of State's personal bio. Let's see how this turns out. I wonder who is going to be the tragic sacrifice that'll might make some folks finally take his stochastic terrorism seriously.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:39 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:05 am
Octavious wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:51 am There's like zero chance there won't be another MAGA riot somewhere if Trump runs and loses again. Obviously the capital is going to be well protected this time, but you could have loonies attacking each states capitals. (I'd love to see them do that in Trenton.)
Yep. I think we need to prep for and expect serious civil trouble for any kind of hard-hitting anti-Trump events, even prior to election: continued removal from state ballots, successful prosecution of one of his trials, doesn’t become the GOP nom, etc.

There's no way that they ever accept a Trump loss with those elements in place. They're the scapegoat they need to hold up as 'proof' of the conspiracy to steal the election. For many, it'll cement that narrative for the remainder of most of our lives.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:03 pm

malchior wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:36 pm Trump's personal response to the Maine decision? Posting a link to the Maine Secretary of State's personal bio. Let's see how this turns out. I wonder who is going to be the tragic sacrifice that'll might make some folks finally take his stochastic terrorism seriously.

That's just freedom of speech, right? He's sharing information about a public official so that anyone concerned about this decision can contact them. The Secretary of State could be ripped limb-from-limb on TV and he would just shrug his shoulders - that's all part of the insanity we're now living in.

He remains on the ballot and loses? Grievance.
He is pulled off the ballot and loses? Grievance.
Lawsuit is filed that affects his ability to campaign? Grievance.

My point is, no matter what happens anymore - good or bad, the only thing that doesn't result in a negative response is winning. And somehow, this is not only accepted, it's arguably encouraged.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:12 pm

I'm not convinced we'd have another Jan 6 on our hands if Trump should be the nominee and lose again. People have been predicting MAGA uprisings ever since that day for various events like Biden's inauguration, and none of them have ever materialized. I think Jan. 6 was a "heat of the moment" event, and I'm not sure you could get a cohesive mob riled up to that level again by a Trump who will have been out of power for 4 years. As much of a force MAGA seems to be to us who despise it, it's a force that has lost consistently. And I think all the Jan 6 convictions probably had a chilling effect on anyone planning future uprisings.

Lone wolves? Sporadic small (perhaps even violent) protests? Sure, I'd expect that. Mass coordinated MAGA rebellion? Nah, I'm not seeing it.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:34 pm

YellowKing wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:12 pm I'm not convinced we'd have another Jan 6 on our hands if Trump should be the nominee and lose again. People have been predicting MAGA uprisings ever since that day for various events like Biden's inauguration, and none of them have ever materialized. I think Jan. 6 was a "heat of the moment" event, and I'm not sure you could get a cohesive mob riled up to that level again by a Trump who will have been out of power for 4 years. As much of a force MAGA seems to be to us who despise it, it's a force that has lost consistently. And I think all the Jan 6 convictions probably had a chilling effect on anyone planning future uprisings.

Lone wolves? Sporadic small (perhaps even violent) protests? Sure, I'd expect that. Mass coordinated MAGA rebellion? Nah, I'm not seeing it.

I think it's too early to know this yet. We'll see as the election season goes on how intense the anger is.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:41 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:03 pm
malchior wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:36 pm Trump's personal response to the Maine decision? Posting a link to the Maine Secretary of State's personal bio. Let's see how this turns out. I wonder who is going to be the tragic sacrifice that'll might make some folks finally take his stochastic terrorism seriously.
That's just freedom of speech, right? He's sharing information about a public official so that anyone concerned about this decision can contact them. The Secretary of State could be ripped limb-from-limb on TV and he would just shrug his shoulders - that's all part of the insanity we're now living in.

He remains on the ballot and loses? Grievance.
He is pulled off the ballot and loses? Grievance.
Lawsuit is filed that affects his ability to campaign? Grievance.

My point is, no matter what happens anymore - good or bad, the only thing that doesn't result in a negative response is winning. And somehow, this is not only accepted, it's arguably encouraged.

I feel like (and I know this will get a lot of blow back from people) the best way to handle a post 2020 Trump was to just ignore him. That's his worst fear and the only thing that he can't fight all that well.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:44 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:41 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:03 pm
malchior wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:36 pm Trump's personal response to the Maine decision? Posting a link to the Maine Secretary of State's personal bio. Let's see how this turns out. I wonder who is going to be the tragic sacrifice that'll might make some folks finally take his stochastic terrorism seriously.
That's just freedom of speech, right? He's sharing information about a public official so that anyone concerned about this decision can contact them. The Secretary of State could be ripped limb-from-limb on TV and he would just shrug his shoulders - that's all part of the insanity we're now living in.

He remains on the ballot and loses? Grievance.
He is pulled off the ballot and loses? Grievance.
Lawsuit is filed that affects his ability to campaign? Grievance.

My point is, no matter what happens anymore - good or bad, the only thing that doesn't result in a negative response is winning. And somehow, this is not only accepted, it's arguably encouraged.
I feel like (and I know this will get a lot of blow back from people) the best way to handle a post 2020 Trump was to just ignore him. That's his worst fear and the only thing that he can't fight all that well.

I agree but it's not realistic. That's just not how the media works here. They are looking 24/7 for things to fill the airwaves with. We could have ignored him but he would have had influence and we'd be still here.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:48 pm

Oh, I know the media was going to go all in on his exploits. That was never in doubt. I'm talking more about all the other attention he's gotten. I realize what I'm saying is akin to saying we should just ignore criminals, but we're talking about someone who breaks every rule or norm there is. When someone thrives on controversy, as he so obviously does, I have to wonder if just ignoring him in favor of letting him just rant to his worshipers wouldn't have been the better choice. He might not have grown those ranks if so.

But again, purely speculation on my part.