8 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
David Dickson's avatar

I may be jumping the gun a little, but I think every elite Republican knows the endgame here:

A resurrected President Trump with DeSantis as his right-hand man and enforcer.

Vice President under Trump is the job DeSantis was born to apply for. He would purge, punish, corrupt, and instill autocracy across the federal government, destroying the rule of law and permanently Trumpifying the military, law enforcement and intelligence.

Meanwhile, Trump would take all the credit, be the "charismatic" face in the White House, and meantime loot the Treasury, enriching himself and his friends (while pardoning himself). That is the plan.

And to those who would counter with "Nah, Trump fears competition from DeSantis"--Nonsense. Trump fears nothing from DeSantis. He has the personality cult of a cardboard box.

He would be, however, very useful as a competent builder of dictatorship--and smart enough to stay out of the limelight, while permanently establishing his reputation as a thug politician to be feared across America.

Presumably, after Trump was done with his second term (assuming the global order still stands), DeSantis would be the heir apparent.

This is the endgame, and anyone paying attention at least suspects it. Ignore any presumption that Trump and DeSantis are on a "collision course" of any substance. They aren't rivals in any permanent sense. They were made for each other. :/

Expand full comment
Harley "Griff" Lofton's avatar

Actually your scenario is a real possibility.

One caveat I would add is that Trump may be quite satisfied calling the shots from Maralago especially if he can continue to rake in cash through his grifts.

In other words anointing DeSantis as his successor may suffice to meet his needs without having to waste his time having to pretend he is trying to govern.

I think the Banana Republicans would nominate Trump ONLY if they are convinced that some other Republican can't win. If that happens then your DeSantis scenario is strengthened. Trump would have to legally move back to New York to do that as he can't afford to have the Florida Electoral College votes set aside as required by the 12th Amendment.

Right now I am seeing President DeSantis and Vice President Nikki Haley or some other woman or person of color being sworn in in 2025.

Expand full comment
TW Falcon's avatar

I don't think DeSantis can be Trump's VP. I might be wrong but I believe the President and the VP cannot be from the same state.

Expand full comment
Craig Butcher's avatar

What, like suddenly there is a rule or something that matters? And this one isn't actually applicable, it having been somewhat mooted by the 12th amendment. It still kind of exists. In principle, if Trump and DeSantis are both from Florida, the Florida electors could only vote for one of them, not both. Of course it wouldn't matter because this is America now.

There are also rules against doing things like overthrowing the government, but those don't count any more either.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Apr 25, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
TW Falcon's avatar

I was mistaken. Apparently an EC elector cannot vote for both if they are from the elector's own state. No prohibition on both from the same state otherwise.

Expand full comment
David Dickson's avatar

That would actually put Florida out of the EC math.

All Trump has to do, though, is "temporarily" move back to New York. Problem solved. :/

Expand full comment
TW Falcon's avatar

Or their electors could vote for him and someone other than DeSantis as VP. Then Trump could wind up with a Democratic VP. That would be fun.

Expand full comment