They want us exhausted and giving up. I refuse to do that. I am simply unwilling to give up our 250 year old experiment to a guy who wears orange makeup and doesn’t even take stairs.
We all work together this November to show the GOP that even trying to rig the game mid game will not work.
I saw a meme that had a sign out front referring to it as a memorial for all the people President Man killed thanks to his ignorance during Covid and other “programs.”
Instead of tearing down the ballroom, convert it to offices for revitalized American Aid Programs that Bond-villain Elon Musk dismantled. Remove all the crappy gold lame' and other Trumpian touches and put that shite up for bid with proceeds going to help the less fortunate. Converting the ballroom to something mundane, but useful, will drive the Maga nuts insane.
I’ve got no doubt it’s hideous but I really don’t want to waste more money on this absurdity and knocking it down will be subject to court challenges. Change it to something better and make it a symbol of moving on from this ridiculous man and his venomous movement.
I said when he first started this ballroom talk that after he's gone, instead of tearing it down, use it to house the homeless. Yes, maga will go insane 😉
So Homan's going all in on arresting all immigrants? That should work out really well for nursing homes and assisted living communities. Add thr hospitality industry, too.
Can't wait to see all those patriotic MAGAs lining up to work for minimum wage!
Couch f*cker’s Thiel-backed VC firm invested in AcreTrader. Guess what they do? Since they prefer data over humans- maybe food is just a short-term need in their warped world view. Maybe all the distressed ag property they snatch up will be turned into data centers or warehouses for the leftover lower caste humans. Scary!
Don't be ridiculous. Why is Trump firing people in the Federal Workforce and "DEI" hires? Because many are BLACK and he has many good "Black Jobs" for them. Trump is a racist POS.
Something MAGA would hate ... hmm, how about "ballroom"?
Somehow it's OK when Trump does it, but I don't see ballroom enthusiasm surviving his lifetime. I can't picture Vance bragging about his ... you know what, I'm going to stop before I can't resist quoting AC / DC.
And now…Repubs will probably approve $1 Billion for the ballroom ! WTF This is just like Trump saying he’d fund his own campaign 1.0 - who would ever believe such nonsense? So normal we will be paying for it and he takes off with what he’s raised privately and then awards contracts where he can a kickback. Just call us Russia.
We could sell pieces of rubble, parts of a marble arm rest, rebar from the bomb shelter. Toss the arch into the mix and we could pay off the national debt!
I am a democrat poll greeter and poll watcher. Last election cycle, our democrat candidate lost by a small margin. She’s running again in November. I am, all democrats, are hopeful that the dominant republican block will see-the-light and vote blue 💙
Has is occurred to anybody else that perhaps the Republican's billion dollar plus request for Trump's ballroom is a feint? Since it is being paid for by "donations" from big donors, perhaps it is a slush fund that, once established, Trump thinks he can raid to use for other things the Democrats are refusing to fund? It may be one work-around to get more money for ICE. They are devious.
There is something about what you say. I read that money was donated to this project(!) through one charity that was soon closed and the money went to another charity. There is no accounting for that money and who is in charge. Sounds like a repeat of the “Save America Fund” which turned out to be “Save Trump’s rear end from all his law suits!”
Thanks, Ashley. I've been walking around the last few days asking myself if it's too early to give up on this country (or at least its citizens). You've talked me off the ledge.
And I would like a clear definition of "Trumpism" that goes beyond "Fascism with an Orange Tint." I have been asking for years (2017) why "honor" the Felon (OK, he was not yet one then, but is now) by creating a name for something that has existed for decades, although it has never been called Mussolinism or Hitlerism?
Maybe because Hitler and Mussolini died before WW II was concluded. Most of their followers were dead, in jail or in hiding. This group of faithful want to keep ahead of the curve before the felon flames out.
IF the Felon had died before the idea of calling it Trumpism developed, you might have a point, but, given his desire that everything be named after him, I would not be surprised if history shows that he called it that before anyone else came up the (pompadour-styled blown-dried), hair-brained idea.
David, you may be right that the felon coined the term. It’s his supporters who are carrying it in a big way. With his declining mental abilities, and his failing health, that slogan is going to be short lived. We can only hope the short part comes soon.
Oh yes. They came out from under their rock in the 70’s complaining that they should not bear the burden because they weren’t born at that time. Got very little traction with those Germans who remembered what their cities and towns looked like because of Hitler. I don’t think the East Germans got a say in this rant.
At this point in President Agent Orange's term, I have serious doubt that anything other than the underground bunker can be constructed and finished before the end of his term.
That type of construction can take years, especially if the lawsuits keep coming.
Bill: "It’s too bad that decent Indiana Republicans who stood up to Trump have to suffer in the process. But that’s the choice of the Republican primary electorate, and the only solution for now is an even bigger Republican defeat in November."
How many of these "decent Indiana Republicans" voted for Trump in 2024?
Yeah, I think the problem with having decent people being in an indecent political party is that they become definitionally indecent by association. Kudos to them for standing up on their principles. But also: like, you get +1 point and then we can start the point deductions for everything else...
We've known for years that Trump views everything as a personal loyalty test. So if these supposedly decent people voted for Trump after the events of January 6 2021 and they're looking for a gold star for "doing the right thing", they're not getting one from me.
Indiana seems to have it's share of Pence Republicans. They can do one decent thing to thwart Trump and then vote for him again. Don't seem to be the brightest crayons in the box.
My parents were born in Indiana and I still have family there. We became the “wild Easterners” of the family. I remember family members who thought Nixon was innocent until their dying day. A lot of things in Indiana seem cult-ish to me from my more pluralistic Eastern upbringing. Basketball, religion, politics… and its culture in my experience is naive, reactive, suspicious of anything different, and mired in judgement. Obviously there are exceptions, but it makes it a very hard place to go against the grain.
Colleen - what I hear is mostly identity related. Daddy & grampa voted R (John Prine wrote the line "voted for Eisenhower cuz Lincoln won the war" but TBH these days I don't know how many Hoosier Rs regard that as a good thing 🤔😬)... and those marxist radical trans police-defunding Dems would surely be worse! Doncha know they cause inflation and get us into unnecessary wars that we lose and such as that...
oops forgot the baby killer stuff. Yeah guns but there's been so little movement toward that it almost seems less salient these days... tho not if we go by the count of NRA stickers, gun logos on clothing, etc. The Prine song is 'Grandpa was a carpenter' - just a beautiful sweet tribute to his own, and to all old timey grandparents
We will get a better view of Texas GOP voters after the Paxton/Cornyn runoff, but it still doesn’t tell us what the losing side voters will do in the general against the Dems. I could see losing Paxton voters staying home and not voting for Cornyn. Will losing Cornyn voters vote in the general for Paxton. Well, what would Susan Collins do……To the extent any of these losing voters stay home, that’s a win, and it’s likely the most positive outcome. I can’t imagine any Texas GOP primary voter crossing the line to vote for a Dem in the general.
I think the best we can hope for across the country is that Rs stay home in November. Thinking that they will actually vote for a Democrat is lunacy. Especially in places like Indiana.
I agree! Yesterday's election showed how deeply connected to Trump these people are, no matter how much he is destroying our and the world's economy they still vote the way he wants them too. They are truly in a cult when they vote against their own self interests. It is very troubling.
That probably depends on what hunting season will be open on Election Day. If it’s deer-hunting season around here, Republican voter turnout goes down.
Tom - My state senator voted against the redistricting & last night lost his R primary after years in the state senate. He's 80-ish so I hope he enjoys many years out to pasture. He'd be welcome in any opposition but that one vote earns him a shining star. AND I will remember his overall record too 😡
Tim - in 2024 Indiana: 1,720,347 voted Trump; 58.43% of the ballots cast. About 38.5% of eligible voters didn't bother to vote at all. I am adrift in this wilderness, wailing & gnashing what teeth remain. But later this day I will join a plucky band of neighbors at the weekly street sign rally, projecting our small spark of light into the gloom. Generally we get more honks than curses, and we play lively music on the boombox. We're still here. We persist
Thanks for the data, JAZ. This matches the national data for the 2024 election: a little more than a third of the electorate voted for Trump, a little bit less than a third voted for Harris, and a third didn't vote at all. Quite a mandate for Trump. Many commenters are saying no way would a Republican vote for a Democrat, that it's just lunacy to even think of. I hope that someday that changes, and that the someday is soon.
It's as true for elected officials as it is for everyone else. If you voted for Trump, you voted for everything he does. Including him ending your political career.
Probably virtually all of them, but in the back of my mind I remember Obama won Indiana in 2008 and a Democrat was elected Senator. Seems like a lifetime ago.
Wrecking the executive mansion and then dumping the toxic waste on a public golf course that the regime wants to turn into a championship course is too far fetched even for a cartoon villain.
There’s tons of decent people who are registered Republicans and hate Trump. I have neighbors, family members and business acquaintances who are Republicans so they can try to influence local races to keep the party healthy and have more than one qualified candidate in the general election.
TBH, that's me as well--in my state, practically, if you don't vote in the Republican primary you have no chance to influence who will represent you, since it is going to be a Republican. But so far I'm batting zero in trying to help keep out the most MAGA (and, frankly, most unqualified) people, who "we" keep electing.
But I don't consider myself a "Republican." I'm an independent. Almost all of my friends who proudly identify as "Republicans" are people I've largely stopped talking to, mostly because I can't stand the gaslighting and the bigotry. Maybe I had a bad pool of friends in the first place.
SO, you are correct, even by my definition. I suppose that regardless of what I consider myself, I'm still "in the Republican party." And I'd hope I'm decent....
I hear you. I’m in a very red district of an otherwise blue state (Maryland). The most accurate description for me is a swing voter but what I really feel is politically homeless. I think you’re making an important distinction that speaks to what I was getting at as well, which is how we identify vs how we’re registered. It’s one of the distinctions I’m not sure polling accounts for and I see a lot of assumptions when pundits talk about politics that identity and registration are aligned. It would be an interesting thing to explore more imho but I’m not sure the masses would agree.
Exactly. Perusing the comments, I think we're probably right at the crux of this topic--party affiliation vs. policy preference (which probably loosely maps into party identification). Although I was registered and mostly voted as a Republican in the before-Trump time frame, I never considered "being a Republican" a core tenet of my identity. So when Trump came along it was easy for me to decide that the party had failed me and vote for Clinton. Most of my friends from those days could not make that choice, and got locked into supporting things they claimed could never happen.
In general, I heartily wish Americans had heeded Washington's warning against faction, and think that his prophetic vision has come literally true--our parties have "become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." I'm sure one could find fault on all sides, but for anyone to argue that anyone ever went as far to "usurp for themselves the reins of government" as the current cabal of miscreants has is simply ludicrous (which is why I really don't talk to folks anymore who make those claims).
"Party", not "policy", seems to have become the exclusive focus of most Americans' pretty limited political thought, and so we have a "conservative" president who is trying to nationalize various industries. People put no more thought into the consequences of their political choices than they do the consequences of the professional wrestling choices (apologies to JVL, but I detest professional wrestling and hate to see our politics becoming a simulcrum of it). Unfortunately, the largely un-thought-out political choices of the majority affect all of us a lot more than their decision to root for the Masked Marvel against Lucy.
This red team/blue team mentality drives so many of the worst aspects of the current political scene--bald-faced gerrymandering, voter suppression, the stupid anachronism of the electoral college (which means I will never have a vote in a presidential election, unless I move), a willingness to turn a blind eye to rampant corruption and self-dealing, and finally the unwillingness to confront or question a gratuitous war of choice.
I agree that it would be enlightening to see better data on policy preferences vs. political identification vs. registration, but it would only start getting fun if you could actually rub people's faces in the extent to which their party is or isn't supporting their actual preferences....
That is certainly fair criticism. I tend to think the closed primaries are killing us and creating candidates on both sides that are more extreme. Are you in a state where you think people would be open to open primaries or ranked choice voting?
Kate, I'm in a state that went 80+% for Trump and this guy ran for (and won) Secretary of State on an "election fraud" platform (he doesn't believe that 20% of the state is so benighted as to not recognize Trump as the second coming) ;-).
I LOVE open primaries. Thought we had them when I originally registered, then realized I'd given away my chance to have any input at all. Became a Republican (again) after that.
The state GOP got upset about people doing that and has tried to legislate that you cannot change your party (?!? ... I guess political affiliation, like other things, is determined at birth). The party chair discussed secession on Steve Bannon's show after the 2020 loss. We couldn't find a majority for anything that might impact the GOP's hold on the state. And it probably wouldn't matter...I suspect the state is probably 60+% MAGA. And there have been rumblings about gerrymandering the few blue-ish enclaves so we can have a one-party state legislature.
What I love even more than open primaries is abolishing the electoral college. Due to the fairly typical "winner takes all" rules, my vote will literally never impact a national election. That strikes me as deeply unfair. To take a balanced view, I'm sure my Republican friends in California feel the same way...and I wish we could build a coalition for that simple reform. Another simple reform would be drawing districts strictly based on a grid...the districting wars are another very clear example of disenfranchisement.
Now, "simple" doesn't mean "easy"...as Carl von Clausewitz said, "Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult." And, unfortunately, this is becoming war.
Last Saturday I early-voted for Cassidy in the Republican primary - not because I’m any fan of his after he voted to confirm RFK Jr. (although I do appreciate his vote to convict in the first impeachment), but because it would really piss off Trump and our MAGA Governor if he wins the nomination. (Wonder how much money the RNC and other GOP Super PACs would be willing to spend to help one of Trump’s “enemies” get reelected?) Plus, the Democratic candidate would have a better chance in the general election if the Republican electorate is divided. (That’s why I changed my party affiliation after 50 years as a Democrat, because our MAGA Governor and legislature closed our formerly open primaries, and the future of this state will be decided in the Republican primaries. Congratulations, you played yourselves, Louisiana Republicans!)
Nice work. It's funny how unthinkable strategic party switching is to 90% of adults. For me, I just concluded a 10 year stint as Republican in Maryland this year. There was no point, as it is now MAGA all the way down, and in Maryland, the Democratic party will have uniparty rule as long as Trump is around...(Hard to see the next Hogan coming down the pike.)
What matters are the consequences of the label you choose. I can still vote any way I want in the general election (at least for now!), and whoever the Democratic nominee is will probably be better than the Republican - and will probably lose. So I’ll vote for the least objectionable Republican in the primaries and (most likely) for the Democrat in the general. If anyone might misinterpret my party affiliation, I say I’m a RINO.
Same here in Floriduh - hubby and I are now registered Republicans, because as you say, "the future of this state will be decided in Republican primaries."
Why did visas get pulled for La Nación’s board? Because, as non-citizens, it was the easiest way for the administration to punish a media outlet that had displeased them. They’re doing it by whatever means they have for all disfavored media outlets. And even when they don’t take explicit action, their compliers-in-advance corporations are happy to do it for them.
If you didn’t see Tim’s interview with John Heilemann a week ago, he said something that I think could be signal-boosted a bit more. Alluding to when Tim was a co-host of Showtime’s long-running cult hit political documentary series The Circus, which Heilemann co-created, Heilemann briefly touched on his own recent experience trying to shop around for a studio/streamer to distribute a new series (whether a revival of The Circus or something new, he didn’t specify).
> Maybe something will happen over the next year and they'll change their minds. But as of today, there is that attitude which is, ‘Yeah, we don't even want to do a perfunctory meeting on this because we are *never* going to make this thing. If it touches on anything where Donald Trump or anything Trump adjacent could come up and there's some chance that something that you or one of your colleagues… on a show like that would say that would make [the White House] mad. We just are, you know, the risk is the financial risk the regulatory risk the is just too great, [so] fuck it, we're just going to keep our heads down for the next two and a half years.’
One would think that, since the audience appetite for ‘political infotainment’ is usually countercyclical (liberal outlets benefit when Republicans gain power, illiberal ones when Democrats do), a streamer like Apple or Netflix would jump at a chance to get into a prestige-y space with an experienced production team. But they won’t.
Key is ‘…we’re just going to keep our heads down for the next two and a half years.’ This isn’t the tech and media companies all going MAGA. Some of that has happened too, but that’s not what Heilemann’s describing. This is just literal risk mitigation, complying in advance.
Yeah, that's what elites and businesses always do. Same in Nazi Germany, same in Communist Russia. Heads down, boys, and pretend this won't affect us. But it always, always does.
Kate - "us" for sure. Them? They know their dollars form a fairly effective shield, and they expect their personal savvy empowers them to skate carefully when the ice looks thin around them. Sometimes one of them gets a Big Surprise. I ❤️that for them
Hi, writing from Costa Rica. Here common undestanding is that visa revocations and denials are made at the behest of the Costa Rican president. It is not only the La Nacion’s board members. Inthe last year, visas has been revoked for a former president of Costa Rica and Nobel peace prize winner, the then-president of our legislative assembly, several lawmakers, and two judges from the constitutional chamber of our Supreme Court, among others public officials. There also have been scores of other people that have had their visas denied or revoked who, at some point, were in opposition to the government on some issue. These cases have not been reported on.
I hope that there is a law firm that will step up to assist La Nación in a lawsuit against this administration.
Not everyone is complying in advance, though it is a very small percentage willing to risk the wrath of the MAGA cult. One prestigious law firm in my state has stepped up to assist Marc Elias in his lawsuit against the FL Legislature for their just-passed redistricting map.
At this point, nothing will please me more than celebrating the self inflicted death of the GOP as a viable political party. I'm curios to see if Trump's favored candidates can win more than their primary come November. I bet a lot of them don't.
You know, Colleen, I have been thinking of that too. In our nation's history, there have been a few parties that died and new ones that replaced them; maybe this will happen to the Republican party. I would also be very pleased.
When I read updates about the stupid, pointless WH ballroom, I remember an Atlantic article published a month ago describing Hitler's obsession with expanding the Reich chancellery that went on even as Nazi Germany starting crumbling under attack from the Allies.
The ballroom is going up rapidly? Maybe that's like the deal with Iran that is very nearly completed--despite that Marco Rubio is relating progress only on what issues will be negotiated, the ground-rules; and the narrow 2024 win that was "a landslide." Or the number of undocumented immigrants in the country, which he consistently exaggerated by 7 times; or the number of unregistered voters in Georgia in 2020--62,000.*
* After a full audit of ballots, Gabe Sterling and Brad Raffensberger testified to the 1/6 Committee, under oath, that the number was zero. Because Trump's written declaration was under penalty of perjury, that was part of the Georgia state indictment.
It should come as no surprise that six “conventional” Republicans lost their jobs. There is no more GOP. It’s the MAGA party. These people are not going back until they get even with everyone. And conservatism is on life support. Of course Felon Trump is happy. Probably as happy as when he started bombing Iran, and we can see how well that is working out.
FareDaze - because it was so effective, see? It did the job on Day One, just like The Big Guy sez. He's amazing like no one's ever seen before. Iran is so anxious to surrender. And tomorrow, we'll be back at armagideon time. We've always been at war with East Asia 🤪
It's not a ballroom, it's a bunker. But I'm actually OK with it being called the ballroom, as I think the American people would support a bunker.
I know Bill doesn't read the comments, but. You know what. Hope is an action and optimism is a choice. I choose it too. Here's a quote that resonates with me:
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Ziglar
So yeah, let's be optimistic this May. At the very least, people will look at us and think we're less miserable than MAGA. May we all be less miserable.
Also, one question: has the Bulwark spoken to Mike Pence lately? I would think he'd have a lot to say about Indiana Republicans. I might not agree with him, but my curiosity is piqued.
Pence is like Bush the Younger, no courage to speak out about the destruction of our democracy. Of course him being the head fluffer of trump's first cabinet would only make him look like the hypocrite that he is.
Oh I was not aware of that. Don't spend much time watching tv stuff. How much is he paying for private security. Romney complained about what he spent for himself and family.
Pence is quite wisely staying out of public view. An ostentatiously religious man who put up with the BS of the first administration, he has nothing to offer anyone and I suspect he knows that. Possibly of more importance I suspect he doesn't want he and his family to be threatened as Marjorie Taylor Greene says her family was threatened.
The problem that the Democrats have is that people are not voting FOR the Democrats, they are voting AGAINST Trump. That includes me.
The Democratic party has done absolutely NOTHING to convince me that they will do anything substantive to rein this crap in should they win the House/Senate. They had from 2020 to 2024 to do things and didn't do much to save liberalism.
I find it difficult to take anything they say in that regard seriously, because a lot of them don't actually seem to believe it, themselves.
And, you know, they MIGHT be doing things--but it is hard to tell because their messaging and outreach and media presence kinda sucks ass.
I still get a lot of asks for money though because I donated to the Harris campaign.
My answer for that was to vote for better Dems in the primaries. We can't simply vote against. We need to be for something and we need to vote for candidates, if available, that align with that. All of my candidates were anti-Trump. I voted for what they were actually FOR. With a preference for people who haven't been in DC for 20+ years. I used to think experience mattered. Now I just want people who will go hard against MAGA with the gloves off.
Experience does matter up to a certain point. Unfortunately too many stay beyond their "Sell By Date". I still blame RBG and her treacherous ego for not retiring when we had a Democratic POTUS. She is one of the poster children for staying too long. All she did was tarnish the accomplishments of her earlier career.
I see little leadership and inspiration coming out of the Dem party apparatus and not much more from the candidates. To maximize enthusiasm and turnout, these things are mandatory. "Restoring normalcy" might have worked in 2020, but it's wholly insufficient today, especially since MAGA has pretty much eliminated any interest in normality within the R party. Being anti-MAGA isn't good enough.
Here is their campaign, only they lack the balls for it—as someone else pointed out, too afraid of offending somebody (especially donors):
We are mad as hell and we aren’t going to take it any more.
Stole that right from the movie Network, because it is totally apropos. it ios THAT F’ing easy. it writes itself… unless you aren’t actually mad 9and dammit you shoulod be REALLY f’ing mad).
Be loud, be visibly angry, call out all the crap openly, loudly, angrily—don’t talk about saving democracy 9that obviously has no major traction). Talk about how corrupt these people are, how actually elitist they are, what lying sacks of shit they are—and CALL them lying sacks of shit.
because there are angry people out there and they are not seeing any real anger from the political “leadership.” there is no fire, no inspiration—there is only the feeling that you are kinda going through the motions, being careful to not piss off people you SHOULD be pissing off.
We don’t need snark or irony or sarcasm, (which often goes over people’s heads these days, it seems) we need visible anger. we need to see these people DOING things in the community, exercising actual leadership, organizing, motivating.
For god’s sake you have staff, a media budget, supposed professional message crafters. WTF is wrong with you people.
Stop coming across like souless robots trying to score points in a forensics contest.
I almost feel the same way, only because I want to feel a little positive. I really wish they had a better message. Don't tell me this, that, and the other bad things republicans are doing without telling me your concrete plans of what you're going to do about it. And then stick your hand out for my money.
republicans have terrible policies and are A-okey-dokey with all the corruption taking place. They've blown through any guardrails to do whatever they want. Their cult followers see that as action. I don't see much of a plan of action from the Dem side except for Save Democracy! How?
Both parties are so afraid of offending their donors/corporate sponsors. Congress now is nothing but a highly paid doorstop. Where's DOGE when you need 'em?
DJT wants taxpayers to pay for his ballroom. Tom Holman says you haven't seen nothing yet concerning deporting immigrants. There is a very unpopular war with Iran. And Republicans are bending over backwards to support anything Trumpian. (while fretting about the midterms, privately) As I keep saying, these are all issues that are suitable for framing, campaigning for Democrats in November.
Yes, but we have to do everything necessary to protect those elections. The Supreme Court already took a first shot at stacking the deck for Republicans. They will probably be back with some Shadow Docket ruling to allow ICE to check the eligibility of every Black or brown voter. Red State election boards will move the polling places two hours before they open. Who knows what else? We have to be ready.
I think that there will be so many lawsuits filed against Republicans in the current southern states who want to change redistricting now at the last instant before elections, thereby throwing sand in the gears of this latest effort.
I feel cautiously optimistic about the midterms. But I wince at the talk of a "blue wave" or--dare I say it--"tsunami" in November. I recall the overconfidence of Republicans proclaiming their side would experience a red tsunami during the midterm election of 2022, which, as it turned out, was not the case. We are constantly being told that Trump voters are more likely to stay home if Trump is not on the ballot. I don't believe that. I think they realize the consequences of Trump losing the House or Senate and are committed to showing up for their side in November. I think they are content to be underestimated by the media and Dem establishment--all the more satisfying for them this fall if our hopes are dashed. Dems need to come up with a few really convincing policy goals that they commit to fighting for to ensure that their voters as well as masses of people who don't regularly vote at all show up in November. We can't rely on negative reaction to Trump's policies and actions to be enough of an incentive to cast a ballot.
Flavia - plus the anti-Dem fear factor machine will be turned up to eleven, with or without Trump. Many aren't voting FOR anything, they're voting AGAINST that
2022? I don't remember many Republicans having much hope in 2018, the first couple of years of Trump were definitely still in the WTF era...Many Republicans had obviously took a flyer on Trump in 2016, but hadn't gone full cult yet.
"So 2026 is going to be a rough year for this country, for the rule of law, for our well-being at home, and for our standing abroad. We’re going to have to try to mitigate that damage as best we can. And it’s going to be a rough year for decent people left in the Republican party.
But the compensation will be if November brings not merely a Democratic wave but a full-scale tsunami. That would give us real grounds for hope for the prospect of freeing the nation—and perhaps ultimately the Republican party as well—of the curse of Trumpism."
Two things: first, IF there is a mid-term election, second, "freeing ... the Republican party ... of the curse of Trumpism" - are you kidding? The Republican party - elected officials and electorate - have CHOSEN to go all in with trump. Better to stay in power with him, than be out of power - by any means possible, at any cost required. Elected officials have a DUTY to uphold the Constitution, Rule of Law. They failed. Do we actually get to some point where we say, OK, welcome back? Whew - that was close, but luckily you were freed from the curse of trumpism (by others) ???
Exactly! the Republican (read: magat) party weren't kidnapped by trump, they're full on conspirators of his. They deserve as much blame (if not more) as trump himself.
I'm with you on the GOP's complicity at this point and hopefully all of us sane people won't make the same mistake as Joe Biden and hoping it was "all behind us" now.
I'm 100% for holding people accountable. Some should do time if convicted and the others could be just publicly shamed at an investigation where all of their complicity is revealed and put on display.
I get somewhat concerned of a backlash and rebirth of another version of MAGA if we throw too many folks in prison...even if deserving. A few big names and then public shaming of the others should be enough plus a complete redo on our laws/principles based upon their weakness to abuse by a POTUS and/or political party. The Presidential pardon power is a leading candidate for being one of the first to be dealt with.
They want us exhausted and giving up. I refuse to do that. I am simply unwilling to give up our 250 year old experiment to a guy who wears orange makeup and doesn’t even take stairs.
We all work together this November to show the GOP that even trying to rig the game mid game will not work.
And no ballroom. Ever.
Part of me wants the ballroom built.
Because I want the next POTUS to raze that fuckin' monstrosity to the ground.
I saw a meme that had a sign out front referring to it as a memorial for all the people President Man killed thanks to his ignorance during Covid and other “programs.”
And name it something that MAGA Tears will hate. Yes, I have become MAGA like in that way.
How about the Barak Obama rose garden in it s place?
No, we're going to restore Jacqueline Kennedy's rose garden that the current occupants paved over.
While we’re at it, let’s 86 the Panera Patio & replant Jackie’s roses!
Panera??
Current abomination *looks* like a patio at a Panera.
Oooooh, I love it!
Instead of tearing down the ballroom, convert it to offices for revitalized American Aid Programs that Bond-villain Elon Musk dismantled. Remove all the crappy gold lame' and other Trumpian touches and put that shite up for bid with proceeds going to help the less fortunate. Converting the ballroom to something mundane, but useful, will drive the Maga nuts insane.
It is such a monstrosity, dwarfing the actual White House, that is either must not be allowed to be built, or it must be torn town if it is.
I’ve got no doubt it’s hideous but I really don’t want to waste more money on this absurdity and knocking it down will be subject to court challenges. Change it to something better and make it a symbol of moving on from this ridiculous man and his venomous movement.
What court challenges? Just bring in the bulldozers.
Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for...ah, screw it. Do, don't ask.
Including a Hall of Shame with portraits of Trump and his cabinet of horribles, in thr form of dart boards so that we can throw darts at their faces
I said when he first started this ballroom talk that after he's gone, instead of tearing it down, use it to house the homeless. Yes, maga will go insane 😉
The Epstein Memorial Ballroom needs to be demolished when the time comes. Nothing less will suffice.
So Homan's going all in on arresting all immigrants? That should work out really well for nursing homes and assisted living communities. Add thr hospitality industry, too.
Can't wait to see all those patriotic MAGAs lining up to work for minimum wage!
If enough farms go bankrupt, it won’t matter there’s no one to harvest the crops. Problem solved!
Sadly possible.
Couch f*cker’s Thiel-backed VC firm invested in AcreTrader. Guess what they do? Since they prefer data over humans- maybe food is just a short-term need in their warped world view. Maybe all the distressed ag property they snatch up will be turned into data centers or warehouses for the leftover lower caste humans. Scary!
Don't be ridiculous. Why is Trump firing people in the Federal Workforce and "DEI" hires? Because many are BLACK and he has many good "Black Jobs" for them. Trump is a racist POS.
Something MAGA would hate ... hmm, how about "ballroom"?
Somehow it's OK when Trump does it, but I don't see ballroom enthusiasm surviving his lifetime. I can't picture Vance bragging about his ... you know what, I'm going to stop before I can't resist quoting AC / DC.
How about ‘The Herbert Hoover Ballroom’, casually referred to as, “Hooverville”….
Vance bragging about his soft, pillowy couches
Did he not say it was going to be paid for with donations?
And now…Repubs will probably approve $1 Billion for the ballroom ! WTF This is just like Trump saying he’d fund his own campaign 1.0 - who would ever believe such nonsense? So normal we will be paying for it and he takes off with what he’s raised privately and then awards contracts where he can a kickback. Just call us Russia.
I prefer a consistent sabotage - daily. Never let the stupid thing be built. Same goes for any stupid arch.
If you build it, they will come...to tear it down.
Or turn it into a daycare center, senior center, or homeless shelter.😉
Seems like it should be a rule that if you start a stupid war likely to sink the world into a recession you don't get billion dollar vanity projects.
If the ballroom gets built a democrat would gain bigly by having a demolition and restoration platform.
Charge a modest fee for the pleasure of knocking it down to rubble. It will pay for itself and be down in no time!
We could sell pieces of rubble, parts of a marble arm rest, rebar from the bomb shelter. Toss the arch into the mix and we could pay off the national debt!
Like the chunks of the Berlin Wall that people took as souvenirs
A bunch of Munchkins dancing around singing, Hi ho, we told you so.
How about an Obama or Presidents rose garden in place of the arch at the entrance at Arlington Cemetery?
Who's going to buy that crap once the world economy is the sewer?
Spoon collectors and the Franklin Mint :-)
Pay-per-view!
I am a democrat poll greeter and poll watcher. Last election cycle, our democrat candidate lost by a small margin. She’s running again in November. I am, all democrats, are hopeful that the dominant republican block will see-the-light and vote blue 💙
Has is occurred to anybody else that perhaps the Republican's billion dollar plus request for Trump's ballroom is a feint? Since it is being paid for by "donations" from big donors, perhaps it is a slush fund that, once established, Trump thinks he can raid to use for other things the Democrats are refusing to fund? It may be one work-around to get more money for ICE. They are devious.
There is something about what you say. I read that money was donated to this project(!) through one charity that was soon closed and the money went to another charity. There is no accounting for that money and who is in charge. Sounds like a repeat of the “Save America Fund” which turned out to be “Save Trump’s rear end from all his law suits!”
Man, you have a devious mind. Kudos.
Thanks, Ashley. I've been walking around the last few days asking myself if it's too early to give up on this country (or at least its citizens). You've talked me off the ledge.
🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻We all are here to help each other!
And I would like a clear definition of "Trumpism" that goes beyond "Fascism with an Orange Tint." I have been asking for years (2017) why "honor" the Felon (OK, he was not yet one then, but is now) by creating a name for something that has existed for decades, although it has never been called Mussolinism or Hitlerism?
Maybe because Hitler and Mussolini died before WW II was concluded. Most of their followers were dead, in jail or in hiding. This group of faithful want to keep ahead of the curve before the felon flames out.
IF the Felon had died before the idea of calling it Trumpism developed, you might have a point, but, given his desire that everything be named after him, I would not be surprised if history shows that he called it that before anyone else came up the (pompadour-styled blown-dried), hair-brained idea.
David, you may be right that the felon coined the term. It’s his supporters who are carrying it in a big way. With his declining mental abilities, and his failing health, that slogan is going to be short lived. We can only hope the short part comes soon.
You forgot “peroxided” as a descriptor…
Hitler fans continued in Germany according to what I’ve read.
Oh yes. They came out from under their rock in the 70’s complaining that they should not bear the burden because they weren’t born at that time. Got very little traction with those Germans who remembered what their cities and towns looked like because of Hitler. I don’t think the East Germans got a say in this rant.
At this point in President Agent Orange's term, I have serious doubt that anything other than the underground bunker can be constructed and finished before the end of his term.
That type of construction can take years, especially if the lawsuits keep coming.
That is my hope, at least.
Bill: "It’s too bad that decent Indiana Republicans who stood up to Trump have to suffer in the process. But that’s the choice of the Republican primary electorate, and the only solution for now is an even bigger Republican defeat in November."
How many of these "decent Indiana Republicans" voted for Trump in 2024?
And after the way Trump treated hometown boy Mike Pence.
That is the current Republican party: Cult
Exactly.
Yeah, I think the problem with having decent people being in an indecent political party is that they become definitionally indecent by association. Kudos to them for standing up on their principles. But also: like, you get +1 point and then we can start the point deductions for everything else...
We've known for years that Trump views everything as a personal loyalty test. So if these supposedly decent people voted for Trump after the events of January 6 2021 and they're looking for a gold star for "doing the right thing", they're not getting one from me.
Indiana seems to have it's share of Pence Republicans. They can do one decent thing to thwart Trump and then vote for him again. Don't seem to be the brightest crayons in the box.
Or they're really practiced at compartmentalization.
My parents were born in Indiana and I still have family there. We became the “wild Easterners” of the family. I remember family members who thought Nixon was innocent until their dying day. A lot of things in Indiana seem cult-ish to me from my more pluralistic Eastern upbringing. Basketball, religion, politics… and its culture in my experience is naive, reactive, suspicious of anything different, and mired in judgement. Obviously there are exceptions, but it makes it a very hard place to go against the grain.
Colleen - what I hear is mostly identity related. Daddy & grampa voted R (John Prine wrote the line "voted for Eisenhower cuz Lincoln won the war" but TBH these days I don't know how many Hoosier Rs regard that as a good thing 🤔😬)... and those marxist radical trans police-defunding Dems would surely be worse! Doncha know they cause inflation and get us into unnecessary wars that we lose and such as that...
What I hear up in my neck of the woods is Dems want to take our guns and a lot of pro life nonsense. That's a great line from John Prine.
oops forgot the baby killer stuff. Yeah guns but there's been so little movement toward that it almost seems less salient these days... tho not if we go by the count of NRA stickers, gun logos on clothing, etc. The Prine song is 'Grandpa was a carpenter' - just a beautiful sweet tribute to his own, and to all old timey grandparents
Others under the bus.
We will get a better view of Texas GOP voters after the Paxton/Cornyn runoff, but it still doesn’t tell us what the losing side voters will do in the general against the Dems. I could see losing Paxton voters staying home and not voting for Cornyn. Will losing Cornyn voters vote in the general for Paxton. Well, what would Susan Collins do……To the extent any of these losing voters stay home, that’s a win, and it’s likely the most positive outcome. I can’t imagine any Texas GOP primary voter crossing the line to vote for a Dem in the general.
I think the best we can hope for across the country is that Rs stay home in November. Thinking that they will actually vote for a Democrat is lunacy. Especially in places like Indiana.
I agree! Yesterday's election showed how deeply connected to Trump these people are, no matter how much he is destroying our and the world's economy they still vote the way he wants them too. They are truly in a cult when they vote against their own self interests. It is very troubling.
Plenty of Independents and low propensity voters to motivate to the polls. Let’s leave the MAGA Cult de-programming to mental health professionals.
I hope that those turned out lawmakers will join the resistance.
Or abstain from voting for MAGA-aligned Republicans.
That probably depends on what hunting season will be open on Election Day. If it’s deer-hunting season around here, Republican voter turnout goes down.
Tom - My state senator voted against the redistricting & last night lost his R primary after years in the state senate. He's 80-ish so I hope he enjoys many years out to pasture. He'd be welcome in any opposition but that one vote earns him a shining star. AND I will remember his overall record too 😡
Arizona?
No, my handle is confusing. Lived there a decade but recently moved to Indiana where our kids generously & lovingly can help us out as we decay
Don't bet the house on that proposition.
Tim - in 2024 Indiana: 1,720,347 voted Trump; 58.43% of the ballots cast. About 38.5% of eligible voters didn't bother to vote at all. I am adrift in this wilderness, wailing & gnashing what teeth remain. But later this day I will join a plucky band of neighbors at the weekly street sign rally, projecting our small spark of light into the gloom. Generally we get more honks than curses, and we play lively music on the boombox. We're still here. We persist
"About 38.5% of eligible voters didn't bother to vote at all."
And people wonder why I'm a misanthropic SOB. JFC.
Thanks for the data, JAZ. This matches the national data for the 2024 election: a little more than a third of the electorate voted for Trump, a little bit less than a third voted for Harris, and a third didn't vote at all. Quite a mandate for Trump. Many commenters are saying no way would a Republican vote for a Democrat, that it's just lunacy to even think of. I hope that someday that changes, and that the someday is soon.
You're welcome! I should have attributed - data from Wikipedia. I try ever to hold at least a wee bit'o'hope me own self
No more questions as to the current Republican Party being a cult.
As an Independent voting Hoosier, I think 99% voted for Mad King Darn'old Drumpf of Dementia-Felonia.
It's as true for elected officials as it is for everyone else. If you voted for Trump, you voted for everything he does. Including him ending your political career.
This really is a "you fed the snake, sorry it bit you" sort of moment.
Or Leopards Eating Faces???
LOL
Probably virtually all of them, but in the back of my mind I remember Obama won Indiana in 2008 and a Democrat was elected Senator. Seems like a lifetime ago.
There are no decent Republicans. The decent ones became Independents long ago.
My thought exactly!
Sauce for the goose. Sauce for the gander.
Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
Reap what you sow.
You broke it. You bought it.
A pity other so-called decent Republicans won't learn the real lesson here. ETTD.
Wrecking the executive mansion and then dumping the toxic waste on a public golf course that the regime wants to turn into a championship course is too far fetched even for a cartoon villain.
A metaphor for this administration.
At this point I'm pretty sure every member of this administration thought Lex Luthor was the hero of the story.
I'm pretty sure this happened in a Sopranos episode. The mobbed up trash company dumped it's trash in a customer's parking lot.
Great stuff. But I have to take exception to Bill's statement that "...it’s going to be a rough year for decent people left in the Republican party."
Show me one.
There’s tons of decent people who are registered Republicans and hate Trump. I have neighbors, family members and business acquaintances who are Republicans so they can try to influence local races to keep the party healthy and have more than one qualified candidate in the general election.
TBH, that's me as well--in my state, practically, if you don't vote in the Republican primary you have no chance to influence who will represent you, since it is going to be a Republican. But so far I'm batting zero in trying to help keep out the most MAGA (and, frankly, most unqualified) people, who "we" keep electing.
But I don't consider myself a "Republican." I'm an independent. Almost all of my friends who proudly identify as "Republicans" are people I've largely stopped talking to, mostly because I can't stand the gaslighting and the bigotry. Maybe I had a bad pool of friends in the first place.
SO, you are correct, even by my definition. I suppose that regardless of what I consider myself, I'm still "in the Republican party." And I'd hope I'm decent....
I hear you. I’m in a very red district of an otherwise blue state (Maryland). The most accurate description for me is a swing voter but what I really feel is politically homeless. I think you’re making an important distinction that speaks to what I was getting at as well, which is how we identify vs how we’re registered. It’s one of the distinctions I’m not sure polling accounts for and I see a lot of assumptions when pundits talk about politics that identity and registration are aligned. It would be an interesting thing to explore more imho but I’m not sure the masses would agree.
Exactly. Perusing the comments, I think we're probably right at the crux of this topic--party affiliation vs. policy preference (which probably loosely maps into party identification). Although I was registered and mostly voted as a Republican in the before-Trump time frame, I never considered "being a Republican" a core tenet of my identity. So when Trump came along it was easy for me to decide that the party had failed me and vote for Clinton. Most of my friends from those days could not make that choice, and got locked into supporting things they claimed could never happen.
In general, I heartily wish Americans had heeded Washington's warning against faction, and think that his prophetic vision has come literally true--our parties have "become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion." I'm sure one could find fault on all sides, but for anyone to argue that anyone ever went as far to "usurp for themselves the reins of government" as the current cabal of miscreants has is simply ludicrous (which is why I really don't talk to folks anymore who make those claims).
"Party", not "policy", seems to have become the exclusive focus of most Americans' pretty limited political thought, and so we have a "conservative" president who is trying to nationalize various industries. People put no more thought into the consequences of their political choices than they do the consequences of the professional wrestling choices (apologies to JVL, but I detest professional wrestling and hate to see our politics becoming a simulcrum of it). Unfortunately, the largely un-thought-out political choices of the majority affect all of us a lot more than their decision to root for the Masked Marvel against Lucy.
This red team/blue team mentality drives so many of the worst aspects of the current political scene--bald-faced gerrymandering, voter suppression, the stupid anachronism of the electoral college (which means I will never have a vote in a presidential election, unless I move), a willingness to turn a blind eye to rampant corruption and self-dealing, and finally the unwillingness to confront or question a gratuitous war of choice.
I agree that it would be enlightening to see better data on policy preferences vs. political identification vs. registration, but it would only start getting fun if you could actually rub people's faces in the extent to which their party is or isn't supporting their actual preferences....
That is certainly fair criticism. I tend to think the closed primaries are killing us and creating candidates on both sides that are more extreme. Are you in a state where you think people would be open to open primaries or ranked choice voting?
Kate, I'm in a state that went 80+% for Trump and this guy ran for (and won) Secretary of State on an "election fraud" platform (he doesn't believe that 20% of the state is so benighted as to not recognize Trump as the second coming) ;-).
I LOVE open primaries. Thought we had them when I originally registered, then realized I'd given away my chance to have any input at all. Became a Republican (again) after that.
The state GOP got upset about people doing that and has tried to legislate that you cannot change your party (?!? ... I guess political affiliation, like other things, is determined at birth). The party chair discussed secession on Steve Bannon's show after the 2020 loss. We couldn't find a majority for anything that might impact the GOP's hold on the state. And it probably wouldn't matter...I suspect the state is probably 60+% MAGA. And there have been rumblings about gerrymandering the few blue-ish enclaves so we can have a one-party state legislature.
What I love even more than open primaries is abolishing the electoral college. Due to the fairly typical "winner takes all" rules, my vote will literally never impact a national election. That strikes me as deeply unfair. To take a balanced view, I'm sure my Republican friends in California feel the same way...and I wish we could build a coalition for that simple reform. Another simple reform would be drawing districts strictly based on a grid...the districting wars are another very clear example of disenfranchisement.
Now, "simple" doesn't mean "easy"...as Carl von Clausewitz said, "Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult." And, unfortunately, this is becoming war.
Last Saturday I early-voted for Cassidy in the Republican primary - not because I’m any fan of his after he voted to confirm RFK Jr. (although I do appreciate his vote to convict in the first impeachment), but because it would really piss off Trump and our MAGA Governor if he wins the nomination. (Wonder how much money the RNC and other GOP Super PACs would be willing to spend to help one of Trump’s “enemies” get reelected?) Plus, the Democratic candidate would have a better chance in the general election if the Republican electorate is divided. (That’s why I changed my party affiliation after 50 years as a Democrat, because our MAGA Governor and legislature closed our formerly open primaries, and the future of this state will be decided in the Republican primaries. Congratulations, you played yourselves, Louisiana Republicans!)
Nice work. It's funny how unthinkable strategic party switching is to 90% of adults. For me, I just concluded a 10 year stint as Republican in Maryland this year. There was no point, as it is now MAGA all the way down, and in Maryland, the Democratic party will have uniparty rule as long as Trump is around...(Hard to see the next Hogan coming down the pike.)
What matters are the consequences of the label you choose. I can still vote any way I want in the general election (at least for now!), and whoever the Democratic nominee is will probably be better than the Republican - and will probably lose. So I’ll vote for the least objectionable Republican in the primaries and (most likely) for the Democrat in the general. If anyone might misinterpret my party affiliation, I say I’m a RINO.
Same here in Floriduh - hubby and I are now registered Republicans, because as you say, "the future of this state will be decided in Republican primaries."
Why did visas get pulled for La Nación’s board? Because, as non-citizens, it was the easiest way for the administration to punish a media outlet that had displeased them. They’re doing it by whatever means they have for all disfavored media outlets. And even when they don’t take explicit action, their compliers-in-advance corporations are happy to do it for them.
If you didn’t see Tim’s interview with John Heilemann a week ago, he said something that I think could be signal-boosted a bit more. Alluding to when Tim was a co-host of Showtime’s long-running cult hit political documentary series The Circus, which Heilemann co-created, Heilemann briefly touched on his own recent experience trying to shop around for a studio/streamer to distribute a new series (whether a revival of The Circus or something new, he didn’t specify).
> Maybe something will happen over the next year and they'll change their minds. But as of today, there is that attitude which is, ‘Yeah, we don't even want to do a perfunctory meeting on this because we are *never* going to make this thing. If it touches on anything where Donald Trump or anything Trump adjacent could come up and there's some chance that something that you or one of your colleagues… on a show like that would say that would make [the White House] mad. We just are, you know, the risk is the financial risk the regulatory risk the is just too great, [so] fuck it, we're just going to keep our heads down for the next two and a half years.’
One would think that, since the audience appetite for ‘political infotainment’ is usually countercyclical (liberal outlets benefit when Republicans gain power, illiberal ones when Democrats do), a streamer like Apple or Netflix would jump at a chance to get into a prestige-y space with an experienced production team. But they won’t.
Key is ‘…we’re just going to keep our heads down for the next two and a half years.’ This isn’t the tech and media companies all going MAGA. Some of that has happened too, but that’s not what Heilemann’s describing. This is just literal risk mitigation, complying in advance.
Yeah, that's what elites and businesses always do. Same in Nazi Germany, same in Communist Russia. Heads down, boys, and pretend this won't affect us. But it always, always does.
Kate - "us" for sure. Them? They know their dollars form a fairly effective shield, and they expect their personal savvy empowers them to skate carefully when the ice looks thin around them. Sometimes one of them gets a Big Surprise. I ❤️that for them
Hi, writing from Costa Rica. Here common undestanding is that visa revocations and denials are made at the behest of the Costa Rican president. It is not only the La Nacion’s board members. Inthe last year, visas has been revoked for a former president of Costa Rica and Nobel peace prize winner, the then-president of our legislative assembly, several lawmakers, and two judges from the constitutional chamber of our Supreme Court, among others public officials. There also have been scores of other people that have had their visas denied or revoked who, at some point, were in opposition to the government on some issue. These cases have not been reported on.
I hope that there is a law firm that will step up to assist La Nación in a lawsuit against this administration.
Not everyone is complying in advance, though it is a very small percentage willing to risk the wrath of the MAGA cult. One prestigious law firm in my state has stepped up to assist Marc Elias in his lawsuit against the FL Legislature for their just-passed redistricting map.
At this point, nothing will please me more than celebrating the self inflicted death of the GOP as a viable political party. I'm curios to see if Trump's favored candidates can win more than their primary come November. I bet a lot of them don't.
Exactly what I am hoping to see!
I think it will take more than a drubbing this Nov. to get that party to change.(multiple election losses)
Depends on how many factions MAGA breaks into after the 2026 elections.
You know, Colleen, I have been thinking of that too. In our nation's history, there have been a few parties that died and new ones that replaced them; maybe this will happen to the Republican party. I would also be very pleased.
When I read updates about the stupid, pointless WH ballroom, I remember an Atlantic article published a month ago describing Hitler's obsession with expanding the Reich chancellery that went on even as Nazi Germany starting crumbling under attack from the Allies.
He envisioned a thousand year reign, right? He and Trump probably look at the pyramids with such envy.
Ozymandias Trump…
The ballroom is going up rapidly? Maybe that's like the deal with Iran that is very nearly completed--despite that Marco Rubio is relating progress only on what issues will be negotiated, the ground-rules; and the narrow 2024 win that was "a landslide." Or the number of undocumented immigrants in the country, which he consistently exaggerated by 7 times; or the number of unregistered voters in Georgia in 2020--62,000.*
* After a full audit of ballots, Gabe Sterling and Brad Raffensberger testified to the 1/6 Committee, under oath, that the number was zero. Because Trump's written declaration was under penalty of perjury, that was part of the Georgia state indictment.
"The ballroom is going up rapidly?"
Trump has a long history of announcing grand, ambitious construction projects. The list of such that were actually completed is pretty short.
It should come as no surprise that six “conventional” Republicans lost their jobs. There is no more GOP. It’s the MAGA party. These people are not going back until they get even with everyone. And conservatism is on life support. Of course Felon Trump is happy. Probably as happy as when he started bombing Iran, and we can see how well that is working out.
Wait! Is Project Freedom paused for................2 weeks?
He cannot get out of his own way and quit stepping on his own rakes.
FareDaze - because it was so effective, see? It did the job on Day One, just like The Big Guy sez. He's amazing like no one's ever seen before. Iran is so anxious to surrender. And tomorrow, we'll be back at armagideon time. We've always been at war with East Asia 🤪
It's not a ballroom, it's a bunker. But I'm actually OK with it being called the ballroom, as I think the American people would support a bunker.
I know Bill doesn't read the comments, but. You know what. Hope is an action and optimism is a choice. I choose it too. Here's a quote that resonates with me:
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Ziglar
So yeah, let's be optimistic this May. At the very least, people will look at us and think we're less miserable than MAGA. May we all be less miserable.
Also, one question: has the Bulwark spoken to Mike Pence lately? I would think he'd have a lot to say about Indiana Republicans. I might not agree with him, but my curiosity is piqued.
Pence is like Bush the Younger, no courage to speak out about the destruction of our democracy. Of course him being the head fluffer of trump's first cabinet would only make him look like the hypocrite that he is.
Pence is out there talking a lot. That's why I asked. https://www.ms.now/news/pence-trump-interview-2026-politics
I know he must have been involved in Indiana. He's also been taking on Heritage.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/23/politics/heritage-foundation-mike-pence-revolt
Oh I was not aware of that. Don't spend much time watching tv stuff. How much is he paying for private security. Romney complained about what he spent for himself and family.
You know, that's a great question.
Pence is quite wisely staying out of public view. An ostentatiously religious man who put up with the BS of the first administration, he has nothing to offer anyone and I suspect he knows that. Possibly of more importance I suspect he doesn't want he and his family to be threatened as Marjorie Taylor Greene says her family was threatened.
Pence is out there talking a lot. He's purposely putting himself in public view these days.
Pence and his family would be threatened...again.
The problem that the Democrats have is that people are not voting FOR the Democrats, they are voting AGAINST Trump. That includes me.
The Democratic party has done absolutely NOTHING to convince me that they will do anything substantive to rein this crap in should they win the House/Senate. They had from 2020 to 2024 to do things and didn't do much to save liberalism.
I find it difficult to take anything they say in that regard seriously, because a lot of them don't actually seem to believe it, themselves.
And, you know, they MIGHT be doing things--but it is hard to tell because their messaging and outreach and media presence kinda sucks ass.
I still get a lot of asks for money though because I donated to the Harris campaign.
My answer for that was to vote for better Dems in the primaries. We can't simply vote against. We need to be for something and we need to vote for candidates, if available, that align with that. All of my candidates were anti-Trump. I voted for what they were actually FOR. With a preference for people who haven't been in DC for 20+ years. I used to think experience mattered. Now I just want people who will go hard against MAGA with the gloves off.
Experience does matter up to a certain point. Unfortunately too many stay beyond their "Sell By Date". I still blame RBG and her treacherous ego for not retiring when we had a Democratic POTUS. She is one of the poster children for staying too long. All she did was tarnish the accomplishments of her earlier career.
I see little leadership and inspiration coming out of the Dem party apparatus and not much more from the candidates. To maximize enthusiasm and turnout, these things are mandatory. "Restoring normalcy" might have worked in 2020, but it's wholly insufficient today, especially since MAGA has pretty much eliminated any interest in normality within the R party. Being anti-MAGA isn't good enough.
Here is their campaign, only they lack the balls for it—as someone else pointed out, too afraid of offending somebody (especially donors):
We are mad as hell and we aren’t going to take it any more.
Stole that right from the movie Network, because it is totally apropos. it ios THAT F’ing easy. it writes itself… unless you aren’t actually mad 9and dammit you shoulod be REALLY f’ing mad).
Be loud, be visibly angry, call out all the crap openly, loudly, angrily—don’t talk about saving democracy 9that obviously has no major traction). Talk about how corrupt these people are, how actually elitist they are, what lying sacks of shit they are—and CALL them lying sacks of shit.
because there are angry people out there and they are not seeing any real anger from the political “leadership.” there is no fire, no inspiration—there is only the feeling that you are kinda going through the motions, being careful to not piss off people you SHOULD be pissing off.
We don’t need snark or irony or sarcasm, (which often goes over people’s heads these days, it seems) we need visible anger. we need to see these people DOING things in the community, exercising actual leadership, organizing, motivating.
For god’s sake you have staff, a media budget, supposed professional message crafters. WTF is wrong with you people.
Stop coming across like souless robots trying to score points in a forensics contest.
I almost feel the same way, only because I want to feel a little positive. I really wish they had a better message. Don't tell me this, that, and the other bad things republicans are doing without telling me your concrete plans of what you're going to do about it. And then stick your hand out for my money.
republicans have terrible policies and are A-okey-dokey with all the corruption taking place. They've blown through any guardrails to do whatever they want. Their cult followers see that as action. I don't see much of a plan of action from the Dem side except for Save Democracy! How?
Both parties are so afraid of offending their donors/corporate sponsors. Congress now is nothing but a highly paid doorstop. Where's DOGE when you need 'em?
DJT wants taxpayers to pay for his ballroom. Tom Holman says you haven't seen nothing yet concerning deporting immigrants. There is a very unpopular war with Iran. And Republicans are bending over backwards to support anything Trumpian. (while fretting about the midterms, privately) As I keep saying, these are all issues that are suitable for framing, campaigning for Democrats in November.
Yes, but we have to do everything necessary to protect those elections. The Supreme Court already took a first shot at stacking the deck for Republicans. They will probably be back with some Shadow Docket ruling to allow ICE to check the eligibility of every Black or brown voter. Red State election boards will move the polling places two hours before they open. Who knows what else? We have to be ready.
I think that there will be so many lawsuits filed against Republicans in the current southern states who want to change redistricting now at the last instant before elections, thereby throwing sand in the gears of this latest effort.
I feel cautiously optimistic about the midterms. But I wince at the talk of a "blue wave" or--dare I say it--"tsunami" in November. I recall the overconfidence of Republicans proclaiming their side would experience a red tsunami during the midterm election of 2022, which, as it turned out, was not the case. We are constantly being told that Trump voters are more likely to stay home if Trump is not on the ballot. I don't believe that. I think they realize the consequences of Trump losing the House or Senate and are committed to showing up for their side in November. I think they are content to be underestimated by the media and Dem establishment--all the more satisfying for them this fall if our hopes are dashed. Dems need to come up with a few really convincing policy goals that they commit to fighting for to ensure that their voters as well as masses of people who don't regularly vote at all show up in November. We can't rely on negative reaction to Trump's policies and actions to be enough of an incentive to cast a ballot.
Flavia - plus the anti-Dem fear factor machine will be turned up to eleven, with or without Trump. Many aren't voting FOR anything, they're voting AGAINST that
2022? I don't remember many Republicans having much hope in 2018, the first couple of years of Trump were definitely still in the WTF era...Many Republicans had obviously took a flyer on Trump in 2016, but hadn't gone full cult yet.
Thanks for spotting that error. I corrected it. 👍
"So 2026 is going to be a rough year for this country, for the rule of law, for our well-being at home, and for our standing abroad. We’re going to have to try to mitigate that damage as best we can. And it’s going to be a rough year for decent people left in the Republican party.
But the compensation will be if November brings not merely a Democratic wave but a full-scale tsunami. That would give us real grounds for hope for the prospect of freeing the nation—and perhaps ultimately the Republican party as well—of the curse of Trumpism."
Two things: first, IF there is a mid-term election, second, "freeing ... the Republican party ... of the curse of Trumpism" - are you kidding? The Republican party - elected officials and electorate - have CHOSEN to go all in with trump. Better to stay in power with him, than be out of power - by any means possible, at any cost required. Elected officials have a DUTY to uphold the Constitution, Rule of Law. They failed. Do we actually get to some point where we say, OK, welcome back? Whew - that was close, but luckily you were freed from the curse of trumpism (by others) ???
Exactly! the Republican (read: magat) party weren't kidnapped by trump, they're full on conspirators of his. They deserve as much blame (if not more) as trump himself.
I'm with you on the GOP's complicity at this point and hopefully all of us sane people won't make the same mistake as Joe Biden and hoping it was "all behind us" now.
I'm 100% for holding people accountable. Some should do time if convicted and the others could be just publicly shamed at an investigation where all of their complicity is revealed and put on display.
I get somewhat concerned of a backlash and rebirth of another version of MAGA if we throw too many folks in prison...even if deserving. A few big names and then public shaming of the others should be enough plus a complete redo on our laws/principles based upon their weakness to abuse by a POTUS and/or political party. The Presidential pardon power is a leading candidate for being one of the first to be dealt with.