If you believe in democracy, free and fair election results send a message you need to hear.
The problem with recent US elections has been that they've been so close to 50/50. Close elections are a Rorschach test in which everyone can credibly see whatever meaning they choose to see.
The beauty of these midterms is that they weren't close. In fact, they were almost historically lopsided, even by midterm standards. Trump will still try to question the results, because he fundamentally doesn't believe in democracy, and the idea of losing is cognitive dissonance to a malignant narcissist.
But for the rest of us, and for trump's party, whatever other conclusions might be drawn from the results, the overarching message is unmistakable: Voters are unhappy. Very unhappy.
Initially, trump couldn't avoid confronting such a clear verdict. That's why, when asked the next day, he said he would work with the Democrats.
It took all of 24 hours for reality to set in. The Democrats taking power meant they would be coming after him and his family's fortune through investigations.
Then trump's instincts for self-preservation kicked in, and he became Mr. Veto. He also made his next big move, firing political pragmatist Susie Wiles as his chief of staff and replacing her with political pit bull Stephen Miller. Now he's even talking about bringing his friend Dana White, the president of the UFC, into the White House as press secretary.
Trump is firmly back in his familiar fight-and-play-the-victim mode.
Dana White, a mixed martial arts entrepreneir as White House Press Secretary, could not be more appropriate if it happened. Because I can confidently predict one thing: The next several months it's going to be a bloody, three-round cage match for trump and the Republicans.
Round One: The rats flee the sinking ship.
This is already happening. As trump's political fortunes decline, those who once found it advantageous to stand by him will begin looking for the exits. Political loyalty evaporates when personal survival takes precedence.
Round Two: Republicans in Congress distance themselves from trump.
Just as trump is doubling down on his support for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, talk in Congress is turning toward the possibility of his impeachment on a bipartisan basis.
Trump's public support for Hegseth may actually make impeachment more likely, not less. A high-profile rebuke of the administration would serve the growing need among congressional Republicans to demonstrate that they are no longer prepared to follow trump's lead unquestioningly.
Round Three: The Republican civil war.
As trump's unpopularity creates a political vacuum, infighting within the Republican Party will intensify. The contenders for leadership will increasingly vie for attention and begin positioning themselves for what comes next.
JD Vance will be seen less and less alongside trump, while making increasingly pointed statements to distance himself from the president. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will likely resign after Christmas to focus on his campaign. We'll be seeing a lot more of Ron DeSantis (unfortunately). Others will begin making their ambitions known.
In my opinion, it would be foolish for the Democrats to impeach trump. He's their greatest political asset. Impeachment would be an unnecessary distraction, giving trump another opportunity to play the victim, as he has so effectively done in the past. Why rescue him from the political consequences of his own actions?
Trump's smartest move would be to negotiate an exit from politics, perhaps through a plea arrangement that provides legal immunity for him and his family. It would give him a way out while allowing the country to move on.
But that's the smart move, which is precisely why I'm sure trump won't make it. He'd rather go down fighting and take his party down with him.
No comments:
Post a Comment