The red thaw begins.

[Baitball Blogger]

I call what follows, the transitional period. That's the in-between time as hardcore conservative Republicans put a complete end to their support for Trump, and what is going to come next.

First, let me tell you what is happening in this in-between time because it's happening in my old social circles, the one that I divorced more than a few years ago. Old friends who were diehard Trump supporters are talking the talk of remorse. They're reaching out to mend bridges and they will have success with the more forgiving among us. I know one of these too kind souls. She's a Dem. We get along just fine, but she will give these remorseful Republicans an opening. I don't think she should have caved, but she had good times with them back in the college years, and she wants to believe that they have learned something from all of this. I don't think they have learned anything at all, politically. But this is a new social reality to prepare for, because they want to restore the old social circles they had before Trump turned them so toxic.

Trump did bring out the worst in them. For example, I lost touch with one person who was once a close friend because she became too demanding. She treated our friendship as a personal convenience. She measured the strength of our friendship on how much I was willing to bend. And when I began to push back, she trashed me to the other friends for being a bad friend. Adding this new change in personality with her political leanings, it was easy to just cut her loose. And I didn't care what anyone else thought about me. If they were going to empathize with her, I realized I would do better without all of them.

Looking back, I recognize that she was perfect Trump material. Friends where there to make her life easier, and if they didn't address her concerns, she trashed them. Same kind of dynamics as Trump. Well it turns out that no one seems to like to be treated this way, and what she tried to do to me, she did to others and they also began distancing themselves from her.

Many of us on DU have had the same kind of experiences, blocking off Trump supporters from our lives. So prepare for the next stage. The red thaw. Turns out, they feel alienated and they didn't like it. I don't believe they were willing to admit this until Trump's glow finally died down to the cold black chunk of coal that is his personality. I don't think they could admit it before it was 100% obvious that Trump was going down, and they don't want to go down with him.

So they're reaching out and singing the tune of Mea Culpas, saying things like, yes, we were wrong. We supported him because we really believed he had the best economic plan, blah, blah, blah.

Well, this is what happened this weekend. And I turned to my trusting Dem friend, who is taking them at their word and giving them an opportunity to resume the old friendships, and I asked her, "But how do they feel about De Santis?"

My friend's optimistic expression went dark. She said they support him and they like what he's doing.

So, this is why I called this the in-between. Because there is no real difference between Trump and De Santis. And if they support De Santis, I'm not quite sure what they're remorseful about, unless it's remorseful about supporting a loser.

Enjoy this period of red thaw, before the next American Ice Age begins.

[Phoenix61]

1. The last part, remorseful about supporting a loser. nt

[dalton99a]

2. They are transferring their loyalty from a dumb fascist to a smart fascist

[Baitball Blogger]

5. That's a concern, isn't it?

[dalton99a]

7. Absolutely.

[LuvLoogie]

50. No. He's just a dumb fascist with a dictionary

trump is a turd

DeSantis is a turd cocktail

[dchill]

66. They are remora...

...who need a new shark.

[agingdem]

89. True...

so book-burning/teacher purging Governor Ron "Don't Say Gay" DeSantis is their guy?..the forward thinking idiot that went after Mickey Mouse, Snow White, and Donald Duck?..the same idiot now kissing Disney's Bob Iger's ass, begging his forgiveness?...why is Ron the Bigot a better alternative to Donnie the Traitor...because he can read?..."second verse same as the first"

[Tetrachloride]

3. Insightful. Recommended

I believe in 3 strategies, basically levels of openness.

1. a strong wall, no openness
2. a door in the wall. its open on Saturday morning.
3. general openness, but only at a coffee shop or park.

Don’t let them in the house until they vote blue.

Few are going to admit to remorse. They are only chagrined that the plan failed.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Good rules to live by.

Thanks for sharing them.

I think this group who reached out is very socially savvy. If there is something they want, they are good at suppressing any signs of their true feelings in order to charm someone into doing their bidding. Personally, my first thought would have been, what do I have, that they want?

[MOMFUDSKI]

56. Agree completely.

I dumped a long-time friend that became the worst trumper/fox idiot. Didn't know she was a racist until years after we met. She has now called my phone 4x since July and I will not answer. They must feel the fire and they certainly are. They chose their camp and we Dems walked away. I intend to stay walked away from these cretins. And they will be on the deathsantis train as soon as they are sure chump is toast. I would love to answer the phone call only to say, "Maybe trump will pick you up to go to dinner with old friends and have a great time".

[calimary]

95. That for me is Caution Number One. NOBODY really wants to admit they were wrong.

compounded by … much less that they’ve been ROYALLY had.

HAD. At the end of a fork.

Maybe they figure your forgiveness will make their embarrassment go away.

[SheltieLover]

6. A leopard doesn't change its spots.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. No it doesn't.

Their politics will not change, and neither will their support for Republican leaders who want to bring this country down.

[SheltieLover]

11. What I've heard from qpukes

Even during tfg's term of squatting in our WH is "as a human being [tfg] is horrible, but I'd vote for him again because Dems want to redistribute wealth."

This from many people who are so wealthy, their heirs' heirs couldn't spend it.

The fear of taxation. And that their taxes might feed the less fortunate.

The same wealthy folks who complained because the last stimulus check was income limited & they thought they should get the same, regardless of income.

When is enough enough for these greedy pricks?



It's all about wealth redistribution. This explains why qpukes will vote for scum like walker, regardless of his skin color, because he is likely quite wealthy. (Just guessing. But you see the irony of racists voting for him...)

[Joinfortmill]

74. Yup. It's mine is mine & yours is mine, too.

[SheltieLover]

79. Absolutely!

Sickening!

[Hortensis]

22. No, but sunlight bleaches them out. :) Or would if the spots were

their worst conservative personality traits, which have been insidiously encouraged and developed by bad leaders. In another era, they were what they (and we) thought they were then. They really believed they had the deep commitment the core principles they claimed, that they took pride in as their identity. They, and we, had no idea how "situational" all their beliefs could be.

And they still don't, but that can be okay. Return to a healthier, stabilized society requires their return to their previous notions of who they are so they'll act up to them. (And us, for that matter.)

So I'm for keeping doors open to people becoming the better versions they once were. Not because I want to resume old relationships -- I don't -- but as a societal duty, including to our grandchildren. We're not out of this yet. We could still leave our kids to find ways to survive in a broken, devastated nation instead of the one we were so incredibly fortunate to have inherited.

One very promising things is that in normal times liberals and conservatives share far more political beliefs than not. Most people want a lot of the same things out of government, with variations in considerations like how and how much to be negotiated.

Including MAGAs. Most of our troublemaking "anti-establishment" populists and authoritarians actually lean or are strongly economically progressive. Remember how one of tRump's main campaign promises was to use government to provide a better, more affordable national healthcare system than the ACA? If I ever feel willing to attempt to talk politics with an ex-MAGA neighbor, I hope I'll remember to steer it to healthcare.

[CrispyQ]

36. "...in normal times liberals and conservatives share far more political beliefs than not."

I totally agree with this statement. I've sent that old Joe Conservative essay to several repubs I know over the years, & asked, "What in this essay do you disagree with?" And none of them have ever responded with anything. They want safe medications, clean water, affordable education for their children, paid vacations & sick pay, their savings account federally insured, social security & Medicare, as much as we do.

There was a study many years ago, that showed if you poll people on policies & issues & leave out descriptions like liberal or conservative or labels like democrat or republican, people overwhelming support liberal ideas & policies.

The 1% have spent a ton of money & invested a lot of time dividing us over social issues, but one side is too damned obstinate to see it. It's part of their world view. Admitting you're wrong or that you made a mistake is a weakness in their eyes.

[Hortensis]

37. +100. And what a great list of good topics to steer discussion to.

Who doesn't want safe medications, clean water, etc...!

[Fla Dem]

30. Correct. Trump was just the megaphone they wanted to air their prejudices.

The Republicans are, although they deny it, White, Christian ideologs, some more than others. They cannot accept the fact that the United States is becoming an increasingly racially diverse nation.

Since 2010 to 2021 the White population in the US while increasing, dropped in the percentage of the total population from 63.8% in 2010 to 59.3% 2021.

https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ND-DemPop&gclid=CjwKCAiAp7GcBhA0EiwA9U0mtvTd-8aG7LwjxKrghmp1XHi0PoLwT2r0MF2HLajL5SSkR1OHy_9FEBoCSawQAvD_BwE

It may never happen that the White race will no longer be the singular dominant race, but at some point, it will no longer be the dominant race versus all the others combined.

Thus, the chant of "we will not be replaced."

This is their fear and Trump was/is their cheerleader. Whether Trump or DeSantis (who I honestly feel is more dangerous) this will continue to be the Republicans underlying driving force.

[Hotler]

9. My thoughts on a couple of your points.

"Trump did bring out the worst in them". It's the other way around. Mean, hateful, racist repug voters brought out the worst in the orange one and the others.

"We supported him because we really believed he had the best economic plan, blah, blah, blah." The quote out of their mouth at a campaign rally when CNN asked why they are supporting him was, "he's our chance to hurt the dems and libs.
And that is why they will back Nazi DeSantis. All he needs is that little fucking black mustache.

They are looking for someone to elect that will give them a wink and a nob to openly kill dems and libs.

[Pluvious]

41. An important warning, thanks (nt)

[Timewas]

10. Not me

i got along without them this far,I can continue to do so.

[fightforfreedom]

12. We will never see a Trump like cult ever again.

This was a once in a lifetime freak event. So many things had to take place over the decades for Trump to win the presidency in 2016.

Trump spent decades learning how to con people. He spent decades getting in front of a camera and putting on a show. He spent decades learning how to use the news media.

He became the host of reality TV show that made him well known across the country. Trump used the fact he was never a politician to sucker people to vote for him. he suckered people into believing he was a great business man.

Trump spent decades learning how to use lawyers and money to get away with corruption. Trump never worked a day in his life. He had all the time in the world to learn all of the above.

Anyone who believes someone like Desantis the Dork can create a cult like following like Trump did will be mistaken. Of course whoever the Republicans nominate to run for president the Republican voters will blindly follow. That's what they always do. But it will not be like the Trump cult following.

[rubbersole]

35. Yep...

desantis doesn't have the 'it' factor. You wouldn't have ever seen tfg in white dock boots. Plus, his nazi attacks on teachers is already getting plenty of blowback from the parents I'm aware of.

[CrispyQ]

38. Without "The Apprentice" showing in living rooms across the land, he would never have been president

His birther nonsense helped for sure, but before "The Apprentice" I think if you had asked most people who Donald Trump was they would have answered, "Some New York City asshole."

[MOMFUDSKI]

57. The birther thingy was

his way of reeling in the racists. Piece of cake.

[Joinfortmill]

75. Totally agree.

[ShazzieB]

88. +1!

I absolutely agree. Without that show as a springboard, Trump45 would never have happened. It's a damned shame so many people couldn't tell the difference between "reality" TV and reality and believed that he really was the rich, successful, powerful, savvy businessman he impersonated on The Apprentice.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

47. Don't discount the power of the propaganda machine; it has "the base" captivated.

Sinclair, Fox, AM radio, and the whole billionaires' network of media, institutions, and 'think tanks' will not disappear just because traitortrump is no longer seen by them as a viable means of taking over the rest of government.

[Justice matters.]

80. Don't forget the former Twitter management...

before they banned him for using their business to launch a violent attack against the United States Congress Capitol, Hair furhair had like over a 100M followers (not all real, many of them Russian bots, but still).

[Escurumbele]

49. Go to Florida and you will find there is a DeSantis cult there.

I have friends who live in FL, they go to his townhall meetings and whatever, she does her hair, her nails, sometimes buys a new dress to go to these meetings, she and her husband pretty much decorate their front yard with DeSantis stuff, and there are plenty of people in FL like that.

DeSantis cannot be underestimated, he is VERY dangerous.

[wnylib]

54. I agree that it's not likely that we will have another

cult leader like Trump.

But now that he has made it "normal" to openly support cruelty and hatred, and has convinced so many people that they need to vote against "liberal socialism," cult leadership is not necessary to continue RW extremism.

Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism of the 1940s and 50s) was not charismatic or cult like. But he knew how to frighten and intimidate people, with the backing of the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover.

Trump supporters will seek out another RW extremist leader. I have no doubt of it. They will have the help of the RW characters in the House for the next two years.

[cachukis]

13. Each and everyone of us has a world view. We gravitate to

those whose world view supports our own. We do so for moral and psychological support.
Those of us who are truth seekers will take the time to sift through the rhetoric and identify the falsehoods.
This takes time. We are surrounded by a ginormous
population without that time.
Often, we are the foundation for those who don't have the time, but have our world view.

When you think about the leadership of those with an opposing world view, you recognize their management techniques. It's the old Cotton Mather routine of "fire and brimstone." Follow us to salvation.
It is the world view of righteousness. It is the ego keeping up with whom they admire as righteous.

While there are some on our side who display righteousness, most present as humble.

I have tried to keep old relationships with my republican friends by being frank, but not insulting. Fifty plus years is hard to erase.

They are thawing, as you say, and have thawed after previous support of failed leaders, the Iraq war, for example.
But they have not lost their world view. Autocracy eliminates the need for empathy; a tiresome, meddlesome intrusion on shallow thinking.

I get chastised for my lofty thinking and accused of being unable to speak to them on their level. I respond with asking how I can acquiesce to mediocre thinking?

There in lies the rub of our messaging. High brow doesn't work with the low brow.

[fightforfreedom]

15. good post.

[bedazzled]

18. You are a great thinker

And a great writer!

[cachukis]

32. Thanks.

[MOMFUDSKI]

58. Great Rant.

And I agree with all of it. Thanks for your eloquence on the subject matter.

[cachukis]

59. Thanks.

[bluesbassman]

14. Excellent observations.

My experience with Trump supporters has basically been twofold:
The “economic MAGAt”. These people erroneously believed that Trump was some kind of financial genius that was going to simultaneously grow the economy and cut their taxes to nothing. The economy grew (for the investor class) largely because of low interest money, and taxes were cut (again for the wealthy), but Trump really had no strategic involvement in either of those things. The economic MAGAt will gravitate to the next huckster who makes them think they’ll make and keep more money. I have nothing against making money, it’s how we live, but we also live in a society and with that comes some measure of responsibility to contribute to the greater good.

The other Trump supporter is the “White Nationalist MAGAt”. These people bought Trump’s populist bigotry, xenophobia, and racism hook line and sinker. They’re the ones that scream about closing the border and building the wall, while an undocumented worker mows their lawn or cleans their house. These people also support book banning, LGBTQ bashing, and forced birth. They will switch allegiance to the next “Trump” because they have social agendas.

Suffice it to say I really dislike both of these profiles and have severed ties with most of them in my orbit. It would take way more contrition than I believe they’re capable of to convince me that they’ve had changes of heart, and as I now know who they really are, I don’t want those toxic influences in my life.

[fightforfreedom]

17. My experience with Trump voters is they have this in common.

They don't like facts. When I talk to a Trump voter I hit them with so many facts they get tired of saying,"What about?" That's how they always answer a fact, What about? I wear them out with facts.

[Meadowoak]

29. I do the same, and after a half dozen or so facts, they usually run away.

[bluesbassman]

33. So true. Willful ignorance.

I ran into one at the grocery store the other day who was wearing a t-shirt that said "Gun Control Can Kiss My" superimposed over a picture of a donkey. I couldn't help myself and had to comment. So I said "excuse me, do you thing the families of the people who were just shot to death in Colorado feel the same way as your t-shirt promotes?" His face turned red and he stammered out "well maybe if somebody else had a gun they wouldn't be dead" (typical gunner response). So I replied "you are aware that an ex Army officer combat vet who took down the gunman did it barehanded?". He glanced up at my 2nd Armored Cavalry ballcap and said "oh, I guess you think everybody should serve in the military". I replied "well, it would certainly give more people an understanding and respect for what weapons of war can do to people, especially when they're in the wrong hands". He just glared at me.

My lovely wife showed up about that time and knowing my body language she gently grabbed my arm and continued our shopping while admonishing me to not rile up the locals.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Economic MAGAt and White Nationalist MAGAt.

Excellent! That is very helpful.

[Joinfortmill]

76. Amen

[usonian]

16. Actions count way more than words.

I guess it boils down to:
Were you there for others and your country when the going was rough, or "needful" in some slimy way instead of loyal and compassionate?

I say accept them when they cross the Rubicon and vote blue. Actions count. Until then, be kind in your heart but don't give out dog biscuits for looking apologetic.



Especially if they are just trading one fascist for another. Until they vote blue, they are only sorry for picking the wrong pony.

[mollie8]

19. Interesting Observations

Thank you for your post. These observations are some of the most thoughtful ones I've seen.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. I really appreciate that.

Thank you!

[rainin]

23. It's a no go until they 100% break with the media sources

that led them down this path. they have to admit they were lied to and that we weren't. That's the only path back for me

[Baitball Blogger]

26. Oh, yeah. We should have a checklist prepared to make sure we're on the

same page. I def like the idea of them breaking with FoxNews.

[OMGWTF]

24. My BFF of 36 years dumped me because I didn't like Trump

If she comes back I will tell her to fuck all the way off and that I prefer my friends who aren’t fascist.

[Baitball Blogger]

25. Sounds like a good plan.

[hot2na]

27. Its like the George W Bush thaw only worse

Remember when the entire Republican party worshipped GWB? How he was such a bold and decisive leader? I remember it all too well. Eventually they realized that he was just another Republican phony. Immediately after GWB left office he sold his fake ranch in Crawford, Texas and moved to the rich suburbs of Dallas, rarely to be heard of again. Then along came Trump and when he was nominated he was anointed as the 2nd coming of Reagan. Now that Trump is fading into the dustbin of fake Republican heroes, the next shiny object of their adoration is Ron DeSantis. Fox News will be on hand to fill in all the blanks and tell the base what to think. Lather, Rinse Repeat.

[Baitball Blogger]

31. You bring up a good point.

They bring their worst to the White House, desecrate procedure, trash the place up...and leave in disgrace. Nothing to be proud of. Even the myth of Ronald Reagan's greatness is being questioned.

A point we should continue to bring up over and over again to expose the Republican toxicity.

[Meadowoak]

28. They showed us who they really are, I have no use for any of them now.

[jgmiller]

34. This is why we need Trump to be on the ballot in 2024

If he gets the GOP nomination or runs as an independent then Biden wins. If it's a straight up election vs De Santis and Biden then it's much more difficult and I fear for America under De Santis, as someone said he's a very smart facist.

As much as I would like to see Trump in prison or a broken lonely man that can wait for me until 2025.

[dlk]

39. When people show you who they really are, believe them

Leopards don’t change their spots and Trump supporters don’t change who they really are, either. Best to keep that in mind.

[Lonestarblue]

40. I think most MAGATs will transfer their loyalty to whoever gets anointed by the Republican Party.

The mainstream media has been running more articles and opinion pieces about DeSantis and Youngkin, both of whom are smarter than Trump but just as morally bankrupt and willing to manipulate voters’ fears and anxieties with lies to generate political support. I predict that the media will keep pushing both of them, though if somehow Trump gets the Republican nomination in 2024 they’ll be right back to Trump worship.

I believe we have another decade of hatefulness from Republicans and attempts to rig elections in their favor until their bloc of old white voters dies out. Younger voters are more open to change and more likely to support democratic policies and Democratic initiatives that serve the country instead of serving to promote culture wars. The next few years promise to follow old ironic saying, “May you live in interesting times.” I’d prefer more peace but don’t expect it.

[Seeking Serenity]

42. If we're truly in a red thaw, where the anti-American party is becoming demoralised,

Then I say we take everything we can get, policy-wise. MFA. A 90% upper tax bracket. Nationwide vaccine mandate. Required child care. Twelve-month paid maternity leave.

Demoralise them even further. Do to them like we're doing to Russia, beat them so badly that we rob them of their will to fight.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

43. Murdoch and cohorts told them to dump traitortrump. The brainwashing continues.

[CrispyQ]

44. A cousin I was close to in my youth voted for Trump twice, believes the election was stolen,

& said the J6 insurrection was an "unfortunate misunderstanding." OTOH, he claims that because he has daughters & granddaughters he supports women. All I could say was, "Not if you vote for republicans, you don't."

As long as they support the Republican Party, which thinks a petri dish of cells has more rights than I do, then there will be not any thawing on my part.

[Joinfortmill]

77. Agree

[Escurumbele]

45. Well, there is a big difference between DeSantis and trump, DeSantis is even more dangerous

because he is smart, he knows when to pull back from his trump-imitations and when to move forward for the same, and he understands government.

Now, when sorry-now-trumpers tell me "We supported him because we really believed he had the best economic plan" I ask them to tell me what trump's "economic plan" was, and all you will hear is crickets...so never let one of those trumpers throw a line like that without supporting it, because they can't and they know it.

[MOMFUDSKI]

60. He has a higher IQ but

is not at all good on his feet. Good luck with that. Someone on the TV Tube this morning said dump will club deathsantis like a baby seal. Just have popcorn on hand.

[Iggo]

46. There's no ifs for me. I'm not taking any of them back.

They weren’t suspended. They were fired.

“Good luck and don’t come back” fired.

And if I meet someone new and learn they ever voted for Trump, they’re fired too.

They’re either idiots or assholes. And at my age, I don’t have time for either one.

It already happened. (You know, those MAGA hat selfies live on the internet forever, people.)

[TeamProg]

48. Thanks for posting. n/t

[Marthe48]

51. I cut to the chase

If I cut them out of my life, they aren't getting back in. I realize that I have nothing in common with people who support traitor. Situations prove that over and over, so it is better to just keep moving forward. It was difficult to be assertive, because some of the people were (putting it kindly) naive and take on what they hear on the news or the radio and I didn't want to hurt their feelings. Other people had the sense to know better, but like the savage perks of being cruel. Distancing myself from the cruel people wasn't as hard to do. Either way, I've moved on.

I appreciate having DU to socialize with.

[progressoid]

52. IMHO Desantis is worse.

Because he's competent.

[dalton99a]

53. And a schemer who knows when to keep his mouth shut

[Saoirse9]

55. I'm glad you're seeing a thaw

All my trumper ex-friends are just as trumpy as ever. I don't know how I will react if they ever thaw.

[appleannie1]

61. There is no 'remorse' in my family. They are still die hard trumpsters.

[Mr.Bill]

62. Here's what I think will happen.

Trump will die soon and they will spend the rest of their lives saying he was the greatest president in the history of the USA, everything was better when he was president, and on and on. Same thing they do with Reagan. The bullshit won't leave us until they all are dead. I'm 69 and won't live to see it.

It's why they are taking control of the history books in our schools. In ten years Obama won't even be mentioned in the books and Trump's picture will be on the front cover if they have their way.

[Martin68]

63. I see the Trump Era as a burning cauldron of highly explosive material rather than a freeze.

I'm looking for them to cool down.

[Maraya1969]

64. That's interesting. I had a friend for many years.

And I never thought we wouldn’t be friends but when Obama was elected and I had moved away from New Jersey she became an out right racist. I guess I can see how she was racist before but I thought she was just being silly about some things. But now all of a sudden after all these years she asked to be my friend on Facebook again and she asked me how I was after the hurricane. I don’t really know what to say to her unless I tell her directly that I can’t stand the racism part.
It never occurred to me that maybe she is just feeling like a total idiot for her support of Trump and the way she acted towards Obama.

[Baitball Blogger]

68. My feeling is that they really need to be more specific about what they're remorseful about.

We may be dealing with very shallow people. They might just suddenly feel a pang of loneliness and want to resume the fun part of a friendship without really delving too deeply on how the fight began. Thus, they won't change and the old differences will resurface.

[MOMFUDSKI]

71. I went soft with my friend after I had it with her dump/racism.

Told her we can't talk politics, but she could not help herself and kept it up. Finally, I had it and that was the end. And now, again, she is calling but I am not answering. Fool me once . . .

[Kath2]

65. Very well thought-out analysis.

Thank you.

I have been way left and very up front about it since high school. (Graduated in'76.) As you can imagine, I don't have very many, or any, Republican or conservative friends. That doesn't bother me. I abhor Trump and his policies. I abhor the conservative mindset. I don't have to turn them off. They turned me off a long time ago.

As an aside, I attended a wonderful 45 year high school reunion 2 weeks ago. All the liberal 1970's hippies were dancing and singing and having a wonderful time together. I noticed that the more conservative and probably republican attendees seemed disconnected and somewhat angry. Love wins. Hate loses. That is a wonderful thing.

Again, your thoughts are appreciated. Peace!

[Baitball Blogger]

67. Thank you so much!

I noticed the same thing about conservatives. They also spend a great deal of time at the bar.

[Joinfortmill]

78. Love this.

[chowmama]

70. They never really go away

There's only 'out in the open' and 'back under their rocks, temporarily'. I've been through both periods.

The relationship between Trump that was, and the relationship with DeSantis to come will be very similar. It's symbiosis - both 'leaders' do have the essential beliefs, but would happily hide them to gain power. On the other hand, since their followers require these beliefs to be expressed openly, they're happy to do that, too. Power, after all, is the main goal.

The biggest problem the GOP has is that they can't do without these people. Nor can they do without the evangelicals, or the money conservatives, or the people who really believe that Leave It To Beaver was a documentary. (I lived through that period - it wasn't.) None of the groups that support them are numerous enough to be able to afford alienating a single one of the other groups. They have to cater to the whack jobs, and also have to cater to those who the whack jobs turn off because, well, they're bad for business. It's an impossible situation. The coalition can't stand.

Unfortunately, the inevitable collapse isn't going to come before a lot of hurt for a lot of people. And for the whack jobs, that isn't a bug, it's a feature. Wasn't it Bannon who said that he wanted to destroy everything because when they rebuilt up from the ashes, he could finally be in charge?

[ismnotwasm]

72. Fuck that.

[Joinfortmill]

73. I couldn't agree more.

[ecstatic]

81. Interesting. Other than some coworkers, I don't really associate with trumpers

And the coworker trumpers tried to distance themselves years ago, although it's never really quite clear where they stand. They are liars.

[ThoughtCriminal]

82. They don't understand why those "Libtards" un-friended them

One of the worst things about Trumpism were his fans.

[Samrob]

83. Trump may have brought out the worst in them. The point is, it was in them to begin with!!

Fuck "them"!

[DemocraticPatriot]

84. On ISSUES, DeSantis is probably WORSE than Trump!!

DeSantis is even more of a "right-wing purist", IMHO....

Maybe even more of a 'fascist', except for publicly advocating the 'cancel' of the Constitution thing.....

But DeSantis probably agrees with Trump on that, he's just smart enough to keep his mouth shut about it....



I might have been more sympathetic with Trump's 2016 positions on trade-- they were more in line with 1800s Republican protectionism (although I don't know if that is best, anymore, in modern times---

but Trump was/is such a disgusting example of a 'human being', there was no way I would vote for him.
I supported the Democratic party, as always.

[Skittles]

85. they can go fuck themselves

I will never trust people who supported Donald Fucking Trump, they make me SICK

[Jamastiene]

86. If they fell for something so hateful and vile once,

and feasted on their bigoted inner feelings so ravenously like they have for the past 6 years, they will do it again. The fact that they harbored that kind of maliciousness is something I cannot forgive. They will just fall for the next demagogue that calls open season on minorities too. They have proven they harbor those kinds of hateful, violent impulses and gave in to them without much provocation at all. I can never trust them.

If I can't trust them and they never really ask for forgiveness, it's a no-go.

[SouthernDem4ever]

87. I see no thaw

They will become emboldened again by all the trash rhetoric coming from congress in the next two years. They will lie about everything and rant on fux nooze how they found something wrong with Jan 6th - they'll make something minor like a typo on one document into a big scandal. You watch.

[JustAnotherGen]

90. I've written this before

I've stated it verbally.

I will never rub shoulders with these people. There ain't no takesey backsey with me on their voting for that mofo not once, but twice.

They lied about his economic plans. They continue to lie about it.

They are bigots - some polite and some not so polite.

My then 8 year old niece of black, latino, white DNA:

"Why doesn't the President like me?"

I will never forgive and forget and let bygones be bygones because of that simple heartbreaking question from an innocent 8 year old little girl.

They can go ahead and get the hell on. I trust Eva more than I trust their supposed remorse. They knew what that thing is, they enjoyed it - The Cruelty Was The Point.

[Baitball Blogger]

91. Amen.

[Johnny2X2X]

92. Trump is going to destroy DeSantis

Get ready for it. And DeSantis has the personality of a rock, he's not charismatic enough to win the nomination.

Have a Con friend at work who said he liked what Trump did policy wise, but he just wished he'd treat people better. DeSantis would be ideal for him, but DeSantis isn't going to survive the Trump onslaught that is coming.

[llashram]

93. excellent

excellent post/analysis.

We as Democratic members of the Democratic Party would do well to openly put deSantis in his place. Shine a light on the dark corner(s) of his dirty laundry He's a terrible governor and as POTUS would make trump look like a republikkkan choir boy. Not by much mind you but truth as I see it

I'm already buying myself winter gear for the 2024 Ice Age blizzard(s).

[Baitball Blogger]

94. De Santis will bring in an era that is the conservative White Christo-nazi wet dream.

It freaks me out that he will have success with the help of the Cubanitos in South Miami.

[Beartracks]

96. The underlying problem with the GOP isn't Trump. It's Republicans. n/t

[Genki Hikari]

97. Nope

The lesson we've learned from that...thing is that way too many people around us are simply awful people. They were awful before that...thing, and they'll still be awful after that...thing is no more.

They merely hid it better before him.

Now that they've let their scumbag freak flag fly so proudly?

Not no but HELL NO will I have anything to do with anti-American traitor trash like that. I've already told family members who have supported that...thing that they are now dead to me, and there will be no resurrection. I've never needed or wanted anything from evil scumbags, related or not, so no loss there.