Lot of truth there.FL_Ag1998 said:aggie93 said:
It's totally going to be different this time.Shot/shot/shot/liar pic.twitter.com/w8Ps9PDs0X
— Burt Macklin (@BurtMaclin_FBI) December 26, 2023
Here's the core problem - the people who continue to bring up these lies and failed promises by Trump actually believe people are voting on policy when they're voting for Trump. And there's still a dwindling number of Trump supporters who claim they are.
But most Trump supporters have dropped the charade and openly admit the truth these days - they're voting for "revenge!". You can't argue with something as personal as feelings of revenge. Logic be damned when compared to their emotions of wanted to stick it to the Dems and get redemption for Trump losing in '20.
The two leading candidates, according to the infalliable polls at least, have to appeal to voter's emotions, lest voters actually look at their track records and how ****ing old they are. The ultimate solution is simple - get them out of the race. The Dems know that and will do just that when they force Biden out late. Too bad the Rep's won't.
Quote:
During a speech in South Carolina late last month, Haley trotted out a rather interesting line of attack against Trump: "And the truth of it all and this is another hard truth I believe President Trump was the right president at the right time. I was proud to serve America in his administration, and I agree with a lot of his policies. But the truth is, rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him. You know I'm right. Chaos follows him. We have too much division in this country and too many threats around the world to be sitting in chaos once again."
These were not tossed-off remarks. Byron York, the only political reporter who seems to have grasped the significance of the remark, notes that Haley has been road-testing some variation of the "chaos" line since October, and it appears it's a regular part of her stump speech. York has done a typically thorough and thoughtful analysis of this, including why Haley's line might ruffle some feathers among Republicans.
Quote:
But ultimately, Haley's line about "chaos" spectacularly misreads the problem and, along with it, the sentiment of a lot of Trump voters she needs to win over. When she says "the truth is, rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him," the word "wrongly" in that sentence pretty much gives up the entire game. The biggest source of chaos in Trump's presidency wasn't mean tweets; it was the entire Washington establishment and administrative state breaking laws and violating norms both to impede his policies and attempt to throw him out of office. This was, indeed, very, very wrong and exposed a rot so deep that the number one requirement of any future Republican president is dismantling this corruption that threatens the foundations of the republic.
Let's recap what the "chaos" in the Trump administration looked like, shall we? Starting before Trump was elected, the FBI was investigating and wiretapping the guy an investigation that continued well after he was elected. The FBI's "sources" for their investigation of Trump were treasonously colluding with Russia to steal an election. These included, among other standout individuals, a paid informant at the heart of multiple political scandals who had been apparently lying on his resume for decades and a report from… Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee.
The man responsible "for 80% of the 'intel'" in that report was a Russian national who the FBI had previously conducted an inconclusive counterintelligence investigation into, and it turns out that disreputable Russian got much of his information on Trump's ties to Russia from a lawyer for… Hillary Clinton. And given such quality information, it's hard to imagine that an FBI lawyer would get caught manufacturing evidence on warrant applications just to keep spying on a man who was a legitimately elected president.
Quote:
That was all pretty chaotic, right? And it's just the tip of the iceberg. We could walk through the events of the first Trump impeachment, where the case against Trump was so open and shut Congressional Democrats had all the witnesses testify behind closed doors; the rapid emergence of a censorship industrial complex sponsored by federal agencies and law enforcement; the open endorsement of violent BLM riots that destroyed city centers by Democratic politicians; billionaires funding liberal get-out-the-vote experts to infiltrate local nonpartisan election offices; the self-described "conspiracy" and "cabal" that worked to "control the flow of information" and "fortify" our elections in 2020 by flooding every state with mail-in ballots. By the way, you're an election-denying bigot if you think said ballots encourage fraud.
Quote:
The thing is, acknowledging that much of what happened during Trump's presidency was unjust and damaging to the country need not be an endorsement of Trump. Ramaswamy and DeSantis have both made the case that they're better suited to address corruption exposed by Trump while acknowledging the campaign against him during his presidency was an alarming subversion of American rights, norms, and laws. (Similarly, it is telling how a figure such as Biden who has brazenly lied about his own corruption indeed, the first Trump impeachment was held behind closed doors so Republicans could not publicly ask very obvious and damning questions about whether Trump's inquiry into the Biden family's corrupt business in Ukraine was warranted is so obviously insulated from "chaos" by the same people who instigated it under Trump.)
LINKQuote:
DeSantis and Ramaswamy have at least campaigned in a way that acknowledges this basic reality: For a lot of voters, the number one issue facing the country is the fact that American democracy is being held hostage by a broad array of forces that will use violence and information warfare, in addition to every hidden lever of administrative, legal, and cultural power to punish Americans if they vote for someone they don't like. Never mind that even mild populist and rhetorical pushback on issues such as interventionist foreign policy or deliberate toleration of mass illegal immigration is cause for punitive measures.
You can pretend to wave away the existence of these insidious forces as being only applicable to Trump, but without exposing them and holding them accountable, no serious person believes they won't cause more "chaos" to whoever is the next politician that threatens them. The whole point is to amass enough coordinated power that you can both artificially create chaos and then be in a position to take it away, depending on which suits your purposes of incentivizing voters.
That is wishful thinking. I would love for it to be just wording that would make people see the obvious, but we don't live in that world. The American public we are part of now is driven by hits of dopamine from social media and outrage porn from everything else. If indeed it is true that the Republican party picks Trump, it will prove that we are run by our lowest common denominator. It is a race to the bottom that we have embraced through our algorithms. This primary is the last test to see if we are too far gone or not. Can we actually recognize that the drugs we are on are killing us? The Republican party is the last place where it is even possible for reality to be a part of public policy, and if we whole-heartedly embrace the cancer that has ruined the rest of the country, it's time to pull up a lounge chair, grab a spiked lemonade, and just watch it all burn.FireAg said:
Whether you like their reasons or not, "revenge" is absolutely a motivating factor for at least some (I'd argue many) who are voting for Trump in the primaries…
And that is where I think DeSantis miscalculated with his message (assuming his goal was to be the R nominee)…
He had a great opportunity to steal headlines early on…he could have come out swinging at those who continue to persecute Trump…he could have said something like "I'll fight those cowards with the ferocity in which I defeated Disney wokeism in my state, and I'll throw those criminals conjuring up false charges in jail to rot for doing what they continue to do to an innocent man!"…
That approach likely would have 1) appealed to the Trump voting bloc, and 2) taken some of the wind out of Trump's sails by showing Trump needed DeSantis to save him…
There are much more sinister forces working behind the scenes in this country than many folks care to acknowledge…I think DeSantis's best play would have been to come out as the in-your-face leader whose mission is to strike down such sinister tyranny because then, and only then, can we start focusing on rebuilding America the way it was intended to be…you must rid this country of the evil from the progressive left, rid us from the evils of such false notions as "sustainable green energy", and rid this nation of the evils of wokeism and lies such as "social justice" in an effort to rebuild our once strong and mighty Republic…
I really wish DeSantis had come out as the champion of truth…the person who would show this nation that "facts" and "truth" are not the same thing…
I want the candidate that has the balls to come out and say things like "George Floyd died from a drug overdose", "the FBI led the charge into the capital on Jan 6", and "a Tesla battery has the same carbon footprint as running an internal combustion engine for 8 years straight"…
Those are truths that are conveniently hidden by made up "facts"…
DeSantis should have come out swinging from the beginning and shown himself to be a champion of truth and the only man who could save Trump from wrongful persecution…
The man had a chance to steal headlines, and he missed…
Quote:
Look for more Melania in 2024.
A source tells Page Six that after Donald Trump scored a recent Supreme Court victory in his federal election subversion case, "Trump and his family are so secure that he will become president again that insiders at Mar-a-Lago say he's reached an agreement with [wife] Melania [Trump] to step up top-tier diplomatic appearances in 2024."
The Trumpworld source told us that after Melania recently appeared with fellow former first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral, she is, "feeling more sure of herself as both her husband's representative and her own position as a diplomatic figure after her positive reception at the Carter funeral."
LINKQuote:
Our source added, "Melania realizes it's her time to join the ranks of historic first ladies and leave her mark on history… She feels better prepared for her potential role the second time around."
The source added that Melania also feels she can devote more time to the role since her son with Trump, Barron, is now 17.
This actually explains the greater issue. People who want to be told what they want to hear rather than care about someone who actually has done something and knows how to fix it.FireAg said:
Whether you like their reasons or not, "revenge" is absolutely a motivating factor for at least some (I'd argue many) who are voting for Trump in the primaries…
And that is where I think DeSantis miscalculated with his message (assuming his goal was to be the R nominee)…
He had a great opportunity to steal headlines early on…he could have come out swinging at those who continue to persecute Trump…he could have said something like "I'll fight those cowards with the ferocity in which I defeated Disney wokeism in my state, and I'll throw those criminals conjuring up false charges in jail to rot for doing what they continue to do to an innocent man!"…
That approach likely would have 1) appealed to the Trump voting bloc, and 2) taken some of the wind out of Trump's sails by showing Trump needed DeSantis to save him…
There are much more sinister forces working behind the scenes in this country than many folks care to acknowledge…I think DeSantis's best play would have been to come out as the in-your-face leader whose mission is to strike down such sinister tyranny because then, and only then, can we start focusing on rebuilding America the way it was intended to be…you must rid this country of the evil from the progressive left, rid us from the evils of such false notions as "sustainable green energy", and rid this nation of the evils of wokeism and lies such as "social justice" in an effort to rebuild our once strong and mighty Republic…
I really wish DeSantis had come out as the champion of truth…the person who would show this nation that "facts" and "truth" are not the same thing…
I want the candidate that has the balls to come out and say things like "George Floyd died from a drug overdose", "the FBI led the charge into the capital on Jan 6", and "a Tesla battery has the same carbon footprint as running an internal combustion engine for 8 years straight"…
Those are truths that are conveniently hidden by made up "facts"…
DeSantis should have come out swinging from the beginning and shown himself to be a champion of truth and the only man who could save Trump from wrongful persecution…
The man had a chance to steal headlines, and he missed…
My governor endorsed Trump, my state will carry Trump.Rapier108 said:
We get it, you and the rest of MAGA hate DeSantis more than you hate any Democrat all because he did not swear fealty to Trump for life.
Guess what, he does not owe Trump a blood debt, nor does anyone owe Trump our vote.
MAGA people like you will be part of the reason Trump WILL lose in 2024 if he is the nominee because most of the country are sick and tired of Trump, and sick and tired of the people who worship him as a god, and want to destroy everyone else who doesn't.
PA24 said:My governor endorsed Trump, my state will carry Trump.Rapier108 said:
We get it, you and the rest of MAGA hate DeSantis more than you hate any Democrat all because he did not swear fealty to Trump for life.
Guess what, he does not owe Trump a blood debt, nor does anyone owe Trump our vote.
MAGA people like you will be part of the reason Trump WILL lose in 2024 if he is the nominee because most of the country are sick and tired of Trump, and sick and tired of the people who worship him as a god, and want to destroy everyone else who doesn't.
Open your eyes, Governor DeSantis is not even winning his home state.
He should have not gotten greedy.
C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
My reply is meant for the trolling Trump sycophants who constantly spout their drivel in thread after thread as if their failed candidate is owed anythingFireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
C@LAg said:My reply is meant for the trolling Trump sycophants who constantly spout their drivel in thread after thread as if their failed candidate is owed anythingFireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
but to answer your question directly...
it is legal until a court says it is not.
does not mean i agree with it. but that is a fact.
where int the constitution are political parties, and primaries and whatnot for presidential candidates written.FireAg said:C@LAg said:My reply is meant for the trolling Trump sycophants who constantly spout their drivel in thread after thread as if their failed candidate is owed anythingFireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
but to answer your question directly...
it is legal until a court says it is not.
does not mean i agree with it. but that is a fact.
Where is it written in the constitution that identifies the rules for running for president beyond age, citizenship, and residency?
I'll hang up and listen…
C@LAg said:where int the constitution are political parties, and primaries and whatnot for presidential candidates written.FireAg said:C@LAg said:My reply is meant for the trolling Trump sycophants who constantly spout their drivel in thread after thread as if their failed candidate is owed anythingFireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
but to answer your question directly...
it is legal until a court says it is not.
does not mean i agree with it. but that is a fact.
Where is it written in the constitution that identifies the rules for running for president beyond age, citizenship, and residency?
I'll hang up and listen…
I'll too shall hang up and listen.
stop being purposefully obtuse.FireAg said:C@LAg said:where int the constitution are political parties, and primaries and whatnot for presidential candidates written.FireAg said:C@LAg said:My reply is meant for the trolling Trump sycophants who constantly spout their drivel in thread after thread as if their failed candidate is owed anythingFireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
but to answer your question directly...
it is legal until a court says it is not.
does not mean i agree with it. but that is a fact.
Where is it written in the constitution that identifies the rules for running for president beyond age, citizenship, and residency?
I'll hang up and listen…
I'll too shall hang up and listen.
You know very well that primaries are defined by the states, so now please tell me what the current laws are for each state's primary (or caucus) process that defines who can be on the primary ballot for president beyond what is defined by the US constitution…
Nothing says our guy is going to win quite like, we have to ban this guy because he is going to beat our guy. The logic should be so obvious that it should hit like a ton of bricks.FireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
texagbeliever said:Nothing says our guy is going to win quite like, we have to ban this guy because he is going to beat our guy. The logic should be so obvious that it should hit like a ton of bricks.FireAg said:C@LAg said:
ban trump from election ballots.
everywhere.
How's that legal? Is that the answer for everything we don't get our way? Subvert democracy and just force things a certain way?
RON DESANTIS will limit the size AND scope of the federal government.
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) December 27, 2023
“So much in the federal government is not essential. You could cut the number of bureaucrats in half and you would not miss a beat.
“I want less government. But just as important, I want a narrower scope of… pic.twitter.com/tsNVGKRu0k
Specific plans for a conservative platform and a coherent message in how to achieve that platformTRM said:RON DESANTIS will limit the size AND scope of the federal government.
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) December 27, 2023
“So much in the federal government is not essential. You could cut the number of bureaucrats in half and you would not miss a beat.
“I want less government. But just as important, I want a narrower scope of… pic.twitter.com/tsNVGKRu0k
FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
PA24 said:My governor endorsed Trump, my state will carry Trump.Rapier108 said:
We get it, you and the rest of MAGA hate DeSantis more than you hate any Democrat all because he did not swear fealty to Trump for life.
Guess what, he does not owe Trump a blood debt, nor does anyone owe Trump our vote.
MAGA people like you will be part of the reason Trump WILL lose in 2024 if he is the nominee because most of the country are sick and tired of Trump, and sick and tired of the people who worship him as a god, and want to destroy everyone else who doesn't.
Open your eyes, Governor DeSantis is not even winning his home state.
He should have not gotten greedy.
He hasn't failed to get the message out.FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
Then by definition, he has FAILED to get his message out...Ag with kids said:He hasn't failed to get the message out.FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
Trump is just a bullhorn at full volume all the time. Drowns out quite a lot...
DeSantis has been camped out in Iowa for months now, doing the retail politics that Iowans demand apparently.Ag with kids said:He hasn't failed to get the message out.FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
Trump is just a bullhorn at full volume all the time. Drowns out quite a lot...
aggiehawg said:DeSantis has been camped out in Iowa for months now, doing the retail politics that Iowans demand apparently.Ag with kids said:He hasn't failed to get the message out.FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
Trump is just a bullhorn at full volume all the time. Drowns out quite a lot...
Maybe the Iowa polls are wrong but it sure doesn't appear he is resonating with those voters. I don't know why.
Well until it's over it's not over. No votes have been cast.FireAg said:Then by definition, he has FAILED to get his message out...Ag with kids said:He hasn't failed to get the message out.FireAg said:
Don't blame folks on TexAgs for DeSantis's failure to get his message across to the masses…
His campaign failed because he was unable to communicate the virtues of his candidacy adequately…
Trump is just a bullhorn at full volume all the time. Drowns out quite a lot...
He didn't do nearly enough to get people to look his way in this day and age...
Now we can sit here and debate the vitrues of doing things the polite, old school way versus the boisterous, in-your-face Trump way, but virtue is meaningless...the goal is to win the primary...so he should have done more to grab the attention of voters in a manner that would help him win the primary...
Fact is, trump isn't nearly the bullhorn he once was...the media carry him because he's good ratings...like him or hate him...he brings really good ratings...
DeSantis needed to do things that would force the media to pay attention...he needed to do things that would boost media coverage ratings...
He chose not to...and a such, he didn't give himself a chance to win the R Primary this cycle...