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The online pro-Obama/Iran deal people Noah Rothman talked about remind me of Col. Nicholson in The Bridge Over the River Kwai. He was focused on the narrow goal of building the bridge, which he genuinely thought was best for his men, and ignored the larger goal of winning the war.
You know, Fred, your comment makes me think of the AlwaysTrumpers (who I have been debating since the beginning of 2018): They are so fixated in telling me why their guy is so great because he fights, they lose site of the bigger picture: That, because of him, we may lose Congress!
This, to me, is somewhat wishcasting.
If Hillary won the Presidency, we’d be hearing non-stop about how Republicans are being obstructionists due to sexism (Hillary) and racism (Obama’s legacy) driving the narrative in hopes of also getting Congress.
If we lose Congress, it’s not about Trump, it’s about Republicans not knowing how to message or to govern legislatively. They are inept at media messaging against a mostly hostile press and can’t seem to present a united front on any major issue.
The negative messaging to drive down public opinion of Republicans to get that perception would be there regardless of Trump.
Wishcasting?! I don’t wish this to happen. I am afraid it will happen.
The rest of this comment is just making predictions based on what we know the Left has done to us in the past, plus excuse making, because you are a dyed-in-the-will Trump supporter. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and Trump’s pudding shows us that he is mighty bad cook. His conduct and outbursts have embarrassed everyone but the most dyed-in-the-wall supporters. They have emboldened the Democrats. Virginia proved it, as, to a degree, did Alabama. The Republicans make convenient scapegoats. But everyone knows that midterms are a referendum on the incumbent President. If we lose Congress, it will be on Trump’s head – no matter the bluster that you and many others will put forth.
I’m a dyed in the wool Trump supporter? I was Team Cruz up until the general and I went pragmatic, as in “who is closest to me who can win.” I just want him to succeed policy wise. That’s it. You still want to replay the primaries, and if he causes the Republicans to lose majorities, in your mind, maybe he can then get a primary challenger who fits some lofty aspiration of being principled and charismatic enough to beat the free stuff/identity politics narratives.
It’s a secondary argument. Republicans assured me that if we had the power, we could repeal and replace ACA. I was told Tom Price and others had been working on a plan since day 1 so that the moment we finally gave the reins of power back, we’d be able to cut this government boondoggle.
It took a half measure tax cut to defund it and we’re still not rid of it, because Republicans didn’t plan.
That’s not Trump. Voters are about motivated by self-interest and tangible results pursuant to that which they see in front of them, not lofty ideals and all the talk about limited government is easily argued against in a media that controls a narrative.
It’s great for the white middle class voter with a good education to quote the Federalist papers. I’m from a blue collar town that knew the only way to survive was if the defense budget got increased and the shipyard stayed in business. Talk to those people about principles rather that then the personal and their eyes glaze over.
Republicans can’t convey the “ideals” into working rhetoric.
Here’s a wacky idea, get the Republican base as excited as the Democrats in the positive way. It’s been a while, and the reason why none of our ideologically purer candidates didn’t win is because they didn’t excite anyone, neither did McCain, neither did Romney. Then you can work on Trump’s bedside manner.
You and I can talk about policy all day long, and I expect that we’d agree more than we’d disagree. But the problem is Trump. Like it or not, I am stating a fact: History tells us that midterms elections are about the President in power. If he is popular, a president’s party might gain seats. Even then, it is hard. Most of the time, the President’s party loses seat. That can be contained if he is popular. But I am reflecting history. You do not like that history. Fine. But facts cannot be denied.
Also: I am tired of his supporters saying that the problem is Trump’s bedside manner. It is much more than that. He does not act or speak like a President. His policies are fine, thanks to the people who surround him. But he is a drag on our party, precisely because he acts like an overgrown kid, who never learned the discipline of adulthood, much less how to lead the greatest nation in the history of the world.
Why would anyone want to use that as a barometer rather than your personal distaste in a vacuum.
“Trump’s motivating the Democrats” is a lame excuse when it doesn’t appear as if our base was all that eager to get out there and have an equal response to 8 years of a “scandal free” Obama. I’m sorry did I miss that day in class when small government and personal responsibility got to sit at the 18-45 year old cool kids’ table and we weren’t old white racists or identity sellouts who only cared about racism, profit margins and keeping people down economically and with our social mores, mostly backed by the words of old dead out of touch white men.
I argue politics with this age group on a daily basis. All walks of life, creeds, mostly college educated, some non-US citizens. They don’t want to hear it. Big government helps people and those who fight against it are bad people. Trump just embodies all of their arguments but getting rid of Trump isn’t going to help the brand.
I don’t disagree.
Where you and I disagree is that you think eliminating Trump helps the party. I think not only would it hurt us, it would foster distrust in the people who helped get him into the office and might kill hope of getting them back. I think making Trump successful helps it. If we make this dope have a strong eight years, we’ve proven every single thing about not needing a proactive government. If you make Trump successful, you make all those crossover votes matter and you’ve proven could put a chimp in office and the country would run fine just as long as government gets out of the way and the people they hire to do the important stuff are competent.
I don’t have faith that there’s another better chance down the road. Too many people who claim they’re smart believe so many wrong things.
Okay. Fine. We can start there. I do think we have things in common. But you misunderstand me, I think. I don’t say remove Trump now. First of all, how can it be done? I don’t want to impeach him, and them remove him. That would hurt the country. And that is my number one goal: Not hurting the country. I just want him to really grow into the office: Stop talking about tangential matters. Focus on what does matters. I think the tax bill was a good thing. Talk about how it can help people. Talk about Infrastructure in such a way that makes public/private partnerships come alive and get people interested. If he can do that, maybe we still save Congress, and even add members. I just don’t think he can do. Sigh!!
In my opinion Trump’s messaging will follow if he’s taught and if you don’t step on his ego. He’s a communicator though not an orator of soaring rhetoric, but he’s also a salesman, not a creator of the product. If the Republican Congress gives him a message and a policy to sell, and tells him “you’ll get a win” Donald Trump is going to go out there and go for a win. We knew his weakness was he’s not an ideologue, but he learns from mistakes, and he’s a keen reader of people, he knows exactly how to push buttons with dumb tweets.
I think our mistake is that we expect him to “lead” in the sense that he has a sweeping agenda he wants to accomplish and a path to get there. He doesn’t, he’s been apolitical most of his life. He probably doesn’t even know how a bill becomes a law. But if you leave him to his own devices he’s telling you he’s waiting for your ideas. This Republican Congress needs to inundate him with ideas, needs to have their ducks in a row to get whatever the votes, and then Trump can make the final push.
Trump is a finishing school for our policy, but not the originator. I want our Legislative branch to “fight with the army you have not the army you want” Republicans would rather focus on changing Trump’s negatives than going “how do we use Trump as a tool to better the party standing in the country.”
If Congress came in with a list of 20 bills they need the President’s help with, and they then give the President the credit, that’s going to be the tweets. Trump turns on the tv because he’s bored and wants to say something. Don’t give him the freedom to choose.
They need to learn the art of seduction imo.
I not good about knowing most computer lingo. So I don’t know “imo” means!
Apart from that, I think this is a pretty analysis. Where I would differ is…..
I hate to sound do pessimistic, but this is a pessimistic time, I fear.