05-27-2023, 12:51 PM
(05-27-2023, 11:53 AM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: Fair enough. I tend to agree with pretty much everything in this reply. Trump is like a dog chasing cars.
People said for a long time that Trump being Trump both empowered and limited the GOP. Many including myself also predicted that at some point, a candidate with his "platform" and fervent base minus his limitations would likely one day have a shot at office . IE someone who actually understands policy and consolidation of power.
Trump WANTS power, but is probably the least well-read POTUS in our history. He wants to force things to bend to his will, and he thinks he can. Part of that is his desire for power, but the biggest part is just plain lack of understanding of how government works. Add in an unwillingness to listen to advisors that do, and he's a bit more limited. He also tends to cannibalize aides and advisors needlessly. I don't think Ron will be that stupid.
I'm not sure DeSantis is the final step in the evolution of the American far-right demagogue, but he's probably the next. Frankly, his personality is pretty flat. He lacks charisma. He's ubiquitous and wields a ton of power in his state, but most Americans outside of Florida probably have never even heard him speak. Trump was a household name for decades. He has the understanding of policy that DJT lacks, but very little of the gravitas.
I dunno if you've watched Succession on HBO, but they have a far-right president character that's very much in the nationalistic authoritarian mold. He's obviously not a real person, but he's slick, charismatic, selective of his words, and extremely effective. This is the guy that we haven't seen from the American right yet, but I suppose someone like him will arrive at some point.
