10-10-2017, 01:31 PM
(10-10-2017, 12:32 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Has the movement transcended the individual himself or was it always just the natural evolution of the Tea Party turned Alt Right movement, and he was just a temporary figurehead for it?
I have to assume he has learned his lesson and, moving forward, will back the Breitbart ordained candidate, otherwise he won't be the darling anymore.
There's no telling what Trump will do, he's mercurial to the point of personifying the term. As far as your first question, it's a bit of an evolution coupled with frustration at the lack of progress/results. There is also absolutely a backlash against the left overreaching in the last few years. Mind you, the left are not alone in this, both sides tend to overreach when they perceive themselves as having the upper hand.
(10-10-2017, 12:35 PM)GMDino Wrote: It doesn't matter. To his supporters even when he loses he wins. Even when he deletes the tweets supporting the guy who lost he wins.
It's amusing. And sad.
Way to contribute, you really added a lot to the discussion. :andy:
(10-10-2017, 12:35 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: The movement is frustration with the status quo on the right. It can't be about trying to pull the GOP to a more conservative path, which is what the Tea Party thing was about, because Trump isn't a conservative. So the real unifying theme between those two, and I think we do have to look at them together because without the TP movement, we wouldn't have the AR, is just anti-establishment thought. The movement is bigger than him, and he can be cast aside if he makes the wrong steps.
This is absolutely true. He's a figurehead and he's attractive to them because he will say and do things other politicians wouldn't dream of. For all his flaws he is the antitheses of the career politician, for good and ill, hence the attraction. If he falls into the politician mold he will get buried in the next election. If he stays true to form he has a very good chance at re-election. One point I would add, it's not frustration with just the status quo on the right, it's frustration with the status quo period. One of the main reasons Hillary lost is she personified the status quo.
(10-10-2017, 12:44 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: The bulk of Republican voters are going to vote for the Republican no matter what. Same goes with Democrats for Democratic candidates. The AR or anti establishment bloc of the party was seemingly a plurality in the 2016 primary, but not a majority. So does a situation ever exist when a single challenger in the 2020 primary can come forward and unite more of the party together under effective leadership?
It could happen, it would take a special type of candidate though. One who could combine Trump's dismissal of business as usual and actually speak to people honestly and openly. Double talk is the bane of our current political system, no one will buck the party line or speak their mind if they think it will cost them one vote. A candidate who has positions, can articulate them and stands by them on principle could absolutely unite more people under their banner.
Quote:At some point, Trump will run out of Obama executive orders to nullify and the lack of any significant legislation will make it hard to deny that very little progress towards any stated campaign goals or agendas is taking place. Unless he manufactures a war, what exactly do you run on?
We're two years out from primary season for 2020, that's an eternity in political time. Even if the 2018 elections go badly for the GOP (by no means is this a fait accompli) they're not going to go well enough for the Dems to take either branch of Congress. At some point even GOP congresspeople who oppose Trump's agenda are going to have to realize that getting anything done is better than getting nothing done and act accordingly.
