I'm reading "From Moderate to Caesarist: 4 Scenarios for Trump 2.0" by Ross Douthat (NYT).
The other 3 versions of Trump are: Trump the doctrinaire right-winger, Trump the imperial president, and Trump the great mobilizer of opposition.
July 13, 2024
Consider Trump the moderate.
"... Trump is not a movement conservative, not an ideologue outside of core obsessions like trade and immigration, and he no longer has to fear revolts from his right the way he did in the days when he felt the need to pick a religious-conservative Reaganite as his vice president. Glance over the G.O.P. platform, focus on the substance... and you can see outlines of the pitch the moderate version of Trump wants to make to swing voters. I’ll be right-wing on crime and immigration, but I won’t touch your retirement programs. I’ll be anti-woke and pro-patriotism, but I won’t be Mike Pence on social issues. I’ll keep the tax cuts I passed last time, but I won’t necessarily pile on more tax cuts for the rich. I’ll keep America out of unnecessary wars."
I'm reading "From Moderate to Caesarist: 4 Scenarios for Trump 2.0" by Ross Douthat (NYT).
I'm reading "From Moderate to Caesarist: 4 Scenarios for Trump 2.0" by Ross Douthat (NYT).
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An interesting evolution in Douthat. Previously he had fewer Trump scenarios: (1) Hitler and (2) Hitler on 'roids.
Now do Biden.
What nightmare scenarios can they envision?
I'd wager that description of the GOP platform sounds pretty good to the majority of people in this country.
how about "Trump the Great Mobilizer for Populist Opinion"?
Please name a position the democrat party has that is supported by most americans?
Inga? Mark? Rich? Anyone?
Late term abortion?
Open Borders?
No ID voting?
men in women's prisons?
men in women's sports?
men in women's showers?
genital mutilation in minors?
anyone, please tell me one program the democrat party has that has majority support?
Could SOME of the left be resigning themselves to a Trump win?
Do they think they buy some shreds of credibility back?
Do they think our memories are as short as that of the current POTUS?
Feh.
Ronna McDaniel gone from the RNC. Highly disciplined Trump campaign staff this time. Median voter theory.
Of course Douthat is correct. Months ago, Ben Shapiro dropped a podcast entitled “The Dirty Secret: Trump is the 2024 Moderate.” Shapiro rolled through immigration, crime, foreign policy, abortion, inflation, and climate change, demonstrating that on “every single issue, Joe Biden and his team have decided to take the 30% position, which is insane.”
anyone, please tell me one program the democrat party has that has majority support?
7/13/24, 6:58 AM
Everything is hinging on their love of abortion, and their ridiculousness thinking a right was taken from them to murder their babies.
Some of Douthat's guessing is good. In order to not give Trump too much credit, though, he has to memory hole Russiagate and how it affected Trump's first term.
Also, his use of "widening gyre" is the closest I've seen to quoting Yeats without being banal and tedious. He loses only 1 point for that instead of the 9 demerits I give to anyone else referencing the Harry Potter poem-equivalent.
They are being forced to admit that Trump is actually a moderate populist with very little in the way of "Conservative" views.
Bill Clinton was to the right of Trump on a wide variety of issues.
Take Crime for example. Trump actually worked with prison reform advocates.
Trump's position is that violent criminals belong in jail and non-violent criminals do not. That is more to the left than any democrat who actually campaigns honestly. The Soros prosecutors are actually tearing the democrat coalition apart from the inside.
Trump has always been the moderate.
The de-fund the police, illegals entrants by the millions, Corrupt Soros money whore left are far left and very corrupt.
Wilbur said...
I'd wager that description of the GOP platform sounds pretty good to the majority of people in this country.
That is why he had over 75 million voters in 2020 and his opponent had ~61 million voters. Trump was never about "Conservative" or "Liberal." Those were just labels used to control and possess voters.
He solved problems and made the system work on a macro level. Most people have a general idea of what needs to happen and what would make sense for the country. Trump just made that happen. Ideology is a barrier to that process.
Trump stepped into a situation where both parties were pushing the globalist agenda. Somehow no matter who we voted for we got deficit spending, wars, free trade, and amnesty.
Ending that cycle made Trump the most popular politician in American history.
Trump's program is: "This is crazy; how do we fix it."
Those who benefit from "crazy" hate him for it.
DJT was a D for part's of his life. There are plenty of photos of DJT and the Clinton's together, smiling, at various events.
I have written it many times- Trump looks far right to anyone to the left of Robert Cook which describes the leadership of the Democrat Party and all the media fellatrices they employ.
The five alarm fire against Trump has always been a concoction for the plebs. And many of them bought it.
Trump has been a moderate for years. When Clinton was President, he was mostly a moderate, too. Hillary was always a radical, like Obama. The impeachment pushed Clinton hard left where much of his party already was.
Conservatives love Trump because he wins, even when he loses.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/07/12/tucker-carlson-speaks-out-against-rupert-murdochs-efforts-to-control-trump-through-veepstakes/
Trump is not conservative. That seems to be clear even to the people here who say they are conservative and who are willing to address the question, rather than reflexively attack Douthat.
I agree. That is one of the reasons why I, who am conservative, will not vote for him. That and I've already voted for him twice and because he has become a cancer on the GOP and conservative movement.
Trump is not a conservative or "Moderate" - thank God. That's why he elected POTUS and may be again. All the people who ran against Trump in 2016 and 2020 were conservatives and moderates and all of them were losers. Warmongers who talked about tax cuts for the rich and cutting - oh sorry I mean "Reforming" - social security. Only Trump supported the RR workers strike. Only Trump went to E. Palestine. Only trump truly wants a secure border. Only Trump wanted to support payouts to people during COVID in 2020. The Republicans in Congress wanted to play scrooge.
The Nikki Haley, Chris christie, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney moderates offer nothing for the working and middle class. And their social conservativism to the extent it exists is completely fake. They're just liberal Democrats who like tax cuts and Big Business.
That's why you got Trump.
Believe it or not, Rush Limbaugh provided the least biased coverage of the 2016 Republican primary. He told his millions of listeners that Trump was not an idealogue and that if they wanted the modern incarnation of Ronaldus Maximus, they needed to vote for Ted Cruz. I think what he liked the most about Trump was his transparency and ability torque the "drive by media," a man after his own heart in that regard.
Miss that man everyday. would like to know the numbers for AM radio now vs. when El Rushbo was on the air every day. He literally saved it single handily, and created a juggernaut.
How does "moderate" jibe with Trump's Agenda 47 or Project 2025 (and I realize Trump has pulled a Seargeant Schultz on Project 2025 recently, but he also spent the last two years endorsing the Project).
Only Trump went to E. Palestine.
And it was Trump's deregulation agenda that was a proximate cause of the derailment.
Mike Pence is the biggest empty suit in the history of empty suits.
What a sanctimonious loser...
"And it was Trump's deregulation agenda that was a proximate cause of the derailment."
Complete democrat lie.
It was a faulty wheel bearing.
"How does "moderate" jibe with Trump's Agenda 47 or Project 2025 …"
This cycle's boogeymen.
gilbar said...
how about "Trump the Great Mobilizer for Populist Opinion"?
Please name a position the democrat party has that is supported by most americans?
Inga? Mark? Rich? Anyone?
Late term abortion?
Open Borders?
No ID voting?
men in women's prisons?
men in women's sports?
men in women's showers?
genital mutilation in minors?
anyone, please tell me one program the democrat party has that has majority support?
Per your request to pick just "one," I will do that.
The Affordable Care Act. Which has always been condemned by Republican leadership and the Trump Base, and of course by Trump himself since before Trump entered the political stage. Although Trump's own pontificating on the subject was filled with his usual dumb, weird inconsistencies since he praised national single-payer plans like the one in Canada (qualifying it by saying it wouldn't work in the USA now).
Trump loudly proclaimed that he would "repeal and replace" the ACA. He could never mobilize the votes to "repeal" anything. He never even proposed a plan to "replace" the ACA. He made a joke of himself, telling reporters every six months or so that he'd be announcing a plan, something "really great," something that "you're going to be very happy with," and that it would be coming in "two weeks."
"Repeal and replace" was Trump's great "platform" plank in 2016. But by absolutely every objective measure, Trump never had the slightest interest in health care reform apart from it being a rally speech line. Indeed, of all of the laughably stupid things that Trump said as President, the one really crazy-stupid thing that he said in the realm of semi-serious policy was his observation after the failure of most of his half-hearted and incompetent efforts at a health plan proposal. What did he say? He said, "Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."
In fact, EVERYONE knew that "health care" was as complicated, with as many moving parts and disparate interests, as anything in the federal government. It's the kind of problem that Donald Trump is completely and perfectly ill-suited to address. It's complicated; it requires vast knowledge and understanding of multiple sides. It's huge; requiring broad bipartisan coalitions (or else huge voting majorities in Congress). It's difficult; requiring a skilled and experienced Washington dealmaker. Trump was none of that.
Now, as for the ACA's broad popularity; the Act now enjoys a nearly-supermajority level of support, and that support is growing. It has been steadily growing over the last ten years (after an initial few years of support in just the mid-forties down to mid-thirties). Most Americans clearly support the ACA; and now millions of Americans rely on it.
It's a very popular position for the Democratic Party (which you misnamed as the "democrat party"). So there; the answer to your question.
Thanks for asking.
Take Crime for example. Trump actually worked with prison reform advocates.
No, he worked with Kim Kardashian and Jared Kushner. The former probably because as long as he could stare at her tits, he would do anything she wanted. And Jared's father was too much like Trump for comfort (if Jared's dad could end up in prison, why couldn't Trump).
It was a faulty wheel bearing.
Well, yes, it was a faulty wheel bearing, but why didn't the in-track systems catch it before it caused a catastrophe. Because Trump had cancelled the regulation that would have required more track sensors that would have detected the wheel problems.
This cycle's boogeymen.
So, we should ignore what Trump has posted on his very own website (Agenda 47) or a document produced by many who have been in his previous administration and are likely to hold senior positions in his new one?
Field Marshall Freder: "So, we should ignore what Trump has posted on his very own website (Agenda 47) or a document produced by many who have been in his previous administration and are likely to hold senior positions in his new one?"
LOL
Despite the Trump campaign generating their specific policy proposals with Agenda 47 AND inf7lencing the GOP platform (which can be accessed online thru Teh Interwebs, Freder the dolt, like all the dems, desperately wants to keep the Heritage document front and center as a Linus-like narrative security blanket!
Were you also sucking your thumb when you typed that out Freder?
"So, we should ignore what Trump has posted on his very own website (Agenda 47) or a document produced by many who have been in his previous administration and are likely to hold senior positions in his new one?"
No, I simply doubt that this year's version of the Steele Dossier are beyond the pale of acceptable thought.
Field Marshall Freder: "And it was Trump's deregulation agenda that was a proximate cause of the derailment."
LOL
Complete and utter BS that was long ago completely debunked.
Looks like we have another classic Freder "who is Baake" moment brewing here!
"Well, yes, it was a faulty wheel bearing, but why didn't the in-track systems catch it before it caused a catastrophe. Because Trump had cancelled the regulation that would have required more track sensors that would have detected the wheel problems."
The sensor picked it up, dumbass.
From shitlib NBC News (part of your commie team):
As the train passed through Salem, Ohio, about 17 miles from East Palestine, an alarm was triggered and alerted a Norfolk back office analyst, who deemed it non-critical because the trackside sensor only showed car 23's wheel bearing at 103 degrees, the NTSB investigation found. Investigators said the sensor did not properly detect the true temperature of the overheated bearing and that Norfolk Southern's policies don't call for a train to be stopped and inspected until the hot bearing reaches at least 115 degrees.
They would have torn Trump a new one if they could have.
Fuck off, and I mean that sincerely.
Despite the Trump campaign generating their specific policy proposals with Agenda 47 AND inf7lencing the GOP platform (which can be accessed online thru Teh Interwebs, Freder the dolt, like all the dems, desperately wants to keep the Heritage document front and center as a Linus-like narrative security blanket!
You are the one who raised and pointed me to Agenda 47. So now you are disavowing it, even though it is on Trump's official website. Do you really think I am as gullible as you?
WTF man?
My last (long post) was censored or lost, so thanks blogger or AA.
Here you go. Another lefty organization that also says you're an idiot:
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/ntsb-chair-contradicts-posts-that-wrongly-claim-trump-to-blame-for-ohio-train-wreck/
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/ntsb-chair-contradicts-posts-that-wrongly-claim-trump-to-blame-for-ohio-train-wreck/
"Chuck" lectures us on health insurance:
The Affordable Care Act. Which has always been condemned by Republican leadership and the Trump Base, and of course by Trump himself since before Trump entered the political stage.
"Chuck" has no idea. Insurance companies HATE health insurance. They pushed big employers into plans where the insurance company is an administrator and the employer pays the claims (Plus a hefty admin charge). Obama care was a shift so that Uncle Sam became the claim payer and the insurance companies shifted to administrator. "Chuck" try to stick to law and not Medicine.
Field Marshall Freder:
Do you really think I am as gullible as you?
Freder, no we think you are an idiot like Inga.
3 or 4 of my on-point comments have either been deleted or have disappeared from a faulty Blogger.
Not much I can do about it but it sure would be nice to know if I'm getting censored by AA or not. If I am, it would be the civil thing to tell me.
If I am not, then Blogger is a terrible platform.
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/ntsb-chair-contradicts-posts-that-wrongly-claim-trump-to-blame-for-ohio-train-wreck/
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/ntsb-chair-contradicts-posts-that-wrongly-claim-trump-to-blame-for-ohio-train-wreck/
Field Marshall Freder: "You are the one who raised and pointed me to Agenda 47. So now you are disavowing it, even though it is on Trump's official website. Do you really think I am as gullible as you? Wtf?"
"Wtf" indeed.
Is English your first language?
I clearly and specifically pointed toward Agenda 47 and the GOP platform for Trump policy positions while laughing at you for trying to keep the Heritage document front and center.
It sure is becoming clearer and clearer what it is that makes you a perfect New Soviet Democratical NPC automaton
"Chuck" try to stick to law and not Medicine."
Banned Commenter LLR-democratical Chuck is spinning and Rupar-ing everything in sight as fast as his little New Soviet Democratical legs can twirl him.
“That is why he had over 75 million voters in 2020 and his opponent had ~61 million voters.”
“Biden won 81,283,098 votes, or 51.3 percent of the votes cast. He is the first U.S. presidential candidate to have won more than 80 million votes. Trump won 74,222,958 votes, or 46.8 percent of the votes cast. That’s more votes than any other presidential candidate has ever won, with the exception of Biden. (Third-party candidates picked up 1.8 percent of the votes cast.)”
Sorry Achilles, you can keep repeating your lies about voter fraud, but it makes you sound like someone not firmly rooted in reality, or maybe senile, like Michael K.
there was no chain of custody on these ballots, thats how mark elias wanted it, so thats why they went after sydney powell, and others who pointed out the fraud
Sydney Powell, who never did get to release the Kraken, so sad for her.
Inga, the approver of adult men showering with their daughters: "Sydney Powell, who never did get to release the Kraken, so sad for her."
Wow. Looks like Russia Collusion/Hoax Dossier gal Inga is desperate to change the subject!
LOL Why would that be I wonder?
BTW, did Inga ever apologize to Althouse blog for calling those who didn't believe the COVID lies "murderers"?
I don't recall if she did. That would be a good place to start to regain some credibility.
Speaking of lies…what does it say about a person who lies as easily as they breath?
I don't know, Inga- what do you think it says about you?
Inga, the approver of adult men showering with their daughters: "Speaking of lies…what does it say about a person who lies as easily as they breath?"
I'd say it speaks quite ill of you.
BTW, did you ever apologize?
Don't you support Joe Biden, the adult man who showered with his own 12 year old daughter?
That Russia Collusion/Hoax Dossier lie that you never retracted giving you any pause lately?
Updates would be welcome!
Now, how many Senator's are refusing to show up to Biden events now in key states? That list is getting quite long...almost as they know Inga's many, many lies in support of covering up biden's dementia are just that: lies.
I find it hilarious that Chuck is blaming Trump for the failure of the Republican House and Senate repeal and replace Obamacare. That one is all on Chuck's butt buddy John McCain.
Yancey Ward: "I find it hilarious that Chuck is blaming Trump for the failure of the Republican House and Senate repeal and replace Obamacare. That one is all on Chuck's butt buddy John McCain."
I would recommend caution with takes like that.
Banned Commenter LLR-democratical Chuck is a full blown democratical and always has been. The fact that McCain helped Chuck's beloved dems on obamacare should not be mistaken as Chuck actually liking McCain in any way.
If McCain ever were to oppose any of Chuck's democratical pals on any issue or any other reason, Chuck would turn on McCain in a heartbeat.
I mentioned powell, because she has shown great bravery going back to when she tried jimmy chagra, the one who hired the shooter of Judge John Wood,Charles Harrelson, years later she helped unravel a whole serious of cases including the arthur anderson case, that was weissman's fault yes that one, she challenged the bogus plea forced on general flynn by judge contreras, for these and other thoughtcrimes, they tried to disbarr her, which the Appeals Court reversed, because of the fraud they had orchestrated,
Trumps views on crime and illegal immigration are shared by 70% of the public.
That’s the center.
The Dems are left wing. Trump is center.
The NY Times is left wing. It’s views are shared by a small percentage of the public in a few enclaves.
"Trump the moderate"
Right. And Trump the softie. Didn't drain the swamp. Appointed Wray. Made himself an easy target. Left little legacy.
Of course, it makes no difference. Anything right of the left is far right. Any pushback on immigration is fascist.
Sebastian: "Right. And Trump the softie. Didn't drain the swamp. Appointed Wray. Made himself an easy target. Left little legacy."
Indeed the GOPe working hand in glove with the dems to keep Trump under the threat of constant impeachment over fake treason charges and investigations (which the GOPe-ers were THE critical supporters of) and removal played no part in limiting what Trump could do.
Again, as always, its important for some to pretend the decades of GOPe backstabbing and betrayal and Failure Theater never happened and its all on Trump.
McConnell and Ryan and Romney smile.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother they're here
I'd wager that description of the GOP platform sounds pretty good to the majority of people in this country.
But, PROJECT 2025!!!!!
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