US Election Week 2020

[Habbaku]

Wow. Some great news this morning. Congrats Habs, your anti-republican trolling work!

I can't believe that there are people who actually boycotted the election. My small contribution is nothing, but it makes me feel good. 

[FunkMonk]

The Age of Mitch is over. The Age of Dems is about to begin.

[Caliga]

But this is good news - especially for the people of West Virginia who are about to get drowned in federal money

Nothing they're not used to.  West Virginia was Byrd's Country.

[Caliga]

Trump keeps losing Georgia. I didn't know it was possible to be this much of an incompetent loser.

I do find it extraordinary that it looks like Georgia will be represented by two Democrats in the Senate.

[Josquius]

The rise of the left/centre/sane in traditional conservative states has been a growing trend in recent years right?
Lately you've been seeing an awful lot of denialism about the Republicans and Democrats flipping platforms, the Democrats being racist, etc....

[celedhring]

The Age of Mitch is over. The Age of Dems is about to begin.

Minority leader Mitch McDonnell has a nice ring to it.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Look for angry snowflakes to meltdown.  If the Democrats win its proof that it was fixed. If the Republicans win it is proof that it was fixed but to throw everyone off. 

I'm sure we'll see some violence. 

Trump really fucked over Pence.  But he had to have known this was coming as Trump has done that to damn near everyone who ever backed him once he got the chance.

[Josephus]

What I don't get is why so many Republicans (and I mean politicians) continue to support Trump. It's obvious he has no loyalty; not to the party, not to its members, but only to himself. He will sweep out anyone in order to protect his own image. He's not even really a Republican idealogue, but mostly does what is necessary to support himself. Even in Georgia his speech to rally support for the senators was all about himself, and how his election was stolen.
Yet sane, conservatives continue to support him. I don't get it at all.

[Grey Fox]

Primary fears from the Trump enthusiastic base.

[Sheilbh]

Yet sane, conservatives continue to support him. I don't get it at all.

He won the Presidency where sane conservatives - McCain, Romney - didn't and that's enabled them to deliver on judges and tax cuts, and it = feels like that's the extent of their policy agenda. I think they've been as transactional as Trump.

If he was actually doing things like appointing populist judges, or pushing for massive spending on infrastructure then I don't think the sane conservatives would back him because he wouldn't serve any purpose.

[Barrister]

Yet sane, conservatives continue to support him. I don't get it at all.

He won the Presidency where sane conservatives - McCain, Romney - didn't and that's enabled them to deliver on judges and tax cuts, and it = feels like that's the extent of their policy agenda. I think they've been as transactional as Trump.

If he was actually doing things like appointing populist judges, or pushing for massive spending on infrastructure then I don't think the sane conservatives would back him because he wouldn't serve any purpose.

I really disagree with most of this take.

Trump actually won the Presidency as a moderate Republican.  Sure he was going to build the wall, but border security is a legitimate topic.  He was also going to protect social security, not raise taxes, keep jobs in the US.  He never really mentioned judges or tax cuts.

As to why are Republicans clinging to him now?  It has nothing to do with being transactional.  He's lost.  The judges have been appointed.  The reason over 140+ GOP members f Congress, and 12 Senators, are going to object to the EC votes today is a combination or fear and ambition.  Too much of their base are rabid Trump supporters and they fear being primaried.  And also several (Cruz, Hawley) think there's some opportunity to "inherit" the mantle of Trumpism, so are going to cling to him as long as they can.

[Habbaku]

Yet sane, conservatives continue to support him. I don't get it at all.

He won the Presidency where sane conservatives - McCain, Romney - didn't and that's enabled them to deliver on judges and tax cuts, and it = feels like that's the extent of their policy agenda. I think they've been as transactional as Trump.

If he was actually doing things like appointing populist judges, or pushing for massive spending on infrastructure then I don't think the sane conservatives would back him because he wouldn't serve any purpose.

I really disagree with most of this take.

Trump actually won the Presidency as a moderate Republican.  Sure he was going to build the wall, but border security is a legitimate topic.  He was also going to protect social security, not raise taxes, keep jobs in the US.  He never really mentioned judges or tax cuts.

https://taxfoundation.org/details-analysis-donald-trump-tax-plan-2016/

Pretty sure you're wrong about the judges thing too, but I haven't dug into that.

[Admiral Yi]

It will be interesting to see how the voters of Georgia treat the current governor, lt. governor and secretary of state in the next election.  Or any state with a Republican executive that Biden won.

[Eddie Teach]

They have lost the Mandate of Donald.

[Sheilbh]

I really disagree with most of this take.

Good

Trump actually won the Presidency as a moderate Republican.  Sure he was going to build the wall, but border security is a legitimate topic.  He was also going to protect social security, not raise taxes, keep jobs in the US.  He never really mentioned judges or tax cuts.

As to why are Republicans clinging to him now?  It has nothing to do with being transactional.  He's lost.  The judges have been appointed.  The reason over 140+ GOP members f Congress, and 12 Senators, are going to object to the EC votes today is a combination or fear and ambition.  Too much of their base are rabid Trump supporters and they fear being primaried.  And also several (Cruz, Hawley) think there's some opportunity to "inherit" the mantle of Trumpism, so are going to cling to him as long as they can.

Weirdly, given you disagree, I agree with most of this - I suppose I wasn't considering those 12 Senators (fuck knows with the House ) as sane conservatives

Trump won as a populist - wall, protect social security, build infrastructure (though I feel like he definitely mentioned his list of potential judges as part of his pitch to evangelical voters). But he governed as a standard Republican - because Trump doesn't actually care about policy or have the personal qualities necessary to have an agenda. In office he was a McConnell Republican - tax cuts and judges.

And the reason the McConnell Republicans clung to him was because he was a way of delivering that agenda - if Trump wasn't useful I think it's fair to say there's an abundance of issues you could legitimately impeach him over (or even just defend him/keep the caucus together less - like when McConnell told Senators they should distance themselves from Trump this election if that helped them in their races).

The ones who are left are I think either true believers, or as you say looking to seize the mantle of Trumpism. I'm intrigued by Cotton's absence - it's not related but it feels like, if one of the Trump family don't run, that there may be a split with a sort of national security/law and order Trumpism by Cotton v economic Trumpism by Hawley (I suspect Cruz will be profoundly disappointed, again ).

I always wonder about primaries - how many successful primaries of sitting Senators have there actually been in recent years? I can think of maybe one or two that I'm aware of. I always wonder how much the threat of primaries are a real motivation and how much they're just a cover for sticking with the party herd.