Quo Vadis GOP?

[Sheilbh]

Incidentally on the "weak parties" theory there was an article somewhere about the huge success Trumpists are having in getting elected to all sorts of low-level positions across the GOP all over the country. They're the sort of posts that don't attract many people but have a say over board appointments, GOP poll workers etc. Thousands of them have been elected across the country.

Their big thing is that the election was stolen and they need to stop it from happening again.

This has been promoted as an idea by Steve Bannon on all sorts of outlets for the right. Basically he says one of the problems Trump faced was that the party wasn't really with him so they needed to take it over from the bottom up.

Of course - on the left we know this as entryism and it can be a big problem and very difficult to get rid of these people once they're in.

[jimmy olsen]

I think autocracy is very unlikely in the US. It's certainly not impossible, but I don't see a credible candidate among the current Republicans.

I find it hard to imagine that a Democrat will receive certified electoral votes from any state with a republican controlled legislature in 2024.

[The Brain]

I think autocracy is very unlikely in the US. It's certainly not impossible, but I don't see a credible candidate among the current Republicans.

I find it hard to imagine that a Democrat will receive certified electoral votes from any state with a republican controlled legislature in 2024.

And I find it hard to imagine that anyone in the current crop of US politicians has it in him/her to achieve absolute power. IMHO a basic authoritarian regime is a lot more likely than autocracy.

[Eddie Teach]

I think autocracy is very unlikely in the US. It's certainly not impossible, but I don't see a credible candidate among the current Republicans.

I find it hard to imagine that a Democrat will receive certified electoral votes from any state with a republican controlled legislature in 2024.

If they only run people like that they'll lose a bunch of state legislatures.

[Neil]

If it is Trump vs. Harris in '24, I think Trump will win it.

Harris has been an almost non-entity so far (I know, most VPs are), and where she has, not very impressive.  And VPs don't have a good POTUS electoral track record as it is.

It can't be Harris though, can it?  She was an absolute disaster in the last election, despite enormous institutional and media support.  They really tried to make her happen, and she had less traction than a fringe guy like Yang.  The only way she gets to be the nominee is if Biden dies in office, and even then who knows? 

[Solmyr]

Maybe it'll be Bernie.

[Habbaku]

Maybe it'll be Bernie.

[Tonitrus]

If it is Trump vs. Harris in '24, I think Trump will win it.

Harris has been an almost non-entity so far (I know, most VPs are), and where she has, not very impressive.  And VPs don't have a good POTUS electoral track record as it is.

It can't be Harris though, can it?  She was an absolute disaster in the last election, despite enormous institutional and media support.  They really tried to make her happen, and she had less traction than a fringe guy like Yang.  The only way she gets to be the nominee is if Biden dies in office, and even then who knows?

I agree, but of course as VP, she'll have the institutional initiative (and my hypothesis was in the case that Biden simply chooses not to run for a second term), and I don't see any other clear, prospective opponent, other than the ever persistant Bernie.  And a Sanders/Trump race would be a geriatric disaster.

[Solmyr]

Maybe it'll be Bernie.

I mean, there has to be a Bernie vs. Trump bossfight at some point.

[Syt]

Oooh, what a star studded event.

[Tonitrus]

"National Symposium on Patriotic Education".

Nope, doesn't have a Riefenstahlian tinge at all.

[Syt]

[The Brain]

Has Fort Sumter been put on alert?

[The Minsky Moment]

Well there was a silent revolution by which Joe Biden and the Democrats took over.  It's called an "election"

[Tonitrus]

Has Fort Sumter been put on alert?

The National Park Service will only permit attackers between 9am-5pm.