Category: Hindsight 2020

Mike Pence & His Republican Ilk As ‘Doughfaces’

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

According to the book, “The Field of Blood,” in the antebellum Congress, using the term “doughface” on someone might get you punched. The term refered to a Northern Democrat who sucked up to Slave Power for the sake of national unity.

The term comes from a children’s game where you were a “dough face” in an effort to scare people.

Anyway, I think we should use the term “doughface” to describe people like Mike Pence who are willing to absolutely prostrate themselves at the altar of mailigant ding-dong Donald Trump.

Of course, no one listens to me. If they did, we would be using the term “Vichy Republicans” to refer to these type of people already. I will note, however, that reading The Field of Blood reminds me of how similar today’s politics are to those of the antebellum world.

It’s somewhat eerie. I think it comes from how America is careening towards an existential choice of autocracy or civil war in late 2024, early 2025 and, as such, form follows function.

Any National Divorce Would Be Extremely…Messy

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It definitely seems as though a lot of Americans have some sort of National Divorce on the brain. They come up with all these different maps that imagine how, exactly, such a “divorce” would actually happen. Here’s the latest one that I’ve found on Twitter.

The problem with this map is it is way too sanguine about a lot of things. There are two main elements to a National Divorce that aren’t really talked about that much. One is, by definition, millions of people would be displaced because their politics didn’t fit their state’s general political inclinations.

The second is Red States are pretty much contiguous, while Blue States aren’t. So, unless some sort of United States of Canada can come into existence to connect all the Blue States, there’s a good chance there will be a massive fucking war to build some sort of land bridge between Oregon and Minnesota and another between Michigan and the Northeast states.

I still have serious doubts that any sort of National Divorce will happen. In fact, at the moment, it definitely seems as though Trump, unto himself, pretty much is going to determine which way things go.

What Made January 6th Different?

by Shelt Garner
@shetgarner

Given how meh the MAGA movement has been when it comes to real-world political violence since January 6th, it makes you wonder how did Jan. 6 happen in the first place?

There’s a lot to unpack.

I think there are two major things to consider. One issue is it happened in the context of the passions of the 2020 election. The other issue is Trump had months to organize and rile up the base to the point that a certain small segment of that base decided to storm the Capitol.

As such, it won’t be until 2024 – 2025 that a similar dynamic would be in place and so, lulz, history will repeat itself, only potentially in a much, much more dramatic fashion. I say this because the Republican Party is radicalizing to the point that secession is a very real possibility one way or another.

Either the radicalization of Republicans pushes Blues out of the Union or the radicalization of Republicans causes Republicans to leave the Union. And any such “National Divorce” will be extremely messy because the country isn’t, on a state basis, strictly Blue or Red. There are millions of people whose political views don’t fit their state’s general political inclinations.

So, anyone who thinks there could be a peaceful National Divorce is a wilful fool.

There’s A Lot To Unpack There, MTG

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

The thing about MTG is she’s a lot more dangerous than you might think. Unlike malignant ding-dong Trump, she’s young and focused and, given the opportunity, would be able to make her fascist dreams actually come true. This tweet on her part is pure projection.

MTG is downlow one of the most dangerous pols in modern American political life. All that has to happen is she become Trump’s second term veep, before you know it, we’re all talking about living under the “Velvet Fist” of an autocratic state.

We’d all spin it by saying she’s an American “Iron Lady,” when in fact she’s just a regular old fascist. She’s not just frothy, she’s a lot more radical on a practical basis than Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer Ron DeSantis.

The whole thing is very frightening. The United States continues to careen towards a the so-called “Fourth Turning” of a choice between autocracy or civil war starting in late 2024, early 2025.

Really, Catturd?

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Well, I think Catturd has decided to smoke some of his own frothy supply with this Tweet:

The thing about Catturd is he reminds me of people I know who are well meaning and earnest in their fascism. To the point that they don’t take the anger of people like me seriously.

This, in turn, enrages me.

Anyway, it is amazing to me that there are well meaning people who are so detached from reality that they believe somehow that the Democratic Party is literally Satanic. Meanwhile, there are a dwindling number of crimes that Trump hasn’t actually committed.

It’s a testament to the tectonic forces at play in American political life that a ding-dong like Trump would development such a cult-like following. Some seriously fucked up shit is going on on a political and historical basis.

How Worried Should We Be That Trump Will Burn The Country Down Now That He’s Been Indicted?

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It could be that it’s not so much that Trump may try to burn the country down to save his sorry ass so much that he just can’t. It could be that the dynamic surrounding Trump has changed to the point that just because he manage to almost overthrow the government, doesn’t mean he’ll ever be in a position to do it again.

I think this weekend, however, will be crucial one way or another. Trump is so unstable and unpredictable, that it could be he, out of the blue, returns to Twitter in the middle of the night and really leans into going transactional. He might say he’s not leaving Mar-a-Lago and the coppers have to come and get him out…then, wow, are we fucked.

But I’m beginning to think that things aren’t, for once, going to get that dark. I think it’ll be all be mundane if historic. The real danger comes from how, on a systemic basis, the Republican Party lives in abject fear of ding-dong Trump, even though he hasn’t been able to get people to protest for him in the real world since January 6th.

Republicans are so afraid of their base that they are going to use what hard power they have to play defense for Trump whenever they can. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out, is all I gotta say.

All Things Being Equal, Jon Stewart Should Be The Next President Of The United States

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — the best stealth political candidate in modern American politics is Jon Stewart. When he gets mad, he is articulate enough to actually get things done.

So, if the United States was a functioning democracy — and if ding-dong Trump had never been POTUS — we would all be waiting with baited breath for Stewart to run for president. He would likely be a historically good president for a variety of reasons.

But.

Given the bad taste that ding-dong Trump has put in a lot of people’s mouths when it comes to celebrities running for office…meh. And I would prefer if Stewart would run for governor or senator from New Jersey before POTUS. There is a possibility when the “Fourth Turning” strikes the US in late 2024, early 2025 that it could be someone like Stewart suddenly has the Finger of God point at him, telling him to step into the political arena to make a difference.

But, to date, Stewart has shown no interest in running for anything, so, lulz.

Why The Lincoln Project Has Such A Rabid Fan Base

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

While I admire The Lincoln Project’s spunk, they’ve had their fair share of scandals. And there are any number of Blue “thought leaders” who fucking hate their guts. But I do believe that the organization may have its time to shine in late 2024, early 2025 when America is going to be in dire need of anti-MAGA leadership — no matter where it might come from.

Anyway, the reason why some people really get off on The Lincoln Project is there is a huge segment of the electorate which is center-Right by is queasy about MAGA. They’re Traditionalists who aren’t Good Germans. So, the idea of an organization that is organically conservative that hasn’t bought into MAGA’s fascist bullshit really makes them feel good.

I would, again, suggest we all withhold judgement on The Lincoln Project until late 2024, early 2025. That is when it will have it’s moment to shine.

When It Comes To The Constitution & Trump’s Potential Extradition, Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer Ron DeSantis Is A Craven Moron

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Nothing sums up how dangerous idiot Ron “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” DeSantis is than the following tweet:

The reason why this is so dangerous is the type of mentality it indicates. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer knows damn well that the Constitution is very explicit that a govenor can do jackshit to stop a criminal being extradited to another state.

And, yet, he says it anyway.

Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer loves, loves, loves to, like Trump, stress test the system to see what he can get away with. So, God forbid, Trump decides to hunker down in Mar-a-Lago after giving the issue some though, DeSantis could very well be put in a position where he is forced to lose face AGAIN when the Federal government swoops in and handles extradition itself.

But it’s clear that if Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer becomes POTUS, he will be America’s Putin. I’m beginning to think, however, that he’s going to hold off running until 2028. Even though if Trump wins in 2024, DeSantis may be president of just the Red States, given how we’re careening towards a very, very dark future in late 2024, early 2025.

Malignant Ding-Dong Trump Has Finally Been Indicted, Now What?

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It seems as though — as of now — whatever happens with Trump and his (first?) indictment will be historic but mundane. Allegedly, Trump plans to surrender himself next week in NYC and that will be that. He may not even have a perp walk. Though his mug shot will be so historic that it will be the “Candle in The Wind” of anti-Trump merch.

There is, of course, a greater-than-zero-sum chance that ding-dong will give it some thought over the weekend and change his mind. What better way to cause as much fucking damage as possible than to hold up in Mar-a-Lago. And Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer DeSantis has already — despite the U.S. Constitution not giving a shit what he thinks — made it clear he won’t help with any extradition.

My current concern is what happens between now and when Trump is arraigned. If Trump really goes transactional and insane — maybe even returning to Twitter along the way — how many people within the MAGA ranks will be willing to cause problems? If there are any problems, I would suggest you keep an eye on Arizona, D.C., Florida and NYC.

But one thing is clear — the longer this process drags out, the more momentum will build for significant political violence of some sort. That’s what happened with January 6th — Trump had several months to rant and organize the violence that almost successfully staged America’s first coup.

Another issue — is it possible that the political equation has changed now that this particular boil has been sliced and a veritable calicade of indictments will now rain down on ding-dong because it’s been proven that it’s not the end of the world to indict a former president? Trump has so successfully bent the law to his will because of politics that when things snap back into place, it may be a sight to see.

In a sense, this is just the beginning of a series of potentially historic, jaw-dropping events. Stay tuned.