The National Review piece on Trump's "coup"

[Miles Archer]

I'm not going to post it here, or the link, because the magazine IS the Rosetta Stone of "Republican Talking Points," and I'm not going to take a hit for violating DU's terms of service regarding said talking points. The article is called "Trump's Disgraceful Endgame," you can go to their site and find it yourself if you'd like.

And while I truly believe their own "endgame" is absolving the Republican party of being complicit in propping Trump up for four years and salvaging what is left of Bill Buckley's conservative wet dream (and make no mistake, there is nothing left, because Rick Wilson was right, everything Trump touches dies), you have to look at the message coming from that particular publication.

The "tell," the dead giveaway that the Review's intentions are not noble and that it's an attempt to distance the remains of the party, is when the author states that the only reason Trump hasn't gotten away with his coup is that Republicans haven't let him. If I posted the actual sentence where that assertion was made, it WOULD be a T.O.S. violation, but if you read the article, you'll spot it.

It would be fascinating for Trump to send out a rage tweet in which he calls the Review "fake news enemy of the people" and referred to them as "failing," I have no idea where the magazine fits in a world of Trumpism. I have no idea how immediately guys like Rick Wilson and Bill Krystol...Bill freakin' Krystol...who have been anti-Trump voices will be snapping back to Republican dirty tricks and spin.

But TODAY...even though it is couched in a somewhat subtle vision of the GOP as Phoenix, rising from the ashes of everything Trump burned down, you'll see amazing similarities between what we discuss here daily and what's in the piece.They cop to the whole concept of Trump attempting to halt certification of votes in swing states and install pro-Trump electors who will overrule the will of the people and crown him king.

ANYWAY...just wanted to point it out without crossing the line on sharing content that would most likely not be welcome here. I thought this article was an exception, even if I didn't feel comfortable sharing it.

[exboyfil]

1. My contention is that Trump's behavior after the election

is a logical extension of his criminal behavior that led to his impeachment. They had a chance to stop this assault on democracy at that point, and they failed the test. All that has followed, including the incompetence regarding Covid, is a result of that failure.

They own him. Hopefully someday more of the public will understand that (they sure didn't in the last election cycle).

[Miles Archer]

2. Yeah, that was my takeaway...

...that they know they own him and want to give up ownership and still be relevant after he's gone.

[sboatcar]

8. I think they want to hold onto him for awhile

because they're deathly afraid that he'll take his supporters and make a third party if they throw him under the bus.

[KS Toronado]

11. Very interesting point, you might be dead on.

[Trueblue Texan]

14. I really think it's something bigger than a fear...

...of losing supporters. He either has the goods on them for something prosecutable or Putin does. I don't think Putin will give it up though...not as long as he can get something beneficial from his leverage.

[Cosmocat]

17. They agree with him

they are not hostages, he just has tapped into what they REALLY have wanted all along.

[BobTheSubgenius]

18. Wouldn't THAT be a positive rising from an ocean of negatives?

I'm not saying it would make the last 4 years (and however long it takes to unravel those 4 years) "worth it," but it would be a start.

How sad is it that the only two viable political parties in a superpower have come to this? Talking about, fantasizing over and even working towards the literal obliteration of half of the available political options?

[robbob]

3. If they thought he could get away with it

they would be 100% on board.

[NoMoreRepugs]

4. This. Power over Country. Power over Party.

[Cosmocat]

19. Correct, which is why they "only" have been/are about 75% on board with it

cause this country is so fucked up cons can get away with 25% of them just not saying anything about it 50% actively enabling it and 25% of them actively helping it ...

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The National Review is the elitist GOP publication vs loathsome RW rags like Newsmax and Breitbart

I know Buckley would be rolling in his grave about now. The current lunatic "base" would consider it a "nest of RINOs". It's only a matter of time before they get get "Foxed" and shoved right under the bus.

[Cirque du So-What]

6. A pox on BOTH their houses

I hope an insurmountable schism opens up and leads to internecine warfare that lasts for years to come.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. It was hard enough for them trying to dislodge the first wave of crazies

spearheaded by the likes of Sarah Palin, Jim DeMint, and Michele Bachmann. This latest 2nd wave group has gone even further off the cliff.

[Dustlawyer]

9. Please let Trump start a 3rd Party, please!

My Christmas wish!!!

[Texin]

10. I believe the Lincoln Project guys will be back onboard for rethugs when Biden is in office.

[radical noodle]

16. I don't think so

They previously made it clear that they will support Biden. They do what they do because they fear for our democracy under this group of crazy, power-mad, incompetents.

[Miles Archer]

22. Agreed, I don't think they will undermine Biden, but...

...I DO believe they "want to be Republicans again," but if you listen to Schmidt and Wilson, if that ever happens at all, the face of Lindsey Graham and is ilk needs to be wiped away like the stain that he is. And he just got re-elected.

[radical noodle]

23. Oh, on that I do agree

They are conservatives at heart, but they just recognize the terrible consequences of trumpism and know that the fight won't end on January 20th, 2020.

[Nitram]

12. The key fact is, Republicans did not support their local election officials when they were attacked

by Trump because they did their job and honestly reported the results. Very few Republicans contradicted Trump's contention that there had been massive fraud and that Biden had stolen the election. Every Republican official and elected politician who did not stand up for our democracy against Trumps' attempted coup is as guilty as Trump is.

[Cosmocat]

20. YEP

You had

1) about 25% of them full on cheering and supporting what he was doing.
2) 50% of them more passively enabling it by saying, "gee, golly, he has the right to challenge the results" and all that other bullshit they NEVER would have given flex to prior to now.
3) 24% of them just keeping their mouths shut and letting it unfold, which of course enabled it.

[CaptainTruth]

13. Thanks for the post, it's good info.

[Roc2020]

15. Even if the GOP was on board with the coup

it would have still Failed. They are not suicidal. And destroying the constitution and the country is suicidal.

[lindysalsagal]

21. As with everything in 2020, this is just one moment and one person's opinion. A blip.

They're always gonna be racist greedy sociopaths looking to each other for bias confirmation, not truth.

And gee, it takes so much courage to come out against the monster after he's lost and trashed the country. The timing of this is the indictment. Period.