Next week, the 2024 MAGA/GOP race for the presidential nomination will fill out as Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott and Chris Christie join Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchison as declared candidates.
I think you nailed it. Christy is devastating in a debate if he wants to be and it sure looks like he wants to be. I think we are in for a really entertaining season. Sort of like the Romans enjoyed without the blood. Is Christy capable of eliminating Trump? Maybe. That third party effort is really scary to me because it will take from both sides but many more democrat leaning independents will go third party than republican leaning independents. God help us if that third party brings us another Trump administration.
I agree- however, I think the third party and ANY Biden opponents from the Dem side are important. That is how democracy works- it’s about new ideas- New opponents who bring strong ideas, and threaten the established norms is the way of change. Our marriage to long standing politicians is princely what the framers we’re fighting against- established precedent always needs examination, it’s those new idea folks who shape that change. That’s how we keep tyrannical leadership at bay-
Yes. A nightmare. Founded on racist rhetoric and fear and ignorance. Americans are reading at a 5th grade level - and none have read Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville or The Federalist Papers or other Great Books, the foundational blocks of a liberal arts education.. upon which our democracy depends. Hence, we are failing and FOX is not. Something is wrong in the state of Denmark.
I’m thinking Pence may be staying under the radar as long as he can because of the slew of indictments yet to come. Would he be included? Only if perhaps he can be linked to fake electors... or his prior knowledge of the Jan. 6 “plan”, or whatever, we’ll see? Pence is such a bad liar, though a prolific one- I’m guessing his advisors are waiting until a cemented alternative story, can float.
Each one of these individuals is a mess, on their own- so no wonder the whole thing is-
Janet, it's a visual meme-- i saw it upon scrolling down from the Twitter post that Steve Schmidt linked us to in his column today-- the short Twitter-posted video clip showing DeSantis wiping his nose and then putting his hand on the shoulder of that poor fellow seated. https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1659685679901847552
We are here for the show. We are likely to see a broader definition of ridiculous than we’ve ever known. That is actually the race right- just who can out-ridiculous the other? God help us.
Marc, with respect, this is not a SHOW. This is the razor thin edge of DOOM. The existence of MTG and all who resemble her are like the North Korean Army landing in San Francisco with nothing to lose. A SHOW is to be watched. DOOM is to be reversed or it will become permanent and the loss of Democracy in the U.S.A. will be catastrophic for the entire planet thanks to a minority of very dangerous people that are allowed to live and act as if they are normal. The Vote unfortunately got them there and the Vote is the last chance to get them OUT. This election is about civilization as we now know it.
I know you weren’t. It is that it is so ridiculous and you hear expressions like “clown car” that make it so easy to just roll your eyes when these folks are, in fact, lethal.
"No Labels", I suspect, is being bankrolled by Republicans who know full well that it will hurt President Biden badly while scarcely (if at all) affecting POTUS45. Trump is going to win the Republican nomination, and unlike prior candidates, there will be no "tacking to the middle" in the general election. He will rely on his base, which fanatically supports him no matter what he says or does--in fact, it supports him BECAUSE of what he says and does. That reelecting him will effectively cut the few remaining strands of democracy in this country bothers them not in the least. Again in fact, that's perfectly fine with them.
Good question. The MSM is floundering about in a Brave New World where the old rules of order and newsworthiness managed by a few select “gatekeepers” no longer exist.
Somebody please, please, please tell me what in the hell has happened to America? Are we to believe that a criminal who up until now has gotten away with everything short of murder, Donald Trump, is a good choice for the greatest honor and highest office in the nation? That an educated fool, ignorant, rude, and ill bred, Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, whose claim to relevance is picking an unnecessary fight with his state’s largest employer and one of the greatest attractor of tourists to the state, and who is completely convinced by his ego and his enablers that his opinions are not to be questioned should be our president? Then there is the race to the bottom, the big fat bully, Chris Christie who demolished Marco Rubio, only to be demolished by Donald Trump; the incredibly naive Senator Tim Scott who actually thinks he stands a chance of getting the nomination; the all talk and not much else Nikki Haley who thinks that being a woman and only 51 years old are qualifications for high office, and then there are the rest of the participants in the race to the bottom, Mike Pompeo, one of if not the worst Secretaries of State, the Hoosier quisling Mike Pence who in the year 2000 was still telling you that smoking was not harmful, who for the last six years has enabled Donald Trump, all the time wrapping himself up in the cloak of fake piety and platitudes. In the interest of space and time, I will leave it here, but I will ask again, what in the hell has happened to us as a country and as a society we think that in a nation of approximately 333,000,000 people, this is the best we can do? How low can we go? What will it take for us to get fired up enough to say that this state of affairs in unacceptable and to get off our collective duffs and do what needs to be done to change it?
Corporate greed and lust for power and control is what has happened along with a citizenry that can’t be bothered with becoming informed with facts instead of conspiracy and propaganda. Too many have become complacent and lazy thinking the changes the GQP are forcing on us won’t affect them. They think tv shows reflect real life. They can’t be bothered by standing up for our hard won freedoms and our Democracy. They can’t be bothered by standing up to the NRA because they might get restrictions placed on weapons of war and large capacity magazines that are used to slaughter our children, our friends and our neighbors. They have become self centered and uncaring They think it is okay that a minority is passing laws that force their beliefs on the majority of us. They think it is okay to allow our past history to be ignored and whitewashed. We have become a nation of cowards willing to let the rich and powerful take control of our country. If we don’t fight like hell to stave off the republicans control over our local, state and national elections now and in the future we are doomed.
I agree with all of this, entirely! The saddest part, for me, is: "They can’t be bothered by standing up to the NRA because they might get restrictions placed on weapons of war and large capacity magazines that are used to slaughter our children, our friends and our neighbors." Yes, we must fight hard, or we are doomed.
In short, Black matters, prejudice rules, Denial trumps all... and seven no trump trumps spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The bridge too far is collapsing with Kevin v. Joe, and the math is real. America is ignorant and afraid of color, Jews won’t replace any of them, Bibi will destroy Israel, Putin will destroy Russia, Zelenskyy will destroy Russia, and Black womenfolk are going to save us again - and Old Joe will out think the deniers and warming will trump 7 no trump and Blacks rise and whites finally learn to follow a leader that matters.
We’re not going to get out of here alive.
Don’t Look Up is the metaphorical version.
Brave New World was prophetic.
The Stranger and The Plague were brilliant.
The Book of Job is the last Book.
Let there be light.
Education might help.
The only thing we mustn’t fear is fear itself.
Let us pray.
Abortion rules.
Cider House Rules.
Choice matters.
To the children.
Let women rise.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is fabulous.
Joe knows us rules.
In God we trust.
We cannot eat Gold.
Clean water will exceed all in value.
The GOP will incinerate.
Trump will be jailed. Like Napoleon. King of Belgium.
Tolerance will trump intolerance.
China will implode.
MAD and warming threaten.
Oxygen is depleted, plankton matter.
The Smallest Particles and The Smallest Living Things Matter..
Great piece, Steve. Thank you. I'm kinda sorta wonderin' why we never heard a peep out of Chris Christie that Trump paid a 10 million fine in 2015 for money laundering at the TAJ just before he announced his candidacy...not to mention the 106 violations of the same in ONLY it's first year. Annnd then all the hundreds of fines levied against the TAJ over the years for the same when Christie was Governor. I just don't understand politics, I guess.
If No Labels was what they claim to be, rather than a billionaire funded, dark money group seeking oligarchy, they would be working to run candidates in the few thousand statehouse races on the ballot in 2024. Successful new political movements a start at the bottom.
I doubt seriously that Tim Scott would win the primary with the MAGA voters. In fact, the only voters for the Republicans now are MAGA and white supremist. I would like to offer a suggestion regarding the emphasis of the 2024 elections. I believe that the states elections are more important. As of May 16, 2023, Republicans controlled 54.90% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 44.35%. Republicans held a majority in 56 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 41 chambers. It is these states that are in control of most Americans lives.
Our best chance of changing the divisive narrative is to make these 21 states bipartisan. The states are giving the House and Senate the supremacy that they are employing in DC. The 2024 election is a numbers game, gerrymander all these states for house and senate control, limit voting rights in all these states so that the poor and minorities can’t vote, send legislators from these states to cast electoral votes to assure a Republican President. Winning the WH does not fix the ills and divisiveness in the country. We need bipartisan winning in 21 states.
I totally agree. We need to focus on the states and update Dr. Howard Dean”s Fifty State strategy. That is where the battle for freedom must take place.
I haven't really read that Rick Wilson actually said that. The Florida legislature changed after the 1992 loss of the presidential of Al Gore and then in 1998 Jeb Bush became governor.
Thanks for the introduction to Washington Monthly. The article was great. Open secrets have been reporting since the beginning of 2022 that Democrats are raising more money than Republicans. Democrats have been and will continue to donate money to out of state candidates to help win back the house and senate. I am now considering donations to state legislative races to win back. Since the passing of Citizens United, we are seeing more dark money, PAC's. The country needs new laws to stop the insanity that now exists
SCOTUS did this with the intent of allowing how dark money got into our politics. What makes me most crazy is that the Democrats have had 3 chances to bring this to a vote and did nothing. Now both parties have found their cash cows in asking the American public to fund them. Maybe we really need a revolution of some sort to change our political system.
You say the 2012 GOP nomination was Chris Christie's for the taking, but he hesitated and the moment lost forever. Do you believe he could have defeated Obama in 2012? Some years candidates lose who might have won in other elections. John McCain is a particular example. I believe he could have won the Presidency in 2000 or 2016, but not in 2008. (Is it necessary for me to say I still would have voted for Gore and Hillary?) Martha Coakley is another example. There is no way a Democrat was going to win that race against a fairly reasonable Republican candidate. Personally, I think Christie is a self-interested, vindictive thug (and no one can tell me he wasn't in on Bridgegate). Undoubtedly, the Romney campaign would agree--Christie's calculated last-minute (literal) embrace of Obama and bipartisanship helped sink Mitt's campaign. Nowadays, that same behavior will tank Christie's own path to the Republican nomination, rather than a lost moment or momentum. There is no way the base will accept someone who doesn't espouse hatred for the other side.
Many years ago I had a Money and Banking textbook that used black and white horror movie stills to illustrate economic theory (do not knock it until you've seen Monetarists vs Keynesian as two horror-flick characters --Wolfman vs Dracula?). There is one photo of all the horror movie villians seated together on a couch--caption was "the Federal Reserve Board". If I had that movie still right now, I would re-caption as "The 2024 Republican Presidential Candidates".
Possibly the Cantina Scene from Star Wars IV is a better analogy. "Never was there such a retched hive of scum and villainy."
Not sure how much room is left in the MAGA-R clown car. They have to be at saturation point. The only saving grace, and I do hope it is a saving grace, is their behavior is so abhorrent to all but their base, that the Independents will run the other direction.
Steve and everyone, how do we shine the bright light to show just how horrible they really are? Who can reach the coherent public (cannot reach the MAGAs until we're through this) and have them see just how bad is the B-grade horror film collection?
The road to the GOP nomination is not only bumpy but it is full of twists and turns through the badlands of politics. The only candidate that doesn't do crazy or apocalyptic politics is Asa Hutchinson. He and Chris Christie are a dying breed of GOP politicians. They are Ronald Reagan Republicans. The only difference between the two is Christie sold his soul once too often.
We are cemented into one interminable funhouse mirrored room into which cloying attendants randomly spray noxious gas all whilst broadcasting a teletubbies soundtrack over blaring loudspeakers.
I remember years ago I was shuffling through the channels and on came Teletubbies. I stopped dead still and let it play. It terrified me and made me sick.
The rebirth of a strong Union movement is our best hope for growing the middle class in America. Remember, the great revolutions in history were successful not because the poor and working poor were oppressed (the poor have always been oppressed) the great revolutions occurred when the Middle Class were feeling oppressed or suffered from neglect and preyed upon by the very rich. We must grow the middle class again if democracy will survive. Remember...always look for the union label!
I think you nailed it. Christy is devastating in a debate if he wants to be and it sure looks like he wants to be. I think we are in for a really entertaining season. Sort of like the Romans enjoyed without the blood. Is Christy capable of eliminating Trump? Maybe. That third party effort is really scary to me because it will take from both sides but many more democrat leaning independents will go third party than republican leaning independents. God help us if that third party brings us another Trump administration.
Agree! Third party is dooms day scenario in 2024.
Absolutely!
I agree- however, I think the third party and ANY Biden opponents from the Dem side are important. That is how democracy works- it’s about new ideas- New opponents who bring strong ideas, and threaten the established norms is the way of change. Our marriage to long standing politicians is princely what the framers we’re fighting against- established precedent always needs examination, it’s those new idea folks who shape that change. That’s how we keep tyrannical leadership at bay-
I wouldn't want to bet the farm on that.
You didn’t mention on a mission from God, Mike Pence. All of it is really a nightmare, Steve. What a mess.
Pence hasn’t officially entered the race. That’s why I didn’t include him, but he’s obviously very likely to enter it. And yes, it’s all a nightmare.
Yes. A nightmare. Founded on racist rhetoric and fear and ignorance. Americans are reading at a 5th grade level - and none have read Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville or The Federalist Papers or other Great Books, the foundational blocks of a liberal arts education.. upon which our democracy depends. Hence, we are failing and FOX is not. Something is wrong in the state of Denmark.
I’m thinking Pence may be staying under the radar as long as he can because of the slew of indictments yet to come. Would he be included? Only if perhaps he can be linked to fake electors... or his prior knowledge of the Jan. 6 “plan”, or whatever, we’ll see? Pence is such a bad liar, though a prolific one- I’m guessing his advisors are waiting until a cemented alternative story, can float.
Each one of these individuals is a mess, on their own- so no wonder the whole thing is-
Nightmare is an understatement.
There's a DeSantis meme over at Twitter showing the blowhard wagging his finger angrily about something or someone.... Here's the text of the meme:
“FREEDOM!” shouts the Republican lawmaker as he bans abortions, school books, lesson plans about racism, trans healthcare for kids & voting rights.
DeSantis is at least 10 times worse than Trump, because Trump only wants your money, DeSantis wants your Soul.
Have you read about him rubbing his snot on someone and then laughing about that?
Janet, it's a visual meme-- i saw it upon scrolling down from the Twitter post that Steve Schmidt linked us to in his column today-- the short Twitter-posted video clip showing DeSantis wiping his nose and then putting his hand on the shoulder of that poor fellow seated. https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1659685679901847552
We are here for the show. We are likely to see a broader definition of ridiculous than we’ve ever known. That is actually the race right- just who can out-ridiculous the other? God help us.
Marc, with respect, this is not a SHOW. This is the razor thin edge of DOOM. The existence of MTG and all who resemble her are like the North Korean Army landing in San Francisco with nothing to lose. A SHOW is to be watched. DOOM is to be reversed or it will become permanent and the loss of Democracy in the U.S.A. will be catastrophic for the entire planet thanks to a minority of very dangerous people that are allowed to live and act as if they are normal. The Vote unfortunately got them there and the Vote is the last chance to get them OUT. This election is about civilization as we now know it.
I agree. Though was commenting on the endless ridiculousness of them all- not trivializing -
I know you weren’t. It is that it is so ridiculous and you hear expressions like “clown car” that make it so easy to just roll your eyes when these folks are, in fact, lethal.
Yes. Lethal. Agreed, 1000 %.
"No Labels", I suspect, is being bankrolled by Republicans who know full well that it will hurt President Biden badly while scarcely (if at all) affecting POTUS45. Trump is going to win the Republican nomination, and unlike prior candidates, there will be no "tacking to the middle" in the general election. He will rely on his base, which fanatically supports him no matter what he says or does--in fact, it supports him BECAUSE of what he says and does. That reelecting him will effectively cut the few remaining strands of democracy in this country bothers them not in the least. Again in fact, that's perfectly fine with them.
It is, with the full intent to peel off sufficient voters away from Biden. Same with RFK Jr....
Harlan Crow (Clarence and Ginni Thomas’s deep-pocketed benefactor) is one of the people bankrolling “No Labels.”
Boom. There you go. Why isn’t the MSM reporting on this?????
Good question. The MSM is floundering about in a Brave New World where the old rules of order and newsworthiness managed by a few select “gatekeepers” no longer exist.
Somebody please, please, please tell me what in the hell has happened to America? Are we to believe that a criminal who up until now has gotten away with everything short of murder, Donald Trump, is a good choice for the greatest honor and highest office in the nation? That an educated fool, ignorant, rude, and ill bred, Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, whose claim to relevance is picking an unnecessary fight with his state’s largest employer and one of the greatest attractor of tourists to the state, and who is completely convinced by his ego and his enablers that his opinions are not to be questioned should be our president? Then there is the race to the bottom, the big fat bully, Chris Christie who demolished Marco Rubio, only to be demolished by Donald Trump; the incredibly naive Senator Tim Scott who actually thinks he stands a chance of getting the nomination; the all talk and not much else Nikki Haley who thinks that being a woman and only 51 years old are qualifications for high office, and then there are the rest of the participants in the race to the bottom, Mike Pompeo, one of if not the worst Secretaries of State, the Hoosier quisling Mike Pence who in the year 2000 was still telling you that smoking was not harmful, who for the last six years has enabled Donald Trump, all the time wrapping himself up in the cloak of fake piety and platitudes. In the interest of space and time, I will leave it here, but I will ask again, what in the hell has happened to us as a country and as a society we think that in a nation of approximately 333,000,000 people, this is the best we can do? How low can we go? What will it take for us to get fired up enough to say that this state of affairs in unacceptable and to get off our collective duffs and do what needs to be done to change it?
Corporate greed and lust for power and control is what has happened along with a citizenry that can’t be bothered with becoming informed with facts instead of conspiracy and propaganda. Too many have become complacent and lazy thinking the changes the GQP are forcing on us won’t affect them. They think tv shows reflect real life. They can’t be bothered by standing up for our hard won freedoms and our Democracy. They can’t be bothered by standing up to the NRA because they might get restrictions placed on weapons of war and large capacity magazines that are used to slaughter our children, our friends and our neighbors. They have become self centered and uncaring They think it is okay that a minority is passing laws that force their beliefs on the majority of us. They think it is okay to allow our past history to be ignored and whitewashed. We have become a nation of cowards willing to let the rich and powerful take control of our country. If we don’t fight like hell to stave off the republicans control over our local, state and national elections now and in the future we are doomed.
I agree with all of this, entirely! The saddest part, for me, is: "They can’t be bothered by standing up to the NRA because they might get restrictions placed on weapons of war and large capacity magazines that are used to slaughter our children, our friends and our neighbors." Yes, we must fight hard, or we are doomed.
Overwhelmed but not defeated. We are not alone. For a couple of elections I’ve been asked to call Dems and didn’t . Not this time!
God bless you Nancy! Thank you
In short, Black matters, prejudice rules, Denial trumps all... and seven no trump trumps spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs. The bridge too far is collapsing with Kevin v. Joe, and the math is real. America is ignorant and afraid of color, Jews won’t replace any of them, Bibi will destroy Israel, Putin will destroy Russia, Zelenskyy will destroy Russia, and Black womenfolk are going to save us again - and Old Joe will out think the deniers and warming will trump 7 no trump and Blacks rise and whites finally learn to follow a leader that matters.
We’re not going to get out of here alive.
Don’t Look Up is the metaphorical version.
Brave New World was prophetic.
The Stranger and The Plague were brilliant.
The Book of Job is the last Book.
Let there be light.
Education might help.
The only thing we mustn’t fear is fear itself.
Let us pray.
Abortion rules.
Cider House Rules.
Choice matters.
To the children.
Let women rise.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is fabulous.
Joe knows us rules.
In God we trust.
We cannot eat Gold.
Clean water will exceed all in value.
The GOP will incinerate.
Trump will be jailed. Like Napoleon. King of Belgium.
Tolerance will trump intolerance.
China will implode.
MAD and warming threaten.
Oxygen is depleted, plankton matter.
The Smallest Particles and The Smallest Living Things Matter..
Photosynthesis is the hand of God.
The grass must grow or we all die.
Socrates and the dialects matter most.
Plato and Aristotle were right.
Mathematics is vital.
Alexis de Tocqueville understood us.
Abraham Lincoln was our best.
Joe Biden may be better. He gets it done.
Joe knows us.
There’s a lot of truth there. I get it and hope everyday that reality bends towards the truth as a leaf grows to the light.✌️
Great piece, Steve. Thank you. I'm kinda sorta wonderin' why we never heard a peep out of Chris Christie that Trump paid a 10 million fine in 2015 for money laundering at the TAJ just before he announced his candidacy...not to mention the 106 violations of the same in ONLY it's first year. Annnd then all the hundreds of fines levied against the TAJ over the years for the same when Christie was Governor. I just don't understand politics, I guess.
Love StacyO 💕
If No Labels was what they claim to be, rather than a billionaire funded, dark money group seeking oligarchy, they would be working to run candidates in the few thousand statehouse races on the ballot in 2024. Successful new political movements a start at the bottom.
I doubt seriously that Tim Scott would win the primary with the MAGA voters. In fact, the only voters for the Republicans now are MAGA and white supremist. I would like to offer a suggestion regarding the emphasis of the 2024 elections. I believe that the states elections are more important. As of May 16, 2023, Republicans controlled 54.90% of all state legislative seats nationally, while Democrats held 44.35%. Republicans held a majority in 56 chambers, and Democrats held the majority in 41 chambers. It is these states that are in control of most Americans lives.
Our best chance of changing the divisive narrative is to make these 21 states bipartisan. The states are giving the House and Senate the supremacy that they are employing in DC. The 2024 election is a numbers game, gerrymander all these states for house and senate control, limit voting rights in all these states so that the poor and minorities can’t vote, send legislators from these states to cast electoral votes to assure a Republican President. Winning the WH does not fix the ills and divisiveness in the country. We need bipartisan winning in 21 states.
I totally agree. We need to focus on the states and update Dr. Howard Dean”s Fifty State strategy. That is where the battle for freedom must take place.
The GOP copies Dean's strategy. The DNC needs to get back to this.
Absolutely!
I have heard Rick Wilson say the Florida Democratic Party couldn't organize its way out of a paper bag. Maybe we could start there.
I haven't really read that Rick Wilson actually said that. The Florida legislature changed after the 1992 loss of the presidential of Al Gore and then in 1998 Jeb Bush became governor.
Heard him say it on a podcast. I don't know if it's true, but he can sure turn a phrase.
This article is about successful changes in Democratic campaign fundraising and distribution. https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/02/06/democrats-have-successfully-implemented-a-50-state-strategy/
Thanks for the introduction to Washington Monthly. The article was great. Open secrets have been reporting since the beginning of 2022 that Democrats are raising more money than Republicans. Democrats have been and will continue to donate money to out of state candidates to help win back the house and senate. I am now considering donations to state legislative races to win back. Since the passing of Citizens United, we are seeing more dark money, PAC's. The country needs new laws to stop the insanity that now exists
Citizens United. What a travesty.
SCOTUS did this with the intent of allowing how dark money got into our politics. What makes me most crazy is that the Democrats have had 3 chances to bring this to a vote and did nothing. Now both parties have found their cash cows in asking the American public to fund them. Maybe we really need a revolution of some sort to change our political system.
You say the 2012 GOP nomination was Chris Christie's for the taking, but he hesitated and the moment lost forever. Do you believe he could have defeated Obama in 2012? Some years candidates lose who might have won in other elections. John McCain is a particular example. I believe he could have won the Presidency in 2000 or 2016, but not in 2008. (Is it necessary for me to say I still would have voted for Gore and Hillary?) Martha Coakley is another example. There is no way a Democrat was going to win that race against a fairly reasonable Republican candidate. Personally, I think Christie is a self-interested, vindictive thug (and no one can tell me he wasn't in on Bridgegate). Undoubtedly, the Romney campaign would agree--Christie's calculated last-minute (literal) embrace of Obama and bipartisanship helped sink Mitt's campaign. Nowadays, that same behavior will tank Christie's own path to the Republican nomination, rather than a lost moment or momentum. There is no way the base will accept someone who doesn't espouse hatred for the other side.
Many years ago I had a Money and Banking textbook that used black and white horror movie stills to illustrate economic theory (do not knock it until you've seen Monetarists vs Keynesian as two horror-flick characters --Wolfman vs Dracula?). There is one photo of all the horror movie villians seated together on a couch--caption was "the Federal Reserve Board". If I had that movie still right now, I would re-caption as "The 2024 Republican Presidential Candidates".
Possibly the Cantina Scene from Star Wars IV is a better analogy. "Never was there such a retched hive of scum and villainy."
Not sure how much room is left in the MAGA-R clown car. They have to be at saturation point. The only saving grace, and I do hope it is a saving grace, is their behavior is so abhorrent to all but their base, that the Independents will run the other direction.
Steve and everyone, how do we shine the bright light to show just how horrible they really are? Who can reach the coherent public (cannot reach the MAGAs until we're through this) and have them see just how bad is the B-grade horror film collection?
Will the gun-loving MAGA /GOP nominees bring their firearms to the 2024 debate stage?
Very likely that this coming election cycle will be very dangerous.
The road to the GOP nomination is not only bumpy but it is full of twists and turns through the badlands of politics. The only candidate that doesn't do crazy or apocalyptic politics is Asa Hutchinson. He and Chris Christie are a dying breed of GOP politicians. They are Ronald Reagan Republicans. The only difference between the two is Christie sold his soul once too often.
We are cemented into one interminable funhouse mirrored room into which cloying attendants randomly spray noxious gas all whilst broadcasting a teletubbies soundtrack over blaring loudspeakers.
It's like that.
I remember years ago I was shuffling through the channels and on came Teletubbies. I stopped dead still and let it play. It terrified me and made me sick.
The rebirth of a strong Union movement is our best hope for growing the middle class in America. Remember, the great revolutions in history were successful not because the poor and working poor were oppressed (the poor have always been oppressed) the great revolutions occurred when the Middle Class were feeling oppressed or suffered from neglect and preyed upon by the very rich. We must grow the middle class again if democracy will survive. Remember...always look for the union label!