[scarface_74]

The difference is that it is never about policy with MAGA voters. It’s about Trump.

You see how quickly MAGA voters went from “America first. No foreign entanglements” to “let’s send troops to the Middle East to clear out Gaza” as soon as Trump said we should do so?

Anytime that Trump hasn’t been on the ballot since 2018, Trump voters stayed home.

Presidents have always been about personality and not policy. Biden and Bush I being the exception in my lifetime - or at least since Reagan.

[mullingitover]

> The difference is that it is never about policy with MAGA voters. It’s about Trump.

This is why there's an effort to centralize power in the executive at a blistering pace, so the opposition can be permanently defeated even without Trump.

Watch for three things: ignoring the courts, snuffing out the influence of non-party sources of authority (the press, academic institutions), and centralization of police power. I don't think they're going to wait past April before they do all three.

[toomuchtodo]

When Trump dies, do you think they will they stay home forever? Because he will die eventually (and is already past male US life expectancy), and I’m curious if the cult disbands at that point (if facts and policy don’t matter to them). If so, we’re really just defending against harm caused during his remaining life expectancy (unknown) and term (<4 years).

[dmvdoug]

The other wannabe Trumps don’t have the draw/sway with MAGA folks that Trump does. DeSantis tries and tries but he’s perceived as just a weirdo for the most part. Vance likewise. There’s something uniquely compelling about Trump to the MAGA crowd.

[jrs235]

They (Trump and Maga folks) are authentically clueless. The other politicians have to act dumb and it just doesn't connect with the MAGA folks.

[scarface_74]

Look at all of the other Republican candidates in the last primary. None of them would have ever gotten the cult like following if they had made it through the primaries.

I’m not saying another Republican will never win. But they will be your bland mostly inoffensive Republicans like Haley (2024), McCain, Romney, Bush I and II and Dole.

You might disagree with them on policy around the edges. But they won’t bring the destruction of Trump.

Desantis tries his best to be Trump and he flamed out marvelously on the stage. Even in Florida (where I live), he is losing his grip on the legislature.

[unsnap_biceps]

I really hope that both sides comes out of this and re-focuses on the people. I strongly doubt it, but we could do with some healthy debate on what the purpose of government is and focusing on providing those services and improving the day to day existence of all of us.

I worry if it goes back to business as usual, it's just ripe for the next generation of con artists to show up and we'll go through this all over again.