dancingtongue · 80-89, M
I have increasingly come to believe that most Democrats -- they are never 100% in lockstep like the Republicans, because their tent is so much larger -- are adopting a Rope-A-Dope Strategy (with all due credit to Muhammad Ali for the terminology). Give Trump, Musk, and the MAGA faithful a long enough leash to fully crash and burn. Risky strategy, but effective if you don't let things go past the point of recovery.
Shutting down the government totally would be going too far, imho. And the Democrats were boxed into a position where they would have been blamed. Letting the Republicans continue to play kick the can down a few more months was a safer route, and provides more time for the full effects of their chaos become evident. How much longer can the MAGA-voting corn farmers in the Midwest go without beginning to have second thoughts, for example. RFK Jr tells processed food manufacturers to get rid of corn fructose in all their products. Trump initiates a trade/tariff war, further eliminating foreign markets for their corn. Trump's Drill Baby Drill program further reduces the already meager ethanol market. And here comes Musk out to cut all Federal subsidies except for his businesses.
Shutting down the government totally would be going too far, imho. And the Democrats were boxed into a position where they would have been blamed. Letting the Republicans continue to play kick the can down a few more months was a safer route, and provides more time for the full effects of their chaos become evident. How much longer can the MAGA-voting corn farmers in the Midwest go without beginning to have second thoughts, for example. RFK Jr tells processed food manufacturers to get rid of corn fructose in all their products. Trump initiates a trade/tariff war, further eliminating foreign markets for their corn. Trump's Drill Baby Drill program further reduces the already meager ethanol market. And here comes Musk out to cut all Federal subsidies except for his businesses.
KunsanVeteran · M
@dancingtongue I can sympathize with much of what you wrote, however such a “rope-a-dope” strategy would certainly result in unchecked carnage to all that we hold dear. And tRUMP and his brainwashed cult would never accept the responsibility for all the destruction in their path.
I think tRUMP must be removed, arrested, tried, and sentenced. This goes for all of his chief enablers, too. Be they Congressmen, Senators, Supreme Court Justices, etc. And our Constitution must be strengthened to prevent this type of coup from happening again.
I think tRUMP must be removed, arrested, tried, and sentenced. This goes for all of his chief enablers, too. Be they Congressmen, Senators, Supreme Court Justices, etc. And our Constitution must be strengthened to prevent this type of coup from happening again.
trollslayer · 46-50, M
I’m not sure how I feel about this, because the Democrats were effed either way. My gut says they would not have lost support (probably gained some) had they not caved and the government shut down. President unelect Musk is doing more to shut down the government than any budget impasse ever will.
On the other hand, I understand the worry that Foreign Actor Musk can do more damage if workers aren't at their jobs to report things and keep the illegal DOGE hackers at bay as much as they can.
On the other hand, I understand the worry that Foreign Actor Musk can do more damage if workers aren't at their jobs to report things and keep the illegal DOGE hackers at bay as much as they can.
BohemianBabe · M
@trollslayer There's also the accelerationist argument. The worse things get, the easier it will be for Democrats to win elections, so maybe we should just stand back and let MAGA self-destruct. Of course, this only works if we're able to have real elections going forward.
trollslayer · 46-50, M
@BohemianBabe if the government shuts down, I have little doubt the majority would blame the Magas. But the last point you make is a valid and real concern.
