What's the matter with Donald Trump.

[crystalworks]

Well said AVB-AMG. This is why I was not going to run around like my hair was on fire because of all the garbage Trump was saying, tweeting, suing, etc. Nothing to get upset about until there is something to get upset about.

[AVB-AMG]

While thankfully, Donald Trump lost his re-election bid as POTUS, since a majority of voters agreed that it was important to remove this man from public office who is a unique menace to the foundations of this country, his legacy will continue in the form of “Trumpism”.

What is Trumpism? - It is an extremist and anti-democratic belief in an aggressive charismatic and authoritarian leadership that advocates a chauvinistic nationalism, along with the general promise of material gain for its believers. Trumpism includes a strong sentiment of aggrieved masculinity that results in active bullying and attempted domination of others. It has expanded from the older white, working class males to include a growing number of black men and Hispanics. Its adherents demonstrate a narrow-minded prejudice, selfishness and generally crude behavior towards those who do not share their beliefs. They are also motivated by fear of an exaggerated apocalyptic vision, defined in stark binary black and white absolutes of good vs. evil, of what would happen if Democrats gain political power. Trumpism is not a brief interlude that occurred during the Trump presidency, but will be a lasting element in American politics for the foreseeable future.

In spite of Trumpism, I still believe that the vast majority of the American public is completely exhausted with the tribal polarization and bitter political commentary of the past 4-5 years and truly wants to embrace and support someone who wants to heal these partisan wounds and help our citizens listen to their better angels, to find ways on uniting for the greater good of everyone. So there is still at least one more chapter in the story of Donald Trump.

AVB-AMG

[AVB-AMG]

What is next for Donald Trump?

As much as many of us would like for him to do, he is not going away... We have not seen the last of Donald Trump. While Trump will no longer be POTUS, he is not going to disappear from the political scene. One caveat is that much will depend on how the legal investigations evolve in New York State and if they result in any criminal charges pertaining to financial improprieties or tax fraud by Trump, his family members and/or the Trump Organization that could possibly result in big fines and even jail time, if he/they are found guilty.

I believe that Donald Trump will be a continued thorn in the side of the new Democrat president and his administration by continuing his angry and false statements on Twitter. I think in his continued delusional state, he will envision himself as some form of king in exile, encouraging and provoking his die-hard fanatical supporters to do his bidding while he waits for the 2024 presidential election. He probably has a fantasy of running again in that election, but I think that will be highly unlikely, even though his teaser/threat to do so will sideline most Republicans who envision a run for POTUS.

While I believe that most of his supporters may continue to embrace Trumpism, many others will want to identify a different, less toxic and bombastic, and more electable individual, as their candidate in 2024, (possibly Nikki Haley...?). Those potential candidates will be walking a fine line of showing how they may appeal to a broader spectrum of voters than Trump, while still courting, but not offending his die-hard supporters.

Donald Trump may even attempt to continue holding his mob-like political rallies with his fanatical loyalists to boost his fragile ego and fuel his malignant narcissism and to prolong his fantasies of regaining power, but will charge an admission fee per person. I would not be surprised to learn that he is provided a TV show on one of the fledging relatively new far-right conservative TV networks such as OANN or Newsmax, where he is the provocateur pundit where he will continue to spew his inflammatory commentary. But either of those options would require him to expend more effort and work than he has been use to when he was POTUS. So he may just continue tweeting to those loyalists who care what he has to say.

Ideally, I hope that the main stream media just ignores Trump once he is out of office so we can move on from all of the damage he has caused...

AVB-AMG

[bcredliner]

Just after election day, the democrats I know felt a huge sense of relief and an instant feeling that Trump was yesterday's news, they couldn't care less what he was saying, a release of tension in their lives. The republicans I know went silent. I can't tell if they feel defeated, momentarily deflated, gone 'underground' to plan revenge or a counter attack. Personally I went to a zen state of mind and am still there.

The republicans in the House and Senate that come from states where republicans dominate will just be more careful of what they say and do but I don't think the end result of voting on legislature brought forward by democrats will change. Those that are in states where it was a close republican win have a big decision to make. I think the best course of action for them is to take a few steps away from the republicans that continue to disparage the democrats and that echo what Trump will projectile vomit. And, they will vote more on the merits of legislation rather than which party introduced it, voting more in concert with the voice of the nation.

I'm interested to see whether Trump will veto the package for aid related to COVID 19 hardships. I can see him vetoing anything that comes to him and blame it on the democrats. Probably wouldn't if there are stimulus checks in the package. Since he has no empathy and has been publicly disgraced in front of the world, in his mind, he has to lash out. If he is going down he will want to take as many people as he can with him. Or, try to be the hero and send them back to add stimulus checks that would have his signature.

I think he is now obsessing on what he can do to generate a higher rating on Biden's inauguration day, swing the spotlight from Biden to him and demean Biden, ruin his day. My guess he will want it to start one or two days before the inauguration and reach a peak the day of the inauguration. My bet is that it will involve further attacks on his son and perhaps his wife.

Here's one to ponder hopefully for fun---He manufactures a bogus military crisis with a target he can wipe off the map. Two days before the inauguration, in prime time, he gives the target an ultimatum. Again during prime time, the night before the inauguration, he starts a large scaled attack with the finale taking place during the inauguration. There's also China he could mess with.

[upallnight]

If you look back on the one-term Presidents during the last 40 years you can see that they were voted out of office because of what they did or didn't do during their first Term.
President Carter didn't win a second term because of the Iran Crisis.
President Ford didn't win a second term because of his pardon for President Nixon.
President Bush (the elder Bush) didn't win a second term because of the economy. His promise to not raise taxes rankle his base and the American people when taxes were raised.
President Trump didn't win a second term because of the way he handle the Pandemic.
None of these presidents with the exception of Donald J. Trump believed that there was fraud in the election process to cause them to lose.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by bcredliner

I'm interested to see whether Trump will veto the package for aid related to COVID 19 hardships. I can see him vetoing anything that comes to him and blame it on the democrats. Probably wouldn't if there are stimulus checks in the package. Since he has no empathy and has been publicly disgraced in front of the world, in his mind, he has to lash out. If he is going down he will want to take as many people as he can with him. Or, try to be the hero and send them back to add stimulus checks that would have his signature.

He's wanted that when Congress was bickering back and forth and wouldn't even send anything to his desk for the last 6 months. Now the Republicans and Dems know they HAVE to work together. I wouldn't doubt he vetos it out of spite. And in this case I can't say I blame him.

These packages are a huge fail anyway. Would have been much better (and cheaper) to send all w-2 filers checks every month instead of the programs and bureaucracy they added. Rent would get paid (no need for eviction moratorium), food could still be purchased, etc. I'm not for handing money out to people generally, but I'd much rather it be handed to the public tax-payers and put back into the economy than used as cheap capitol for large, or successful businesses, squandered or lost in the system, or otherwise wasted.

The only thing in the packages that might be useful is the money to the states for vaccinations and PPE expenditures. All the paycheck protection programs were garbage as was the additional unemployment. Just give that money directly to tax payers.

[bcredliner]

I don't think it will be long after Biden takes offices that another COVID 19 program will be brought to a vote especially with the huge spike after Thanksgiving, the one that will come after Christmas and then compounded after the New Year. The vaccines won't help much until next summer or even into the fall. That assumes there will be a significant increase in the number of people following the guidelines, especially wearing masks, and the number that choose to get the shot increases as well. My guess is distribution and injection sites will become a problem before long. Hard to get a distribution project as large as this one right the first time.

[Maruzo]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

He's wanted that when Congress was bickering back and forth and wouldn't even send anything to his desk for the last 6 months. Now the Republicans and Dems know they HAVE to work together. I wouldn't doubt he vetos it out of spite. And in this case I can't say I blame him.

These packages are a huge fail anyway. Would have been much better (and cheaper) to send all w-2 filers checks every month instead of the programs and bureaucracy they added. Rent would get paid (no need for eviction moratorium), food could still be purchased, etc. I'm not for handing money out to people generally, but I'd much rather it be handed to the public tax-payers and put back into the economy than used as cheap capitol for large, or successful businesses, squandered or lost in the system, or otherwise wasted.

The only thing in the packages that might be useful is the money to the states for vaccinations and PPE expenditures. All the paycheck protection programs were garbage as was the additional unemployment. Just give that money directly to tax payers.

Who do you think is made of businesses, large or small?

It's people.

There are employees and their family members behind every single businesses.

To help keep these businesses in solvency is to keep their employees on payroll and their families fed.

The program is not easy to apply for. You actually have to show all your financials to the lender, the same way you do when you apply for a business loan, except it's much more strict.

The money you borrow can only be forgiven if you can show you've kept all your employees on the payroll even when you're not open for business due to shutdown mandates.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Maruzo

To help keep these businesses in solvency is to keep their employees on payroll and their families fed.

Giving those employees money directly (in many cases more than their employment would pay), negates that problem. Actually, with the limits they put on the checks I'd venture that under almost all circumstances people would have more money to survive on than under their normal employment.

[Maruzo]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Giving those employees money directly (in many cases more than their employment would pay), negates that problem.

That's the most rediculous thing.

You're pessimistic because you think it's all about corruption and waste.

It's actually more about keeping the massive amounts of small and medium businesses alive so the economy won't crumble.