Future President Donald J. Trump (aka Мудак Mk.2)?

[Arneb]

My money won't be on Republicans growing spines, of all things. Slime glands, relaxing anal musculature, wider recta, reflexive belly positioning when seeing orange - but spines? Hardly.

Exhibit A:John Ron de Sanctimonious

[Richard A]

Well, Ron de Sanctimonious is now out of the race and back to focusing on Florida, where he can and will continue to do harm.

That leaves Nikki Haley as the last challenger standing. And interestingly, she does believe in NATO.

[Arneb]

Reading that, one almost gets nostalgic for the staunch lean-state (except the military), transatlanticist, socially conservative Republicans of old.

For the German readers, I point you to an unusual but not less damning criticism of Hailey's stating how she could have taken a risk and lambasted Trump for what he needs to be lambasted for in the eyes of a conservative: His bad economic record, his losses at the ballot box, his threats against Republic, his ahistoric and uninformed threat to commit treason on NATO, his schmoozing with dictators, his criminal record, etc. - but didn't, because she is, "Too Cowardly for the Fight Against Trump". Interesting point.

[Arneb]

[g-one]

Never has anyone been more angry about someone refusing to admit they lost.

[Arneb]

Carnival figures can be hard...

[Arneb]

"Are you aware this could land you in jail?"

[Richard A]

Yes, indeed. Trump has made it clear what the US can expect if he wins. He didn't think much of the FBI when he was President last time round, so we can expect him either to replace it or supplement it with a security agency reporting directly to him. Which will then round up his opponents - he has said openly not only that the prosecutions he is now facing are politically motivated but that it's taught him he can do the same. The constitutionality question could be decided even before November - John Roberts is the only one of the conservative majority on the Supreme Court who is at all likely not to accept the argument that the President has total, lifelong immunity for all acts committed in office. So a string of Executive Orders can be expected, supplemented with Acts of Congress if he gets a majority in both Houses as well. And of course he's Commander-in-Chief of the US military - he didn't push that too far last time round, but he could well do this time.

We saw the warning last time round from the MAGA brigade: "the United States is not a democracy, it's a republic". So it could be Canada's southern border that's in the spotlight.

[Мастер]

So it could be Canada's southern border that's in the spotlight.

https://balanceoffood.typepad.com/canad ... s-out.html

[Arneb]

Peacenik that I am, it pains me to say the U.S. may have missed the last exit from becoming a tyranny yesterday.

[Мастер]

Peacenik that I am, it pains me to say the U.S. may have missed the last exit from becoming a tyranny yesterday.

Melania did it.

[Richard A]

I'm not sure. Imagine if Trump hadn't moved his head and the bullet had found its mark. Would MAGA have just disintegrated - I doubt it. Rather, the enraged conservatives would have chosen an equal fascist and rallied around them. Possibly Vance, promoted from Vice-Presidential to Presidential nominee. We can imagine the rhetoric: "Butler shows why we need strong leadership against the enemies of our country!" (Never mind that the gunman was a registered Republican - he'd quickly have been labelled a Republican In Name Only or even a Democrat plant. Remember how easily the conservative public happily swallowed the line that it was an Antifa mob who stormed the Capitol.) And then: "If [nominee] loses, the assassin wins", a drumbeat that would get steadily louder between now and November.

America is indeed in for dark times - unless Jill Biden does the right thing and tells her husband to hand the baton on now.

[Arneb]

There is all that, to be sure. But while the right has the program and the right Trump handlers to push their agenda through him, what they don't have at the moment is a galvanizing figure (or figurehead) to lead them after Trump. Also, despite all their lip service to Führer cult and unity, they are at heart a quarrelling bunch, and they begrudge each other (as we like to say here) even that black stuff under their fingernails (sie gönnen sich gegenseitig nicht das Schwarze unterm Fingernagel). Pretendent fights tend to be ugly, and that might just have saved the Democrats.

Anyway, back to my usual peacenik mode, we cannot seriously discuss an attempt at political murder under possible beneficial aspects. It's just not right. America will have to deal with this biggest threat to her very existence politically, under political terms. If the United Stated descend into civil war, they are done no matter the outcome. And we will probably be done, too.

[Мастер]

America will have to deal with this biggest threat to her very existence politically, under political terms.

Well there was that whole thing back in the 1860s.

But in any event, we can always take comfort from what the second amendment people say.

An armed citizenry is the best protection against tyranny.

If the government turns tyrannical, the well-armed citizens will fight against it.

Rather than being enthusiastic supporters. Won’t they?

[Heid the Ba]

Ok, which wins out now? Racism or misogyny?

[Мастер]

I am surprised at the lack of chatter on this, given the - well, let's say, unusual events of the past few weeks.

In any event, we have this photo from the news recently,.

I know who the person on the left is - she is the current vice-president of the US. I also know who the person on the right is - he is the current governor of Minnesota (doesn't much resemble his predecessor Jesse Ventura).

What I do not know is, who is that super cool Master of Style between them?

Blowing up the picture still does not allow me to read whatever is on that badge or whatever it is he's wearing.

Is there any way to find out who he is?

[Richard A]

Indeed. No idea who that cool dude is. But what's really interesting is Trump's reaction to Kamala Harris's CNN interview: "BORING!" Is that all he has to say - that it was boring?? If he can't manage anything more vitriolic than that, he and his team really must be wrong-footed by the change of candidate. Maybe America can be pulled back from the brink after all.

[g-one]

Blowing up the picture still does not allow me to read whatever is on that badge or whatever it is he's wearing.

Is there any way to find out who he is?

What is the source article for this picture? edit: never mind, found it on the beeb

[g-one]

What I do not know is, who is that super cool Master of Style between them?

Blowing up the picture still does not allow me to read whatever is on that badge or whatever it is he's wearing.

Is there any way to find out who he is?

He is Chatham County Commissioner Chester Ellis.

[Heid the Ba]

I’d vote for his hat.

[Мастер]

He is Chatham County Commissioner Chester Ellis.

No idea how you worked that out, but many thanks!

[Мастер]

I’d vote for his hat.

I would also. But I don’t have one like that.

Next time I’m in the US or Europe . . .

[g-one]

I’d vote for his hat.

"screw the hardhat, I'm stylin' "

[Heid the Ba]

Excellent look.

[Arneb]

Well, good luck then, Merka. You've come a long way from being a beacon of hope, but we have some hope left for you.