SPYGATE - Trump's attempt to stave off an impeachment & get rich quick.
When Trump's scandals began to pour out last year, I commented that there was a weird equilibrium in place that would prevent the GOP from impeaching him until it was politically convenient to do so.
I stand by that remark.
It was not politically convenient for the GOP to impeach Trump while he had not yet passed their tax cuts or appointed the judges they so badly desire (without pliable judges to help shrug off the accountability for their sins - the GOP might be a less criminal enterprise). But once he passed the tax cuts they wanted and appointed the judges they wanted - Trump's utility for the GOP was diminished.
His leverage with the GOP basically ended as soon as he passed the tax cuts. Ideally he would like to delay that as much as possible, but with the OSC Mueller probe nipping at his heels and his overall administrative performance (as seen by the extremely high turnover) hitting rock bottom, he didn't have a choice but to give in to the GOP demand for a tax cut.
Now the 2018 elections are upon us and the GOP has to consider what is the best strategy to ensure some kind of electoral fund-raising (or more correctly the flow of funds into their personal coffers continues until the election results are announced). If Trump can't give the GOP what they need by way of funds through his own efforts - they will have to sacrifice him on the alter of electoral politics.
That is why Trump seems to be having the TweetShits lately. He knows he has to shore up the finances from his base to keep the GOP from crawling up his rear.
The idea of holding Trump to the sword like this is a good one. For one the "base" which is really attached to him will be very scared of seeing him impeached. Trumpers know they chose poorly when they voted for Trump, but as they are too embarrassed to admit it, they are constantly in search of a fig leaf to cover their true feelings. The racist dog-whistle politics, the slandering of the IC and national institutions, the routine incompetence at mundane matters (i.e. pandering to stupidity) are all tools Trump uses to give Trumpers a notion of saving face. Just a little something to make them feel a tiny bit less stupid than they already do. Without that daily pick-me-up from Trump these Trumpers would have nothing.
And that is what the GOP could reasonably hold over them. The threat to impeach Trump comes from the GOP itself. When Trump rants and raves against "Democrats" and "FBI spies" etc... he is actually complaining in code about the GOP establishment. He knows they will impeach him if he doesn't arrange enough funds for them. Trump has to be careful to couch this in the usual "Obama is a Kenyan" or "Lock her Up" rhetoric or he risks exposing his followers to humiliation. So in his bizarre cryptospeak - Trump vilifies the GOP establishment.
By threatening to impeach Trump, the GOP can coerce Trumpers to support GOP campaigns and pour cash into their pockets. Trump for his part can hope to make out like a bandit in the upcoming election as the fear in his "base" induces donations to be made to his "cause". Who knows what the election will bring - perhaps a blue wave or perhaps not - this way at least Trump and the GOP will be too rich to give a shit.
All in all, I have to say this is working well. I can't see a way this approach could possibly fail.
With Posobiec et al suggesting that the GOP will "Impeach Obama" if brought to power and the Democrats will "Impeach Trump" if the GOP is not elected - you can see how the average Trumper is now faced with no choice but to keep supporting Trump & the GOP.
And in exchange for this support - what will the Trumper get besides a few more days of face saving? Nothing really - like Harley Davidson, his/her employer will leave town and set up shop in China and that will only increase his desire for the daily pick-me-up from Trump. If they complain - Trump and the GOP will simply remind them to stop whining because this entire thing was about giving older white men a sense of potency by pretending that the rules didn't apply to them and that there was no accountability for their misconduct - clearly that has bee achieved.
The Democrats however must be wondering how to turn this situation to their advantage, but the thing is - with the entire investigation under the control of the Republicans - there is little room for the Democrats to maneuver. Their only hope right now lies in their outreach programs to produce a shift in the traditional apathy associated with Democratic voters.
Otherwise the 2018 mid-terms will be easy victory for the GOP.
posted by maverick @ 2:31 PM
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