Thread by @MattWelch

It’s happening dot gif.

I will make the previous post the beginning of a thread about @GovBillWeld's announcement today at Politics & Eggs that he's forming an exploratory committee to primary @realDonaldTrump. My backgrounder from yesterday here: reason.com/blog/2019/02/1…

"I'm here actually because I think our country is in grave peril." -- @GovBillWeld talking now.

"He acts like a schoolyard bully, except of course when he is around other bullies, like Mr. Putin, and then he turns ingratiating, all smiles, kicks the American press out of the Oval Office, and has his summit meeting with Mr. Putin with no news media present except Tass."

"Republicans in Washington, many of them, exhibit all the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, identifying with their captor."

"In the federal budget, the two most important tasks are to cut spending and to cut taxes -- and cutting spending comes first."

19% flat tax on income, health care savings accounts, purchasing pharmaceuticals across state lines, letting veterans use medical marijuana, repealing the death tax, cutting capital gains taxes to 10%, bail reform, individual retirement accounts, no regime change abroad.

"there's a pressing need to act on climate change," rejoin the Paris climate accords. "If climate change is not addressed, our coastlines and those of all other countries will over time be obliterated by storm surge and the melting of the polar ice caps."

robust guest worker program, not necessarily path to citizenship, more & longer visas.

Abolish the Dept. of Education, support homeschooling & charter schools, allow for renegotiation of student debt.

First question: Why did you change parties? Second question: Why did you change parties?

Q: If you lose, will you support a Republican for president, or a Democrat?
A: "You know, I'm not sure about that...." Says could imagine supporting a third party, maybe independent, lotta time between now and then, maybe another interesting Republican runs, etc.

/fin. More later.