Thread by @Teri_Kanefield

(thread) GOP Circular Firing Squad

Joe Walsh is challenging Trump for the GOP nomination.

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1165613529455562752

This is obviously good news for Democrat prospects in 2020 because, for the next year, Trump will be under fire from former members of his own party.

1/ In other words, let them fight it out.

Trump enjoys 80% favorability within the GOP, and the GOP is fully on board for Trump.

Thus Walsh is unlikely to actually be the nominee unless Trump does something that causes his base to turn from him—and this is extremely unlikely.

2/ The GOP situation in a nutshell: authoritarians have taken over the GOP, which once claimed to be a conservative party.

For more on how authoritarians took over the GOP, see:

https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1091755271855075328

3/ Hofstadter, in describing the history of authoritarianism in America, talked about the “paranoid style in American politics.”

Those embracing the paranoid style of politics believe that unseen satanic forces are trying to destroy something larger in which they belong.

4/ For example:
rightwingwatch.org/post/right-win…

According to Hofstadter, the “something larger” to which they belong is  generally phrased as “the American way of life.”

They “feel dispossessed” and that “America has been largely taken away from them and their kind.”

5/ They are “determined to repossess it and prevent the final act of subversion.” 

They therefore adopt extreme measures. They will stop at nothing to prevent what they see as an impending calamity.

6/ Hofstadter says authoritarian uprisings are enabled by complicit conservatives, who basically bargain with the devil because they think they’ll benefit.

One of those was Joe Walsh, who says he apologized for false claims about Obama being a Muslim.

https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/1165678005009702912

7/ After Trump was elected, some GOP members had a rude awakening⤵️ @MaxBoot, @JRubinBlogger, @justinamash, @BillKristol and others.

They understand they contributed.

As Trump continues his destructiveness, more members of the GOP are waking up. Hence, @WalshFreedom for prez.

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 8/ It’s no surprise to me that @WalshFreedom's run for president follows Trump ordering companies to look for alternatives to doing business with China to help him win his silly and destructive trade war.

https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1164940550484762625

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 9/ And issuing other similar orders👇

What kind of head of state orders companies to cease doing business with China?

The obvious answer is an autocrat / Stalinist.

That doesn’t happen in a country where people have any real freedom.

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 10/ Nor does it happen in a country with a free market economy.

Trump’s "orders" are a clear signal that he’s no longer even pretending to abide by the values of the former GOP.

@WalshFreedom's run for president signals the fact that at least some former GOP members . . .

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 11/ understand that Trump is steering the GOP directly into a brick wall.

Is Joe Walsh also acting from self-interest? No doubt.

But he and others later want to be able to say later that they stood up to Trump.

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 12/ The right wing tends to fall in line.

Max Boot also talked about how members of the GOP overlooked bad behavior in the name of “unity on the right.” 👇

We are about to see something unusual in politics: The right wing fighting among themselves.

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 13/ Usually the left does that.

I’m old enough to remember when Democratic primaries were circular firing squads, while the right fell in line.

"Democrats fall in love; Republicans fall in line." (Not sure where this originated, but I'm pretty sure Bill Clinton said it.)

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom 14/ That's why I say Walsh's run for president will help the Dems in 2020.

Circular firings squads never help a party, and the right usually avoids them.

It appears the GOP is heading for a brick wall⤵️and some want to say they aren't responsible.
apnews.com/1ad13f32984a44…

end/

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom Agree, Millichamp. Democrats don't have to embrace Walsh or give him money. The way to get rid of Trump is to support the Democratic candidate.

But now Trump has to fight a two-front war.

https://twitter.com/CMillichamp1/status/1165712891166769154

My husband says, Time for Popcorn🍿The show will be interesting.

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom Remember, Walsh is trying to win the GOP primary. That means only one of them, Walsh or Trump, can make it to the end.

Will there be Republican primary debates🤔
🍿🍿🍿

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom

https://twitter.com/LouBJohnson/status/1165717008433987584

I believe that conservatives who stand up to Trump think that after the Trump-GOP implodes, they should be the ones to rebuild a conservative party.

I also think they're right.

I think @WalshFreedom's campaign lets him say, "I stood up to him."

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom Joe Walsh is running as a Republican.

Giving money to a Republican helps Republicans. Duh, right?

This is the year to support Democratic candidates.
The only way to get past this nonsense is for the GOP to get a drubbing in 2020.

Donate to Democrats.

https://twitter.com/SkyWarrior108/status/1165827599458807818

@MaxBoot @JRubinBlogger @justinamash @BillKristol @WalshFreedom I combined this thread with my response last night to @PreetBharara into this blog post:

terikanefield-blog.com/the-gop-circul…