The Trumpified GOP's descent into anti-leftist delirium gives Biden and Dems a major opening. Going big on the economy and infrastructure could deal a crippling blow to authoritarian populism just as it devolves into a QAnon-ified Trump cult. New piece: washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…
This quote from Ron DeSantis perfectly captures the bankruptcy of Trumpism's hallucinatory anti-leftism:
“We can have academic debates about conservative policy. But the question is, when the left comes after you: Will you stay strong, or will you fold?”
Biden and Dems have an opening to create a new synthesis: Ambitious progressive economics (infrastructure!) combined with boldness on issues Dems often fear (immigration, climate).
Biden's comments on Amazon unionization fit into this:
The GOP opposition strategy is more radical than in 2009. This time they're betting they can win back power through voter suppression and countermajoritarian tactics, even if Biden succeeds. They don't need to be part of the conversation at all. New piece: washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…
Republicans have entirely ceded the field in the debate over two of the biggest crises of modern times.
In 2009 at least you had people like Paul Ryan making BS arguments about deficits.
Now Rs are barely making a public case at all. Because they can't:
Stephen Miller is running a disgusting shadow war against Biden. Central to it is the claim that Biden is reverting to Trump policies, including "kids in cages."
It's nonsense. This isn't "kids in cages" redux at all. Here's my effort at an explainer:
Republicans are objecting to the 1/6 commission having a broad purpose in its investigation of the factors leading up to the insurrection, a Dem aide tells me.
The problem is not partisanship. It's GOP radicalization.
Will Republicans really pick anyone for the commission who will back an accounting that includes the role of Trump/his election lies in inciting the insurrection?
Doubtful. Rs are too tied up in all that themselves.
Ted Cruz now says the media is attacking him due to Trump withdrawal. This may seem silly. But Republicans are increasingly recentering Trump as chief victim in US public life amid an ongoing retreat into their right wing fictional universe. New piece: washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…
The pull of the Hannity disinformation vortex is so strong that Republicans are incentivized to tell lies that counter truths that *Republicans themselves* have admitted to elsewhere:
The Texas disaster actually shows the terrible trade-offs at the core of *conservative* governance.
But in a fictional universe where it can be blamed on leftist economics with no sense of obligation to basic facts/reality, that truism is easily erased:
Trump's grip on the GOP is tightening. He's threatening primary challenges to Republicans who don't maintain absolute fealty to him. Dems must explain to the public what a malignancy on democracy the GOP has become -- and go big while they can. My latest: washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…
Strong quotes from DCCC chair @RepSeanMaloney to me about the GOP's radicalization:
“Dangerous elements are controlling the GOP. They’ve got their hands around its neck right now.”
The GOP has “become a danger to our democracy and our public health.”
The GOP civil war in Pennsylvania has taken a dark turn, invading the 2022 GOP Senate primary.
The rage of MAGA is raining down on former Rep Ryan Costello, who dared to suggest that excommunicating Pat Toomey might be bad statewide politics for the GOP:
Bannon's threat to have Trump run for House Speaker and then impeach Biden sounds comical.
But a lot of elected Republicans are not that far from this level of crazy. One of the party's organizing ideas right now is the mythology of the stolen election: