,
48 tweets,
6 min read
Read on Twitter
THREAD: Trump doesn’t give a hoot about Republican ideas. This actually *helps* him with GOP officials. Let me explain.
2. Through the years Trump has changed positions more often than Jenna Jameson. (Who’s a big Trump fan, but I digress.)
3. He cares only about himself. With no preexisting policy commitments, he can turn on a dime to attack a critic.
4. This helps explain Paul Ryan’s meekness. If Ryan dares criticize Trump, then Trump can subtly or not-so-subtly undermine Ryan’s agenda.
5. The GOP House looks to the Senate and sees Trump slam anyone who dares attack him, most recently Corker today.
6. Trump blasts Flake and Heller, the two at greatest risk of losing in 2018, because he just doesn’t care if the Senate flips.
7. This hasn’t been a concern with past presidents. Republicans eventually turned on Nixon without much fear that he would turn on them.
8. Dems battled Clinton on numerous issues – NAFTA, welfare reform – without worrying that he would abandon causes on which they agreed.
9. Obama tolerated constant criticism from Senator Manchin because he knew the alternative was a Republican in that seat.
10. Presidents usually bring to the job a lifetime of policy views and won’t jettison them, or imperil their success, out of spite.
11. Of course, this isn’t the only explanation for GOP silence. Trump remains immensely popular with a big chunk of the GOP base.
12. Witness the Alabama GOP Senate primary, a contest over who loves Trump more.
newsweek.com/alabama-senate…
newsweek.com/alabama-senate…
13. But it explains a lot. Under normal circumstances, Rs probably would be in better shape if Trump quit tomorrow for Pence.
14. Pence would sign every single one of Paul Ryan’s dream bills, and he’d be far more effective at getting them to his desk.
15. Sure, there would be costs – a failed presidency drags down a party, and Rs would be held to account for all their past Trump praise.
16. But it would be worth it if Trump were willing to ride off into the sunset as Nixon did when he slunk off to San Clemente.
17. Except, of course, he won’t. He’d take aim at his erstwhile GOP allies with tweets, maybe rallies. Vengefulness + boredom = danger!
18. He'll have loads of money and loads of time. He could start TrumpTV with Bannon! He could damage the GOP for years to come.
19. This explains why Pence extols Trump incessantly. After Charlottesville, he compared him to Teddy Roosevelt.
washingtonpost.com/news/post-poli…
washingtonpost.com/news/post-poli…
20. You’d think Pence’s sweet spot would be to avoid a public break with Trump but dial back praise that could later haunt him.
21. But Pence wouldn’t succeed as POTUS if Trump is out there undermining him. So Pence must convince Trump of his unconditional love.
22. To be sure, there’s a limit to my theory. If Trump responded to GOP attacks by backing Pelosi’s agenda, he’d boost impeachment chances.
23. Trump’s nihilism has its own sweet spot. Whether by design or dumb luck he seems to have found it. But it might not suffice to save him
24. We need to find more Rs with courage to speak up – loudly – despite the cost. And if we can’t, we need to vote them out.
END OF THREAD
END OF THREAD
2. Through the years Trump has changed positions more often than Jenna Jameson. (Who’s a big Trump fan, but I digress.)
3. He cares only about himself. With no preexisting policy commitments, he can turn on a dime to attack a critic.
4. This helps explain Paul Ryan’s meekness. If Ryan dares criticize Trump, then Trump can subtly or not-so-subtly undermine Ryan’s agenda.
5. The GOP House looks to the Senate and sees Trump slam anyone who dares attack him, most recently Corker.
6. Trump blasts Flake and Heller, the two at greatest risk of losing in 2018, because he just doesn’t care if the Senate flips.
7. This hasn’t been a concern with past presidents. Republicans eventually turned on Nixon without much fear that he would turn on them.
8. Dems battled Clinton on numerous issues – NAFTA, welfare reform – without worrying that he would abandon causes on which they agreed.
9. Obama tolerated constant criticism from Senator Manchin because he knew the alternative was a Republican in that seat.
10. Presidents usually bring to the job a lifetime of policy views and won’t jettison them, or imperil their success, out of spite.
11. Of course, this isn’t the only explanation for GOP silence. Trump remains immensely popular with a big chunk of the GOP base.
12. Witness the Alabama GOP Senate primary, a contest over who loves Trump more.
newsweek.com/alabama-senate…
newsweek.com/alabama-senate…
13. But it explains a lot. Under normal circumstances, Rs probably would be in better shape if Trump quit tomorrow for Pence.
14. Pence would sign every single one of Paul Ryan’s dream bills, and he’d be far more effective at getting them to his desk.
15. Sure, there would be costs – a failed presidency drags down a party, and Rs would be held to account for all their past Trump praise.
16. But it would be worth it if Trump were willing to ride off into the sunset as Nixon did when he slunk off to San Clemente.
17. Except, of course, he won’t. He’d take aim at his erstwhile GOP allies with tweets, maybe rallies. Vengefulness + boredom = danger!
18. He'll have loads of money and loads of time. He could start TrumpTV with Bannon! He could damage the GOP for years to come.
19. This explains why Pence extols Trump incessantly. After Charlottesville, he compared him to Teddy Roosevelt.
washingtonpost.com/news/post-poli…
washingtonpost.com/news/post-poli…
20. You’d think Pence’s sweet spot would be to avoid a public break with Trump but dial back praise that could later haunt him.
21. But Pence wouldn’t succeed as POTUS if Trump is out there undermining him. So Pence must convince Trump of his unconditional love.
22. To be sure, there’s a limit to my theory. If Trump responded to GOP attacks by backing Pelosi’s agenda, he’d boost impeachment chances.
23. Trump’s nihilism has its own sweet spot. Whether by design or dumb luck he seems to have found it. But it might not suffice to save him
24. We need to find more Rs with courage to speak up – loudly – despite the cost. And if we can’t, we need to vote them out.
END OF THREAD
END OF THREAD
Trump's deal with the Dems seems like a good time to re-up my thread about how Trump's policy nihilism helps him.
