The Political Junkie Thread

[CrazyNotCrazie]

The cult grows.

As President Donald Trump nears the 100-day mark of his second term, recent polling from NBC News shows how he has consolidated the Republican Party not just around himself, but also around his broader “Make America Great Again” movement.

Thirty-six percent of registered voters identified themselves as MAGA supporters in the March NBC News poll. It’s a significant increase from past NBC News polling — up from 23% of respondents in a merged sample of all of NBC News’ polling across 2023 and 27% of respondents in a merged sample of NBC News’ 2024 polling.

The overall share is powered by the 71% of Republicans who now call themselves MAGA supporters.

...

“Look at this transformed party, where in 14 months we’ve gone from 40% of Republicans from saying they identify as MAGA to 71%,” McInturff continued.

The thing about cults is that they usually meet a sad demise. Not all, though, as the Church of Scientology is still thriving and raking in billions; it's hard to say which MAGA is destined for.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/polling-show ... 00690.html

Yup. And the problem is that they are all in. They do not question him at all. It is blind obedience. Drink the kool aid and then agree with everything he says and use his excuses to defend things. It is unfortunately so easy to find the people who were brainwashed because they all have the exact same responses and talking points. They are OK with the extremist behavior of Trump and the idea of doing things gradually does not cross their mind.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Wasn't the quote "I'll end the war on day one" or something like that?

Russia-Ukraine war live: Rubio threatens to walk away from peace talks as outline of US minerals deal revealed
‘We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,’ US secretary of state says

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... skyy-trump

[DukePA]

I am horrified by what’s going on and sad because it has all been so predictable. I noticed the rise of fascism when the Tea Party came into existence in 2009. I don’t know what else can be done besides calling our elected officials every day and protesting when possible and of course voting if we still have elections.

I have several contingency plans from we get to carry on as we are, to my asshole magat neighbors turn us in and we escape in our car and I know what we’ll take and where we’ll go. I converted to Judaism decades ago and will not be caught unaware as the 1930s Germans were. At least we have the hindsight they didn’t have and we have social media, at least for now.

In the meantime, I am forcing myself to find the beauty and joy in each moment as an act of defiance and resistance.

Oh! I’m really glad our basketball teams will not be eating Big Macs with the orange skid mark. That was the only good thing about not winning it all.

Foxtrot. Delta. Tango

This is a sad thing to read. We're trying to piece together contingency plans as well, including self-protection. We're speaking out too, even though in this city (Huntington Beach, "The Florida of California") that is likely to make my husband and I targets. Keep building community with like-minded folks.

It’s not easy to live in a red area. I despise guns, but my sister, who was in the National and the sharpshooter for her bootcamp company, is going to teach me to shoot then I’ll take a concealed carry class. I know I’m way down on his political enemies list, but I’ve been on stage with Rev. William Barber and I refuse to shut up on social media. Going to recent protests is helping a lot! There are more of us than them and they can’t kill us all at once!

[ArkieDukie]

My travel plans for the weekend changed due to flood warnings here and in AR. Part of me was relieved; I was not looking forward to a weekend listening to Faux News. Also, my dad is very much pro-Trump. Since I am in town, I braved the rain yesterday and participated in my city’s protest. There were a few hundred participants by my estimation, which may be off. It was encouraging to hear the numbers across the nation. I’ll definitely be marching again.

As a scientist, I’m appalled and alarmed by the current administration’s attacks on the sciences. On Friday, the DOJ sent a letter to a peer-reviewed journal, CHEST, notifying them that they’re being investigated to make sure they are presenting balanced viewpoints, or some such nonsense. They want to make sure that the journal is publishing work that is consistent with the administration’s views. This is alarming on multiple levels, and I wonder if it’s a trial case to force scientific journals to support Bobby Brainworm’s long ago disproven theory that vaccines cause autism. Scary times.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Not a scientific study but I have increasingly been seeing ads emphasizing "made in America," how all parts are made here, product is put together here, etc. Mainly for cars. This definitely existed before, but the tone just seems different. Likely targeting the MAGA buyers.

I was half watching TV last night when I saw an ad with Kristi Noem about migrants. I think she said 100,000 have been removed already. Awful images of clearly foreign people in jumpsuits on their knees. I believe she said they will come get you but if you turn yourself in you might have a chance of being able to come back some day. It was truly horrifying. I forget if it was during the late basketball game on ABC or the ABC local news after the game. I live in NYC - not sure if it was a national ad or targeted here.

These people are angry, stupid and mean business. And they are all falling in line. Most Dems I know will readily admit the flaws of the party and the Biden administration. It is seen as a pathetic sign of weakness for MAGA to admit the slightly mistake. They twist themselves in knots to convince people that everything Trump does is perfect. Or worst case, they have their Fox News generated ways to redirect. There is no reasoning with them. And we are only three months in.

[AtlBluRew]

I’m happy to see posts by people here and in other social media who are taking part in protests. We got 5 friends who had never protested in their lives to join us yesterday. People are coming together to do something.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I’m happy to see posts by people here and in other social media who are taking part in protests. We got 5 friends who had never protested in their lives to join us yesterday. People are coming together to do something.

Agreed. Thank you to you and the other protestors. Much appreciated.

Dems need to be hyper focused on 2026 now. Winning every single race to try to reclaim the house and/or senate. I think a lot of damage will be done by then, but something needs to be done to slow down this monster. And the goal needs to be winning. People need to get over themselves and their personal litmus tests and see it as a battle to save America. Someone might not be exactly where you want them to be on an issue that is important to you like climate change, Israel, abortion, or whatever else. But I'm guessing they are much closer to you on basic decency and upholding the constitution - it is that simple (I recognize that I am largely preaching to the choir here).

[CameronBornAndBred]

I’m happy to see posts by people here and in other social media who are taking part in protests. We got 5 friends who had never protested in their lives to join us yesterday. People are coming together to do something.

I'm happy to see posts about protest participation in here, I'd rather not see posts about weapons and violence. Fear mongering can go both ways, and I'd like for this thread to steer clear of it.

[CameronBornAndBred]

JD Vance killed the Pope. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

He probably was Francis' last straw.

[AtlBluRew]

JD Vance killed the Pope. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

He probably was Francis' last straw.

The Pope lost the will to live after meeting JD Vance.

[acdevil]

https://bsky.app/profile/patriottakes.b ... e3tjowk22r

I guarantee this one is worth your time

[CrazyNotCrazie]

JD Vance killed the Pope. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

He probably was Francis' last straw.

The Pope lost the will to live after meeting JD Vance.

Yup. Who wants to live in a world where we are one heartbeat away from that man being president?

[AtlBluRew]

https://bsky.app/profile/patriottakes.b ... e3tjowk22r

I guarantee this one is worth your time

Sporks!!!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Wasn't the quote "I'll end the war on day one" or something like that?

Russia-Ukraine war live: Rubio threatens to walk away from peace talks as outline of US minerals deal revealed
‘We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,’ US secretary of state says

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/ ... skyy-trump

Follow up. This is the campaign promise equivalent of "I never met that guy".

Trump campaigned on ending Ukraine war on Day 1. Now he said it was in ‘jest’
“Well, I said that figuratively, and I said that as an exaggeration, because to make a point,” Trump told the outlet. “And you know, it gets, of course, by the fake news...Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 39730.html

[CameronBornAndBred]

It's not our elections, not even our country, but what happened in Canada probably can be looked at as a bellwether for here at home and our midterms, which are still over a year away.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the federal election, capping a stunning turnaround in fortunes fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s annexation threats and trade war.

Carney's rival, populist Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, was voted out of his seat in Parliament, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation projected Tuesday.

The loss of his seat representing his Ottawa district in Monday’s election capped a swift decline in fortunes for the firebrand Poilievre, who a few months ago appeared to be a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd the Conservatives back into power for the first time in a decade.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/canadians-se ... 35857.html

So here's a guy that was pretty much a given for being the next leader, until he tried tying himself to Trump's coattails, and that worked out disastrously for him. Here at home, Trump has beaten his own shitty approval numbers from round one, by doing it again to have the worst numbers in over 70 years. Mid-terms are going to be a rodeo.

[OPK]

^^ I’m not sure how much of a bellwether the Canada election is, but it sure shows that pissed off people vote.

I think we will know a lot more about the economy — and the course of the midterms — by the holiday season this year. Trump could still back away from the ledge, declare victory (whether real or imagined) with agreements in principle to modify various trade agreements, and this recent turmoil is just a blip. I am not betting on that but it’s possible. And I am assuming they will pass a huge tax cut bill in the fall which will be widely popular.

Crazy thing is, if Trump had just done *nothing* with the economy, he would have benefitted from rising stocks, stable bonds, receding inflation and a likely rate cut already. His popularity would likely still be around 50% or slightly above.

[AtlBluRew]

This will get lost in the news because the shrinking economy and opinion polls will dominate, and then we’ll move on to the next horror, but this April 28 Executive Order is the first attempt to create a military police state. It may be dismissed as hot air and illegal, but each mention normalizes the idea a bit more.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential ... -citizens/

[CameronBornAndBred]

This will get lost in the news because the shrinking economy and opinion polls will dominate, and then we’ll move on to the next horror, but this April 28 Executive Order is the first attempt to create a military police state. It may be dismissed as hot air and illegal, but each mention normalizes the idea a bit more.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential ... -citizens/

I don't think that Trump has signed a single bill of legislative consequence yet. Everything he has done has been by executive order.

[AtlBluRew]

I don't think that Trump has signed a single bill of legislative consequence yet. Everything he has done has been by executive order.

Per Heather Cox Richardson, Trump has signed 5 bills: the Laken Riley Act, which was passed before his inauguration, a stopgap funding bill, and three resolutions overturning rules set by the Biden Administration.

[CameronBornAndBred]

This weekend brought news that Trump isn't sure if he's supposed to uphold the constitution, wants to reopen Alcatraz, and wants to put tariffs on foreign made movies.
The last bit brought this comment from the White House.

“Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the Administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump’s directive to safeguard our country’s national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again,” White House spokesman Kush Desai tells The Hollywood Reporter.

In other words, "We have no idea, we're just making shit up as we go along."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house- ... 14068.html