Hmmm.

You make a good point.

On the other hand, look at the history of presidents and their parties. It ALWAYS swaps parties unless there is a particularly popular vice president. Literally, back to Washington.

The US isn’t like Japan where the LDP wins consecutive elections for decades on end.

The republican candidate was GOING to win in 2016.

We are now in a time of chaos. I feel Dems will probably sweep the midterms and maybe win in 2028, but it’s unclear. We’ve only had one nonconsecutive president before.

I wouldn’t put money on James (Vance).

Nominees don't matter anymore. They won't let anyone who will make a meaningful difference in. If someone meaningful gets in, they'll be blocked from making any changes.

we lack the pitchforks and the will to do jack all about anything.

I was about to say just that.

Right. Standing up there and yelling "there's that f__ talk again!" as some kind of response, ala Idiocracy would be a huge selling point for the Tribe That Rub Shit In Their Hair. The pig people loooove that kind of stuff - they are intimidated by competency, expertise and people that are smarter than them. An idiot like donnie or Petey are their idea of "common sense" politicians.

That, combined with enough of the apathetic staying home as well as the armchair "leftists" that love to tell everyone how it is useless to vote, (at least to actually vote for a candidate that can actually win) and you'll get Petey in office...

Every noteworthy member of the executive branch is now a seven mountains mandate Christian dominionist at this point.

Yeah he also deserves to be shot. Non lethal of course, ignoring complications such as sepsis.

Nobel peace prize material right there

The only thing hegseth has going for him is his 'TV look' and willingness to eat shit if it owns the libs (our conservatives have no shame, and love embarrassing themselves to get a reaction from 'the left')

He’s not charismatic, he just spouts hateful fascist ideology that hateful fascists crave.

None of these guys are. Elon “Nazi Salute” Musk, Rupert Murdoch, Zuckerberg, Thiel, Bannon, Bezos, and the entirety of Trump’s cabinet. They are social idiots and have zero charisma.

I’m not from the USA, neither an English native speaker, but is Peter Hegseth in any way charismatic?

Not at all. Even the military personnel I've spoken with think he's an absolute moron with no charisma or leadership ability. Officers who are ardently non-partisan have made semi-public remarks that have been critical.

is Peter Hegseth in any way charismatic?

In the sense of making me want to punch him in the face, yes.

I find Trump totally repulsive

Likewise. I had to be streetwise to survive when I was young, and I can spot a wrong 'un from a mile away. Everything about Trump sets my red warning light blinking.

But Trump's character and appearance and Hegseth's bellowing imbecility function like the typos in a 419 scam email. The gullible and oblivious ignore the warning signs.

We do seem to have a lot of those. Must be something in the water.

That's a valid point. I don't think he could win though. He's a drunk.

And he might actually keep his lies straight.

What does he drink? Send him a case.

That is likely true. I can't imagine him calling anyone else "sir" or "Mr. President."

Sanity and competence are not requirements. As long as he's hurting the right's designated scapegoats du jour, they'll support him even if he's no more than an amorphous blob of protoplasm in a jar.

Or is the insanity the selling point

Yes, why would you vote for a politician who is just going to line their pockets when you can vote for a lunatic that says it's okay to say slurs who is just going to line his pockets? I mean, what's life if you can't say slurs to people? Other people in my trailer park need to know they're lesser than me and Nancy Pelosi stock trades gender fluids transmission imported beef participation trophies nobody legal wants to work and all the illegals are not working and taking all the jobs and welfare for $9 lattes avocado toast. I will either hang myself from my F350s lifted trailer hitch or vote for Trump. What's it going to be, liberal?

Yes, pretty sure Hillary's campaign financed some stuff to specifically highlight Trump bcz they thought they'd steam roll him in the general election.

He got us involved in an extremely dumb and pointless war and lost. If that doesn't scream prime Republican presidential nominee material; I don't know what does.

If I was a bettin' man he'd be on my 2028 shortlist.

Again, you could only say that if the US was a democracy.

It's a one party system with rampent voter disenfranchisement and first past the post.

Trump has never had more than 40% approval. He didn't win the election. He stole itbin a rigged system.

If the US had a democracy, he never would have been able to steal the Presidency. Because he had never been the candidate of choice.

Assuming we do have free elections at the time, nah. MAGA has been whittled down to about one-third of the voting bloc. They’ll get decimated by populist progressives. Establishment Dems will also get wrecked in the primaries.

Hegseth isn't Trump. MAGA is a classic Cult of Personality, and it is ALL about Trump. Once he assumes room temperature, MAGA is finished.

Some of his followers, especially the politicians, will try to keep it going, but 90% of street level MAGAs were on board because of Trump, and once he's gone, their interest in politics will wane. None of his henchmen or children will be acceptable, even though there will be many who will claim to be his chosen, or logical, successor, but NONE of them will attract the Trumper.

Besides, MAGA is down to less than 30%. It will be far lower after Trump croaks. Even if they could rally around a MAGA candidate, there won't be the support. And of all the MAGA figures, the guy that helped Trump break his America First promise definitely won't be the guy. Neither will Vance. Rubio has the only shot, because he still has non-MAGA creds, but he will also be tainted with MAGA, so it won't work.

Ah you're right. I had to go back and read the specific text. Been so long since I have sat down to read any of it I had forgotten that was covered.

I stand corrected

I remember coaches and gym teachers that would STOP COUNTING when counting reps and you did bad form.

The military does the same thing during testing.

“44…45…46…46…all the way down…46…46…”