Is Trump so powerful his opposition can only wait for him to self implode like Dubya?

r/

For those too young to remember, George W. Bush and his crew were a political juggernaut until they weren’t. Mainly by their own doing.
Their front man was so interactive in trying to impart his values and perception of the world, and so eager to say “the buck stops here” in all but name, that when poop hit the fan only he appeared responsible.

Till then, his team slapped the left around at their leisure.

Are we under a similarly helpless predicament? Why or why not?

Comments

  1. AutoModerator Avatar

    The following is a copy of the original post to record the post as it was originally written.

    For those too young to remember, George W. Bush and his crew were a political juggernaut until they weren’t. Mainly by their own doing.
    Their front man was so interactive in trying to impart his values and perception of the world, and so eager to say “the buck stops here” in all but name, that when poop hit the fan only he appeared responsible.

    Till then, his team slapped the left around at their leisure.

    Are we under a similarly helpless predicament? Why or why not?

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  2. Oceanbreeze871 Avatar

    We can’t understate how important the concept of being a spineless coward with no morals, honor or sense of duty to uphold the constitution is to becoming a successful elected Republican.

  3. othelloinc Avatar

    >Is Trump so powerful his opposition can only wait…?

    No.

    His opposition can message. They can communicate to the voters about what Trump is doing, drawing attention to unpopular actions his administration is taking.

    Side Note: A lot of the data seems to suggest that attacking Musk is the better avenue.

  4. Lauffener Avatar

    We can mobilize and protest, and people are doing that. There are protests every week in blue and red areas and they are growing.

    If you are sitting around, complaining about the DNC and waiting for Chuck Schumer to lead you, then you’re doing it wrong

  5. TheIgnitor Avatar

    Funny though how Dems started doing better politically once they stopped waiting for him to implode and went on the offensive. 9/11- ~2005 was Dems trying as hard as they could to prove they were Republican Lite and not challenge W on much. Once they actually decided to act like an opposition party they began winning. Funny how that lesson has been totally lost on the current iteration of Dem leadership.

  6. othelloinc Avatar

    >…George W. Bush and his crew were a political juggernaut until they weren’t. Mainly by their own doing…

    I agree with this, but I don’t know how comparable Bush is to Trump.

    Specifically: By November 2004, even Republican politicians didn’t like Bush, but they cynically supported him to minimize damage to the party. As early as December of 2004 — when he would never be on the ballot again — they turned on him.

    It is possible that something similar will happen with Trump, but:

    • Trump has remade the party in his image more than Bush did.
    • Republicans fear violence from Trump supporters.
    • Trump’s cult of personality may carry him farther

    …but we will only really know in hindsight.

  7. metapogger Avatar

    I would be hesitant to draw any parallels between Trump and GWB. Maga has much more of a cult vibe than GWB. So far, GOP voters do not care if Trump lies, or tanks the economy, or disappears legal immigrants, or threatens allies, or cuts social services his base depends on. Can you imagine if GWB did all this?

  8. watchutalkinbowt Avatar

    Eh. W barely won in 2000, then being a war president (‘not gonna cut n run’) got him more votes in 2004, and ’08 was Obama

    Unless they voted for Gore or Kerry, this whole ‘we hated the neocons’ thing some of the right are repeating recently doesn’t really wash

  9. Competitive-Bat-43 Avatar

    Unpopular Opinion: Feel free to downvote

    What if it is a carefully curated plan. I mean maga blames everything on the democrats despite clear data stating the opposite. What if the plan is to do nothing. If there is no one else to blame perhaps they will finally understand.

    Thoughts? Am I being too conspiracy theory?

  10. torytho Avatar

    He can’t implode b/c he’s a cult leader. No amount of failure will turn people off from him.

  11. DreamingMerc Avatar

    In short, no. But because the methods that the government has traditionally held as a means to check the executive branch were put in the hands of Congress. In this case, the majority of Congress would rather spend its collective time sucking itself off and wait until the old man dies.

  12. IsolatedHead Avatar

    Everyone is waiting for him to implode. His own party sings his praises in public and wishes him dead in private.

  13. Hagisman Avatar

    Unless another 9/11 happens before mid terms, he’ll be slowed down by a Democratic Party controlled House.

  14. DoNotCountOnIt Avatar

    I’m no Dubya fan, but I never called him or his administration fascist. Neither Nixon, for that matter. The current admin IS fascist. A strategy of “waiting MAGA out” is nothing short of complicity, in my opinion.

  15. MethMouthMichelle Avatar

    Trump is a supernova- constantly imploding in on himself and only burning brighter for it

  16. Vegetable-Two-4644 Avatar

    No, the problem is the democratic party has been led poorly for decades. Our leaders’ political instincts are to cave in and capitulate so they don’t appear “extreme” but all it really does is make them look like they don’t care or are weak willed.

  17. Significant_Willow_7 Avatar

    W never had a ravenous cult of knuckle dragging Nazis following him.

  18. Medical-Search4146 Avatar

    No and its extremely dangerous to wait for Trump to self-implode. Trump has acted and he has surrounded himself with allies who will act effectively for both Trump’s agenda and their own pet project. Democrats need to act to demonstrate that there is a legitimate opposition. By demonstrating a opposition it motivates civilians and judicial branch to continue to act in defiance. If people feel that they’re alone in fighting a system then they’ll choose the path of low resistance which is to do nothing.