NYT: A Political Reckoning Will Come for Trump, Too

[kerry-is-my-prez]

JAMELLE BOUIE
A Political Reckoning Will Come for Trump, Too
Dec. 11, 2024
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/opinion/trump-republican-party-cabinet.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Trump is less concerned here with the health of the Republican Party, less concerned with building out the next generation of Republican leaders, than he is with serving his narrowest interests. The Republican Party could wither and die, and Donald Trump would not care, provided it did not disrupt his ability to enrich himself and his family. This dynamic — a president who does not care about his party — sets up an interesting tension. What happens when the interests of the president and the interests of the party diverge?

-snip-

In the absence of Trump, would the Republican Party look like an entity that could build or mobilize anything like a working electoral majority? Even now, in this world, it is clear that the president-elect’s appeal is distinct from that of his party; Republicans lost four Senate races in states that he won, and the party’s House majority teeters on a knife’s edge. All of this is made worse by Trump’s indifference to party building, as well as his demands for loyalty. What is good for him — paying his legal bills, for example — may not be good for the ability of the party to succeed and win.

The weakness of the institutional Republican Party, the fragility of the Republican majorities and the volatility of Trump himself are a recipe for political instability and chaos. It all serves as a reminder that whenever Trump does leave the scene, he will probably leave behind a Republican Party that will struggle to find an identity outside his reach and influence.

Over on the other side, the Democratic Party is locked in an internal battle over what the party means outside of its opposition to Trump. It is searching for some kind of identity that will help it cohere as a coalition and rebuild its relationship to voters both inside and outside its walls. And insofar as the party’s November defeat was useful, it was because it jump-started this process. The Republican Party is obviously not in the same place. But that is just a matter of happenstance. Its victory means only that it can escape its reckoning for now. There will be a time after Trump, and soon enough, Republicans will have to deal with what that means.

[newdeal2]

1. I've been reading about the Republican party's demise for a while now

Younger voters, changing demographics, and COVID deaths were all supposedly going to ensure Republicans never won again.

[kelly1mm]

3. Yeah the 'demographics is destiny' theory seems to be blowing up in our faces in particular. nt

[Self Esteem]

4. The changing demographics are more likely to result in the Democratic Party going extinct than the Republicans.

They're the party that has made up massive gains among minority voters. Since Obama's win in 2012, Democrats have consistently lost ground on Black and Hispanic voters. If that does not reverse, it'll be the Democratic Party that goes extinct because they're not coming close to making up the differences with white voters.

Republicans are set well for a political realignment. Democrats? Not so much.

The good news is if Democrats can figure out why they're bleeding out support among minority voters, they can potentially reverse course and win 'em back. But all I hear, especially from places like DU, is that the only reason Democrats lost is because of racist and sexist voters.

[kelly1mm]

8. One of the problems in discussing a way forward is that big sections of policy are not allowed

to be discussed here on DU as there has been a decision included into the TOS of one position on some issues. So if you are wondering why you are hearing a variety of different opinions off DU and crickets here, that may be why.

[Seeking Serenity]

9. You speak the truth. Honest self-reflection, which is often painful,

Is, as you note, against the TOS and a bannable offence, schade schade.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

14. What about that new forum they're talking about: strategies for the future of the party??

[kelly1mm]

15. My understanding is the new forum will only relax the rule against criticizing Democrats. It will still be

subject to the TOS topic restrictions.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. This is why I don't think SCOTUS or the senate will rubber stamp everything trump sends them

They are looking to beyond 2028, whereas Trump is only interested in what he can grift through 2028.

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

5. He and his family are in it for the long con. Beyond 2028.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Yep. Don Jr. is already the front-runner for 2028...

…assuming there are still elections by then.

[regnaD kciN]

7. This is working from the assumption...

…that the system is going to continue working through the Trump era and until after he has exited the scene.

To me, that’s a little like being in 1930s Germany, and publishing and editorial speculating on who will emerge as the next leader once Chancellor Adolf completes his state of emergency and steps down to return the country to democratic rule.

[Scrivener7]

10. Fucking Times. They write this now. Before the

election they'd have added, "How thats bad for Biden."

Assholes.

[republianmushroom]

11. I believe this to be true, but it will not happen soon enough.

46 months and counting

34 days count down for the release of an un-redacted Smith report.

[ibegurpard]

12. Like magic?

It would take something like some media actually holding him accountable instead of putting him on the same level of decent people

[Paladin]

13. Any trump reckoning will be IN SPITE OF the NYT---not because of it. (nt)