Friday, December 21, 2018

Still Cagey


Progressives left their skepticism of corporate power at the door as earlier this week they unloaded on Nate Silver, when- wary of the boycott against :"Tucker Carlson Tonight"- he remarked "I don't want the PR department of Applebee's deciding for us all what's racist vs. legitimate/acceptable political speech."

Silver may still be bold, but he's now off the mark when he argues

Hold your thanks, Nate. Donald Trump still knows where his political bread is buttered.



Border security. Bernie Sanders goes where too few Democrats are willing to go when he tweets


Rush and Fox & Friends criticized Trump. 





This is not about "border security"- it's about maintaining support where his party's real power lies, in the right-wing media. Yet, if Democrats allow the President to cite "border security" without rebuttal, voters will come to believe that is what it's all about.

Democrats need a counter-narrative, and Sanders suggests the way forward: "Rush and Fox & Friends criticized Trump."

They cannot cede the claim of "strength" or "power" to Donald Trump.  He should be portrayed as he is- a captive of unelected media extremists. Take away Trump's aura of strength, and he has nothing.

By contrast, if Trump is allowed to tweet and say "border security," he comes off as the strong man and his opponents as opposed to border security.

It is not a good look for the President's critics.  Donald Trump would have been swept off the political stage if he hadn't bloviated about immigration when he came down the escalator in June of 2015. It is what his supporters most want, and a large middle finger to the people they don't want- or like.

These are the people the President needs, the voters who are a daily reminder to GOP members of Congress that if they are not satisfied, they can become the next Eric Cantor.

President Trump knows that he cannot be removed from office as long as he has the support of thirty-three Republican senators.  If he stays "strong" on the wall- and is allowed to posture as strong- he'll maintain enough popular support that many Republican senators will not be able to desert him.

Donald Trump may be impulsive, ignorant, and addicted to drugs. He may even be crazy- but only like a fox.



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