First: shout out to Political Junkie Substack for the cover photo in this post
His aura is fading even while he flouts the law and institutional Democrats refuse tog o for the jugular.
Republicans aren’t exactly flocking to Trump’s midterm convention
“I can't control what the president's going to say at the convention, but I can control where I'm at,” one battleground member said.
President Donald Trump has a vision for next week’s GOP convention in Dallas: a televised spectacle putting Republican candidates in front of midterm voters and top party donors just two months before the Election Day — with Trump himself headlining the show.
But a POLITICO survey of more than 70 GOP candidates and members revealed that most either do not plan to attend or are still weighing whether to go. Dozens more declined to share their plans.
…
The 45 Republicans cited a variety of reasons for skipping the first midterm convention put on by a major party in more than four decades. Some cited prior obligations such as fundraisers or events in their districts that were planned before the convention was scheduled in June. Others had personal conflicts, like weddings and family events, and still others raised qualms about the five-figure-minimum fees that party officials want attending lawmakers to pony up.
And some Republicans in tough races are steering clear of the gathering — which has come to be called “Trump-a-palooza” in some GOP circles — as they face growing hesitation about associating themselves with the polarizing president so close to the election.
The event costs elected Republicans $25,000 to attend (donor funds, of course - not personal funds; never personal funds). Excuses like “prior obligations”, and “personal conflicts” - which in political speak really means, “I do not want be seen with that guy in public” - are weak sauce showing that Trump’s gravitational pull on elected Republican officials is softening.
A promising sign.
And yet, Trump continues to blatantly flout the law in so many areas. One example:
It’s The Corruption, Stupid.
How to take advantage? The posters at The Shallow State on Bluesky agree with me on one of the key ways (read the entire short thread):
I previously posted about this back in January
And yet, do The House Minority Leader and his fellow institutional Democrats get it?
Jeffries says Trump impeachment not a top priority if Dems win House majority
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said Democrats will not focus on impeaching President Trump if they regain a majority in the lower chamber after midterm elections.
When asked if impeachment was a top priority, Jeffries said “of course not” during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
“I’ve made clear from the very beginning that our top priority is going to be to drive down the high cost of living,” the House minority leader added.
“We believe in this country, you work hard, you play by the rules. You should be able to live an affordable life, a comfortable life, in fact, to live the good life, and that means a good paying job and good housing, good health care, good education for your children, and when it’s all said and done, a good retirement,” he added.
Yes, “affordability” matters. But it’s the corruption stupid (just ask the Bulwark who latched on to my phrasing). This view that somehow reversing the Republican tax cuts for the wealthy and bringing back subsidies for Obamacare premiums will fix things is just flat out wrong.
Yes - those things need to be done. Good policy matters. but ignoring the corruption and brazen illegal and unconstitutional acts of this Administration without working towards personal accountability for those who perpetrated them is malpractice - both societally and politically.
These criminals have shown us our 250-year-old system has not adapted to the times and can be exploited by those with bad intentions and a desire for ultimate power. Unless Democrats tackle both corruption and systemic change (SCOTUS, elections, removing “emergency" exceptions in laws, etc.), they are just looking at temporary stopgaps until the next, more competent wannabe dictator comes along.
Democrats can walk and chew gum at the same time. Yes - pass legislative fixes to horrible policies implemented by Trump and his gang that couldn’t shot straight. But also focus like a laser on accountability, consequences and shoring up the system.
