Readers ask: Former President Donald Trump’s success came from a strategy of uniting haters and inciting hatred with lies and conspiracy theories. He rallies people who hate one or more groups or issues, including abortion, immigration, Democrats, African Americans, Jews, Muslims, Chinese, the government, and taxes. How can you counter this strategy?
answer: This is a great question and highlights the key to protecting democracy from authoritarian threats with racist tendencies. Leaders, including President Biden, must return to the meaning and essence of America: “All men are created equal.” We are not defined by our race, religion, or ethnic background. Anyone who seeks to divide us by favoring one group over another is a threat to all of us, overrides the principles of our Constitution, and is completely un-American.
readers ask: Recall President Trump’s four years in office. Staff instability, constant turnover, and daily tweets insulting and defaming other countries’ leaders and government officials. Shouldn’t Biden’s team remind people of what this was like and the stability in Biden’s administration?
answer: absolutely! Human memory is short. Biden and his ad creators need to take voters back to 2020. There was no plan to distribute life-saving coronavirus vaccines, and the pandemic remained unchecked. The economy collapsed. Trump attacked NATO at every opportunity and encouraged Russia and other aggressive regimes. He left the Iran deal with no plan to stop Iran’s nuclear weapons program or terrorist activities. Some “then/now” ads and speeches seem appropriate, especially now that the economy is doing well.
readers ask: What happens if the Republican cult leader dies? When he dies, no one will need to appease him or earn his admiration to survive his political career. What are they going to do with themselves? Will they suddenly “get out of there”?
answer: I wish they would snap out of it. Unfortunately, once a movement abandons democracy, believes in conspiracy theories, abandons reality, and acts on pure emotion, it does not necessarily return to normality even if its leader dies. Rather, their repeated defeats at the polls show that their approach to politics is a losing one, and that must happen before another voice can rise and urge a different approach. The more MAGA politicians lose, the sooner we will return to a functioning, democratic-leaning two-party system.
readers ask: What are the chances that Team Trump will actually admit defeat in the 2024 election, put their swords to the plowshares, and finally go home? (Ask on behalf of George Washington et al.)
answer: That’s exactly why it’s so important (albeit unlikely) for Republicans to defeat Trump before the general election. Once they vote in the general election, they will not admit defeat (again). Given this, it will be important for law enforcement, responsible Republicans (albeit a minority), and civic leaders to refute claims of wrongdoing. Both sides must insist on accepting the results before and after the election. It is absolutely important that the media does not make false claims. Responsible news organizations must repeatedly explain the mechanisms to ensure accurate results and remind Americans that violence is unacceptable in a democracy. There can be no false equivalency between supporting the election results and distributing the coup masterminds’ propaganda.
Readers ask: It is a complete mystery why Hunter Biden is being investigated so intensively, rather than Trump’s children, who actually held government office and appear to have benefited greatly from it. Could you please explain why the Democratic Party is not moving forward with the investigation?
answer: Hey, let me share your frustration. Although House Democrats are in the minority, they were able to complete a report on Trump’s financial corruption. But Senate Democrats holding the committee’s gavel have no choice but to discuss Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s money making while in office, as well as Saudi Arabia’s investment in Kushner’s fund shortly after Kushner left the White House. Not investigated. This is frankly unconscionable and is further evidence that too many Senate Democrats lack the drive, sense of mission, and aggressiveness necessary to take on this family of fraudsters.
Readers ask: MAGA believers don’t seem to read news media other than Fox and others. Therefore, what you or others propose will never reach that audience. It makes sense to me to get more anti-Trump people in front of the Fox audience.
answer: Your observations are well taken. Many Democrats are understandably concerned that they will be mutilated, interrupted, attacked, ridiculed, or otherwise subjected to unfair treatment. But some talented politicians, like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, routinely make their case and generally make their case very effectively. Several Democratic politicians are also joining the network, including Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. In fact, California Governor Gavin Newsom debated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on FOX, and he certainly looked stronger than his opponent. Not all Democrats have the verbal chops to counter a hostile host. However, those who do so may wish to mentor their colleagues. The more isolated Fox viewers are from the real world, the better it is for them and our democracy. (Disclosure: I am his MSNBC contributor.)
Readers ask: House Republicans are blocking bipartisan border legislation because President Trump wants to use immigration as a campaign issue. Congress knows this, we know it, and everyone can see it. Have they thought this through? They are going to use this as a drumbeat for Biden and the Democrats during the campaign to show the American people that Trump and the MAGAs are putting party over country and standing in the way of the reforms that both parties want. Don’t you understand that? ?
answer: They live in a right-wing media bubble where there is no rational person to confront them with the absurdity of their position. They are obsessed with performative politics and not solving real world problems. For those in badly gerrymandered seats, this might work. As for the rest, we can only hope voters heed their grotesque irony.
Readers ask: Republicans have indicated they will not approve any border legislation because President Trump wants to campaign on the border issue, but Democrats are unlikely to find a way to turn the Republicans’ highly cynical strategy into a campaign issue. Is it not possible?
answer: I certainly hope so. This is the strongest border security measure in a decade. It contains no poisonous pills that are unpleasant to Republicans. And let’s not forget that it also includes essential funds for Ukraine. If Republicans refuse to do so, Biden and all Democratic House and Senate candidates should stand up to sneering obedience to Trump. Trump and his allies would rather prioritize their own interests than keep our borders secure and save our democratic allies from Russian aggression. It’s beyond cynical. They can’t put America first.
Readers ask: If Trump is a convicted rapist, why isn’t he accused as such? why isn’t he in jail?
E. Jean Carroll filed a civil lawsuit — two in fact — in which the jury found that Trump was accused of defamation and “common modern terminology” (as Judge Lewis Kaplan described it). ) found him liable for a total of nearly $90 million in damages for what was called rape. The statute of limitations for criminal proceedings has long since expired. However, it is completely accurate to say that he is a “certified rapist.” It’s frankly outrageous that the political and media establishments shrug their shoulders and refuse to even suggest that this alone disqualifies him as a presidential candidate.
Readers of the world of reality-based politics are a little perplexed by the MAGA infatuation with Taylor Swift, one of the most accomplished and successful entertainers on the planet. James Carville said: “I don’t think there’s any strategic sense to this. I think most of these people are sexually inadequate and are going to do all these crazy things.” It’s really stupid to believe that. …What’s not to like about Miss Swift? I don’t know. I didn’t get the memo.”
If nothing else convinces you that the MAGA movement is primarily based on men’s toxic masculinity, resentment, and irrational anger, this might convince you. Really, we should stop acting like this crowd supports Trump because of his positions on issues or because he is amenable to rational persuasion.
If you’re a regular reader, you know what I think about the relentless coverage of early, unrelated polls. Here’s a perfect (totally, awful) example from popular media Mediaite.New poll: Biden widens lead over Trump thanks to big lead among women” (To be fair, many news outlets published similar headlines.) This is nonsense.
It assumes that a single poll (Quinnipiac) is conclusive. and That Biden hasn’t had good luck with women before. The entire premise that something dramatic happened is built on an exaggerated sense of poll accuracy. And if Biden really “opened the lead,” then all the reports of Biden’s rotten polls, dire odds, and Democratic anxiety that dominated the press for months were all much fuss about nothing. I wonder?
By the way, CNN released a poll on the same day that showed Trump up 49% to 45%, which was about the same as the December poll. Last weekend, NBC also conducted a poll, and the results showed Biden trailing. So which one is correct? In fact, they’re all within the margin of error, highlighting how foolish it is to analyze races based on early voting.
We need less reporting on irrelevant and inconclusive polls, especially overzealous reporting, and more reporting on the stakes of the election. What happens if we elect a narcissistic authoritarian?
In a significant ruling, the D.C. Circuit unanimously rejected President Trump’s claim of absolute immunity. The three-judge panel made the following decisions:
“Former President Trump’s alleged efforts to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election, if proven, represent an unprecedented attack on our nation’s governmental structure. He is said to have inserted himself into a process in which the president had no role, namely the counting and certification of the election.” Exonerating former President Trump’s actions is “already extremely powerful and subject to judicial review.” “This would further strengthen the executive branch, which has been relatively immune from the threat of violence, at the expense of Congress.”
In a passionate defense of the rule of law, the committee explained: “We cannot accept former President Trump’s assertion that the president has unlimited power to commit crimes that nullify the most basic checks on executive power: the recognition and implementation of election results. Nor can we accept his clear contention that the executive branch has completely violated the right to vote and have their votes counted.” In short, the court held that “the Office of the President is They rejected the outlandish argument that “the law should be placed above the law.”
A scholarly and carefully crafted opinion will no doubt be appealed. The Supreme Court can and should immediately dismiss the appeal. It is nothing but the protection of the rule of law.
Next week, we’ll be doing our weekly online chat, so please send us your questions. Questions submitted after February 7th will be sent to the next mailbag newsletter on February 14th.