As I write this, the explosive news of Ambassador Bill Taylor’s devastating testimony is rapidly spreading through the Twitterverse and elsewhere. Experts agree that Trump has sustained major damage, and that the Republicans will now be hard pressed to defend him. Surely now he’s finished.
To which I say, are you kiddin’ me?
The Right Wing propaganda machine, what Jon Stewart called “Bullshit Mountain” is going to go into overdrive now. Does anyone think that the people who slavishly watch Fox’s hideous nighttime lineup will hear ANY objective news about this? Any at all? Do you think that the 1500 right-wing hate radio programs in America will do ANYTHING except rip into the “Demonrats” as we are so affectionately called? Does ANYONE think that The Federalist and RedState and Breitbart and every other right-wing site will do ANYTHING except counterattack? Does ANYONE think that Jordan, Meadows, Gaetz, Nunes, and all the other disgusting Trump Zombies in Congress will do ANYTHING except defend Trump to the utmost, and in the most dishonest, depraved manner possible? Does ANYONE think that the most dangerous man in America, “Attorney General” William Barr, will do ANYTHING except turn the full power of the “Justice” Department on Trump’s enemies?
Get serious.
You know all the bad news that Trump has been bombarded with lately? You know how Nate Silver’s site generally shows that 42% of likely voters support Trump? Surely his numbers have gone down, right?
This morning Trump’s approval among likely voters was 42%.
This news about Taylor? I’m sorry, but Taylor is about to be smeared, lied about, and denigrated in the ugliest terms. So what if he is a veteran with a distinguished record? So what if he has decades of service to his country?
None of that will mean jack shit to Sean Hannity. Hannity called Robert Mueller a criminal. You think Taylor will get any less hatred than that?
My point is this. Yes, we should impeach Trump. Put him on trial in the Senate. But I’m telling you, getting 67 votes to convict is going to be a monumental task. Even if we keep all 47 of our caucus in line (Hiya, Joe Manchin!), who are the 20 Republicans who will vote to convict? Romney, almost certainly. Who else? Gutless coward Rubio? Groveling Trump worshiper Graham? Susan “Concerned” Collins? Gimme names. It’s said that McConnell, “The Gravedigger of Democracy”, will encourage conviction if he thinks keeping Trump in will cost the Republicans the Senate. I don’t buy it. I’ll believe it when I see it.
And after Trump is acquitted, and he brags that he has been exonerated, the same 42-43% will still be on his side.
And if there is no recession, Trump will be even money to be reelected.
If you know me, if you’ve read my work, you know how bitterly I hate the Orange Shitgibbon. The son of a bitch has been RAPING and LOOTING the country of my birth. If I had the power to simply push a button and make him disappear, I would.
But I don’t.
Don’t you see? Don’t you see? The Right Wingers have been playing the long game. They have spent decades building a propaganda infrastructure of enormous power and influence. This infrastructure’s audience is mostly immune to any criticism of Trump. It does. Not. Matter. what Trump does. It does. Not. Matter. how terrible, corrupt, or harmful his actions are. Bullshit Mountain’s victims simply ignore or reject anything that disturbs their idealized picture of Trump. And, btw, you need to keep this in mind: these people hate us. We are, literally, the worst thing in the world. For over 60 years people like us have been demonized. It has had an effect.
A Trump supporter in Tennessee, dying of a treatable condition, said he would rather die than use Obamacare.
Trump supporters in Alabama, despite some notable defections, voted overwhelmingly for a Senate candidate credibly accused of pedophilia. Yes, even a pedophile is better than one of us.
A Trump supporter recently announced he would rather live under Vladimir Putin (!) than a Democrat.
Two Trump supporters were photographed wearing shirts that said, “I’d Rather Be a Russian Than a Democrat”.
Hillary Clinton was routinely called “C*nt” by these people in 2016.
About a year ago, a poll showed that 17% of Republicans had a positive view of Kim Jong Un, the most barbaric, murderous dictator on the planet. Nancy Pelosi’s positive rating was 15%
They. Hate. Us. We will never change them. They will vote to strip themselves of healthcare. They will vote to lose their family farm to the trade war. They will vote to see their public schools ruined. They will vote against their own children’s future. They don’t care. Angering and hurting us is their highest goal.
So we must EXPAND the electorate. I’ve flogged this issue again and again and again. But you see, you’ve gotta stop thinking that things like the Taylor testimony will do any harm to Trump politically. I hope I’m wrong. But every. Damned. Day. 42-43%. It never changes.
It will not matter if we win the popular vote again in 2020. Hell, we’ve done that 6 out of the past 7 elections. Only ONE number counts.
270. 270, baby. That’s the ballgame.
We have to hold every Clinton state and flip several Trump states. No easy task.
I have set out a program to help us do just that. This is it (so far):
A. We need to PERSONALLY contact, in a face-to-face way, at LEAST 100,000,000 U.S. voters. The reasons we must do that are laid out HERE.
B. We must EXPAND the electorate. We must turn out at LEAST 85,000,000 Democratic voters. The groups we most need to target are examined right HERE.
C. Registering new voters is KEY. Voter registration information is HERE.
D. Each Democratic activist should set a goal of registering at least 10 new Democratic voters. My thoughts on how to do this are HERE.
E. We need clear, effective talking points and a clear plan of action. My suggestions for all of these things are HERE.
F. You can already donate money to whoever ends up as Trump’s Democratic opponent. That can be done HERE.
G. Florida is a MUST-HAVE state, and Puerto Rican voters are crucial. Here’s what needs doing right HERE.
H. The women of America are KEY to our victory. Here’s why, HERE.
I. Why I am a GOTV fanatic, with some eye-opening stats, right HERE.
J. Pennsylvania is KEY. Let’s go for it! Here’s how, right HERE.
K. Ohio is KEY. Let’s go for it. Here’s how, right HERE.
L. Michigan is KEY. Let’s go for it. Here’s how, right HERE.
And in the next few weeks I will have “Let’s Win” diaries for Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Arizona as well.
It will not be easy. For my part, I will sacrifice anything I need to.
But stop holding on to the hope that bad news will sink Trump. All he has to do is stonewall 100% and use Billy Boy Barr to go after his critics and accusers. He can survive this Taylor episode.
I hope I’m wrong.
But I don’t think I am.
Get out the vote. Get out the vote. GET OUT THE G-D DAMNED VOTE.