Trump and 2024

Donald Trump is officially running for President in 2024. And as a supporter of the former President in 2016 and 2020, I don’t know how I feel about him running again. Especially when he warned Governor DeSantis not to run.

No, Mister President that’s not how its done. We need the best to run for the high office. If that is you then you are already there. If that is someone else, they need to also put their hat in the ring.

In 2016 and in 2020 Donald Trump was the best man for the job and the needed man for the job. The election of 2016 defied all predictions and brought about the needed change in our nation’s capitol. And opened the eyes of the country to the deep corruption that exists in Washington DC.

In 2020 we saw how dangerous the Left really is to our Republic when the election was stolen with fake ballots and the Republicans did nothing about it. The Left does fear Trump that much to steal a Presidential election so blatantly.

So does that make Donald Trump the best candidate still in 2024? I don’t know. The jury is still out on this one. And there is a lot of time between now and the Republican National Convention where the nominee will be determined.

I for one, do want other Republicans to toss their hats into the ring. The more the better. That way we can find the best fit for the job and the times. And we will be able to win the Presidential Election in 2024 despite any attempts by the Left to steal it again.

I’m Not Wild About Harris

I would hate to be President Joe Biden right now. Not only is he presiding over higher inflation, a recession (depending on how the Left is defining it this microsecond), and a job approval rating going further into the basement than he was during the 2020 election, but he has a new problem. A recent New York Times/Siena College poll shows 64% of Democrats polled would rather see someone else run for President in 2024. Granted, media polls are usually as reliable as a Bill Clinton marriage vow, but this still caught my eye.

If the polling data is accurate (and, I must reiterate that’s a pretty big if), it signals a problem not just for the President, but for the Vice President. Since being named as Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris has been basking in a pretty bright spotlight and expected to do great things. And she has failed spectacularly on all fronts, with the Vice President’s approval ratings being slightly higher than the President’s. Granted, that’s a pretty low bar these days, but it’s still telling.

Even with Harris being more popular, she doesn’t seem to be as prominent as she was during the campaign and early in the Administration. A large part of this stems from her seeming awkwardness in situations that require a bit more attention to reading the room. Whether it’s laughing at inappropriate times while discussion serious topics or turning a speech into a word smoothie (since it’s long since ceased being a word salad), the Vice President still doesn’t seem to have her executive sea legs under her.

Nothing shows this better than her relative invisibility within her own party over Senate matters. Leftists will say this is because of Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema being disloyal Democrats, but there’s a lot more at work here. For one, Senate Democrats (and Democrats in general, to be honest) have taken a hard line on pending legislation and various issues that have arisen since 2021. Instead of trying to keep the aforementioned Senators on board or getting RINOs like Mitt Romney, Susan Collins, or Lisa Murkowski to join them, there’s been some real antagonism going on, so much so it reminds me a lot of high school.

Now, if you remember your civics classes, the Vice President is President of the Senate and can break ties. And right now, the Senate is split right down the middle, with two Independents caucusing with the Democrats. This should be a layup for a party looking to set up Harris for future political success.

Yet, it’s not happening. Some of this can be attributed to the Senate being more contentious than a hostage situation where neither side wants the hostage, but I think there’s an undercurrent of distrust of Harris at play as well. And it goes back to being set up to succeed, only to fail.

Democrats caught lightning in a bottle when they found Barack Obama. Say what you will about the former President (and, trust me, I have), but he was able to cobble together a pretty solid voting bloc that helped him win 2 terms as President. It didn’t hurt that he ran against two Republicans who made Michael Dukakis look like William the Conqueror, but his coalition was still pretty tight.

The problems with catching lightning in a bottle are a) it tends to hurt, and b) it’s hard to do. With Kamala Harris, the initial feeling was she was going to be the female Obama and even managed to get the former President’s seal of approval (or kiss of death, as the case may be).

Then, she ran for President and got crushed. A lot of it came down to the fact she didn’t really connect with voters the way Obama did. From my perspective, she came off as someone who could recite carefully-crafted lines, but couldn’t make them sound genuine or like they were her words in the first place. A crowded Democrat field didn’t help matters any, either, and she failed to stand out as a candidate.

Let me put it this way. I got the same number of delegates in 2020 that she did, and I wasn’t even running.

Fast forward to 2022, and very little has changed with Harris. She still doesn’t seem comfortable in her role and her big policy initiative of dealing with immigration issues has been pretty dismal. It’s almost like she goes through life perpetually unprepared for the big test, but expecting she can fake her way through it because…reasons.

The fact Senate Democrats haven’t relied on Harris as their ace in the hole tells me they may not think she’s as much of an asset as she was in 2020, and it doesn’t bode well if Joe Biden doesn’t run again in 2024 or gets pushed out in favor of someone else. Usually, the Vice President is expected to be capable of picking up the mantle and winds up on the short list of possible Presidential candidates, but I’m not getting that feeling from the Left right now. Some of that is disappointment at not being able to get some of the Left’s current pet projects (forgiving student loan debt, a living wage, figuring out how many bathrooms they need to put in government buildings to accommodate the growing number of genders), but I can’t lay all of that at Harris’ feet. Instead, I think the reason the Vice President isn’t being seriously considered right now to take the big step into the Oval Office is because Leftists have come to the realization she’s not up to the task.

Imagine that. A person elevated to high office because she checked off a certain number of boxes that have nothing to do with competence isn’t working out that well! Who could have seen that coming, right? I mean, aside from anyone who’s followed the rise and fall within Leftist circles of Kyrsten Sinema, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence. Surely, it can’t happen again…oh, wait…

I have to admit I feel a little sorry for Kamala Harris right now. She’s been thrust into a position she’s not ready for and knows she’s not ready for, but is still expected to perform at a high level. Even with a sympathetic press and a party that outwardly supports her, there is that seed of doubt that keeps growing exponentially with each new blunder, policy failure, and attempt to string together sentences that don’t sound like they came from an AI programmed by Paris Hilton. Even for someone with the ego of a politician, that has to wear on you over time.

Unless you’re an idiot. Then, you seem to have the super power of ignoring your shortcomings. You know, like Eric Swalwell?

Either way, I don’t think the Vice President will be gaining a vote of confidence from the people who voted her into office in the first place.

Should He Stay or Should He Go?

One of the most pressing political questions on people’s minds right now (aside from how much Nancy Pelosi has had to drink) is whether former President Donald Trump will run for President in 2024. That may be a closely guarded secret, even moreso than the Nancy Pelosi question. A lot of people are sure he’s going to run while others are convinced he’s either not going to run or will be in prison by 2024, thus making it a moot point.

The fact is no one knows for sure. I’m not even sure if Trump knows yet, but in the interest of whipping up more wild speculation online, I did some thinking on the subject and I think I have some points to consider. Granted, I’m not inside the former President’s head, so I can’t say for certain what you’re about to read is accurate, but I can tell you it’s bound to be a lot more accurate than any reporting done by Vox. (A low bar, sure, but hey, I gotta start somewhere.)

He’s Running

1) His base is still pretty strong – Contrary to Leftist belief, Donald Trump still remains pretty popular within Republican and conservative ranks. The fact he still polls higher than most candidates after being out of office is a testament to his staying power within the GOP. And his supporters are still on board the Trump Train, no matter what. Honestly, I’d have to go back to Ronald Reagan to find a Republican with that kind of supporter loyalty, which is a testament to Trump.

2) He’ll be running against a weak field on both sides – Let’s face it. Neither major party has a deep bench going into 2024. On the Left we have President Joe Biden, who I’m not sure knows he is President, and possibly Vice President Kamala Harris, whose word salads make Biden look like William F. Buckley. Although there may be more challengers to the left of Biden and Harris, they may not jump into the race out of fear of being Bernie Sanders-ed. On the other side of the aisle, no one seems to be jumping out as a front runner. There is talk of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis being a front-runner for the Republicans, but as of yet, there has been no confirmation he’s running. That leaves Donald Trump to fill the void.

3) Unfinished business – In recent decades, we’ve gotten used to Presidents serving two terms, which makes it easier for Presidents to postpone certain pet projects until later in his Presidency. With Joe Biden winning in 2020, that interrupts or completely scuttles Trump’s plans…or does it? If Trump feels he has more to do, he may throw his hat into the ring as a means to get things done, and with 4 more years, it will be interesting to see what he takes on and how quickly it gets done. Operation Warp Speed may get left in the dust.

4) Sticking it to the Left – If there’s one thing Donald Trump is good at, it’s tweaking the Left. If you though Leftists’ heads exploded the first time, wait until Trump runs again, even if it’s just to get a predictable response out of them. If life gave out achievements like video games do, Trump would get the Trolling Leftists achievement without even really trying.

5) New voting laws for old voter fraud – In the aftermath of the 2020 election, some Republican-lead states enacted new voting laws, much to the chagrin of the Left. In spite of their caterwauling, Republicans put together some pretty solid proposals to restrict voter fraud where possible while taking some of the Left’s concerns about access to the polls into consideration. Since Trump’s post-Presidency legacy has revolved around voter fraud, he may use this as a platform to reenter the Presidential race and whip up support for this pet project.


He’s Not Running

1) Been there, done that – Trump has already been President once, and it’s caused a lot of headaches for him and his family, due in no small part to Leftists. At this point, even he has to wonder if it was worth it the first time around. To run again and possibly win opens up old wounds, rekindles old rivalries, and creates another level of emotional strain. Being President even once isn’t wussy work, and it takes a strong resolve and a stronger family to do it twice. Since he’s been President once, there may not be a desire to do it again.

2) The DeSantis factor – I know I mentioned Ron DeSantis earlier as not being in the race yet, but the possibility of him entering the race can’t be discounted yet. Since becoming Governor, DeSantis has shown many of the positive traits Trump supporters love while mitigating some of the negative traits that hurt Trump. From a strategic standpoint, if DeSantis can deliver the Trump agenda without the drawbacks, it may be better for the former President to step aside and delegate authority.

3) He’s a known entity – One of the things that frustrated the Left in 2016 was how Trump was able to beat Hillary Clinton. Although he’s spent a lot of time in the public eye (sometimes for the wrong reasons), there were still a lot of question marks surrounding his political savvy. In 4 years, though, many of those question marks have been answered because we’ve seen how he governed. He no longer has the element of surprise he did in 2016. Without it, he is more vulnerable.

4) The Agony of Defeat – It’s no secret Donald Trump has an ego, as do most politicians. What sets him apart from most politicians is how much of his ego is wrapped up in what he’s done or able to do. It was evident from when he was dealing in real estate in the 80s, when he was starring in “The Apprentice,” and when he was sitting in the White House. As such, the 2020 election loss stung him. This sets up a conflict within himself should he run again. His ego will not accept him losing a second time, but it may force him to run again to avenge the loss. Regardless of the decision, the possibility of losing again may be a deciding factor in whether he runs in 2024.

5) Voter fraud is still a concern – In spite of the aforementioned new voting laws, Leftists still have ways to play the system, thanks to our old friend Uncle George Soros. As we saw in 2020, it’s not only important to have the votes to win, but to have people in place to certify you have the votes to win. That’s where Uncle George has placed a lot of his faith (and more than a few dollars and candidates). Even with the new laws, voter fraud may be a concern, one that Trump may not be able to overcome.

I’m sure there are some factors I’ve missed, but I think I’ve hit enough of the big ones to get people to think and offer up their own wild-ass speculations!

Leftist Lexicon Word of the Week

The world has some really evil people in it, but there is one who is at the top of the heap. His actions have caused thousands of COVID-19 deaths, threatened millions more, and doesn’t follow the science like the way we’re told it has to be followed. I’m speaking of, of course, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Or at least that’s what the Left thinks of him.

With the attention DeSantis has garnered with the Left, I think it would be worthwhile to do a deep dive into the Governor to see if we can pinpoint why the Left hates him with the passion of a thousand suns.

Ron DeSantis

What the Left thinks it means – a cruel, incompetent governor who will kill as many people as he can through bad decisions

What it really means – Donald Trump with better impulse control

I think we’ve hit on the main reason the Left hates DeSantis, but more on that later.

Trying to keep track of how well different governors have been doing with the pandemic is like trying to calculate the color bleen: theoretically possible, but more likely to be maddening, and definitely pointless. While the sensible thing would be to count the number of cases and the number of deaths, the Left kept changing the rules to soften the blow of the multiple custerfucks from Democrat governors and to criticize Republican governors who had enough sense to, you know, not put COVID-19 patients in nursing homes where those susceptible to it were.

Among these eeeeevillll Republican governors was Ron DeSantis. While the Left fawned over Andrew “Sexual Assault and Letting Old People Die Are a Part of My Culture” Cuomo, DeSantis actually did the job Cuomo was being lauded for doing without actually doing it. And for that, the Left hates him.

Well, along with being a threat to the Left’s plans to keep the White House in 2024. And given how the current guy is doing, DeSantis only needs to keep breathing to beat him. If you think the Left had a hate boner for Donald Trump, prepare for one that will last far more than four years and will not require seeing a doctor because DeSantis dares to do something Donald Trump did and continues to do: call out the Left when they lie about him.

Let’s just say the Left has been very busy lying about DeSantis.

As I’ve noted before, the Left hates anybody who fights back against them in any way, and I do mean any. Even a marginal disagreement over policy can turn you in to persona non grata in Leftist circles. Just as Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard President whose only crime was to note men and women are better at different tasks and fields of study. How scandalous! When it comes to DeSantis, though, the Left have been having fits over how he and his communications director keep calling them out.

Of course, Leftists have fits at the drop of a hat, so that’s nothing new.

There is a line of thought that the reason Leftists are going so hard at DeSantis is because they’re afraid he’s going to run in 2024. I agree with this to a point, but I think there’s a bigger fear at work here. The Left is afraid of a 2016 repeat where a candidate who wasn’t supposed to win actually does. It wasn’t that long ago that the Left underestimated Donald Trump (when they weren’t using him as a ratings boost, I might add) and miscalculated just how unpopular Hillary Clinton was (or at least how clueless the Left is when it comes to acknowledging the screamingly obvious).

If current trends continue, 2024 is going to come down to an established Leftist pawn…I mean candidate in Joe Biden, an inexperienced Leftist pawn…I mean candidate in Kamala Harris, and whomever the Republicans put forward. If current trends continue further, the Republican candidate is going to be Ron DeSantis, which works against the Left. Whether the Left supports the doddering old fool or the doddering young fool, they will have a hard sell for the American people, although not as hard a sell as when they tried to convince people to vote for Hillary.

The other aspect that scares the ever-loving bat snot out of the Left is DeSantis isn’t as unpredictable as Donald Trump was. Oh, DeSantis is as passionate and driven as Trump was, but he has a better control over his passions and words, which makes him Trump 2.0: all the Leftist butt-whuppin’ with a smaller likelihood of mangling the English language. That alone makes DeSantis dangerous to the Left. Oh, they’ll still paint him as a racist/sexist/homophobic/bigoted/fascist/religious nutjob/Hitler-wannabe, but it won’t affect him while having the potential to pimp-slap the Left in the process. Because…lack of self-awareness.

While DeSantis isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of Earl Gray (I’m looking at you, Lincoln Project), there is something to be said of someone who doesn’t take shit from Leftists and lets them know exactly what he feels about them. If some people have their way, that something will be “Mister President.”

For others, it will be “Skippy.” Don’t ask me why.