Back

@eibhear @aral

Yes, although there is the real possibility that the power struggle and infighting takes more casualties among them.

@aral @bifouba Something to look forward to.

(P.S. I read an analysis that argues strongly that the power of MAGA is in Trump, and no one else. A timely demise of the former would prove or disprove that assertion, but if it disproves it, we're all in deeper doo-doo, IMO.)

@eibhear @aral

I would love to believe that, but the data point from Austria makes me sceptical. After their “charismatic" front-person fell from grace and left the party after a corruption scandal, everyone was relieved that the internal power struggle was won not by the suave, respectable “fascist in a suit”, but by a guy who had, until then, stayed behind the scenes as a speech writer because on paper he has zero appeal. Looks weaselly, not the type you'd want to share a beer with at all, no obvious charisma at all, zero alpha male vibes. And yet he took the fascist party to new heights and got their best ever election result. We were only saved by the fact that he is such a raging asshole at a personal level that not even the fascism-adjacent conservatives want to work with him.

@aral @bifouba Leaving me to fall back on my hope that Donald Trump remains alive for the next four years, and somewhat in control of his faculties.

The next hope is that some adults enter the room on time to take control of the situation on January 20th 2029.