I donāt want to put this sort of commentary in the Russia thread because itās a side topic, so I guess it goes here?
I gotta say that, even if you set aside the whole NATO thing and the 300 nuclear warheads France has, I think France basically mops the floor with the Russian Army Iāve seen in Ukraine the last week.
Youād think a guy with such transparent yearning to be president could maybe think about what that job might entail if he gets it. But of course itās a central tenet of GOP orthodoxy that the French are laughable losers, and the base needs that red meat.
KevinC
13192
Americansā (the idiot ones, of which there are many) perspective of French military capability absolutely drives me nuts. The French have a long and proud military tradition, I wouldnāt want to tangle with them. I would love to see how Texas would have faired if it was them facing the blitzkrieg in 1939.
Nothing advertises āignorant Americanā like a French surrender commentary.
I continue to think that Desantis is the likely GOP nominee in 2024. And he continues to act like the sort of guy the GOP primary voters will give the nod to.
Itās hard for me to see Trump not being the nominee unless he decides against running. If that happens, then yes, Desantis, who would be awful.
Menzo
13195
The silver lining in that scenario is that our fears that the next Trump would be smarter than Trump, and thus be way worse for the country, would not be realized in DeSantis.
I donāt know about that. Heās more palatable and less batshit. Normal seeming, if you will. Trump was and is a stomach-churning train wreck of a human. DeathSentence is lawful evil.
He seems to be no less belligerent and every bit as confidently stupid, which is the same dangerous combo IMO.
A shit sandwich with avocado is still a shit sandwichā¦
McConnell: Itās Bidenās fault.
Alstein
13200
France is the 2nd most expeditionary military in the world, right behind us.
as for DeSantis heās every bit at chaotic evil as Trump, just with a higher INT and WIS score.
Heās also more of a product of the system though, which I think limits the damage he will do. Trumpās many failings, in terms of personality/menality/comprehension/compassion, are well understood. Many politicians share these traits. However what I feel made Trump really really dangerous is that he was a political outsider. He had no political cronies, no trusted circle of politicos, no relationships he was worried about preserving.
We know Truimp feels pretty immune to legal consequences, but a lot of politicians feel that way. What really keeps them in check is that a high office like the presidency is a culmination of a career theyāve built by making and maintaining political relationships. That same web of relationships that raised them up to such levels can also drag them back down to earth fast. Those relationships are the gravity that keeps a political body in a proper orbit. Trump was immune to that, so the regular threats that check a politician that is upsetting too many applecarts were meaningless to him. High turnover in his administration didnāt bother him at all. The threat of losing a political career upon failure to get re-elected meant nothing to him. The threat of being an outcast in political circles didnāt phase him in the least. He was beyond the reach of any admonishment, correction, censure, or warning. He truly did what he wanted.
DeSantis, for all his many failures, is a product of such a system. No less evil, but less likely to just casually destroy tradition and institutions on a whim. I donāt like DeSantis a bit, but I feel heās far less dangerous to the continued existing of our Republic than another Trump term in office.
I was just going to post something similar. Also, Trump had the āauraā of business success which low information, right wing/leaning voters could admire and/or view as a positive for the office.
With DeSantis he is only known for doing crappy politician stuff. Like Rubio, Cruz, etc.
Menzo
13204
Good. I was wondering when the first lawsuit would be.
Dejin
13205
I think itās been pretty clear that the Republicans are not basing anything on facts anymore. Theyāve been straight out making stuff up for a while and theyāve been rewarded for it and see no reason to stop now.
Moral corruption indeed:
Not just your run-of the mill infidelity, but true infidel-ity:
The day before the primary, the conservative outlet Breitbart News posted a story that Taylor had had a monthslong affair with a Plano woman, Tania Joya, who he had paid $5,000 to keep quiet. The publication reported that she provided it a phone screen shot purporting to be communications with Taylor and a bank record showing that she deposited $5,000 into her account. The Texas Tribune has not been able to independently verify the report.
Taylor is married with three children.
Joya is known as a former jihadist who was once married to a commander for the Islamic State. Tabloids have referred to her as āISIS bride.ā
That is a twist M. Night Shyamalan probably would have considered too absurd.
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