Senate The US Politics 2.0 Discussion Thread

NPR claims that Hegseth is on the way out: https://www.npr.org/2025/04/21/nx-s1-5371312/trump-white-house-pete-hegseth-defense-department

 

Usually that means someone worse will replace him.

 

I wonder what else was in the purse - as in 'Hegseth-level incompetence' else

 

It's not Trump's fault. Hegseth looked completely unqualified on paper, but there's no way Trump could have known that he would actually be as incompetent in practice as all the evidence suggested.

 

I'm honestly expecting that we'll also learn that Hegseth has a mistress and that he shared info about the Yemen attack with her as well.

 

Oh, there doesn't need to be a reason for Trump to fire someone. If there's no clear reason the minions will wonder what it is and be on edge and Trump likes that.

 

We've also seen, though, that Trump tries to disassociate himself from anyone he thinks is a 'loser' and lowering his own brand - I suspect that is more of a reason why Musk is on the outs rather than perceived disloyalty

 

Newsom criticizes Senator Van Hollen and Democrats caring about the prison in El Salvador as a distraction:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/van-...nt-deserve-to-lead_n_6805389be4b0a6a013849a95

No, Newsom, you are the distraction.

 

So Newsom's on a political suicide run then?

 

Not in his mind, and that’s a big problem.

 

I'm sure that at least half the Democratic establishment is horny for the kind of fascism-lite that Newsom represents

 

Naw. Just democrats trying to run as “common sense” Centrist-Republicans or some crap now that Republicans have lost their freaking minds and have chosen cultist- authoritarianism.

He sees a centrist-right gap and wants to fill that hole. That’s easier and more logical to him than espousing anything remotely left-leaning and lawful

 

James Carville will be on cable drawling about how Democrats should all follow Newsom's example of surrendering ground to fascists and throwing vulnerable people under the bus, the playback that has worked well for the party with almost every presidential election since the 1980s (except all the times it didn't).

 

Newsom trying to position himself as the valueless neoliberal the donors can rally themselves around once a progressive candidate start gaining real momentum.

 

All right, I'm gonna join in on the Newsom bashing. That's really stupid.

 

Democrats rebranding themselves as center-right isn't going to work for a number of reasons, one of the main ones is that a giant part of Trump's base's entire political view is based on pissing off Democrats. Does something outrage Democrats? Then it's a good thing. Is Hegseth incompetent? It doesn't matter, his actions outrage Democrats, therefore we support it. Is that hypocritical with regards to the "but her emails" thing? The hypocrisy outrages Democrats, so it's great. Etc.

 

How do you rebrand as center-right when you already are center-right?

 

I meant, move even further to the right. Democrats have been doing that since at least the Clinton years. Doesn't change my point, though.

 

@Count Yubnub Yes, but now even Republicans are starting to say that while the dude fashions himself to be somehow Ulysses S. Grant the only thing they have in common is being drunks, except Grant was kept his drinking quiet as there is absolutely no evidence he was ever drunk "on the job" including leading the union army and being president. Meanwhile, everyone has seen Pete drinking on the job.

 

The old anecdote about some enemy of Grant wanting Lincoln to fire him and brought up his alcoholism, and Lincoln replied something to the effect of "Well, find out what he's drinking and give it to the other generals, they apparently need it"

 

Throwback to Hilary Clinton's logo being a big red arrow pointing to the right

 

Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore what people do or don't think of Democrats, or how far right they are. There aren't going to be any more elections.

 

While we shouldn't take normal processes for granted, it's also odd to me to just take for granted that the 78-year-old man with an obviously melting brain and his crew of drunks and incompetents will just get everything they want and win forever no matter how unpopular they get or if they tank the economy by increasing the cost of microwaves 200% or whatever stupid thing.

 

The reason moving right doesn't work is because the average person doesn't pay attention to policy details. Fox News just continues labeling Democrats as "radical leftists", people believe it, and the end result is you've given away a policy concession for no votes in return. No, the way to fight this is to maintain a moderate tone and style, while taking more progressive policy positions. Counterattack and discredit Fox News, defend our own side unapologetically, and move that Overton window back to the center-left, where it used to be.