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John from FL's avatar

The GOP now has coalitions they have to manage, just like the Democrats. The anti-DEI part of the coalition is getting what they want, as their ideas ripple through Government, academia and businesses.

But the deficit hawks -- many of whom are the mouth-breathers in the Freedom Caucus -- are the ones to watch here. They are not going to get what they want, as the math just doesn't work as Matt has repeatedly pointed out. I really do not see how they will be able to move forward. It's going to be a long 2-4 years.

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dysphemistic treadmill's avatar

“The paradox of Trump’s first weeks”

I still don’t see any paradox. An autocratic executive that neuters a dithering legislature? That’s exactly the path that every strongman has followed.

Far from being a hindrance to Trump’s power grab, the futility of Congress is an enabling condition, practically a precondition. It’s exactly because Congress is visibly ineffectual (even the liberal Yglesias is saying!) that the public will clamor to have Trump take over all of the levers of power.

I mean — you think Hitler took power because the Weimar legislature was focused and effective?

There’s no paradox here: this is the way autocrats come to power.

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