Out Loud and Right Away

The other day, Trump was on a podcast talking about wanting his party to take control of elections and nationalize voting.  As soon as I saw the story, my immediate reaction was – “Hey, journalists, ask MAGOP members of Congress if they support their party controlling all elections federally.” 

It didn’t shock me that he said this.  After all, Trump openly said before the 2024 election that he wanted to be a dictator.  But “only for the first day” was his empty disclaimer.  I mean, honestly, when was the last time – the only time – we’ve seen a dictator give up power after “only the first day”?

But beyond that is a quote Trump made on May 4, 2018, praising China dictator Xi ending presidential term limits.  It’s a comment generally forgotten, though I saved it at the time and posted it periodically on social media.  Trump said about Xi -- "He's now president for life. President for life. And he's great.  And look, he was able to do that.  I think it's great. Maybe we'll give that a shot some day."

So, no, it was never about just for "Day 1".

And so, of course, he would say what he did about wanting MAGOPs to take over national control of voting. 

And absolutely, I completely understand why Trump’s comments made such news – they’re ghastly, fascist, dictatorial and dangerous to even suggest.  Indeed, pretty much anything that comes out of Trump’s mouth is dangerous.  Because he’s a fascist, White Supremacist, malignant narcissist, anti-Smite, pathological liar, who is convicted of 34 felonies, adjudicated of rape and found guilty of business fraud – and who has long said he wants to be a dictator for life – and has dementia, which is degenerative.  So, anything, everything Trump says should be taken seriously and dangerously.

But…just because Trump says he wants to do something doesn’t mean it will be done.  Or even can be done.  And this about wanting MAGOPs to control national elections is not going anywhere. 

It’s not only unconstitutional and not only against the core “State’s Right” foundation of conservatives…but furthermore, I think every member of Congress (including MAGOPs) loves and supports the concept of local and state elections.  That is specifically how they were able to get elected for the first time and then stay elected.

Moreover, as I’ve written on social media whenever Trump has hinted about his desires to take national control of elections, this is one of those Trump Plans that would be so much more improbable to do than his fascist dreams would make it seem.  There are 50 states controlling their own elections and deeply protective of that authority.  Then add in the many hundreds of local city and county elections, each one their own fiefdom.

So, all of that is why my immediate thought was – hey, journalists, ask MAGOPs in Congress what they think about the government, even their own party, federalizing voting.

And that’s why I was pleased that MAGOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune was asked about it.  And pleased – and not surprised – when he answered:

“I’m supportive of only citizens voting and showing ID at polling places. I think that makes sense. … But I’m not in favor of federalizing elections, no. I think that’s a constitutional issue,” he told reporters.  “I’m a big believer in decentralized and distributed power.  And I think it’s harder to hack 50 election systems than it is to hack one. In my view, at least, that’s always a system that has worked pretty well."

Moreover, when Thune said here, “And I think it’s harder to hack 50 election systems than it is to hack one” I was even more pleased to see it, because that is core to the point I was addressing above.  Having independent state and locally-run election is not only important to the politicians themselves, but it is what’s most critical to “free and fair” elections and to democracy, which is the whole supposed reason Trump keeps trying to push his lunatic dream.

The thing is, as much as I was sure that’s how John Thune (and I’m sure almost all others) would respond when asked, what’s so important here is not the reaction…but that Thune, the MAGOP Senate Majority Leader, said it out-loud.  And said it right away.  Good for him doing so.  I’m surprised that he did it so soon, but not remotely surprised he feels this way.

Thune gave the response that I was sure virtually ALL would give.  (If not all.)

It was great to see.  And honestly, I’m not surprised.

(For that matter, even MAGOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson -- who never met a Trump proposal he didn't love -- struggle to put as positive a spin on Trump's unworkable plan, trying to make it sound like Trump was only venting his unhappiness.  “We know it’s in our system the states have been in charge of administering their elections," Johnson said.  "What you’re hearing from the president is his frustration…”  Ahhh, so that's all it was.  Not really a "plan" at all.  Just...frustration.  Nothing to worry about.  Actually, what we were hearing from Trump was his bone-curdling fear.)

And in the end, as much as I hated hearing Trump bring this up, there was a side of me that was pleased.  Because it’s what I’ve often noted here – that every hellish thing Trump does will come back to hurt him.  And Trump saying this out loud – that he wants his own party to control all elections nationally – is going to be so damning for people.  Because as “MAGA” as the base of his party is, the public hates it, too.  Because the public loves its local elections and loves controlling them at home.  So, pushing this only makes Trump look significantly worse than he already does, with his poll numbers plummeting.  After all, when you only have a 37% approval, when the public says overwhelmingly that they don’t like you, that you’ve made their life worse -- in what world does the public want to put that person in charge of everything??!  Whatever the “everything” is!  Instead, they’d most likely be horrified by the concept – on general principle, but especially  when it’s proposed by the person they hate.  Who has dementia.  Which is degenerative.  Moreover, Trump floating his dream plan in public shows how terrified he is of the Mid-Terms.  Especially after the crushing defeat and personal rebuke in the Texas state senate election.

Not to mention, what he "wants" is contrary the U.S. Constitution.  And changing it requires a Constitutional amendment.  You can't just go to your MAGOP-led Congress and get them to pass a law.  And passing a Constitutional Amendment is incredibly difficult.  (How difficult?  The Equal Rights Amendment passed Congress in 1972...and after 53 years, it's still waiting to be ratified by enough states.  But that's the easy part.  It was introduced in Congress in...1923!!!  So, it's been 102 years.  To pass equal rights for women.  That's how difficult.)

So, again, good for John Thune saying it.  Out loud.  And right away.

And ultimately, it was going nowhere.  All the more reason for the Senate Majority Leader of Trump’s own party to shut it down immediately. 

(And even Mike Johnson trying his best to wiggle his way out of being buried by Trump's dead-on-arrival delusional fascism.)

To be clear, I am absolutely certain Trump and his MAGOP circle are trying to manipulate elections and control local elections as much as they can.  But even those face big hurdles, though also big efforts to protect elections by everyone else.  However, that's a separate matter from MAGOPs nationalizing elections, taking away the Constitutional power of running their own elections from the states.  That, as John Thune notes (and even Mike Johnson tries to run from) isn't going to happen.

Still, though, all MAGOPs should still be asked about it…  Not only to bury the idea deep in the ground, but shine a bright klieg light on Trump for even suggesting such a crazy, hated, fascist idea from his demented mind.