in many ways, it's not trump i fear most.

[unblock]

oh, trump is to be feared, to be sure. mostly, i suspect, he'll enrich himself and his family at the expense of the treasury and public policy. he'd hand over the baltic states for a few building permits in moscow. the only thing holding him back would be if he though he could get even more. and of course, fairness and equality will take a major step backwards.

but who i fear will bring real, long-lasting damage is ryan and mcconnell. they will largely set the legislative agenda. i think trump wants a few talking points consistent with his campaign "promises", but beyond that, he doesn't give a rat's behind. the republican congress will pull their right-wing wet dream proposals that had been gathering dust off the shelves and put them on donnie's desk.

he'll ask if they include something he can call a "wall" or a "repeal" of obamacare and sign without reading. then he'll tweet victory and call it a day.

ryan and mcconnell and the right-wing think tanks and their lobbyists will have a field day.

[Miles Archer]

1. Welcome to the club.

I've been posting the same thing, from the Primaries, through the Election, right up till earlier today.

The danger here is Paul Ryan getting what he wants, and he now sees Trump as his means to an end...his "Better Way" manifesto. The end of Medicare and Social Security, cuts in everything he deems an "entitlement program," and an even more dramatic shift of the nation's wealth to the 1%ers.

I would expect to see a lot more Ryan posts here. Can't understand why that's not the situation at all.

[Raster]

2. I don't think the Ryan threat has completely sunk in...

...and too many are still rationalizing WHY CLINTON LOST the election, and with it, sent the Democratic party into 40 years of wandering in the desert.

Unfortunately ALL OF THE WARNINGS that we would lose EVERYTHING if Clinton lost the election fell on too many deaf ears.

[pnwmom]

9. There are too many idiots who think that we need to "hit bottom"

and then the country will magically see the light and value all the programs we got rid of.

Nope. Not going to happen. If we lose the entire safety net -- which is what's in jeopardy -- we will be lucky if we EVER get them back.

[Raster]

11. I completely agree... EVERYTIME I hear that "need to hit bottom" bullshit...

...I want to scream. This isn't an alcoholic spouse or sibling we are talking about, IT'S THE FREAKIN' COUNTRY. And to "hit bottom" means that millions upon millions will lose life's necessities.

I live in Arizona, and over the holiday got into a "discussion" with a few of my not-so-Democrat friends and family. When I brought up the possibility of Social Security and Medicare pared back or "reformed," the looks of horror on their faces told the tale: they did not consider the possibilities of a tRump win, or of a rethuglican sweep. No, all they thought about was not letting crooked win the election.

[moonscape]

3. I fear all of them. Ryan and McConnell, yes, but also there is not

a moderate around who will be the last one in his ear.

The reason I fear T is because he will never have a grasp of the issues and continue to operate on 'gut.' He will operate based on slights, praise, and who is the best manipulator. Who makes he feel most in control? He is as capable of exacting revenge on Ryan as he is to rubber stamp.

The only crack we have, is that T is obsessed with approval. If he sees the country is starting to turn on him for decisions he, I mean Ryan, made - he might waiver and stiffen against Ryan.

I don't think T has any interest in gutting Medicare for example, which is not to say he's not capable of going along with it. But it's an issue where he could get a backlash he's not expecting, and not be as easy as Ryan now thinks to manipulate on the issue.

[unblock]

4. he's loves approval but likes attention even more.

sure, he's thin-skinned and must respond to every slight or negative press item.

but at the end of the day, he's happy as long as the spotlight is on him.


in other words, he won't mind if half the country hates him, as long as he can summon a crowd of adoring fans on a whim.

it will take a hefty super-majority to loathe him before it has an effect on him.

[we can do it]

5. I agree.

[CrispyQ]

6. McConnell /Ryan will work fast and bold

To dismantle the safety net, roll back LGBT and women's rights and they get a SCOTUS nom right out of the gate. The dems, OTOH, will congratulate themselves on winning the popular vote. We're fucked.

[Retrograde]

7. McConnell's already put his stamp on the courts

by refusing to hold hearings - let alone confirmation votes - on many of Obama's nominees to federal judgeships.

[oberliner]

8. Pence also

Since he will be doing the actual job of POTUS, and he is a right-wing fundamentalist Christian true believer.

[Solly Mack]

10. Yes.

[Exilednight]

12. This is a pretty accurate assessment.

I see Trump as just being a rubber-stamp for the McCconnell-Ryan agenda.