this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2025
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politics

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Summary

Republicans face rising fears of a 2026 midterms backlash after defeats in key races, with some blaming Trump’s tariffs and Elon Musk’s influence.

Trump announced sweeping new trade levies Wednesday, alarming GOP strategists who warn of higher prices and economic risks.

Vulnerable Republicans urge a return to economic messaging, citing concerns the party is overreaching. Democrats are leveraging Musk’s unpopularity, linking him to GOP policies.

The GOP remains divided over how to respond.

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[–] dota__2@lemmy.world 114 points 2 days ago (2 children)

this is all song and dance. trust nothing that is said that remotely sounds good for their opposition.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 72 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Exactly.

I remember Mitch saying that the reason he voted against the second impeachment was that he felt Trump's Jan 6 crimes would be better adjucated in criminal court. And before that, I remember Linsday saying that if Trump wins the GOP nomination in 2016, the GOP will get "destroyed.... and we'll deserve it".

Never underestimate the ability of Republican voters to enthusiastically vote against their interests....

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 26 points 2 days ago

Trump's Jan 6 crimes would be better adjucated in criminal court

As soon as he said that, I knew they'd never hold him accountable. Because I knew they'd immediately move to "Congress didn't convict him so there's nothing to see here", "if we have to go to court, let's bring in every stalling tactic possible" followed by "why are you investigating such an old event". I hate the Republicans.

[–] FrostyTheDoo@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Yeah, I don't buy anything about how the public is leaning anymore. I assume everyone is conservative and will continue to vote conservative in every election until I see any evidence otherwise.

After the 2024 election, the public can't be trusted and the media absolutely cannot be, in regards to elections especially.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago

Well, you greedy fucks thought you could control a "celebrity," and push your Neo Feudalist agenda.

You didn't count on him being the most psycho narcissist you'd ever met, did you?

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 23 points 2 days ago

They should be worried, everything is stacking up to be a classic mid-term bloodbath, just like 2010.

And that is exactly why there will either be a heavily and obviously rigged election, or HitlerPig will impose Martial Law over some False Flag operation (probably ferocious violence against peaceful protesters), and suspend all elections until peace is restored, which will never happen because he controls the peace.

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 44 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If I believed that, they'd stop doing stupid shit.

Since they aren't, I don't believe they are worried in thetvemidhdjdm

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Never seen someone give up on the last sentence they were writing like that

[–] Mister_Hangman@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Honestly, I think he just stroked out

[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 28 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Actually I was dosing off. I had thought I wrote "in the slightest" but I remember it being real blurry before I hit enter.

I'm leaving it because I'm laughing my ass off about how it turned out

[–] fake_meows@lemm.ee 15 points 2 days ago

Drink a covfefe.

[–] AngryRobot@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Been there, my friend!

I do all the time on phone keyboards

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 20 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

They should be concerned about being hung for treason if they keep supporting a coup.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Point to a second Republican that has actually been punished for their criminal misconduct.

Is Matt Gaetz in jail yet? Did Dick Cheney spend any time behind bars? What about Richard Nixon?

[–] the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_federal_politicians_convicted_of_crimes

There's plenty of them. 13 during GW Bush's administration alone (and 3 Democrats)

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I don't think the justice system will do anything.

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 43 points 2 days ago (6 children)

I've been hoping for a MAGoo/GOP war since 2015.

otoh, if DOGE really manages to mess up Social Security payments, there's no way the GOP can recover.

[–] Heikki@lemm.ee 25 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Im not so sure it'd be that easy. The conservative media cesspool is closed loop. They will lie and blame the Dems for not making it break proof or some other BS and the sheep will eat it up.

We will need Dems to go onto the shows and blast the message day and night that it's broken bc GOP allowed I lt it be broken by an illegal imagrant.

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[–] mynamesnotrick@lemmy.zip 18 points 2 days ago

I wouldn't go that far. The maga Republicans are obviously so easily manipulated without a shred of critical thought left that they will do whatever their overlords want of them.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

otoh, if DOGE really manages to mess up Social Security payments, there’s no way the GOP can recover.

Republicans straight up nuked the economy in 2008 and they were back in the Congressional Majority two years later. Same thing happened in 2020.

Gerrymandering makes many of these maps mathematically unwinnable for Democrats

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[–] Omega_Man@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If they're willing to brazenly attack Social Security, maybe they don't care about elections anymore.

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[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I get what you’re saying, but I am also extremely aware of how fucking stupid the American electorate is, up to and including having all government support taken away and responding with “thank you sir, may I have another”. American conservatives are deeply stupid.

[–] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Didn't forget the Democrats strong suit is striking out at tee ball. It should be easy to capitalize on this, but I just know they'll totally fuck it up.

[–] KillerTofu@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

And on purpose. They aren’t a leftist party.

Oh yeah, absolutely.

Also, I’m totally stealing “striking out at tee ball” lmao

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[–] suburban_hillbilly@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago

People used to say Reagan and his courting of the 'moral majority' were going to fracture the party and cause it to destroy itself with the embrace of a massively divisive religious rhetoric. It's wishful thinking at best.

there’s no way the GOP can recover.

I want this to be true, but it just isn't. A third of the country will follow along with whatever mental gymnastics are required to blame democrats. Another third are just not paying enough attention and vote on pure vibes, if at all. If dems try to run an unlikable, centrist candidate with a mixed at best record it will end up a toss up. And the electorate at large will forget everything that is happening now within eight years.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Well, it's not like the Democrats are going to take advantage of it or anything. They probably shouldn't worry about that, maybe they should worry more about being hauled out of their beds and dragged through the streets naked. That's a lot more likely.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They should be more worried about trump making being a congressman or judge a powerless position. There are so many executive actions going against law and it keeps increasing.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 8 points 2 days ago

Illegal Executive Orders are still illegal, and obeying them is illegal.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Fucking traitors should be nervous about much more than that.

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[–] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 days ago

If they actually cared they do have the power to stop Trump.

Don't worry though, if people are even allowed to vote in 2016 Republican voters wil have long forgotten by then what it was like to have rights and be able to afford groceries, and will be happy to vote to let the leopards eat the faces of the next outgroup in line.

[–] ofcourse@lemmy.ml 19 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Until Republican lawmakers change their voting patterns, these articles mean nothing and IMO are poor journalism. Lawmakers can say anything about their reelection worries and polls almost always show swings in the opposite direction after elections.

[–] MuskyMelon@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago

What are they afraid of? Trump has fucked the trans gendered, illegal aliens, brown Americans and residents, old Americans, poor Americans and now he really taking it to the penguins of uninhabited islands. Thats what I call winning baby!

[–] bravesilvernest@lemmy.ml 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

3 months in and they are worried about 2y down the road. Oof

[–] Botzo@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago (3 children)

You say 2 years, but the election is 19 months away and early campaigns will start in 8. Shit, we'll probably see the first early messaging by the end of summer. So it's no stretch to believe that some candidates for target races are being vetted already. And that means anger now makes a difference.

[–] jj4211@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Campaign ads have already started for the Senate race in my state.

[–] Botzo@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Oof.

Best of luck staying sane.

[–] phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago

There's elections every year so 7 months not 19 before we may start to see effects. Heck Florida has special elections June 10.

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[–] mynamesnotrick@lemmy.zip 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'll celebrate once it comes to past.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'll celebrate (1) once it's come to pass, (b) the Democrats have actually started standing up to ... well, anybody, (c) the resistance has started to have irrevocable wins, and (d) all the people and institutions that have actively enabled this situation are gone.

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[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Piece of cake. Just make it a illegal to vote for anyone but Republicans.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I'm reading that in a positive light: abolish political parties (i.e. no more magic 'R' for the mouth-breathers to look for).

Everyone (sane, insane, benevolent, evil, corrupt, etc) runs as Republican. Nice little loophole.

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You mad bastard, that's twisted genius!

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 9 points 2 days ago

Turnabout's fair play 🤷‍♂️ My state-level politicians have been running as Democrats and then switching parties after they're elected. 😠

I've been saying this for years now, but in the opposite direction... everyone register Republican. If everyone is a "Republican," who do they purge? Not their voters!

[–] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

No they aren’t. They have cheated and gerrymandered their way into tenured positions, the only way out is them dying or retiring.

[–] gargolito@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Sure,like they haven't compromised every single board of elections to never lose an election.

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 4 points 2 days ago

"There’s a lot of support in these communities for getting tough on trade, for cutting government spending, but if tariffs spin out of control, and there’s no results on trade deals, then rural communities are really going to be hit by that.”

There aren't going to be any "results" from "trade deals" that will help rural communities. They're just going to have to suck up what they voted for.

While many of the president’s allies are sympathetic to his argument that the tariffs will encourage companies to invest in domestic manufacturing and production

Uhh, with what money will they invest? They've given most of their money back to investors. Also, you only invest big money in countries where you have faith in their futures. Trump has irrevocably damaged the US' image and relationships. No one is going to trust us any more, and they're right in doing that.

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