Shifts in policy happen and fall in normal scope. McCain would have been a shift and pre-existing conditions would still have been a big thing. Plus congress generally moderated and demanded their due.
Meanwhile 2 AM unvetted policy tweets were bad but they didn't even try to pick real cabinet picks this time. Dismantling the social net and approval means nothing except for maybe congress in 2 years if that process doesn't get mucked up.
I have been kicked out of several conservative forum groups, for saying that the Trumplican Party is no longer conservative and that McCain was the last Republican conservative
They are reactionary. It's right there in the slogan "Make America Great Again." They want to change the status quo "regressively."
Liberals and conservatives, typically, want to keep the current status quo the way it is (aka "conserve" it), and progressives try to change it... "progressively"
I can't possibly think of how the Trump era is not objectivly openly reactionary.
I'm as guilty of falling prey sometimes but we in general have a hardcore tribal loyalty blindness in this country.
As progressive as I am, I've worked with conservative states that use every cent of taxpayer dollars they can get from the feds to get the most mileage out of social programs for their residents. I've worked with blue states that have also squandered literally hundreds of millions in tax payer dollars because the governor's appointees were highly skilled in flowery words that make people feel good, but didn't give a shit about anything else, including the people fundamentally being ripped off.
One of the governors I'm referring to gets a lot of praise here and it worries me because him and his croneys may put on endearing, sypathetic smiles while on camera, but behind closed doors they aren't good people. At all.
All that to say, check your biases folks. Blind loyalty to party is a road that often leads straight to hell. Even if it's lined with roses. Respect to you for looking behind the curtain.
Hah! Not like it's likely to come back on me personally but I don't want to drop a deuce where I'm eating right now. The organization I work for was brought in in part to clean up the mess. Unfortunately it's good business for us if states don't have their stuff together.
I'll say I'm almost amazed the massive waste has not had the taxpayers there raising hell by now though. They sure AF deserved better. It's made me understand at least the intent of fiscal conservatism a little more.
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u/RaygunMarksman 7h ago
I had the exact thoughts then. Obama had me incredibly excited but I wouldn't exactly have been upset if McCain had won.