I’m honestly torn. Trump is definitely being “handled” by the Project 2025 architects (the Heritage Foundation), but he is such an idiotic narcissistic ass that he also tends to fuck their plans up a bit. Vance, on the other hand, will be a dutiful little soldier boy, and not get in their way so much - which is why the HF got Trump to pick him despite the bad blood between them. I’m really a bit more scared of that - kind of a “be careful what you wish for” situation.
You’re forgetting that cults don’t continue when the leader is gone. Trump doesn’t his entire life getting people to believe him and love him or hate him he is good at it. Vance sucks. No one likes him and he will not be able to continue the grift when Donny dies. They have no one past him that can handle the base and the party. There is going to be a lot more pain when he is gone because of all the fighting. Better case unfortunately would be for midterms to happen then he dies then at least there’s a chance the GOP won’t have full control over the government
These are just taking in the cults that have succeeded. It’s survivorship bias. There’s countless more cults that have died out, or faded away time, and time again.
That’s kinda what I mean - if Trump dies now, the HF still has plenty of time left before the midterms to do the most damage possible using Vance. I’m sure they have their marionette strings tied to enough Republican Congress critters to get their stuff done even without Trump’s bullying & they can coach Vance on the rest. If Trump goes, I think I’d rather it be a LOT closer to the midterm election.
ETA: Don’t forget they’re the party in power, and can change all sorts of things that will affect their chances in the election, too. Those things don’t have to hold up legally, just cause legal delays that let them keep power.
All true, but we are very near a point with USA where Vance doesn’t need a cult following, he can rule as a dictator supported by oligarchs. He already has the military and intelligence services and the supreme court. The rest will follow, as resistance is weeded out by those powers.
They’re still going to be loyal to the party because they’ve been brainwashed to think Democrats (who are unfortunately the only other viable option) are out to destroy them & their way of life. It’s gonna take a long time for that to wear off for any significant number of them - during which time another acolyte may be found to carry the torch.
I think the cult will carry a torch for Trump, and Vance - as Trump’s “chosen” successor - can be coached by the HF (likely already has been) to rally the troops effectively enough to achieve their goals. I agree Vance is likely to fuck something up enough eventually to turn the base off, but not right away - and that’s possibly just enough time to do a lot more damage.
Don’t get me wrong - I hope I’m wrong and you’re right - but I just can’t be sure, and so am hoping for the best while planning for the worst.
I’m honestly torn. Trump is definitely being “handled” by the Project 2025 architects (the Heritage Foundation), but he is such an idiotic narcissistic ass that he also tends to fuck their plans up a bit. Vance, on the other hand, will be a dutiful little soldier boy, and not get in their way so much - which is why the HF got Trump to pick him despite the bad blood between them. I’m really a bit more scared of that - kind of a “be careful what you wish for” situation.
You’re forgetting that cults don’t continue when the leader is gone. Trump doesn’t his entire life getting people to believe him and love him or hate him he is good at it. Vance sucks. No one likes him and he will not be able to continue the grift when Donny dies. They have no one past him that can handle the base and the party. There is going to be a lot more pain when he is gone because of all the fighting. Better case unfortunately would be for midterms to happen then he dies then at least there’s a chance the GOP won’t have full control over the government
I mean, Scientology is doing pretty well since the death of L Ron Hubbard.
And Mormonism, The Children of God/The Family, Aleph/Aum Shinrikyo, etc.
Hell, Christianity pretty much started as a Roman era cult around Jesus.
These are just taking in the cults that have succeeded. It’s survivorship bias. There’s countless more cults that have died out, or faded away time, and time again.
That’s kinda what I mean - if Trump dies now, the HF still has plenty of time left before the midterms to do the most damage possible using Vance. I’m sure they have their marionette strings tied to enough Republican Congress critters to get their stuff done even without Trump’s bullying & they can coach Vance on the rest. If Trump goes, I think I’d rather it be a LOT closer to the midterm election.
ETA: Don’t forget they’re the party in power, and can change all sorts of things that will affect their chances in the election, too. Those things don’t have to hold up legally, just cause legal delays that let them keep power.
All true, but we are very near a point with USA where Vance doesn’t need a cult following, he can rule as a dictator supported by oligarchs. He already has the military and intelligence services and the supreme court. The rest will follow, as resistance is weeded out by those powers.
That is the goal of Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation.
The goal isn’t so much who leads it, as long as it’s the wealthy white Christian Nationalists.
Oh yes, I don’t think Trump planned this alone, he simply doesn’t have the brains for it.
Trump, like the other billionaires involved in HF, definitely had a part in crafting it.
Probably less of a “this is how we do it” and more of a “who do I have to grift to get what I want?”
I agree. Hopefully without popular support we could get his grip to crumble from within if enough people despise him both internally and externally.
Yeah but MAGA doesn’t have cult leader boner for Vance. They wouldn’t let him shit in their mouths. Trump on the other hand…
They’re still going to be loyal to the party because they’ve been brainwashed to think Democrats (who are unfortunately the only other viable option) are out to destroy them & their way of life. It’s gonna take a long time for that to wear off for any significant number of them - during which time another acolyte may be found to carry the torch.
I disagree. As I said, they will not let Vance shit in their mouths.
I think the cult will carry a torch for Trump, and Vance - as Trump’s “chosen” successor - can be coached by the HF (likely already has been) to rally the troops effectively enough to achieve their goals. I agree Vance is likely to fuck something up enough eventually to turn the base off, but not right away - and that’s possibly just enough time to do a lot more damage.
Don’t get me wrong - I hope I’m wrong and you’re right - but I just can’t be sure, and so am hoping for the best while planning for the worst.