WAPO OP ED: The corrupt bargain between Trump and GOP is about to unravel

[lindysalsagal]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/11/corrupt-bargain-between-trump-republicans-is-about-unravel/

Opinion by Greg Sargent Columnist November 11, 2020 at 10:48 a.m. EST

President Trump needs Republicans to help him validate his big lie that the votes of millions of Americans are illegitimate and that the election is being stolen from him. Meanwhile, Republicans need Trump to keep his voters energized for two big Senate runoffs in Georgia.

This has created a Faustian bargain of sorts: Republicans keep feeding the illusion that the outcome of the presidential race remains in doubt by refusing to say Trump should concede. And Trump keeps screaming that the outcome is fraudulent, which he may or may not actually believe, but either way, it has utility to Republicans because it keeps his voters in a fury.

The Faustian bargain will unravel

Which gets at a darker aspect of the Faustian bargain. As GOP strategist Liam Donovan explains, untold numbers of Trump voters trust him more than they trust Republicans. When Trump tells them the election was stolen, it’s not just that they believe it; it’s also that they’re inclined to think Republican leaders will sell them out on this point as well, since Trump has told them for years that all our institutions are corrupt.

That leaves little space for Republicans to say that the election’s outcome and Trump’s loss are actually legitimate without being cast as his betrayers, potentially depressing GOP voter turnout.

It's a beautiful thing!

[LuvLoogie]

1. No it is not a beautiful thing.

It's sickening.

[Jarqui]

2. I hope he's right but I don't think he is ... nt

[lindysalsagal]

3. I think it splits the GA GOP vote: and kills their gotv.

But none of it is possible because by law all this stuff has to get settled well before the runoff, and so the gop senate HAS to go along with it, which will keep many gop voters HOME. Beacuse frump has told them not to trust anyone but him, including the gop.

frump essentially just buried the gop and there's nothing in the world they can do about it.

Now, if we can gotv for dems, we HOLD THE SENATE!!!!

[StClone]

4. The (R)s have the Senate, SCOTUS, State Governments

And they are outright liars and criminals. American vote widely for them. What does it take to be seen as doing wrong if you are a Republican in the eyes of America? This Trump thing will not hurt them.

R Stands for Recidivist-Over 50 years of Crime by (R) Presidents https://democraticunderground.com/100214532096

[Lucinda]

5. KNR