Michael Steele said that if Merick Garland tries to prosecute Trump

[DLCWIdem]

That it will turn off donors. Do any of you agree with that assertion.

[TeamPooka]

1. nope

[GoneOffShore]

2. Hah. It will encourage donors.

[Airotciv60]

3. No

Remember. Steele is a Republican. Majority of people want to see justice here.

[Hekate]

4. Merrick Garland will follow the Law

I am certain

[DLCWIdem]

10. Yeah. But that will be a high bar with the insurrection

[Blue Owl]

5. Michael, turning donors on or off is not the point

Justice for proven crimes committed is the point...

[Squinch]

6. Donors to whom? Democrats or Donny Bodybags?

Democrats? No.

[TwilightZone]

7. It's certainly possible, but that's not a reason not to do so.

I'd actually prefer that a different jurisdiction (or several, preferably) pursue Trump for criminal activity. There certainly seems like there's enough to go around.

[DLCWIdem]

14. Well I think GA has a strong case

[Mr.Bill]

16. Probably would be for Steele.

He is a republican, after all.

[TwilightZone]

21. I think he has a point, actually.

A lot of organizations donate to both parties. It is possible that some of them might prefer that a former president, even Trump, not be pursued by the current administration for whatever reasons.

Again, that's not a reason not to pursue Trump, but I think it's within the realm of possibility.

[mzmolly]

8. Hell no.

I'll donate MORE.

[Dustlawyer]

9. That is the problem with our current system.

Big Donors should not get a say in whether or not to seek justice.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. It's an oligarchy. Money rules.

[Irish_Dem]

25. +1

[Hermit-The-Prog]

28. We are in the latter part of a stealth takeover ...

https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-percents-stealth-takeover-of-america

[Irish_Dem]

29. We have been an oligarchy for several decades now.

There is no doubt about it.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

32. Buchanan wrote his book about it in 1975 ...

[ ... ]

Economists Tyler Cowen and Alexander Tabarrok, both of George Mason University, have noted the two men’s affinities, heralding Calhoun “a precursor of modern public choice theory” who “anticipates” Buchanan’s thinking. MacLean observes that both focused on how democracy constrains property owners and aimed for ways to restrict the latitude of voters. She argues that unlike even the most property-friendly founders Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, Buchanan wanted a private governing elite of corporate power that was wholly released from public accountability.

Suppressing voting, changing legislative processes so that a normal majority could no longer prevail, sowing public distrust of government institutions— all these were tactics toward the goal. But the Holy Grail was the Constitution: alter it and you could increase and secure the power of the wealthy in a way that no politician could ever challenge.

Gravy Train to Oligarchy

MacLean explains that Virginia’s white elite and the pro-corporate president of the University of Virginia, Colgate Darden, who had married into the DuPont family, found Buchanan’s ideas to be spot on. In nurturing a new intelligentsia to commit to his values, Buchanan stated that he needed a “gravy train,” and with backers like Charles Koch and conservative foundations like the Scaife Family Charitable Trusts, others hopped aboard. Money, Buchanan knew, can be a persuasive tool in academia. His circle of influence began to widen.

[ ... ]

https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-percents-stealth-takeover-of-america

[Irish_Dem]

34. I noticed the flip to an oligarchy about the mid 80's.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

36. Yep, Rotten Ronnie was the puppet they needed. We've been fighting it ever since.

[Vinca]

11. Republican donors to the GOP (or TOP) maybe.

Seeing Trump held accountable will open my wallet BIGLY.

[PatSeg]

13. Well, I suppose it depends on which donors

A lot of big donors are withholding money from republicans who opposed certification of the election, so I don't think those donors would have a problem with prosecuting Trump.

[dutch777]

33. And what he is charged with. Would not be my big worry...donors. I think it will solidify Dems

[PatSeg]

35. I agree

I'm surprised that Steele said what he did.

[dlk]

17. Trump's many crimes require a special prosecutor

If we actually believe in the rule of law...

[BeyondGeography]

18. I hope Garland focuses on domestic terror

If and when Trump’s name comes up as part of that, so much the better.

Eviscerate and expose the seamy underbelly of Trump’s base and send as many of them to jail as possible. That will demoralize them and ruin Trump politically. It’s a two-fer and better for the safety of the country as well.

[DLCWIdem]

23. Well. Some of those groups are already purportedly angry at Trump

[tinrobot]

19. I had no idea Garland accepts donations.

[DLCWIdem]

46. Are you being sarcastic. Or are you honestly not understanding.

Because I know I may not have made myself understood unless you had listened to the segment

[Thekaspervote]

20. Michael Steele is the most republican of all TLP founders. I do not trust him

Has said other stuff that just isn’t in line with TLP

[DLCWIdem]

42. Well what he said is that it would energise republican in 2 years.

Steele said it would be the gift that keeps on giving

[Jamaal510]

50. As the party

that doesn't hold the presidency, they'd probably be energized anyway.

[OAITW r.2.0]

22. Small donor's are the lifeblood of Democratic campaigns.

They'll be no appreciable loss of donors, big or small. But, let's see how the Trump Republican Party can fundraise for 2022. Remember, Rubes, DJT's lawyer threw you under the bus today.

[Pachamama]

24. Completely disagree

Michael Steele is plain wrong on this

[ananda]

26. No. Steele's not a Dem.

This would, in fact, energize Democrats to the max!

WE WANT JUSTICE!

[andym]

27. special prosecutor needed for Trump

and it seems even McConnell was hinting at criminal prosecution with Trump acting as an "ordinary citizen" when inciting the insurrection.

[DLCWIdem]

45. Which should give us pause

Mcturtle doesn't do anything without calculation. Claire Mckaskil made the point that he said that to bring back those big donors who had started holding back from the Republicans right after the terrorist attack on 1/6.

[dameatball]

30. Not this donor. I'm not one of the big cats but there are a lot more like me. In fact it would light

a fire under a lot of small donors imo.

[GoCubsGo]

31. Did you ever notice that it's mostly Republicans who claim this kind of shit?

Claiming "If the Democrats do this, they only hurt themselves" every time the GQP fucks up has been a go-to Republican tactic for decades. They do it out of projection, and in hopes that it the Dems will buy this bullshit, and be too scared to act. Steele is still a Republican. It's no surprise he's falling back on this tired, old tactic. Fortunately, the Dems are no longer falling for this garbage.

[lunatica]

37. He doesn't understand Democrats if he thinks that

He’s still thinking like a Republican so I’m fine with him choosing to remain a Republican.

[sinkingfeeling]

38. Not Democratic donors.

[beastie boy]

39. If he tries to prosecute trump, yes. If he prosecutes trump, no.

[gibraltar72]

40. Hell to the no.

[hurple]

41. It will some...

But not all, and many many more new donors will crawl out of the woodwork.

We saw on Nov 6 2020 that anti-trump sentiment runs far higher and burns far brighter than pro-trump sentiment...

[mcar]

43. What donors?

[JI7]

44. Turn off which donors and to who ?

[DeminPennswoods]

47. I thought that comment about donors

was related to McConnell's machinations. Something to the effect that McConnell is angling to goad Biden's DoJ to investigate Trump and if it does, that would drive donors back to the GOP. I guess the logic is that donors who are currently boycotting the GOP would suddenly come to their senses about how bad Dems are and come running back into the arms of the GOP.

I wasn't paying close attention, but that's what filtered into my brain.

[DLCWIdem]

48. Yes. Exactly along those lines. I also sort of thought it would bring out the base against the Dems

[PlanetBev]

49. Michael Steele was raving about how great Nikki Haley is this morning.

He is still a Republican and Haley is still the epitome of political calculation.

[DAngelo136]

51. If That Is His Rationale....

For not pursuing justice against Donald Trump, then it illustrates in Technicolor why Citizens United is so toxic to politics
and why Election Finance reform has to be made a priority. Voters, not donors should be the ultimate consideration; ballots not dollars reflect the will of the people.