Friday, September 14, 2018

Exit Trump -- The Most Likely Scenarios

Will We Dump Trump Or Will He Fist Pump?
............

To get a feel for the myriad ways our current president might leave office, and to assess them quickly, I'll organize them into four main scenarios, ranked least to most likely:

4. He suffers a medical emergency, and is incapacitated (or pretends to be), and steps down.
3. He leaves, head held high, or tail between legs, in 2020, after a single term in office.
2. He voluntarily leaves office (a la Nixon).
1. He is forcibly removed from office.

There's no chance for a second term.  The indictments of his deputies have already tarnished his presidency.  There is likely much more to come.  The stench of corruption and incompetence is simply overwhelming.

That said, let's analyze our four scenarios:

4. A Medical Emergency.  The most unlikely, simply because he has surrounded himself with 'yes' men, which counteracts much of the negative feedback that would otherwise trigger anxiety and concomitant breakdown.  The possibility that he plays the sympathetic, injured party in this scenario--a patient in bed with little chance of recovery (or the ability to appear in court) can't be ruled out.

3. A Full Term To 2020.  If the 2018 elections are a mix of good and bad news for the Republican party, the economy is more-or-less stable, and there's a mixed verdict RE: 2016's collusion with Russia, any impeachment is unlikely to result in removal from office (the Senate cannot muster the necessary 67 votes).

2. Nixon, Redux.  With ominous black clouds on the horizon (not only do the 2018 elections result in congressional oversight, but the economy destabilizes, and the collusion with Russia case is proven) our 45th president departs, voluntarily.  Not as likely as impeachment, since Donald Trump is a fighter inside a comfortable, reassuring echo-chamber, convinced that he's always right.

1. The Full Mountebank, Revealed.  With fewer black clouds looming (but given, at a minimum, a major defeat in the 2018 elections), the fighter isn't going anywhere.  What we forget, from our vantage point in September, is that what seems like an iron grip of president on party is not one of reciprocal conviction, but of convenience.  Republicans want to win.  They'll be unabashedly loyal, up until their winner loses.  Given that electoral loss, and likely bad news RE: collusion, the now lame horse they rode in on, will, without hesitation, be put out of its misery.  Better to back a possible winner--even a dark horse of the 'never Trump' variety--than be trounced in 2020 with an incumbent who has 'all time worst President' status, and an approval rating hovering around 30-35.   Losers can't be choosers, and choosers don't want losers.

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