Key Insights
Why did Bill Kristol suggest stopping hand-wringing and starting to fight?
Kristol believes that premature lessons and incorrect analyses of exit polls and vote counts are leading to unnecessary recriminations. He wants to focus on preventing Trump from causing significant damage to the country.
Why did some potential Trump administration officials like Cotton and Pompeo not get roles?
Cotton and Pompeo are not election deniers and are pro-Ukraine, which are disqualifying traits for positions in Trump's America First administration.
What does Bill Kristol think about the potential for Trump to use recess appointments?
Kristol finds it concerning that Senate Republicans are willing to concede recess appointment powers to Trump, which undermines the Senate's constitutional role in confirming appointments.
Why is Elise Stefanik's appointment as ambassador to the United Nations problematic?
Stefanik's rise is tied to her role as an election denier and defender of Trump during the January 6th insurrection, which Kristol sees as core to Trumpism and problematic for the integrity of future elections.
How does Elon Musk's influence in the Trump administration compare to historical precedents?
Musk's direct influence over staffing decisions and his public involvement in government affairs are unprecedented in the post-World War II era, marking a significant shift towards oligarchic control over political processes.
What does Bill Kristol suggest as a strategy to counter Trump's policies?
Kristol advocates for a selective but active resistance, including making significant fights over particularly egregious appointments, using legal means to gum up the works, and leveraging state governments and civil society efforts to create obstacles for Trump's agenda.
Why did the total vote count decrease by 20 million compared to 2020, as some have claimed?
The initial graph showing a 20 million vote decrease was based on incomplete data. When all votes are counted, the actual decrease is expected to be around 1.5 million, which is reasonable given changes in pandemic voting rules and voter availability.
Chapters
- Trump's administration is expected to be extremely draconian on immigration.
- Foreign policy is likely to be fully aligned with Trump's America First ideology, potentially selling out Ukraine.
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