Let's talk about Trump treading heavily on the GOP base.... - Belle of the Ranch

[TexasTowelie]

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about Trump treading heavily on the GOP base.

The Trump administration has been so focused on attempting to manage PR in Minneapolis and villainizing Alex Pretti, they seem to be oblivious to the damage they're doing to the support they enjoy from one of their most reliable voting blocks. What may be more important electorally is that the administration seems so insulated from the actual base at this point that they may not even be aware of how far they have to walk back their comments.

The administration's attempt to continue a failing policy and justify Pretti's killing led them to implying that having or carrying a firearm is somehow wrong. FBI Director Kash Patel said, "You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest you want." DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she didn't “know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.” Trump himself said, "You can't have guns. You can't walk in with guns."

Many in the Second Amendment crowd would call having and walking with guns keeping and bearing. Trump's consistent attacks on the right to bear arms are leading to Second Amendment advocates attempting to try to warn the Republican party that they risk alienating a core faction of the base.

Dudley Brown, who is president of the National Association for Gun Rights, said, "If it had just been the FBI director and a few other highly placed administration officials, that would have been one thing. But when the president came out and doubled down, that was a whole new level. This was not a good look for your base. You can't be conservative and not be radically progun.”

He also pointed out how fragile the Republican hold on the demographic really is and how a slight shift can be far more damaging than the GOP thinks. "All you have to do is lose four, five, 6% of their base who left it blank, who didn't write a check, who didn't walk districts. You lose, especially marginal districts, and the House is not a good situation right now."

It's worth remembering that Trump doesn't actually have a great Second Amendment record. He runs around and acts like he's the most 2A president in history. But he's not even close.

Aidan Johnston, who is Gun Owners of America Director of Federal Affairs, explained, "I think the administration clearly wants to be known as pro- second amendment, and many of the officials do believe in the Second Amendment, but my job at Gun Owners of America is to hold them to their words and to get them to act on their promises." And right now it's a mixed record.

A mixed record is being generous, really. Trump and the Republicans in Congress are playing with fire before the midterms.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.