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MAGA is not 100% behind Trump - the cracks are small but real [1]

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Date: 2025-02-21

Encouraging resistance no matter how tepid

Common wisdom says that the GOP, conservative media, and the right-wing blogosphere are monolithically united in fearful obeisance to Trump. Each Senate confirmation of unqualified zealots to the cult leader's cabinet — every 'what he says' by spineless House sycophants — confirms this. But there there are clouds on the the MAGA horizon. Some of Trump's most loyal supporters have objected to some piece of the wannabe autocrat's plan.

Will this muted protest amount to anything? I have no idea. The American experiment teeters in a way not seen since 1861. No one can predict the future, but some pushback is better than none. And as the Democrats have yet to figure out how to be an effective opposition, we will have to encourage any resistance to Trump, no matter what its origin.

Considering that, let's look at a few of these profiles in 'not complete cowardice'. It's not that any of these people will emulate Liz Cheney or Adam Kinzinger — and dent their careers to speak truth to power consistently. But any dissent should be encouraged.

Keith Kellogg

Retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg is Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. On Friday, he praised Volodymyr Zelenskyy despite Trump's smear campaign painting the freedom fighter as an anti-democratic dictator who started the Ukraine War. A claim which makes as much sense as saying the Poles caused WWII by making the Nazis invade them.

After meeting with the Ukrainian President, Kellogg celebrated Zelenskyy's and his team's worth. He extolled the:

"Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team."

Brian Kilmeade

Kilmeade is as fair and balanced as Fox News gets. That means he'll toe the MAGA line most of the time, but he will display flashes of integrity. In a chat with Trump, he asked Fecal Orange if his recent attacks on Zelensky were due to pique, not principle.

"Mr. President, cover of every newspaper, just about, is your stance in Ukraine. I was looking up — I almost found no indications that you've said anything bad about Zelensky up until the last few days. And it seems as though when he didn't take the mineral deal and was critical of you for having a delegation talk in Saudi Arabia with Russia. That was a turning point for you, correct?"

Trump responds with jibber-jabber, blaming Zelenskyy for everything. Kilmeade was resolute in pointing to the real culprit.

"It's all Russia's — but that's Russia's fault, though, Mr. President."

The gibbering Trump blathered. Kilmeade tried again.

"But Mr. President, that's all — that's Vladimir Putin's fault, don't you agree?"

The driveling Donald blithered further. Kilmeade took another shot at it.

"But Mr. President, but you know who's to blame for that. Don't you think it's Vladimir Putin that did the invasion unwarranted to try to take back land he had no right to?"

Showing no intention of answering the question, the dyspeptic despot blethered some more. Three times was enough for Brian. But at least he tried.

Mark Levin

Levin has been peddling conservative lies and hyperbole since he was Rush Limbaugh's on-air legal 'expert' during the Clinton presidency. He now calls himself "The Great One". And peddles his vitriolic ad hominem on the radio ( The Mark Levin Show ) and Fox News ( Life, Liberty & Levin )

In 2016, Levin supported Ted Cruz. He declared himself a 'never-Trumper'. That stance lasted as long as a fart in a hurricane. Soon, he was carrying Trump's water. He backed Trump during his first impeachment over the notorious phone call with the newly-elected Zelenskyy in 2019.

But on his radio show, Levin's words cast Trump as a liar for calling Zelensky a dictator, and he trashed his support for the Russian thug.

"Zelensky ordered martial law — that's what the constitution there compelled. Zelensky hasn't called for an election — that's what the constitution there compels.

Now, I'm waiting for the first free election for Vladimir Putin. I mean, this is almost comical in a sick way that Putin is demanding an election. Why is he demanding an election in Ukraine when he doesn't have free and real elections in his own country? And why does he-, why does he get to call the shots when in fact, he murders people who dare to challenge him?"

"This is what we're dealing with. Again, old KBG, and not just KBG, he [Putin] was in like Flynn with the Stasi in East Germany. So, I don't know why there are people that not only oppose Zelensky, but seem to support Putin."

Levin knows full well why Trump supports Putin. But he will hide behind "there are people" and not say Trump's name because, while Mark is pro-Ukraine, he is also pro-ratings. But let's take what we can get.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO)

No one sucks up like the Senate's running man . But even the chickenhearted Hawley knows there is a limit to what his constituents will accept. They will not abide cuts to their federal benefits. It's all well and good when brown foreigners get an ass-kicking, but heaven forbid 'real (white) Americans' suffer.

According to HuffPo's Igor Bobic :

"Hawley says he filed an amendment barring cuts to Medicaid. Adds he's tempted to vote for similar Dem amendments."

Of course, saying you have done one thing and are tempted to do other things is not the same as actually doing those things. But if nothing else, Hawley's words are fodder for Democratic campaign ads.

Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH)

Most MAGA Reps are in the bunker, fingers in their ears, pretending everything is going to plan. Balderson has bucked the trend and spoken up on Trump's power grab. He's not a fan.

At a Thursday Westerville Area Chamber business lunch, Balderson said Trump's executive orders are "getting out of control." He told local business leaders that despite the prevailing GOP wisdom that Congress is an overpaid Trump stamp, it actually has a constitutional role.

"Congress has to decide whether or not the Department of Education goes away. Not the president, not Elon Musk. Congress decides."

We'll have to see if he maintains his independence once the MAGAs start hurling their feces at him.

Is this cause for hope?

Yes and no. It’s a start. But it is only the first step on the road to sanity. Trump’s hold on MAGA is both broad and brittle. The core 35% will follow him over a cliff. However the 15% that compromise the Trump vote between those 35% and the 50% he received in the election are not fanatics. Many were votes simply for the ‘other guy’. Now they are starting to realize that the grass was not greener on the other side.

I will leave the reader with one stat. On Friday, CNN reported, in an article titled ‘US consumer sentiment plunges over tariff and inflation fears’

The University of Michigan’s latest survey, released Friday, showed that US consumer sentiment declined in February for the second consecutive month, according to a final reading, down by a steep 10% from January. That was double the decline initially reported earlier this month.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/21/2305300/-MAGA-is-not-100-behind-Trump-the-cracks-are-small-but-real?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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