By November 2028, everything required to run the Green Bay sweep will be in place. Trump will have control of the military, ICE, and the DOJ, and there will be plenty of election deniers in key positions in swing states. Given the quirks in his personality, there are no boundaries he won’t transgress to protect his own interests and his fragile self-image. But what about J.D.? If he’s the one on the ballot, not Trump, should we have the same concerns?
J.D. is an extremely ambitious politician and, at least for the moment, a committed reactionary. Unlike Trump, however, he is not a narcissist, and I think he retains some respect for liberal democracy. The thought of going down as the most odious villain in American political history will trouble him far more than Trump. That potential legacy may be all that stands between us and disaster in 2028.