Does Trump's Guilty Verdict Even Matter?

That Depends on You

AI generated image of Trump in court

I was sitting at a coffee shop in one of the reddest towns in my red state when I glanced down at a text.

TRUMP VERDICT IN. OPEN THE NEWS.

My eyes became saucers as I read the verdict. Guilty on all 34 counts. HALLELUJAH! Somehow I kept myself from celebrating in the middle of Main Street, but I couldn’t help but pay attention to the reactions around me. Were the people somberly looking down at their phones also reading the news? Were the scowls on people’s faces because they were as angry as I was overjoyed?

And more importantly — did any of it even matter? Trump could still be president. He can’t serve in the military as a felon, but he can command it. None of this makes any sense.

I witnessed my share of that kind of handwringing over the weekend. Here’s just a few of my friends comments about the Trump verdict:

“I would love to celebrate, but I know he won't be punished (per usual), and what's worse, this is going to fuel his rabid base. I'm genuinely concerned he might actually win in November. I just can't wrap my head or heart around how we've gotten to this point in our society.” — Jennifer M.

“They're just doubling down harder than before, knowing full well he won't serve any time. It's infuriating.” — Aiofe M.

“I feel like this is going to change nothing. Am I wrong?” — Amber S.

“Have I just lost all faith? Do you think this will matter to his followers? Will they still vote for him?” — Melissa R.

What kind of comments did you hear from your friends and family after the Trump verdict was read on Thursday? Were you encouraged or discouraged at the reactions?

It is true that Trump couldn’t serve in the U.S. military, as multiple felonies are almost always disqualifying. Not that ol’ bone spurs himself would ever attempt to. And yes, it is an absolute mindfuck to know that felons in New York and Florida can’t run for public office, but Trump, who has residences in both locations, can run for President. No law exists preventing this seemingly possible reality. This is due to one fatal flaw of American politics:

We never had the imagination for Donald Trump.

Never before in our history have we elected such an unscrupulous pathological liar evil megalomaniac to the highest office in our country.

And the nightmare we’ve seen from Trump’s first term is just the beginning. He’s already announced a plan, called Agenda 47, to punish his political enemies, conduct mass deportation raids, and usher in chaos never before imagined in U.S. government. Agenda 47, coupled with the Heritage Foundation’s authoritarian playbook, Project 2025, would usher in the darkest days in American history and eliminate rights for almost everyone.

The point of this substack is to keep Project 2025 from happening, which means Trump cannot be president again.

So what do we do? And does Trump’s verdict even matter? MAGA-obsessed Republicans have overlooked every single one of his unconscionable choices — the E. Jean Carroll rape, the Access Hollywood Tape, the Stormy Daniels payoff, the Muslim ban, the family separations, the defense of literal Nazis, the affairs, the desire to sleep with his own daughter, the ogling under age girls, the insurrection. Every disgusting act just fires them up further. It’s almost impossible to extract people from a cult. Trust me. The number of cult documentaries I’ve watched makes me an expert.

Photo by David Todd McCarty on Unsplash

We need to stop focusing on Trump’s base, and instead pay attention to the sliver of true Independents and Undecideds who try to stay engaged but aren’t loyal to either side. While I encourage people to take polling with a grain of salt, it is notable that a Marquette Law School poll conducted before the end of the trial found Biden beating Trump by 4 points if Trump was found guilty.

If you can break through the noise, this verdict will have an impact on less engaged voters them and influence their vote.

Tell me if this sounds like any one you know:

• The single parent who barely has time to catch a breath, much less the news on a regular basis.

• The jaded coworker who is voting third party because “Republicans and Democrats are the same.”

• The family member who is just too overwhelmed to pay attention.

• The new voter who gets all their information from TikTok.

• The Republican who hates Trump but can’t bring themself to vote for a Democrat.

• The disenfranchised Democrat who won’t give Biden their vote because his isn’t perfect and won’t enact every policy they want.

In each of those scenarios, there’s room to make headway with a potential voter who can save our democracy from dystopian nightmare of another Trump term.

Remember that Project 2025 only works if voters are ignorant, so let’s not let that happen.

Onward Democracy Defenders!

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