When Donald Trump was elected President of the United States in 2016, many felt that it was the beginning of the end of the Republican party.
As Trump's fear-mongering and rhetoric were a far cry from the policies of what the Republican party stood for in the days of Abraham Lincoln.
For many long-standing Republicans and conservatives, it marked the end of their time registered in the party, swiftly shifting to becoming a democrat or independent.
There were also many who remained loyal to their party but their support for the 45th president gradually vanished by the time he left office, in relative disgrace, in January of 2021.
"Ex Rrump supporters, what point did you stop supporting Trump and why?
A Slow And Steady Decline
"My dad started out from voting for and supporting him and always being annoyed when people talked sh*t about Trump."
"Then the pandemic happened and he spent a lot of time at home watching TV and seeing Trump give speeches, then he says, 'This guy is a f*cking moron' and he became more anti-Trump as time went by, especially after Jan 6."- forgottenmyth
Finding Their Own Voice
"I was like 19-20 years old when he became president so it was my first time voting."
"My parents are both republican so naturally I kinda just followed suit and voted for him."
"Then I watched everything that happened throughout his presidency, watched the Republicans and their thoughts and actions based on everything that had happened and was happening, and here we are."
"Voted blue last election, as a registered republican, which I find joy in, and likely to do so again."
"I hate politics with a passion but some of this stuff is just too f*cked for me to justify staying out of."- BIessthefaII
The Writing Was On The Wall
"I can't explain when, I can just explain the very slow gradient from all but wearing the red MAGA hat to going 'Hold the F*CK on'."
"My initial decision to vote for him wasn't really as a Conservative."
"Though I would align my ideals more with Conservatism of the 1950's."
"I'm from Vermont, and I remember watching the DNC's response to the threat that was Trump, become 'force Hillary Clinton down the nations throats' and the absolute rigged BS that was 'Super Delegates'."
"I liked things Bernie said, and while he's very left, the nature of politics would force him to the center."
"But to watch him Win Wyoming, and he got something like 3 Delegates and the lose, Hillary, got 11 because of Super Delegates was so frustrating as a voter."
"So I voted for Trump and I got sucked into the just asinine hype."
"I made excuses for the 'Grab her by the P*ssy' nightmare, the escorts, the accusations."
"I was starting to make 'valid' connections to how President Obama was NOT an American."
"Turns out, I'm an idiot, and at 30+ years old found out I too, had a Certificate of Live Birth, and I'm also an American."
"And how we're all going to be good because 'Haha, Trump and Putin are buddies so the world wont end'."
"I think the first crack started when my friend Mariah, who has sunk into a very dark depression since Trump was voted out, he meant THAT much to her, started to act out towards people who even questioned the President of the United States."
"And even openly stated, as a Veteran, that the constitution should be re-written so he could be President forever."
"I started to see how I was acting in her, and even more infuriating, is she's very good at acting like you, and then when you call her out on the BS, justifying why you're wrong to do it, and she's right."
"And then I started to get annoyed by the CONSTANT. TWEETING."
"The supposed 'Leader of the Free World' has no time for 60 tweets a day."
"The cracks became a fissure during COVID."
"I worked for a hospital, and I served in my states National Guard and was actively part of the response, out there, with the Nurses and Doctors."
"And I watched him do as much as he could to facilitate as little as possible, and dare I say stop hospitals from responding to the disaster, hold back supplies, 'bargain' with states and at one point, my state had to use State Police to guard resources so Federal Personnel wouldn't come and take them at the Governments direction."
"I was an American Citizen, serving to support my fellow Citizens, and the Commander in Chief, my boss, was actively making it all but impossible to help."
"Finally when I started to see who Republicans were who supported this man, I couldn't do it."
"Ted Cruze, Gym Jordan, MTG, Boebert, Desantis, and so on."
"I decided I could no longer look myself in the mirror if I supported such people as them, people who were religious extremists, sexual predators, and just the worst people that could possibly exist."
"I'm not proud that it took that much, or that it took an entire year, but in the end I'm just happy I escaped it."- the_walternate
The People He Was Associated With
"When he refused to condemn David Duke, ex-head of the KKK, and said that some veterans suffering from combat PTSD were 'not strong enough'."- BigTuna0890
Free From Influence
"I grew up in a very conservative fundamentalist Christian household that raised the American flag and right-winged politics higher than the Bible."
"I was taught in church that you can’t be a Christian and a democrat."
"I voted for Trump in 2016 not because I really liked him, but because I really didn’t like Hillary Clinton, or so I was told to before I began to think about what I believed for myself."
"After that year, I was groomed by my brother, who at the time was an infamous figurehead in the alt-right/white supremacist community, damn near the right hand of Richard Spencer."
"I would listen to his Skype calls with Spencer from the other room because we had fairly thin walls where we lived."
"At one point, I was actually involved with the white supremacist hate organization that my brother founded, albeit tangentially, I helped cut out flyers and posters that he would post throughout my town and the neighboring ones."
"In my defense, I knew little to nothing about his organization when I did this, not that that excuses the fact."
"I can’t really tell you when I began thinking differently."
"I know at some point I realized that there was a lot of what I believed that I only believed because it’s what I was always told growing up."
"Slowly, over the course of the last 6 years, I’ve gone from being a borderline Trump supporter to someone deeply ashamed of many things my family has taught me growing up."
"I’m closer of a centrist in the context of global politics, which to my family now means I’m what they could call a 'raging flaming liberal communist'.”
"I still hold my Christian beliefs quite closely, but I’d like to think that they come from a place of love for other people, rather than making sure 'everything I do is correct and everyone else knows they’re wrong'.”- Myrshall
Ignoring Puerto Rico
"I don’t know how a single person could support him after Puerto Rico."
"He said their natural disaster broke their budget, begrudgingly visited and tossed paper towels like basketballs, and mocked the pronunciation of the name."
"Oh yeah, and didn’t give a sh*t that an entire territory was destroyed with thousands of dead Americans."- gcaledonian
One can only be grateful that people's eyes were opened enough in 2020 to get him out of office.
How anyone's eyes weren't opened during his long, vulgar, misogynistic and racist campaign, however, is baffling to the point of disturbing.
Not nearly as disturbing, though, as the fact that countless people are still supporting him.
Despite years of efforts to brand himself as a business genius, former President Donald Trump's business practices paint a different picture under scrutiny.
Whether it's his numerous failed business ventures or the shady claims in his financial documents, Trump's dealings have landed him millions of dollars in debt and there's reason to believe some of them operated outside the law.
Among Trump's properties, his two resorts in Scotland have proven to be the most financially unstable, with neither turning a profit since they opened.
The resorts, Turnberry near Glasgow and Trump Golf Links International in Aberdeenshire, are "dependent on loans from Trump and US-owned entities to stay afloat," according to Business Insider. The UK's Companies House records indicate the properties are £113,425,000 (around $160 million) and £44,400,049 (around $63 million) respectively.
But, according to the Companies House reports, the loans were created in British Pound Sterling and issued interest-free. Compared to the U.S. dollar, the pound's value has plummeted since Trump issued the loans. As a result, when those loans are paid out in dollars, Trump will receive significantly less than what he originally doled out—tens of millions of dollars less in fact.
Business Insider spoke to investment analyst Stephen Clapham, who said Trump's loss results from his failure to hedge his investments:
"Hedging is what every business does unless there's a specific reason you can't do it - for example, you're investing in ... somewhere where the capital markets aren't developed enough to allow you to hedge the currency ... The most likely explanation is that Trump has made this loan and incurred a significant loss."
Trump's purported business acumen once again saw skepticism.
Super genius businessman did what? https://t.co/yvhXVrPZqb— Christine (@Christine) 1623703182.0
If this is "The Art of the Deal" I think I'll pass on his infinite business acumen. Business Insider: Trump lost $… https://t.co/NiAt7vfk7K— Diogenes (@Diogenes) 1623659209.0
FAILING TO HEDGE CURRENCIES??? HOW CAN YOU ATTEND WHARTON AND TOTALLY MISS THIS MOST BASIC FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY???… https://t.co/bHCrpsWgbp— Neil Gerardo - MRX Chairman - ID#32140089 (@Neil Gerardo - MRX Chairman - ID#32140089) 1623511990.0
So just as bad with his own $ as ours. Trump lost $40 million on his Scottish golf clubs by failing to implement a… https://t.co/EueBRCwQOr— April Green (@April Green) 1623520990.0
Clearly this guy isn’t a great businessman ... https://t.co/47zOCmRJT7— Al Wright (@Al Wright) 1623525750.0
Others speculated the loss was part of a money laundering scheme, though there's no evidence now to support that claim.
It's called money laundering!!! https://t.co/Fb9EVTZOcW— public/private safety expert (retired 01/21/21) (@public/private safety expert (retired 01/21/21)) 1623519806.0
suppose this is a money washing operation in Scotland? https://t.co/phYx2b7C1c— Dr Meaux Dawn Lee (@Dr Meaux Dawn Lee) 1623595746.0
Either way, it doesn't look good for Trump.
For realsies this time.
The Universal and Blumhouse film has a new release date of March 13th, and a new ad campaign about how "the most talked about movie of the year is one that no one's actually seen".
The uncanceled film even comes with a brand-new trailer.
The most talked about movie of the year is one nobody’s seen yet. #TheHuntMovie opens in theaters Friday the 13th o… https://t.co/t5Cz6DVBFj— The Hunt (@The Hunt) 1581439964.0
The film is loosely based on the short story, "The Most Dangerous Game," where a man becomes trapped on an island owned by a rich and successful hunter who has grown bored with game hunting, and instead hunts humans for the challenge.
In the movie, 12 strangers who have shared conservative views online are kidnapped and hunted by rich elites. Everything changes when one of the hunted, played by Betty Gilpin, fights back.
The film was set to be released last year, on September 27, 2019. That is until it became mired in controversy.
In early August, the Dayton and El Paso shootings horrified the nation as the two events happened in less than a day of each other. The Hunt came under heavy criticism for its violence after this.
Two days later, Donald Trump tweeted his distaste for the film, causing it to be pulled a day later.
....to inflame and cause chaos. They create their own violence, and then try to blame others. They are the true Rac… https://t.co/r6f1K8zGkk— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1565376255.0
However, as we now know the movie wasn't canceled entirely. It has been scheduled for release next month, with a new ad campaign taking advantage of the controversy.
The change in release date came with a new poster that has quotes from negative news coverage of the movie, effectively providing all the advertisement this movie needed.
Decide for yourself. #TheHuntMovie opens in theaters Friday the 13th of March. https://t.co/LYYxDYHPo7— The Hunt (@The Hunt) 1581454893.0
"Exploitative rather than opinionated" – Daily Mail
"Shows Hollywood for what it really is, demented and evil." – Fox News
"Designed to stoke division in the country" – The Wall Street Journal
Obviously, this movie is an attack on Trump-loving Americans by the evil Hollywood bigwigs.
@TheHuntMov @UniversalPics I want you to know that I will be among the millions of people who will no longer watch… https://t.co/kjT4k3giIn— goldenmean (@goldenmean) 1581468973.0
@THR This movie is a disgrace and should not be allowed to be released!— Lori🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Lori🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸) 1581449095.0
Might just a well put another jihad bomber on the cover. This content is irresponsible even for America hating Holl… https://t.co/yHyfq1NEsx— Mr_Mic (@Mr_Mic) 1581487757.0
@THR Just in time for the democrats to lose massively, out comes this fantasized post election strategy of coordina… https://t.co/8uljDLoVY1— Melvin Ferd (@Melvin Ferd) 1581453233.0
However, these criticisms against the movie are missing the point. The "right wing" hunted are the protagonists and the "liberal" elites are the villains in this movie.
If you have a problem with the violence in this movie, sure, understandable. America has always had people protesting violence in movies and television.
I'm sure if that's the case, you also weren't a fan of the Death Wish remake.
But the main detractors have a problem with the apparent premise of conservatives being hunted for sport, like anyone in their right mind wants that. Killing conservatives is portrayed as a bad thing in this movie, and the liberal elites are unlikeable.
Also, The Purge series pretty much did the opposite of this as a hard-right wing party took over America and instituted what amounts to legal killing of the poor, so it's not like this kind of extreme satire is unheard of, let alone become popular.
I honestly don't understand people anymore.
I've seen #TheHunt. It's a pretty broad satire. Liberals are depicted as champagne-swilling, private jet flying eli… https://t.co/aW9zVDN5p3— Brent Lang (@Brent Lang) 1581441557.0
But any time someone says your a snowflake for having a critical reaction to movie -- just mention THE HUNT. Anyti… https://t.co/uEQxclOYNi— Ashley “Offramp to the Danger Zone” Lynch (@Ashley “Offramp to the Danger Zone” Lynch) 1581448774.0
@ozziebear224 @BreitbartNews Ozzie, those films exist they are called the purge and its sequels , there is even a t… https://t.co/HCAshuwMgE— bigballsofbritishfury (@bigballsofbritishfury) 1581465804.0
Did we all just collectively forget the Purge movies? It’s good if we did, but I would’ve liked an email about it. https://t.co/Ef4hqfuoQ3— Austin DuVall (@Austin DuVall) 1581459507.0
The Hunt is slated for release on Friday the 13th next month, a date I'm sure is in no way ironic. It stars Betty Gilpin, Emma Roberts, Hilary Swank, Glenn Howerton and the nightmares of your weird conservative uncle.
Trump Just Shared A Clip From 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Without Realizing That It Was Most Definitely Mocking Him
President Trump has never been quick to catch on to a joke, unless it's one he made up.
On Twitter, the President recently retweeted an explicit clip from Larry David's HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm, seeming to be under the impression it was supportive of him in some way.
In fact, the entire point of the scene was to mock the President and his supporters.
*WARNING: clip contains NSFW language
TOUGH GUYS FOR TRUMP! https://t.co/DbjZjGzLWU— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1581384177.0
In the clip, Larry David puts on a MAGA hat to get a rude biker to be nicer to him.
Trump's caption, "TOUGH GUYS FOR TRUMP!" signals he's either pleased the "tough" biker was a Trump supporter abd supports public harassment and menacing, or that putting on the hat made Larry David intimidating.
If Trump had watched the episode, however, he would know that David was wearing the MAGA hat because it's incredibly useful as "people repellant."
this episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is mocking MAGA culture (if that's the appropriate term)-- the glaring red M… https://t.co/Qszc9xAAWi— Joyce Carol Oates (@Joyce Carol Oates) 1581427501.0
In case David's feelings about the hat weren't perfectly clear, he also spelled them out in this interview (which also features explicit language).
I love Larry David with all my heart and soul. https://t.co/OEDANgVLho— Jimmy Traina (@Jimmy Traina) 1581386740.0
As the MAGA crowd begins to wonder why Larry David is trending, their confusion will be met with anger as they real… https://t.co/EG5dfhhTft— DevinNunesTHEDragQueen (@DevinNunesTHEDragQueen) 1581391344.0
In the episode, Larry uses the MAGA hat to avoid a meeting, get people to walk away from him at a restaurant and generally disgust everyone around him.
@realDonaldTrump You've never seen the show. In this episode Larry David starts wearing a MAGA hat so that nobody… https://t.co/Wamr2qHuLx— KevinlyFather 🇺🇲🇨🇦🇲🇼🇸🇿 (@KevinlyFather 🇺🇲🇨🇦🇲🇼🇸🇿) 1581384735.0
In a recent episode, Larry David wore a MAGA hat strategically to alienate everyone he encountered. Our intrepid l… https://t.co/qiihd40HjQ— Dr. David A. Lustig (@Dr. David A. Lustig) 1581435628.0
Does Trump understand the joke?
Does he understand any jokes?
@washingtonpost He doesn’t understand what a joke is. I’ve never seen a man with a worse sense of humor. Al Franken… https://t.co/IWEUCyqQJ3— Nai Mei (@Nai Mei) 1581440904.0
@washingtonpost He never gets the joke. He thought the UN was laughing at America, not him.— Eric L. (@Eric L.) 1581441985.0
Many felt Trump's retweet proved David's point.
This scene from #CurbYourEnthusiasm is about how Larry David wears a #MAGA hat to avoid decent people (who stay awa… https://t.co/RYrQgGKYid— Ali A. Rizvi (@Ali A. Rizvi) 1581387769.0
@realDonaldTrump Racist grandpa posts this video clip with no apparent awareness that it's mocking him and his cult… https://t.co/SIPXS7JcrG— Charles Johnson (@Charles Johnson) 1581384356.0
And in case anyone was wondering what the clip looked like in context...
@realDonaldTrump FULL CLIP on the magic of the MAGA HAT 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/Zu4kgz55xd— 🇺🇸🇺🇸 Miguelifornia 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@🇺🇸🇺🇸 Miguelifornia 🇺🇸🇺🇸) 1581385112.0
@realDonaldTrump You are being wild right now Mr. President, and by the way, you really do watch a lot of televisio… https://t.co/av7EMpEtzY— Steward Beckham (@Steward Beckham) 1581386476.0
Maybe if Trump had made the time to watch the whole episode, he would have thought twice before retweeting the clip. Oh well, it's too late now.
Democratic Rep. Quotes Professor Dumbledore In Last Attempt To Sway Republicans Before Impeachment Vote
As the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump reaches its final phase, many Americans feel Republicans have intentionally tried to hide evidence to protect Donald Trump from the constitutionally mandated consequences for his actions.
After Republicans voted to make this the first impeachment trial in history that will feature no new witnesses or evidence, all that's left before a vote on whether or not to acquit is each sides' closing arguments.
Having laid out an overwhelming case against the President, all that was left for many Democrats to do was to appeal to their Republican colleagues' sense of justice or honor. While on the Senate floor, House Manager Rep. Jason Crow (D - Colorado), even quoted Albus Dumbledore.
"It's in that spirit that hanging in my son's room is a quote from Harry Potter. The quote is from Professor Dumble… https://t.co/s2ddNOSGZk— Jennifer Shelton (@Jennifer Shelton) 1580758144.0
Harry Potter's Dumbledore, cited by Rep. Jason Crow: "It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”— Jeremy Herb (@Jeremy Herb) 1580757854.0
Twitter was in disbelief at the strange government/fantasy crossover.
DRINK! Democrat Rep. Jason Crow just cited Harry Potter on the floor of the Senate.— Steve Guest (@Steve Guest) 1580757657.0
@SteveGuest @nani_booboo https://t.co/LKWTuOTSWw— Georgia (@Georgia) 1580758579.0
@KFILE @SteveGuest It is our choices that define us.....— Eileen🗽🌉🌐⚓🌊 (@Eileen🗽🌉🌐⚓🌊) 1580758018.0
You can find Harry Potter fans everywhere, even in Congress.
@justinbaragona Well at least SOMEONE is reading— Liddle' Take Her Out Kincheloe (@Liddle' Take Her Out Kincheloe) 1580759447.0
@DailyCaller Under section 7890 d. Of the Constitution, if you quote Dumbledore on the Senate floor, the POTUS is a… https://t.co/3O5V1bSOav— rebel millennial (@rebel millennial) 1580758840.0
@DailyCaller Denver Law School teaches sorcery I guess— Castle Ballymalis ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Castle Ballymalis ⭐️⭐️⭐️) 1580758883.0
Though convincing Republicans to do what is morally right but politically difficult may be a lost cause, Crow took his best shot.
@DailyCaller Find someone who loves you as much as the left loves Harry Potter.— 🪕 (@🪕) 1580758836.0
At what point in time did Jason Crow decide this was it - this would be the quote that does it https://t.co/SB9FN68Cog— Eryn Michael (@Eryn Michael) 1580829095.0
Conservatives online seized upon Crow's use of the quote and dragged him for it.
@DailyCaller It seems reasonable given that this ENTIRE IMPEACHMENT has been that of PURE FICTION.— All American Mom (@All American Mom) 1580759475.0
Democrat Rep. Jason Crow citing the fictional literary work of Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore on the floor of th… https://t.co/rhZd5I5yHe— Steve Guest (@Steve Guest) 1580758252.0
Meanwhile, most liberals understood where he was coming from.
@DailyCaller Why is this a thing? He put it in context. Why not quote popular and culturally significant art?— D. Equitz 🌒 (@D. Equitz 🌒) 1580760211.0
Fortunately, quoting Dumbledore wasn't the only memorable moment from Crow's remarks.
"The facts will continue to come out, whether you subpoena them or not." --House Impeachment Manager and US Army ve… https://t.co/owgTT11KQB— Julie Cohen (@Julie Cohen) 1580346392.0
Rep. Jason Crow reads a note he wrote to his children during closing arguments in impeachment trial: "Our system… https://t.co/B7zWxU2b23— CBS News (@CBS News) 1580759285.0
Though it seems likely that Donald Trump will be acquitted by the Senate without that body hearing from a singe witness, history will remember what passed for "justice" and those who were willing to fight for it.