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Comment by sitkack | Hacker News Reader

Nothing looks bad to them, so it doesn't matter. Looking bad isn't a deterrent any more.

I don't think that's ever really been a problem for Trump. Everyone I talk to who supports him expects him to be a hail-mary grenade thrown into DC—a big middle finger to the powers that be. They feel completely disenfranchised and want a shake-up.

Amazingly, so far, it hasn't hurt his approval numbers.

The numbers are irrelevant. It is a second term presidency. What matters are the numbers for those facing reelection in less than a couple years. Even the burn down crowed don't want to remain on a wagon heading for a cliff in four years.

Given the levels of turmoil and also the levels of power grabbing, I think the president's approval ratings are very relevant.

For one, if they dip as low as they might given the expected economic hardship and the other cultural issues, you might start seeing rioting.

For another, I don't think it's a given this is Trump's final term. There already is a congressman trying to get in legislation to change the constitution to allow a third term. Even if that fails, the SCOTUS has already taken some egregious decisions in relation to Trump (full presidential immunity even for political assassinations) - what they might think they can get away with in the next four years is anyone's guess.

FWIW the constitutional amendment to enable a third term for Trump is guaranteed to fail. No matter how it is drafted, even if they do a convention, the ratification still requires 3/4 of state legislatures to vote in favor. And Republicans don't have 38 states. They won't have them even if every single state with split legislature goes full red.

I won't speculate on whether they could pass it. Democrats have been too sure of themselves for the last 7 or 8 months, and where has that gotten them? But whether it passes or not, he won't survive long enough. He's an old geezer, fat, and in poor health. Strong change he doesn't even make it to the halfway mark in this one.

> Amazingly, so far, it hasn't hurt his approval numbers.

He started with (I think) the lowest approval numbers in modern records so to an extent it was probably priced in from the outset.

If you believe the unreliable polls. He actually started higher than he did in his first term. His job approval is near the highest it has ever been. It is higher than 7/8 of Bidens term. See

https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump...

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