Adam Kinzinger: The Honeymoon Won't Last

[Dennis Donovan]

Adam Kinzinger - The Honeymoon Won't Last

Why Trump's honeymoon is likely to be much shorter than most

Adam Kinzinger
Dec 05, 2024



It’s always a temptation to feel like the current state of facts or misery will continue unabated into the foreseeable future. This is a bias of our minds and souls; it’s difficult for us to envision how situations that seem bigger than us could ever come to an end. But history proves otherwise. Every storm, no matter how severe, eventually passes, even when it feels like it’s here to stay.

Today, Donald Trump’s continued popularity, his reckless cabinet picks, and his inflammatory rhetoric may seem insurmountable, as though they fall on apathetic or deaf ears. And perhaps, for now, they do. Yet, I am certain of one thing: every presidency has a honeymoon period, and this one will be no exception (and may end quickly).

For President Biden, that honeymoon period lasted until the disastrous pullout from Afghanistan. Even though he was setup by Trump to fail, his popularity plummeted in its aftermath and has struggled to recover since. Trump, too, will face crises—international or domestic—and when those moments come, the bubble of his current momentum will inevitably pop. What makes this moment unique, however, is Trump’s apparent belief that his popularity and goodwill are infinite. This hubris sets the stage for him to burn through it all much faster than most.

Take his cabinet picks, for example. While they might not initially register as earth-shattering to voters, their cumulative effect on the American psyche will be profound. They reveal a man less interested in governance and more fixated on settling scores and indulging in image-driven theatrics. Americans may tolerate this approach for a time, especially before Trump’s swearing-in, but that tolerance has a limit.

Let’s start with the Defense Department. Trump’s selection of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality with limited qualifications, signals a preference for loyalty and optics over expertise and leadership. The Pentagon oversees the safety and security of our nation; its leader must inspire trust, not controversy. Americans care deeply about our military, and Hegseth’s appointment raises questions about Trump’s seriousness in protecting national defense.

Then there’s the matter of public health. RFK Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, has been nominated as Health and Human Services secretary. On paper, this sounds like a thought experiment gone wrong. In practice, it could have devastating consequences. Imagine the public’s reaction to the first outbreak of a preventable disease like measles under his watch. Add to this the inevitable controversies stemming from his long history of unscientific claims, and the trust Americans place in public health institutions could unravel overnight.

/snip

[Permanut]

1. This is the first administration controlled by a cult..

Precedent may not apply.

[Cha]

2. TY Kick for Kinzinger.. he's another one who

needs to be Preemptively Pardoned!

[onecaliberal]

3. Rapists and pedos in the president cabinet is very fucking worrying

[usonian]

4. He flirted with evil powers before, but they'll be coming for a home run this time,

after he and his gorillas who are high on airplane glue take a wrecking ball to civil service and defense.

This will not be good for the U.S.

But right on plan for Comrade Caligula and his Daddy.

[yorkster]

5. It already feels like a blitzkrieg.

There may well be a brief honeymoon with no means of divorce. We have to hold out/resist in some way until 2026, unless there are some unforeseen changes in the House or Senate. I know that's a long shot.

[ThePartyThatListens]

6. I agree

I'd go even further to state that I think these idiots will collapse quicker than expected.

By that I mean, exhaust the American people's patience before it's time for the primaries.

[Harker]

7. Honeymoon?

I'm for an annulment.

[angrychair]

8. He is ignoring the power of the news media

And how completely they have thrown in their lot with TSF. Literally, matter what he does, the news media will defend him to the very end. Morning Joe will do a special about how important it is for the US to invade France to protect Russia.
All the people will get in on it. Joe Rogan will do a podcast from the Red Square about how great Putin is and how he wants to "help" Ukraine. And so on. You get the idea.