The beauty of the US Constitution resides in its system of checks and balances. Where cabinet appointments are concerned, the Senate wields the authority to interrogate and evaluate nominees, ideally ensuring they possess both the aptitude and temperament for their prospective roles. In theory, the American public should have been eager to glean valuable clarity from the Senate confirmation hearings. But in hindsight, such hopes were naïve.
Whether Trump’s winning of both the electoral and popular votes truly constituted a “mandate” remains an open question. What is indisputable is that he deserves credit for widening the GOP tent — intentionally or not. By conjoining several coalitions, Trumpian politics have ushered in a brash, win-at-all-costs era for the GOP — a “come on in, the water’s fine” demographic realignment that blindsided the Left and allowed those marginalized by Democrats to be caucused. One such case is the MAHA coalition — its main concerns and stances historically found refuge inside the Democratic tent, but broke for Trump and the GOP on the back of RFK Jr.’s 2024 endorsement.
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