Close-up portrait of a man with facial expression suggesting seriousness, featuring light-colored hair and a fair complexion.

His bill came due

Out, damned spot

America wasn’t tired of Donald Trump; it is sick of him.

We don’t blame Donald Trump for the washout in Tuesday’s mid-term elections as much as we blame his enablers. His yes-men never brought the certifiably narcissistic head case to heel. They indulged the man’s worst instincts. They stymied their gag reflex, fearing his retribution.

Paraphrasing Churchill: my party chose dishonor over defeat, they got both anyway. Senators, congressmen, governors, party leaders could have been guard rails; instead, the gutless wonders followed a fatally flawed man off the cliff. Election Day Tuesday was Judgment Day — my party’s Nuremberg.

Tom Tiffany is as Wisconsin nice as a charity picnic basket but he came too close to the toxic tar baby of Mar-a-Lago, never repudiating Trump’s Stolen Election lie. His defeat wasn’t particularly close: 8 percentage points. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden also went down to defeat. He was THERE on January 6 — the most dishonorable day in American history. Republicans even lost Bryan Steil in the Janesville/Racine congressional district. Cursed by the Republican brand.

No one was spared. Republicans lost both houses of Congress. How do you lose South Carolina?! Iowa?! Kansas?! How does one lose Texas to non-binary James Talarico? Even Governor Abbott after three terms! (!!!) Susan Collins felled by a stumbling Democrat(ic) party in Maine! Michigan held its nose and elected Abdul El Sayed! Democrats picked up 7 Senate seats.

Back to Wisconsin, Republicans lost both houses of the legislature; lost three seats in the Senate to fall to an 18 to 15 minority; lost 8 seats in the Assembly for a 53 to 46 disadvantage. Blew every down-ballot constitutional office, including attorney general.

A voter told the Wisconsin State Journal that his vote for David Crowley, our next governor, “was more of anti-Tiffany, more anti-Trump.” The current President got his wish.

Mr. Trump asked people to vote as if he’s running. They will and he’ll regret it. — Peggy Noonan 10-31-26

Who is the RINO now?

Yeah, diesel fuel is expensive. Pollsters say affordability was the major issue. You get answers to the questions you ask. Hellz bellz, FDR got elected to a second term in the middle of the Great Depression when unemployment stood at 17%. Why? Because voters believed in the guy, they liked their President. Like Lincoln, Roosevelt appealed to their better angels. Not Mr. Grab ‘em by the Pussy.

“It’s time to Make America Good Again.” — the Republican mayor of Oklahoma City

“Be Kind” read the yard signs around Sauk Prairie WI a few years ago after a young person was bullied to suicide.

A man speaking passionately into a microphone at a rally, gesturing with his hands and making a facial expression that conveys strong emotion, with a crowd visible in the background.

What President disparages a woman’s appearance, mocks a disabled reporter, and blames Rob Reiner’s politics for his murder?  His obsequious psycho-phants excused it all away — or joined gleefully in the playground bullying, themselves. How does one make an enemy of CANADA? (!!!) How do you trash Zelensky and entertain Putin? Should have known when his very first nominee was Matt Gaetz for A.G.!

Who but Sean Trumpitty and other enablers, co-conspirators, and quislings could not see the extinction meteor coming? These verdicts were rendered BEFORE Election Day:

No other president could single-handedly put their party so deep down in a hole …. Through it all, there Trump and his friends and family have sat — shamelessly corrupt, gorging themselves like ravenous hogs from the public trough, and flaunting it all with such open trashiness. …

Donald Trump made to ensure that the GOP would field the weakest possible slate of candidates for Senate in nearly every race. … Only the most docile, loudly croaking toady in the room gets his endorsement. — Jeffrey Blehar in National Review — an actual conservative publication.

Trump owns this upcoming defeat — and he seemed determined to prove as much by using election eve to stand in front of the Reflecting Pool and remind every undecided voter that he’s more interested in his vanity projects than their needs. By commission and omission, he kneecapped Republican candidates [and] torpedoed the party brand. …

No plan, no platform and no vision — a party left to one man’s hourly whims.— Jonathan Martin, Politico

Blaska’s Bottom Line: This wasn’t a defeat, this was a repudiation. The Republican brand has become political thalidomide. We’ll say it here: my party needs a transfusion of Ronald Reagan — STAT! More Paul Ryan and Robin Vos and fewer Proud Boys and other such “patriots.”

Blaska is an optimist. Democrats will over-reach, like they always do. The party remains Woke, Palestinian, socialist, elitist, and anti-cop. America didn’t vote for Democrats so much as they voted against Donald Trump. The man must be made to go.

Will Trump do the honorable thing and resign?
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Take me back home, Jeeves!

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17 responses to “Out, damned spot”

  1. fred Avatar
    fred

    You pretty much nailed it.

    Reply
  2. Kim Richman Avatar
    Kim Richman

    Spot on Mr. Blaska.

    Last night I heard some so-called Republican strategists and bloggers say this had nothing to do with Trump.

    That shows how out of touch the GOP is, this had everything to do with Trump.

    This was the biggest FU to a sitting president that I am aware of.

    Some folks are saying that conservatives or Republicans did not show up. Maybe not, but this shows the power of independent voters.

    Reply
  3. One Eye Avatar
    One Eye

    Pretty much guarantees a Dem in the White House in 2 years.

    Only thing left to decide – Who will Schumer choose?

    Reply
  4. Dave Cieslewicz Avatar
    Dave Cieslewicz

    Couldn’t have written it better myself… though I tried.

    Reply
  5. Jonathan Elihu Burack Avatar
    Jonathan Elihu Burack

    I agree Trump gets the blame. But not because of Jan. 6. I mean he won in 2024 long after Jan. 6. In my view he lost this time due to an utter failure to explain the war, which easily COULD be explained, and to stand up to the rightwing antisemitic bigots in his own party (okay, and also crudeness and corruption, etc.). The true bell weather election this time was the outrageously bigoted El Sayed’s victory, and the only real Democratic “winner” in this election was Haley Stevens, whom the Democrats have driven out of the party for opposing El Sayed’s bigotry. It does not bode well for the supposed “moderate” Democratic winners, whoever they are, for rescuing their party from a far worse radicalism than Republicans have to contend with.

    Reply
    1. Rollie Avatar
      Rollie

      If the war is so easily justified, please do.

      Do you use a unique, not-commonly-understood definition of the word “bigotry?” Trump peppers his everyday speech with what are typically understood to be bigoted slurs. JV Dance has put forward claims that would typically be called bigoted. Yet, you appear to support them.

      Reply
  6. alexsaloutos Avatar
    alexsaloutos

    Who elected these numb nuts?

    The Tangerine Toddler will be gone in six months.

    Reply
  7. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    Looks like the RINOS were right all along….

    Reply
  8. steve bledsoe Avatar
    steve bledsoe

    I voted straight Republican, despite of the Trumpster. BUT, the Trumpster got what he deserved.

    Reply
  9. graefental Avatar
    graefental

    Hey Dave, where are all those nasty J6ers who stink up your facebook page? Is the reading level at Stately Blaska Policy Werkes too much for ’em?

    Reply
  10. Gregory Humphrey Avatar
    Gregory Humphrey

    Trump’s enablers and inside yes-men were a fraction of the problem. The truth is that elected leaders can only go as far as their supporters allow them to go, and for the better part of a decade too many MAGA Republican voters across the nation chose blind, stupefying loyalty over any shred of accountability, and cheered on loathsome conduct and ridiculous overreach in policymaking (ICE gunning down American citizens on public streets) they would have condemned in anyone else, and thereby were a major reason severe backlash occurred Tuesday. The GOP base must carry their share of what happened Tuesday to their party.

    Reply
  11. Silence Dogood Avatar
    Silence Dogood

    His biggest mistake, among many, where going after people like Jon Cornyn, Thomas Massie,etc…f$$$ stupid…egomaniacal. I am all for rounding up illegal aliens, who have been done felonies,other than illegally being in the country. But the way it was being done was worst PR stunt, made Waco look like a Sunday school picnic. Then tariffs…I am a free market & trade guy. I have and still support him on Iran. Now the Democrats have to do something (Other than”lawfare and impeachment”) if they have any hope in ’28 especially if he does something ’41 barely managed to do is find the veto pen!!

    Reply
    1. hammerofcheddar Avatar
      hammerofcheddar

      My thoughts align perfectly with your own. Well said.

      Reply
  12. patrickmoloughlin Avatar
    patrickmoloughlin

    Trump thought every vote for him came from a MAGA Republican rather than as a result of his incredible luck picking opponents. He had 3 of the worst candidates to ever head a major political party (but he still managed to lose to one of them.) There were more votes against Kamala Harris than there were FOR Trump. Same for Hillary. But the worst part is how he managed to force honorable Republicans to repeat his lies on the 2020 election and vote against releasing the Epstein files. Tom Tiffany’s contention that it was a “distraction” did not fly. So what? Release them anyway! Why should you care? Nope, he retold the election lies and voted against disclosure on Epstein because Trump told him to. I can’t tell you how many times in the past six months I have heard regular, every day guys say they were really mad at…Republicans. Not Trump, but Republicans for enabling him. And when he said, “Pretend I’m on the ballot” they did, with a vengence.

    Reply
  13. Gus Avatar
    Gus

    To your parting question, Mr. Blaska: One can always dream. If nothing else, last night was a striking victory for liberal democracy and a resounding defeat for oligarchical idiocracy. Two years in the making, ten years overdue.

    As to your bottom line: Accountability requires a loyal opposition that poses a credible electoral threat to those in power. So, here’s a hearty second to your call for partisan reform on the right, posthaste, with an emphasis on appealing to normal people.

    Much as I’d like to see the Republicans go the way of the Whigs, I just can’t ignore decades of institutionalized left-wing presumption and arrogant financial mismanagement in just about every city, suburb or school district to which I’ve ever paid property taxes. Long experience with the “nonpartisan” left at the local level leaves me holding no delusions about the Democrats who actually wear the brand name.

    Last night was good for the republic, but last night’s winners are not our saviors by any stretch.

    Reply
  14. Ken Avatar
    Ken

    While I agree with much of what you said, Paul Ryan was never the conservative he portrayed himself to be. He so-called balanced budget proposal for example, called for MORE spending in early years and did not balance for a decade! NOT a serous proposal, as an entire Congress could turn over in that time. And Vos was a vindictive bully who needed to go far sooner, and he too was too much in favor of Big Government.

    Reply
  15. Kurt Avatar
    Kurt

    Trump resigns. Vance becomes president. Marco Rubio becomes vice president. It’s the only move. We got left

    Reply

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