Ever play an arcade video game from the 1980s? I'm talking about the ones in the arcades where you had to pop a quarter into the machine to play.

Here's the thing about those games. The first 2 levels or so were usually pretty easy. Weak AI opponents. Easily distinguishable patterns. But then you hit level 3 or 4. And the difficultly skyrockets. With absolutely no warning. You go from "Hey, this game ain't so bad" to regretting all of your life choices. And if you don't know what you're doing, you're going to get owned, hard. Only a few people could get past a couple of levels, and only the best of the best were skilled enough to be able to play as long as they wanted until they clocked the game.

That's where we're at now. Trump played those first couple of levels. Clinton was a divisive figure in her own right and treated the 2016 race like she could skate to victory too. Biden had weaknesses that Trump could easily exploit. The real game has begun and Trump has absolutely no idea how to actually play. So Trump wants to start the game over. He doesn't want to make it to level 3 because he knows he'll never beat level 3. He's looking for a reset switch like on the Atari 2600 so he could keep playing the first two levels over and over and over. Because he knows how to beat those.

But he can't. So he's essentially stopped playing the game. He's telling everybody in the arcade how rigged that machine is, the joystick's broken, and you need to hit the fire button 10, 12, 15 times for it to fire. And he's getting jealous that all the cool kids in the mall aren't listening to him, and are circling around the new girl who popped her quarter in and has gotten to levels Trump hasn't even seen before, while he goes to the corner of the arcade, pops a quarter into the dusty, old Pong machine, and wonders why nobody fucking cares.

This is an interesting article - thanks for sharing! I found this snippet noteworthy:

According to one former aide who served in the White House under the former president, Trump has lost the plot.

“The stakes for Trump this election are arguably the highest they’ve ever been. His criminal cases don’t go away if he loses. Yet he seems to be phoning it in, running a remarkably low-energy, undisciplined campaign,” explained Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump spokesperson. “From spending days off the campaign trail golfing to coming up with frankly weak nicknames like ‘Kamabala,’ it feels like he’s lost his mojo.”

That is a good point about the criminal cases not going away if he loses, right? It's interesting how it's openly stated by the former aide.

I'm unable to muster any sympathy for the felon's perpetual state of stewing.

What worries me is we'll have a repeat of 2016 where everyone just assumed Hillary was going to win so they didn't vote. Hopefully people will go out and vote regardless.

That's because he only cares about when the election happens. He has plans in place to deny the results and to send his chud army out to terrorize. That's all he is waiting for.

Bullshit. They're going to keep pumping out "Trump is losing so horribly no one has to vote anymore" propaganda so then we'll have another 2016. Our rights are at stake and life is going to be harder for everyone except the elites if Project 2025 happens. All I know is I'm showing up to vote regardless of who's "winning".

I wish every election could be this easy

Remember to still vote, there was a time when too many people just didn't because it was assured Hillary would win.

Roe V. Wade was appealed and many women are dead now as a result

Trump since the 80s has gotten away with deplorable crimes and was still liked. He doesn't know how to handle hate and reality that only freaks like him. Then you add a black women kicking his ass, chief kiss.

Trump is really weak, old and tired. I prefer the younger, energetic Kamala rather than a whining, fat old man.

So he is doing what he did while President?

Respectfully, fuck this noise and take the thing seriously. The election is not decided until the votes are counted and the secessionists (if any) are shot or incarcerated.

Trump is being told by his donors that the voting isn't important because they'll litigate the shit out of the election if they lose.

What's important to understand is that Trump isn't the one in charge. He's a useful idiot.

Trump's motivation isn't Project 2025, or abortion bans, or anything at all for that matter. He has no principles. He agrees with the last person who spoke with him. That's how his brain works. What Trump cares about is having the power to pardon himself and make all of his criminal charges go away.

So a bunch of fundies see an opportunity. THEY have an agenda. THEY have a plan. THEY tell Trump, WE WILL get you into power by hook or by crook. We'll pay for your campaign because we know you're broke. We'll get our people in place everywhere we can. From a vote perspective, you're going to lose this election...WE are your only chance to avoid prison and (potentially worse) no longer being useful to Putin and falling out a high window.

Trump is golfing not because he's given up. But because a) he's miserable and has no interest in being the president, but he has no choice if he wants to avoid prison. and b) He honestly believes he doesn't need the votes because his "people" (who he's stupid and egotistical enough to think that HE controls rather than the other way around) have it wrapped up for him.

Either it's a demotivated Trump, or it's a Trump who figures that if he's going on the offensive now, then the Harris campaign will still have time for a comeback.

Friends don't let friends get lazy, remind everyone to vote!

Oh! I've seen this one! This is a classic!

Let me guess, he's "growing increasingly isolated" yeah?

How was that any different from his presidency?

Trump aides alarmed that Trump is ranting about crowd sizes.

Trump aides alarmed that Trump's skin is orange.

Trump aides alarmed that Trump only cares about himself.

Trump aides alarmed that Trump is living in the past.

Trump aides alarmed that Trump is a convicted felon.

Like, who are these aides? Where were they the last 20 years?

I love that his rebuttal to the successful DNC last week was to be the weird old guy who calls into talk shows to ramble. CSPAN energy.

I mean, that's literally how he operated when he was in the White House, how would this be a surprise to anybody? He's where he is because of a vast propaganda network that's working tirelessly to put him into power because he's an incredibly useful idiot that can get people riled up. He's not given up, he's just getting complacent because he doesn't believe elections or democracy matters at all.

Wanna bet he's not even good at golf and has aides placed around the hole to toss out a good distance ball when he shanks it

He is expecting a house contingency vote after his 70+ swing state sycophants deny Harris the 270 threshhold when he's under by delaying to certify. that's why he doesn't care

With the Democrats sucking up all the media attention

This article is desperately trying to change that