Mailman,
A nice enough prediction, but it relies on everything going the right way. Even if the hundreds of thousands in the permanent bureaucracy decide to obey orders this time, I have low confidence that Mr Trump will have carte blanche from his own party. It wouldn't be the first time that a government with a comfortable majority and control of both houses emasculated itself through in-fighting and personal agendas.

Everybody knows this will be Trump's last term. You mention DeSantis, but Vance seems another likely lad: how many others are already manoeuvring for the big job next term? May distract from swamp-draining activities.

Cynic or realist?

This Daily Sceptic article reminded me of that Lord Moulton talk on Law and Manners. Pretty much the same message: that the law is a terrible way to maintain civility.

It blames social media for the rise in rudeness, but my politeness took a big drop well before that. In the early 2000s, telemarketers, charities, and swindlers (maybe the last covers them all) were besieging the phone. Before, I wouldn't have dreamt of hanging-up on someone. Didn't take very long till I was doing it without a scruple.

The article also mentions how Private Eye was unable to satirise the COVID capers. They must have caught the woke bug pretty badly if they couldn't satirise that nonsense.

Robbo,

Dont even get me started on the could vs couldn't care less argument! ;)

Whats going to be wonderful about all of this is that things didnt have to end this way for Democrats because NOW they have created a monster. Trump comes back in to power with full knowledge of EVERYTHING Democrats did to him and payback is going to be glorious.

Another key difference between 2016 and now is that all those old GOP Senators like Turtle ad McCain and Romney are gone. All the independents like Merkowski and Sinoma are gone and all those RINO's in congress are just a footnote in history not to mention there isnt a GOP machine prepared to lose the House to stop Trump from accomplishing anything.

There are now Republicans who understand the need for a secure border and are aware of the absolute garbage the Democrats did by flooding swing states with future Democrat voters (because they will never vote to remove themselves from America like what happens in California). Basically the old GOP party is dead and its now Trumps party.

Oh, and the popular vote and a historic EC win and the Senate and Congress are all in Republicans hands. They have 2 years to ensure they get another 2 years of control and an ability to warm things up for future President DeathSantis ;)

And to think, all Democrats had to do was not be crazy and they couldn't even do that! These liberal tears are delicious.

Mailman,
FWIW, Wikipedia's entry agrees with my interpretation:

A small-c conservative is anyone who believes in the philosophy of conservatism but does not necessarily identify with an official Conservative Party.

But as I said, your meaning was clear enough from context. No biggie. It can join idioms like (English) I couldn't care less versus (American) I could care less: the wordings are contradictory, but the accepted meanings are the same. Joys of the English language.

DaveS,
I think it's going to be similarly awkward when the Aussie PM meets up with Pwesident Twump. Better still will be former PM, Kevin Rudd, now our Ambassador to the USA, who has hardly been diplomatic in sharing his views on Trump.

Glad we won't be hearing from a President Harris, and the woe and lamentations from the Australian media is enjoyable. All the same, and as I've said before, I don't believe the Presidential "steering wheel" is connected to anything. I picture his first term as having been:

Trump: I want to do XXX. Make it happen.
Official: Yes sir. At once sir.
... Official sits on order and does nothing
... time passes
Trump: Why isn't XXX happening?
Official: excuse .. excuse .. blah blah
Trump: You're fired. (to another) You... take his place.
New Official: Yes sir.

Repeat.

Of course I could be wrong; I hope to be wrong. I'll take it all back if he achieves anything comparable to Javier Milei's adjustments in Argentina. Till then, expectations low.

Starmer and Lammy must be really looking forward to their first meeting with Trump. Although they'll probably have to wait a while - I doubt they'll be high on his priority list and anyway may find themselves palmed off with Trump's Secretary of State. What a pair of odious political pygmies.

Robbo,

No, the small c conservatives are just conservative in name only. They wouldn't be out of place in a Labour line up.

Also, thank FUCK adults are going to be back in charge in America!!

We are also going to need a bugger cup for all those deliciously sweet lifty tears flowing today! ;)

Mailman,
That's how I understood your comment, but I think you're looking at the small-c idea as: He's only a conservative where I'm a CONSERVATIVE. But don't you think the idiom makes more sense referring to: He's paid for membership of the Conservative party, but he's doesn't have a conservative bone in his body? On that reading, it's the small-c ones who have principles.

tomo,
The ship of state becalmed again. Has climate change moved the doldrums north about 40°? Well, whatever it is, I suppose you'll all just have to get to rowing. Who's going to be the one beating the drum?

With expensive electricity, a "cost of living crisis" and a federal election not too far in the future, Australia's parliament is reluctantly looking at nuclear energy. Logic and reason all seem to be on one side, but I'm guessing it'll be a while before it gets the go-ahead.

...also known as cucks! :)

Robbo,

My reference to small c conservatives is a p1ss take on these so called conservatives who are conservative in name only.