So, of what use would a Trump second term be to conservatives and the far-right?

[MineralMan]

After the election, I mean. During his first term in office, he helped the conservatives and far right pack the federal court system with conservative judges. What more do they expect him to be able to do?

Perhaps Trump has done what they hoped he would do and is now a dragging anchor. Perhaps they will simply cut the anchor rope and write the anchor off at this point.

Maybe Trump has served his only purpose and is now a liability for them.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Money and power are all they care about, and they can never get enough.

[MineralMan]

3. Yes, but if Trump will be a liability to them, which seems certain,

perhaps they'll cut the cord now. I don't know, because I can't think like a right-winger, but that could well be the case.

As someone else pointed out, you aren't hearing Republicans praising his pitiful debate performance this morning.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. He could still do TONS of damage in another teem

Racial relations, environmental issues, and banking regulations come to mind. I’m sure we could think of more without breaking a sweat.

[marble falls]

4. Even McConnell realizes it, having had two conversations with Trump to lay off the mail-in ...

ballot crap.

[MineralMan]

6. Perhaps so. However, as expected Trump is having none of that from McConnell.

That's exactly what I mean by the dragging anchor metaphor.

Trump's usefulness and his "best by" date have expired, I think.

His attack on mail-in ballots may lead to more Republicans not voting than Democrats. Democrats aren't afraid of mail-in ballots. Trump has told his followers to be afraid of them.

Trump is not a bright fellow.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

5. and he got them a HUGE tax cut too!

[MineralMan]

8. That's true, as well.

[Brother Mythos]

7. If given second term, Trash will ...

give even more tax breaks to the wealthy, further reduce corporate taxes, expand the current corporate welfare, kill the ACA, further reduce our environmental protection laws so corporations don't have to pay for all of that pesky pollution control equipment, and privatize Social Security so the Wall Street boys can get their hands on all of that money and bleed the fund entirely dry.

And that's just for starters.

[JHB]

9. What Newt was chortling at the prospect of when he won...

"Sweeping away the last remnants of the New Deal."

Their lost Golden Age is the Gilded Age. They want to return the government to what it was then (though somehow keeping the superpower-sized military), with no regulations the wealthy were bound to respect, and few taxes they were bound to pay.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. It would be useful to Putin and his bedmates.

How many of the GOP fall into the latter category is not clear. But don't believe that NO ONE benefits.

[CozyMystery]

11. I read R's responses to articles on Fox

Used my R husband's computer so i wouldn't infect mine.

They think trump is going to serve 2 more terms. And win by a landslide. I down-voted a ton of comments. Couldn't reply without signing in and my husband doesn't have an account. No way am I going to set one up on Fox.

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. They need a president who would veto anything the Democratic Congress tries to do

especially if the Senate turns majority Democrat. They want one willing to issue outrageous pardons, appoint corrupt or controllable cabinet members and other levels, who'll direct Barr (or a clone) to carry out politically-based prosecutions and quash anything they find inconvenient, and sign discriminatory executive orders. They need someone to ratfuck the census count, the redrawing of election boundaries, and future elections.

Those with an eye to future elections won't want to look associated with him, because they know he'll screw things up. But they still need him to be a wannabe dictator, since his instincts and theirs broadly align.