> My view (maybe shared by GP) is that while Trump deserves a lot of the blame, he's just a figure head over the rest of the republican party.

Exactly this.

Debated at length in the 2016 election cycle and onward since. The Republican establishment didn't (and doesn't) love Trump as a politician, but they love that he puts them in power, and they have been trying to figure out how to reproduce that kind of popularity in a candidate since (and largely failing). He's the best bet of the far-right folks behind the scenes to implement their policy, and he doesn't give a shit about all that stuff as long as he can enrich himself.

The one silver lining is the bit about not being able to reproduce his popularity - which I assume is why they've all been so aggressive in trying to remake the federal government. They've got until the midterms to grab all the power they can. It seems likely they will face a backlash and a lot of seats will swing, so their focus is on removing the teeth from congress, while state level actors try and push through enough new laws that they can prevent loss of seats in the midterms.

>their focus is on removing the teeth from congress

I mean, without a constitutional amendment how can that be done?

> I mean, without a constitutional amendment how can that be done?

1. Ignore the laws passed by Congress, and rule by executive decree

2. Experience no consequences, and thereby

3. Establish and institutionalize the idea that Congress is meaningless and decorative.

What documents say the law is doesn't mean anything if it what the people with guns do doesn't reflect what those documents say.

Supremely court decisions, I think.

They have more or less done it already. Most districts are firmly in control of republicans. The congress is bound to the desires of the extreme right wing. Even the threat of impeachment is now a laughing matter from Trump after 2 such attempts going to nothing.

Yep - they just have to elect enough candidates who will let Trump run amok. The majority doesn't need to agree with Trump, just enough people to avoid voting (a much smaller number). That's what we're seeing now.

Then they just have to keep that small number of people in power through whatever means. Even if congress swings enough to have anti-Trump votes, he'll just ignore whatever Congress says, and force it into the courts (which are packed increasingly with Trump friendly judges). That's how it happens.