STRATEGY MEMO

MAGA’s in a civil war- Time to break the Napoleon rule

STRATEGY MEMO

To: The Resistance

From: The Great Transformation

Date: June 19, 2025

Subject: Leveraging Republican Infighting — Time to Break the "Napoleon Rule"

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Summary

An old political adage, often attributed to Napoleon, warns: "Never interfere with the enemy while he's in the process of destroying himself."

Ordinarily, it's sound advice. But in this moment, the opposition should consider ignoring it.

With the Republican Party splintering over tariffs, the federal budget, and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, we are witnessing a rare moment of GOP disarray that can be actively exploited, not passively observed. This memo outlines five key strategic reasons Democrats should lean in, frame the contrast, and energize their base around a clear message of unity, competence, and stability.

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1. GOP Chaos Projects Weakness — Frame It

Public clashes between MAGA-aligned Republicans and traditional conservatives are painting the GOP as fundamentally dysfunctional. The opposition must aggressively frame this as a party incapable of governing. Use contrast messaging: We govern. They wreak havoc.

Tactics:

• Highlight GOP infighting in social, digital, and earned media

• Use "chaos caucus" language to reinforce dysfunction (use words like: disorder, anarchy, bedlam, confusion, disorganization, lawlessness, mayhem, pandemonium, and tumult online)

  Example

• Amplify Republican discontent and disagreements by taking sides (As a progressive, I agree with...)

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2. Tariff Wars Are an Economic Liability — Flip the Script

Republican divisions over tariffs open a rare opportunity to reclaim the economic narrative. Protectionist policies are alienating businesses, farmers, and trade partners. Democrats can position themselves as the party of responsible economics and working-class prosperity.

Tactics:

• Showcase local industries and jobs hurt by Republican trade policy, with an emphasis on rising housing and energy costs

  Example

  • Net Job Loss Projections: Goldman Sachs estimates that the tariffs will create about 100,000 manufacturing jobs while destroying 500,000 others. (Reason, April 2025)

• Reclaim the affordability mantle. Attack Republicans for the increasing cost of living. Attack Republicans on inflation. Attack Republicans on energy costs. Attack Republicans on food costs.

  Example

  

  Opinion Today

  • Gas Price Increases: Terminating almost all federal clean energy investments will increase electricity rates and raise the price of gasoline by between 25 cents and 37 cents per gallon, costing households more than $400 billion on energy over the next decade. (Center for American Progress, May 2025)

• Deploy regional economic messaging in the Midwest, South, and farm states

  Example

  • Conservation Program Payment Freeze: According to the National Sustainable Agricultural Commission, President Trump's executive orders have triggered a freeze on over $2 billion in promised payments to more than 30,000 farmers and ranchers, undermining contracts for voluntary conservation and rural energy programs. Many farmers and ranchers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket, trusting that the USDA would hold up their end of a legally binding agreement. Farmers are now stuck having paid upfront costs with no reimbursement.

• Highlight small business uncertainty caused by GOP infighting

  Example

  • Expansion Plans Plummet: "In February, the share of respondents who believe it is a good time to expand saw its biggest monthly decline since April 2020" (CNN Business, March 11, 2025)

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3. Foreign Policy Discord = Global Chaos

The Israel-Iran conflict is exposing deep Republican divisions between isolationists and traditional interventionists. Democrats should speak with one voice and project calm, capable leadership on the world stage.

Tactics:

• Emphasize the Republican record of costly Middle Eastern wars that sacrifice American lives

  Example

  • Middle East War Casualties: Approximately 6,800 American service members died in post-9/11 Middle East conflicts, including 2,402 in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and roughly 4,400 in Iraq (2003-2011), with the Iraq War initiated under the Bush administration and both conflicts continuing across multiple presidencies.

• Elevate and amplify veterans, diplomats, and national security surrogates

• Target suburban and moderate voters wary of Republican volatility and destabilizing the global order.

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4. Budget Dysfunction Is a Voter Turnoff

GOP stalling on the budget is another reminder of their inability to govern. Voters are tired of shutdown threats and fiscal theatrics. The opposition must make the case that we fund schools, protect Medicare, and keep the lights on.

Tactics:

• Personalize the impact of GOP budget chaos (e.g., furloughed workers, delayed benefits)

  Example

  • Layoffs and Terminations: CNN's analysis suggests at least 121,000 federal employees have been fired or targeted so far this year.

• Deficit, deficit, deficit • Counter Republican "fiscal conservatism" with facts

  Example

  • Deficit Impact: The Congressional Budget Office projects Trump's "big, beautiful bill" would add $2.4 trillion to federal budget deficits over 10 years, with fiscal watchdog groups estimating the total debt impact at roughly $3.3 trillion over the next decade, despite the administration's claims that spending cuts offset the tax extensions.

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5. Disunity Demoralizes Their Base — Energize Opposition

Internal conflict weakens Republican voter enthusiasm. The opposition has a window to unify around shared values, drive turnout, and contrast stability with sabotage.

Tactics:

• The Israel-Iran conflict is likely to be the first sustained GOP opposition to Trump. Amplify it.

  Example

  

  Washington Post

• Use infighting as proof Republicans aren't capable of handling real issues—and it's putting our lives in danger

• Stress this is just "Another Republican War" and that Trump lied to his base

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Conclusion: This Is a Moment to Act, Not Watch

The current internal GOP struggle is a function of multi-interest disassociation, not a traditional "moderate vs. conservative" split. That is why this moment calls for engagement—the various factions are not likely to come back together against a common enemy when foundational issues for their factions are at stake.

While the Republican Party is tearing itself apart, the opposition should not stay silent. This is a rare and urgent opportunity to define the contrast, energize voters, and set the terms of the 2026 conversation.