I ask the question in my headline in earnest.

Here’s a relative axiom, attributed in various forms to various historical figures: Never interfere with an enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself. So, yeah — what are the Democrats thinking? They should count their lucky stars if Donald Trump wins the 2024 Republican Party presidential nomination.

With multiple polls showing Republican support for a 2024 Trump run collapsing, the former president beleaguered by key midterm losses by candidates he strongly backed, courtroom setbacks, and mindblowing unforced errors — blameable only on Trump — the Democrat Party would be wise to shut the hell up about Trump, sit back, keep their powder dry, and watch Trump’s self-immolation take its course.

And I didn’t even include Trump’s ridiculous release on Thursday of Trump Digital Trading Cards, which Trump loyalists are now gleefully declaring a success — because the NFTs sold out in 24 hours — completely missing the point of Trump’s latest P.T. Barnum-like fleece job.

So again, there’s no explanation for the Democrats’ near-frantic desire to take down Trump once and for all, other than permanent Trump Derangement Syndrome. Simply, the Democrats continue to cut off their noses to spite their Trump-hating faces by potentially giving Republican and independent voters cause to rally around Trump.

So, why am I giving solid advice to the Democrats? 

Because I don’t believe Trump gives the Republicans the best shot at recapturing the White House in 2024. In fact, I’ll take it a step further: Donald Trump is the only viable (at this point, anyway) Republican in the country the Democrats could easily defeat in 2024.

While I’m thinking about it, a quick note to Trump loyalists who skewer me on a regular basis (with which I’m perfectly fine, by the way):

As anyone who regularly reads my stuff should know, I voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 and will do so in 2024 if he wins the nomination. Why? Because Trump largely fulfilled the pledges he made prior to the 2016 presidential election, and every conservative should prefer virtually any Republican in the White House over any Democrat. That should go without saying.

And here’s the thing: I’m not suggesting that conservatives move on from MAGA initiatives and ideology. As one of my Facebook followers (a former diehard Trump loyalist) recently commented: “MAGA is bigger than any one person, including Donald Trump.” My follower was right, of course, which begs the question:

Why would Trump loyalists assist Trump in burning down the Republican party on his way out the door, if their attraction is to MAGA? Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen the rebuttals: “We should burn the GOP to the ground and start over!” Really? When? Less than two years before one of the most important presidential elections in modern history? Please explain to me how that makes sense. Spite? The big get-even? I’ll wait.

No— I’ve changed my mind: it makes zero sense.

When the GOP has a guy like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — who I believe would destroy any 2024 Democrat nominee — as a prime alternative to Trump and the baggage he carries (self-inflicted and otherwise), it’s hard to understand why all Republicans wouldn’t knock off the internecine warfare crap, rally around DeSantis, and take it to Democrats hard — on policy issues, and the hardships continually piled on tens of millions of Americans throughout Joe Biden’s intentionally disastrous presidency.

Notice, I said “hard” to understand, not impossible to understand.

In my not-so-humble opinion, there are millions of Trump loyalists who simply can’t wrap their heads around the notion of the Republican Party — and politics in America — existing without Donald Trump.

Otherwise, I got nothin’.