A battle isn't the war, etc etc.

The struggle between the fascists and the constitution is still on a razor's edge, the advantage shifts back and forth, and it may not be decided until 2020.

In a way, that would be better. To further pursue your metaphor, we needed Pearl Harbor to finally wake us up. Losing a few BB's was worth it because its what it took to really piss us off. If the Japanese attack had failed and they had immediately sued for peace, our America Firsters would have kept us out of the war and America would be fascist today.

If the Trump faction in Congress is totally defeated next month, everything bad that happens for the next two years will be blamed on future "Liberal obstruction and betrayal" rather than past Conservative ineptness and crime.

I hate to say this, but we really need for the GOP to fully preside over a historical national catastrophe, to be the undeniable authors and owners of it, before their role in precipitating it is fully imprinted in our collective political unconscious. If Trump is not completely demonstrated to be their Hoover, the Republicans will continue to paint him as their Roosevelt. Remember, they're still blaming Obama for the Middle East and the Great Recession.