Obvious goal is to deny voters real choice in elections.

TRUMP IS STILL POPULAR BECAUSE HE OFFERED A REAL CHOICE

ESTABLISHMENT WANTS TO PICK CANDIDATES FOR BOTH PARTIES

We see the continued vilification of Donald Trump as the symbolic destroyer of the country. In effect, he has challenged the past presidential election system, were either of the two candidates took the county to the same place. One would appeal to left base and the other the conservative base, but after being elected, they would govern identically when it came to foreign policy, or trade or preserving the power of the entrenched bureaucracy. They now fear that Trump may actually run for office again, and all the power they can muster is now organized to eliminate that possibility.

In the 2016 election it was likely to have been a Bush/Clinton election. Either would have continued down the same path as favoring foreign military intervention, a continued slide into socialism, a continued displacement of American workers in favor of big profits from goods produced elsewhere. A plan that would make more Americans dependent on government sustenance and a country more dependent on foreign goods. 

As for Republicans, they held their noses to vote for McCain and Romney and remembered the broken promise of the Bush presidents. Donald Trump promised to do in office what he promised in his campaign and he did. No one was particularly enamored with Trump, but they were on board with his political policy, a policy that was in contradiction with most of the established behind the scenes rulers of the country. 

This same establishment wants to return to the same system by being able to put forward the candidates of their choice. The candidates who talk to their base, but rule like they are manueverd or ordered to by their handlers.

A good example is Hong Kong, who the Chinese promised that they would allow free elections after they were returned to Chinese rule. They allowed elections, but the candidates were selected by the Chinese communist party. Different people but the same end result.

While many believe that if Trump is eliminated, they will be able to return to the system that has been in place for decades. They are not only fearful of a Trump candidacy but also an aroused electorate that will be resistant in the future. They are pulling out all the stops, to shut down free speech and to intimidate anyone who will support candidates opposed to their continued control of this country. They will do the same to candidates on the left if necessary.

It will not matter if it is Trump who runs in 2024 or someone who actually wants to return the country to a system that is in the best interest of the whole population and not just to preserve their power. They went all out in two elections in denying Bernie Sanders the nomination, the actual first choice of Democrat voters, because they feared they could not control him. Can anyone explain how Biden manged to defeat Sanders in the Democrat primary.

You can bet the real goal is to put up candidates that will govern in the best interests of the powerful elite.