Posted on 08/21/2015 1:25:40 AM PDT by Kaslin
I cannot be that rare. Quick— show of hands. How many of you have largely enjoyed the Donald Trump phenomenon yet winced at his occasional behaviors that seem far beneath the presidency?
I know I just described a lot of people, but most of the shouting is coming from die-hard Trump fans who will not hear criticism of him, and unhinged critics blasting him with rhetorical artillery far beyond his actual sins.
Why? Because while Trump may not be the eventual GOP nominee, he is a window to some truths about two groups of Americans.
I am a member of one: the group of voters sick of mealy-mouthed politics as usual, tired of political correctness, weary of being lied to by candidates who talk a good game and then melt upon taking office.
As such, I have enjoyed Trump’s directness, born of his total lack of fealty to establishment elites and their donor/consultant instincts that reward tameness and mediocrity.
Those folks constitute the other community thrust into the spotlights of Trump Fever. From tut-tutting columnists who cannot believe he is still atop the polls to swiss-cheese conservatives threatened by his boldness, the wave of Trump Derangement Syndrome has not been beneficial for sufferers who have not been able to restrain their angst.
In response, some Trump defenders have gone beyond mere defense against outsized criticism, lapsing into the most unfortunate of supporter behaviors: the position that their guy can do no wrong and any critique of him must be met with symmetrically exaggerated condemnation.
My head hurts.
So since he is going to be around, probably for quite a while, I offer some tips for folks driven to the opposite extremes here in the Summer of Trump.
First, for his over-criticizers:
—Realize that in bashing him, you are seen as attacking every corner of his large fan base. Coming at Trump with a scalpel is smarter than the sledgehammer— an approach that will make you look like a fan of the faint-hearted weasels who have run things for too long.
— Asking odd questions like “Can Trump govern?” shows that you may actually believe the current generations of ruling class geniuses have done a good job of it. It can surely be said that Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid (and to be bipartisan, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell) “can govern.” And it is precisely those sorry governance results that have earned a giant deserved middle finger from Trump and his supporters.
— Don’t get so hung up on the man personally. Realize that half of his support is from people who probably will not vote for him in actual primaries, but who are surely enjoying the defibrillating jolt of the approach has has brought to several issues.
— Lose the bewilderment over how conservatives can even back him. Do the math. After decades of being hosed by candidates preaching 90 or 100 percent conservatism and delivering about a third of that, if Trump is around 75 percent conservative, there is faith that he will deliver every morsel of that, or at least try harder than the big talkers and meager warriors of today.
Now to Mr. Trump’s reputational guardians, the folks who are loving his ascendancy so much that even measured criticism of him brings out their long knives:
— Just enjoy the ride. Your man’s golden moment could last anywhere from a few months to Inauguration Day. But whatever happens, real voters will be the determining factor, not a few pundits or rivals who are knocking him around. And if Trump were to evaporate tomorrow, he has cemented immigration, trade policies and American exceptionalism as issues the entire field will likely address with greater vigor. Be happy.
— Be aware that decrying “political correctness” is a bat that swings only so far. If Trump says something that is truly beyond the lines of civility and beneath presidential temperament— and he has before, and he will again, that’s just part of the journey— whining about political correctness makes you look boorish and thin-skinned. Save PC laments for deserving examples. They are plentiful.
— Rather than defending the indefensible, ask something of your candidate. Tell him that you love his plain talk and his take-no-prisoners approach to issues, and that you admire it so much you’d like him to actually win the presidency, which will not happen if he doesn’t get a handle on some of his adolescent outbursts. Tell him you want the guy who will build a border wall, pound ISIS and deal smartly with China, but not the guy who wastes his time (and ours) obsessing about “losers” and spouting about Heidi Klum and Rosie O’Donnell.
Trump loyalists, Trump-haters and those in between simply watching the spectacle should all know that we will be engaged with each other for a good while. His poll numbers will not be tanking by Halloween, or maybe even Christmas. Real voters in real primaries may get a crack at his fate, making pundits and social media mavens on both sides deliciously irrelevant.
Spot on. I have been a FReeper for many years. Our primary bench is the best that we have had in all of the year’s of my adult life (and I remember LBJ in office). Suddenly we have a multiplicity of conservative choices, and anything other than full throated love of the D is shouted down. This is starting to resemble the Daily Los or DU. I’m here to discuss and debate with my fellows, not get shouted at by sycophants of ANY candidate. I think that we have a long way before we decide on a nominee, and I, for one, would like to see all of the candidates thoroughly vetted before we all stampede to get behind this extremely nominal conservative.
I’m not saying that I dislike or wouldn’t vote for the D, I just think that it’s too soon to annoint anyone, especially given the proven winners we have running (Cruz, Walker, Carson).
Supposed to be Daily Kos. Darn Otto Korrect. Terrible proofreader.
That explains your perspective. I don't believe I'm alone in thinking the Bush Presidency proved no Republican, let alone Conservative, is going to be effective without a first rate ability to handle the media.
None of our bench has that ability besides Trump.
Was that "shouting you down," because frankly I haven't seen what you're complaining about. I've seen many hair-brained conspiracy theories get unceremoniously shot down, and unresolvable disagreements, but that's hardly a black mark on Trump supporters.
You are not alone. This race is the media/government complex vs the American People. Trump is proving he can beat the media/government complex.
Mark Davis is an ass.
Really...annoying...
That’s not shouting, but, you know what I’m talking about.
Even your comment displays my concern. I’ve seen some pretty decent media smackdowns by other candidates, but no one but the D can handle the media. I don’t think that is fact.
I’m not talking about conspiracies, I’m talking about the selection of the BEST candidate based on their positions, policies, and ideals, the last once considered the cornerstone of all the others. Their ethics if you want a secular term.
George W was not my favorite president, nor was he by far my least. You are unfortunately correct about his ability to communicate, but he was an honorable man. I wonder about the D’ s ethical, moral foundations.
“— Don’t get so hung up on the man personally. Realize that half of his support is from people who probably will not vote for him in actual primaries, but who are surely enjoying the defibrillating jolt of the approach has has brought to several issues.”
This is naïve thinking. Most people who are supporting Trump will be happy to vote for him.
And this is the concern of Conservatives who support Trump; isolated "smack downs" are not good enough. It's worrisome that other Conservatives, for ideological reasons, seem to think orthodoxy somehow mitigates media naïveté.
The Journalism profession has a perpetual ad campaign running against us that NO ONE could afford if they had to actually pay for it. That's why the Democrats always get a greater measure of populist support than the Republicans.
The beauty of having Trump run on our side is he brings his OWN populist support, independent of media putting their thumbs on the scale.
I wonder about the D’ s ethical, moral foundations.
Enough to continue on the same track that has given the Democrats two of the last three Presidencies, and would have given them the third were it not for the intervention of the SCOTUS?
“One side is blissfully content with their choice,”
Which side is that?
Was that a serious comment?
If you've learned nothing from your time on FR it should be this; Obama and Trump have diametrically opposing views on how America should be.
And further, how should he accommodate differing views? Should he adopted some of Jebs views on immigration? Should he consider allowing SOME illegals?
That's just crazy, that's how we got to where we are, and how Trump got to be where he is, by totally rejecting those views, and with prejudice.
That's why so many Americans support him, he has the views of most of us, and he beats the crap out of those who oppose him.
He may not be the guy for you, and FR may not be the place for you. There is going to be a whole lot more of pro-Trump threads than we've had so far, and a lot of us are adopting the Trump approach, attack, and be prepared to have a response that will demolish.
Is STFU appropriate - there are others whom read this and personally I a sick of the profanity. Maybe it is time you wash your mouth out with soap and clean your potty mind
Ah!.. you want me to STFU as well... got it...
To tone down my rhetoric.. to quaff my bile.. to soften my outrage..
to chill out.. to calm down.. to be more scholarly...
to Zzzzzzzzzzz.....................
Many fear that will happen after Trump secures the nomination.
Or WORSE after the election... when he shows Obama how it should have been done..
Obama of a different color shape and charisma..
The real Treasonous Crony Capitalist that knows HOW TO USE the Military Industrial Complex.. “ CORRECTLY “(sic)
THAT TRUMP... that liberal left wing POSEUR of Progressivism..
Champion of Making America the Cash Cow “she” always should have been..
YEAH yeah and a few BONES for the RUBES too..
THAT... (well you get the picture.. )
If your opinion is that Mark Davis should STFU so be it. He however has the right to give his opinion, just as I have the right to give my opinion to you.
I agree..
His registration record shows even that to be optimistic. He's donated more to Democrats, he wasn't even a registered Republican in either of the last two Presidental election years, and we're supposed to hope he's '75 percent conservative'.
At this point in our history, we need true and proven conservatism without hesitation or compromise. Trump is simply not the person to deliver it.
And why would you want to temper this?
“There’s always lawsuits and unfortunately a lot of those lawsuits are won by the other side,” Trump said. “I will assault that. I will go so strongly against so many of the things, when they take away the word Christmas.”
Yes, no give on his position there.
I sure can't understand how anyone would want to support that.
Hell, they might even leave FR in protest.
I thought it held decent value.
I guess I should have said that yesterday, when I first saw this remark.
Please, don't run off long-time freepers over this sort of thing.
This site has still not recovered from Romney's attempt to win the Republican nomination.
We lost quite a few members then, amid the all the at times too fierce internecine bickering, that came about due to frustration and a sense of hopelessness in regards to this nation's future...
Nobody much liked Romney (except Ann?). He was most everbody's last choice, if choice at all...
That was then, this is now.
As difficult and discomfiting to look at our nation's present situation --- things could get far worse --- and many sort-of have a nagging suspicion that it will--- still does not mean that we should tear each other apart over it.
I haven't been enjoying it. And I'm past tired of it. Let's get Walker or Cruz in the White House.
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