Posted on 08/24/2015 10:30:00 AM PDT by jazusamo
Despite a nuclear Iran looming on the horizon, the media seem to be putting most of their attention on two candidates for their respective parties' presidential nominations next year. Moreover, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump each make their own party nervous.
If next year's election comes down to Clinton versus Trump, a lot of people may simply stay home in disgust.
When we are this far away from the official start of the primary election season, we can usually just say, "It's still early days." Many a front runner this early in the process ended up out of the running by the time the party conventions were held, and totally forgotten by election day.
That is the way it usually is. But that is not likely to be the way it will be this time.
This is Hillary Clinton's last hurrah. It is now or never for her. And the Democrats have nobody comparable as a vote-getter to put in her place.
Even if an investigation finds Mrs. Clinton found guilty of violating the law in the way she handled e-mails when she was Secretary of State, the Obama administration is not likely to prosecute her. And President Obama can always pardon her, so that the next administration cannot prosecute her either. So Hillary doesn't even have to take a plea bargain.
Someone with a sense of shame might well withdraw from the contest for the Democratic Party's nomination, now that public opinion polls show that most people distrust her. But since when have the Clintons ever had a sense of shame?
(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...
the media obsession with Trump means that even the best of these candidates are not likely to get enough exposure for most voters to get to know much about them.
Governors with superb records — such as Bobby Jindal in Louisiana and Scott Walker in Wisconsin — may not have much name recognition on the national scene. And certainly the little sound bites in the so-called "debates" are not likely to tell the voters much.
with the media obsessed with Donald Trump's show biz talents and persona — and covering everything he says, does or might do, 24/7 — how are the voters to sort through the large number of Republican candidates to find a couple that are worth getting to know more thoroughly?
Where is Sowell coming from? If Trump is the candidate, a lot of traditional non-voters will get to the polls to support him.
Excellent column, jazu....
He says “Flamboyant rhetoric is not enough.” But the 2 candidates he mentions, Walker and Jindal, have nothing to point to except rhetoric related to Iran or the border either.
He’s denying reality. Apparently he hasn’t gotten the memo that that won’t fly anymore.
Sowell is such a superb writer. I hope to shake his hand one day.
Our problem is, at the root, spiritual.
Our spiritual darkness has led to a philosophical weakness.
From that, our morality and economic weakness arises.
We need a Spiritual Awakening.
Pray for God’s mercy.
I can only hope that Sowell, in his dotage, has some RINO lackey writing his columns for him these days.
I haven’t seen a decent one since Trump announced for president.
Isn’t it amazing. We have these writers, whom I have worshipped over the years... Sowell probably at the top, Charles Krauthammer...maybe even a time or two George Will makes sense esp when he’s talking baseball, then someone like Trump comes on the scene, who basically is batting 400, and getting clutch hits every time, saying what we want to hear, and these guys go limp wristed.
The bottom line is this—We are a nation of wimps. None of the candidates out there, save Trump, have the guts the presidents of our country past had.
Jeb Bush? Please. Walker, Rand Paul, Marco? Don’t make me laugh. Even Ted Cruz and Ben Carson. Top notch me, but these people are like babies compared to our enemies.
Trump is more like Churchill and Netanyahu, and less like Obama and Biden.
We need a tiger in the WH not a poodle.
Sowell definitely has a point here. But the root of the problem is that too many Americans still depend on the enemedia to tell them the truth rather than think for themselves. That includes Fox News whose only claim is that they aren't quite as corrupt, biased and bought-out as the rest of them.
I'm not a Trump fan either and I do not fully trust him. But if he can put political correctness to death, he will have done this country a great favor and possibly even allow us to avoid a civil war and start the healing process.
I think this election has become something primal, where people are instinctually gravitating toward an “alpha male” to lead their pack. That’s why Trump’s policies don’t matter that much to his supporters. He simply seems like the most aggressive lion in the pack with the loudest roar. He also has the money (power) to back it up. It’s an emotion-based decision, but it’s not totally irrational to seek out that kind of person as a leader, especially given the foreign threats we face and the generally non-violent, but still vicious and ruthless domestic left.
However, the fact that Trump might be that forceful makes it even more important that I agree with his policies. I don’t want him forcefully pushing through the wrong policies. And I have too many disagreements with Trump on policy to make him my #1 candidate.
I also think that while Cruz’ style is not so bombastic, he has shown a lot of guts by taking on Obama and the Senate leadership on Obamacare and other issues. He’s been punished by being a pariah in his own party and in the Senate, but that hasn’t deterred him.
+1 on everything you posted. That’s my analysis to a T.
I agree with everything you say. My feeling at this point, when I hear someone say Trump said this ten years ago, or that a few days ago, is that the man is not stupid. He runs things like a business, you could see that in his show. He thinks entirely differently than politicians. THe market is crashing right now, and Trump probably is comfortable because he knows what to expect. Great people surround themselves with great people. Little people surround themselves with little people.
Trump/Cruz or Trump/Carson or Trump/anyone vs Hillary or Biden/Fauxcahontas or Sanders...are we kidding? Obviously the polls are totally fabricated.
Good post, agreed.
I love Sowell but he has been off the mark lately. Not horribly, but a little. He was promoting Walker very early and so his opinions are skewed. Oh well.
“The bottom line is this—We are a nation of wimps. None of the candidates out there, save Trump, have the guts the presidents of our country past had.”
Ted Cruz has been fighting the Washington establishment with courage, guts, smarts and principles. Trump has neither the smarts or temperament to be President. See Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Don’t fall for the bombastic way Trump says the Conservative line. That is all he has.
This point that cannot be overemphasized. Trump may have the power to tear down the GOPe apparatus,(we at FR can applaud such a result) but do you trust him to not abuse that power and show restraint and sacrifice? Would he pledge his life his fortune and his not so sacred honor for the cause of liberty? He is certainly a man of power, but does he posses a coherent philosophy to guide him. Should his often aggressive business dealings and marriage be considered a positive character trait or a flaw? In other words why should we be excited about trading the power-brokers of DC for the power-broker of Manhattan? The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. Hopefully enough of the Conservative- Tea- party types will not commit too early and get swept away in irrational exuberance, but will thoughtfully choose their candidate on core policies, philosophies, character and a record of acting on that core. If after such an examination the Donald is their choice then fine, but we have been suckered into supporting a candidate they told us could win and in the end would have governed not so differently from the candidate that beat them.
Many questions still to be answered about Trump, like: Where does he stand on government surveillance of citizens, abortion, redefinition of marriage, judicial breech of jurisdiction, what kind of justices would he appoint to the court,where does he stand on the Federal reserve, Iran, the EPA, DEA, FDA, IRS, EEOC, DOE, DOT, DHS, freddy mac & fannie may military and women, gays and trannies, corruption of lobbyists and the culture of quid pro quo, obamma care, vaccines, states rights, the constitution and the role of the federal government, prison reform, drugs, et al.
Stopping the invasion is important, but not the only thing. May be the Donald is the reformer or maybe he is not. Out the frying pan and into the fire is not a good strategy either. I urge restraint for the moment, let the campaigns progress and vet them all. No surprises like John Roberts and no surrender like MCCain, Mitt, or Dole.
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