How Long Will Trump’s Cathartic Candidacy for Fed-Up Conservatives Last?

National Review ^ | August 12, 2015 | VICTOR DAVIS HANSON

[Steelfish]

How Long Will Trump’s Cathartic Candidacy for Fed-Up Conservatives Last?

by VICTOR DAVIS HANSON August 13, 2015 The coarser and cruder Donald Trump becomes, and the more ill-informed on the issues he sounds, the more he coasts in the polls. Apparently, a few of his targets must be regarded as unsympathetically as their defamer. Trump is rightly mocked for cynically spreading quid pro quo money around. But he quickly counters that his critics — from Hillary Clinton to his Republican rivals — have all asked him for such cash or for favors. Trump preps little. He has no real agenda.

And he makes stuff up as he goes along. For such a New York brawler, he has thin skin, smearing his critics, often in creepy fashion. How can a former Democrat, once a pro-choice, pro-amnesty liberal and a supporter of single-payer health care, remain the godhead of the conservative base for weeks on end? The answer is that Trump is a catharsis for 15 percent to 20 percent of the Republican electorate. They apparently like the broken china shop and appreciate the raging bull who runs amok in it. Politicians and the media are seen as corrupt and hypocritical, and the nihilistic Trump is a surrogate way of letting them take some heat for a change............

[Democratic-Republican]

"Throughout all this Trump talk, no one is talking about how the registered unaffiliated or independents will vote. I’m registered unaffiliated (because both parties are crooked as a dogs hind leg) and I can vote in one or the other primary. I have never voted for any dim except for one state treasurer because I knew his daddy and he was a good man. No one seems to be giving a thought to how we might vote. I don’t know that a third party wouldn’t be appealing since both parties SUCK! Dimocrats suck more but not by a whole lot since the gop elites are up to their usual tricks."

Great point. I am trying to talk about it.

There is a brick wall surround the heads of the modern (R)epublicrat. Look at the comments in every single forum and news article. They are fretting that these "Trumpsters" are "NOT REALLY Republicans"!

This is (D)ummycrat behavior. And it's coming from the big-tenters. It should be obvious now that they would rather lose with "their guy" than win with an outsider. Even some of our FReeper friends say those words, 'it wouldn't really be a victory'.

Demographics and electoral math says we are screwed. No (R)epublican and no Conservative ( sorry Rush, drop this myth ) can win a fair election because there are no fair elections. This one will be the last relatively fair election until there is another amnesty that locks it away forever. Each and every day is less demographically favorable than the last. And the days continue ticking away.

(R)epublicrats in the forum comments do NOT want to associate with anything to do with outsiders. See here for links back to RedState threads for some examples of how bad it is.

[Democratic-Republican]

"I a crowded field 20% is a “majority.” Trump has no national appeal. When the Republican platform narrows and many of them peel off, watch Trump’s numbers plummet. Trump has hit his ceiling."

Have to reply to this quote a 2nd time.

Just saw Krauthammer at 6:45pm EST Friday on Brett Baer say almost those exact words.

You're not Krauthammer are you? Are you copying that from somewhere? ( not a criticism, just wondering ).

[Steelfish]

No, but why would that matter to you if anyone takes credible info from those who are national columnists?

[Democratic-Republican]

"No, but why would that matter to you if anyone takes credible info from those who are national columnists?"

Well it doesn't matter, and I truly didn't mean to criticize. Just genuinely curious if Lowry or Kraut or Will was posting here, it would be ... fun.

As I said, I found that quoted statement surprising as it conflates the two mutually exclusive missions of the primary and general, inevitably leading to the wrong conclusion.

Next thing we'll hear from Charles is that the apocryphal Nixon 'run to the base in the primary, then back to the middle in the general' is ass-backwards.

I am wondering if these guys, Charles Krauthammer and George Will and Rich Lowry especially, have any clue what any person outside the beltway really thinks about them. Stockholm Syndrome, I would think that might come up at some point in psychiatric medical school.

I'm sorry if it sounds harsh, I really am. But there is no more time for mincing words. We need people who are as thoughtful as Thomas Paine, or better yet, as courageous as Jefferson and Madison were in 1798 challenging and defeating the tyrannical establishment.

Our modern talking heads and writers are lower than snail poop by comparison.

[Steelfish]

I agree with your Tom Paine type 100%. But in my opinion Cruz is the proven Tom Paine-type who can also win.

[Chaguito]

VDH is making the same mistake all the pundits seem to be making. They assume that Trump has no appeal outside the fed-up far right (his so-called 15%). While his argument is true as far as it goes, his analysis is ‘way too narrow.

[Ingtar]

That is, of course, assuming he does not go back to the alien invasion views he had two years ago, that Romney’s weak ideas were too harsh.

[Kaslin]

You left some things out that comes after Hanson is a registered member off the Democratic Party

[smoothsailing]

So what, knowing that he's to this day a registered Democrat is enough.

The rest of his resume' is establishment fluff, all noise, signifying nothing. Designed solely to trip up the rubes.

[Kaslin]

He is most likely one of those old type democrats, not the Nancy Piglosi or dingy Harry Reid types. There is a big difference

[smoothsailing]

He is most likely one of those old type democrats

Oh, you mean kinda like Donald Trump. Except Trump rejects Pelosi and Reid and is today a registered Republican, and has been since 2009.

What's Hanson's hangup?

[Responsibility2nd]

Bump.

[Jane Long]

Yikes!!

[gr8eman]

I agree...it’s their last card to play because Trump has aced them out on all of their phony issues. I believe Trump is anticipating this and will slap them down when it arises. Also, I am sure he is smart enough to have his security to BOLO for these scum.

[FrdmLvr]

Now that’s truly surprising to me.

[Art in Idaho]

...and “touches” the men who have for so long had their manhood clipped at by liberal and woman groups..... Go to a factory or road crew....go to a water fountain in a company....somebody is talking Trump...at every one of them.

You've hit on something that will guarantee an 80% men for Trump turnout. We're all so sick of the neutered metrosexual effeminate male shtick from the media, the feminazis, the left and Hollywood.

Trump represents a rebellion against everything left.

[caww]

Trumps successful at garnering voters because he’s excellent at selling himself.....he ‘s rich but the average guy doesn’t care because his choice of language his language he can relate to...understands it...and “touches” the men who have for so long had their manhood clipped at by liberal and woman groups.....Go to a factory or road crew....go to a water fountain in a company....somebody is talking Trump...at every one of them.

((((You’ve hit on something that will guarantee an 80% men for Trump turnout. We’re all so sick of the neutered metrosexual effeminate male shtick from the media, the feminazis, the left and Hollywood......Trump represents a rebellion against everything left.)))))

Yes I think so and it needs to be mentioned often.....we want our men back as they are designed to be!!!!

[smoothsailing]

He's not just a registered Democrat, he remains one to this day!

If he doesn't have enough sense to denounce the Democrat party and cancel his membership in it, I'm no longer much interested in what he has to say.