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A DISAPPOINTING CHOICE
Powerline Blog ^ | July 15, 2024 | John Hinderaker

Posted on 07/15/2024 8:18:39 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom

I think [Vance] is a bad decision for a number of reasons.

At 39, Vance is too young...with less than two years in the Senate as his only political office, he has nowhere near the experience that a VP should bring to a ticket.

Vance, who is unknown to the general public, won’t bring Trump a single new vote. In fact, there is no reason to think that he is any kind of political powerhouse: in his only race, he ran far behind the other statewide Republican candidates in Ohio.

...Vance’s political views are...half-baked. He is still evolving...he denounced Trump viciously in 2016, while now he is an acolyte. In 2016, it was dumb of Vance to describe Trump as an “idiot,” as “noxious,” as one who is either “a cynical asshole” or “America’s Hitler,” just as it is dumb for Democrats to say the same things today. Vance’s never-Trumpism showed poor judgment, and 2016 is not exactly ancient history. Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019...we don’t need a president or vice president who is still on a voyage of self-discovery.

...on foreign policy...he strikes me as something close to an isolationist. He attacks the Iraq war in a manner barely distinguishable from leftists, and his statement that “I got to be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another,” is flippant at best. The world needs a strong America; I am not sure Vance agrees.

...Vance is a bright guy and a pretty solid conservative, I don’t think he is...ready for prime time, and I don’t think he makes a perceptible contribution to the ticket. Trump had a number of much better choices available, and I think his selecting Vance reflects the poor judgment to which Trump is occasionally prone.

(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: jdvance; johnhinderaker; nevertrumpers; powerline; tds; trump; vance; vds; vicepresident
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To: escapefromboston

Younger people like him. Apparently Trump knew younger people wanted a younger person on the ticket to carry on the legacy.


181 posted on 07/16/2024 3:40:57 PM PDT by dforest
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To: freebilly

Maybe if we had sent them the weapons they needed faster and not make them fight with 1 hand tied behind their back. In the fall of 2022 they had a chance to break the Russians when the battlefield was still mobile. But shit for brains Biden gave them just enough to keep them bleeding, but not win.


182 posted on 07/16/2024 3:57:01 PM PDT by Kozak (Слава Україні Герояам Слава. RuZZia is a terrorist state.)
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To: Jane Long

Tucker makes some good points BUT this is really about Trump playing 3D chess against murderous Septeniginarians and Octogenarians who haven’t cultivated ANY younger party members for the future. If Trump can last until inauguration day, he’s effectively, politically, cut the Dims off at the pass.

The geezers that won’t give up power until their expiration date is up won’t let younger party members rise up. Bad news for them, given what they have, that might be a generation or two...

Bad news for Trump/Vance...
The Dimwits have until inauguration day to end the country and the world...


183 posted on 07/16/2024 5:24:04 PM PDT by trfree98 (Xiden: Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste... )
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To: Responsibility2nd
...on foreign policy...he strikes me as something close to an isolationist.

And that's a bad thing how?

Because I'd rather not see Reagan proven correct.

Now, in the past I've expressed that as more of a long term (2030+) concern. But there are shorter term concerns. Taiwan is certainly one. Another is even sooner, and I've only in the last year or so more fully fleshed it out:

The Euros generally believe, with good reason, that if Pooty so much as breaks even with his Ukraine adventure, that they are hosed. Now that in itself is more of a long term concern, most directly for them, but it is important to realize that this is a stability issue, and doesn't depend so much on further actions by Russia: The stability problem exists primarily due to absence of the US, and Europe's inherent nature(s). Pooty could declare "Ok, great, we're good now for the next 100 years, Kumbaya!" and it really doesn't matter, even if Russia so behaves after a cease-fire. (That "good behavior" by Russia is incredibly unlikely, IMO, but the point here is to see the fundamental problems, which, basically, do not depend on Russia alone, after a cease fire / truce.)

So, the Euro's cannot allow Russia to come out of the Ukraine war without Russia pushed back, but they will have to arm up heavily to accomplish pushing Russia back, if the US itself is not providing most of the arms. Europe, as we have seen, is pretty much incapable of doing this quickly. And even if they manage it in under, oh, 3-4 years, whenever they get to that point, they are then, without the US as "big dog" to sort of corral the whole mess, themselves their own greatest threat, just a bit sooner.

How does this affect the short term?

Some NATO actor or actors may decide to head off the whole set of problems caused by a US retreat from Europe, while Biden is still in office, by trying to induce Russia to strike in Europe now, which would invoke Article 5. In the long run, that is probably a less risky / damaging course, especially for Europe.

184 posted on 07/16/2024 6:04:28 PM PDT by Paul R. (Bin Laden wanted Obama killed so the incompetent VP, Biden, would become President!)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

I guess I should’ve put “sarc” in parenthesis. It makes no difference. The general feeling among trumpsters is that this event put Trump over the edge. But based on the past (the best indicator of the future) they’ll be even more emboldened to steal 2024. All the talking heads on the right see no way that DJT could lose. But I think the left has already preemptively ensured that the steal is in the books.


185 posted on 07/16/2024 7:16:32 PM PDT by KierkegaardMAN (I never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.)
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To: whitney69

“He has no product, or service, just his name”

Oh man, that’s not true at all. And this appears to be the premise of the argument.

I was watching Don Jr with Tucker and Bongino last night. Jr told them why he cussed so much was because he grew up on job sites with construction crews. I believe it.

When Trump came on the scene, I supported Cruz. Maybe for some of the reasons you state. But I NEVER ran him down, there was simply no basis for it.

My assessment stands, in my view. Further, if Mr. Vance called him a Nazi... well, the only possible explanation there (assuming he’s a good-guy) is he was trying to get laid. Because that case simply cannot be rationally made.


186 posted on 07/17/2024 5:52:50 AM PDT by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Wasn’t my take at all. No product or service... SMH. Didn’t he rescue a skating rink in central park, almost purely as service and I guess with product too.

“He has no product, or service, just his name”

Oh man, that’s not true at all. And this appears to be the premise of the argument.

I was watching Don Jr with Tucker and Bongino last night. Jr told them why he cussed so much was because he grew up on job sites with construction crews. I believe it.

When Trump came on the scene, I supported Cruz. Maybe for some of the reasons you state. But I NEVER ran him down, there was simply no basis for it.

My assessment stands, in my view. Further, if Mr. Vance called him a Nazi... well, the only possible explanation there (assuming he’s a good-guy) is he was trying to get laid. Because that case simply cannot be rationally made.


187 posted on 07/17/2024 5:55:57 AM PDT by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

I agree that Vance is a poor choice, but mainly because I don’t trust him should Trump’s enemies be successful next time. His flip-flopping is concerning. And I think if it politically suited him, he’d likely move to the left once he was the top man in charge.

Also, Trump’s biggest legacy so far has been federal judges. People on here crap on them all the time, but almost all of Trump’s judges have been remarkably good by historical standards. If Vance were to shy away from Trump’s strong approach to judges, the judiciary would look very different. (And picking judges that seem Republicsn friendly isn’t the sameas being good on judges, as history has shown us countless times
)


188 posted on 07/17/2024 6:07:47 AM PDT by Stravinsky
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To: Sarcazmo

“When Trump came on the scene, I supported Cruz. Maybe for some of the reasons you state. But I NEVER ran him down, there was simply no basis for it.”

You seem to have either no real incite into people or an over indulged trust. Trump may have grown up around construction workers, but that doesn’t make him one. We all are a mess of goods and bads that can be observed.

“And this appears to be the premise of the argument.”

Nope. Just a factuaL observation. Starting in 1968, Trump was employed at his father’s real estate company, Trump Management, which owned racially segregated middle-class rental housing in New York City’s outer boroughs. In 1971, he became president of the company and began using the Trump Organization as an umbrella brand. And that’s all a real estate property can be. Have you ever gone out to buy a Trump like a ford? Probably not.

“My assessment stands, in my view.”

Good, but I’m not questioning your reason for your assessment. I have in my lifetime had people I didn’t like in my original opinion. But in time we learned a little more about each other and my original assessment changed. But that goes with that first impression thing we are all guilty of.

I was combat military in Vietnam in the late 60’s and again full time starting in 1975 after healing. I knew a number of men in the business I disliked for a few different reasons. Would I approve of them dating my sister? Absolutely not. But I’d go into a firefight with them in a second. Do I like Trump’s personality that I can see and he projects? Not really. I don’t like many car salesmen either. But do I want him sitting in the white house? You bet. He came from those construction sights and was successful in what he wanted. Vance is the same way. Came from poverty to wealth through hard work. They were hungry for success. And now they have turned that hungry into action for me. That I like. But I can understand the appearance while appreciating the successes. Not every engine that powers the car is the same. Nor do I like some of them. But if they weren’t there we’d still be horseback.

People are like a part of a meal, like a vegetable. You may not like the taste but you know it’s well prepared. And you can learn to like a lot of things if they’re good for you and needed to survive. But still not like the taste.

wy69


189 posted on 07/17/2024 8:21:56 AM PDT by whitney69
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Vance is not a DC swamp creature. That’s a huge step up from the advisors and cabinet Trump chose last time. I am hopeful that Vance’s selection is an indicator that Trump learned his lesson the first time.


190 posted on 07/17/2024 8:24:53 AM PDT by Poser (Cogito ergo Spam - I think, therefore I ham)
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To: whitney69

“You seem to have either no real incite into people”

You have insight into celebrities? I have to rely on my gut. Try to read between the lines of the propaganda efforts. Guess I’m at a disadvantage there. But I do my best.

“simply no basis for it.”

Wasn’t then, isn’t now. I agree with me! What the enemy tells me to think is he’s a misogynist, arrogant, says mean stuff, doesn’t produce anything, takes loans, went bankrupt, eats little kids... and on and on and on.

“Have you ever gone out to buy a Trump like a ford? Probably not.”

Right again! Oh, wait. Trump doesn’t make cars. He makes high end real estate. I don’t buy, but I see them when I travel. That’s a product, and it is not easy to get a project like that done. Takes some real heavy lifting, especially in foreign countries. Also he makes golf courses.

I see nothing in his personality I dislike (and we have been watching now for what, 8 years?). I heard an interview with his lawyer, Haba the other day. We need to stop listening to the media I think. They have an obvious bias. Why on earth would we get the “news” from N. Vietnamese radio stations when we’re fighting in the South?

People who have personalities that are as Trump is described in the media generally do not get to where Trump is. Landing massive real estate deals, winning president, what, this’ll be three times coming up. That was my first tip-off that I was being lied to. Dude has all the right enemies. I give my enemy nothing. I don’t bolster their arguments, I don’t stand with them on anything.

Trump makes this easy, because every single one of them is absurd.

Mean tweets... SMDH. Told a naughty joke in private once ... FFS.


191 posted on 07/18/2024 6:50:31 AM PDT by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)
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To: Sarcazmo

“He makes high end real estate.”

He doesn’t make real estate, he flips them. He doesn’t have a factory or a purchasing consideration to a continual product sold on line or a store that actually makes him the big bucks in return sales. He doesn’t deal in retail in the real estate only the sale of property to be purchased for the buyers’ retail. So that makes him an agent, not a retailer. Different animal.

“I give my enemy nothing. I don’t bolster their arguments, I don’t stand with them on anything.”

We live in a world of compromise. There is too much out there to say that anyone is self sufficient. And since no one can beat city hall, the need for that compromise gains points to what each wish to accomplish.

An example for me is the Ukraine. I wish our government wasn’t funding their military. And if we didn’t have black sites and labs in there we probably wouldn’t. In the late 1990’s we didn’t do anything to help Chechnya when they were over run after separating from Russia. So the major trade with the Ulkraine is we have facilities in there and if Russia takes the country, they’re gone. This is how treaties and even trade agreements are settled. Many organizations operate the same way. Here’s a list of countries we have treaties with and it would have to be payback on both sides to have:

https://www.state.gov/2023-tias/

We are also members of other organizations:

The United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Group of Twenty (G20), and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Each of these is a give take relationship that fosters these organization’s agreements. So can Trump tell them to walk and not give them anything or reason? Nope, that’s already done.
Trump is an old time high pressure used car salesman. And he’s good at it. He relates to the guy that can sell ice cubes to Eskimos. But at his level, he doesn’t sell products, he sells investments. He’s Arnold on steroids who use to do real estate in LA and made millions.

So the problem with Trump and his power appearance and delivery is he pushes back people which can slow relations and possibly harm those relations. Obama was worse in that he did things that pissed off people. Don’t need another him.

Wy69


192 posted on 07/18/2024 1:38:15 PM PDT by whitney69
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Hinderaker reminds me of Hugh Hewitt. A real Mitt Romney type. I remember some of his golden hits during the W. Bush days.


193 posted on 07/18/2024 1:43:37 PM PDT by Luke21
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To: ProtectOurFreedom; Buckhead
John Hinderaker took credit for discovering that Dan Rather and CBS tried to pass off fake documents discrediting GW Bush’s military service years ago. (Not that I’m a big GWB fan anymore, but I digress)

Buckhead of Free Republic was the brain behind that discovery. Powerline and the old Little Green Footballs site stole the info from Buckhead and glady took credit for it.

So I lost respect for John Hinderaker decades ago. 😠

194 posted on 07/18/2024 1:48:53 PM PDT by nutmeg (FJBg)
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To: nutmeg

I remember Buckhead — I joined when that was going on or a bit thereafter. Didn’t know that Hinderaker and LGF “borrowed” Buckhead’s work.


195 posted on 07/18/2024 2:13:12 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: whitney69

We went from he doesn’t make anything to... it’s complicated. So you agree he’s a real estate developer. Good, that is a product (value added). Don’t believe me? If not for them, Manhattan would still be a swamp.

The world of compromise is the world of the leftist/statist/communist. Think about how compromise with one of them goes - consider gun control. Pretty much one-way, huh? From shall not be infringed to what we got now. Yeah, we should not compromise with an enemy that wishes to destroy us. Save compromise for a like-minded neighbor. Gotta use common sense when applying these principles. But I suspect you know that.

We’re going to find Ukraine was just a massive money laundering operation for the cartel that is running this joint. That’s common sense, I’ll let you know when it breaks.

The UN is a one-way money suck, our adversary, and likely one large criminal enterprise. It’s getting too obvious to deny. They are facilitating the invasion from our South! But you know that.

I am starting to understand your distaste for Trump though, this convo reads like a modern-day college curriculum. Not seeing a whole lot of conservative ideas or concepts springing forth.


196 posted on 07/19/2024 5:31:38 AM PDT by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)
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To: Sarcazmo

“So you agree he’s a real estate developer. Good, that is a product”

I think you are not understanding my reasons for this.

The Trump Organization is an American privately-owned conglomerate owned by Donald Trump. It serves as the holding company for all of Trump’s business ventures and investments, with around 250 of its affiliates and subsidiaries using the Trump name.

A real estate holding company is a legal entity designed to protect business owners from the risks that come with owning investment properties. Real estate holding companies, also known as limited liability companies (or LLCs), do not participate in business operations themselves but own different assets.

So, Trump does not own the property, his incorporated company does. The protection of liability is placed on the separate entity and not on him. It is incorporated and Trump does not actually own the property of the corporation, this belongs to the corporation itself, which has the characteristic of being able to legally own property. He sells his name, only.

“Think about how compromise with one of them goes - consider gun control. Pretty much one-way, huh?”

I own a gun, do you? And no one has said I can’t. So even with that, where is the compromise. Not with them, but with the Constitution under the second amendment.

“Yeah, we should not compromise with an enemy that wishes to destroy us.”

And if they have the capacity, waive at me when the lights go out while you dig in your heals and kill everyone. So much for common sense.

“We’re going to find Ukraine was just a massive money laundering operation for the cartel that is running this joint.”

The US government has already admitted to running biolabs in the Ukraine. The Pentagon said on Thursday that it has operated 46 biolabs in Ukraine handling dangerous pathogens, after previously dismissing the charges as Russian propaganda.

https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/after-months-of-denial-u-s-admits-to-running-ukraine-biolabs/

Starting in 2014, the U.S. opened and operated a secret prison in Kharkiv wih the Ukrainians. The site was used to hold people the agency suspected of supporting or sympathizing with Russia during that nation’s military intervention in Ukraine and the consequent annexation of Crimea. The cartels had nothing to do with either.

“The UN is a one-way money suck, our adversary, and likely one large criminal enterprise.”

Whether you like them or not, they are there and are needed to do those compromises both sides of the interaction need. We’re not a self sufficient country and we have to make deals to survive.

“I am starting to understand your distaste for Trump though…”

No you aren’t as I don’t have any. From what I’ve seen, do I like him like the libs just loved good ol’ boy Clinton. No. But I would hire him in a second to run my country. That’s why I voted for him twice and am going to do it again. So you have no idea on my feelings about Trump. One way is personal opinion and the other is business. They are not the same.

“…this convo reads like a modern-day college curriculum.”

Lecturing was part of my job with the department of the army and DOD and I taught facts, not emotions. Thanks for the compliment.

Wy69


197 posted on 07/19/2024 10:35:06 AM PDT by whitney69
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To: whitney69

“He sells his name, only.” - so then it’s worth something? He sure does pay a lot of taxes for not doing anything, no? The charge that he does nothing.... you sure that’s a fact? Super, super sure? Not just a teeny weenie bit of not-fact? Little bit of opinion maybe? Because him being a loafer and a con-man (or used car salesman as you proffered) really doesn’t match the optics.

“I own a gun, do you? And no one has said I can’t.”

Our rights have been infringed on through this compromise you reference from the beginning. That is a fact, no? Don’t believe me? Sling your AR and go buy groceries. See if it goes well.

“And if they have the capacity, waive at me when the lights go out”

Obviously not a student of history. “It hasn’t happened here yet, and it never will” is a poor argument, contradicted by history in many cases.

The part about me getting everyone killed - I don’t know what that means. Little ‘ol me? Naw.

“The cartels had nothing to do with either.”

How could you possibly know this? This is not fact, it is opinion.

“Whether you like them or not, they are there and are needed to do those compromises both sides of the interaction need.”

Just an opinion, nothing else (far from fact). I am of the counter opinion they are not needed. They have not been around longer than they have been so I’d say history on my side. That’s a fact, I think. World’s pretty old.

“One way is personal opinion” - I have never understood this, and no one can ever explain it to me. They just get mad. Mean tweets... SMDH.

“So you have no idea on my feelings about Trump”

You have effectively communicated them in this discourse. That is a fact.

“modern-day college curriculum.” - not a compliment. But you know that. And that is a fact.

Well, I been keeping track. I think I’m doing pretty well with the facts and steering clear of emotion.


198 posted on 07/19/2024 8:08:00 PM PDT by Sarcazmo (I live by the Golden Rule. As applied by others; I'm not selfish.)
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