Posted on 01/26/2016 11:30:32 AM PST by conservativejoy
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures and declares "You'\'re fired!" at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, June 17, 2015. Reuters Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures and declares "You're fired!" at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, June 17, 2015. Reuters
In the announcement speech for his presidential campaign, Donald Trump railed against Obamacare. "We have a disaster called the big lie: Obamacare," Trump declared. "I would repeal and replace the big lie, Obamacare."
Well, that sounds like something a Republican candidate would say. But there is one problem: Trump helped finance the Democratic takeover of Congress in 2006 - which put in place the liberal majority that passed Obamacare over the objections of congressional Republicans. And he continued to support a Democratic Senate majority after Obamacare.
As Trump knows, money talks - and Trump has given more than $100,000 to the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees. In 2006 - the year Democrats took back Congress - he gave $25,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (while his son Donald Trump Jr. gave $22,500). They gave Republican committees just $1,000 that year.
In other words, Trump wanted Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House and Harry Reid the Senate majority leader.
Which is not surprising. At the time he made those contributions, from August 2001 to September 2009, Trump was a registered Democrat. (He had been registered in New York first as a Republican, then a member of the Independence Party, then a Democrat, then a Republican again, and then became unaffiliated.)
So maybe he came to regret it after Reid and Pelosi rammed through Obamacare? Apparently not. In 2010 - immediately after the passage of Obamacare - Trump continued to donate to Reid. Trump has donated at least $10,400 to Reid, including $4,800 for his 2010 race against Sharron Angle - a victory that helped keep the Senate in Democratic hands and Reid as majority leader. So Trump continued to support Reid as majority leader in the election immediately after the passage of Obamacare.
In his home state of New York, Trump also donated disproportionately to Democrats. The Post reported in 2011 that âThe biggest recipient of all has been the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee of New York, which has taken in more than $125,000 from Trump and his companies. Overall, Trump has given nearly $600,000 to New York state campaigns, with more than two-thirds going to Democrats." He even boasted of it. "So, what am I going to do, contribute to Republicans?" he told Fox News'S Sean Hannity. "I mean, one thing I'm not stupid. Am I going to contribute to a Republican for my whole life when they get, they run against some Democrat. And the most they can get is one percent of the vote?"
Trump also gave $50,000 to another Obamacare architect, Rahm Emanuel - the former Obama White House chief of staff - for his campaign to become mayor of Chicago. He gave $5,500 to John Kerry and $7,000 to the late liberal icon of the Senate, Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Other Democrats who have benefited from Trump's largesse include Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.). A major issue in the 2016 election will be allegations of corruption surrounding donations to the Clinton Foundation. But it will also be hard for Trump to make an issue of that since he gave at least $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
Yes, Trump has given to Republicans, too, especially since he started toying with the idea of running for the Republican nomination. But Trump expresses disdain for the GOP field. He told Bill O'Reilly last week, "Well , I don't have a lot of respect for many of them."
With all his past support for Democrats, Trump ought to be asked: Will he commit to supporting whoever is the eventual Republican nominee? After all, why should he be welcomed into the Republican fold if he is going to end up throwing his support to Clinton?
The fact is, Trump isn't a Democrat or a Republican - he is an opportunist. He's less a candidate than a brand. And running for president is great for the Trump brand, an opportunity for Donald Trump to take the national stage and tell us all how great he is. He pretty much admitted as much during his announcement speech, when he pointed out that some questioned whether he was really as successful as he claimed. "So I said to myself, you know, nobody's ever going to know unless I run, because I'm really proud of my success," Trump said. "I really am."
You don't say.
Didn’t Cruz vote to fund Obamacare a couple of times?
True.
Cruz has said on radio (I heard him) say how disappointed he is with Robers’ rulings, especially 0bamacare.
But you can say that Roberts supporting 0bamacare was a surprise.
Pelosi and Reid supporting 0bamacare was not a surprise for Trump.
“Didnât Cruz vote to fund Obamacare a couple of times?”
Cruz filibustered against 0bamacare while the GOPe hated him for it.
You said...
“You could be talking about either Trump or Cruz. Either way, nobody around here is going to change their mind”
I agree.
And there are things Cruz will have to explain and answer for. I’m not an unquestioning follower of anyone
It does seem like a lot of people are giving up conservatism for “Make America Great Again” without any regards how we get there.
IMO, conservatism will make America great again:)
Have any politicians or people in appointed positions betrayed you by not doing what they said they would? If so, how does that reflect on you, exactly?
Cruz’s first choice was Mike Luttig. He only supported Roberts after he was the nominee.
“Trump isn’t a Democrat or a Republican - he is an opportunist.”
Cruz wasn’t even a senator then. Who knew that some unknown guy from Texas advocating someone for SCOTUS is all it takes to ruin our healthcare system.
The stages of Trump-grief:
Trump who?
Trump wonât last. Heâs just in for his ego.
He said what? Oh heâs finished!
Once he loses the lead, heâs through!
The debates will wreck him!
The Jebernaught will get him.
Carson will get him!
The corporate conservatives/intelligentsia will finish him.
Heâs no conservative!!!
The polls are all wrong!
Okay, he might win a few states, but thatâs it.
Weâll have a brokered convention.
Well...he might win the nomination, but heâll lose to Hillary.
If he picks Palin for VP, Iâll take my ball and go home. Better yet, Iâll write in Cruz.
He won? Welllll, I wonât watch the inauguration and start making CRUZ 2020 bumper stickers.
And Theissen wonders why a non-politician has so much support. These guys are truly clueless about Trump's support as well as completely apoplectic they no longer have any control over it.
Exactly! You just made the case for Ted Cruz!!
I wonder if he’s written any books about all the super-terrific amazing deals he’s made.
You said...
“Cruz wasnât even a senator then.”
Hmmm....wasn’t aware of that. Besides, I don’t think Cruz would know how Roberts would vote on BHOcare
Congress just voted to repeal Obamacare and it passed.
Ah, I missed that link? Could you provide it?
I am trying to sort out the myths of this http://laurenstephens.com
Oh brother.
Cruz supported Roberts.
Roberts was the vote that saved Obamacare.
Therefore Cruz helped pass it.
See! I can do it too!
Heard this morning from someone who has read all of his books that he brags about bedding married women. Plus other women he is not married to.
Except that what you said is actually true.
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