(Sorry, couldn't help it. Usual excuses, tongue in cheek, et cetera.)
Posted on 02/28/2016 6:00:35 AM PST by Kaslin
There he was, stripped bare and standing in the middle of the debate stage. Donald Trump was eviscerated in Thursday's debate. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz took turns pummeling the founder of Trump University with his own words, his own history, and delivering body blow after body blow.
It was more than enough to convince any thinking person he was not a serious candidate for president. But Trump isn't your typical presidential candidate. He's Barack Obama-light, in every sense of the term.
What does Donald Trump stand for? What will he do if elected? What core conservative principle will he advance?
If you're being honest, the answer to each of those questions is you have no idea.
Don't feel bad, neither does he.
That's not entirely true. He was fairly unambiguous about one thing he'd like to do: change the law so he can sue newspapers. When it comes to solutions to the nation's problems, Donald Trump is the equivalent of a constitutional dumpster fire; and that's just fine to his worshipers.
The day after being embarrassed in front of the world, in part because of the lack of specifics he's provided as to what he would do as president, Trump held a press conference to get specific - or at least specific-ish - about this proposal. He said:
"One of the things I'm going to do, and this is going to make it tougher for me...but one of the things I'm going to do if I win...is I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're going to open up those libel laws. So that when the New York Times writes a hit piece, which is a total disgrace, or when the Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they're totally protected."
By the way, the reason "they're totally protected" right now is the First Amendment, that whole "Congress shall make no law" bit about freedom of the press. But who cares? Right, Trump fans?
It's the same stifling of speech outraging conservatives on college campuses; only it's Trump advancing it. If it's fascism when a student group proposes it, what is it when a billionaire does?
His supporters don't bother with strings of words ending in question marks. Their kryptonite is a simple "How?" or the dreaded "What?"
What does Donald Trump want to do as president? There is no answer yet articulated that wouldn't fit nicely on a bumper sticker. He wants to "make American great again," or "build a wall," or "destroy ISIS," etc., etc. How?
He has no answer. He makes proclamations like a dime store Juan Perón. Only he has no clue how a president must work with Congress to create or change laws. Trump supporters appear content to adopt the Barack Obama model of rule by executive fiat. They don't mind a despot as long as he's their despot.
Trump's "specifics," such as they are, about his signature talking point is a wall that grows by 10 feet each time Mexican officials say they won't pay for it. It's at least 30 feet higher than when it started, but we're no closer to learning how it will be paid for. It just will be...apparently.
Cheerleaders aren't even bothered by the fact that on his signature issue, immigration, he's imported workers rather than hire Americans. His claim of it being "impossible" to find Americans to do his jobs is right out of the liberal playbook of "jobs Americans won't do" for illegal aliens.
His supporters don't give a damn about his hypocrisy any more than Hillary Clinton's, Barack Obama's or Al Gore's do.
They love he's "self-funding" his campaign because he "can't be bought." Do they think that will hold? A general election will cost at least $1 billion. Will Donald Trump mortgage his business on the possibility that, after alienating more than half the GOP, he'll win?
He doesn't have a billion in cash lying around. Since he's hiding his tax returns, most likely because he's not nearly as rich as he claims (he's sued over that before and lost), there's little chance he'd be able to fund a tenth of a general election campaign.
He's gotten this far through free media. Sure, he's spent a few million once he absolutely had to, but the majority of his exposure comes from the cable networks taking every speech of his live, allowing him to phone in whenever he wants and being willing to broadcast any sycophant wannabe Trump staffer representing him unchallenged. Against Hillary Clinton that ends. He will need money, money he doesn't have.
He does have rich friends, and those friends would love to have a friend in the White House. And not because they'd find it "cool" to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom.
When Rubio and Cruz exposed Donald Trump's inability to explain what he'd do, and how, on any issue beyond his memorized bumper stickers, they did the country a great service. Unfortunately, blinded by anger and hatred, his devotees refuse to see their emperor has no clothes, nor clue.
There is no issue on which you can find Donald Trump speaking eloquently, passionately, and with any detail that doesn't involve his poll numbers or his wealth. We have only his word to go on about his wealth, and his word has not always been accurate. That people are willing to believe him, unchallenged, and take offense when others do challenge him, is the mentality that has led to dark places in world history.
Scapegoating is a powerful weapon of manipulation, and Trump deploys it better than anyone in 80+ years. His followers want to "burn it all down," so they're willing to blindly follow a pied piper down a very dangerous path. If they refuse to open their eyes, the dumpster fire they're franticly cheering will burn them down eventually too.
PS: I urge you to watch this video, any part of it, and try to spot a coherent or even complete sentence from Trump. It's the ramblings of a man unhinged and incapable of serious or important discussion of any issue facing the country. It may make you laugh, but does it inspire? Is it remotely presidential?
I’m not proposing “burning down the nation” I’m proposing burning down the Republican Party which is full of traitorous, ineffectual, useless, fools.
When the left puts you in a concentration camp to die do you really, really care that much about “conservative purity?”
People on free republic 10 to confuse patriots with Republicans and that is a fallacy. The Republican Party is all about the Republican Party and they only pay lip service to the principals their voters are interested in.
Their implications of what they believe are quite evident, regardless of whether they utter the words or not.
Provide the instances where he has stated something on Monday and retracted on Tuesday.
I think you misunderstood my post. I was NOT talking about Trump VOTERS. I was talking about TRUMP using the "poorly educated" terminology that other elitists use to "characterize" the electorate as "not smart".
Yeah....that irritated me BIG TIME....as does his rhetoric that he's the smartest, richest, best deal maker in the whole wide world........while everyone else are just "losers", "dumb", "stupid" etc.
I wanted Trump to be my second choice because I'm just as tired/worn down by Washington elites as the next guy. Unfortunately, Trump shows similar thought processes as they do..... if you REALLY listen to him.....
So yeah, I'm ticked off at Trump....not the people supporting him
I have it recorded. We see it very differently. I think it was Trumps worst performance in a debate.
I've been here since 1998 and I would say the reason you see so many longtime freepers supporting Trump is that we've been politically aware for years. And election after election we've seen so called conservatives rip us off time after time. My trust in politicians is zero. Including Ted Cruz and especially Marco Rubio. But along comes Trump and he's campaigning on what are generally very conservative issues. He's not a politician. He seems to genuinely love his country. His children are bright, well mannered and live conservative lives. He's a doer, not a talker so I'm going to put my trust in him.
Sorry, I misunderstood. Thank you for taking time to explain.
I think that’s it. The GOP has no credibility whatsoever at this point. If Trump drops or otherwise isn’t the nominee, I have nobody I can vote for in November. I’ll sit it out. And that’s that.
-— He has no answer. He makes proclamations like a dime store Juan Perón. -—
Great article and right on the mark.
The polls consistently show Trump losing to Hillary since he has higher negatives than Carter in 1979.
If nominated he will lose in the general election.
So what’s the point of Trump’s quixotic quest for the White House, aside from losing?
-— .S. (it’s all about building a wall, controlling immigration once again) That’s it -—
In the last debate Trump said that he supports touchback amnesty. This would make a wall irrelevant.
-— By the way, the pic is one of Cruz with Beck welcoming illegal aliens to America in Jan. 2016. -—
These were children who were forced by their parents to travel hundreds of miles, alone, to the border.
Cruz and Beck are principled men with heart.
Actually, this is pretty accurate. And frightening.
What is the difference between the French Revolution and the American Revolution? Why did ours work, and theirs devolve into chaos and the guillotine? Because ours was built on the idea of limited government and that the systems of government were the basis of freedom, not the people in government. People will always be flawed. They will always seek their own interests. The only way to defeat that is with a system that constrains them.
The French was a traditional "revolution." Replace them with us. Send the evil men to the blade and institute a government of good people. And that is why it failed, and failed so bloodily.
Donald Trump can do nothing that Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, or even Barack Obama can't. He's not a "savior," or even a good man. What matters is the principle behind him. What matters is how our next president is going to reign in (or, more terrifyingly, expand) the size and scope of government. What matters is how he is going to approach the federal beast that rules us through regulation and unelected bureaucrats.
And, honestly, that is where Trump is most wanting. He doesn't want to shrink government (at least not anywhere I've seen him say so) as a general principle. In fact, he seems perfectly happy to use government for his own ends. He has a "New York" attitude towards government; the same kind of attitude that has spawned our present problems!
A RINO is a RINO because he is happy to use the power of government, even if it is to do the opposite of what the Democrats want. They believe in the same structure, just to different ends. That's why we are in this mess today.
The only way out is to shrink the size and scope of government. This is hard and slow. There was a thread on FR the other day where a Freeper got very angry at the suggestion that government should not force insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. She had a child with one, and would be damned if she was going to let him suffer by going back to the old system of health care. This is the problem we face!
Conservative principles is like free speech. The 1st Amendment doesn't protect free speech in order to guard the speech you like. It exists to guard the speech you don't like from you. Likewise, conservative principles don't exist to give us want we want. They exist to help us reject what we do want, but shouldn't have government provide. And I see no understanding of that by Mr. Trump.
So, usher in our own "French Revolution." Just remember that Robespierre went to the guillotine himself...
Too funny.....and pretty accurate because I am older than the hills and have one foot in the grave. LOL
But until they stick me in the ground.....the fight for our country's survival will never be "over"....no matter WHO wins the White House.
Thanks for the advice, anyway
Because the heart of America is the Constitution, and Donald Trump is a Billionaire Progressive, not a doctor.
He will feast on the body, not resurrect it.
Yeah, he did run for President back about 13-15 years ago, didn’t he? It seems to me, he ran in an independent party of some sort. No one was interested, funny thing; but now, he runs as a Republican, and suddenly he’s the bomb! He’s got a huge fan club, for sure. But how deep is that support? Or is it merely a fan club?
(Sorry, couldn't help it. Usual excuses, tongue in cheek, et cetera.)
You have that correct, but not because I am unable to comprehend, just that I reject.
I will admit that the Trump University is questionable, however, I do not have enough facts upon which I can base a fair and honest conclusion. I will even admit that what I have read does not put Trump in a light of absolution, but rather guilt. To what degree is really incalculable at the point in time.
I may even desire that the case be ruled against him and see him compelled to refund any and all monies to his "students". While I would prefer him to take the initiative on his own I realize that will most likely not be the case. He will take his chances in court, and that is his right.
If he is guilty I have no fear that he will be required to pay for his sins when he meets the Lord, and he had better find it within himself to ask for forgiveness. But that too is something he must do himself.
But his personal problems are not my driving motivation, this country and her citizens are my driving motivation. I believe he is sincere with his desire to fix this immigration problem that is absolutely destroying this country.
On the other hand you believe his motivations are scurrilous in nature and perhaps even nefarious.
One of us is right and one of us is wrong. We will not know who that is until Donald is placed in a position of power. Granted, by then it is too late. Denying him, equally spells doom in the form of more of the same. So I am willing to take that chance, because possible doom over probably doom wins in my book of chances to be taken every time.
I do not see Donald Trump as a savior, but instead a fighter. What he has been proposing to fight has my full support. Beyond that I say prayers that he will become a President this country can ultimately be proud of.
To state it another way, I am under no delusions when it comes to Trump. I cannot say the same for Cruz supporters.
Mexico won't have a choice.
During LBJs regime France demanded we convert their dollars into gold, LBJ gave it to them. Trump likely would have accepted the Dollars as payment on their war debt. Business does not run on a cost plus basis like government does.
Nancy and Harry delt with the GOPe regularly but they made deals that benefited them and harmed us.
Exactly. There is a small cadre of dedicated anti-Trump posters who act like it is their paid job to spam FR with essentially the same stories ad-naseaum.
I didn’t say I like reality tv. I said this is the age of it.
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