Posted on 02/01/2016 9:30:14 AM PST by Oldpuppymax
A lot of people are very afraid of Donald Trump. His success will come at their expense because power in politics is a zero sum commodity. What one side gains is always at the expense of the other.
Every day we are presented with twisted and convenient definitions of conservatism from those who desperately don’t want to be on the losing side.
To them, changing one’s mind and acknowledging the value of conservative positions has become a sign of insincere conservatism. They echo the liberal line about Lincoln not being so great because he, “Came late†to the idea of freeing the slaves, without any Self-consciousness. Smug self-congratulation will do that.
“Moving the goal posts,†is another verbal gymnastic trick Trump’s attackers have borrowed from the Left. Thus Trump’s positions never seem to go far enough to satisfy them.
What a conservative candidate should stand for is very clear and Trump holds all of the important positions a conservative such hold.
Trump wants to: close our borders and tighten control over who comes into America;
Built a strong and feared military;
Keep America safe from those who want to kill us; and is not afraid to name them as Muslims;
Spread the pro-life message;
Institute an effective taxing plan that will provide opportunities for America’s recovery;
Deal with the world from a position of strength and regain respect...
(Excerpt) Read more at coachisright.com ...
So maybe Trump is not a conservative !! Would he be any different than what the conservatives, liberals, democrats, Republicans and Independents have brought us in the past ?? Stick’un all in a sack and shake’um out and there won’t be a nickels worth of difference for the working man in any of them so choose your poison. They’re all the same once they are sworn in.
you say luckily...
right up until he decides to support and get behind many of the things that are antithetical to everything we believe.
I’m reminded of the quote from “The Hunt for Red October” (and I’m not speaking of you personally, but trumpeters in general)
“You arrogant ass, you’ve killed us!”
These are good questions you raise.
As far as determining how to identify Trump refusers, I suppose one could cross reference census tracts and compare Republican party membership with voting results, but I guess that would only provide rather broad brush data. I suppose the most effective method would have to be a questionnaire that party members would be obligated to complete and answer truthfully. Those who refused to support Trump even though he was the party’s nominee would be stripped of party membership.
As far as additional consequences, I think banishment from Republican Party social events and gatherings would be a good start, along with publishing their names on a list which could be distributed to their neighbors. I can probably think of more, but these are the first two that come to mind.
I would have to say I feel the same way.
Those methods would probably out most, but you might also want to interview the neighbors and coworkers to find out if they ever uttered any phrases that might be critical of Trump. Also, promise children rewards if they alert party officials to anti-trump statements they overhear in the home.
I think those are a bit extreme.
But, extremism in defense of making America great again is no vice.
Perhaps you can point out where, in the past 50 years where we (that's voters like you and me) have elected a *majority* of conservatives in either house of congress? Or are you asserting the likes of Boehner, McConnell, McCain, Graham and their RINO ilk are "conservatives" (utterly laughable)? Or maybe you can point to any point in recent history where conservatives have had the numbers in congress to do anything more than filibuster (which Cruz *HAS* done)? Further, if conservatives were anywhere near the majority of the political right as you are asserting, then I seriously doubt we would continue to have the likes of Boehner, McConnell, McCain, Graham, etc *inflicted* upon us term after term after term. If that is *not* what you are asserting, please explain how you think a small minority of conservatives on the political right in congress have *any* control over congressional procedure and pushing legislation out of committee, other than to filibuster (again, which Cruz *HAS* done)?
Conservatives are, for now, a rather small minority within the political right. I *hope* conservatism is catching fire, but it certainly does not appear to be doing so in this election season. We still have much work to do to grow conservatism. Hence: Instead of the govt we need, we will continue to be stuck with the govt we deserve for awhile longer - perhaps generations.
So, what have *YOU* done to promote and advance conservatism and/or push conservative candidates into office? Here's a hint: pimping Donald "The Govt's Going To Pay For It" Trump is decidedly nowhere near conservative. If your complaint is that a *minority* of conservatives "can't control congress", then look in the mirror and consider the type of candidates you support is perhaps a YUUUUUGE part of the problem that is keeping conservatives in the minority.
The headline is absolutely spot on. I love Cruz desperately; I’ve traveled hundreds of miles to hear him speak. He is ideal on hewing close to the Biblical line, and he is pluperfect on the Constitution in its original intent. No one else comes close.
However, for the same reason I could never get elected President, so it is with Cruz.
This nation presently marginalizes Christians; but it ultra-marginalizes Christians who take the Bible literally, who insist that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, that unless a person is born-again, that person will go to hell. Cruz, like so many of us, is on record, on tape, on CD, on the internet, having said that only born-again Christians go to heaven, that others go to hell. There would be no other issue throughout the campaign if he got elected.
Cruz could never be confirmed to the Supreme Court, nor to a cabinet post. Texas is possibly the only state that would elect him to the Senate. Again, the reason is that Christians are so thoroughly marginalized, particularly the kind of Christian that he is, as I am. By various measures, hard-core evangelicals, such as Cruz is, make up 33% of the population. Of those, only 9% believe in the Creation, the Flood, the Virgin birth, etc.
More and more, our kind of Christianity is despised in America. Trump’s kind of Christianity is tolerated fairly well, and yes, it is nominal. I do not support Trump because he agrees with my theology; I support him because he promises to build a wall, which is the only way we can get this country back. And I support him because I believe he is electable. Unfortunately, Cruz probably is not. This does not diminish my love and respect for him.
With a few notable exceptions (such as Ted Cruz), when these "conservatives" we elect get to Washington they either go back on what they said they would do for conservatives and conservativism (i.e., they lie), or they say that despite the promises they made during the campaign there's really nothing they can do about anything.
So I agree that although Trump's conservative bona fides are, at best, an "unknown", the antipathy toward conservatives and conservatism of the other realistically viable candidates (again, with the exception of Cruz) is very well known -- and despised -- by conservatives, which is why this conservative will take my chances with the "unknown" Trump over the lazy, duplicitious "conservatives" which are the alternative.
“...These are good questions you raise. As far as determining how to identify Trump refusers...”
You are actually *serious*? Sending folks to the political Gulags for disagreeing with you? You represent Trump perfectly! You seem to be “kindred souls”.
I am serious, but I never said, nor do I believe in, sending people to political gulags.
FR member “dead” is probably even more hard core than me however. Check his/her posts in this thread.
As opposed to the notable exception that you cited multiple times in your response? No offense but that makes no sense
Not all of us live on FR like you seem to do. I checked your references, and they do support your 2nd post that the meme is incorrect. I am busted on that 1. Too bad that you simply just couldn't say it was incorrect and post your references. The personal viciousness that the Trump supporters on FR, such as yourself, have displayed on FR the last several months may end up hurting the conservative cause further down the pike. I would vote for Cruz, Rubio, Carson, or Christie before I would for Trump. Should Trump prevail with the GOP nomination, I would probably hold my nose and vote for him. The Dems are not an option. When the SHTF, let's agree not to share the same foxhole.
My point is that while Trump may not do these things -- and I acknowledge that is a possibility -- we know the others won't (except for Cruz). Make better sense?
What exactly have the conservatives in congress accomplished?
Obamacare scrapped?
Illegals deported?
Wall built?
Anchor babies outlawed?
National debt reduced?
Abortion restricted?
China trade deficit reduced?
Food stamp growth curbed?
Welfare growth reduced?
Fraud in Medicare & Social Security under control?
As many as 25% of Medicare payments go to fraudulent claims,
and tens of thousands of people over age 110 still mailed
social security checks without proof they are living!
If Trump can deliver any 3 of above, he is more than enough
conservative for most rational people.
Trump is conservative on these issues:
Pro life since at least 2011, wanted to ban partial birth
abortion as far back as 2000
Pro Traditional marriage. Gay rights is not his thing
Pro capital punishment
Hold Judges accountable
Common core is a disaster
Anti education unions (2000)
For school choice
Believes man made Climate Change is a hoax
No Cap-and-Tax
For drilling our own
Stressed importance of strong family & culture (2015)
Supports Israel
Opposes Iran deal and letting Iran obtain the bomb
Wants to crush ISIS quickly
Wants a military so strong no one will challenge us
Against unbalanced trade deals that kill American jobs
Against warrant-less government surveillance of citizens
Against having a high national debt
Warns that $24T is a point of no return
Against gun control
For assault weapon ban but says the AR-15 shouldn't
be considered an assault weapon
Wants to repeal Obamacare and replace it with market driven
polices and increased competition among insurance companies
Wants to increase military spending
Will close the border to illegals
Will deport all illegals but will let the hard working
ones go through the legal process to come back
Against Anchor babies
Will bring jobs back through better trade negotiation
Stood up for Birthers and challenged Obama on his fraud
Believes USA is the greatest force for freedom the world
has ever known
Wants to honor commitments on Social Security and Medicare,
which we can afford if he gets the economy going full steam.
Wants to reduce the fraud in disability and other programs
Against marriage penalties in tax code
Wants to simplify tax code with just 3 simple brackets
Wants to reduce income taxes and reduce corporate tax
Wants to rebuild our infrastructure
Wants to apply welfare-to-work to 76 other welfare programs (2011)
Does not have time for political correctness
Not afraid to call out either party or both when they are wrong
Not a puppet of mega-rich donors and Lobbyists
Go Trump 2016! Make America Great Again! It is almost too late, but only Donald Trump has the know-how, courage, name recognition, and freedom from rich donors to accomplish that gargantuan task.
Disagree.
McCain was a loser from the get go. Romney lost with the 47% comment caught by Carter’s meow.
Trump will steamroll in the general.
Hey - thanks for the spam, cut and paste, campaign-mailer reply. You can be sure I’ll read every word.
More importantly...those are some beautiful words and things we can all agree on. So where is trumps verifiable record of support of those issues? Not just blathering, braying words...where are his actions? Where are the foundations he’s set up to advance those issues? Where he’s thrown his substantial fortune (that you guys love to throw in our faces) to effect the advancement of any of those? That record should be voluminous, right? If he such a dyed in the wool, rock-ribbed conservative...should be easy to come up with dozens of examples, right?
“...I am serious...”
You are suggesting that folks who don’t vote for Donald Trump should be banished from the Republican party? Because they don’t agree with you?
Well, from a conservative point of view, now that Trump has doubled-down on his “Big Govt/Universal Healthcare/The Govt’s Going To Pay For It” promise made on 60-Minutes, perhaps he and his more rabid followers would be a better fit over on the democrat side of the aisle. I’m not saying where you should or shouldn’t go - just suggesting you may find more “kindred spirits” over in the Dem party and you won’t have to keep defending Trumps gaffs from pesky “conservatives”.
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