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Why I Changed My Mind and Joined the #NeverTrump Movement
National Review ^ | March 02, 2016 | DAVID FRENCH

Posted on 03/02/2016 2:01:14 PM PST by Steelfish

Why I Changed My Mind and Joined the #NeverTrump Movement

DAVID FRENCH March 2, 2016

Let me begin by saying that I was wrong. Weeks ago I said on a number of radio interviews that while I opposed Trump in the primary, I’d back him if he won the GOP nomination. I hadn’t yet seen — or had been unwilling to believe — the full extent of his contempt for the truth, his fondness for far-left conspiracy theories, and his sheer malice. When I saw Trump in full, my decision was easy: Never Trump. I have spent my entire adult life advocating against abortion and working to protect the unborn. I didn’t endure the taunts and jeers of my law-school classmates, work countless days and nights away from home to protect the free-speech rights of pro-life protestors, and defend the freedoms of the unsung heroes in crisis-pregnancy centers only to vote for a man who’s a walking Planned Parenthood commercial.

Last night, even in his alleged “uniter” mode, Trump went out of his way to once again praise the nation’s largest abortionist — the killer of millions of children — and call his critics “so-called conservatives.” This language will never — not ever — unite the conservative movement. While my own military service can’t compare to the sacrifices and courage of the true American heroes of the Iraq War, I didn’t leave my home and risk my life in the fight against the world’s worst jihadists to vote for a man who apparently believes that I was little more than the stooge of a vast conspiracy to lie our way into war. Moreover, I cannot abide the notion of voting for a man whose “war strategy” is a child-killing war crime and who said out loud that more bombs plus..........

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TOPICS: Politics
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To: Hulka

Trump negotiates from a position of strength. Cruzio make speeches, but ultimately follow orders.


61 posted on 03/02/2016 2:44:42 PM PST by orangeTank
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To: 94Revolution

“Next time you see a goofy ‘sore cruzerman’ picture, a ‘clutching my pearls’ statement, some goofball posting Cruzbio or Crubio, Someone calling a Cruz supporter small minded or whatever insult or name calling etc... Please tell them what they’ve done.”

As opposed to Trumpanziees, Trumpeetes, Trumpers, calling Trump supporters cultists and brownshirts, fake Christians, fake conservatives, wanting a dictatorship, accusing Trump supporters of drinking the kool-aide, “me no care me want wall”, or photos implying that Trump supporters are sheep...

And multitudes of other things I can only assume you will pretend like you’ve never seen nor heard of before?


62 posted on 03/02/2016 2:45:22 PM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: altura

“Cruz has ridden into DC. He has fought the establishment.”

Cruz fought but what has he actually done other than antagonize people? Trump has made everyone agree that we need a wall on the border and he has not even been elected.

Cruz claims credit for stopping the gang of eight bill, but it passed the Senate. It was killed in the House.

He was for a 500% increase in H1Bs. He never mentioned the Wall until after Trump got into the race. He will not expand the base because he is such a preachy, self-righteous guy.


63 posted on 03/02/2016 2:45:25 PM PST by BaldJohn
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To: altura

If the author wanted to keep the subject to the nominating process, he didn’t have to say #NeverTrump. We all accept that in this process we all have our respective candidates that we prefer, but the basic underlying idea going back to “the pledge” is that at the end of the day, each of the Republican candidates is light years better than Hillary. I firmly believe that to be the case (though it is my opinion that Cruz isn’t eligible).


64 posted on 03/02/2016 2:46:52 PM PST by Behind the Blue Wall
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To: altura
Why do Trump supporters always deflect and change the subject.

Because critical thinking is getting its ass kicked by idol worship.

65 posted on 03/02/2016 2:55:07 PM PST by optiguy
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To: Steelfish

He’s feeling warm and fuzzy in the #ElectHillary group.


66 posted on 03/02/2016 2:57:16 PM PST by citizen (There is no R Party or D Party-They are all in a Uni-Party...call it The DC Party-And America loses!)
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To: BaldJohn

Cruz was criticized by the establishment for lobbying the house to defeat it. It was characterized by the establishment as something a senator shouldn’t do. At the same time he was doing this, Donald J. Trump was funding the very people who were pushing it.


67 posted on 03/02/2016 2:58:42 PM PST by optiguy
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To: Resolute Conservative

Anyone with children recognized “#NeverTrump and what behavior motivates it.

That is the act of petulant children, not adults.

Team Cruz is the Talk Radio generation grown up. It worship the Reagan myth created in the 1990s “Conservative” media.

The Reagan myth runs something like this. Reagan, after beating Carter and the GOP Establishment rode into DC, took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and proceed to beat the snot out of everyone there.

The REAL Reagan was a much more imperfect human politician. Reagan went to DC and negotiated lots and lots of deals with Congress. He surrendered on a number of “Conservative” points. By 1986 the “Movement Conservatives” were so pissed off the they were penning Op Eds about how “Reagan has betrayed the Conservative Movement”.

IF by some miracle you elect Cruz, he is going to ride into DC and do exactly as Reagan did. He will end up compromising so much that the “Principled Conservatives” here are all going to have a massive case of purity butt hurt about Cruz.


68 posted on 03/02/2016 3:03:16 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: VanDeKoik; Outlaw76

I have. I don’t like it at all.
I’ve been very careful even when angry not to follow suite.

I’ve seen a few folks, like Outlaw76 go after both sides for acting like that before just shrugging it off. I’m pretty sure he, like me, is on the never trump side of things.


69 posted on 03/02/2016 3:03:49 PM PST by 94Revolution (Get it right this time)
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To: Steelfish
#Nevertrump Movement: There are literally dozens of them.


70 posted on 03/02/2016 3:05:17 PM PST by x
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To: MNJohnnie

Wrong on so many levels. I remember Reagan being very unpopular before he was shot. I also remember the day he was shot very well.

I remember the frustration over the passing of spending bills that were frankly absurd.

I remember, very well, how close we were to an actual war with the Soviets. I served in the Military at the time and we had ‘drills’ that weren’t drills at all.

I also remember the booming economy.
I remember people being genuinely happy. Even the music was happy.

Reagan was, perhaps, the greatest orator president we have ever had. He taught - and that’s the important part - taught what conservatism was. He said the things that people needed to hear. He brought the left rightward.

No myth there, the man was very good but, as we all are, he was a flawed human being.


71 posted on 03/02/2016 3:10:44 PM PST by 94Revolution (Get it right this time)
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To: Steelfish

Maybe you should change your Facebook profile to the one that supports gay marriage too...


72 posted on 03/02/2016 3:10:54 PM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (BREAKING.... Vulgarian Resistance begins attack on the GOPe Death Star.....)
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To: MNJohnnie

“IF by some miracle you elect Cruz, he is going to ride into DC and do exactly as Reagan did. He will end up compromising so much that the ‘Principled Conservatives’ here are all going to have a massive case of purity butt hurt about Cruz.”

Interesting. . .so Cruz would be Reagan.

I’ll take that.


73 posted on 03/02/2016 3:10:57 PM PST by Hulka
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To: altura
I have issues with both candidates, but a bigger fear for me is a brokered convention as the establishment will try to get their man, Rubio, in there.

I would vote for either in the general, but not comfortable with any of them.

74 posted on 03/02/2016 3:12:49 PM PST by Sam Gamgee (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)
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To: MNJohnnie
“A man who is 75-80% on my side is a valued Friend and Ally, not my enemy”.

We are a Constitutional Republic that rests on the notion that the people’s Representatives in Government know how to compromise and negotiate.

All great notions, until you negotiate spending cuts and immigration bills, only to have the other side not live up to their end and find yourself on the edge of oblivion 30 years later. But, by all means, let's keep accommodating them.

75 posted on 03/02/2016 3:14:44 PM PST by edpc (Wilby 2016)
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To: MNJohnnie; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; cardinal4; ..

Well said!

76 posted on 03/02/2016 3:15:10 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
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To: Hulka

Well sure, a strident, opverly emtional Reagan without the charisma, poltical or leadership skills, experience or centrist ideological outlook of Reagan, sure.

I guess if you want a 4 year Jimmy Carter style GOP President then Cruz will be your man.


77 posted on 03/02/2016 3:15:19 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: altura

Can you change your freeper name?


78 posted on 03/02/2016 3:16:00 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: MNJohnnie
I don't expect Cruz to make the world a better place by pushing things into law.

I expect him to push his agenda, Follow the constitution, prosecute those who have broken the law, push agencies and departments to do the job they are authorized to do and stop doing the jobs they aren't supposed to do. I expect him to call out any conservative that is going against the will of their constituents.

That's why I'm voting for him. I don't want him to try and become a better dictator than Obama. I want a president. I want the rule of law.

79 posted on 03/02/2016 3:16:20 PM PST by 94Revolution (Get it right this time)
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To: MNJohnnie

Those two names should never be mentioned less than a thousand words apart. They are polar opposites - nothing in common.


80 posted on 03/02/2016 3:17:11 PM PST by libbylu (Cruz: The truth with a smile.)
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