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?
The two Presidents from Illinois already did that.
I don’t think it’s a plus. But nice try putting words in my mouth.
I think you should leave. China perhaps?
The GOPe bot justs posts the GOPe party-line article, and if someone like Donglalinger NAILS what's going on in the article to the wall, the GOPe bot comments with a ridiculous animation about Donglalinger.
I think that about covers it. :)
“”I personally think Trump will beat Hillary “”
Which is the only reason I closed my eyes and marked my absentee ballot for him....
This NEEDS TO BE REPEATED over and over and OVER AGAIN!!!!
My support of Trump has nothing to do with Ann Coulter.
Who is the anchor baby? Marco Rubio’s parents where legal Green Card holders when they immigrated from Cuba in 1956 prior to the rise of Fidel Castro in January 1959
So I guess Derek Hunter has not had a chance to read Trump’s tax plan which Larry Kudlow put his stamp of approval on or his position papers on immigration, the VA, the 2nd amendment etc.
Time for anti Trump freepers to tell us all the detailed policy positions of Rubio and Cruz. Good luck with that one.
As a Christian who has been through rough times, I’d like to share the observation that also what we call “morals” today might in fact be a bowdlerized set of them. That things like courage and fortitude may be getting short consideration today.
C. S. Lewis picked up on this, and commented that by means of comparing historical ages one to another, we could discern differences between the moral tempers of those ages and notice how different morals fail or excel in different ages. And by looking upon those weak and strong points, we can get an idea of how they look to the Lord, who is always urging excellence in all morals.
So who is asleep here?
The reality is his support does not extend beyond us conservatives of the Republican base. A condemnation on society perhaps, but a reality nonetheless. Your refusal to accept these facts and to continue down the delusional road to defeat does not impress me in the least.
However, your continual denigration of Trump's supporters does impress me as a stupid immature reaction to the fact that your viewpoint is not widely held. A true sign of dedication that borders upon cult support you accuse us of possessing. I'm sure many of us Trump supporters wished Trump would present himself differently, and hopefully he will. However, if he can accomplish his stated goals that will suffice for now.
That is helpful and still may not even be the chief selling point for Trump.
The chief selling point for Trump is that he’s getting a parade going. It isn’t just your politician in Washington; it’s also you.
“Something I hadn’t noticed before — Trump uses the same (incomplete) sentence structure my mother-in-law did when she talked about picking berries as a child.”
Trump speaks in “twittereez”.
G-d help us.
Nothing apart from being exactly what the Dems think of the American voters.
I personally feel the same way about America, however I am not willing to compromise on the other core principles and vote for someone who only meets one of those principles.
Rubio is out because I don’t think he respects the rule of law, based on his Immigration bill. I also think he feels that the fourth amendment is only a suggestion to be followed only when it suits him
Trump, Spent forty years supporting abortion, He says he has changed and I applaud that move. However he has not done anything to prove it with out works to back it up it is just talk. Second I don’t think he supports the Constitution the way I see it as a legal Covenant. Which means that he has nothing but a minor respect for those positions in the Constitution that leads to a free society.
Carson and Cruz are the only candidates I feel fit my Principles, and something about Carson seems off to me, I can’t quite put my finger on it, I have thought that since October.
If this is your best and last shot on Sunday am, you’re magazine just went dry.
This thread is an example of what death throes look and sound like. The anti Trump folks are nothing but proponents of the “same ole, same ole” political system. They can’t get their heads around the need to blow this system up and start anew. Trump has his warts and I think we all know that. But, he is the only one who has a chance to radically change the status quo. He will build that wall, he will straighten out the current trade imbalances, and he has the experience to create and bring jobs back to this country. Go ahead, exorcize your guilt feelings and vote for Cruz if you must. Cruz absolutely can not win in the general and you know it. That “but Cruz is the only true conservative” BS is getting old. He may be, but he CAN’T WIN! {End of Rant)
We won with poorly educated........I LOVE the poorly educated
I am not sure just what this is suppose to mean. I know Trump included the “poorly educated” when he was thanking his supporters, but he also thanked others as well.
But you, you choose one part (out of context) and determined every Trump supporter is “poorly educated”. What I don’t understand is how you could possible believe that every person that supports Trump is “poorly educated”.
But, bless your little heart, if it makes you feel better to believe I (as well as other Trump supporters) are poorly educated, then you go right ahead.
However, if Trump does win, how are you going to feel to have been beaten by a bunch of poorly educated yahoos?
Generalizations about those that don’t agree with you does not win arguments. I know and respect those that support Cruz and Rubio, and I would so far as say I can understand why there are some that support Bernie and Hillary.
I have decided that I will no longer live on the Republican plantation, if that means I must give up my PURE CONSERVATIVE membership card, well so be it.
But, but, but Trump isn’t at all Hispanic. We simply must vote for him for that reason alone!!!!
“Are you a leader in any area of your life that ever requires you to do distasteful things? Such as praise people because rightly or wrongly they are in positions of power that could make or break the thing you lead and have built over your entire life?”
What in the hell are you talking about? Do you think Trump sucks up to dictators because he is afraid of them? In any case - I’ve told my commanding officer to run his orders by legal or back off...not a good career move, but I’ve never regretted it.
“Do you think that you are a better person, more suitable for Heaven, because you would not ever dare say ‘piece of ass’?”
Actually, I used it on this forum. But yes, I’m a better man than Trump for not believing and treating women as “pieces of ass”. If you do not understand that, then you have no honor.
“I’m not name calling here: You strike me as a sort of sanctimonious person, self righteous.”
You strike me as a Trump worshiper, unable to admit there is something wrong with a man who praises the Communist Chinese for Tienanmen Square, praises Putin, praises North Korea and who has supported liberal democrats his entire life. You won’t admit there is something wrong with a man who simply hurls insults as a substitute for thought. You won’t admit that neither you nor Donald Trump knows what he intends to do in office, or even what he will believe tomorrow.
The problem is TRUMP - what does he believe, and will he believe it tomorrow? To answer that, you attack me. Very Trump-like, but pathetically dishonest and stupid.
Yes, I have principles. Those principles have resulted, at times, in my being beaten up and in my career being harmed - but I was not a fool to stand by what I believed. The astonishing thing is that in modern America, even on FreeRepublic, people believe having no principles is admirable.
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