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Sen. Ben Sasse: I Will Never Ever Vote for Trump
Townhall.com ^ | February 29, 2016 | Christine Rousselle

Posted on 02/29/2016 10:07:16 AM PST by Kaslin

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) posted "An Open Letter to Trump Supporters" on his official Facebook page that outlined exactly why he will not be supporting Donald Trump this November if he were to be the nominee. He urged conservatives to find a third option to support if Trump were to land the party's nomination.

(Emphasis added)

My current answer for who I would support in a hypothetical matchup between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is: Neither of them. I sincerely hope we select one of the other GOP candidates, but if Donald Trump ends up as the GOP nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option.

Here's the full post

Sasse was also critical of Trump's use of the term "reign," explaining that Nebraskans are not asking for a person to run for king, but rather a Constitutional Republic. He also expressed concerns about Trump's statements about "open(ing) up libel laws" and censoring journalists who do not agree with him.

AN OPEN LETTER TO TRUMP SUPPORTERS To my friends supporting Donald Trump: The Trump coalition is broad and...Posted by Ben Sasse on Sunday, February 28, 2016



TOPICS: Cheese, Moose, Sister
KEYWORDS: 2016election; 3rdrepost; alreadyposted; bensasse; election2016; facebook; mud; mudmud; mudmudmud; nebraska; nevertrump; nevertrumper; nevertrumpers; newyork; rino; supersaturday; trump
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To: altura

When you are done with the crystal ball, let us know?


121 posted on 02/29/2016 11:46:33 AM PST by PJBankard (I wouldn't let Obama or Hillary run my Dairy Queen - Wayne Allen Root)
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To: 11th Commandment
We're going to open up libel laws and we're going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before.

You realize that in the 1960s, the far-left Warren Court created additional First Amendment protections for the press that do not apply to you and me. Previously, the First Amendment did not prevent a person from suing in court for damages from libel and slander. It makes sense, the First Amendment doesn't protect lies if those lies are proven in a court of law.

In NYT v Sullivan, the Court held that the press, and only the press, cannot be liable for libel or slander against a public figure unless they knew the information to be false, and had malice against the person so slandered. It is a requirement that is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution or the Federalist papers, and was made up out of whole cloth. It is such a high hurdle that basically, it is almost impossible to prove libel or slander and so those action are almost never brought, and when brought, they are never successful.

If what he is talking about is finding a way to eliminate these protections for our lying and biased press, I have no problem with that. It would probably need a new interpretation by the court, something that is very unlikely, but he can push for it and bring some attention to this issue. I'm all for that.

Quit hyperventilating about small potatoes and start to worry about whether we are going to become a communist tyranny or try to push back in the other direction.

122 posted on 02/29/2016 11:53:19 AM PST by Defiant (After 8 years of Chump Change, it's time for Trump Change!!)
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To: altura

This is exactly why Trump is winning. The Elitest GOP mindset that thinks it can dictate it’s emotion based opinions to the vast mass of GOP voters.


123 posted on 02/29/2016 11:58:49 AM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: All

Hi Ben,

I was a supporter of yours....made phone calls, walked precincts, stuffed envelopes.

NOT ANYMORE!!!


124 posted on 02/29/2016 12:07:17 PM PST by ak267
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To: Defiant
Absent the Sullivan doctrine, I can only imagine what an Obama Administration would have done, or what a Hillary or Sanders Administration might do, to any dissent in the press.

"Loosening up" the libel laws is a knife that cuts both ways, and I suspect we're entering a period of our history when the right to strongly dissent is going to be critical.

So I'm with Sasse on this one.

I would also point out that Trump apparently is opposed to the Citizens United decision. Though the details of that case seem to have been forgotten by many, it was about a non-profit citizens group ("Citizens United") whose movie that was critical of Hillary Clinton was suppressed under the authority of McCain-Feingold as an unlawful expenditure attempting to influence an election.

So between Trump's position on libel laws and his apparent opposition to Citizens United, I think there are legitimate concerns about political free speech if he is elected.

125 posted on 02/29/2016 12:15:12 PM PST by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: altura
Such tortured logic should be deemed cruel and unusual.

Then go ahead and tell me why Cruz would support Rubio who favors amnesty? Why would Ted, such a principled human being, even consider Rubio?

126 posted on 02/29/2016 12:30:15 PM PST by The Iceman Cometh (Ted Cruz & Marco Rubio - Amnesty Pimps)
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To: Mr.Unique

LOL good one. Stats I understand!


127 posted on 02/29/2016 12:42:19 PM PST by huldah1776 ( Vote Pro-life! Allow God to bless America before He avenges the death of the innocent.)
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To: altura

PRINCIPLED Position would be

I do not agree with my party’s choice but as a member in good standing I have lost this debate and need to abide by the will of the party.

Or

I strongly disagree with my party’s choice so I will resign my senate seat and my GOP membership and run for the job as an Independent.

It is an ego driver temperament to say “I don’t like who the party chooses so I am going to accept all the perks of being IN the party while actively working to sabotage the will of the vast majority of the party’s voters.”

That is pompous self serving betrayal and the voters have every right to hold the Senator accountable.


128 posted on 02/29/2016 12:47:38 PM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: Mr.Unique
Donald Trump is a patriot and so are his supporters. Conservative? Like Michael Medved or Paul Ryan? Don't make me puke.
Personally, I'm to the right of Rush and to the left of God and will vote for Trump or Cruz, but am done holding my nose for the pubbies loser candidates.
129 posted on 02/29/2016 12:50:31 PM PST by dainbramaged (Get out of my country now)
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To: Kaslin

Never and always are false on true false tests.


130 posted on 02/29/2016 1:03:13 PM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
You may be right in this day and age, where a lawsuit or series of them can tie up a person in court and use up all their money. However, the NY Times and WaPo have sufficient resources to defend themselves, if they print false facts. Opinions are never actionable, so it's only factual assertions, and right now, it's only media empires that are protected, and only against public figures, which we almost always are when attacked by powerful media empires.

How about loser pays? How about expedited trials, or a quick procedure to determine if the claim has merit, and if so, then it proceeds to trial. Most libel cases are pretty cut and dry.

In any event, the notion that the media empires are too protected under current law has been around for decades and is not the sign of a fascist in waiting. You are just looking for justification for your opposition to Trump.

131 posted on 02/29/2016 1:21:37 PM PST by Defiant (After 8 years of Chump Change, it's time for Trump Change!!)
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To: Defiant

Quit closing your eyes... Trump wants to sue people for libel quoting him....


132 posted on 02/29/2016 1:29:53 PM PST by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: 11th Commandment

I know Trump wants to sue people for lying about him. If someone says that Mr. 11th Commandment is really a pedophile sitting in his pajamas in his grandma’s basement typing away on a Commodore, you might want to sue, too. People saying vile things about you without repercussion is very distressing, and to give the media a complete pass on doing that is now what the First Amendment provides or requires. So, I have no problem with his desire to remove some of those artificial restrictions. He won’t be able to on his own, just because he says he wants to change that law doesn’t make him a fascist who will change the law on his own. He can’t. He knows that. You know that. So why do you make up phony talking points? Just vote against him if you don’t like him, but give it up with the ridiculous arguments.


133 posted on 02/29/2016 3:50:17 PM PST by Defiant (After 8 years of Chump Change, it's time for Trump Change!!)
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To: Jim Robinson

These guys are so accustomed to appeasing one and only one crowd. Their wealthy funders. With voters, they have no clue. Amazing.


134 posted on 02/29/2016 3:54:02 PM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: The Iceman Cometh

please present your evidence that cruz is open borders


135 posted on 02/29/2016 4:44:40 PM PST by DrewsMum (If they wanted a conservative, they'd vote for one.)
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