Who is Donald Trump, Really?

Texas GOP Vote ^ | December 1, 2015 at 8:14 AM | Tom Donelson

[TBP]

Byron York had an interesting piece on Donald Trump that is worth reading. At least anyone who might be interested in the real Donald Trump. Trump appeared in front of the “non-partisan” No Labels group who desperately wants candidates that will “compromise” even though it is never clear what compromises will result in.

Donald Trump told this group, "Let me just tell you, the word compromise is not a bad word to me. I like the word compromise. We need compromise, there is nothing wrong with compromise, but it's always good to compromise and win. Meaning, let's compromise and win." Can you imagine the reaction of Trump’s supporters if a Marco Rubio actually met with this group and said this? The cries of RINO would arise and say that Rubio is nothing but a tool of the Establishment.

York's thesis is that Trump is prone to saying outrageous things or beginning with outrageous positions so he can get what he wants. This is Trump the deal maker who understands you won’t get all that you want so you start with many positions that you know you can throw away to get what you want in negotiations.

As American Enterprise Institute Marc Thiessen noted, a portion of Trump’s plan on immigration is actually an idea that came from Texas Moderate Senator Kay Baily Hutchison, who proposed Trump's “touchback” in which you deport millions of immigrants to let them back in. You can decide whether this is a practical plan, but make no mistake, under Trump’s reform, the vast majority of illegal today will still be here after his reforms. This means that the results will be no different than a President Rubio or a President Bush. If you don’t believe me, listen to Trump’s own words when he told CNN's Dana Bash, “I would get people out and then have an expedited way of getting them back into the country so they can be legal…. A lot of these people are helping us … and sometimes it’s jobs a citizen of the United States doesn’t want to do. I want to move ’em out, and we’re going to move ’em back in and let them be legal.”

I have already made the case that Trump’s plan is laying the basis for Republican compromise on immigration, and I am not the only one as National Review's Ramesh Ponnuru has made the same observations. Nor is that the only area that Trump will compromise on. As I have mentioned in past posts, moderate and liberal Democrats and conservatives have all agreed that any tax reforms will include lower marginal rates and fewer deductions since 2009. Even the President's own commission under moderate Republican Alan Simpson and liberal Democrat Erskine Bowles agreed with this consensus and Trump's own tax plans follow along those same lines. Trump's tax plans also have been sold as a boon for the Middle Class, using language similar to what Marco Rubio has said about his plan. (There are differences in details but Trump’s tax plans are part of what the real consensus truly is.)

Trump has set the stage for his own version of the big compromise on both taxes and spending if elected, and his foreign policy is closer to the left than the right as he has supported the leftist position that much of the Middle East's problems are Bush’s fault and not Obama's handling of foreign policies, even though he has criticized Obama's deal making skills. In attacking Obama’s deal making skills, he has not really attacked the basis of Obama’s foreign policies. In the case of the Iranian deal, he has made it clear that he would not ditch the deal but simply “renegotiate” the deal. And his protectionist trade views are in line not just with the populist right but also the hard left.

The reality for Republican voters is that Trump is the most centrist candidate we have running, if you chose to read what he actually says as opposed to the image he projects. My own view of Trump is that of a business man who loves to make money; he has an instinct for conservative ideas but he is not the conservative that Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio is. Trump doesn’t keep a copy of F.A. Hayek in his back pocket, and over the past decade, he has taken positions that are to the left of the GOP and other times, he sounds like the hard core right wing. If you look at Trump’s supporters, they are more politically moderate than Rubio’s or Cruz's supports, and they are more blue-collar. They are not traditionally conservative but he is building a broader center-right coalition, leaving the question of will that be enough? And a Trump Presidency will be a centrist administration with something for everyone, but will it be a conservative administration? That is a question that one can’t fully answer.

[Las Vegas Ron]

I stand by that, am horrified by all the comments here at FR along those lines. Yes I stand by that absolutely.

Where's the beef?

If you are going to accuse fellow FReepers, then you best be ready to post some evidence to back it up.....you might just look like a troll otherwise......

[Las Vegas Ron]

You can check my history if you are really, really bored and I supported Trump consistently until recently.

No need, I've seen your posts here enough to know where you come from.

My position in this election to destroy the DC rino elitist cabal.

I worked hard to get Tea Party folks elected only to be backstabbed and ignored by the uniparty.

I only see two men in this race who can send them a FU from me, Trump or Cruz.

Neither one is perfect, but the message is.

JMHO

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

The beef is in every Trump/Cruz Thread since last night, some are outright said, others its implied.

I think you watched a different debate last night, Trump tried to make Cruz look like he was disrespecting the memory of 911 last night.

That is undeniable, but you somehow missed it, and yes its all over here today in multiple threads, I dont think you are willing to see it.

I have had Free Republic as a news source going back to year 2000

[Las Vegas Ron]

Trump tried to make Cruz look like he was disrespecting the memory of 911 last night.

No he didn't, he simply used images of his idea of NY values to counter what Cruz said. He never implied that Cruz was denigrating them....IOW, it's called politics, tit for tat.

I could say the same about Cruz laughing off the constitution and his NBC status, give me a break.

If you are going to accuse FReepers of something, you better be prepared to back it up.....yeah, Las Vegas Values baby!

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

Yes I love Sarah Palin, I did some searches, I understand she is in a difficult spot, but there is nobody that publicly respected her more than Cruz.

She could come out and support Cruz without trashing Trump. Cruz told crowds and media repeatedly that he only won the Senate Seat because of Sarah Palin

I know she likes Trump, but this is time for her to step up

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

We saw 2 different things

[Las Vegas Ron]

Okay, since you won’t or cannot provide a link, this is the closest thing I can find in your history:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3383889/posts?page=8#8

I got news for you, questioning this FReeper and taking his posts out of context will get you your azz handed to you in short order....not just by me but many others here.

[SubMareener]

Yes, that one. Did you read the whole chapter 8 “To our health”? He proposed a process to get to universal health care, not just insurance, for all, it a way that would preserve individual choice and freedom. This is not you average, “I have a plan to fix healthcare!” politician. This is a businessman who knows how to find solutions to problems that actually work.

[BobL]

“It sounds like the record of an Establishment Republican and a typical politician. “

...then why doesn’t the GOPe support him? But nice try.

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

Your link does not go to my post??

[Las Vegas Ron]

It goes to the one you responded to....lol, you’ll get the hang of it.....

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

I actually took the time to follow your link, cant find it.

All I know is you say this about me , your link does not include me at all

“I got news for you, questioning this FReeper and taking his posts out of context will get you your azz handed to you in short order....not just by me but many others here.”

your words, some others were fighting accusing others of 911 this and that.

to quote you roughly put up or shut up...your words I dont talk like that

[Las Vegas Ron]

Not very bright, are you?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3383889/posts?page=8#8

Your own replay taking this poster out of context:

To: DoughtyOne

Trump supporters support New York Values, that`s what they are saying.

And the... you disrespect 911 line is just outrages ... Shows the Trump supporters repeating these lines are cultish

185 posted on 01/15/2016 8:47:48 AM PST by Chauncey Uppercrust (CRUZ 2016 OR BUST Trump supporters love NY VALUES)

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

I said that, some of it appears to be missing, the original post has vanished, must have been post 89 that says removed by moderator? Have no idea why, that might not be it but it vanished

I stand by everything I said here today, If you dont like it that`s your prerogative

You dont seem to think much of Cruz from my point of view, somewhere you said you liked him, does not add up....as far as not being to bright< I was thinking the same of you though I was not going to say.

I have a family to look after so good luck to you.

[big'ol_freeper]

The conservative movement has been overrun by progressives like for instance Ann Coulter.

Trump is as progressive as Dubya was. Unfortunately, he will garner extensive support from confused progressives who think they are conservatives.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Good grief:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3383889/replies?c=8

I like Cruz fine, he just has problems like Trump does, neither one of them are perfect and I and I can be intellectually honest about it.

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

I found the post you mentioned

To: DoughtyOne

Trump supporters support New York Values, that`s what they are saying.

And the... you disrespect 911 line is just outrages ... Shows the Trump supporters repeating these lines are cultish

185 posted on 1/15/2016, 11:47:48 AM by Chauncey Uppercrust (CRUZ 2016 OR BUST Trump supporters love NY

That was my entire post word for word, nothing was taken out of context... every word was mine

For something to be taken out of context you would have to misquote someone. Those were my words alone, the poster I replied to, had never said any of those words

You should have just said you did not like my opinion, but to take someones words out of context you would have to use some of their words

Now I am pout of here, boy I wasted a lot of time with you... guess for that I am not very bright

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

That post was 150% clear that he was on the same side I was on, I just added my comment, completely went over your head

[Chauncey Uppercrust]

LAST WORD... actually almost comical;all that ridiculous back and forth, you totally missed it, I wondered why you kept linking the one post that did not mention me....The guy was agreeing with me on the one point, that being...knock it off on the 911 accusations is what he was saying to another poster

I was agreeing with him/Her on that point, and assuming wrongly that he was a Cruz person(he may be) but regardless who he was for, he was able to see that Cruz being accused of not caring about 911 etc was completely outrages

Thats what I was posting all day how outraged I was by that very thing, I shared it on multiple threads

Done

[Las Vegas Ron]

Go read the response Doughtyone was responding to you fliipin troll liar.