Posted on 07/15/2015 10:40:44 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
One of the most powerful if not THE most powerful political themes in American politics is send them a message. Yet, in an election year when the them in Washington are the target of voter wrath from both Left and Right, only three of the 20+ candidates running for President are message carriers.
The three message carriers; Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have different messages, but they have one thing in common voting for them is a clear rejection of the status quo in their parties, and in the conduct of the federal government.
While their opponents may occasionally attempt to image themselves as the candidates of change, none at this point in the campaign claims to stand for a radical change in how Washingtons ruling elite conduct the affairs of government.
Indeed, Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, the leading Democrat and Republican candidates, routinely claim to be the adults in the room suggesting that those who demand radical reform are at best adolescent and at worst throwing childish tantrums.
But when the message carriers start to move poll numbers or win primaries the establishment candidates are forced to listen and react, and as much as they want to convince voters to reject the demand for radical change Cruz, Trump and Sanders are carrying, Bush and Clinton are being forced to listen and respond.
Sanders has been pushing Clinton steadily leftward as he turns out thousands of energized far-Left voters for rallies that should scare the dickens out of Hillarys Wall Street and Silicon Valley funders as she embraces and surpasses his radical income redistribution rhetoric.
As soon as Senator Sanders progressive campaign began to get traction in Iowa and New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton made a major economic policy speech at The New School in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, a bastion of liberal education and social thought. "I believe we have to build a growth and fairness economy. You can't have one without the other," she said in a speech that would have done 1930s leftwing populist demagogue Huey Kingfish Long proud.
Donald Trump has likewise tapped into a populist demand for radical change similar to the one that powered Ross Perots 1992 run for President, and that some believe deprived George H.W. Bush of a second term and led to the election of Bill Clinton and the creation of Hillary Clinton as a national political figure.
When the Chairman of the Republican National Committee calls Donald Trump, allegedly to tell him to "tone it down" regarding his controversial comments on illegal immigration, Trumps message is being received loud and clear.
Likewise when establishment neo-con Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina complains Trump has hijacked the agenda and establishment Republicans should push back, Trumps message is getting through.
So far only Jeb Bush has accepted Grahams advice, the rest of the Republican field has either agreed with Trump or kept silent, as they looked with envy at the thousands of rally participants Trump has turned out and wondered how they can tap into Trumps message without drawing the ire of the establishment media.
And Trumps populist message that Obama and the establishment politicians of both parties are terrible negotiators may get new life as the media cycle turns to the Iran deal and foreign policy.
In contrast to the (so far) narrow focus of the Trump message, Ted Cruz has a much broader and coherent message; the worldview of Americas country class and limited government constitutional conservatives.
Cruzs message of getting government back within strict constitutional limits is a sharp contrast to the status quo worldview of the progressive Big Government establishment of both political parties. And in contrast to their reaction to Trump, nearly all of Republican presidential candidates have been forced to respond and frame at least part of their campaign rhetoric in constitutional terms even Jeb Bush.
Prior to Ted Cruzs entry into the Republican race you would have been hard pressed to find a mention of the Constitution in a Jeb Bush speech despite the fact that Bush once served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center.
Indeed, his Right to Rise allied Super PAC announcement carried nary a mention of putting the federal government back inside strict constitutional limits it was all about using the government to manipulate the economy to achieve a Republican version of Bernie Sanders economic fairness.
After the Cruz announcement practically every Republican has been forced to talk about the Constitution, even Bush, who made it a point prior to the Supreme Courts decision mandating same-sex marriage in all states to say he did not believe there was a constitutional right to such marriages.
Likewise, Scott Walker devoted part of the closing of his announcement to constitutional conservative themes themes that were pretty much the exclusive territory of Ted Cruz until he started rising in the polls wherever he appeared and talked about them.
Of course being a message carrier doesnt mean the candidate will automatically win their Partys nomination or be elected President: William Jennings Bryan carried the populist message in the Democratic Party in the 1896, 1900 and 1908 elections and never achieved the presidency and Ronald Reagan was the conservative message carrier in two elections before he was elected President in 1980.
And a message isnt always necessary to win an election; as we saw with the campaigns of Jerry Ford, Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney a content-free campaign was enough to at least win the nomination, if not the general election.
Send them a message may be the most powerful theme in American politics, and right now the messages of Sanders, Trump and Cruz are resonating and driving the debate, but they still have to translate the message voters are sending through them into a technically proficient campaign to win and become President.
Yes
“And a message isnt always necessary to win an election; as we saw with the campaigns of Jerry Ford, Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney”
Hmmmm....a message apparently IS necessary : )
Rand Paul is a significant message carrier, if not the most significant.
Another think about it article ?
You mean “sit down and toke up?”
This guy has a point. It seems original thought is coming primarily from these three sources.
However, what does this make of Walker / Christie who have stood up to the status quo public sector power brokers?
That’s a message also.
No, I mean the government is out of control, too big message. That we are rapidly approaching a point where our liberties and freedoms will no longer be recoverable without violent revolution. I mean bringing up issues like the NSA, Patriot Act, warrantless home invasions, and police brutality on citizens of all races. I mean a message of the principles our country was founded upon. That message.
Scott Walker Carries a powerful message that the unions and leftists can be fought and defeated in actual fact, as opposed to rhetoric and intention, and that fiscal irresponsibility that bankrupts can be overcome because what Walker accomplished in Wisconsin did just that.
Yeah, and I’d doubt he’d vote for the Iran treaty like Cruz did.
Shrewd of Sen. Cruz to meet with Trump. If the Donald is sucking up all the media coverage overshadowing all other candidates, then go to where the spotlight is shining and steal the show. Only Ted Cruz can out-troll Trump. ;)
Thought you might find this interesting!
Cruz is the only candidate that can restore our Constitutional Free Republic, no others has near the same understanding of what it will take.
Sanders is a self admitted Communist
Trump is a Con Man and is in the process of conning many conservatives, he has a history that goes back a lot further than the last two weeks, many conservatives are acting like the past doesn’t matter; they are enthralled with his speech, to me it is reminiscent of obama and how so many were fooled/conned by his words, that is not to compare the two other then their ability to Con so many so fast, those who put FEELINGS before THINKING.
I too like hearing Trump especially on illegals and trade but his current speech is in no way congruent with his past, he has tapped into the emotions of those of us who are angry and frustrated the most crucial aspect of running a con, he admitted himself he had no idea the power of words until he said what he said about illegals just off the top of his head, he got an unexpected reaction, I to agree with him, but it is not congruent with what he said in the past, he is useful in this campaign but he is not what he is making himself out to be, what you see is not what you will get. Would it not be great if your fast food burger meal looked like it does in the pictures over the counter and didn’t leave that lump in your gut.
I’ve posted similar comments on Trump and was criticized, such criticism only confirms I am right about this, you can fool some of the people some of time, and right now Trump is doing that, we will see before this is over how the mighty are fallen, if conservatives will think instead of reacting to the emotional foolishness of the charlatan, this is not the time to get played.
Now the criticism I’ve receive about my comments on Trump was based on a few words extracted from the entire context, such practice is self delusion and will get no response from me, it is just another demonstration on how emotions and feelings are leading some people.
LOL!
Thanks for the ping. Bookmarking to read later.
Yeah....unfortunately, Pander’s message is the same message as his dad’s.
Is Rand Paul still running ?
: )
tomorrow........ trump will make Cruz an offer he can’t refuse
are your chances for President better in 20 or 24 as sittingvice president or as a US Senator? is the question Trump will put
the assumption, likely in fact, is that Cruz while running hard is doing so for experience and name recognition.
the combine will likely carry Texas and New York...... throw in Iowa, South Carolina and the southern block and well... Trump did the deal
That’s what he does, make deals
Disclaimer: this analysis is based on observation of events and is not my desire. My choices are Walker and Jindal and Carson
“Rand Paul is a significant message carrier, if not the most significant.”
Cannot argue that. His message is that the DEMOCRATS need more voters and more votes. This includes felons, who presently cannot vote. He also doesn’t seem to have a problem with Democrats voting multiple times, hence his opposition to Voter ID.
So yes, he is a message carrier - I just wish he were on our side.
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