Posted on 08/09/2015 5:09:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
About 12 hours after the first prime-time GOP debate a message from a group called True Conservatives PAC showed up in my email with the title “you’re a useful idiot.” The beginning of the email is listed below.
It’s obvious Trump has struck a chord with people who are apoplectic at the GOP Establishment and for good reason. But people should stop to ask whether Trump is a conservative or if he’s using the crowded GOP field to promote himself. There’s also the entire “Trump is a Democrat plant” theory rolling around, which may or may not be true. But let’s take a look at some of the stances he took during the first prime-time debate.
Trump was asked by Bret Baier why he supported single-payer in 2000. Here’s his answer.
As far as single payer, it works in Canada. It works incredibly well in Scotland. It could have worked in a different age, which is the age you’re talking about here. What I’d like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state…Get rid of the artificial lines and you will have…— yourself great plans. And then we have to take care of the people that can’t take care of themselves. And I will do that through a different system.
Here’s the problem: the single-payer systems in Scotland and Canada aren’t working. The Fraser Institute did a study on wait times in Canada, which found people waited a LONG time to see a specialist after seeing a general practitioner (emphasis mine).
Waiting for treatment has become a defining characteristic of Canadian Healthcare…Specialist physicians surveyed report a median waiting time of 18.2 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and receipt of treatment. This wait time is 96% longer than in 1993 when it was just 9.3 weeks. There is a great deal of variation in the total waiting time faced by patients across the provinces. Ontario reports the shortest total wait (14.1 weeks), while New Brunswick reports the longest (37.3 weeks).
As far as Scotland is concerned, Avik Roy at Forbes writes why that single-payer system isn’t working “incredibly well,” especially for cancer patients.
If you’re diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S., you have an 84 percent chance of living for five years. In Scotland, it’s 71 percent. If you have colon cancer in the U.S., you have about a 60 percent chance of surviving five years. In Scotland, it’s 46 percent. If you have prostate cancer in the U.S., you have a 92 percent chance of living five years; in Scotland, it’s 48 percent.
Sounds fantastic right? It’s true Trump talked about getting rid of state lines for insurance companies, which isn’t a bad idea. But he also talked about taking care of those who can’t afford it. This suggests a government-run system of some kind, whether it’s Medicaid or single-payer or Obamacare. The U.S. already has a single-payer system: it’s called the VA system. How’s THAT going? If Trump was a “conservative” he’d be more interested in letting people buy whatever insurance they wanted without a government mandate. Or trying to figure out how to get it back to doctors prescribing their own prices without worry about the insurance companies at all.
Trump also admitted to buying and selling politicians.
TRUMP: I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people, before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give.
And do you know what? When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them, they are there for me.Baier: So what did you get?
TRUMP: And that’s a broken system.
Baier: What did you get from Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi?
TRUMP: Well, I’ll tell you what, with Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding and she came to my wedding. You know why? She didn’t have a choice because I gave. I gave to a foundation that, frankly, that foundation is supposed to do good. I didn’t know her money would be used on private jets going all over the world.
Note he didn’t say what he got from Nancy Pelosi. This is a fundamental problem. Trump can rail all he wants about the broken system (and it is broken). But talking about it and participating in it are two different things. And Trump is admitting to participating in it. Here’s the other thing about buying and selling politicians. It doesn’t have to involve political donations at all. Amity Shlaes wrote in her biography on Calvin Coolidge how people wanted to use their presidential connections to gain influence.
Even old friends could not resist exploiting the advantage of knowing a president. After he joined the Congregational Church in Washington, his family minister, Kenneth Welles, at the Edwards Church, could not conceal his glee at the power derived from being able to claim a president in the fold. In a letter to the president, Welles got specific on the power Coolidge’s step would give him to get support from the congregants: “It is going to give me a grip on some men like Gred Garrar and Judge Field which I never otherwise would have that.”
And that’s from a minister! Anyone remember the Ohio Gang involving Coolidge’s predecessor, Warren G. Harding? These were people who were friends of Harding who became political leaders. Trump has already talked about putting friends in charge of the VA system. Who’s to say he’s not going to do the same thing as Harding? Trump has used political connections to seize houses through eminent domain, including one from an elderly widow in Atlantic City. Since she wouldn’t sell, he used the New Jersey government to seize it. The government got tax dollars in return. Favor for favor.
Get past his rhetoric on illegal immigration. From a political standpoint, do we really want a president who thinks single-payer would have worked and admits to buying and selling politicians? Remember, Obama promised reform too, and then went out and rewarded his friends. Trump isn’t a conservative and to paint him as one is ridiculous. There’s a ton of anger out there and all Trump is doing is tapping into it by pretending to be a populist. But there’s a big difference between channeling anger into actually trying to solve the problem (and being very direct with it) and just giving in to rage. Trump is hoping people will just stay angry all the way to the White House (if he’s really serious about this run at all) so he can put in big government solutions and hand out favors. That’s not what a “true conservative” is. Those claiming otherwise just need to stop.
Nah. I'm getting old and can't take it to the basket anymore. You kids can out dribble me anytime.
Donald Trump is a true American who loves his country versus the 7 year experience of the A-Hole in the White House... Trump will abide by the Constitution. And Trump unlike obama will not go around the constitution. Trump like a NORMAL person will be Constrained by a Conservative Congress. I do not see Trump pushing the Congress to pass Gun Control. Rather I see Trump focusing on the Economy, Jobs, reform of the over sized Government departments, Immigration and a lot of other things ... Trump is not going to be pushing a Leftist Agenda.. IMO.
I’m getting old too, but I communicate with people of all ages to keep young.
I have no problem using an LOL or LMAO. I use ROTF LMAO too on occasion. It’s silly, but it adds a dynamic to the normal post.
Thanks for the compliment. I think it’s cool someone might things I am 50 year younger.
If, big IF, Trump respects the power that catapulted him to such prominence.
It’s too early to tell if he will. Trump is neither a superhero nor a supervillain. But he has identified an issue hunger. If he could actually BE a good populist, he might be a breath of fresh air even if it has a fart or two in it from time to time.
Trump is against ownership of assault weapons which I believe to be anti-2nd amendment and in favor of Kelso which allows government to take property from individuals and give to other individuals. He has made these statements. That makes him leftist in my opinion.
You read nothing of what I posted - so dismiss it out of hand - let no new thought enter your head...
Trump is changing - Obama has made sure of that for many ...But if you want to be a one string banjo — go right ahead ... only one in one hundred here give a zip for your opinion..
Be a George Will Dinosaur... you can covet your minority opinion
status - hope it makes you feel better.
He’s not conservative at all, in any respect. But at least he’s not a bold faced liar like the GOPe.
Read his 2011 book “Time to get Tough” and see for yourself if he has changed much since he wrote it. I did last month and it surprised me a bit. I want Cruz to win but I could live with Trump as the candidate. I like him much better than I did McCain or Romney. To me the real choice at this moment is not Cruz or Trump, it is Jeb or somebody else. Somebody else is preferable to me. I do not want the GOP-E approved designated loser candidate for the 3rd time in a row. I do not think the country as we know it and love it would survive either a Jeb or Hillary presidency.
Yeah, I’m totally a leftist. You got me. /s
And “class” isn’t going to beat the leftist media. May make you feel good, but he will have to step it up also.
Well said - too bad most of the audience isn’t smart enough to actually digest it.
RE: He’s not conservative at all, in any respect. But at least he’s not a bold faced liar like the GOPe.
I’m still trying to draw the line between flip-flopping and lying.... just saying.
If he’s a big fat lefty, why are all those groups against him?
I think the “power brokers” from both parties are affaid of him, not because of his party affliation, what does party have to do with anything these days, but because he doesn’t need them or anyone. He is filthy, not a put down, rich! :)
Trump doesn’t have to pander or sell out to finance his campaign. None can say,
“Listen,you support amnesty or we’ll pull our support.”
Trump scares the crap out of the puppet masters. Not to mention the other puppets who he have already sold their souls for a few pieces of silver.
Never wrestle with a pig
You get dirty and the pig enjoys it.
I keep hearing the line “well, he is better than so and so” or we “don’t want the GOP-e candidate”.
While I agree that we don’t’ want Jeb or any of the establishment types, don’t pretend Donald isn’t one of them. Who do you donated to put these types in power? Donald. He is almost as Liberal as Romney and McCain and Jeb. While he talks pretty, his record proves otherwise.
I would probably vote for him over Hillary, but I am a Cruz guy. I will do everything I can to get Cruz elected.
You answered your own question...
Cruz :-)
Thanks Trebb. I appreciate it. I agree.
Yes, I’ve seen that discussed. It’s a good point.
He does shatter their reality.
Me too. I donate to Cruz monthly. I think Trump is doing a service by bringing up subjects the other candidates, especially Rubio and Jeb, were all set to ignore.
KosmicKitty, I don’t particularly find it any more palatable when folks on my side close their eyes and loudly say, “La la la la la la la...”, like Leftists do, rather than listen to the truth when you try to explain Obama to them.
So Lefties, go ahead and idolize Obama if you like.
And some of you folks who think you’re on the right, go ahead and fail to realize that the biggest Leftists in our nation, are against Trump.
Fail to grasp that Conservatism’s most notable enemies on both sides of the isle, are Trump’s enemies.
Sorry for interrupting your, “La la la la la la la la” moment. Please continue...
Keep donating! I do the same. Drop 2nd Division Vet a message if you want to donate more.
Keep up the support for Cruz!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.