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Now Is No Time to Be Voting for President Based on Emotion
NRO ^ | September 15, 2015 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 09/15/2015 3:43:16 AM PDT by nikos1121

In a country with more than 300 million people, it is remarkable how obsessed the media have become with just one — Donald Trump. What is even more remarkable is that, after six years of repeated disasters, both domestically and internationally, under a glib egomaniac in the White House, so many potential voters are turning to another glib egomaniac to be his successor.

No doubt much of the stampede of Republican voters toward Mr. Trump is based on their disgust with the Republican establishment. The fact that the next two biggest vote-getters in the polls are also complete outsiders — Dr. Ben Carson and Ms. Carly Fiorina — reinforces the idea that this is a protest. It is easy to understand why there would be pent-up resentments among Republican voters. But are elections held for the purpose of venting emotions? No national leader ever aroused more fervent emotions than Adolf Hitler did in the 1930s. Watch some old newsreels of German crowds delirious with joy at the sight of him. The only things at all comparable in more recent times were the ecstatic crowds that greeted Barack Obama when he burst upon the political scene in 2008. Elections, however, have far more lasting, and far more serious — or even grim — consequences than emotional venting. The actual track record of crowd-pleasers, whether Juan Peron in Argentina, Obama in America, or Hitler in Germany, is very sobering, if not painfully depressing.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/424008/donald-trump-voters-election-egomaniac

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: patronizing; sowell; trump
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To: Axeslinger

“who understands and is beholden to the Constitution “

I like Ted Cruz. But I take exception to him (and every other Senator running for President) when it comes to understanding their Constitutional duty. Ted voted to give the president “pre-approval” of the Iran deal and now pretends that it wasn’t his fault for the bastardized world-threatening deal that Obama came up with - that had Cruz actually UNDERSTOOD his Constitutional duties as a Senator, he would have never voted for - because the Treaty Ratification power rests with the Senate.

I don’t like that he voted for that, but I still like the guy on balance. However, he’s polling at a mere fraction of the leaders.

“Mark my words...this country will rue the day we elect Donald Trump.”

I don’t think there is a president in modern history in which we haven’t rued the day they were elected.

Let’s talk about George W. Bush and the Dept. of Homeland Security as an example of what a supposed “conservative” can do to destroy liberty, as a for instance.

I don’t think Trump should be held to a higher or lower standard than any other politician. I do think he means it when he says he’ll build a wall and deport illegal immigrants.

I could be wrong, but conservatives have been fooled by “conservatives” in politics for decades - it’s like a game to them.


161 posted on 09/15/2015 9:55:16 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: nathanbedford

He was not comparing Trump to Hitler, but to people’s ‘crazed’ enthusiasm to vote for charlatans, whether it be Hitler, Obama, Peron, etc. The whole article was about voters.


162 posted on 09/15/2015 10:00:13 AM PDT by DHerion
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To: RFEngineer

What evidence do you present Trump is going to throw out 10-15 million illegals? The man probably employs thousands in his hotels (one of the chief landing places for illegals). By the way, Sowell was not comparing Trump to Hitler, but at voters who are swayed by charlatans...the whole article was about the average voter and the ease of which they can be conned...like yourself possibly.


163 posted on 09/15/2015 10:05:09 AM PDT by DHerion
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To: DHerion
By the way, Sowell was not comparing Trump to Hitler, but at voters who are swayed by charlatans...the whole article was about the average voter and the ease of which they can be conned...like yourself possibly.

How many "charlatans" have Trump's level of accomplishment prior to taking power?

You can't have it both ways.

164 posted on 09/15/2015 10:09:10 AM PDT by papertyger (Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui neat. / Proof lies on him who asserts, not on him who denies)
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To: nikos1121
An election is not a popularity contest, or an award for showmanship

If Sowell wishes to say that in a perfect world it shouldn't be a popularity contest for showboaters, I would agree. If Sowell really thinks that in reality elections aren't all about image and showmanship, then he's incredibly and intentionally naive.

It usually takes a great deal of egotism and vanity just to want to run for President or any other high public office. Within those unfortunate parameters, we're stuck picking the ones that happen to agree with us on some issues.

165 posted on 09/15/2015 10:10:15 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: DHerion

“What evidence do you present Trump is going to throw out 10-15 million illegals? “

He is the only one who says he would do it. So I know no other candidate will, I only have his word that he says he will do what he says - just like any other politician.

You may have noticed that supposed “conservative” candidates don’t have a particularly good record for keeping their word, so your skepticism is noted, but is not different than any other politician.

Personally, I think he would do it, so I’ll vote for him because of that. But he’s the only game in town for that, at the moment.

What evidence do you present that he would NOT do it?


166 posted on 09/15/2015 10:15:17 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: abigail2; Amalie; American Quilter; arthurus; awelliott; Bahbah; bamahead; Battle Axe; ...
With this column Dr. Sowell has certainly stimulated discussion, entire thread worth reading.

*PING*
Thomas Sowell


167 posted on 09/15/2015 10:15:42 AM PDT by jazusamo (0bama to go 'full-Mussolini' after elections: Mark Levin....and the turkey has.)
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To: Ethan Clive Osgoode
Trump ‘could’ take money from the effing elites but he's not... he's not beholden to anyone. He WILL build the WALL. He will send illegals home and he will protect or borders.

The fact that it's a big deal to protect our country from invasion tells us the extent of the corruption in our country.

168 posted on 09/15/2015 10:18:03 AM PDT by GOPJ (Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE)
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To: DHerion
If the whole article were simply, or basically, about voters; well, he sure picked some interesting examples of charismatic demagogues, stirring those voters. Why not mention some actual patriots, who stirred the public. The debate here has clearly been based on the obvious intent to smear Trump, not to challenge the idea that voters can be misled.

Trump may be our best hope to counter the Hitlers, Perons & Obamas. That is my point, although I have not decided between Cruz & Trump or someone not yet in the race, yet.

169 posted on 09/15/2015 10:18:30 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: DHerion

“He was not comparing Trump to Hitler, but to people’s ‘crazed’ enthusiasm to vote for charlatans, whether it be Hitler, Obama, Peron, etc. The whole article was about voters.”

No, of course he isn’t comparing Trump to Hitler. Of course not. That’s why he brought up “Hitler”.

Are you seriously going to defend this piece of drivel on that basis?

Hitler Hated America, Trump loves America, you are against Trump, therefore you are with Hitler.

Case Closed - using the same logic as the author of the article.

So go shine your jackboots and come up with a better excuse for this idiotic article, because that one ain’t flying.


170 posted on 09/15/2015 10:21:38 AM PDT by RFEngineer
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To: nikos1121
Dear Uncle Tom,
Sometimes it just takes extreme idealism to move the pendulum.
I see only two guys whom I feel want to really move it.
Cruz and Trump. All the others are just status quot.
I am a Christian Constitutional Conservative, and
While I hate the word feel.....It's Ted Cruz or ‘Wrecking ball’ Trump for me.
I really like the nickname ‘Wrecking Ball’.
171 posted on 09/15/2015 10:32:44 AM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our one and only true hope.)
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To: RFEngineer

See # 38


172 posted on 09/15/2015 10:39:58 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: Gaffer
I suffer no illusions that Trump is a Messiah or Savior or anything like that. He is a means to an end for me - the destruction of the establishment’s best candidate, Jeb Bush.

To me, Trump is the crystal that focuses the ire and indignation of Americans who have had enough - more than enough, in fact. Lying, appeasing, equivocation, backstabbing establishment Republican politicians.

So in that vein, his usefulness to me is in bringing down the GOP establishment house of cards. I am perfectly willing to let Trump continue up and until Jeb Bush is defeated.

Exactly my thoughts on Trump. I don't trust or particularly like Trump, but he's serving two useful functions in the GOP primaries. The first is sinking Jeb Bush's "inevitable" nomination. The second is bringing the most important problem facing America today - immigration, to the forefront.

It's a shame that the national question can't find a more reliable messenger than Donald Trump, who said the exact opposite on the issue just 4 years ago. But who else is there? Ted Cruz has been mealy-mouthed on the issue and has no mass support, and the other GOP candidates are basically on the same page as Hillary and Obama when it comes to immigration, no matter how they try to sugar coat it.

So while Sowell is mostly right about Trump, what's his alternative? Voting for the most "electable" (i.e. liberal and politically correct) Republican in the pack?

173 posted on 09/15/2015 10:43:02 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: nikos1121

“The ultimate danger lies in the voting public themselves. All too many signs point to an electorate including many people who are grossly uninformed or, worse yet, misinformed.”

He’s right on this one. Some of the morons who voted for Obama can’t even read cursive-—or maybe anything in English.

.


174 posted on 09/15/2015 10:46:25 AM PDT by Mears
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To: nikos1121

Is stupidity an emotion? Because I swear that’s the reason why some people vote for the candidates that they do.


175 posted on 09/15/2015 10:50:07 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: livius

One thing Sowell touches upon is how the media have promoted Trump


Trump has used the media. The only “promoting” the media is doing for Trump is attacks and ridicule.


176 posted on 09/15/2015 11:03:52 AM PDT by saleman (?)
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To: All
Good grief.....Conservatives CAN disagree with other Conservatives! Since when is this not allowed?

Right now the base is divided. Some believe (and have for years now) that the GOP is dead, and are looking for a new road to take. And some are still hanging on to the hope that they can change the party from within.

Totally predictable and foreseeable. The Republican Party is getting the retribution it so richly deserves.

Their treatment of the Tea Party, Palin, etc, was/is unforgivable for many.

Paybacks are a bi*ch....and cannot be controlled...even by much loved intellectuals writing essays.

177 posted on 09/15/2015 11:08:47 AM PDT by roses of sharon ("Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43)
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To: nikos1121

FR Meme:

I used to believe that (Fill in The Blank) was a good conservative. I enjoyed what he had to say about the world.But now that he has criticized (Fill in The Blank) and I realize he does not agree with me on (Fill in The Blank) I realize he is a scum sucking GOPe RINO Elitist Bastard


178 posted on 09/15/2015 11:10:31 AM PDT by woofie
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To: nikos1121

Women vote, how do you stop it.


179 posted on 09/15/2015 11:28:32 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: RFEngineer

Obama said he was going to lower the oceans...how did that political promise work out. How many pols say they would balance the budget? Pols make all kinds of promises...


180 posted on 09/15/2015 11:41:10 AM PDT by DHerion
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