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Let's Play "Trump, Carson, or Cruz"
Slate ^ | December 15, 2015 | William Saletan

Posted on 12/16/2015 12:58:57 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

I have a game I like to play with my friends. It's called "Trump, Carson, or Cruz."

Here are the rules: You have to pick one of these men-Donald Trump, Ben Carson, or Ted Cruz-to be president. You're not picking the Republican nominee. You're picking the president. No, you can't have any of the Democrats, or any of the Republicans you "could live with." You have to pick one of these three guys. Whichever one you pick will be president for the next four years.

The rules don't stipulate whether Congress will stay in Republican hands after the election. But you ought to assume it will, since, under this scenario, the electorate that showed up voted for Trump, Carson, or Cruz. The only other rule is that you have to explain why you picked your guy, or at least why you didn't pick either of the other two.

Over the course of the year, I've played this game with small groups of friends, colleagues, or family. Each time, just about everyone picks Trump. That surprises me. Most of my friends are liberal, and some are outright leftists. But some are moderate, and at least a couple have, at one time or another, voted for a Republican for president. Still, they all pick Trump.

Why? In general, they don't think Trump is serious about the crazy stuff he says. ..........

There are no visible limits on the cultural buttons Trump would push in order to gain and maintain power.

Plus, Trump is a New Yorker. He used to be pro-choice, pro-privacy, and cozy with Democrats. My friends think he probably still is. The redneck shtick he's using in this campaign is phony, they figure. He's a pragmatist. God forbid he should win. But if he did, at least he could be reasoned with.....

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016; carson; conservatism; cruz; elections; gopprimary; immigration; isis; itstdstimekids; liberalism; moratorium; muslim; tds; trump; trumpwasright
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He picks Ben Carson and explains why, then closes with an insulting assessment of Ted Cruz's sincerity.

I am not surprised that his liberal friends choose Donald Trump.

A review of other pieces by this author, shows that it is Cruz he fears most.

1 posted on 12/16/2015 12:58:57 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

CW, if Trump was the only candidate who could win, would you vote for him?


2 posted on 12/16/2015 1:02:31 PM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support the troops pray for their victory!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I’ll take Cruz.


3 posted on 12/16/2015 1:03:48 PM PST by rfreedom4u (Islam is a cult of hatred and sexual deviants.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Carson? Not a realistic choice. Time to reinvent the game.


4 posted on 12/16/2015 1:06:21 PM PST by Genoa
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To: xzins
If my pick could install only one of those three men (the issue of elect-ability is off the table), I'd pick Cruz. I have reservations about all of them, but Ted seems the most grounded in the Constitution.

Carson would not merit serious consideration from me.

Trump is very attractive in many ways, but also a crap shoot. I don't feel I know what I'd be getting with him.

5 posted on 12/16/2015 1:06:25 PM PST by Jack Black ( "Disarmament of a targeted group is one of the surest early warning signs of future genocide")
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Cruz because we need to bring some moral authority, leadership and intelligence back to the Oval Office.


6 posted on 12/16/2015 1:06:44 PM PST by cowboyway (Returning the federal government to its constitutional limits is a Lost Cause.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

TRUMP!!! ALL THE WAY TO THE OVAL OFFICE


7 posted on 12/16/2015 1:07:01 PM PST by HarleyLady27 (Trump!!! 100% support since day ONE!!!)
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To: xzins
CW, if Trump was the only candidate who could win, would you vote for him?

Let Trump win first and then we'll see. Till that unhappy day arrives I'm going with Cruz.

8 posted on 12/16/2015 1:08:01 PM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Cruz is great but we have over 40% moronic, drone voters who vote DemRat. Trump can get more crossover votes— we need all the votes we can get— therefore Trump will do.


9 posted on 12/16/2015 1:10:01 PM PST by tflabo
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To: xzins

All the polls show Ted Cruz doing better against Hillary than Trump against Hillary.

If Ted Cruz were the only candidate who could win in the general election against Hillary, would you vote for him?


10 posted on 12/16/2015 1:10:48 PM PST by Theo (May Christ be exalted above all.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

In a similar vein, I caught a bit of BOR. He said Trump is campaigning, trying to get an emotional connection for support and would not follow the policies he talks about. Didn’t surprise me. But I don’t support Trump.


11 posted on 12/16/2015 1:10:58 PM PST by libbylu (Trump - BICKERING LIKE A SCHOOLBOY. (I said it before Cruz did)!!!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
The rules don't stipulate whether Congress will stay in Republican hands after the election.

Congress?

What is "Congress"?

Obama (with the willing acquiescence of Congress) has demonstrated that the US Senate and House of Representatives are as necessary and as effective as a set of Ta-Ta's on a bull.


12 posted on 12/16/2015 1:11:37 PM PST by Iron Munro (The wise have stores of choice food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20)
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To: HarleyLady27

My first thought is that this china shop needs a bull, and Trump fits that need.

My second thought is that Cruz would not only be a bull, but much more knowledgeable about what to get rid of and what to keep.

My third thought is that Trump blows the place up, and his VP Cruz is elected president after Trump to continue the work.

Carson? He’s the solution to nothing.


13 posted on 12/16/2015 1:12:31 PM PST by sparklite2 (Islam = all bathwater, no baby.)
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To: xzins; Cincinatus' Wife
CW, if Trump was the only candidate who could win, would you vote for him?

Don't ask such hard questions Preacher, CW is already weighing her preferred choice of gnawing off one of her arms, or gouging out an eye before actually contemplating voting for Trump.

I wouldn't rule out a human sacrifice either.
14 posted on 12/16/2015 1:14:06 PM PST by mkjessup (Islam is the ENEMY of all civilized people. Obama is a Muslim. What's that tell ya?!?)
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To: sparklite2
Carson? He’s the solution to nothing.

Insomnia.

15 posted on 12/16/2015 1:14:44 PM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: Jack Black

If I had a free pick, I’d pick Cruz.

If I were told Trump was the only one with the cash to win, then I’d pick Trump.

My entire point has been that the establishment must be taken down. I’d just as soon do it with an anti-establishment moderate as have an establishment “conservative” who can be trusted to continue doing what we have been doing.


16 posted on 12/16/2015 1:14:46 PM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support the troops pray for their victory!)
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To: DoodleDawg

That wasn’t the question, but lot’s of folks don’t want to answer it.


17 posted on 12/16/2015 1:15:38 PM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support the troops pray for their victory!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Cruz!!!


18 posted on 12/16/2015 1:16:24 PM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: Theo

Are you kidding? I’m a regular Cruz donor. I’m betting there are very few who have donated as much as I have.


19 posted on 12/16/2015 1:16:34 PM PST by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support the troops pray for their victory!)
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To: xzins
CW, if Trump was the only candidate who could win, would you vote for him?

Squirrel!

20 posted on 12/16/2015 1:16:36 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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