Donald Trump is a textbook example of an ideological moderate

The Washington Post ^ | December 16, 2015 | Doug Ahler and David Broockman

[EveningStar]

Donald Trump is one of the most extreme presidential candidates to gain widespread support in contemporary American politics. Despite championing policies like the end of birthright citizenship, mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, and a registry of Muslims living in the United States, Trump has consistently polled atop the Republican field since July. A popular perspective thus attributes Trump's success to a "right wing fringe" of GOP voters.

But this conventional wisdom misses something important: Trump meets the textbook definition of an ideological moderate.

Trump has the exact "moderate" qualities that many pundits and political reformers yearn for in politicians: Many of Trump's positions spurn party orthodoxy, yet are popular among voters. And like most voters -- but unlike most party politicians -- his positions don't consistently hew to a familiar left-right philosophy.

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Doug Ahler is a PhD candidate at the University of California at Berkeley. David Broockman is an assistant professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This post draws on their paper "Does Polarization Imply Poor Representation?"

[TigerClaws]

http://spectator.org/articles/63436/yes-trump-can-win

[VanDeKoik]

Moderate by day, leader of the KKK by night?

Make up you mind, WaPo.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Trump fares the worst of any 2016 candidate polled on favorability measures, both with all adults and with Latinos.

Among all adults

• Carson: +33%/-28% (Net: +5 percent)
• Rubio: +26%/-23% (Net: +3 percent)
• Clinton: +41%/-44% (Net: -3 percent)
• Cruz: +23%/-29% (Net: -6 percent)
• Bush: +22%/-40% (Net: -18 percent)
• Trump: +27%/-55% (Net: -28 percent)

[HarleyLady27]

I’m not going to believe anything these liars are saying any more...local, state or other wise...from now on I’m researching before I believe anything...

[xzins]

They’re trying to erode his support.

They’ll put out one article saying he’s a Nazi, another saying he’s a liberal, another saying he’s ultra-conservative, and another saying he’s a moderate.

All of them are targeting any of his supporters or potential supporters who reject any of those positions.

It’s the shotgun approach.

[Zathras]

You need to spend more time in the States.
I have yet to meet anyone face to face who is backing Carson.
I have met LOTS of Republicans, Independents and Democrats backing Trump

[rmlew]

These people used to be called Populists or “The Radical Center”, at least when I studied Poli sci in the 1990s.

[cotton1706]

Well, Trumps certainly more conservative than the “severely conservative” Mitt Romney.

None of us were fooled by that.

[EternalVigilance]

If the Washington Post thinks they’re a moderate, they’re a liberal.

I hate to have to point out something so obvious, but ...

[EveningStar]

Trump is not a conservative. He’s a populist.

[EveningStar]

These people used to be called Populists or "The Radical Center", at least when I studied Poli sci in the 1990s.

Yep.

[mkjessup]

Poplar trees grow quickly, provide ample shade, not as rigid as oaks or maples.

[Vigilanteman]

True. Plus, Trump never suggested a registry of Muslims living in the United States, did he? I believe his suggestion was to stop further immigration from those countries until we figure out how to sort out the good ones from those with evil intentions.

1. Singapore has a Muslim population of 15% and has no problem with Jihadis.
   
2. Malaysia has a majority Muslim population and has no problem with Jihadis.
   
3. Brunei has a majority Muslim population and has no problem with Jihadis.
   
4. We have a less than 1% Muslim population and are continuously encountering Jihadis trying to kill us.

Obviously, the people who vet the Muslims coming into this country don't know what the hell is going on and could stand to learn something from Singapore, Malaysia or Brunei.

That's hardly a radical position. It is common sense.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Trump fares the worst of any 2016 candidate polled on favorability measures, both with all adults and with Latinos.”

Great news.

You have to stand for something to alienate some and strongly attract others.

The less you strongly stand for principles, the less negative you are perceived by those who oppose those positions.

[TigersEye]

Trump is a populist. Just call him Donald 0’Reilly.

[Iron Munro]

Do the labels pinned on politicians by pundits, the media or any group carry any signficance any more?

Look at what some of the “conservatives” in the senate and house have done to the country and what they ar still doing>

Obama didn’t drag the country down to this level on his own or with just a couple of the craziest democrats helping him.

It would be a HUGE step just to have someone in office who puts America first no matter what kind of a label he carries.

It is almost 27 years since we had a president who put America at the top of the last all the time, every time.

[BfloGuy]

They’re trying to erode his support.

Perhaps, but how many people do you know read the Washington Post?

How much influence do they really have?

[rmlew]

Malaysia has a majority Muslim population and has no problem with Jihadis.
You clearly need to talk to Malay Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians.

[plain talk]

Cruz’s position was to stop immigration from select countries. Trump’s idea was to stop muslim immigration for a while. Those are quite different approaches.