Donald Trump: Scarier to the 'Establishment' Than Bernie Sanders

Townhall.com ^ | January 14, 2016 | Larry Elder

[Kaslin]

To Republicans who are livid, fearful, anxious and/or unhappy about the prospect of a Donald Trump nomination and a Donald Trump presidency, consider this.

He claims his wealth allows him to self-fund, putting him in a position to downsize and de-corporatize crony government in a way unrivaled in political history. It takes about $1 billion to run -- and win -- the presidency, and fundraising normally occupies much of the candidates' time. To get that kind of money, the average candidate spends time courting and currying favor with "special interests." This means unions, environmentalists, corporate welfare-ists and others give money and, in exchange, expect their interests to be at the very least listened to, if not carried out once in office.

For example, rich, profitable corporations such as Boeing and Royal Dutch Shell have, over the years, received billions of dollars in tax subsidies. Some of the money comes straight from federal grants, with most of the money coming from state and local governments in the form of tax credits or abatements, or for "training" their employees -- something they can and should do with their own darn money. Money-losing boondoggles like Amtrak defy logic, common sense, and Economics 101 by still receiving billions from taxpayers. Government unions and government agencies, just like private corporate interests, grease the palms of politicians.

One of the prime reasons for the housing meltdown was the power and influence of government-sponsored entities like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, both of which, over the years, gave millions of dollars to the very politicians who supposedly were overseeing them.

Dairy producers are guaranteed a profit through taxpayer giveaways to mostly wealthy producers. A program that began during the Great Depression persisted and grew bigger, disproportionally benefiting wealthy producers and artificially jacking up the price of milk. Same with sugar. We subsidize a handful of wealthy sugar producers, guaranteeing them a profit -- while artificially boosting the wholesale price of sugar in the U.S., making it more than double the average price in the rest of the world.

Ethanol is a completely unnecessary product produced by manufacturers who get taxpayer incentives to continue making the stuff. Because ethanol produced in the U.S. is made from corn, it crowds out land that would otherwise be used for other crops, artificially jacking up their prices, too. And it reduces the corn available for sale as animal feed, increasing the production costs for meat, poultry, dairy and eggs.

Right now, billionaire Sheldon Adelson is reportedly deciding whether to back Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz. In the last election cycle, he gave $15 million to the candidacy of Newt Gingrich. In exchange for his millions, do you think Adelson would expect a President Rubio or a President Cruz to return his calls? Years ago during the so-called Keating Five scandal, a reporter asked banker Charles Keating, a man at the center of the controversy, whether he thought the money he gave politicians bought influence. He replied, "I certainly hope so."

Because of Trump something may finally get done about our borders, "catch and release," sanctuary cities and so-called birthright citizenship. A lot of influential Republican-supporting big businesses -- whose money Trump doesn't need -- want cheap labor. That alone makes his candidacy important.

As to minority voters, one poll -- and it may be an outlier -- last September found that in a hypothetical head-to-head against Hillary Clinton, Trump would get the support of 25 percent of the 100 voters who identified themselves as black -- four times the amount Mitt Romney received. And, despite his "hostility" to Hispanics, the same poll found Trump getting about as much of their support -- 31 percent -- as did Romney.

Yes, Trump takes a lot of dumb, populist positions. His attack on free trade is Bernie Sanders-like. His support for the Supreme Court's Kelo decision, which allows government to take land from a private owner to be used by a different private owner for private, for-profit purposes, is also flat-out wrong. But he spent his career making money, not analyzing policy positions. Advice to Trump's Republican detractors: If he becomes the guy, make him better on substance.

Urge him to hire the best and the brightest. Imagine a Secretary of State John Bolton. Or a Secretary of Defense David Petraeus. Or a secretary of treasury like the American Enterprise Institute economist Stephen Moore.Americans pay $2 trillion a year on regulations, according to Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. Many of these regulations are completely unnecessary but persist because large corporations want them and make contributions to shape and perpetuate them. While regulations cost money, they also create a barrier to entry by new competitors.

Trump could do something about this merry-go-round. He doesn't need their money to run -- and win.

Republicans should make him a better candidate -- not change his style, which voters find refreshing, entertaining, even endearing, but change his policy positions. Urge him to take more of a policy-principled, low-tax, light-regulation, free-trade stance. Ronald Reagan evolved from a left-wing Hollywood unionist into, well, Ronald Reagan.

So could Trump.

[Tax-chick]

Good article.

[BigEdLB]

Very interesting. I think as to cabinet people. Trump is probably close to what this guy wants. Bolton as SOS has crossed my mind as well.

[IncPen]

This is the thing that totalitarians and central planners never learn: There are disruptions, black swans, that no one can plan for. All of the government programs in the world will fail over time, because they cannot innovate or adapt.

So, while Trump certainly vexes the GOPe, he’s got the left in an utter apoplectic furor. They never saw him coming. As in 2008, Hillary was certain it was HER time. I take such pleasure in her disappointment.

I marvel everyday at the vitriol and helpless bleatings of Hillary and Obama fans. They have no idea what to do!

We, as a country, may be beyond repair, past the point of no return. Not sure about that.

But I do have to say, if we’re circling the drain, the gods have an amazing sense of humor.

[Iron Munro]

The Uniparty hates the mere mention of true reform.

They can’t stuff their pockets unless there is a lot of money moving through the government.

[Bryanw92]

Bernie is a wealthy socialist. He IS one of the Establishment.

[FrankR]

The “establishment” knows that Bernie will facilitate their reign of corruption. He’s a socialist, and their madness depends on socialism to support, and hide, their corruption.

[grania]

Bernie is a wealthy socialist. He IS one of the establishment

I'd say that he's more of an outlier the establishment can live with

I'll give Sanders credit for wanting to fix the US for lower and middle class US citizens. For wanting more states rights, less government over-reach. It's his philosophy for getting there that causes disagreement.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I agree.

Both parties have completely sold out America.

Go Donald. Bring back jobs, right here once again.

For Americans.

[upchuck]

From the article:

Ethanol is a completely unnecessary product produced by manufacturers who get taxpayer incentives to continue making the stuff. Because ethanol produced in the U.S. is made from corn, it crowds out land that would otherwise be used for other crops, artificially jacking up their prices, too. And it reduces the corn available for sale as animal feed, increasing the production costs for meat, poultry, dairy and eggs.

Please quit burning our food!

[Kaslin]

BTTT

[Awgie]

That was good writing. I like your perspective.

[AndyJackson]

Republicans should make him a better candidate -- not change his style, which voters find refreshing, entertaining, even endearing, but change his policy positions.

Yeah that's the deal. We need some talking points on his policy positions - money for nothing and the chicks for free.

Republicans are dead to me. Just go away.

[Awgie]

All the money goes to DC, they get their curt first, their friends family and donors get served next, bureaucratic infra structure next, not much left for roads bridges and airports.

[AndyJackson]

while Trump certainly vexes the GOPe, he’s got the left in an utter apoplectic furor

I think you have the reactions exactly reversed. He has GOPe in an utter apoplectic furor.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

The Democrats are internationalist socialists. The Republican leadership are multinationalist corporatists, that want the world to be ruled by multinational corporations.

Both groups are anti-American, from a philosophical standpoint. The IS are anti-nationalist, anti-patriotic, and see America as an oppressive, colonialist regime.

And the MC abhor citizenship and nationality, because with their liberties come responsibilities they do not wish to meet, such as taxes and patriotism. They crave open borders, paying the lowest possible wages, even preferring slavery if they could have it, and embrace socialism because they want nations to pay benefits to their employees, such as health care and retirement.

Both groups are evil pigs, and deserve nothing from the people, and especially nothing from conservatives, who stand against everything both groups want. Once conservatives take control of the Republican party, they must purge the MCs from any role at all. Even their money must be ignored, because it comes with a taint and a curse.

[Haddit]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXlXwV_QNrE
YouTube title: Andy Stern: Justice for All

Andrew Stern, from the SEIU YouTube page dated April 10, 2008.

Listen to this guy as he lays out the Obama administration’s agenda for a union governed America, a union governed world, with free healthcare for all. This is before Obama was elected.

3:30 “We affirm SEIU’s commitment to changing this country as well as the democratic and free debate”.

4:06 “If we adopt the Justice for All program, by the end of four years, we will have won healthcare for every man, every woman and every child in the United States and Puerto Rico.”

“If we adopt the Justice for All program, We will rebalance the power between big corporations and people that work by adopting the Employee Free Choice Act.”

“If we adopt the Justice for All program, we will finally have a pathway to citizenship for every immigrant in this country”.

5:08 “Ten percent of our members, nearly two hundred thousand people will be trained as leaders of our union to be the engine of change.”

5:48 “The gap between the rich and the rest of us is growing far too wide. Our candidate Barack Obama has seized on the opportunity of change.”

6:45 “Because if we’re going to win healthcare for every man, woman and child, and the employee free choice act in the first 100 days after we elect a new president, then we’re going to have to take this SEIU effort to a new level.”

7:06 “That’s why we are going to put ten million dollars in a bank account, to have accountability to every single politician who chooses to defy us on the pledges they made when they were running for office.”

8:27 “Its your talent, your skill, your passion, your dedication to help us elect Barack Obama and then win the changes we need for our country.”

9:12 “Many of you came here, not just to take care of our members, but to be a part a movement to change our country. We are on the verge of building that movement for justice for all, when we are on the verge of changing our country, we all come together and unite, and fight.

And if not us, if not us, then who?

And if not now, at this incredible moment of opportunity, an incredible moment of hope, then when?”

[Haddit]

The Democrats and Republicans should just call themselves The Uniparty.

They are all involved in the picking and choosing which laws to obey, giving judges and agency heads law making privileges, and overturning voter approved laws.

For a sanctuary city like Los Angeles to exist would require the city council, the mayor, the police chief, the city attorney, the governor, the state attorney general, the federal courts, the California Supreme Court, the United States Supreme Court, the attorney general of the United States, and the president to work against the people in Unisom. Any one of those links in the chain could have broken a sanctuary city. But the links are all strong no matter who is in charge, Republican or Democrat and they have been for 30 years.

[Iron Munro]

not much left for roads bridges and airports.

Exactly!

Remember how Dumbo-bama was going to rebuild the nations infrastructure with the $900 billion dollar "Stimulus" slush fund that congress gave him?

But the money turned into vapor and unicorn farts and Moochie vacations.

And the old bridges and highways are still old and crumbling.

[Awgie]

Worth repeating:

“Remember how Dumbo-bama was going to rebuild the nations infrastructure with the $900 billion dollar “Stimulus” slush fund that congress gave him?

But the money turned into vapor and unicorn farts and Moochie vacations.”

Unicorn farts, LOL!