Posted on 01/14/2016 11:26:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Trump's more open to policies that appeal to Democratic voters than any of the other Republicans in the race. Though he tends not to emphasize them in the primary - for obvious reasons - he holds or has held un-Republican positions on the social safety net, taxes, campaign finance, gay rights and other issues.
That is, he would be more likely as president to find common ground with Democrats in Congress than any of the other Republican candidates, most of whom have gotten to where they are through careful attention to party orthodoxy.
Donald Trump terrifies Democratic leaders almost as much as he scares establishment Republicans, because they're starting to come to terms with the possibility he could be the next president of the United States.
One of the few things on which the high-falutin' folks in both parties can readily agree on is that he's so odious they won't mention his name in polite company.
President Barack Obama devoted the heart of his final State of the Union address to attacking Trump and his ideas. And if anyone was still wondering how top Republican officials feel about Trump, South Carolina Gov. Nikki R. Haley removed any questions by targeting him in the GOP's official rebuttal to Obama, too. She called the real-estate mogul one of the "angriest voices" in the national political debate. But neither Obama nor Haley ever uttered the words "Donald Trump."
Republicans say publicly and privately that they're worried that Trump will win their nomination and then get shellacked in the general election, robbing the party of necessary support in congressional races. The truth, I suspect, is they are also concerned about him winning the presidency, which would empower the tea party wing of the party and marginalize insiders.
It's that latter scenario that suddenly has Democratic elites wringing their hands.
For a long time, they seemed content to watch Trump wreak havoc on the Republican primary field. Now, though, it's clear they're alarmed at the possibility he could win the presidency.
And why wouldn't they be?
Trump's more open to policies that appeal to Democratic voters than any of the other Republicans in the race. Though he tends not to emphasize them in the primary - for obvious reasons - he holds or has held un-Republican positions on the social safety net, taxes, campaign finance, gay rights and other issues.
That is, he would be more likely as president to find common ground with Democrats in Congress than any of the other Republican candidates, most of whom have gotten to where they are through careful attention to party orthodoxy.
While his un-Republican positions on these issues won't win over Democratic activists who are repulsed by his rhetoric on immigration and his inarguably loutish behavior on the campaign trail, they could present a threat to the Democratic nominee holding less sticky Democrats in place. That is, he could fray the Democratic coalition in a general election.
The Cassandras in the Republican primary have been shouting into the wind that Trump isn't really a conservative. This has also occurred to Democratic operatives.
"As offensive as Trump is, we underestimate his threat at our own peril," veteran Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said. "I've heard too often about candidates who can't win, who do. The country is divided and angry, and as bad as his ideas are, Trump will try to exploit this by appealing to those desperate for change."
On Tuesday night, Obama recalled the politicians of past eras "who told us to fear the future, who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control." Of course, he's not afraid that the late George Wallace will influence American voters or win the presidency.
He was talking about Trump in that passage and in this one: "We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn't a matter of political correctness. It's a matter of understanding what makes us strong."
Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders understands the potential cross-over appeal of Trump well enough that he's been trying to recruit the Republican front-runner's supporters to his own campaign. While Hillary Clinton says it would be "amazing" to run against Trump, she's also making the argument that Sanders is ill-equipped to defeat him - despite polls showing that Sanders currently fares better against Trump than she does.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said this week on NBC he thinks "it's possible" Trump could win the presidency.
My gut tells me Trump has the lowest floor and highest ceiling of the major candidates for the Republican nomination - that is, he could win big in November or fall flat on his face. But it's that former possibility that suddenly has Democrats almost as nervous as Republicans about the prospects of Trump carrying the GOP banner in the fall.
Ted Cruz has the so-called "Tea Party" wing - not Trump.
[Obama] was talking about Trump in that passage and in this one: "We need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. This isn't a matter of political correctness. It's a matter of understanding what makes us strong."
No - Obama was describing himself and his life's work promoting big government socialism and anti-American policies.
Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders understands the potential cross-over appeal of Trump well enough that he's been trying to recruit the Republican front-runner's supporters to his own campaign.
I can believe this.
Jonathan Allen, co-author of the New York Times-bestselling Clinton biography “HRC,” has covered Congress, the White House and elections over the past 15 years. This is a homecoming for Jon, who won the Dirksen and Hume awards as a reporter for CQ — the first place he worked in Washington. A frequent political analyst on national television, he’s also been Bloomberg’s Washington bureau chief and Politico’s White House bureau chief.
http://www.rollcall.com/columns/jonathanallen.html
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) has hired reporter Jonathan Allen to run her growing leadership political action committee.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/-41281-1.html
Question: Why aren’t they afraid of “Surging Ted?”
Answer: because they believe they can control him if he were to get elected.
That makes Sanders far smarter than faux-conservative Joe Scarborough who "Doesn't Get it".
More so....Trump is going to take about 1/4 of their votes.
“The truth, I suspect, is they are also concerned about him winning the presidency, which would empower the tea party wing of the party and marginalize insiders.”
This is true and is the biggest point in Trump’s favor.
A Cruz victory also would serve that purpose.
“Question: Why aren’t they afraid of Surging Ted?
Answer: because they believe they can control him if he were to get elected.”
Naw.
They just think Cruz will lose the general if he gets the nomination.
They also think they could help Cruz lose more readily than they could hurt Trump.
To quote Diamond and Silk...”they smear what they fear”.
TRUMP may be a New York moderate, but TRUMP is also ONE. FED UP. AMERICAN.
Calling “STUPID” the cabal running our country comes through loud and clear that he is know friend to stupidity.
There was a time, long gone, when one was thought to be a solid “conservative”, if one were conservative on the fiscal issues, which TRUMP is, and pro-LIFE, which TRUMP is, and pro-Religious Liberty, which TRUMP is, and pro-Military, which TRUMP is, and pro-Border Security, which TRUMP is, and Anti-Illegal Invasion, which TRUMP is.
Not any more. None of those things matter any more. Not when the ambiguous maneuverings of another candidate who parrots his entire platform to no one, beyond yakking it up to the Evangelical vote, alone. That one, alone is “pure” enough. I mean, LOL!
Thankfully, TRUMP splits that national evangelical vote mostly down the middle, with that “other candidate”, which is why TRUMP is smoking the field, both in the South and nationally.
Even scarier is trying to guess what type of SC justices he will appoint.
Any Supreme court nominee would be up to Trump.
If it looks like Trump might win the Presidency any liberal Justice who is thinking of retiring, should retire now, and let Obama appoint another liberal replacement. No one knows who Trump would nominate. -Tom
.... Trump’s more open to policies that appeal to Democratic voters than any of the other Republicans in the race. Though he tends not to emphasize them in the primary - for obvious reasons - he holds or has held un-Republican positions on the social safety net, taxes, campaign finance, gay rights and other issues.
Lolol.
Your tea party assertion is not correct. I’d be proof of that.
Why would he scare them? If he wins, he’s guaranteed to switch parties.
“..need to reject any politics that targets people because of race or religion. It’s a matter of understanding what makes us strong.”
Traditionally, this is true. But we are at war with Islamic extremist. Everyone in the country knows this but Odumbo. And they can’t figure out why Trump is soaring.
“How are they going to get their donors appointed as ambassadors, there are over a hundred of those positions.”
There should be a definitive law that no one who donates money to a specific candidate can be appointed to any position by that candidate if elected. If you let this stand, then why not just start selling positions to the highest bidder? At least we could add money to the treasury.
I doubt it. She is already 78 and nearing retirement. But the sentiment is understood.
Thanks for identifying this pos.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) has hired reporter Jonathan Allen to run her growing leadership political action committee.
http://www.rollcall.com/news/-41281-1.html
Now we know where he is coming from!
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