Posted on 01/26/2016 4:54:07 AM PST by Kaslin
Editor's note: The views expressed here are those solely of the author.
It's been nearly one week since National Review published their special edition magazine titled, "Against Trump," a symposium of 22-diverse conservatives making a case against Donald Trump's run for the White House.
I have a signed copy of "God & Man at Yale" on my bookshelf and copies of letters from William F. Buckley, Jr. written to my late great uncle tucked away in a drawer. The two were friends. In 2013, I went through the competitive National Review Institute program and had the privilege of learning from some of the conservative movement's most influential thinkers and leaders. When I got a call from National Review Editor-in-Chief Rich Lowry asking if I'd be interested in participating in the symposium, without hesitation I said yes.
Based on the punditry across the cable news spectrum over the past few days, it's painfully obvious very few people, including many conservatives, Republicans and even straight news anchors, opining on "Against Trump" actually read the entire thing. This is a shame.
The outrage over a conservative opinion magazine publishing a well-documented case against Trump has been interesting, to say the least. Dozens of newspapers each election cycle endorse candidates running for public office. By default, an endorsement means being against the rest of the field. To some, what National Review did is outrageous and "offensive," but do the same descriptions apply when other print editorial boards across the country endorse candidates? The answer is no.
What National Review published is no different than a single endorsement of a candidate and is simply an honest stance about which candidate the 22-author symposium is against. The difference here is that the subject was Trump and the substance of the piece was not favorable to him. Because of this, a predictable tantrum ensued.
I welcome civil discussion, disagreement and even tough debate, but I reject the idea we're only allowed to have an opinion so long as it serves and satisfies a certain candidate, no matter who it is. That's not how the primary process works.
It is important to note in the days since "Against Trump" was published, I've received far more substantive support for the piece, and my part in it, than negativity.
That being said, I should point out the impossibility of taking Trump's supporters seriously when they hurl endless names through the internet: degenerate, cuckservative, RINO, establishment hack, c*nt, b*itch, two faced c*cksucker, maggot, part of an "unwise pig pile," etc. Not to mention those who told me, and other authors of the piece, to commit suicide.
There is no doubt Donald Trump would be proud of this type of name-calling and incivility. After all, his supporters have learned from his "leadership."
I'm not going to restate my case against Trump here, as it has already been done, but I will stand by what I said no matter how “offensive†some may make it seem. Further, I strongly reject calls for anyone who disagrees with Trump to "soldier up and get in line" simply because he's winning in the polls. Votes aren't bought and they certainly aren't an entitlement. Votes are earned after trust, especially when a candidate's decades long record is one of supporting big government, progressive ideology and liberal policy.
Irrelevant.
Your opinion. *shrug*
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
For the last three election cycles at least, the GOP has been completely sold out. Completely.
They have not stood up for America. They have not supported American workers. They have not for that matter even stood against Obama.
They are frankly USELESS.
Sit down, and shut up. We have a real candidate this time.
NR have been wearing this phrase out since their Nuke Trump issue came out.
It's ironic that NR employs Jonah Goldberg, author of 'The Tyranny Of Cliches' and that Goldberg participated in the Nuke Trump issue (as well as a mountain of anti-Trump columns prior to...he's got a very large axe to grind), because 'diverse conservatives' is an oxymoron when we are talking about an agreed-upon set of principles.
When a group of writers engage in mob behavior diversity is rather thin on the ground.
So we’re gonna fight the GOPe by nominating a liberal democrat like Trump?
I don’t see how that helps us.
They will be articles on all sides of the fence for the next 5 days as Iowa comes down
on Monday. When you see articles spouting all the negative stuff means to me they are
reaching the bottom of the barrel in an attempt to smear.
By the way, that comment is aimed at the author, not you.
:D
NR’s Trump edition was self-serving.
The magazine reaped more publicity from last week than anything they’d done in 30 years.
There is no doubt Donald Trump would be proud of this type of name-calling and incivility. After all, his supporters have learned from his “leadership.”
This is why so many will be voting for Trump and not whom the NR will endorse.
It is grossly unfair to always paint Trump as a monstrous savage. This is simply not the case. True, he's got all the hallmarks of a buffoon, egomaniac and even redneck simpleton BUT...there is more to this man than his uncouth blurts.
I keep hearing pundits Label Trump supporters as racist, bigoted, “working class:, blue collar, simpletons. This too is inaccurate.
You can be an intellectually curious and educated person and support many of his ideas.
Everytime the pundits label his supporters as being somewhere between Neanderthal and Cro-magnon man, the votes for him pile up.
Do they ever wonder why this mechanism keeps kicking in, time after time?
I do not think so because they have their elite blinders on and soon, they will be blind-sided by the Trump Effect...
It's painfully obvious that it wasn't necessary. I read the one screed by the socially liberal Boaz of Cato. Although I have supported and valued Cato for defending the Bill of Rights, Boaz should not have pretended to defend some sort of conservative value in his poorly written piece e.g. "He [Trump] doesn't talk about policy or working with Congress."
First, that is wrong, Trump has an entire website filled with specific policy. Second, Congress will work with him, at least the ones who actually represent the American people.
I have to explain as usual that I know Trump is not that conservative. Duh. What he promises to do is stop cultural rot. Curtail big government. Lower corporate taxes and regulation to make America great. That's enough for me.
Actually, no candidate has recieved a vote yet.
You have a candidate who is projecting as if he has this wrapped up.
A candidate who has an extensive liberal record.
A candidate who does not stand for anything (historically speaking) that we do say for a few points about building a wall. (I’ll remind you most Democrats after 9/111 called for building a wall too... In fact we had one funded and signed into law...)
No, it’s not a candidate you have, you have a narcissist celebrity whom has pulled the wool over most of your eyes, attempting to run for President.
None of us will sit down and shut up, our opinions matter just as much as yours does.
Author is a tool.
I think Trump is running harder, more focused, and more on message than the entire rest of the list of candidates.
Every single day, Trump is out there.
Every single day. He has two events today in fact.
The "conservative" "leadership" has been put on notice. The people now want "deeds, not words". They want somebody who is not easily bought.
It is time to clean house of our supposed "leadership".
Elitist naval gazing.
“the votes for him pile up.”
Not a single vote has been cast yet. Not a single one.
As far as the demeanor of Mr. Trump: one has to look o further than his own Twitter account to see how disgusting his personal attacks are.
I find it offensive an adult would conduct themselves in such a manor, let alone someone running for President, particularly on the GOP side.
The ammo the media and the Dems would have from his own mouth really is scary. Just because they refrain from attacking him now does not mean that will not change if he makes it to the general.
Further, I strongly reject calls for anyone who disagrees with Trump to "soldier up and get in line simply because he's leading in the polls ... votes are earned after trust, especially when a candidate's decades long record is one of supporting big government, progressive ideology and liberal policy.
No, it’’ not a candidate you have, you have a narcissist celebrity whom has pulled
the wool over most of your eyes, attempting to run for President.
******************
Isn’t that what all of them or doing? They all are saying what they think will get them
the nomination or win. You agree with some, I agree with some and others agree with some
of the ideas. The difference to a large degree this time is there is someone in the race that
has been able to motivate a lot of people that normally don’t participate. Now the question
really becomes will they go to the caucuses or polls and vote? We’ll see in short order
starting next Monday night.
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