Posted on 01/27/2016 1:39:03 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
The central question for conservatives, on these and other issues, is whether Trump truly experienced radical conversions on issues they care about, or whether he has just learned to say the right things when he needs conservatives' votes. Even on his signature issue of immigration, Trump faulted Mitt Romney for being too tough as recently as 2012. In 2013, he told a group of immigration activists that he supported giving DREAMers a path to citizenship, and was shocked that they didn't have one already. Only now, running for president, has he sung a different tune.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump last week on behalf of what she called "the rest of us - right-winging, bitter-clinging, proud clingers of our guns, our God, and our religion, and our Constitution."
This was a garbled reference to what candidate Barack Obama once said sneeringly behind closed doors to disparage conservatives to wealthy donors. But is it appropriate to describe the Trump bandwagon as a home for such voters?
Conservative voters are known for skepticism about Republican rhetoric. They are especially skeptical when Republicans come on the scene promising to hew to conservative principle, because they have seen so many tiptoe away from those promises once they've been safely elected.
So why exactly would conservatives credulously accept Trump's word that has spun 180 degrees on so many issues dear to conservatives? This is especially true on the issues to which Palin alluded.
The "gun-clingers" are traditionally among the most skeptical voters, justifiably concerned that paternalistic politicians hope to erode their rights if not to confiscate their firearms. They should be especially wary, then, of a politician who wrote of his enthusiastic support for President Clinton's assault weapons ban as late as 2000.
Trump praised that ban in his book and criticized the National Rifle Association for its intransigence in opposing it. By the time Trump wrote these things, it was abundantly clear that the ban had been an utter failure at preventing gun violence. Its primary effect had been needlessly to hassle law-abiding gun owners.
Pro-life voters tend to be skeptical as well of Republican promises, too, after decades of bad Supreme Court appointments by GOP presidents, and the consequent blocking of democratic limits on abortion. Pro-lifers are not unwilling to accept converts even from among abortionists, but they are hesitant in primary elections to back candidates who have converted on their issue just in time to ask for their vote.
This is precisely what Trump has done. In a recent op-ed for the Washington Examiner, he tried to explain how he had gone from opposing even a ban on partial birth abortion as recently as 2000 to a pro-life position today. "I had a significant personal experience that brought the precious gift of life into perspective for me," he wrote. He had described that experience in vague terms in one of the GOP presidential debates.
"[F]riends of mine years ago were going to have a child, and it was going to be aborted," he said. "And it wasn't aborted. And that child today is a total superstar, a great, great child. And I saw that. And I saw other instances. And I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life."
Later, a publication asked Trump if he would still have become pro-life if the child had grown up to be "a loser?" Trump replied that it was "an interesting question," and added, "Probably not, but I've never thought of it." This does not especially inspire confidence about the value he places on human life.
As recently as August, Trump defended government subsidies for Planned Parenthood. He said the organization, which performs 30-40 percent of all abortions in America, does many things and that abortion is only "a small part" of what it does.
Meanwhile, Trump has dodged questions about what sort of Supreme Court nominees he'd choose — a question on which pro-lifers, like other believers in self-government, have rightly demanded orthodoxy in the past.
The central question for conservatives, on these and other issues, is whether Trump truly experienced radical conversions on issues they care about, or whether he has just learned to say the right things when he needs conservatives' votes. Even on his signature issue of immigration, Trump faulted Mitt Romney for being too tough as recently as 2012. In 2013, he told a group of immigration activists that he supported giving DREAMers a path to citizenship, and was shocked that they didn't have one already. Only now, running for president, has he sung a different tune.
Conservative voters are not known for blind credulity, and that partly explains why the Republican Party establishment has lost control of the nomination process. That is not a bad thing. But it does highlight the question of why those same skeptical voters accept Trump's current claims at face value.
Expectations, are like smiles. Everyone has one, and you can never foretell, its outcome.
Let’s see how this all works out, SampleMan.
Fox is making all the right enemies -liberals, Trumpers, socialists, Islamists.
How many years did Fox and Friends give a weekly slot to Donald Trump? A segment that gave him airtime to expand on himself and events of the day?
One year?
Two years?
?
Job interview?
That’s pure unadulterated cornpone. Those Media Q&A’s, the so-called debates, are not ‘job interviews’.
In a job interview the EMPLOYER gets to converse with the prospective employee.
There is no way in the world that I would hire Kelly, Baier, and Wallace to interview for me. And if I heard ahead of time the questions these yardbirds ask, I’d FIRE them.
Still shilling for Fox so early in the morning? Johnny One Note.
I guess MSNBC is more your cup of tea.
https://twitter.com/JesseRodriguez
MSNBC Producer Jesse Rodriguez is giving running commentary - “tweets” - about the Trump/Lewandowski traveling medicine show.
“I guess MSNBC is more your cup of tea.”
Actually, a lot of Freepers have switched over to Morning Joe on MSNBC, in the morning, rather than watch the fluff on Fox. Fox’s viewership has been dropping of late. I expect it will drop even more after this latest Fox Debate/Trump fiasco. They are losing their base viewers, just like the Republican Party is losing their base voters. Down the tubes they both go.
I see - and they’re flocking to CNN as well, I read.
Enjoy. I know that they give Trump the royal treatment.
Kind of like it was with McCain.
I switched to mostly CNN before this debate dust up. It's just become better programming. I certainly agree they've been unfair to conservatives in the past, but that has changed. And it's not just Trump, the entire field gets a fair shake.
I've recommended it to other Freepers. Again - Before all this. My jump wasn't predicated on anything related to the current news.
don’t trust in a person. supposed to trust God, know God and let God work through whomever He chooses to use for His purposes.
Obama obviously was to show us what was in the hearts of millions of voters -wanting free stuff. It’s still oozing thru the veins of so many USA citizens as well as millions who’ve invaded USA in recent years.
Ted talks nice game, but not much real action. Don’t expect any real results you are looking for from him since he gets along with so few people in DC. You may feel good to vote for him, the more proper speaking and acting person, but look at folks God used at crunch points, usually the least likely person you’d expect.
jmho.
It’s not just pro 2nd Amendment, but Pro Life who doubt Trump. We’ve done enough digging to know he identifies himself with the establishment and democrats and is still donating to the gun grabber like VA Governor. If he was not donating to dems it was to the worst RINOS like old Mitch who has been in the Senate to long.
“This is a job interview, you need to be willing to answer the questions of the American people...”
That's not how Ted Cruz responded to Megyn Kelly and the American people at the last Fox News Debate.
When Megyn Kelly asked Cruz if he would deport the illegal immigrant parents of children born on USA soil, Cruz refused to answer. Cruz said that Kelly's question was a “distraction” from more important immigration issues.
I keep hoping Ted Cruz will go on TV and declare that all illegal immigrants must be deported, even illegal immigrants who have obeyed all other USA laws.
If someone has a video of Ted Cruz saying those exact words, I would very much like to watch it.
Full Disclosure:
(1) I cannot vote for Donald Trump. I don't believe his Conservative Conversion is real.
(2) I will reluctantly vote for Ted Cruz. Tragically, in his heart, I believe Ted Cruz is a George W. Bush Republican on the immigration issue, which should surprise no one, since Cruz helped GWB write his immigration platform in 1999-2000.
(3) My candidate is Rick Santorum. He has no chance. For the GOP nomination, or in the general election.
I understand your reservations and I applaud your clear thinking.
Christians on this forum just haven’t yet learned the power of forgiveness.
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