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Has Trump Killed the GOP?
Politico Magazine ^ | 1/29/2016 | Various

Posted on 01/29/2016 1:01:52 PM PST by 20yearsofinternet

Nothing like Donald Trump has ever hit a major American political party: A blow-dried celebrity gleefully smashing one modern Republican certainty after the other. As he defies his own party on tax orthodoxy, on healthcare and on bending a knee to Roger Ailes, he's exposed the GOP establishment as virtually powerless over its own nominating process.

His rise has now created a split so deep that it's not clear how the party is going to recover. Some conservatives are trying to crush his candidacy, others are finally embracing him, and they're all lobbing grenades at each other. So is this the end of the GOP as we know it? And what's next?

National Interest editor Jacob Heilbrunn sees Trump's disruption as just the reboot the party needs; Republican strategist Rick Wilson sees a possible "murder-suicide" between Trump and Cruz that opens the door for moderates. Former Senate operative Jim Manley sees a party civil war that will sow chaos far beyond the GOP.

Here, for Politico Magazine, 12 political gurus put their minds to the most unexpectedly urgent big-picture question in American politics.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; gope; trump
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To: pgkdan

That is what I was thinking. We should be so lucky the GOP is totally dead.


81 posted on 01/29/2016 2:24:12 PM PST by GilGil
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
Has Hillary Killed the Democrat Party?

No.

Correct, Obama has. The Democrat Party is no more. It is a Socialist Party of Left Wing Ideologues.

82 posted on 01/29/2016 2:27:14 PM PST by CptnObvious
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
Has Hillary Killed the Democrat Party?

No.

Correct, Obama has. The Democrat Party is no more. It is a Socialist Party of Left Wing Ideologues.

Hillary is just hastening it's demise.

83 posted on 01/29/2016 2:28:10 PM PST by CptnObvious
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To: gaijin

And so the Republican Party came to the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees...


84 posted on 01/29/2016 2:35:19 PM PST by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: 20yearsofinternet

indeed let’s hope so


85 posted on 01/29/2016 3:27:55 PM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: Bruce Campbells Chin
I fail to see how that is a good thing for all the greatly outnumbered conservatives dancing around the pyre.

Dead is dead, slow or fast. As long as the king is alive there is no successor.

86 posted on 01/29/2016 3:31:10 PM PST by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't speak in complete sentences. Wonder why is he winning?)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
American conservatism is about circumscribed government and adherence to the Constitution.

Lost that in 1861, now move on.

87 posted on 01/29/2016 3:32:13 PM PST by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't speak in complete sentences. Wonder why is he winning?)
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To: pgkdan

He will not kill the liberal part of the GOP-e.. he IS that part.
He will have killed the CONSERVATIVE part of the GOP.
I say we will see a civil war within the party that will grant the Democrats the WH indefinitely... either way.

When Trump is President, he will take off his show business covering and the real TRUMP will be there for all the fooled conservatives to deal with... but it will be too late.


88 posted on 01/29/2016 3:34:04 PM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: nickcarraway
It depends on what you mean. Trump has strengthened the GOP, but he is close to killing off the conservative and Tea Party influence in the GOP. If, successful, Trump will bury any remaining Reagan influence that still exists.

That may be your secret desire but you statement is upside down. Mitch and Ryan have been killing the TEA party as fast as they can maybe they can survive with Trump's help.

89 posted on 01/29/2016 3:34:35 PM PST by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't speak in complete sentences. Wonder why is he winning?)
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To: itsahoot

Yes, McConnell and Ryan are bad. But Trump is to the left of them. McConnell and Ryan wanted to get rid of the Tea Party, but they couldn’t until they found Trump.


90 posted on 01/29/2016 3:36:28 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
He’s redefined conservatism,

.... sadly he took the marker on the board and moved it to the left.. and conservatives just applauded him and said " GO TRUMP GO"....without even watching what he did.

Now the fake conservatives will be responsible for having helped kill true conservatism...

91 posted on 01/29/2016 3:38:51 PM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: itsahoot

We’re not talking about MITCH and RYAN. We already KNOW that they are the RINO aspect of the GOP-e.. and remember, THEY are THE ONES that TRUMP FUNDED to get back in office.

TRUMP is one of THEM.. .not a conservative.


92 posted on 01/29/2016 3:41:33 PM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: woofie
He cannot rule autocratically

If he doesn't nothing will get done because no matter who wins the Senate they will resist change like you can't believe. The House if we retain it may stave off impeachment.

93 posted on 01/29/2016 3:57:43 PM PST by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't speak in complete sentences. Wonder why is he winning?)
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To: nickcarraway
A vote for Trump is pushing the conservative agenda out of the way and espousing moderate RINOisms as the norm for the party.

Other than the wall , conservatism will have died.

Any conservative ideals, public prayer, traditional value marriages, ( can you see more and more bakery's and business's close under his administration) and yes, we will see abortions.

PLUS if they want your property, President TRUMP will side with those who want it....yepperie.

AND if you hated Obamacare, just wait. His Romney, Hillary plan will work just fine for you.

94 posted on 01/29/2016 4:04:40 PM PST by pollywog ( " O thou who changest not....ABIDE with me")
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To: dainbramaged

I’m going to have to start listening to Medved.


95 posted on 01/29/2016 4:05:53 PM PST by huldah1776 ( Vote Pro-life! Allow God to bless America before He avenges the death of the innocent.)
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

No way I am gong to argue with you. I actually thought that my argument sounded a little stupid when I wrote it. Conservatism, among other things means living within ones means. Stepping up to the plate and being and doing the best that one can. I agree with you 100% regarding the Constitution.


96 posted on 01/29/2016 4:32:55 PM PST by BornToBeAmerican (Dont forget Love)
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To: 20yearsofinternet

The imminent civil war has arrived. Enjoy.


97 posted on 01/29/2016 6:53:46 PM PST by sergeantdave ( If not you, who? If not now, when?)
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To: txrefugee

“Yes, and the country, too, as Hillary ascends to the presidency.”

Only if she rises off her death bed. It’s Bernie “I’m the second coming of McGovern” Sanders. Good luck with that.


98 posted on 01/29/2016 6:56:40 PM PST by sergeantdave ( If not you, who? If not now, when?)
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To: 20yearsofinternet

There might be many admirable things in Trump, but he sorely fails to provide an acceptable alternative to the GOP.

Trump lacks character.


99 posted on 01/29/2016 6:58:30 PM PST by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: 20yearsofinternet

The eGOP has killed itself. Trump had nothing to do with it.


100 posted on 01/29/2016 6:59:54 PM PST by CodeToad (Islam should be banned and treated as a criminal enterprise!)
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