>It takes a majority (1237) to adopt or change the rules of the convention. However, these delegates are NOT required to vote on the rules in a way that is LOYAL to the candidate they are bound to. Therefore, the 500 Trump-bound delegates who are Cruz Trojan Horses can vote to change the 1237-rule to become a 1499-rule because they know Cruz has 1500 votes on the second ballot. So they take the first vote, and it goes 1237 Trump, 1000 Cruz, etc... Trump doesn’t make the 1499 threshold, so they go to a second ballot. On the second ballot, the vote becomes 1500 Cruz, 737 Trump, and Cruz becomes the nominee.
And then Cruz loses all 50 states and probably the state governments. This type of talk is nothing more than GOPe scare tactics.
In the end they’re going to cut a deal with Trump all the crap being tossed around here is the GOPe setting the stage to negotiate.
It has always taken a simple majority to win the nomination. They are not going to change that rule - this is getting into tinfoil hat territory here. If Trump gets 1237 or more, Trump is the nominee, and in November Hillary wins and the Dems take the House and the Senate.
I don't know what they're going to do. They don't invite me to their meetings. A party hack with some common sense would be well advised to make a deal with Trump - if all they care about is sharing in the political spoils of GOP victory. Trump can win against Hillary. That's enough for a pragmatist.
What I don't know is how many leftist moles are in the GOPe power structure. Guys like Krauthammer who used to work for Walter Mondale are essentially social justice warriors for whom Trump is worse than Hillary. They're going to fight Trump tooth and nail.
Then you've got Karl Rove types, establishment parasites who depend on the old campaign consulting scam for their bread and butter. He can't afford a Trump candidacy - literally! It makes his whole racket irrelevant.
Whether Trump can cut a deal with the GOPe depends entirely on the relative strength of these factions. If the hacks prevail Trump can make a deal. If the neocons or campaign consultants prevail, no deal.