Posted on 07/20/2015 9:23:55 AM PDT by rickyrikardo
The summer Trump polling spurt has nonetheless been instructive in exposing a growing problem on the political right. All too many conservatives, including some magazine editors, have been willing to overlook his hucksterism as he’s risen in the polls. They pretend that he deserves respect because he’s giving voice to some deep disquiet or anger in the American electorate.
But America has rarely lacked for demagogues willing to exploit public discontents. William Jennings Bryan won three Democratic presidential nominations running against eastern elites. In 1948 Henry Wallace ran as a Soviet sympathizer while Strom Thurmond won 39 electoral votes running as a segregationist. Either one would have been a disaster as President.
As a standard-bearer for conservative ideas, Mr. Trump would likewise be a catastrophe. His only discernible principle is the promotion of his personal brand. His main message seems to be that because he’s rich and doesn’t care what anyone thinks, he can afford to tell everyone to go to hell. Some Americans may find it satisfying 16 months from Election Day to tell pollsters they’d vote for him, but that doesn’t mean conservative elites should validate this nonsense.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
I don’t think any of that matters. What matters is that Trump understands why voters are frustrated and is willing to articulate it to the people who should be doing their jobs, but are not doing their jobs.
That’s enough. That’s all Trump needs to do at this point.
Versus a socialist, if Trump wins the nomination, he’s going to destroy who ever he’s up against, provided the GOP doesn’t actively help the Democrats cheat as they do each and every year.
Don’t underestimate the power of the GOP-e. Remember Ford and Reagan.
Paul’s support was small, and insignifant. The issue was the rule change...
If it is that easy for them to do to him, why not Trump? Who will protest if they do that...nobody likes Trump there.
BTW, you are VERY confident that Trump will poll that well...the best way to beat Trump is to come after him...he loses focus. Watch...
The key is whether or not Trump is a Democrat.
Moreover, if guys like Boehner still have control, do you think they will listen to Trump? Seriously?
Tell me, what has come from Trump bashing McCain and Graham? Has it affected either man?
Oh, and you hit the nail on the head...
He is TELLING the voters what they want to hear...
He is a good salesman. Question is, does he believe it?
If he closes the border and stops the illegal immigration invasion then he will go down a s a great conservative.
It's not been just the past 4 years.
No, and if you read all the other positions on that page, you’d understand that he is America first, and has a plan to put American first, but he is also a realist about the global economy.
You didn’t answer the question. What about the rule changes will allow the GOPe to defeat Trump? I understand they could implement more rule changes, but if Trump goes in there with sufficient support, which he will, it’s going to be very hard to defeat him.
“He is TELLING the voters what they want to hear...
He is a good salesman. Question is, does he believe it?”
I know this. McCain, Jeb, Graham - they are all for Reconquista. They were for a wall until they got elected, and then somebody ‘showed them a ladder’.
Has he changed either guy? I think he’s laid open how corrupt it all is - you can’t ask for Trump’s help one year, get it, and then tell him that despite the problems Trump has with the guy he helped elect, he should just but out and leave politics to the professionals.
I think it is time to see things for what they are. Stoicism about the actual situation we are in is what is required, versus fantasizing about he situation we want to be in - which is the idea that if R’s control the reigns of government, that things will improve.
Trump is saying, flatly: “The people you and I helped get elected are working against your interests. Should we let them get away with that, or should we confront them about it?”
If Trump put it that plainly, the folks running right now would be in even more trouble than they are in right now. They should be confronted on it, and made to answer for it by being asked to resign immediately. Trump hasn’t gone to those lengths, but he’ll get there within days.
“Why don’t you quit? Why not retire at this point? You stand to make unbelievable amounts of money that you don’t deserve and get medical benefits nobody (including me) get, and for what - wrecking the place for the last 12 to 20 years? If you had a record to stand behind, I wouldn’t be asking you to do the right thing here? So leave. If you were my direct employee, I’d fire you. You happen to work for me, but you’ve got a situation where I can’t fire you, which is why I’m asking you to do the honorable thing and resign.”
He’s going to say something like this within a couple of weeks. People will eat it up, and it will all be true.
Unless he actively resigns our positions militarily, I’m not sure he can do a worse job than the crypto-muslim infiltrator is doing right now.
As such, his policies in specific are moot for the moment. Trump knows this too.
Ok, fine and dandy, but previous Trump supports blast me for views more than 4 years old...
here is another for you...
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/13/nyregion/trump-says-he-didn-t-know-he-employed-illegal-aliens.html
Yeah that strategy is working well for the other candidates so far. /s Trump lobs a response and them calls out another issue the next day.
You don't get to where he is by losing focus. He is involved in so many deals, he's probably a master multi-tasker. He probably isn't even taking the attacks personally.
The reason Trump is winning is because he is nailing the issues. That's what all these pundits don't get. They want it to be about the show. They want it to be about Trump's bravado. But it's not. Trump is right on the issues. He's vocal on them, where a lot of our so-called leadership is doing anything but leading.
The context is different.
You’re getting called out for views more than 4 years old because you’re presenting them as his current views, when his current views are different.
I’m pointing out his conservative views more than 4 years old because you falsely claimed his conversion to conservatism was only 4 years old.
And with an organization as large as Trump’s, it’s entirely possible in 1990 that somewhere he employed some illegal aliens. Really? That’s the best you got?
I’m not sure. Delegates are determined at the state level I think? Could some be locked out? Honestly, I don’t know...but I don’t put it past the GOP-e to try
Ok, so what now? He exposed McCain and Linda Graham. They still control the strings in the Senate.
The best way to take them out is through elections. But, for all of his bluster, Trump is supporting a candidate in AZ...yet, we already had a female Conservative declare. By endorsing someone else, we dilute the primary. His focus should be to FUND ONE candidate in each race to take out the bad apples.
Nobody could be as bad as Obama...at least Trump loves America.
But Trumps attacks haven’t been issue related...at least not at first.
And, to think he couldn’t lose focus because he is rich is ridiculous. He has many things going on but many people helping manage those interests. Let me put it this way...Trump has a YUGE ego. If he feels it is threatened, he will jump at the opportunity to fix the problem. It will cost him...I could be wrong. As for his success, wealth covers a lot of flaws.
The problem with you arguments, however, is that those views haven’t remained consistent...nor loyalty to a party.
Read the rest of the article...I don’t begrudge the illegal thing completely, but it is relevant. But, he used different names too...why is that?
Well, consider the source, but try this...
He does have many people helping him manage those interests. And he’s very good at choosing people.
There is no reason to think that won’t translate to the campaign or to the Presidency.
So that leaves the debates. And what we’ve seen is Donald is very quick on his feet and very good when being attacked by the press. So I’m projecting that a debate isn’t going to be any different. Trump and Cruz will be the best prepared for the debates. Cruz because of his experience as a lawyer. But Trump has lived with the media.
Trump is basically acknowledging something else we now understand - elections ARE NOT the best way to take them out. That remedy is broken. Elections don’t matter anymore, unless we make them matter - this is Trump’s point.
You can be a politician, or you can lead. Those are the choices. That’s what Trump is saying.
It's not like he has wavered. His migration to conservative has been mostly one way. I don't claim he's the best social conservative. But his economic understanding is what Trumps it for me.
And in another post, you said I don't give any examples of his economic understanding. THat's not true. I constantly point out that he understands our international trade policies are at the root of our high unemployment and economic problems.
Fix the international trade, and people go back to work. Government revenues will soar due to influx of additional income taxes. And if you fixed it using tariffs, you have another huge source of gov't revenues which you can use to cut corporate and individual income taxes, which Donald has said he would cut. Revenues go up, government outlays go down. Suddenly you can afford the entitlements and you can pay down the debt.
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