Posted on 01/22/2016 11:40:24 AM PST by Teacher317
It is clear that we are almost evenly divided between Trump and Cruz (tip of the hat to DoughtyOne for the Caucus threads). It is also clear that in about 1-3 months, one will almost surely be the chosen candidate, and one will not. It is also clear that Freerepublic will still be here with both factions still being active (and hopefully not just for the "I told you so" moment that may come).
With that in mind, I'd like to make an effort at seeing if there is any way to bridge the gap between the two factions here. If you are adamantly for one, and against the other, and if you cannot possibly vote for "that other guy", then please don't bother posting here. It won't be productive. Thanks!!
So.... for this discussion, as in the Caucus threads, let us please stick to something close to this format:
I support ________.
I will / will not vote for (the other) if he is the eventual candidate, but my main concerns will be ______________________.
However, I think that he will be good if elected, because ______________
I would be more likely to react positively to (the other candidate) if posters here __________________.
I’m really sick of this Trump/Cruz bashing.
We go through this purity test ever primary. I don’t mind that but it’s sad that when we do vote for the most conservative candidate, once they get into office they completely ignore the will of the voters. Just look at congress.
Another thing that happens during the primary is that many people become zealots for their candidate that if they don’t win, they stay home on election night. Not a Romney fan but I have to think he would have been better than Obama. I wonder if we would even be dealing with ISIS if he had won.
You would have a better chance of successfully herding cats than you will trying to get conservatives to coalescse around one candidate.
The one thing that the GOP/DNC establishment crowd can rely on is for the conservatives to form up the inevitable circular firing squad, and take out the most viable candidates.
It’s the same old story of an unstoppable force slamming into an immovable object.
I will vote for the Republican Candidate, come November.
My main concerns with Trump are my fears of the unknown.
What does he really believe in, that he will fight for us on?
What are his goals? A little more detail than “Make America Great” would help me understand what he stands for.
I fear that his “Being a Deal Maker” means that he may be too willing to compromise in order to “clench the deal.”
However, I think that he will be good if elected, because he is business saavy and we need help in reducing all the regulations that are strangling small business.
It was inevitable that the two guys would eventually have to open fire on one another. My hope is that they can keep it within decent limits. Over-the-top hyperbole just makes the “hyperboler” look silly.
For me, as I like to say, Cruz is the best candidate we’ve seen in decades. He is a constitutionalist his whole life long, he has been a fighter, and he is the guy who didn’t hesitate to stand up when the rest of his colleagues were determined to give Obama a blank check.
Perfect? No. But pretty close.
Trump is my second choice, because on national sovereignty issues he is open and fearless. This is what draws most of his supporters to him. Now, on everything else, its a crapshoot. He is a pragmatist, not an ideologue. He is a deal-maker, which was my criticism of Romney in his day; for a deal-maker, success is putting a deal together. He has more of a spine than does Romney, but he is not any more principled than is Romney so if Trump is our leader we will have our work cut out for us trying to keep him from dealing away things we consider non-negotiable.
Picture Romney with a spine and a bull-horn, and you have Trump.
One more thing in Trump’s favor; half the Democrats will cross over to vote for him. I think either guy can beat any Dem this year, but if its Trump it will be a landslide.
So, Cruz first and Trump second. No one else running even interests me because none of the others have any credibility on the border.
As I have said before:
Trump first...
Cruz second...
Any other republican nominee third...
A dead cat fourth...
The only time my vote would be for a democrat is after I’m dead and the dem’s steal it....
Have you read any of Donald Trump’s books? His whole life is literally an open book.
Just think what Cruz could do if donors were illegal and Trump could not self-finance.
They would have to please us, the voters, instead of themselves or the donors.
Reagan had a 20+ year record of conservatism before running for president - supporting candidates, promoting it via speeches and op-eds, as Governor of California (no, he wasn't perfect, but saved the state from the first Gov. Brown), etc. So that is a very imperfect comparison to make.
In that light, Cruz is a good fit, with the exception of Defense Conservatism - But since no other candidate is any better, that is unfortunately a non-issue. All I can give the DefCons is the fig leaf that I think they would appreciate a Constitutional Conservative with a measured temper for a CiC... I will support Cruz.
Trump is not a Conservative. I can find no Conservative principle, from any faction, that he has held for any considerable length of time. I will not support Trump.
Ha!
Reagan had the same popular reaction, that is my point.
If we can’t differentiate the reasons morally for Hitler VS what is happening now, then there is no hope.
Comparing Trump to the rise of Hitler is not only historically stupid, it is a sign of absolute desperation.
It’s not a waste of time; coming together is a noble if difficult goal.
I support Ted Cruz.
I will almost certainly vote for Trump if he is the eventual candidate, but my main concerns will be his trustworthiness (to do what he says he will), his lack of Christian character and ethics, and his tendency to sling mud in the worst way instead of focusing on the issues.
However, I think that he will be good if elected, because he has a way of cutting through the crap and focusing on achieving results. I think that Trump has the *potential* to be an excellent POTUS... if he truly rolls up his sleeves and goes to work for *AMERICA*, not for The Donald.
I would be more likely to react positively to (the other candidate) if posters here would agree with me, or failing that, would shut up and go away.
Ha ha! Just kidding. Actually, I think that what needs to change is *me*. I need to engage only those worthy of engaging (you know who you are) in a respectful manner, and ignore those who add nothing but inflammation (again, you know who you are). I also need to watch my own comments and keep them at least 80% positive for the candidate I favor (GO TED!) and maybe only 20% wrestling with the “opposition”. And 0% name calling and vacuous mudslinging.
If I had to grade myself on doing that, I’d get maybe a C+/B-. I can do better. In my defense my grades are up over 2012. :-)
I’m a Cruz supporter. But I’m gonna be behind whoever the candidate is. Because at the end of the day, I don’t want another Marxist Democrat in the White House.
I'm only staying home if Bush is the nominee.
Not only that Ron, they are going to bring FR down. Posters are not going to donate when they are being relentlessly attacked for their point of view.
The owner of this site asked posters to stop attacking each other a few days ago. Nothing has changed. It’s the same bunch, time and time again.
The left would love to see this site go away and some of you are making it happen. Maybe this was your intent all along.
Good idea and post.
I support Cruz, will vote Don in general. Depending on what happens, not sure I can guarantee I’ll not do the I told you so thing, from positive or negative pov.
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