I will vote for Trump if he is the eventual candidate.
but my main concerns would be that:
he may not actually be terribly conservative,
that he may start a trend of celebrity and wealthy candidates,
he is not terribly statesman-like, and his mouth and ego could bring huge issues in the future,
he promises to use the same approach as Obama and bypass Congress, and 16 consecutive years of that would be a very bad thing.
However, I think that he will be good if elected, because he is masterful at handling the media and the PC nonsense, he is amazing at picking people to accomplish tasks, and his election would be a massive repudiation of the GOP, RNC, Democrats, and media (each of whom deserves a massive kick in the 'nards, which Trump seems more than ready, willing, and able to provide).
I would be more likely to react positively to Trump supporters if posters here were not so dang SURE that Trump will do everything that we like, and nothing that we don't like, despite there being zero evidence to support these hopes. That seems dangerously short-sighted to me.
Worth a shot.
Also, please everyone donate to Free Republic!
Nice try. Won’t work. Thanks for trying though.
No, there's a lot of deadbeats intent on trashing the place like drunken frat boys at a free keg party.
I support Trump.
I WILL vote for Cruz or any other GOPer if he is the eventual candidate, but my main concerns will be their electability to overcome Democrant and fraudulant votes. Also concerned of Freepers sitting out b/c of indifference to Trump.
However, I think that Trump will be good if elected, because he is a no nonsense executive who does what it takes to accomplish a goal.
I would be more likely to react positively to (the other candidate) if posters here understand that opinions on issues do sometimes change in time due to circumstance, and to tone down the petty name calling and general immaturity.
Seems to me it’s about 10-15 posters here who are causing all the ruckus here....makes me wonder what their true intent is.
I’m starting to think they’re establishment types who want to see both frontrunners destroyed making way for Bush or Rubio.
They’ve done nothing but bring FR into the gutter, it’s sad and pathetic to see.
Trump. or I am staying home for the first time ever.
I will vote for anyone (or anything) that is not a democrat.
I support Trump.
Oh, and Cruz.
I prefer Cruz because he is a principled Conservative.
Trump doesn't appear to be particularly Conservative: however he is independent of the party machine and would be effective in breaking the grip of the one-party state.
Trump is a populist and a nationalist (which I regard as a good thing especially compared with the left's seedy internationalism). He would also govern in every conceivable way better than any of the Democrats.
I support Trump and I predict that in about 2 mos when it becomes painfully clear he will be the GOP nominee everyone will jump on board and start trashing the Dems in anticipation of the general election. Just like in 2012. :-)
I am leaning, but not sold, on Cruz.
I really, really *want* to like Trump. He needs to explain his recent conversion to Conservatism, stop talking like a foul-mouthed fratboy (maybe that’s redundant), and demonstrate some kind of commitment to what he’s saying now vs. what he said just a few years ago.
However, if Trump is the nominee, i’ll pull the lever for him, in opposition to Fat Bottomed Girl or the socialist.
We go through this every election cycle. It’s what makes this place fun. You gotta have thick skin to be a FReeper. I’m sure if John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were running today, half of us would support Adams and half would support the slave owner.
I will vote for either if nominated.
I think Trump has a better chance of winning.
The flame wars are a waste of energy.
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.
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.
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. :-)