Posted on 02/16/2016 7:17:18 AM PST by AT7Saluki
The other GOP candidates are finally starting to fight on Donald Trump’s terms, to judge by the slugfest that was Saturday night’s debate. But it speaks volumes — whole encyclopedias — about the ignorance of our political and media elites that they’re only now realizing that much of what Trump’s been doing is just busting balls.
It’s a blue-collar ritual, with clear rules — overtly insulting, sure, but with infinite subtleties. It can be a test of manliness, a sign of respect, a way of bonding and much more.
Rule No. 1: You can wince, but don’t squeal.
Rule No. 2: Bust right back, if you can.
Not knowing how to play is no excuse. And not getting it shows you have no idea how a huge swath of America lives — the Americans whom Trump has made his base.
From the start, Trump targeted the (mostly) white working class, which happens to be 40 percent of the country. And he’s done it not just with issues, but with how he talks — the ball-busting, the “bragging,†the over-the-top promises.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
In the old days, some very wise judges and chiefs of police caught some of those jds and had them join the Navy/military.
One the best ship COs I ever met had the choice join the navy or go to jail. He joined the Navy, and he blasted the ASVABs. He was a mariner during the Korean crisis, made chief and became a white hat mustang, Officer. .
Bing!
People seem to think the Presidential election is a “Winner Take All” contest. It isn’t. Although, even when the opposing party controls Congress, the President certainly treats his office as that of a monarchy, as he uses executive action to impose his will.
I don’t see how Trump is any different; except that he’s (presumably) our monarch. That may be a good thing, but I see it as a negative.
We should not expect our President to be a king, and if Trump has an X factor, his style of bombast and narcissism isn’t it, but a symptom of what is wrong with America right now.
I don’t know of any politician on the Republican side who wants America to be a “Citizen of the World” as is the mindset of the Left. But, most of our candidates know (and acknowledge) that ours isn’t the only viewpoint.
The X factor is not bombast... Trump doesn’t take control of a room because he’s bombastic. The X factor isn’t bravado, its presence. Trump enters a room and you can’t ignore him... he doesn’t have to say a word... that’s X Factor... whether or not they are loud, in your face or bombastic has nothing to do with having the X factor.
Trump has a presence about him, and always has, it has nothing to do with him being loud, confrontational or anything else... It has to do with the fact he can’t be ignored.. Trump can stand up at a podium during a debate and hardly say a word, and everyone still knows he’s there... that’s what X Factor is. X-factor means you can’t ignore them, not that they are loud, obnoxious, quiet, or anything else.. Trump has this, Christie has this, Cruz, Bush, Rubio, Carson, Carly, don’t... Hillary and Bernie don’t.
I’m not sure who is arguing for kings, never see anyone claim that. The President is not a Monarch, and the only reason Obama has been getting away with that behavior is frankly the republican party in congress hasn’t had teh stones to do its constitutional duty. Just as the democrats were before.
You keep trying to argue conservatism v liberalism, and that’s where and why Cruz is losing, if it were simply whos the most conservative, Bush would have never been president, Bush II would have never been president, McCain would have never been the nominee, Dole would have never been the nominee, Ford would have never been president, Romney would have never been the nominee.... etc etc etc... IF it were simply who’s the most liberal, Clinton would have never been president, Gore would have never been the Nominee, Mondale, Carter, etc etc etc.... This is the truth in politics, RARELY if ever is the most ideologically pure the nominee, and even rarer do the win the general election and NEVER do they do it by arguing they are the most ideologically pure.
Republicans have sold out this country, Democrats have sold out this country... they have both been doing it for decades while selling the electorate bread and circuses of liberal and conservative... that’s a fine argument to have when you have parties that the electorate believe have the nations best interest at heart even if they have differing views on what that means... but it is clear that this election cycle the population has had enough... they don’t believe the parties care about America first... and as such, arguing who is more or less conservative means jack crap.
Look at the Democratic side.. Bernie is beating Hillary, why? Same reason. Yes, she’s unlikable and a liar, but for as screwed up as Bernie is, and his political ideology is a failure, what he is railing against aren’t really bad things.. he’s pointing out in many cases very real things that need to be addressed... his solution to them is all wrong, but they aren’t all invented problems.
If you can’t see this election is the people telling the parties to go ef themselves, because they have gotten wise to how they are both selling them out daily, then you really need to step back a bit and look around.
We are on a path where Bernie is very possibly the Democratic nominee... or at the very least still with a possibility to win the public vote for the nomination for the Democrats... and Trump is on a very real path that could see him win the Republican nomination. If you can’t see that this is a total repudiation of both parties by the electorate, you need to visit an optometrist.
I enjoy reading pomposity like this. Are you a member of Mensa? You act like one if you are not.
How about some facts instead of drivel and psychobabble. Facts like these....
Now: In an interview with Bloomberg Politics in January, Trump said, "I'm pro-life and I have been pro-life." He said he believed there should be exceptions in cases of rape, incest or the life of the mother.
Now: At the 2015 NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, Trump said if he became president, "the 2nd Amendment will be totally protected." He told the Web site Ammoland he does "not support expanding background checks" and said current background checks "don't work."
Now:Â On NBC on Wednesday, he called Clinton "the worst secretary of state in the history of our nation" and said she would be "a terrible president."
Now:Â Has been a registered Republican since 2009.
There are also some flips which haven't necessarily been from left to right.
Now:Â On Fox News's "On The Record" this week, he called Bush "pathetic" for his support of Common Core, said his immigration views were "baby stuff."
Don't believe me. Here are the links.
and
and
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/ted-cruz-citizenship-lawsuit/424425/
and
and
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Campaigns-Quietly-Prep-Possible/2016/02/16/id/714492/
and from Fox News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkUNf1wPYEI
and
and
http://www.wsj.com/articles/flirting-with-a-chaotic-gop-convention-1451345621
and
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/brokered-republican-convention-cleveland-219306
and
http://www.12newsnow.com/story/31194724/rubio-eyes-brokered-convention-after-nh-setback
Your story is touching, but it sounds like a lie.
And went from an arguably balanced budget - ok there were some Clinton tricks there - to one that was massively out of wack to pay for the actual cost of the war, and also to pay all the goodies to buy the support of otherwise reluctant Senators and Representatives. AND, to pay for the grossest of all insults to the taxpayers - the DHS.
The truth will set you free if you only open your eyes. Facts are stubborn things.
1. "He invited Bill and Hillary Clinton to his wedding." So what? Hillary was a NY senator and he does big property deals in NYC.
2. "He supports a progressive income tax. He does not favor a flat tax." - Cruz supports a flat tax, but through silent misrepresentation fails to state that this would be supplemented by a VAT. Nothing is more recessive than a VAT. Woman retired on $900 / mo SS can surely afford 20% federal excise tax on her groceries, etc. Of course the truly wealthy escape VAT and would sail clear on their 10% flat tax. 3.
"I hate the concept of abortion," he said. "I hate it. I hate everything it stands for. ... but I just believe in choice." - I don't have a problem with it.
We’ve had a lot of group politics: help Blacks, advance women, etc. etc. I consider all of this degrading to the nation.
After all the decades we have had pandering to everyone but white men, I’m not sure I can really blame a politician who goes for the white male voter.
Sure, it may mean that we are all getting into the gutter and America as one nation for all is now just a crock. That’s sad.
Liberals have promoted racial and sexual favoritism for several decades. If you’re a man and favor anal sex with other men, then you get liberal support. It’s not sodomy; it’s gender.
If a conservative were to have sex with a boy, the liberal press would shout “pedophile.” But every day passes with no denunciation of the North American Man Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), an organization of pedophiles.
Liberals pander to all groups but straight white men. So Donald Trump responds and panders to straight white men. Who’s to complain?
Sure the are. You need to resume your lithium therapy.
From (fittingly enough?) The Daily Beast;
You are SO wrong that it makes me think you don't know your left from your right.
I don’t know about that, but my life lessons have cost me big time over the years. My sense is that you have hung onto your money better than me.
One thing I have learned is how to detect kayfabe.
What makes Trump's claims even more believable is the deplorable shape that Trump is likely to inherit.
My sense is you like to condescend.
That and Trump's X-factor and I think you have the whole thing in a nutshell.
Cruz's supporters keep arguing that he is the "true conservative" but that is like arguing that a chess position is superior because the rook is on the white square. But my rook is white or black or the queen is red or whatever. The label is not an issue of consequence.
There is no logical connection between the label and what needs doing. Somehow we have held the belief that conservatives would be honorable, reasonable, just, patriotic, frugal, concerned for the country and not so much the world, etc. , and these were fine qualities compared to whatever New Deal Liberalism was selling. So we bought the story that if we just got a true conservative all would be well. Well it turns out they are not those things, and the ideology is not producing the desired result.
Then Trump comes along and says - look I hear you - here are your big problems [immigration-jobs-trade, veterans and Obamacare, defense and Iran and Iraq and ISIS] and here is how we are going to solve them [wall, repeal and replace, tough, tough on defense - so tough], and the reason they exist is those incompetent hacks on both sides don't know how to do anything. And I am tough - oh so tough - so tough Putin and I will get along just fine. And I am fighting for you for a change - don't believe me - just watch what I have already done for some veterans [I am going to guess so VA administrators got some telephone calls from Trumps lawyers that weren't so pleasant].
What's Cruz's story? What's Jeb's story [mommeeeee!!!!]? We know Rubio's story - Cruz lied.
his real “new” way to win isn’t “new” at all. It just hasn’t been tried. That is to stop deferring to The Party, and be free.
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