Posted on 02/21/2016 2:33:31 PM PST by EveningStar
...For the last eight months, the sophisticated view of Trump and Trumpism has gone something like this: Donald Trump may be a huckster, but he has done a service to the Republican party by bringing new, nontraditional voters into the tent. He has shown his fellow candidates that they can flatly reject the demands of political correctness and need not drop into turtle-guard whenever the New York Times takes a shot at them. And while Trump the man is not presidential material, Trumpism -- that is, the collection of populist and nationalist concerns that have become wrapped up in the man's campaign -- is potentially very helpful. Over the last 16 years, the Republican party has been largely ineffectual, both in power and in opposition. It has been hostage to a donor class that is almost completely at odds with Republican voters.
Trumpism, in other words, looked like a political movement that could -- and possibly even should -- be incorporated into the GOP.
There is some truth to much of this. But it turns out that Trumpism has corrosive effects, too. Witness how it has corrupted people in its orbit...
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
The average FReeper is on the daily caucus thread, voting for Trump. 72% yesterday
Certainly looks that way to me.
As opposed to Hillary, a vestal virgin as pure as the driven snow, the second coming of Mother Theresa.
This third needs a barf alert.
Just like this evening, on ABC World News Tonight, they had the story “Can Trump Be Stopped?”
When talking about the Hillary versus Bernie race, they never say, “Can Hillary Be Stopped?”
“Does it really make a PING sound, or the sound of a leaf hitting the ground in Autumn? “
I think it makes more of a thud sound.
“And now they’ll do nothing but attack me in response.”
Naaah. Not interested in feeding your martyrdom complex. But I will tell you a joke:
Q: why does Teddy refuse to wear snakeskin boots?
A: professional courtesy.
Better get used to the idea of possibly calling him:
PRESIDENT TRUMP
That was an excellent article by sundance. And spot on. DT will attract more than enough cross party votes to make the cruznadians irrelevant. They could have had a seat at the table, but instead they’ll sit around carefully nurturing their grievances.
I think we should always leave the door open as the Christian thing to do, but we should not bother trying to convince True Believers of the folly of their ways.
Bush is the one who made the case that Saddam had WMD and was dangerous to us. We had to take him out. This was odd to me, given Saudi Arabia citizens attacked the World Trade Center, but I told myself Bush has the intelligence I don’t have so I trusted him.
Every time the Left said “Bush lied, people died” I told myself that they had found WMD or that they WMD were shipped out by Russia into Syria before we finally kicked into gear.
Then Bush, at a media roast event, made a joke about there being no WMD in Iraq. That meant he went to war in error. I felt scandalized! Going to war by accident is not forgivable to me! I don’t know if he lied because he wanted to take out Saddam or if he was just stupid wrong. Neither options makes me happy. He never defended himself. He made a joke of it.
So, although I despise the Left in every way ‘til Sunday, Bush did screw up. I don’t know if it was a falsehood to go to war or just stupidity. I have to face that fact. We all do. Being stupid or being a liar; I guess being stupid is more forgivable.
I am also unhappy with the Patriot Act Bush put on us. It is like chains of guilt for our political and social belief as much as it has to do with getting Islamic terrorists who are now Obama’s best friends. He’s made the Muslim Brotherhood our advisors!
So Bush...he can suck my toe. He was a bad president.
What a garbage article from the corroded mind of a LIB moonbat. If he got paid to write this tripe...he is corrupt.
“The only way to destroy the GOP-e is to reign in big government.”
I agree with you.
Not going to attack Cruz, I don’t dislike him....not enamored. Different conversation. He isn’t doing well. It can change, but you have to wonder about his chances at this point if he is the guy you support, and you are not a novice political observer. Not a condemnation here.
The GOP-E certainly acts like they are worried about their existence because of Trump. I think that is a fair assessment that even objective non-Trumpsters can agree with at least partially.
Trump is heading in a direction that looks like he can win. I expect him to enact his stated goals on illegal immigration and lopsided trade deals. (No guarantees...politicians!)
Those would be a good start.
I think that he’d be willing to shrink government. His oft stated independence from particular lobbies and his experience with complex enterprises will help.
I’m willing to take that bet. I’m not willing to trust the GOP to change on its own.
“Well at the time of my writing this comment it would appear that there are about 20 or so comments that definitively prove the validity of this article. And trumpism certainly explains the insanity of conservative FReepers supporting a big government liberal.
Only problem is when he reverts to form...and he most certainly will...they will have contributed to the final destruction of their country through their incredible shortsightedness.
And now they’ll do nothing but attack me in response.”
Yes, I hope you’re wearing your asbestos britches. The article is valid as are your observations.
Let them eat cake.
You try to explain to them that they are making a mistake and they go off like a roman candle.
They will not listen to reason. America is doomed when senseless morons outnumber the real conservatives.
We are headed for another Obama election but with a slew of different cell phone gimidat morons.
“The GOP-E certainly acts like they are worried about their existence because of Trump. I think that is a fair assessment that even objective non-Trumpsters can agree with at least partially.”
I believe the GOP-e would rather have the “deal maker” Trump than Cruz who would bring in his own people and upset the “crony capitalist” apple cart. Trump will fit right in the GOP-e is used to dealing with liberal democrats and lobbyist.
Thank you for the thoughtful response. I agree with everything youve said EXCEPT for the cure. The cure you propose is worse than the disease...because he WILL revert to form.
Cheers FRiend
“I believe the GOP-e would rather have the “deal maker†Trump than Cruz “
Maybe. But Cruz has a tough row to hoe to get the nomination. It’s just a pragmatic observation. Not saying he should give up, Trump looks like he can do it.
Use the tools you have to get where you want to go in politics. It looks like we have a good chance of having Trump. How do we use his leadership to get to a better spot. Start with chasing the rascals out of the GOP. Then all things are possible.
Thanks and you’re welcome.
There is nothing guaranteed in politics. Not if trump is elected, not if Cruz is elected. No change comes with anyone else, I think we can agree. It may not come regardless. I think that Trump has a much better shot at the nomination than Cruz. I’m optimistic. I hope you can figure out how to get at least partly the way there.
This isn’t a slam....I know there are many Cruz fans out there. I know they are diappointed in the performance of their candidate thus far in the primaries. Time to consider the possibility of Trump.
I know it’s a hard pill to swallow. It was for me when trump first announced. I decided I agreed with his immigration stance strongly enough to support him. That one issue if trump does what he says will change our country for the better.
So I’m a trumpster. Im optimistic that he will be a positive force for conservatives and liberty.
“It looks like we have a good chance of having Trump. How do we use his leadership to get to a better spot. Start with chasing the rascals out of the GOP. Then all things are possible.”
I don’t believe electing the “deal maker” Trump will improve anything. Trump, as a liberal democrat masquerading as a conservative will fit right in with the GOP-e.
Between the `Wanna Subscribe?’ popups and the Weakly site freezing up, I’ll have to say that Jonathan Last is a neo-con homo bravely repeating what every other Bush-loving, Trump-hating neo-con “moderate” is saying because Jon (like Rich Lowery and Jonah Goldberg over at WS’s doppelganger NR) knows which side his bread is buttered on.
Hear the lamentations of Uniparty’s women and girly-men out of love with the idea of being conservatives. It is good.
I see you’re not going to surrender easily. It didn’t work out that well for the Japs, either.
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