This is not 1980, but look at it the other way around. If this was Ronald Reagan running against a field of 17 in 2016 (he'd have to be a governor from Arizona or Texas instead of California this time), the press, the democrats and the Republican establishment would likely have done the same to him, and at this point, I question whether he would even still be in the race. That Trump has weathered this array of forces against him, and even has a substantial lead is a testament to his ability to connect and also to the ability of his supporters to see through the BS to the heart of what he offers.
You have offered links to anti-Trump opinion pieces. I have read a number of very well-written pieces lately on the subject of why a conservative should support Trump over the ostensibly more pristine conservative Rafael Eduardo Cruz. I agree with those pieces. You don't. It's a a shame. I don't mind when a shill I don't respect, like so many that post here non-stop, don't agree with me. They behave like cultists, and some post so much it seems like they are paid. But when I disagree with someone like you on such a fundamental topic, then it gives me pause, and I make sure to reexamine my reasoning. I hope you occasionally do the same.