You asked for this
The post is short but this is the essence: “Given the choice between a dozen solid conservatives and one Clinton-supporting con artist and game-show host, you chose the con artist.”
Nothing can change the fact that all of Donald Trump’s past and recent history suggest that he is a moderate liberal Democrat. I expect him to rule in exactly that way should he win the presidency. He won’t be as corrupt or as leftwing as Clinton, but considering the power the federal government already wields, his willingness to support and use it will nonetheless contribute to the continuing decline in American freedom.
I hope I am wrong. I sadly do not expect that.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The post is short but this is the essence: “Given the choice between a dozen solid conservatives and one Clinton-supporting con artist and game-show host, you chose the con artist.”
Nothing can change the fact that all of Donald Trump’s past and recent history suggest that he is a moderate liberal Democrat. I expect him to rule in exactly that way should he win the presidency. He won’t be as corrupt or as leftwing as Clinton, but considering the power the federal government already wields, his willingness to support and use it will nonetheless contribute to the continuing decline in American freedom.
I hope I am wrong. I sadly do not expect that.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Trump is truly a wildcard. I don’t think that anyone knows how he might govern as President, not even himself. It’s a sign of the huge dissatisfaction with the status quo that Trump would end up as the candidate of a major party. Sanders is a sign that things aren’t well either on the other side of the fence. Given how screwed up things have become under three latest presidents, I’m not sure how more screwed up Trump can make it. Yeah, in all likelihood it will probably all end badly, but with Trump at least there is a slight chance things may not get worse.
Regarding Trump being a “moderate liberal Democrat”, that isn’t an indictment of Trump as much as it is an accurate description of the Republican party at this time. In this context, it isn’t surprising Trump is now the presumptive nominee.
The previous article makes a perfect foil to this.
I love all of the pundits and politicians squirming today trying to decide how or whether to support “The Donald”
They are on the radio and TV trying to explain why this happened.
I am not a big fan of Trump, but like so many of his supporters, I have been P-O-ed at the RNC for a long time.
Whether it’s misplaced or not, Trump got the support of the P-O-ed the moment he said: “I will build a wall”
The RNC, the Pundits, the Congress, the Senate. That’s how “The Donald” happened. They only need to look in the mirror to answer their own question….
Steve Earl you are a wise man.
Hillary wants to continue open borders, the continued importation of un vettable Muslims, all to be supported by the vast a growing welfare dependency machine, with the goal to create Democrat rule in perpetuity. Add on top of that the FBI’s leaked email investigation and recommendation report on top of the further weakening of our country by 2 terms of her fellow leftist president B. Obama.
Do the American people really want another helping of that?
Do you or anyone else think that that spells success for the Democrats?
(of course barring Trumps potential to outrage)
Sad to see The National Review fall to the level of a whining child.
He sounds like he wants Hillary to win.
Thank you “mpthompson” and Steve Earle for filling in the rest.
And Bob, don’t get caught up in the negativity. Republicans need to get Trump elected and then stay involved to guide (pressure) him.
Maybe Trump will turnout to be the Bridge past Obama/Hillary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuStsFW4EmQ
Let me put my Liberal hat on sideways here …. Trump will probably harm the Republican Party rather less than Cruz would have. The thing to fear about Ted Cruz was that over time, if elected, he would have remade the party in his own highly religious social conservative image and staffed the federal government with zealots of the same type ((I leave open whether this is realistic; it does seem to be a major part of what worried liberals about Cruz).
OTOH, there are NOT a whole lot of people blatantly adopting Trump as their Leader, and swearing allegiance to his opinions and singing his special song at great public rallies. He’s not pretending to be Hitler, and mobs of would-be Nazis are not springing into view. I suspect by election day, most Republican candidates are going to try to establish for voters that they are anti-Hillary in their orientation rather than pro-Donald — and this is going to make the difference in a lot of potentially close races. Republicans will do better than most of them now fear in the Senate; they may continue to hold it, and it’s almost certain they will keep the House.
At worst, the government we get next year will look much like the setup we currently have. The lobbyists in K Street will not go out of business. Trump will not find it easy to discipline Congress, leaving McConnell and Paul Ryan more or less in charge. The bureaucrats will be holdovers. Things’ll still be dysfunctional, but it’ll be a familiar state of affairs.
If Hillary wins … I don’t know that things are going to look much different.
Breathe easier, Mr. Zimmerman!
Now that it is almost certain that a Democrat infiltrator will be the Republican nominee for president, as chosen by Republican voters, the two parties are no longer distinguishable from each other.
It is looking like I will have to change parties, after the convention, to one that actually supports some of my philosophies.
Any suggestions?
I saw this report today: Libertarian Party membership applications double after Trump becomes GOP nominee. It is an option, but not a very good one, considering that this so-called burst of new membership was an increase from 46 to 99. Hardly a groundswell.
Mitch S wrote: “Republicans need to get Trump elected and then stay involved to guide (pressure) him.”
I have been thinking about this sentence. It seems to me that the Republicans not only do not have the willpower to guide our next liberal Democrat president, but they do not seem to have the desire to do so, either. Otherwise they would have voted for a different nominee and different Republican leadership.
(I’m going to have to watch “Kelly’s Heroes” again; it has been too long.)
Edward: Depends on the rules of your State, but if you have to “register” a specific Party to vote, go with the option that leaves you the widest latitude among the people you generally support.
I’ve been a dues-paying, card-carrying, Libertarian & Republican, but now I just support individual candidates directly & save my dues.
“Legally,” in my State (Mi.) I only have to ‘state a party preference’ for Primaries, and don’t have to ‘register’ as any party in particular, to just vote.
Edward:
“This is my other dog imitation…”
https://youtu.be/f5cL-h3Pj1o
We the unwilling, led by the unqualified, have been doing the unbelievable for so long with so little, that we now attempt the impossible with nothing
…
They said it couldn’t be done, so I didn’t do it.
…
And I quote, “Har!”
Laurie:
You are a breath of fresh, positive air.
Hillary must never be president.
Trump, by comparison to Obama, will turn out to be a great president simply because he is unapologetically pro-America. His mistakes will be out in the open and fixable.
The constitution has survived worse. We have not been the land of the free and brave for quite some time now. Perhaps now is the time to groom the next in line (choose a good VP?)
Your confidence in Trump is a misguided, and your own comment here demonstrates why. Trump is really no more educated about issues as those teachers and police were, and he as little interest as them to find out more.
As I said, I hope I am wrong about Trump. However, I have learned that it is a bad thing to fool oneself. I take a cold eye to everything, especially politicians (and Trump is one, no matter what you imagine).
A precious indicator, Vincente Fox humbles himself related to his “wall” statement where he said “I not paying for that F***ing wall!”
Vincente is reading the writing on the wall?
https://youtu.be/3dB5JpLITCY
Trumps reply?
“Get your money together, your paying for the wall!”
This issue alone may make Trump the president. Its more a symbolic issue IMO and Trump uses it perfectly to create his leadership bona fides in the country and the world. The wall is Trumps leadership metaphor and Vincente Fox after realizing that trump may well become the president gives Trump two critical things:
1. Vincente legitimizes the wall.
2. Concrete proof that Trump already commands respect (fear) in the world, and he’s not even the president. Something the American people sorely miss in their leadership and desperately need to restore.
Cotour:
–Why is it necessary for Mexico to “legitimize” a “wall?”
–“concrete proof,”…. not thinking so.. more like wishful thinking….
When Fox feels the strategic need to at this point in time to basically bow down and apologize to Trump who he previously basically disrespected, that says volumes.
Mexico does not want or need to legitimize the wall, but Vincente Fox just did.
I have said before, I feel you miss read these things. Time will tell the tale.
This may be an echo of when Reagan was elected. The rest of the world was convinced (mostly by the USA attack-media) that Reagan was an out of control cowboy who would start WW 3 if he got half a chance.
It wasn’t true, but it was useful image and led to Iran releasing the hostages on the day he was sworn in, and later the collapse of the USSR.
Trump is no Reagan, but it wouldn’t hurt if Mexico and other countries start to be more respectful of our power again.
Remember, if you can’t command Respect then settle for creating Fear…..
Steve Earl you are a wise man.
Robert,
You are right to doubt a short term “burst of new membership” as being a groundswell. A groundswell would need to be longer than a few hours long, and two data points do not show a trend.
The donors chart, in the link, is interesting, especially since the total increase in the number of donors, over the past year, is less than the increase during the April period. Since this chart is only for a single year, it is difficult to determine whether this happens annually during tax preparations, or if there is something different about this year. (Ain’t data reduction fun?)
Wayne wrote: “Depends on the rules of your State,”
Looking at the voter registration form, there is an option to not disclose a political party preference. By making this choice, “you may not be able to vote for some parties’ candidates at a primary election for the U.S. president or party committee.” It looks like California is similar to Michigan, in this respect.
The party options are:
American Independent Party, not to be confused with being an independent voter. This looks like a conservative group.
Democratic Party, the Republicans are now running Democrats as mayors, councilmembers, governors, presidents, senators, and congressmen. How confusing.
Green Party, which has apparently confused itself with the Communist Party.
Libertarian Party, also a conservative group.
Peace and Freedom Party, which is proudly committed to socialism.
Republican, which has been infiltrated by and is run by the Democrat Party.
Other ______________, apparently, filling in “No Party” is the way to become an independent voter.
Cotour wrote: “Concrete proof that Trump already commands respect (fear) in the world”
Respect and fear are two completely different things. Kim Jong-un’s people fear him, but even his friends fear him rather than respect him. I agree, we need a president that we can respect. It is too bad we won’t get one for at least another five years.
As for the wall, liberal-Democrat Trump still has to deal with the RINO-lead (read: “liberal-Democrat-lead”) Congress as well as the soon-to-be liberal-majority Supreme Court.
As you say, Cotour, “Time will tell the tale.”
Steve Earle said, “Trump is no Reagan”
No. He is more like Kim Jong-un, commanding fear. Trump is articulate, and he says a lot. If Trump were a conservative more like Reagan, he would be able to articulate conservative views, like Reagan did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE3sNY-niiA (4 minutes)
Instead, Trump’s opinion of eminent domain demonstrates that he favors “ever increasing power over us, and ever decreasing individual freedom.”
If you can’t command respect, then you are not the kind of leader that a free America needs. You are the kind of leader that a tyranny needs.
A respected president would make other countries respectful of our power again. A feared president would only make other countries fearful of our power.