# Have their reactions to Trump raised or lowered your opinion of the Republican establishment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 7, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764 "2016-06-07T19:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/61 "2016-06-09T21:30:09Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It has lowered my opinion of the Republican base – how can so many idiots have voted for him. > > But it hasn’t changed my opinion of the Republican establishment – by which I mean elected Republican office holders. I predicted they would fall into line to kiss the Republican nominee regardless of who it was or what negative opinions they expressed about the nominee while he was still just one candidate among several. This is pretty much exactly what’s happening at that level. Something changed in the base between 2012 and 2016. There have always been fringey candidates. They would collectively poll at about 15%. But for the first time, they consistently polled in the 60-70% range in 2015-16. It wasn’t just Trump. Cruz was also an outsider, hated by his colleagues and unacceptable to the party establishment. He was number 2. There were other outsiders, though not all were unacceptable to the establishment. > **[Introducing the Jimmy Carter Outsider Index, 2016 Republican Primary Edition](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=770735)** > > Using polling data from Real Clear Politics, I assemble an index of Republican candidates running as inexperienced outsiders, just like Jimmy Carter did in 1976. It’s a varied lot. It includes Trump, Fiorina and Carson. None of those candidates have... The establishment wasn’t picky. They would accept Rubio, though they weren’t too thrilled about having him lead the party. Heck, they would accept Rick Perry. If Pataki somehow won 60%, I suspect that would be ok as well. I frankly can’t figure out what happened but I am disappointed with the GOP primary electorate. Trump is [patently unqualified for office](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/the-seven-broken-guardrails-of-democracy/484829/). Even Fox News is skeptical. Fox News! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/62 "2016-06-09T21:34:25Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > If you believe that Trump’s statements are “unacceptable”, but still back him to be President, then what you’re really saying is that you’re ready to accept that kind of crap coming out of the mouth of the POTUS. Right. Their lips say it’s unacceptable, but then they accept it. [Inigo Montoya]They keep using that word… [/Inigo Montoya] ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/63 "2016-06-09T21:49:35Z")
My opinion of them was low; it has lowered yet further, by their overall willingness to accept a man they know is a pathological liar and racist, who is clearly merely using their party for his own ambitions, and who has no discernible principles whatsoever (not even conservative ones). I dislike the Republican establishment’s convictions, but I despise their evident unwillingness to have the courage of those convictions. Had they convictions, they would place them above party. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/64 "2016-06-09T21:58:21Z")
Had to vote “was low, stayed the same.” My first inclination was for “was low, gone down,” but I realized that would break a fundamental law of physics. -270 degrees Celsius means the molecules just ain’t movin’ – and they can’t go any slower than that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/65 "2016-06-09T22:22:03Z")
Well, maybe if those glue-ons, hardons and pressons didn’t spin so fast? ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/66 "2016-06-09T22:27:40Z")
I voted “low and gone down”, although in reality, it couldn’t get significantly lower without some sort of industrial drilling equipment being involved. I had expected more than a handful of GOP leaders to stand up against him and either support Clinton or mount a real third party effort. Are there any at all that have actually endorsed either Clinton or Johnson? As far as I known all the ones who have said they won’t vote for him are planning to write in someone who isn’t actually running, like David Petraeus. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/67 "2016-06-09T23:56:52Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Had to vote “was low, stayed the same.” My first inclination was for “was low, gone down,” but I realized that would break a fundamental law of physics. -270 degrees Celsius means the molecules just ain’t movin’ – and they can’t go any slower than that. You still have 3 degrees C to go to absolute zero… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/68 "2016-06-10T00:14:44Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > You still have 3 degrees C to go to absolute zero… He’s gotta hold something in reserve. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/69 "2016-06-10T00:24:55Z")
Count me in with the how can you say someone is racist and still say you support them crowd. I voted my opinion of them was low and now it’s lower. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/70 "2016-06-10T01:00:02Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > He’s gotta hold something in reserve. 🙂 Good point. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/71 "2016-06-10T05:45:36Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > That’s only because they changed the rules to make it the top two vote-getters in the primary. Used to be you’d have a Pub candidate and a Dem candidate. > > Speaking of which, I was surprised how poor a showing Sanchez made. It looks very likely that it’ll be Senator Harris. By definition. But even with a strong Democratic opponent (2 strong ones) the Republicans could not agree on a single primary challenger who might have had a chance of beating Sanchez. But I’m also talking about the composition of the legislature. And even a place like Orange County is going to be up for grabs soon thanks to changing demographics. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/72 "2016-06-10T05:50:46Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It has lowered my opinion of the Republican base – how can so many idiots have voted for him. > > But it hasn’t changed my opinion of the Republican establishment – by which I mean elected Republican office holders. I predicted they would fall into line to kiss the Republican nominee regardless of who it was or what negative opinions they expressed about the nominee while he was still just one candidate among several. This is pretty much exactly what’s happening at that level. The Establishment was too stupid and disorganized to stop him. They made the Jedi Council look effective. And the Jedi Council did not all fall in to support Palpatine at least when he announced he was a Sith Lord. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/73 "2016-06-10T05:55:29Z")
I’m a conservative, not a Republican. I vote Republican not because I like them, but because I dislike them less than I dislike Democrats. But this whole Trump episode has lowered my opinion of the Republican establishment even below it’s former level. Apparently, they would rather lose the election and retain their “opposition party” status than win with Trump and lose their hold on their party. That is truly disgusting. Assholes. PS - I’m voting for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/74 "2016-06-10T06:51:57Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’m a conservative, not a Republican. I vote Republican not because I like them, but because I dislike them less than I dislike Democrats. But this whole Trump episode has lowered my opinion of the Republican establishment even below it’s former level. > > Apparently, they would rather lose the election and retain their “opposition party” status than win with Trump and lose their hold on their party. That is truly disgusting. Assholes. > > PS - I’m voting for Trump. …Um, you do realize that they are, in fact, backing Trump, right? And that that’s what this thread is about? Their absolutely disgusting willingness to support and back a racist, shit-flinging howler monkey with a bad toupee? I feel the need to ask, why in the world would you vote for Trump? A person with zero political experience, zero workable (never mind reasonable) policies, and whose list of scandals, offensive statements, and outright racism stretches out the door… I mean, there’s a reason the republican establishment is so slow to get on board, and why it’s so shameful for people like McConnell and Ryan to acknowledge, “Yeah, he’s a racist douchebag, but we’re backing him anyways.” ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/75 "2016-06-10T08:18:49Z")
It is not humanly possible for my opinion of the Republican Party to be any lower than it already is and has been for some time now. I cannot imagine a scenario that would raise my opinion of them. It’s just inconceivable. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/76 "2016-06-10T08:40:55Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’m a conservative . . . I’m voting for Trump. One of these statements tends to undermine the other. What exactly do you hope to conserve by electing Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/77 "2016-06-10T08:48:28Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’m a conservative, not a Republican. I vote Republican not because I like them, but because I dislike them less than I dislike Democrats. But this whole Trump episode has lowered my opinion of the Republican establishment even below it’s former level. > > Apparently, they would rather lose the election and retain their “opposition party” status than win with Trump and lose their hold on their party. That is truly disgusting. Assholes. > > PS - I’m voting for Trump. I’d assume that it would be a conservative principle to not put a blubbering moron in charge of your country. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/78 "2016-06-10T15:51:18Z")
I like this snippet from [HotAir](http://hotair.com/archives/2016/06/10/mitch-mcconnell-dumps-all-over-trump-in-new-interview-for-some-reason/) (a conservative site): > [@](#): > > To paraphrase Trump himself, he could shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue and McConnell would lambaste him for 20 minutes — before reiterating that Trump, of course, has his support. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/79 "2016-06-10T16:07:36Z")
Let’s take Marco Rubio as an [example](http://www.weeklystandard.com/rubio-i-still-believe-trump-cant-be-trusted-with-americas-nuclear-weapons-codes/article/2002759): > [@](#): > > One month after announcing his support for Donald Trump, Marco Rubio still believes that the presumptive GOP nominee is unfit to be commander-in-chief. “I stand by everything I said during the campaign,” the Florida senator told THE WEEKLY STANDARD on Thursday when asked if he still believes Trump cannot be trusted with access to the country’s nuclear weapons codes. Can’t trust him with the nuclear codes, but still a better choice than Hillary, apparently. So the election of Hillary is the equivalent of nuclear war. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764/80 "2016-06-10T22:29:39Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Let’s take Marco Rubio as an [example](http://www.weeklystandard.com/rubio-i-still-believe-trump-cant-be-trusted-with-americas-nuclear-weapons-codes/article/2002759): > Can’t trust him with the nuclear codes, but still a better choice than Hillary, apparently. So the election of Hillary is the equivalent of nuclear war. Maybe these cretins have been spouting off how Obama was going to ruin the country for so long that they have convinced themselves. The unemployment rate, the reduction in the deficit, the reduced number of uninsured Americans (okay, those are mostly Democrats and so I can see why they think getting them healthcare is bad) means nothing. So, since Obama destroyed the economy, Hillary will be worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-their-reactions-to-trump-raised-or-lowered-your-opinion-of-the-republican-establishment/756764.md?page=5)