Aaron Barlow writes that the Establishment is oblivious. So blinded by the meritocratic mythology they have been peddling for years that they really did not understand their non-elite constituents at all and could never have imagined the way Trump would appeal to them.
Yes . . . maybe we’ve finally reached a point where the Pub Establishment, at least, can see the appeal in a system where third parties need not be frozen out and need not be spoilers.
Fizzled out fast in the case of Perot’s “Reform Party” (although I have always believed Buchanan purposely destroyed the party on a secret GOP-backed mission).
I wouldn’t be so sure. The GOP establishment isn’t as dumb as you think. They understand that Trump is way too unacceptable to moderate voters to be electable in November and are afraid the Republican brand is being tarnished by its association with his style of politics. I think at this point they have pretty much written off this years general election, and are looking ahead to 2020. For right now they want to deny him the nomination if they can, and minimize any damage he might do down-ticket.
I don’t think they’re that stupid, which is why they won’t disavow Trump if he wins the nomination. To do otherwise would be to destroy their party and cause much longer-lasting damage.
If they can prevent him from getting the nomination, that’s politics as usual. But if he wins it, then it’s a done deal and they will swallow their bile and support him.
I disagree. To allow their party to be pre-empted by the Trump movement would destroy the Republican party. They can afford to loose this election cycle, but to win future elections they will need to appeal to moderate voters who find Trump toxic. And I don’t buy the argument that Trump supporters are somehow representative of the Republican base. The fact that he does much better in open primaries than closed primaries suggests otherwise.
Boyo Jim, I’m going to quote some choice parts of Romney’s speech and then ask if you are saying that even Romney, specifically, will at some point endorse Drumpf, urge people to vote for him against Hillary, if he is the nominee? I just don’t think he has given himself any wiggle room to do that. To wit:
Finally we have… a hard hitting attack ad about the so-called Trump University and a $1 million ad buy. It’s really not enough though:
Round up of this week’s campaign ads:
If they are smart they will hope he loses and loses big. Otherwise they are out of their jobs - even it is close. If it is a Hillary blowout, Trump and his movement will be discredited and it will be business as usual.
Some will of course give pro-forma support. I don’t expect many will be enthusiastic, especially given the backlash at Christie.
I understand that Trump clothing is made in China and or Mexico. I have to wonder if his fans are aware of that.
It was brought up in the debate. He claims he’s working to find a U.S. manufacturer.
Article from 2011.
And he blames China.
I don’t know, but I am not starting yet another Trump thread, so I’m linking this mightygodking.com piece here: http://mightygodking.com/2016/03/03/political-deliberation/
If you’ve seen The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, you’ll remember the conspirators brought in an old member with cancer and nothing more left to lose, to kill off the Russian defector. Romney is their old man with cancer. I can’t predict for him individually, but anyone who is currently an elected official or has further aspirations within the party, like Ryan for instance, will fall in line to kiss Trump’s ass.
But at best guess, Romney will too, proclaiming “the people have spoken.”
Mexicans aren’t illegal immigrants if they’re still in Mexico, are they?
The candidate talked about the size of his penis during a televised Presidential candidate debate. His name is the least of everyone’s worries.
That’s not the objection. Outsourcing American jobs to foreign countries is a central Trump rant, and he promises to bring those jobs home. Perhaps he should start with his own brand.
Louis CK gets in on it: