# Trump has declared war on the GOP, Paul Ryan. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 11, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245 "2016-10-11T15:19:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/21 "2016-10-11T16:29:58Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Does Trump know that these polls are completely bogus? Is he actually that stupid and self deluded, or is this just bluster for his base? How stupid is he really? he read it on Facebook - it has to be true. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/22 "2016-10-11T16:30:04Z")
As I read about this shitshow, I think “there but for the grace of God go I.” The Democratic Party has its own dead-enders, but thankfully they are at this moment much smaller in number and totally happy to vote for vanity candidates like Jill Stein. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/23 "2016-10-11T16:31:22Z")
I can’t see any upside to the Trump situation. Sure, he’s likely to lose now, but that is because he’s a narcissist and trash-talking misogynistic know-nothing, not because of his toxic populist notions. He’s shown that there is an enormous market for toxic populism. The fear I have is that the next time toxic populism is expressed, it will be by someone who is less of an obvious clown and troll than Trump. Such a person has a shot … ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/24 "2016-10-11T16:31:48Z")
Nm ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/25 "2016-10-11T16:32:12Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > It’s important because as I’ve said elsewhere - Donald isn’t going away on November 9th. He’ll still be giving rallies because he enjoys it. That’s what I’m worried about. Previous candidates had the decency to bow out and STFU after they lose the presidential election (both parties). There is no way Trump shuts up. And the thing that makes me want to stab my own eyeballs is that TV and media will accommodate him. He sells airtime so they will be reporting his vitriol gleefully. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/26 "2016-10-11T16:32:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Does he come with chips? - 10 points for you. The correct quote is “Do you get wafers with it?” Or “What flavor is it?” ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/27 "2016-10-11T16:35:26Z")
By the way, FiveThirtyEight points out that [Ryan needs Trump more than Trump needs Ryan](http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/paul-ryan-needs-trump-more-than-trump-needs-ryan/). Ryan’s favorability rating is worse than Trump’s, and it declined when he was refusing to endorse Trump. It recovered somewhat after he finally endorsed Trump. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/28 "2016-10-11T16:35:50Z")
This should be the new campaign theme song… [Burning Down the House](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNnAvTTaJjM) (YouTube) by the Talking Heads. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/29 "2016-10-11T16:38:44Z")
Paraphrased from another board: "Begun, these Republican Civil Wars has. -Yoda Bush ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/30 "2016-10-11T16:42:32Z")
You may need both legs to walk with, but if one of those legs are cancerous you chop it off before the cancer spreads too far. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/31 "2016-10-11T16:43:35Z")
It certainly does look like Trump has declared war on the GOP. If this is indeed the case, I don’t think the GOP is without an offence. The tricky part for them (and has been since Trump was nominated) is how to destroy Trump without causing collateral damage to the party. The worse this gets though, the more the GOP will be tempted to release (through unrelated 3rd parties) some really, REALLY damaging stuff about Trump. Then they can quickly pivot to “Let’s have a strong Republican congress to keep a watch on evil Hillary”. This is really the only way forward for them; Dig up dirt to destroy Trump personally, then pivot to “protect congress or the country is doomed”. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/32 "2016-10-11T16:45:52Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > That’s what I’m worried about. Previous candidates had the decency to bow out and STFU after they lose the presidential election (both parties). I think that’s pretty clearly what Paul Ryan et al. are worried about as well. By now they surely know Trump isn’t going to win, so they’d be better off endorsing him. But if the GOP ever wants to win that sweet sweet cut in top marginal tax rates they’re willing to burn down the Republic for, they need to keep Trump voters voting GOP in House races, until they can finally get a President to sign it. So his nightmare is to have a post-election Trump wandering around the country for another decade, picking fights with Republicans and getting his supporters to vote for weird alt-right candidates. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/33 "2016-10-11T16:55:14Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > …\ > So his nightmare is to have a post-election Trump wandering around the country for another decade, picking fights with Republicans and getting his supporters to vote for weird alt-right candidates. “…picking fights with republicans **ON HIS OWN 24-HOUR NEWS CHANNEL** and getting his supporters to vote for weird alt-right candidates.” When he ceases to be mainstream media news, he can cover himself: all Trump, all the time! Yeah, baby, Trump is here to stay. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/34 "2016-10-11T16:56:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is good news for the GOP. Disassociating themselves from this disaster comes too late, but at least now rational Republicans can vote for candidates that are not popular amid the batshit brigade. > > I have always liked Paul Ryan, ever since he was Romney’s running mate. Although it is not hard to appear a serious candidate compared to the Donald. > > Regards, > Shodan I agree. We have to burn down the GOP in order to save it. We have one set of Republicans who have had it with Trump and will vote for down ticket candidates and not him. Then we have the Trump base who are now getting told by Trump to not vote for the down ticket candidates who are bailing on him. That’s a sure way to win elections. Cutting off the Trump base is good for the GOP in the long run giving the changing demographics of the country. Maybe it will return to the party I used to belong to. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/35 "2016-10-11T16:58:31Z")
There are already rumblings amongst the basket-case derplorables to vote only for Trump and leave the downballot blank to punish the back-stabbing party establishment. If the war heats up, il Doofus may lash out by tweeting a clear explicit request that all his followers follow that plan. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/36 "2016-10-11T16:59:14Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is good news for the GOP. Disassociating themselves from this disaster comes too late, but at least now **rational** **Republicans** can vote for candidates that are not popular amid the batshit brigade. > > I have always liked Paul Ryan, ever since he was Romney’s running mate. Although it is not hard to appear a serious candidate compared to the Donald. > > Regards, > Shodan I think one of the things this election has shown is that a significant number of Republicans are not acting rationally. Until that changes we’re going to continue to have trouble with Trump and people like him. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/37 "2016-10-11T17:00:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > This is good news for the GOP. Disassociating themselves from this disaster comes too late, but at least now rational Republicans can vote for candidates that are not popular amid the batshit brigade. The problem is that if they offend the batshit brigade to the point of losing their votes, the result will be an electoral bloodbath that will cost them both houses of Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/38 "2016-10-11T17:07:27Z")
I think the big question is the extent to which this will affect Trump’s support from RNC campaign offices. Since Trump has been basically[relying on the RNC for voter mobilization efforts](http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trump-clinton-field-offices/). If they stop helping him, then you can effectively add another couple of extra percentage points to any lead that Clinton may have as shown in the polls. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/39 "2016-10-11T17:07:37Z")
I’d just like to reiterate that the Republican party created this monster. They (including the supposedly honorable Romney) embraced Trump in 2011 and 2012 at the height of his birtherism. They allowed dozens of other bullshit conspiracy theories to percolate, mostly about Obama’s background, without fighting them off in any significant way. All that bullshit was bound to have an effect eventually – and it resulted in a huge portion of the party’s base seeing Obama as the devil incarnate, and seeing anyone who meets with him or speaks to him without denouncing him openly and publicly and continuously as a partner to the devil, or something close to this. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245/40 "2016-10-11T17:13:45Z")
Doesn’t need that many, and the fun part is that the Republicans built it that way! Gerrymandering the districts so that ® would have a small but crucial lead in many districts, so that they would win the close ones, which they figured to give them the edge since so many were consistently close. And that works fine, unless everything changes. Oopsy-daisy! So, OK, let’s say most Trumpivik voters will vote ® all the way down, but now, not as many as before. And the more Trump dumps on the ®, the bigger that pile gets! Add on top of that the honest Conservatives who were reliable ® votes but just can’t stomach it this time. Just spitballin’ here, got the math skills of a hamster. But say, maybe, ten percent? What’s that spell? Starts with “D”, rhymes with “BOOM!”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-has-declared-war-on-the-gop-paul-ryan/768245.md?page=3)