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Member |
Same here. Cannot disagree with you on a single point. | |||
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Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie |
Like most politicians, he's just pandering. And to anyone with a clue it's obvious and pathetic. Of course his poll numbers will fall, especially with someone like Trump around who is the antithesis to pandering cowards like Bush and that awful bitch Clinton. ~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan | |||
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| Member |
That'll do  Sounds like a good plan. (so, stinky wants biden instead of hitlery?) | |||
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| Lawyers, Guns and Money  |
Could Ted Cruz End Up as the Establishment Candidate? Strange as it might sound, it’s possible. Have you looked inside the latest CNN poll? You’ll find a very interesting number — namely, that Jeb Bush’s approval-disapproval numbers sit at a devastating 35-57. That doesn’t look like the inevitability we’ve been sold by his surrogates, does it? What seems quite apparent so far is the GOP establishment, and the Chamber of Commerce crowd who forced Mitt Romney down the throats of an unenthusiastic Republican electorate four years ago, cannot produce a nominee in this cycle. Each poll which gives a majority of the vote to candidates of some stripe of insurgency — Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul — makes that clear. And while the establishment is in poor enough odor, its problems are magnified by the awful performance of candidates acceptable to it. Bush has made one inexplicable gaffe after another amid a campaign seemingly designed to alienate Republican voters in hopes of attracting Democrats and independents. Scott Walker has managed to couple a stellar record of governance with a stunningly vacant message; his campaign advisors are guilty of pronounced malpractice. John Kasich coupled religious sanctimony on Medicaid expansion with #BlackLivesMatter pandering on the way to five percent in the polls, and this has been characterized as success. Chris Christie appears destined to be out of the race by Labor Day. And Marco Rubio, despite a terrific performance at the debate in Cleveland, simply has not been able to generate any traction. In a 17-person field, what’s most important is survival. One must demonstrate the ability to stay relevant from one news cycle to the next regardless of what the latest poll says, and one must be able to do so without running out of money. In a field so diffuse, generating lasting momentum is nearly impossible — particularly amid the phenomenon of Trump’s stealing the oxygen from the room. Who has the funds for real staying power? Obviously Trump does — he’s able to self-finance a campaign and as the front-runner, his fundraising will come easy. And certainly Bush has ample resources for a war of attrition, though his donor base so far is relatively small and mostly limited to the same people who bankrolled his father and brother. But beyond Trump and Bush, the most well-heeled candidate in the race is Ted Cruz — with a wide donor base and a sizable war chest for the long haul. Here’s a theory to ponder: after the first round of dropouts, in which Rick Perry’s impending demise is joined by several others — Christie, George Pataki, Lindsey Graham, Jim Gilmore, perhaps Bobby Jindal — the likely beneficiary will be the candidate best suited to pull their voters. And for many, that could be Cruz. Cruz has regional strength in Texas and Louisiana, which could translate into his picking up Perry and Jindal supporters. Despite his clashes with Graham in the Senate, Cruz’ calls for a muscular foreign policy could appeal to the several dozen supporters the South Carolinian has amassed. Those of Christie’s supporters who came to him for his combative style might look to Cruz rather than Trump. And then after the second round of dropouts, Cruz could gain even more support. Particularly should Paul leave the race; if he isn’t gaining ground, at some point he’s going to have to consider whether his smartest play won’t be to return to Kentucky to defend his Senate seat, and Cruz is a friend and partner in many cases (though for Paul so is Mitch McConnell, which makes for an interesting conflict). Should Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum drop out, none of the others has put in more work to attract the social conservatives they represent than Cruz. By this point, we might be close to the March 1 “Super Tuesday” primaries, most of which will take place in Deep South states where Cruz has trained his focus toward developing strength. He’s been outshone by Trump in most of them to date, but Cruz is building more organization in those states than any other candidate. We could see a situation where Trump is ahead on the strength of his performance in the early states and still leads in the polls, though he might have commenced fading in the face of the various challenges befalling a presidential candidate and the terror gripping the party of having to nominate a bull-in-a-China-shop like the real estate magnate has not subsided. But while the establishment might believe Trump is beatable, they could be without candidates to beat him. And at that juncture, the unthinkable might become inevitable; namely, that the RINO/Chamber of Commerce GOP establishment might well see Ted Cruz as their only hope to stop Donald Trump from getting the Republican nomination. Rubio and Walker were supposed to be the “fusion” candidates in the race. They were supposed to be the campaigns capable of bridging the gap between the establishment and the Tea Party. Cruz was supposed to be an impossibility because he’s too conservative. But as the race has developed, the GOP electorate is even more anti-establishment and hard-core conservative than anyone expected, and that’s why non-politicians who are unafraid to use what the mainstream media calls “divisive” rhetoric have prospered. It turns out that a little “divisive” rhetoric is actually interesting to the voters. Cruz has been happy to let fly with pointed discussions of serious issues all along, and he’s putting himself in position to be more than acceptable to Trump’s and Carson’s voters should they fail to secure the nomination. The continued self-destruction of Hillary Clinton, and the inability of the Democrats to find a plausible alternative amid a devastated bench, only makes the moderate/establishment narrative less compelling. The weaker Clinton and the Democrats look, the more tempting it will be to nominate the most conservative candidate possible. The opportunity could be that good to undo the damage of the Obama years. I’m not making the case that Cruz is the man to unite the Republican Party’s warring clans...yet. What I am saying is, as Al Hunt noticed earlier this week, Cruz is positioning himself very strategically. And if the anti-establishment sentiment among the voters on the GOP side continues alongside sluggish performances by Bush and the other moderates, it’s not impossible that he could have the RINO crowd begging him to save them from Trump. http://spectator.org/articles/...ablishment-candidate "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown "The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth." -rduckwor | |||
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Lighten up and laugh |
We don't disagree on a lot of issues, but my problem is people are so focused on revenge and taking it to the other side that they are overlooking major things. For example, a lot of Trump's positions were liberal and suddenly changed in the last few years. Maybe he had a real conservative awaking or he's using all of our anger to get elected. Keep in mind that many were excited about Christie for much the same reasons until the mask came off. We need someone strong, but principles are what made Reagan and Lincoln great presidents, not anger and revenge. | |||
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| Purveyor of Death and Destruction  |
I think he would really F up foreign issues. He has an ego like Obammy. Things don't go his way, he gets pissed and doesn't know how to handle it. How will he handle it when congress doesn't agree with him? | |||
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| Official forum SIG Pro enthusiast  |
Walker77, You mean like worse than they are now? Is that possible? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The price of liberty and even of common humanity is eternal vigilance | |||
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Get Off My Lawn |
I think your assessment is dead wrong. Trump is a high level businessman/ real estate developer who operates at the top of the food chain in regards to the business world. To be that successful, it is impossible to have the type of attitude you describe. Trump has won a bunch of battles, and lost his fair share. Look what happened when he made his comments on illegal aliens; Macys, NBC, ESPN and others dropped him, but he didn't throw tantrums or get derailed by these setbacks. He simply said "c'est la vie", and went on to the next challenge. He knew this was the cost of doing political business the Trump Way. "I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965 | |||
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| Little ray of sunshine  |
Surely we can do better than not being worse than Obama. The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything. | |||
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| Official forum SIG Pro enthusiast |
Of course we can. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The price of liberty and even of common humanity is eternal vigilance | |||
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| Member |
I wouldn't vote for revenge. What I am looking for is action. Things to get done. So far, nothing on the Republican front has gotten done. After the mid-term elections, it seems like it's business as usual with Obama. I honestly don't know enough about Cruz to comment on him. I do know that Trump would get things done and the other thing I think he has going for him is he isn't in anyone's pockets (donors), unlike a lot of other politicians. Trump is also the first Republican in years to even talk about these issues in debates with a course of action. I also like Walker. I used to like Rubio, but now not as much with his view on immigration. | |||
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| Lighten up and laugh |
Let me start by saying I like Trump and love what he has brought to this campaign. I hope it continues. You said we don't know a lot about Cruz and while he is my guy I agree with you. That is why I'm open to a few people. In that same respect, what do we really know about Trump since his views have changed? We love where his cannons are aimed, but we can't be sure he's really with us on a lot of issues, so they could be aimed at us pretty quickly. He has the ego to get things done and he's not used to answering to anyone. That is the wrong type of person to elect in an age of expanded executive orders. Great presidents gift power back to the people by not seizing it. More than anyone else in the race Trump's ego won't allow that. | |||
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| Peace through superior firepower  |
I think anyone aspiring to be president has a big ego. You think you're up for that job? Brother, you must think a lot of yourself. So... What I like about Trump is his pragmatism. We just don't see much of that these days from Washington. I like his sledgehammer directness. The "anchor baby" exchange is a good example of this. I also like that he's an A-one negotiator and understands the business of business and by God, we need someone like this. We need someone who is brash and bold and direct and pragmatic. It's going to be an interesting year. | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process  |
From "The Distinguished Gentleman"
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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Member |
I would also prefer Cruz/Trump...
I think what you, and everyone else for that matter, might be looking for is..... LEADERSHIP "If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24 | |||
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| Member! |
Dammit, I couldn't find a Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer gif... | |||
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| Oh stewardess, I speak jive.  |
the Distinguished Gentleman, like Idiocracy, are as funny as they they are more similar to Documentaries than most are comfortable admitting. a successful businessman is infinitely more useful and interesting than a professional politician, and whether it's Trump himself or someone else learning from his recent examples, we need more cowbell, way more cowbell, a whole new band even, rather than the same shitty song.. | |||
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Raptorman |
While this completely incompetent administration is doing its damnedest to kill every living thing in the country...... I like you even more now, Mr. Trump.  ____________________________ Eeewwww, don't touch it! Here, poke at it with this stick. | |||
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Member |
This is exactly what will keep international thugs like Putin, ISIS and Lil' Kim on stand down. They can't predict what he may or may not do in response to something. Unlike the current man child, who has demonstrated many times he will do nothing regardless of what they may do. He may in fact actually give them an assist. I'm guessing the thuggery is praying for another democrat hopefully Hillary. The last one they want to see is Trump. "Fixed fortifications are monuments to mans stupidity" - George S. Patton | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process |
I can't think of a worse fate for a President than to have a Donald Trump as VP. Hopefully, his massive ego precludes any such thing. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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