When Donald Trump raised his hand at Chris Wallace’s inquiry regarding which Republican candidates would not pledge to support the eventual nominee, it was far more telling than we knew.
Many saw that act, as Trump himself declared, a refusal to give up “leverage” with the GOP – but I see it differently. He was telegraphing something very important.
I have asked Trump devotees, just what characteristics make Trump a Republican (even a nominal one) and what evidence exists in his history that validates them? He’s taken progressive positions on abortion, taxes and health care. He opposes cuts to entitlements. He opposed the Iraq war. Bill Clinton is his favorite politician and he has donated heavily to Democrats, including the putative Dem nominee, Hillary Clinton.
I’ve talked to a handful of Trump supporters and asked these questions – the responses are like asking Hillary supporters to list her accomplishments. Other that phrases like “stands up to the establishment” and some with the words “immigration” and “fight”, that’s about all I get.
If that’s what you want, you should be supporting Ted Cruz or Rick Perry. They were doing just that before Trump premiered his new scripted reality show.
Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) makes a valid point in his op-ed in USAT:
Trump’s rise is, like that of his Democratic counterpart Bernie Sanders, a sign that a large number of voters don’t feel represented by more mainstream politicians. On many issues, ranging from immigration reform, which many critics view as tantamount to open borders, to bailouts for bankers, the Republican and Democratic establishments agree, while a large number (quite possibly a majority) of Americans across the political spectrum feel otherwise. But when no “respectable” figure will push these views, then less-respectable figures such as Trump or Sanders (a lifelong socialist who once wrote that women dream of gang rape, and that cervical cancer results from too few orgasms) will arise to fill the need.
But Trump and Sanders are just symptoms. The real disease is in the ruling class that takes such important subjects out of political play, in its own interest.
I actually agree with Insty – as far as he goes.
Where I differ is that when I look at Trump, I see someone virtually indistinguishable from the sort of people who make up the current ruling class. He is a moneyed, connected, influential, ideologically androgynous, northeast corridor dwelling patrician who moves in the same circles with the powerful Democrats and Republicans – who are increasingly ideologically androgynous like him. He doesn’t have to depend on convincing people to support him with their money or be concerned about what people think any more than the connected Washington politicos with their sugar daddy funded war chests do. Trump is Tom Steyer with a weave.
And yet he is raking in support from both establishment AND conservative segments of the GOP. The establishment, I get – they see him as one of them even as he rails against them and calls them “stupid” – but the conservative support completely baffles me.
Trump is certainly willing to fight – apparently even with Republicans, especially the conservative ones. That in itself should be a huge red flag. Ronald Reagan often invoked the Republican 11th commandment – “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” Now prickly little Donnie is about to turn his fully loaded yap on the other GOP candidates just like a Democrat.
Seems to me that percentage wise, Donald Trump is about as much a Republican as Bernie Sanders is a Democrat (tip – Sanders is listed as an Independent and is a self-avowed socialist, not a Donk). Trump refusing to pledge to support the eventual nominee signaled that he’s not thinking about running on a third party ticket in the future, he already is…and that is bad news for America because the Trump Party only represents the ruling class.
The Rio Norte Line 
Agreed. I think Rush has this one nailed: Bill got Trump to run to make sure Jeb is the nominee, then he’ll run third Party to make sure Hillary wins. It’s the Perot shuffle all over again.
Actually Today Rush implied that the whole Bill called Donald thing was perhaps a false Set up against Trump. Created to take him down just before and during the FaceBook-FOX “debate”.
He noted that the ONLY candidate commenting on it was Carly ( sort of halk jokingly) because the Candidates and their staffs knew it was a set-up.
So …..
I heard it, but I also remember Rush spent an entire hour hammering on this story the day before the debate. In fact, had it not been for Rush, it would never have been heard from, so… Well, you know my suspicions about Rush, and this only adds weight to the mountain of indirect evidence supporting me 😉
Good…F The Republican lying bastards. They are DONE.. TRUMP is our Wrecking ball.
http://www.dethguild.com/an-open-letter-to-erik-erikson/
It’s Early August 2015. It ain’t over yet !!
True but generally speaking of our country as we knew it, it probably is. I think ultimately, I’m trying to come to terms with it. It’s a process.
I am preparing the process to Fight for Her.
I have children.
One thing to consider.
The question was asking everyone in the debate to : “Swear allegiance to the Republican Party “.
Now this is something the heavy hitters here have said is WRONG with Politics today…. putting Party over the Country…..right ?????
First time someone says NO to that ….you say he’s a plant.
Don,
While I agree with the thrust of your comment, the problem is Trump. He has a previous history with the Clintons and the Democrat Party and cronyism. He also has a previous history of demonstrating he cares more about Trump than anything else. So it is hard to credit him as being principled in his refusal to promise loyalty to the Party.
Now, had someone like Paul or Cruz made that case…
Yes. But as with the Illegal invasion and Chinese jobs taking American jobs, he is now the FIRST person to actually SAY IT.
Both needed to be addressed…..he addressed them. This issues with Party over Country needs to addressed and he has begun that discussion as well !!
He is leading the discussion……that is the point !!
OK, now that you framed it in this context, then yes, I agree — because it is true.
I don’t disagree with some of what you and Utah are saying regards Trump btw.
It’s just that I don’t think he is quite the ” doesn’t really care about America ” scoundral that this line of thinking has led to. THAT take on it has, to my mind, ALL the earmarks of Karl Rove and Jeb Bush about it .
Don,
I’m not going to say I ‘know’ anything for sure — except this: there are too many warning signs coming from Trump for someone who honestly cares about the direction of this country to even think about supporting him. Any way we slice this one, Trump is trouble for the notion of Constitutional, small government, rule of law.
What characteristics make Trump a Republican? Guess starting 500 businesses and putting 1000’s & 1000’s of people to work might qualify.
Trump was right when he told Chris Wallace at debate they wouldn’t even be talking about illegal immigration if it weren’t for him.
Trapp,
If ‘big business’ makes you a republican, then Soros and Buffet must be the biggest Republicans out there — but they are Democrats. The truth here is, Trump is a crony-capitalist and he proudly boasts about it. He buys politicians and says so and people support him. They even think that someone like that can actually clean up the system. I’m sorry, but I am seeing a Sam Elliot ‘special kind of stupid’ poster here.
Also, the illegal alien/border issue HAS been in the news and being talked about BEFORE Trump. It’s just that the ‘main stream’ media has not been talking about it. That is NOT what Trump said, so giving him credit for getting the government-controlled propaganda mill talking about the issue is nothing special. If anything, it just shows that he is part of the system. If he were not, then the MSM would remain quiet about the issue — just like they have on the Planned Parenthood crimes.
Rick Perry says he’s against illegal immigration, but then passed in-state tuition in TX which draws even more illegals. Perry mouths the words, but that’s about it. As for Cruz he & Trump will make a great team & according to his campaign staff they’ve met several times.
I hope they do not team up. Cruz is the last guy in the GOP I can support, and even he has warning flags in his wife’s job/connections. If Cruz teams up with Trump, then I’ll be writing i a candidate. I know people will tell me that is a vote for Hillary or whatever. I don’t care. I’m tired of listening to that BS. All I know is I am no longer going to vote for people who experience tells me are almost certainly going to continue the Leftward march into oblivion.
I like Perry a Lot !!!
But you are correct Trapped. And we have to see that about Perry because the Illegal alien issue is huge !!
I agree 100% with B3A about Trump being in this as a plant and then to become a 3rd party candidate to insure a win for Hillary.