I am fascinated that the political establishment are starting to break for Donald Trump. Duncan Hunter stuck his neck out first. New Jersey Chris Christie followed the Republican brawl Debate with endorsement, and now Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions came out for Trump today.
Hunter’s endorsement wasn’t that crazy. I said, ” I think Hunter desperately wants to stand up and say ‘eliminate ISIS, secure the damned border, and stop killing babies in the womb’. Right now, Trump seems like the only one that’s going to help him do that.” Hunter’s always been a bit of a maverick and he’s never been a green eyeshade or civil libertarian type of Republican. He’s not that much of a budget hawk if the Department of Defense os getting more money.
Governor Christie is hardly a small-government conservative either. He talks tough to municipal unions, is a reliable social conservative, and was generally hawkish about foreign policy and the global war on terrorism. But his endorsement is being called “political opportunism” by his finance chair, failed California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman.
On its face, the Jeff Sessions endorsement seems strange. Sessions is an open fan of the tea party movement and constantly discusses the fiscal nightmare the close to $20 trillion debt is. Buried in his praise for the small government movement, though is Sessions’ belief that the Chamber of Commerce types have a stranglehold on the GOP. It’s no secret that the Chamber of Commerce Republicans love cronyism and unfettered access to the cheap labor our open borders bring.
Still, the Sessions endorsement is as significant as the Hunter and Christie ones: Hunter was the first elected federal official, Christie was the first “moderate” Republican, and Sessions is the first movement conservative. It won’t surprise me if a former Democratic elected breaks for Trump soon.
Illegal immigration is certainly going to be the hot topic in November and Clinton’s serial lying is begging to be prosecuted by a Republican in the general election. Trump certainly hasn’t backed down on illegal immigration, and he’s going to continue to call her out for Benghazi in the general election. It will be ugly for Clinton.
Opportunism or not, things are breaking for Trump for the White House. It’s time to start wondering what that means.
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We do live in interesting times.
Well at least folk here are thinking and not watching the Oscars. What does it mean? It means that the notion of being a conservative is going out the window in favor of a populist ideal. Where does that leave us? In a whole heap of trouble.
Author
“Where does that leave us? In a whole heap of trouble.”
I used to think that then I remembered that the Republic survived a Nixon resignation in lieu of impeachment, a Clinton impeachment, a contested Presidential election, and the lawlessness of Obama.
I think the Republic will survive this but I”m more interested in how a Trump Presidency can strengthen the Republic. Here are a few thoughts:
1- Republicans in Congress will have to get serious about illegal immigration
2- Democrats in Congress will have to get serious about illegal immigration
3- Ryan and McConnell will have to get serious about reclaiming the power Congress has abdicated to the Executive Branch these past few decades.
4- We just might see a strategy to reduce our interventionist footprint in the world.
Brian, you mean the members of congress need to grow a pair?
I wouldn’t count on much beyond the sort of lawless incompetence we’ve grown accustomed to from the White House. So-called conservatives: prepare yourselves to be sold down the river.
Speaking of (nominal) conservatives, Trump’s election would remove from our midst around one third of those who have labeled themselves as such, without knowing anything about it.
Good riddance. Cleaning house is an important task.
The RNC pressured Trump to sign “the pledge” believing he had no chance of winning and Priebus wanted Trump’s money for the general election. Now it appears inevitable that Trump will get the nod. If Republicans do not RELUCTANTLY support Trump, the disaffected right will vote for Trump and only for Trump, ignoring the rest of the Republican ticket. Believing the party has no integrity and asking themselves, “if they want Hillary, why bother?”
Hunter actually doesn’t get the “honor” of being first. That distinction goes to New York’s Representative Chris Collins.
https://www.yahoo.com/katiecouric/trumps-first-congressional-endorsement-rep-153950124.html
Only second?! What a loser!
Please enjoy this send-up of the campaign’s biggest clown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnpO_RTSNmQ#t=
I doubt President Trump (shudder just writing this) would do anything about illegal immigration. After using it as a stunt to get the suckers (I mean voters) to vote for him, he would probably have a revelation and flip flop and change his mind like he has on every other issue. I mean it’s not like his intelligent and well thought out solution to the illegal immigration problem; build a wall and have Mexico pay for it, would actually occur.
It is apparent that the Republican party is in self destruct mode.
Trump is going to be the nominee. If they don’t support him and run a third party then hrc is in as president.
God help America as it will be the end as we know it. Congress will return to the dark side and she will be able to do whatever she wants for the next 8 years. After that I’m not sure we will have a country.
I know none of you hard core republicans agree with me but most of you are RINO’s and don’t know it.
Ah, I fondly remember when many here were throwing invectives at those of us that weren’t going to support CD aka. the GOP endorsed nominee…sweet irony, but now on a macro scale…are you all going to put your votes where your mouths were and pull the level for the presumptive GOP nominee, Trump…as you demanded from those of us that were convicted in our positions?…you know, for the sake of the party? Are you willing to settle for Hillary? This isn’t some inconsequential congressional seat…this is POTUS.
Not so easy, is it?
Author
“Not so easy, is it?”
Nope. For the record, I said it would be hard to trust those who did (what I’m doing right now) but tried to bridge that past divide in this election cycle. Nonetheless, I won’t be endorsing the Democratic nominee for President
What am I doing now is simple. I’m simply saying that Trump can’t beat Clinton because I, like as much as 20% of the reliable Republican voters, will choose to vote for nobody or an independent candidate.
#NeverTrump Not Today. Not In November. Not Ever. Never.
Brian-
The dilemma; in doing so, you effectively hand the Presidency to Hillary (H-I-L-L-A-R-Y!!!!) …at least if you voted for her, you would not only be nullifying Trump, but you would be sending a message to the Establishment (as identified by McConnell, Ryan, Graham, McCain, et al) that your vote is not to be taken for granted.
I get, however, how difficult that will be…unlike a two year congressional race that in the grand and immediate scheme of things is not that critical, handing Hillary the keys to POTUS by not supporting Trump will have political ramifications that may place the US as the nation we have known and grown up in, in serious if not irrevocable peril.
Is the presidency, and ergo the nation, better with or without Hillary…is the #NeverTrump slogan really #AssureHillary? It is the classic “lessor of two evils.” If you had to choose… one team #NeverTrump or #NeverHillary?? In the immortal words of the Highlander; “There can be only one…” .
I am no Trump apologist; yet, while he has said some reckless and stupid things, Hillary has DONE remarkably nefarious and immoral, arguably illegal, activities from her email server debacle and illegal actions in distributing highly sensitive and classified intelligence material (where 1. It put US intelligence sources in peril and 2. There are military and intelligence officers that are currently serving criminal sentences having done similar actions on a much smaller scale than HRC) . As a vet, her inaction and then evidentiary lying and covering up of the known terror causation to the attack on Benghazi is greater in scope and breadth than Iran-Contra…she should be charged in both cases for perjury and obstruction of justice. The surface is just being scratched on the Clinton Foundation scandalous activities.
We know Hillary’s character and disposition…and it is sinister. Does Trump’s reckless and ham-handed, arguably naïve and clumsy antics top Hillary’s genetic propensity for lying?
Let us not forget, many of the same accusations and invectives hurled at Trump (albeit some warranted) were the same type of invectives and media promulgated memes hurled at Reagan. The Establishment and Rockefeller wing of the party loathed him. He was the unhinged right-wing jingoist and warmongering reactionary finding fluoride and communists in the public water systems……or he was painted as a doddering old anti-communist throwback that was too old to wipe his own mouth at breakfast…and everything in between.
Having struggled with a similar decision after having voted (R) my entire voting life, it comes down to conscience. Like many #NeverTrump enthusiasts, I had to question my #NeverDemocrat positon when weighing the character and history of what the local GOP endorsed in last iterations CD race.
Personally, I’m on Team #NeverHillary. Whether that converts to a lever pull for Trump is the next hard decision point.
Author
“Let us not forget, many of the same accusations and invectives hurled at Trump (albeit some warranted) were the same type of invectives and media promulgated memes hurled at Reagan.”
Correlation does not imply causation–you know that.
“The Establishment and Rockefeller wing of the party loathed him.”
…and yet, those wings embrace Trump while the Reagan conservative wing reject him.
How could candidate Phony Alpha Dog convince me to drop my opposition? Make three promises: (1) repeal every unlawful EA Obama passed (2) sign every bill the GOP House and Senate send to him in the first 100 days (3) veto any budget which increases spending from the year before
I get that…and fundamentally agree…Regretfully; the term “conservative” has been hijacked by any flavor of RINO/moderates/fiscal libs to court real conservatives. It doesn’t mean what it meant even 4-8 years ago.
The challenge for me is; I think Trump would give you that promise…the question becomes, does he follow through? He may be a very gifted politician indeed…and I mean that in a Clintonian way, not a Reaganite way… 🙂
I think of the old adage “the devil you know…etc…” However, the Hillary I know, and those that put her negatives and level of untrustworthiness so high, is so vile and repugnant that I “lean” toward the “#NeverHillary camp.