As an ideological, constitutional conservative, I was disheartened by the RNC convention but as a lifelong registered Republican, I could not be happier to see the DNC convention in disarray.
The RNC featured economic protectionism, isolationism, a repeal of free trade, alienation of Judeo-Christian values, and a tiny reference to the US Constitution. Trump is zigging his way to a lead by cobbling together a coalition of Clinton-hating conservatives, establishment Republicans, and disaffected Democrats.
If Clinton zags to Trump’s zig, she wins this election by a landslide.
Both candidates lack principles but Clinton has a unique opportunity to reform the Third Way coalition by owning the Sanders sabotage scheme. Clinton has the Democratic nomination locked up– Democrats should come out and say “Damned right we sabotaged Sanders; he’s a socialist”.
In Clinton’s acceptance speech, she should speak directly to Republican-leaning voters and say:
1- Entrepreneurial capitalism is the engine to prosperity for all but our government has a responsibility to make sure that prosperity reaches everyone.
2- America is a beacon of freedom in the world and our government has a responsibility to engage in the world.
She will infuriate the Sanders supporters with that speech but they won’t vote for Trump. The big opportunity in this election is the frustrated, undecided, independent voter.
If Clinton zags to Trump’s zig, she will be next President…
Unless Trump zigs again.
Comments 2
As a Trump delegate to the convention, your assertions r.e. Trump/Pence that I wonder what you were really watching, or if you watched at all.
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Hi Louis. Maybe I should have said “from watching the introductory speech by Ivanka Trump, and Donald Trump’s acceptance speech, I heard economic protectionism, isolationism, a repeal of free trade, alienation of Judeo-Christian values, and a tiny reference to the US Constitution”
My point is this; Trump is moving the GOP to a populist, center-left ideology. Not too unlike the movement away from the Coolidge-Taft GOP and towards the Eastern Establishment GOP of the 50-s-80s”. Trump is clearly rejecting Reagan conservatism which, for someone of my age, is surreal. The conservative movement has driven the ideology of the GOP my whole adult life. It’s as if Trump is embracing the Bill Clinton “Third Way Politics” of the 90s.
Maybe this is the solution for victory but, for movement conservatives, it is an ideology of (as Reagan put it), “pale pastels”. It lacks a clear distinction from Clinton Third Way politics.
The character argument can be made against Clinton but Trump has his issues there. His claims of wealth are intentionally vague, his assertions about immigration are questionable, and his ability to hold three positions in four days leave movement conservatives worried if he really means what he says.
The point of this article is that there is a wide open lane now because of Trump and, if HRC chooses to drive down that lane, Trump could lose big. The good news is that HRC thinks she has to drive down the Bernie lane and shore up the radical left; they are never going to vote for Trump.
HRC is an unprincipled power-hungry demagogue. If Trump can convince movement conservatives that he is not that, he might pull this thing off.