I was never a trump fan. I saw through his cheap gimmicks to appeal to certain segments of the base by throwing out some red meat, but realized it was just a cover to hide his history of non conservative positions.
After reading about his support for the Kelo decision, I don't see how any person who considers themselves conservative or libertarian can support this con. That's what he's trying to do-con as many people as he can into supporting him while hiding or trying to downplay his real record.
Bottom line: If you support trump after learning about his positions on Kelo, you're not a conservative, so don't try to claim you are anymore.
Your humble Blog Goliard's first two Laws of Public Opinion should be sufficient to explain most aspects of the Trump phenomenon:
1) A distressingly large number of voters, ranging across the whole of the political spectrum, are politically naïve, deeply uninformed, and/or just plain stupid.
Frankly, I don't need a cadre of "experts" to disabuse me of anything.
The vast reaction from the NRO cornerists is certainly prevalent and loud. But I don't need to drink from a firehose in order to quench my thirst.
Thump is serving a worthy purpose. No, I don't pretend that he is or even wants to be president. But Trump is absorbing all the liberal media angst (and attention) by having the audacity of proclaiming himself to be pro-life and uncertain of Obama's origin. Being a self-proclaimed "birther" gets everyone's panties in a bunch. But why?
Every American citizen who accepts a new job does so only after satisfactorily completing the I=9 immigration form. It requires two forms of evidence of US citizenship. The US President, by Constitution, requires an addition requirement: US birth.
So, if all Americans accepting a job must comply with I-9 requirements as a condition of employment, why shouldn't the top office holder, the President, be required to satisfy all his/her conditions of employment?
"Still Think Donald Trump is Conservative...If Rich Lowry, Mark Steyn, Jonah Goldberg, and Robert VerBruggen couldn’t disabuse you of such notions, I don’t know what good I’m going to do."
Please tell me people have enough sense not to use NRO as a gauge for defining conservatism. Contributors to this site are good at it when it comes to theory, but in real life practice this place can often be anything but conservative.
I must say the respectable conservative elite/establishment's reaction to Trump is really astounding. I mean, you guys are really really scared of this guy.
Look, 50% of Iowa Republicans do not believe that Obama was born in the United States. 25% or so are unsure. These numbers may be a little higher than the Republican electorate as a whole, but not too much. And my sense is that they're likely higher with the hard-core base and Tea Party movement (the rebranded GOP). Trump knows this. And he also knows that you only need 30% of the Republican primary vote to win the nomination.
You guys should be scared... this could happen. I'll look forward to watching your campaign against Trump unfold. Get him mad enough, and he might decide to finish you off in 2012 with a third party bid. With Trump as a third party candidate, Obama takes Texas.
If the most important thing to NRO is fidelity to conservativism across the spectrum of issues, from fiscal to social, then I look forward to seeing the editors of NRO hosting the next Sarah Palin fundraiser.
I didn't say I thought he was conservative, I don't. I was merely pointing out there are large swaths of "low information voters" who believe he is a conservative and eat his rhetoric up.
Unfortunately, most conservatives don't read NR etc. Chain email/talk radio etc. has a bigger effect on the average "conservative" voter. Not an indictment, just the way it is.
DatDude, understood. But we're still a long way away from when people start paying attention to candidates. Give them a little more faith.
I don't know anyone on the right side of the political fence who's ever claimed Trump is a conservative. Maybe someone has, but if so, it would be the exception instead of the rule.
Never underestimate the left. Trump is not and never has been a conservative. His track record shows a lean toward leftward thought and practice.
He is first and foremost a promoter of himself. But I for one think he (and his democrat pals) are positioning him to be another Ross Perot. Obama et al knows they are in deep trouble. But even still, the country is pretty evenly split.
If Trump (who will never get the GOP nomination) runs as an independent, he will (as he is positioning himself as a "conservative") siphon off enough voters who would otherwise vote republican to give Obama the win aka Clinton with a very low % of the vote.
I was never a trump fan. I saw through his cheap gimmicks to appeal to certain segments of the base by throwing out some red meat, but realized it was just a cover to hide his history of non conservative positions.
After reading about his support for the Kelo decision, I don't see how any person who considers themselves conservative or libertarian can support this con. That's what he's trying to do-con as many people as he can into supporting him while hiding or trying to downplay his real record.
Bottom line: If you support trump after learning about his positions on Kelo, you're not a conservative, so don't try to claim you are anymore.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYour humble Blog Goliard's first two Laws of Public Opinion should be sufficient to explain most aspects of the Trump phenomenon:
1) A distressingly large number of voters, ranging across the whole of the political spectrum, are politically naïve, deeply uninformed, and/or just plain stupid.
2) Er...that's it, actually.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe have no one to blame but ourselves.
Take it for what you will.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWho's saying he is a conservative?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseFrankly, I don't need a cadre of "experts" to disabuse me of anything.
The vast reaction from the NRO cornerists is certainly prevalent and loud. But I don't need to drink from a firehose in order to quench my thirst.
Thump is serving a worthy purpose. No, I don't pretend that he is or even wants to be president. But Trump is absorbing all the liberal media angst (and attention) by having the audacity of proclaiming himself to be pro-life and uncertain of Obama's origin. Being a self-proclaimed "birther" gets everyone's panties in a bunch. But why?
Every American citizen who accepts a new job does so only after satisfactorily completing the I=9 immigration form. It requires two forms of evidence of US citizenship. The US President, by Constitution, requires an addition requirement: US birth.
So, if all Americans accepting a job must comply with I-9 requirements as a condition of employment, why shouldn't the top office holder, the President, be required to satisfy all his/her conditions of employment?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wish NRO would spend equal time on exposing other non-conservatives who might run for the GOP nomination:
Here's a short list with a few pointers you can get started on:
1. Romney (RomneyCare, dissing Reagan, etc)
2. Daniels (Truce, VAT Tax, pro Death Panels, etc)
3. Gingrich (Pelosi bench warmer, Scozzafava, etc)
4. Huckabee (Tax increases, paroles to killers, nanny state enabler, etc)
No need to thank me, looking forward to your expose.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseColonel Travis wrote - 'Who's saying he is a conservative?'
These people - External Link
This stuff plays well with the Fox/Talk Radio crowd. Also, big with the Newsmaxers etc.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Still Think Donald Trump is Conservative...If Rich Lowry, Mark Steyn, Jonah Goldberg, and Robert VerBruggen couldn’t disabuse you of such notions, I don’t know what good I’m going to do."
Please tell me people have enough sense not to use NRO as a gauge for defining conservatism. Contributors to this site are good at it when it comes to theory, but in real life practice this place can often be anything but conservative.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJohn Galt, you summed up my feelings exactly.
I've never been under any illusion that Trump was a conservative, and I don't recall anyone arguing that he was. So NRO's attempt at a strawman fails.
I'll start taking our conservative intelligentsia's opinion seriously when they take on the policies and positions of Romney, Daniels and Huckabee.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI must say the respectable conservative elite/establishment's reaction to Trump is really astounding. I mean, you guys are really really scared of this guy.
Look, 50% of Iowa Republicans do not believe that Obama was born in the United States. 25% or so are unsure. These numbers may be a little higher than the Republican electorate as a whole, but not too much. And my sense is that they're likely higher with the hard-core base and Tea Party movement (the rebranded GOP). Trump knows this. And he also knows that you only need 30% of the Republican primary vote to win the nomination.
You guys should be scared... this could happen. I'll look forward to watching your campaign against Trump unfold. Get him mad enough, and he might decide to finish you off in 2012 with a third party bid. With Trump as a third party candidate, Obama takes Texas.
Fun fun...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf the most important thing to NRO is fidelity to conservativism across the spectrum of issues, from fiscal to social, then I look forward to seeing the editors of NRO hosting the next Sarah Palin fundraiser.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@ DatDude
When you can define "conservative" properly, as well as answer questions directly, let us know.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@ The Colonel
I didn't say I thought he was conservative, I don't. I was merely pointing out there are large swaths of "low information voters" who believe he is a conservative and eat his rhetoric up.
Unfortunately, most conservatives don't read NR etc. Chain email/talk radio etc. has a bigger effect on the average "conservative" voter. Not an indictment, just the way it is.
God Bless.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDatDude, understood. But we're still a long way away from when people start paying attention to candidates. Give them a little more faith.
I don't know anyone on the right side of the political fence who's ever claimed Trump is a conservative. Maybe someone has, but if so, it would be the exception instead of the rule.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNever underestimate the left. Trump is not and never has been a conservative. His track record shows a lean toward leftward thought and practice.
He is first and foremost a promoter of himself. But I for one think he (and his democrat pals) are positioning him to be another Ross Perot. Obama et al knows they are in deep trouble. But even still, the country is pretty evenly split.
If Trump (who will never get the GOP nomination) runs as an independent, he will (as he is positioning himself as a "conservative") siphon off enough voters who would otherwise vote republican to give Obama the win aka Clinton with a very low % of the vote.
To me, this is what it is all about.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse