Patterico's Pontifications

1/23/2016

Trump the Democrat

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 1:38 am



This will not matter to Trumpers, you right wingin’ bitter clingin’ PROUD clingers of your guns and constitutions and religions … but Donald Trump is a giant Democrat.

You folks who say you’d vote for him over Hillary: watch this and tell me why. Mmmm . . . those New York leftist values!

If you believe he’s changed his tune since he said all these things, I have a big beautiful classy bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

If it’s Trump vs. Hillary, you’ll have a choice between an unprincipled, nasty Democrat and Hillary Clinton. The only difference between the two of them would be that Republicans would go along with Trump’s leftist proposals.

I never voted for a Democrat for President and I’m not starting with this guy. If you do, you’re a chump sucker.

Minds changed: zero. Just laying down the marker. I hope I never have to be in the position of saying I told you so. But if I am, I’ll do it with gusto.

202 Responses to “Trump the Democrat”

  1. I still think Cruz wins Iowa, and that all this panicking is over nothing.

    Back when everyone dismissed Trump, I thought he was a threat. Now that everyone is positive he’s got it in the bag, I’m not so sure. I think come February 1, everyone will be SO VERY SURPRISED when it turns out Chump doesn’t have it sewed up after all.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  2. It’s simple: Rubio has no chance. Either Cruz wins or we literally have nowhere to go.

    What comes after that, I have no idea.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  3. Watching all this from across the Pond, the US election process has always seemed like an elimination contest between celebrity sociopaths. This time around, the Republican contest has at least been more entertaining, when you get one of them speaking the previously unspeakable, rather than being a contest as to who best manages to put the “mentalist” into “religious fundamentalist”.

    But at the end of the day, as the old saw has it, “No matter who you vote for, the Government always gets in.”

    The Sage (ba2a4c)

  4. How many days until the establishment a-holes try running traitor ryan down our throats?
    Talk about a democrat, traitor ryan fits the bill as much as anyone. Hang this little prick.

    mg (31009b)

  5. Cruz/West , or sell the farm and buy ammo.

    mg (31009b)

  6. I never voted for a Democrat for President and I’m not starting with this guy. If you do, you’re a chump sucker.

    You may not realize how may minds you change by calling other Republicans with whom you disagree names.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  7. Snowing like hell here. Already have about 10″ and it’s not even 8am. The electric went out once already but only for 15 minutes. My oxygen machine doesn’t work well without electric.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  8. All this in the media and not one single person has voted yet.

    Charlie Davis (df08d0)

  9. It’s hard to be certain just what Trump’s opinions are. He had to build his businesses in cities controlled by communists and mafiosi, so some pandering to those monsters was necessary. I suspect he’s a John Kennedy style Democrat, which would be better than any other candidate of either party.

    bob sykes (37da55)

  10. You may not realize how may minds you change by calling other Republicans with whom you disagree names.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27) — 1/23/2016 @ 4:40 am

    I get the impression Pat doesn’t really care anymore.

    Snowing like hell here. Already have about 10″ and it’s not even 8am. The electric went out once already but only for 15 minutes. My oxygen machine doesn’t work well without electric.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27) — 1/23/2016 @ 4:50 am

    Ooof- no battery backup? Don’t wanna see you go down like that, Rev.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  11. I don’t understand why the persistent personal attacks on Trump supporters.
    I don’t know how it is helping anything.

    I think the typical Trump supporter is basically just fed up with the political class as a whole and is making a choice of desperation,
    And,
    If nothing else,
    Can someone please close the border!!!!

    I don’t know what
    Being mad at them for their desperation caused by others is accomplishing.

    MD in Philly (not in Philly) (deca84)

  12. i like trump how he diagnosed the problem

    america is not a great nation right now

    it sucks donkey balls!

    admitting you have a problem is the first step

    hillary hasn’t admitted a problem her whole nasty dumpster life

    advantage: Mr. The Donald

    happyfeet (831175)

  13. Well,
    I guess it is P’s blog
    And he is allowed to voice his frustration too.

    MD in Philly (not in Philly) (deca84)

  14. I am sure that insulting Trump supporters and calling Trump “Chump” will change hearts and minds.

    Perhaps insults should be reserved for your enemies, not your erring friends.

    Fred Z (5db617)

  15. Motto of the Trump Navy:
    Don’t give up the ship. Sell it.

    nk (dbc370)

  16. You folks who say you’d vote for him over Hillary: watch this and tell me why.

    The entire field except Trump promises to continue or accelerate revolutionary demographic change via immigration. Please explain why this doesn’t matter.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  17. It is quite simple,
    Really.
    Even if Trump is an unprincipled, nasty Democrat,
    H. Clinton is a particularly unprincipled, nasty Democrat.

    This is the follow up to an old discussion about people deciding not to vote.
    In times past some have said there is always a worst candidate to vote against,
    Others have said, no, sometimes the choice is so bad it’s not worth making.
    People have different thresholds is all

    MD in Philly (not in Philly) (deca84)

  18. The history of the United States is revolutionary demographic change through immigration. (I blame the lax immigration policies of the Folsom people.) Illegals Gone Wild is a mild concern, but it’s a problem that calls for fixing the fence not burning down the house.

    nk (dbc370)

  19. Don’t give up Mr P. The Trumpsters haven’t figured out that Trump’s Wall and other big promises rely on Congressional action which they assume Ryan/McConnell will deliver. Fat Chance. Like Bubba and Obama he plans to win either way because they’ll be the bums standing in the way. So how exactly is anything going to change? That’s why the beltway donors backed off this week. They realized he’s going to keep the favor factory in business. The Trumspters don’t get that yet.

    Evidence, logic and reason don’t defeat demagogues. Feelings do. Until the Trumpsters realize he can’t be trusted they’re not going to listen. Trump understands this. That’s why he attacks any dissenting or questioning voice so personally and viciously. We’re back in high school and Palin’s going to the prom with the big-talker and his fancy wheels.

    The country doesn’t need another deal-maker in Washington. It needs a leader to get the government off your back and out of your business.

    crazy (cde091)

  20. It helps if instead of thinking “the lesser of two evils”, you think “the greater good”. What’s good about Trump? What’s good about Hillary? I can have a blanket with smallpox or I can have a blanket with bubonic plague? Thanks, anyway, I’ll take my chances with frostbite.

    nk (dbc370)

  21. look into my crystal ball

    happyfeet (831175)

  22. Personally, I find it funny to watch people who call other people names object to someone else calling people names.

    I’m glad that Patterico is expressing his opinion. It’s his blog, and I think some people forget that.

    Trump is certainly no conservative. He reminds me very much of Huey Long.

    I absolutely appreciate the ABH ideal.

    Simon Jester (2cdd53)

  23. I get the impression Pat doesn’t really care anymore.

    Well, Bill H he should care. There is no good reason why Republicans and conservatives shouldn’t be able to discuss people ad policies among themselves without being berated. I think we get enough of that from leftists and their coconspirators in the media.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  24. Tell you why? To punish the perfidious. Rubio for example was lofted into position despite his youth on the promise to reciprocate to Tea Party issues and voters. He broke faith. Milton Friedman explains we depend not on selecting good people to do good. We depend on incentivizing bad people to do good things. Punish the establishment. No Jeb. Sorry Marco.

    Would I prefer Walker or Perry or Carson? Yes. But that message would be unclear. A Trump vote is clear. Just as the GOP reacted to Perot with “Contract with America” there will be reaction to Trump’s surge. Let’s see.

    Pouncer (d90bef)

  25. everything comes out in the wash Mr. Hoagie

    happyfeet (831175)

  26. The history of the United States is revolutionary demographic change through immigration.

    No, it’s not. Read Alien Nation by Peter Brimelow. If the book’s too long, try the National Review cover story it’s based on.

    The 1965 Immigration Act abolished national origin quotas. Before then, immigrants were overwhelmingly European.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  27. Sitting back and calmly imagining — President Cruz would be fine, especially with the GOP Congress to make sure he doesn’t go overboard (e.g. tying currency to price of gold). President Trump would not be fine, because of his New York Democratic political values, especially on judicial nominations. But I wouldn’t be crushed if someone like Kasich pulls an upset in New Hampshire, he’s certainly got the credentials. I will be really really disappointed if there aren’t a lot of GOP withdrawals between Iowa and New Hampshire, because otherwise Trump will run away with it. Image-wise, I’m afraid Rubio is too boyish, Christie is too fat, Bush is too exasperated, Huckabee is too yesterday, Fiorina is too inexperienced, Paul is too libertarian, and Santorum is too much of a long shot.

    Andrew (b12b60)

  28. I am for Cruz. I’ve never been for Trump and I think he’s a shallow buffoon. But right now he’sour shallow buffoon. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Not my BFF, just my friend. At least if he wins the nomination. If he does not, which I believe he will not, then all this is moot and we have insulted each other over nothing. No matter who wins the nomination we all will still be here.

    Hell, I was surprised Trump lasted past the first debate. When his opening remark was about Rand Paul’s appearance I knew he had no class and figured he’d implode shortly. I was wrong. But I believe the more people b!tch about him the more popular he gets, there being no such thing as “bad press”.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  29. National Review’s Manhattan-based editors brand Trump as a “menace to conservatism” and even ding him for his “outer-borough” accent. But who really is the menace – the rough-edged Queens native or the smooth-talking GOP Establishment that has brought us open borders; massive giveaway trade deals; monstrous debt; bank bailouts; and a sprawling government that never stops expanding?

    The failure to ruthlessly oppose and defeat such existential threats to the country – and the passivity in the face of such peril – is the real menace to the credibility of conservatism.*

    happyfeet (831175)

  30. I don’t care if Trump is the reincarnation of Benedict Arnold, he’s right on the issues. He’s the only candidate with the balls to identify the nation’s most pressing problems straight up and face down the noisy PC crowd and their media enablers.

    Ordinary Americans are flocking to his rallies, 10, 20 thousand at a time. Standing in the cold for a chance to hear Trump’s stump speech. It’s a groundswell of support across all the usual political divides. Trump is leading a political tsunami.

    He can beat any candidate the Dems run. It just doesn’t matter – Trump triumphs. I respect the right of other to disagree and to support the candidate of their choice. But the personal assaults on Trump’s backers, largely by Cruz supporters, are proving more than counterproductive, they alienate allies, breakdown long standing political coalitions, and introduce strife where comity was once dominate.

    Support your candidate, sing his praises, but consider this – over-the-top attacks on Trump will only persuade his supporters that you’re part of the problem.

    ropelight (b80664)

  31. Truck Fump. Truck Fump and every brain-dead idolatrous follower of his. And if my stance costs me internet friends, I refer you to the byline on my rarely updated blog site. Again, Truck Fump with a 16 axle big rig.

    John Hitchcock (b495dc)

  32. my goodness that is some boisterous truck fumping you are envisioning as you stroke your 16 axle big rig

    happyfeet (831175)

  33. You’ve lost me John.

    ropelight (b80664)

  34. The 1965 Immigration Act abolished national origin quotas. Before then, immigrants were overwhelmingly European.

    The writing was on the wall once we let in the Irish.

    nk (dbc370)

  35. “that Republicans would go along with Trump’s leftist proposals”

    And this is different from our current situation how?

    I’d much prefer Cruz (and I don’t trust Trump to do what he says), but Trump is popular right now because the current crop of republican legislators did NOT oppose Obama’s policies the way they said they would.

    mark (3b8dfb)

  36. mark, in all fairness Ted Cruz wasn’t part of that turncoat crowd. He stood, usually alone, against the GOP’s capitulation. He’s a good man, an honest man. He deserves our respect.

    ropelight (b80664)

  37. I have a comment in moderation. It’s a response to mark at #37. Why it’s in moderation is a mystery to me.

    ropelight (b80664)

  38. what is it with your ted cruz / lila rose style “conservatives” and heavily edited jumpy jumpy jump cut videos

    it’s kinda perplexing how they think these thingers have magical powers or something

    or do they just think people are stupid?

    happyfeet (831175)

  39. i’m guessing it’s cause mommy and daddy never let them watch the mtv when they were little because satan

    happyfeet (831175)

  40. I still think Cruz wins Iowa, and that all this panicking is over nothing.

    I wonder if you will then have second thoughts about your hysterical reaction to Trump ?

    Nobody has voted yet !

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  41. it’s kinda perplexing how they think these thingers have magical powers or something

    You only think you’re joking. The superstition that something gains in importance, truth and power because somebody put it in writing or in pictures is as strong here and now as it was in the Dark Ages.

    nk (dbc370)

  42. yes yes

    very good point Mr. nk

    happyfeet (831175)

  43. No paddy wagon without the Irish, nk.

    mg (31009b)

  44. speaking of odious populism i just wanna make a point of saying how nice it is that failmerica’s trashy powerball fever has subsided, if only for a little while

    trashy trashy trashy

    happyfeet (831175)

  45. how nice it is that failmerica’s trashy powerball fever has subsided

    Not for me happyfeet. I pushed Mrs. Hoagie out into the snow with a shovel to cut two tire lines from the garage to the street so I can gets me some tickets!

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  46. Its right up there with the O’Donnell panic, like I say the dnt Buckley publication’s response is illconsidered, also when starts to sound like abcarian, time to reconsider. Dejavu they mounted a similar attack on gingrich,

    narciso (b19692)

  47. I can’t believe Donald Trump has all you good conservative guys at each other’s throats and as Mike K stated: “Nobody voted yet!”.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  48. you forgot the pull-tabs mama

    you gonna have to go back

    happyfeet (831175)

  49. New York Times reports Bloomberg again weighing a third party run.

    Charlie Davis (df08d0)

  50. BTW, Mrs. Hoagie likes Trump because….“He crazy guy, crazy guy. But somebody mess up hair. I fix for him”.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  51. Coulter: “GOP=1st political party in history that imports voters for the opposition party.”

    Response: “Indiscriminate mass immigration makes us stronger.”

    This will stop being funny when conservatives plausibly explain how they’re going to take back California. When you lose Texas, too, there will be tears.

    Just laying down a marker.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  52. run bloomberg run

    run like a tampon commercial on lifetime

    happyfeet (831175)

  53. Counter gives me gas, she’s one of the shill horsepersons, to be ecumenical.

    narciso (732bc0)

  54. Argumentum ad equinem.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  55. I invited her to lunch in Morro Bay. She didn’t accept the offer.

    ropelight (b80664)

  56. “Bob Dole is old and Bob Dole is not happy. Everything today is new and improved and Bob Dole doesn’t like it. Bob Dole hates it! In Bob Dole’s day Bob Dole didn’t have a hair dryer. If Bob Dole wanted to blow dry his hair Bob Dole stood outside during a tornado. Bob Dole’s hair was dry but Bob Dole had a sharp piece of wood driven clear through his skull and that’s the way it was and Bob Dole liked it! Bob Dole loved it. Bob Dole didn’t have Manoxigaine or Hair Swirley Swirls in his day, but there was nothing wrong about Kansas that Bob Dole couldn’t throw money at and fix. Bob Dole thinks Donald Trump is such a man. And Bob Dole thinks you should too.”

    – Bob Dole

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  57. But, skinny neurotic blonds with long legs make my monkey dance.

    ropelight (b80664)

  58. 2. You’ve learned Crack Whore’s false dilemma well, Skywalker.

    The only way to go is lose and burn it down or just lose.

    DNF (755a85)

  59. Patterico is being too hard on the guy. Trump was actually for Hillary before he was against her.

    AZ Bob (34bb80)

  60. A little sensitive today?

    DNF (755a85)

  61. . The superstition that something gains in importance, truth and power because somebody put it in writing or in pictures is as strong here and now as it was in the Dark Ages.
    nk (dbc370) — 1/23/2016 @ 6:50 am

    Thank you for saying that, nk. Now everyone repeat it.

    felipe (56556d)

  62. “Who’ll take teh woman with teh skinny legs? Will somebody please take teh woman with the skinny legs?”

    – Joe Tex

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  63. Patterico may have his nose out of joint, but credit where it’s due. Many bloggers would have lost patience with me and kicked my butt down the street by now. We can disagree without being overly disagreeable.

    ropelight (b80664)

  64. “one goy, goy for sale”

    – Mr. Bumble

    felipe (56556d)

  65. How many prominent new Yorkers were not at red queen’s court, maybe it’s something in the water.

    narciso (732bc0)

  66. I thought 21012 produced some nasterly (nasty+masterly) invective on this site, but this is just getting nasty. Serenity now!

    Here’s my solution: Get a grip and wait for the first vote, fer cryin’ out loud.

    felipe (56556d)

  67. First IA poll in a more than a week:

    http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/21/cnn-poll-donald-trump-holds-lead-bernie-sanders-pulling-ahead-in-iowa/

    I think optimism with Cruz taking 6 from Carson and Trump taking 4 is allowed but 11 points is well outside the error band.

    DNF (755a85)

  68. Yes it’s gone completely Seinfeld.

    narciso (732bc0)

  69. so, when Rubio bows out, to whom does he direct his supporters?

    felipe (56556d)

  70. 67. Paul Ryan delenda est, potato bug McConnell dead, Corpulent Karl Rove quartered and rendered for dog food.

    How’m I doin’.

    DNF (755a85)

  71. The Medici is focusing all his fire on him.

    narciso (732bc0)

  72. Lisping billionaire gun-grabbing nanny state liberal planning reverse Perot. Should this come to pass, Trump can start measuring for Oval Office drapes-
    http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/23/politics/michael-bloomberg-president-2016/index.html

    Bugg (db3a97)

  73. Ok, so Bloomberg jumps in as an I, then Cruz gets nominated, then Trumps jumps back in as an I. It’s the battle of four armies again.

    felipe (56556d)

  74. The Breitbart link says only 49%of Repubs have decided for sure who to vote for.

    MD in Philly (not in Philly) (deca84)

  75. Yeah, the more I delve into Trump’s statements on things, the less trustworthy he becomes. Here are just a couple of things I came across this morning.

    1. Trump wants socialist government healthcare –

    http://eaglerising.com/29001/donald-trump-on-obamacare-repeal-it-and-replace-it-with-government-funded-universal-healthcare/

    This past Sunday GOP frontrunner Donald Trump appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes for a one-on-one interview with Scott Pelley about the state of the race and to discuss Trump’s specific positions on certain issues. The most enlightening moment came when the discussion turned to healthcare and Trump had the opportunity to excoriate Obamacare (rightly).

    “Obamacare’s going to be repealed and replaced. Obamacare is a disaster if you look at what’s going on with premiums where they’re up 40, 50, 55 percent,” Trump told Pelley.

    However, instead of then arguing that we should repeal Obamacare and return our nation to a free market based healthcare alternative, Trump actually said that he believed Obamacare wasn’t socialist enough and that the government had to completely take over the healthcare industry!

    Donald Trump: “Everybody’s got to be covered. This is an un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, ‘No, no, the lower 25 percent that can’t afford private.’ But…”

    Scott Pelley: “Universal Healthcare?”

    Donald Trump: “I am going to take care of everybody. I don’t care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody’s going to be taken care of much better than they’re taken care of now.”

    Scott Pelley: “But who’s going to pay for it?”

    Donald Trump: “The government’s gonna pay for it. But we’re going to save so much money on the other side!”

    2. Trump pretends to be a political outsider, yet he donated large contributions to McConnell and to Rove’s anti-Tea Party groups in the last election –

    http://theresurgent.com/in-2013-and-2014-donald-trump-was-funding-john-boehner-mitch-mcconnell-against-the-tea-party/

    In 2013, Donald Trump gave $220,000.00 to organizations, many of them dedicated to stamping out the Tea Party. From Karl Rove’s American Crossroads to Mitch McConnell’s Super PAC, Trump spread out money. Rove got $50,000.00 and McConnell got $60,000.00. Trump also wrote a check to McConnell’s campaign directly for $5,200.00.

    What’s more, Trump also gave $100,000.00 to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican Establishment PAC that was created to crush conservatives at the behest of John Boehner.

    Running as an anti-establishment Republican now and courting Sarah Palin is a distraction from two stark facts.

    In 2010, with the rise of the Tea Party, Trump supported Democrats against conservatives.
    In 2014, Donald Trump supported the Republican Establishment as it sought to crush the tea party and conservatives.
    It is seriously disingenuous to think Trump is somehow now against the very candidates and organizations he funded just two years ago — candidates and politicians he is already again starting to say nice things about.

    3. Trump is all over the place, and flips his position depending on which audience he is talking to –

    http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2016/01/donald-trumps-changing-positions-on.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

    Everyone knows that Donald Trump has been a Democrat, Independent, flirted with Ross Perot’s Reform Party (from the left), and finally running as a Republican. But it isn’t just on abortion, taxes, Obamacare, Obama’s economic policies, and gun control that Trump has had radical changes in his political views.

    While saying that he is a conservative, he has attacked Republicans as being “captives of their right wing.”

    Take changes over the last year:

    — Medicare:

    On October 25, 2015 on ABC News:
    on ABC News’ “This Week” where Trump said he agreed with Carson’s plan to replace the 50-year-old Medicare system with health savings accounts (HSA).”I’m OK with the savings accounts. I think it’s a good idea,” Trump said Sunday. “It’s a very down-the-middle idea. It works. It’s something that’s proven.”
    On the question Sunday about whether he agreed with Carson’s idea that “Medicare probably won’t be necessary,” Trump said, “It’s possible. You’re going to have to look at that. But I’ll tell you what; the health savings accounts, I’ve been talking about it also. I think it’s a very good idea … it’s an idea whose probably time has come.”
    On MSNBC (liberal audience) on October 27, 2015
    “Ben [Carson] wants to knock out Medicare. I heard that over the weekend. He wants to abolish Medicare,” Trump said of Carson’s comments that Medicare “probably won’t be necessary” under his health care plan.
    Trump added: “Abolishing Medicare, I don’t think you’ll get away with that one. It’s actually a program that’s worked. It’s a program that some people love, actually.”

    See that? 2 days between those quotes, but vastly different positions in what appears to be egregious pandering based on different audiences with no principled stand on the issue whatsoever. How is Trump to be trusted, no matter what ostensibly good conservative things he says in front of a conservative audience, when he demonstrates such Clinton-esque slipperiness? Is it any wonder the GOPe is rallying to Trump against Cruz?

    4. Prior to the begrudgingly admitted crash of GOPe candiadates Jeb and Rubio, MSM had no problem pointing out Trump’s lack of consistency or clear principles. From an Aug 2015 article in WaPo, discussing Trump’s penchant for vague generalities and frenetic, minimally substantive flip-flops:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/17/20-times-donald-trump-has-changed-his-mind-since-june/

    There are plenty more places where Trump’s lack of conservative principles – in fact his preference for leftist policies – can be found. He is a salesman…demonstrating the art of the CON. It is a measure of the anger and bitterness over the complete failure of the Obama administration and leftist insanity in general that Trump has thus far tapped into in his rise to the top of the polls.

    I am seeing what would be a laughable parallel to the posturing of the President as portrayed in “Idiocracy” with the manner in which Trump is campaigning…if the very real consequences to our floundering republic were not so dire. If Trump does get elected, it will clearly be a phenomenon of packaging over substance.

    My previous declaration of holding my nose and voting for Trump over the democrats is no longer operative, given what I am coming across on Trump’s affinity for socialist health care and his willingness to “deal” with democrats. The self-contradiction in numerous statements from Trump just over the last year make him, in my mind, almost as untrustworthy as Hillary and Obama.

    Pete (ceb4bf)

  76. Okay, he’s more liberal than conservative. But why is he running? What is he getting from this, winning the biggest deal of all? That doesn’t make sense to me.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  77. I wonder if a person could cobble together a similar line of Limbaugh quotes regarding the job Clinton would do. IN 2007 Rush was trying to extend the Dem primary into extra innings for, what was the reasoning?

    To drain the Dem war chest on intraparty bickering, I guess.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  78. 1:47 am

    Someone was up late last night! 🙂

    Mitch (bfd5cd)

  79. Mr. President Trump looked out upon a broken land.

    “Let’s roll up our sleeves he said,” rolling up his sleeves. “We can make America great again, and you can help, but not if you’re a pouty pouty pouter.”

    And with that said he destroyed all the public employee unions and got rid of all the stupid ethanols!

    And that was just the first day!

    And a grateful nation set straight away on building on these accomplishments.

    Two weeks later America was great again!

    But not forgotten was the struggle it took to get there.

    happyfeet (831175)

  80. I’ll make this prediction: If Trump is President, there will be no mass deportations of illegals. In fact (as I said in another thread) I think that idea will probably disappear during during the general election campaign.

    Gerald A (949d7d)

  81. Deportations aren’t necessary when illegals know their best option is to go home voluntarily.

    ropelight (b80664)

  82. I get the impression Pat doesn’t really care anymore.

    Well, Bill H he should care. There is no good reason why Republicans and conservatives shouldn’t be able to discuss people ad policies among themselves without being berated. I think we get enough of that from leftists and their coconspirators in the media.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27) — 1/23/2016 @ 6:01 am

    I actually should retract what I said, and modify it to he does care. Otherwise, why add to the discussion. It’s probably more of a reflection on me and my attitude. I don’t mind discussing the world events around me. I recognize that everyone has an opinion (and no, I’m not comparing them to a specific bodily orifice). But I really do get Patterico’s frustration. Even on his own blog, his dime, his platform he gets commenters who just can’t seem to respect his opinion. The latest thing is his desire to see Cruz as the GOP nominee. Commenters aren’t just disagreeing, they’re pointing out that Pat is flat wrong, and here’s how. God forbid that they spend their time writing on their own blog and add their voice to the cacophony, oh no. I think Pat has simply decided to answer like with like. It gets tiring having to explain your positions time and again to the “X candidate at ANY cost” crazies who just will not even consider reason.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  83. Okay, he’s more liberal than conservative. But why is he running? What is he getting from this, winning the biggest deal of all? That doesn’t make sense to me.

    Patricia (5fc097) — 1/23/2016 @ 8:15 am

    It’s ego, Patricia. Just how many people get to add “President of the United States” to their resume?

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  84. And with that said he destroyed all the public employee unions and got rid of all the stupid ethanols!

    Be realistic. He will mandate consumption of ethanol-enhanced Brawndo as a component of Trumpcare.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  85. he is very wise

    happyfeet (831175)

  86. Want more evidence that Trump is a con-man without principles?

    http://dailycaller.com/2016/01/22/trump-has-never-voted-in-a-republican-primary/

    “In many cases, I probably identify more as a Democrat,” Trump said on CNN in 2004. “If you go back, it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans.”

    Any doubt as to where it seems Trump’s ideology belongs? How’s this?

    In 2008, Trump expressed surprise that then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not attempt to impeach President George W. Bush over the 2003 invasion of Iraq. “It just seemed like she was going to really look to impeach Bush and get him out of office, which, personally, I think would have been a wonderful thing,” Trump said on CNN.

    The same year, Trump called Pelosi “a very impressive person.”

    In 2007, the billionaire real estate developer appeared on CNN to to excoriate then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as “very sad” and to call Hugo Chavez, then president of Venezuela, “a lot smarter than” Bush.

    Is this an example of someone with consistent principles? Hardly…

    For years, Trump has also zealously praised Hillary Clinton as “really a very terrific woman.”

    “I think she’s a very, very brilliant person, and as a senator in New York, she has done a great job,” he gushed in 2007. “Everybody loves her.”

    In 2008, Trump applauded Obama’s selection of Clinton as his secretary of state nominee. “I think Hillary is a great appointment,” he said. (RELATED: Report: Emails At The Highest Classification Levels Found On Hillary’s Private Server)

    Trump has also given between $100,001 and $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation.

    And what about Trump’s recent statements claiming he is pro-life?

    http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/trump-in-1999-i-am-very-pro-choice-480297539914

    The evidence is mounting, IMHO, that Trump’s popularity – if the polls are accurate – is a similar cult of personality phenomenon to what led to Obama’s election in 2008, combined with a poorly informed electorate upset over national economic decline, groping for a lifeline to pull them out of the dark. In 2008 it was war-weariness and an idiotic compulsion to be one of the “cool” people to vote for the first black-skinned president (completely missing the blatant racism inherent in such a position). In 2016 it seems to be economic frustration coupled with anger over the decline in US prestige around the world that has people fawning over Trump’s tough-guy public persona barking nativistic calls for restoring American economic and military greatness.

    Bottom line – I do not trust Trump to actually follow through with what he is calling for on his campaign website based on his past pro-leftist statements and actions.

    Pete (ceb4bf)

  87. I respect Patterico’s opinion. And, I believe he respects mine, he doesn’t like it, he actively opposes it, but he continues to allow me to voice it. That’s the mark of an honorable man. I wish some of the commenters here had the brains and the class to do likewise.

    ropelight (b80664)

  88. Deportations aren’t necessary when illegals know their best option is to go home voluntarily.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 8:39 am

    Good luck with that.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  89. I don’t think we’ve been all that nasty. Nasty would be something like “Dibs on Melania when Trump dumps her for Kaitlyn Jenner”.

    nk (dbc370)

  90. Well that would make no sense.

    narciso (732bc0)

  91. illegals go home when you put a padlock on the cookie jar

    this is obvious to anyone who is willing to do the analysis and understands cookies

    happyfeet (831175)

  92. Berlusconi for garner some degree of success with the bossi/fini laws of your looking for parallels.

    narciso (732bc0)

  93. You haven’t thought very deeply about this issue, have you Bill? First the carrot, then the stick.

    ropelight (b80664)

  94. i never heard of this before!

    i want one!

    happyfeet (831175)

  95. I respect Patterico’s opinion. And, I believe he respects mine, he doesn’t like it, he actively opposes it, but he continues to allow me to voice it. That’s the mark of an honorable man. I wish some of the commenters here had the brains and the class to do likewise.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 8:49 am

    I don’t think we’ve been all that nasty. Nasty would be something like “Dibs on Melania when Trump dumps her for Kaitlyn Jenner”.

    nk (dbc370) — 1/23/2016 @ 8:51 am

    Look, you don’t like Cruz for whatever reason, fine. It’s still months away from the general election, hell not even the first primaries have been held yet. But if you’re going to be anti-Cruz on what is essentially a pro-Cruz site, at the very least understand you’re on tenuous ground and your views are going to be scrutineered to within an inch of their lives. And ropelight, I gotta tell you, Patterico hasn’t been so much honorable as he has been patient. I’m assuming that’s a big plus in his day job.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  96. Now, I am going to hold my breath . . .

    Scoob (580f73)

  97. Instead of using the stick which doesn’t work, use the carrot like rago’s interview in the journal.

    narciso (732bc0)

  98. “chump sucker”

    Wow, that’s the way to win friends and influence people, but that’s the Sieg Heil nature of the Cruzzers.

    Disagree with them and they call you every name in the book.

    Sorry, but that kind of fanaticism over any politician is going to do more to turn me off toward him than anything else. Cruzzers also project a lot (no contradiction can ever make them question their fearless leader) and tend to be more than a little delusional regarding how the One True Ted can govern since the One True Ted will never compromise – unless they can tell us how he gets Congress to do anything unless there is a major influx of Conservatives next year.

    They also lie a lot. The supposed “endorsement” of Trump by the Republican Establishment turns out to be resignation to the fact Trump might win.

    Sorry, guys, you’re the ones being played as much as anybody else.

    formwiz (6b3a5a)

  99. “It’s ego, Patricia. Just how many people get to add “President of the United States” to their resume?”

    Agreed, Bill H. That would be yuuuuuge!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  100. The supposed “endorsement” of Trump by the Republican Establishment turns out to be resignation to the fact Trump might win.

    this is my sense as well

    they don’t have another hundred mil to throw at jebbio

    and frankly i think they understand that the stakes this year are simply not all that high

    trashy tatted-up cowardly failmerica is screwed like a tw0-dollar pooper no matter which particular slutty slutty lowlife wins

    which is kind of sad if you think about it

    happyfeet (831175)

  101. 🙁

    happyfeet (831175)

  102. You haven’t thought very deeply about this issue, have you Bill? First the carrot, then the stick.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:00 am

    No. Not at all. I’ve been living it for so long here in San Diego that I just do not see the forest for the trees.

    The carrot/stick approach has been promised before. It does not work in this case. Life is just too good here. Between the Mexican government actively encouraging people to flee here and our government rolling out the welcome mat to anyone who makes it past La Migra, that carrot/stick approach gets pretty weak really fast. But it’s all the job market’s fault anyway. No gardeners or hotel maids without illegals.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  103. #TedCruz may be the best candidate we’ve seen in decades. Just wish his team would be honest with him about his delivery. It’s hurting him. – Mr. John Cardillo

    hmmm somebody put his thinking cap on

    dangerous!

    happyfeet (831175)

  104. So the Democrats are going to nominate a Marxist and the Republicans are going to nominate a Democrat.

    Is this “hope and change” or what?

    I agree that Cruz may still take Iowa but it is hard to predict much past that.

    I am not sure I trust these polls saying Kasich is “surging” in New Hampshire.

    Of course, you can’t really trust most polls any more than you can trust the MSM.

    It’s Cruz of the Constitution Party for me. I don’t vote for Democrats or Marxists….

    WarEagle82 (3f92a9)

  105. Agreed, Bill H. That would be yuuuuuge!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:05 am

    Big enough to fill a 40,000 seat stadium, Herr Oberst.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  106. On my part, Cruz has nothing to do with my dislike of Trump. 1. I disliked him since he was married to Ivana for things ranging from his predatory business practices to his New Yorker personality. 2. Walker was my huckleberry and I would not be giving Cruz a second’s thought if he were still in the race. I dislike Trump for all his negatives, his positions on social issues, his personal life, his manipulation of the worst instincts of people, and his facile changes worse than Obama’s. And that combover is ridiculous.

    nk (dbc370)

  107. if he were everyone’s cup of tea there wouldn’t be enough cups to go around anyways Mr. nk

    happyfeet (831175)

  108. unless we bought some from china

    happyfeet (831175)

  109. Well, Bill, rolling up the red carpet and turning off the entitlement spigot along with notification that any illegals still here one year from now will not only forfeit all their property but be subject to 10 years at hard labor, without exception, might get their attention.

    ropelight (b80664)

  110. hmmm somebody put his thinking cap on

    dangerous!

    happyfeet (831175) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:11 am

    OK Happyfeet, you’ve made your point (?). So let me ask you this: considering that you seem to agree that Cruz’ biggest problem (one of them, anyway) is his not the message but how he presents it, do you- would you- at least consider Cruz as the nominee? Note that I didn’t ask you to vote for him, just consider his position.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  111. An extraordinary column today in the Washington Examiner:

    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-op-ed-my-vision-for-a-culture-of-life/article/2581271

    This Donald I could vote for.

    Andrew (3e6bde)

  112. Perez is still stuck with his cupcakes. Btw where is tom cotton in this dialogue?

    narciso (732bc0)

  113. Ego? I don’t know. Seems like there are easier ways to stroke his ego than subjecting himself to the will (and criticism and pure hatred) of the people for four years.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  114. Well, Bill, rolling up the red carpet and turning off the entitlement spigot along with notification that any illegals still here one year from now will not only forfeit all their property but be subject to 10 years at hard labor, without exception, might get their attention.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:19 am

    Like I commented at 88 (for all you skinheads playing at home, that’s NOT what it means!), good luck with that.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  115. would you – at least consider Cruz as the nominee? Note that I didn’t ask you to vote for him, just consider his position.

    he’s a nasty kim davis butt snuffler i think

    and to boot i think he’s a hugy harvardtrash phony

    his “convictions” such as they are, they’re just a persona he thinks will work for him

    you’re taught this sort of self-promotion as a wee small trashling at harvard, and Ted already had a head start as we learned in that article DRJ linked for us

    CRUZ: Well, it was — it was an interesting background. I was growing up in Houston. In grade school and junior high, I was, I guess you would say, a geek. I was academically very good at school but was not a good athlete and was not popular in junior high. And then I spent a great deal of time thinking about, OK, what do the popular kids do that’s different. And I began modifying my behavior to emulate — to try and be popular. And I enjoyed some modicum of success.

    this is who he is

    this is why he huffs the bigot butt

    it’s all about the brand

    happyfeet (831175)

  116. *huge* harvardtrash phony i mean

    huge with an e

    happyfeet (831175)

  117. Hillary is more intrinsically leftwing than Trump is, or the type who clings to liberalism noticeably more than what an opportunist like Trump will do. Hillary is so defective — so shameless — that the public revelation of all the super top-secret information she apparently was treating quite casually as SOS probably elicits more of a shrug than even sheer embarrassment from her—-after all, she has managed to be the spectacle and joke as Bill’s wife and doormat for decades.

    However, it’s pathetic that such extremely flawed people like Clinton and Trump have managed to push their way to the top, although they’re merely in keeping with what currently is in the White House, with what the US has declined to over the past 70 years.

    Mark (f713e4)

  118. Any pro-life so-called conservative who hasn’t read Trump’s column in the Washington Examiner linked at #112 should do so before commenting. Just Sayin’

    ropelight (b80664)

  119. Ego? I don’t know. Seems like there are easier ways to stroke his ego than subjecting himself to the will (and criticism and pure hatred) of the people for four years.

    Patricia (5fc097) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:26 am

    A big enough ego is one hell of an insulator. Look at what it’s done for Preezy 404. It allowed him to say things like his election will slow the rise of the oceans and that we didn’t build our businesses. Consider just how much of a meglomaniac Trump is going to be with an ego as yuuuuuge as his is. He’s going to be extremely difficult to deal with, and he is not going to care who gets hurt.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  120. Alright you want a dystopian model, Aaron mccone in timecop.

    narciso (732bc0)

  121. Ummm, Bill, you didn’t comment at #88, I did.

    ropelight (b80664)

  122. Public funding of abortion providers is an insult to people of conscience at the least and an affront to good governance at best.

    what a nice way of phrasing this Mr. The Donald

    you have a very good delivery

    happyfeet (831175)

  123. And then I spent a great deal of time thinking about, OK, what do the popular kids do that’s different. And I began modifying my behavior to emulate — to try and be popular. And I enjoyed some modicum of success.

    this is who he is

    this is why he huffs the bigot butt

    it’s all about the brand

    happyfeet (831175) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:32 am

    OK, I get that it’s all about branding. Nothing unusual there. What I don’t get is what is bigoted about wanting what damn near every other kid wants? I was also pretty good academically, and I also wasn’t very good athletically. I wasn’t very well received in high school until my senior year, when I went from 300+ classmates to 27.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  124. Ummm, Bill, you didn’t comment at #88, I did.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:38 am

    I thought that was my reply to you. Ach- doesn’t matter. We still have a running conversation.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  125. Ah Patrick–you may be faced next November with a choice between the lesser of two evils.

    Sorta reminds me of the choice I had to make between George McGovern and Richard Nixon in 1972. I’d been raised to believe that Ol Milhous was the Devil incarnate (my Dad was a Texas born yellow dog Democrat). On the other hand George McGovern was anathema to me.

    So in the 1972 general election booth in California, who ya gonna vote for? I finally punched the ballot for McGovern—but only because I was convinced that there was no way that McGovern was going to carry California. If there had been any risk of McGovern winning California, I would have had to have voted for Nixon.

    Think on that lesson Mr. Frey. You may have to make a similar mental calculation in November. Although since California is now irretrievably blue in the general election, your vote may not make much difference. California will throw its votes to the “D” no matter how loathsome he (or she) is.

    Comanche Voter (1d5c8b)

  126. What I don’t get is what is bigoted about wanting what damn near every other kid wants?

    nonono what was bigoted was his weirdo decision to suspend his campaign to return to Kentucky and arm wrassle Mike Huckabee for Kim Davis butt snuffling privileges

    you can’t tack to the center from this in the general

    this defines who you are as a person

    happyfeet (831175)

  127. it’s like a neck tattoo

    happyfeet (831175)

  128. Wow, that’s the way to win friends and influence people, but that’s the Sieg Heil nature of the Cruzzers. Disagree with them and they call you every name in the book.

    No one’s hands are clean in that regards. Everyone is starting to manifest the very thin-skinned, pissed off, pro-silencing, pro-Facebook-unfriending nature of Trump and some of those in Cruz’s camp, much less those from the devout left or the loyal Democrats.

    This website has been, and even more so right now is, quite an eye opener to me.

    Very sad, indeed.

    Mark (f713e4)

  129. formwiz (6b3a5a) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:03 am

    Cruzzers also project a lot (no contradiction can ever make them question their fearless leader)

    What contradictions?

    and tend to be more than a little delusional regarding how the One True Ted can govern since the One True Ted will never compromise – unless they can tell us how he gets Congress to do anything unless there is a major influx of Conservatives next year.

    I thought that was the whole idea behind TRUMP. He “gets things done!” yadda yadda. I assume getting things done means HIS way, not the establishment’s way (we can get Bush for that can’t we?). Talk about projection.

    They also lie a lot. The supposed “endorsement” of Trump by the Republican Establishment turns out to be resignation to the fact Trump might win.

    Who exactly said they “endorsed” Trump? Did Patterico say that? If you’re going to accuse people of lying you should know some specific quotes. There have been numerous quotes to the effect that they prefer Trump. There have been statements that some would prefer to see Trump be the nominee and lose than for Cruz to be elected.

    Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Thursday the Republican establishment is “warming up” to his candidacy as he ramped up his attacks against his chief rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

    “I think they’re warming up. I want to be honest, I have received so many phone calls from people that you would call establishment, from people — generally speaking … conservatives, Republicans — that want to come onto our team,” Trump told reporters in Las Vegas before an appearance at the Outdoor Sportsman Awards.

    . . . .

    Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Thursday there’s nothing wrong with a little deal-making to get things done.

    “You know what? There’s a point at which: Let’s get to be a little establishment,” Trump told about 1,500 people at a rally at the Las Vegas South Point Resort and Casino. “We’ve got to get things done folks, OK? Believe me, don’t worry. We’re going to make such great deals.”

    We keep getting these Trumpites talking about him “blowing things up” or some such thing. In fact a couple of them on another thread suggested Trump’s a threat to government employees, the bureaucracy blah blah blah.

    What was that again about “no contradiction can ever make them question their fearless leader”?

    Talk about delusional.

    Sorry, guys, you’re the ones being played as much as anybody else.
    LOL.

    Gerald A (949d7d)

  130. Don’t be too sure, CV, it ain’t over till the fat lady counts the votes. Trump wins California and the sun rises in the West.

    ropelight (b80664)

  131. Think on that lesson Mr. Frey. You may have to make a similar mental calculation in November. Although since California is now irretrievably blue in the general election, your vote may not make much difference. California will throw its votes to the “D” no matter how loathsome he (or she) is.

    Comanche Voter (1d5c8b) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:47 am

    Unfortunately, that’s been a point that most of the California based commenters have made, most especially Patterico himself. I realize that I’m going to have to make that calculation. It pains me because I shouldn’t have to think that way. I should be able to go in the booth, cast my vote, and may the best man (even in Sir Hilary’s case) win. It’s going to take a political disaster of monstrous proportions to wake this state up.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  132. in the next recession, California’s gonna be laid out flat on its back something awful

    but then so is chicago

    happyfeet (831175)

  133. “The past is another country, and the Chamber of Commerce Republicans gave it away. Reagan’s California no longer exists. And, if America as a whole takes on the demographics of California, then ‘the conservative movement’ will no longer exist. That’s why, for many voters, re-asserting America’s borders is the first, necessary condition for anything else – and it took Trump to put that on the table.”

    Mark Steyn

    scrutineer (17265e)

  134. California?!?! More like Mexifornia…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  135. Don’t be too sure, CV, it ain’t over till the fat lady counts the votes. Trump wins California and the sun rises in the West.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:52 am

    Do you even live in California? Trump has attached an R after his name in a Presidential race. With San Francisco/Bay Area and Los Angeles comprising about 2/3 of the electorate here, Trump isn’t winning dog catcher, much less the electoral votes for President. Let’s put it this way- I will be absolutely stunned if he does, and will actively support him from his inauguration and on his reelection.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  136. in the next recession, California’s gonna be laid out flat on its back something awful

    but then so is chicago

    happyfeet (831175) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:58 am

    Done and done already, Happyfeet. You were in N. Hollywood for a while. You should know.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  137. i miss it so much i honestly do

    but they were raping me, and no means no

    happyfeet (831175)

  138. happyfeet, you forgot to mention Cruz’s pack of Canadian-trained wolverine-chupacabra hybrids that he lets out every night to capture the children of gay couples and bring them back to him so he can sacrifice them with the Castro brothers (the Cuban ones) in dark Santeria rites to Ilyich Changovich the eldritch god of Havana.

    nk (dbc370)

  139. ok now we’re starting to connect the dots

    Nine human skulls and other possible human and animal bones were found in a Los Angeles County store that sells Santeria products on Friday.

    happyfeet (831175)

  140. Lil’ Dubya on the hard streets of Compton, 1950.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  141. #138, Bill, although I no longer live in California – I now reside in SW Florida – I spent almost 40 wonderful years in the Golden State and an additional 10 more in the Silver State. I worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab when Aopllo went to the moon, and I lived in Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Santa Barbara (graduated UCSB), San Francisco, Marina del Rey, Morro Bay, and Cayucos.

    I’ve traveled from the Oregon border in the North to Tijuana in the South, all over the mighty San Joaquin valley, up and down the Sierra Mountains, East to West and North to South, from the mountains to the sea and out to Catalina Island, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa.

    I’m no stranger to California, and I won’t take a back seat to anyone.

    ropelight (b80664)

  142. Make that #134.

    ropelight (b80664)

  143. Tom Cotton?

    He is awaiting appointment to Sec of Defense,
    And boy will he clean house,
    Then he will move over to Intel and do the same

    MD in Philly (not in Philly) (deca84)

  144. The entire field except Trump promises to continue or accelerate revolutionary demographic change via immigration. Please explain why this doesn’t matter.

    I will not answer a question with a false premise. Instead I will ask you why you are making up stuff about Cruz.

    Patterico (dd79dd)

  145. Any pro-life so-called conservative who hasn’t read Trump’s column in the Washington Examiner linked at #112 should do so before commenting. Just Sayin’

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 9:35 am

    Great words, if he actually believes them, but as I have come to discover, exceptionally vague on actual declaration of what he will do. He has not said, “I will on my first day in office by executive order end all federal funding of Planned Parenthood and give explicit instructions to my Attorney General to begin an in-depth investigation of all PP facilities in the country to determine if federal laws against the selling of fetal remains – or any other laws – occurred.”

    See my post above which references Trump’s 1999 statements in which he expresses his strong pro-choice beliefs. Granted, in the Op-Ed you linked, he states that he has changed his position to being pro-life. But as has been pointed out in various places, Trump’s words and plans are expressed as glittering generalities with little substantive description of exactly HOW he will achieve whatever goal he proclaims to want to accomplish.

    In trying to be objective, I will say that on his campaign website, of the 5 positions he outlines his plans, he does provide the beginning of a practical description of what his tax reform plan would be -vis a vis new (lower) tax rates, complete end to the death tax, a lowering of the corporate tax rate, and a method for bringing funds that companies have sent overseas back into the US economy with a lowered one-time penalty fee. Sounds pretty good (for a start) if you can accept Trump at his word.

    The more I listen to and read Trump’s words and plans, the more he comes across as one of those internet ads promising that THEIR all-natural testosterone booster is the REAL DEAL that will make you feel like you did back when you were 20! Is it possible that Trump has changed all of his progressive positions over the last 12 to 18 months? Possibly. But again, it seems rather strange that Trump is claiming the mantle of the political outsider when as recently as 2014 he was funding the very GOP elitists like McConnell and Boehner who have betrayed the grassroots conservatives on policy issues time and time again.

    For this Cruz versus Trump ideological battle, it seems simply comparing the platforms of each of the candidates against the candidates’ own actions and public statements over the last 30 years would seem to be a more reliable indicator of how either of them would behave upon winning the Oval Office. This name-calling and spit-ball lobbing skirmishing does nothing but divide us against the real enemy, which is the progressive left.

    Pete (ceb4bf)

  146. #138, Bill, although I no longer live in California – I now reside in SW Florida – I spent almost 40 wonderful years in the Golden State and an additional 10 more in the Silver State. I worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab when Aopllo went to the moon, and I lived in Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Santa Barbara (graduated UCSB), San Francisco, Marina del Rey, Morro Bay, and Cayucos.

    I’ve traveled from the Oregon border in the North to Tijuana in the South, all over the mighty San Joaquin valley, up and down the Sierra Mountains, East to West and North to South, from the mountains to the sea and out to Catalina Island, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa.

    I’m no stranger to California, and I won’t take a back seat to anyone.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 10:57 am

    Well, my California bonafides are just as solid: born in San Diego (one of the rarest of Ca natives!), I’ve spent time in Pasadena, Sierra Madre (no, not gainsaying you, I really have lived in those two places), Costa Mesa, Fresno, Oceanside, Sunland and probably a couple of other places I just don’t remember. Coincidentally, I had a friend (now deceased) who worked for JPL. So that we’ve both had some fairly serious tours of the state, we should both be familiar with the state politics. You mention the Apollo program, which does put you back right around Pat Brown and Reagan. I’m a little further forward, starting with Jerry Browns first go at wrecking the state.

    Which leads me to wonder- just how in the hell do you think Trump will carry California? Right around 2/3 of the state’s voting bloc reside in the Bay Area and Los Angeles and environs. That, and Sacramento comprise a blue bloc that will not only vote wholesale for the candidate with the D next to their name, but this is a winner take all state. All electoral votes go to one person. I’m doubting seriously that Trump would have any real success running for state assembly, much less President of the United states.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  147. I don’t believe I’ve shortchanged Ted Cruz. I respect the man, I honor his commitment to conservative principles and I acknowledge his integrity, his willingness to stand up for American values.

    It’s just that I don’t believe he meets the minimum constitutional requirements to run for the presidency as a natural born citizen. It’s that simple.

    ropelight (b80664)

  148. i miss it so much i honestly do

    but they were raping me, and no means no

    happyfeet (831175) — 1/23/2016 @ 10:11 am

    Well, sorry, but if by that you mean taxes, fees, and regulations, you went from frying pan to fire in fairly short order.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  149. Patterico #146: because that is how politics is, now. We make stuff up about people we don’t like, we reinforce it on Twitter and Facebook, and it becomes the instinctive meme when we vote.

    At the same time, we excuse “our” person of whatever, using a yardstick that is, um, not equitable.

    Simon Jester (74262f)

  150. I don’t believe I’ve shortchanged Ted Cruz. I respect the man, I honor his commitment to conservative principles and I acknowledge his integrity, his willingness to stand up for American values.

    It’s just that I don’t believe he meets the minimum constitutional requirements to run for the presidency as a natural born citizen. It’s that simple.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 12:04 pm

    Ok. Good. We’re down to the crux of your argument. I know you’ve stated that before, but it gets lost in all the other noise. Now we have someplace to actually argue from.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  151. Well, Bill, I was in college when Jerry Brown came to UCSB in his first effort to win the State house. He wore khaki slacks, penny loaders, and a double breasted navy blue blazer with brass buttons.

    Jerry was on a roll, he was dating Linda Ronstadt at the time and hadn’t yet acquired the name of Governor Moonbeam.

    ropelight (b80664)

  152. yeah i don’t think i can settle here for too long, which is sad

    i’m madly in love with this city

    happyfeet (831175)

  153. Bill, you’re late to the party. This is well plowed ground. We went over it ad nauseaum about a week ago.

    ropelight (b80664)

  154. Well, Bill, I was in college when Jerry Brown came to UCSB in his first effort to win the State house. He wore khaki slacks, penny loaders, and a double breasted navy blue blazer with brass buttons.

    Jerry was on a roll, he was dating Linda Ronstadt at the time and hadn’t yet acquired the name of Governor Moonbeam.

    ropelight (b80664) — 1/23/2016 @ 12:15 pm

    Yeah, but it was coming. IIRC Linda Ronstadt was still his main squeeze when he was elected Governor. I also remember that he like to affect himself as a “man of the people” by driving a beat up Plymouth and living in an apartment near the Governor’s Mansion. Such a go–amn phony.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  155. What I like about Trump is that he never has a nasty word for anyone, and he’s been totally consistent in his political beliefs for the past two weeks.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  156. Bill, I was an undergrad at UCLA when Jerry Brown was trying to run for Prez during that period. He gave a speech on campus and wanted questions from the audience. I was about the third questioner. I asked him what it was like to date Linda Ronstadt.

    He broke character, and blurted “Why do you want to know?”

    “Just curious,” I replied. Everybody laughed. He didn’t

    It was on the local news at the time.

    He should have smiled and replied either “Fabulous,” or “You will never know.”

    Simon Jester (74262f)

  157. He should have smiled and replied either “Fabulous,” or “You will never know.”

    Simon Jester (74262f) — 1/23/2016 @ 12:23 pm

    I guess I should count myself lucky that I didn’t graduate high school until 5/77. Deukmejian would be my first vote for Gov.

    Bill H (dcdd7b)

  158. Speaking of Linda Rhonstadt, she sang with Aaron Neville at the California State Fair in Paso Robles, I was there with a fun healthy girl from Waukesha. It was wonderful and if she’s reading this – give me a call.

    ropelight (b80664)

  159. “And, if America as a whole takes on the demographics of California, then ‘the conservative movement’ will no longer exist. – Mark Steyn

    Another Mark appears to understand the concept of “demographics is destiny” along with a dynamic that’s closely related to that: People ultimately voting with their feet and the moving van.

    A very liberal, permissive culture and government (and politicians) are analogous to overly easygoing, spoil-them-rotten, naive, clueless, foolish parents. The household under the eyes of such a couple (assuming we’re not eventually dealing with an increasingly polygamous culture) perhaps will retain a bit of normalcy and decency if all the kids living under the roof are innately stable, honest, reliable, talented and self-reliant. But most humans don’t reflect those positive traits, and too many humans will happily exploit a situation when those qualities have been diminished, if not totally wiped out.

    We in America (and the Western World in general) may be in for more and more of a very rude awakening as each decade goes by, with too many two-faced folks (many of them on the left) finding themselves voting with…their feet and the moving van, waving good-bye to all the saps and suckers caught in a bind and left behind.

    Mark (f713e4)

  160. In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m not really in persuasion mode these days.

    If you’re considering voting Trump because I hurt your feelings by calling you a chump sucker, then you’d have to admit that you’re allowing your feelings to trump rational thought. Well, guess what? That’s what I’m doing by calling you chump suckers for considering voting for a Democrat: venting my own frustrations (elevating feelings) over a very marginal possible electoral gain (being courteous and attempting not to alienate those who disagree). If you think it’s wrong for me to elevate my feelings over practical considerations, why is it OK for you to do the exact same thing?

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  161. That said, I think these sort of obnoxious posts will pass soon. Part of me recognizes that I’m giving into anger, and that’s not good. Not because my largely unheard might irrelevantly shift one or two votes, which is meaningless. Rather, more for my own peace of mind.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  162. In other words, Bill H was right: I don’t care that I’m not persuading you. I never thought I was. This is basically primal scream therapy.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  163. Yup. Because of his enablers.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  164. Oh, never mind, he didn’t really say that:

    I probably shouldn’t have put this correction here . . . just to see if any Trumpeters came along and said “come on, he only said if he shot ONE person!”

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  165. Been ghosting for a few days…great comments by Patterico st al.

    My complaint with trump is simple and hopefully straightforward…his principles require our inference and wilful ignorance of of his past. Most of us understand that our individual inalienable rights stem from the Declaration in the face of tyranny – Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Such is true with all virtues are the from the fount of humility.

    Trump doesn’t see our rights nor respect the concept of humility. Please, those who follow his false flag, seek another.

    pieter (ec44a2)

  166. He’s calling you unreasonable fanatics. We have reached the point where he feels comfortable calling his voters unreasonable fanatics, right to their faces (even as a joke), because . . . he knows he wouldn’t lose any voters.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  167. I’ve been called worse. It ain’t no big thing.

    ropelight (b80664)

  168. Sorry, the actual tweet has the Vine embedded, but apparently embedding the tweet does not embed the Vine. So I’ll do it. Trump voters, here is Donald Trump calling you unreasonable fanatics, right to your face:

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  169. i don’t think he’d really shoot anybody unless if they were a terrorist or maybe a bank robber or something

    happyfeet (831175)

  170. i bet though if el jebbio shot someone all his voters would be like screw this loser i’m voting for someone else

    happyfeet (831175)

  171. i bet you ten dollars

    happyfeet (831175)

  172. Speaking of butt snuffling.

    Simon Jester (2708f4)

  173. oh huh i’m not even gonna vote for him

    happyfeet (831175)

  174. It’s hilarious how the rabid Trump supporters go into full meltdown mode whenever they’re asked questions. Somebody will ask a Trump supporter, “Say, friend, what do you think of this weather?” and the response will be, “You’re not nice—you’re calling me names—now I totally can’t vote for Ted Cruz, and it’s all your fault, you jerkity jerk!”

    Meanwhile, Trump is on television telling everyone they’re jerks and losers, while simulataneously making crude remarks about Megyn Kelly’s monthly cycle, Carly Fiorina’s face, or Rosie O’Donnell’s weight, or even suggesting that Ben Carson wasn’t all that good of a doctor.

    But if you ask a Trump supporter, “Hey, what’s the deal with The Donald’s support for the Kelo Decision?”—you risk the accusation that you’re a secret covert undercover supporter of…Hillary.
    (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  175. “….oh huh i’m not even gonna vote…”

    Fixed that for you.

    Simon Jester (2708f4)

  176. thanks!

    happyfeet (831175)

  177. The primary arguments for Trump’ s candidacy- immigration stance and anti-establishment rabble rousing non-PC oratory. Well, both ideas are being carried by other candidates, one of them in second place in the Republican primary. The difference, by objective comparison of history, is that Trump has a varied and apparently self serving nature…the other guy, much less so and with less personal insult toward fellow Rs.

    For a guy who uses the word “classy” alot, pretty sure he doesn’t know the definition. His followers are setting the rest of us up for another unvetted cult of personality Obama.

    pieter (ec44a2)

  178. “I could stand in the middle of 5th Ave and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.” #MakeAmericaGreatAgain https://t.co/BMf7VHq2LB

    — Eric Hoteham (@erichoteham) January 23, 2016

    He’s calling you unreasonable fanatics. We have reached the point where he feels comfortable calling his voters unreasonable fanatics, right to their faces (even as a joke), because . . . he knows he wouldn’t lose any voters.

    Patterico (86c8ed) — 1/23/2016 @ 1:10 pm

    According to one of the Trumpites here, Cruz supporters are being played, although he didn’t bother to provide any specifics.

    Gerald A (949d7d)

  179. At #100 in this thread, formwiz suggested those of us who do not support Trump are merely a bunch of Nazis, when he wrote the following,

    “Wow, that’s the way to win friends and influence people, but that’s the Sieg Heil nature of the Cruzzers.”

    ————

    Again, these are the same Trump people crying that other people are calling them names. Yet they’re often first in line to play the Hitler card, or make comments about Carly Fiorina’s face, or Megyn Kelly’s menstrual cycle. And if you question them about it, they’ll once again accuse you of being “mean.”

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  180. If it’s Trump vs. Hillary, you’ll have a choice between an unprincipled, nasty Democrat and Hillary Clinton.

    I like this line so much I’m going to steal it.

    I never voted for a Democrat for President and I’m not starting with this guy.

    In 2009, I voted for a Democrat for the first time in 25 years. The Ds nominated Bill Thompson for mayor of NYC, while Bloomberg pulled a constitutional fast one to get permission to run for a third term. There was a real chance that Thompson could win, and for a D he’s halfway sane. So I voted for him, figuring that if we must have a D mayor at least he should have a D after his name. I wouldn’t vote for Clinton over Bloomberg and Trump, but nor would I vote for either of them over her, even if I were in a close state.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  181. Clinton v Trump v Bloomberg would be three New Yorkers, all representing “New York values”, and we do know exactly what Cruz meant by that, and he was right.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  182. The entire field except Trump promises to continue or accelerate revolutionary demographic change via immigration.

    In other words more brown people. There is no room in the Republican party for racists.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  183. In times past some have said there is always a worst candidate to vote against,
    Others have said, no, sometimes the choice is so bad it’s not worth making.

    It doesn’t have to be all that bad to be not worth making. Neither Dole nor Bill Clinton were terrible candidates; I’d have taken either one of them over Perot. But Perot wasn’t in any danger of winning, so I didn’t have to vote for one of the other two to stop him. And I really couldn’t see any reason why one of them was worse than the other. Even in hindsight I still can’t. For every bad policy decision that Clinton made in his second term, Dole would have made one just as bad, often the same one.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  184. The 1965 Immigration Act abolished national origin quotas

    Which were blatantly racist and insupportable.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  185. The national origin quota system was introduced in 1921 for the express and blatant purpose of limiting Jooos, Italians, and Japanese. That’s why they set the comparison year at 1890 instead of 1920.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  186. This Donald I could vote for.

    These are my principles. And if you don’t like them I’ve got plenty more.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  187. notification that any illegals still here one year from now will not only forfeit all their property but be subject to 10 years at hard labor, without exception,

    That would almost certainly be unconstitutional.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  188. The entire field except Trump promises to continue or accelerate revolutionary demographic change via immigration. Please explain why this doesn’t matter.

    I will not answer a question with a false premise. Instead I will ask you why you are making up stuff about Cruz.

    What’s he making up? Cruz, like every Republican except Trump, is for increasing legal immigration. That means more brown people, which bothers scrutineer.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  189. scrutineer – The entire field except Trump promises to continue or accelerate revolutionary demographic change via immigration. Please explain why this doesn’t matter.

    Patterico – I will not answer a question with a false premise. Instead I will ask you why you are making up stuff about Cruz.

    Cruz wants to continue or increase indiscriminate mass immigration the US. Before the ’65 Act kicked in, the US was 84% European/white. The US will become “majority minority” in the early 2040s as a result of immigration policy. Cruz was bragging only a few years ago that he wants to double legal immigration.

    You complain that Trump supporters are unpersuadable, but you resolutely dodge the strongest objection to the non-Trump field. Mark Steyn laid it out pretty well. I could respect your disagreement with the argument if you bothered to explain it.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  190. Me: Republicans support revolutionary demographic change, that’s bad.
    nk: Revolutionary demographic change is an American tradition.
    Milhouse: LOL “brown people” amirite?
    Patterico: (silence alternating with furious handwaving)

    scrutineer (17265e)

  191. What’s he making up? Cruz, like every Republican except Trump, is for increasing legal immigration. That means more brown people, which bothers scrutineer.

    Why does that mean more brown people? Don’t we as a nation have the right to determine who comes in? We put a quota system in for immigrants including illegals. They do it for everything else now even the Oscars. We are under no obligation to allow 30 million Mexicans into this country and we are certainly under no obligation to permit any immigration that would adversely affect the demography of the country. Is there some reason why blacks have their countries, browns theirs as do Asians but for some reason if America is white America is racist and it’s our duty to commit cultural suicide?

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  192. I’d love to know how revolutionary demographic change is an American tradition.

    Gotta go to church. I’ll see your answers later. I gotta pray for our demographic.

    Rev. Barack Hussein Hoagie™ (f4eb27)

  193. What’s Trump’s position on legal immigration (other than banning Muslims, which is unworkable)?

    Gerald A (949d7d)

  194. Asians are brown people.
    Aryans hate Asians and love Trump.
    I hate Trump and love Asians.

    John Hitchcock (b495dc)

  195. Aryans hate Asians and love Trump.
    I hate Trump and love Asians.

    You raise a good point about Asians and hatred. The Japanese, for instance, allow virtually no one to immigrate (naturalization stats for last 3 available years are 10k, 10k, 11k). This desire for Japan to remain Japanese is an expression of sheer, pig-ignorant animus. Japan: a nation of haters.

    Or maybe they just like their society and wisely don’t want it to be disrupted by foreigners with whom they have little in common.

    scrutineer (17265e)

  196. Why does that mean more brown people? Don’t we as a nation have the right to determine who comes in?

    Not on racial grounds we don’t.

    We put a quota system in for immigrants including illegals. They do it for everything else now even the Oscars.

    What are you talking about? The stupid kerfuffle now is precisely because they don’t do that, and nor should they.

    Is there some reason why blacks have their countries, browns theirs as do Asians but for some reason if America is white America is racist and it’s our duty to commit cultural suicide?

    Which countries are “for blacks” or “browns”, etc? We generally condemn any such country. But whatever other countries may do, the idea that America “should” be white is loathsome and un-American, and whoever advocates such a policy must be hounded from public office.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  197. Japan: a nation of haters.

    And you want us to be the same?!

    Milhouse (87c499)

  198. Again my question is, what’s Trump’s position on legal immigration? His whole thing is Mexicans coming over the border, but Cruz is no different there.

    There is a case to be made that there’s been abuse of the H1B visa’s by US corporations. But I don’t equate high skill people coming here legally with people poring over the border. I’m also convinced our lead in technology would probably not exist without lots of high skill immigrants, so I’m not for shutting off legal immigration by any stretch.

    Gerald A (949d7d)

  199. Again my question is, what’s Trump’s position on legal immigration?

    Vague noise about the intent to “allow record immigration levels to subside to more moderate historical averages.”

    scrutineer (17265e)

  200. Again my question is, what’s Trump’s position on legal immigration?

    Vague noise about the intent to “allow record immigration levels to subside to more moderate historical averages.”

    scrutineer (17265e) — 1/24/2016 @ 3:11 pm

    That’s a sensible vague position. Maybe Trump is better than Cruz on this issue. It’s not enough for me to prefer Trump.

    Gerald A (949d7d)


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