Patterico's Pontifications

5/3/2016

Goodbye, Republican Party

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 5:32 pm



As of today, I no longer consider myself a Republican.

I’ve had these feelings before, but today it’s official. Republicans are now “them” and not “us” to me. I’ll stay registered as a Republican at least through the primary to vote for Ted Cruz in California, even though it’s now clear it will be a futile gesture.

I will still support and vote for Republicans, but only Republicans who demonstrate that they will adhere to limited government, constitutional principles. No longer will I vote a straight party-line ticket.

I am not a “NeverTrump” guy because that implies support for Hillary Clinton, and I cannot support Hillary Clinton. But I cannot support Donald Trump, a leftist con man with an “R” after his name. At this point, I am a disinterested observer. I believe Donald Trump would be better for the Supreme Court, because he doesn’t care about the Court and might pick someone good if his advisers tell him to. I believe Hillary Clinton would be better on almost everything else — because I believe the GOP would fight her more than they would fight Trump. I can’t choose between “the Court” and “everything else.” So I’m just someone who doesn’t care about the presidential race any more.

William Brennan was not a good Supreme Court justice because he was appointed by a Republican. Affirmative action is not a good policy because it has been pushed by many Republicans. And continuing entitlement programs, growing federal interference in health care, imposing disastrous tariffs, and other Trump-style policies are not good policies even if they are pushed by a “Republican.”

So do not expect me to “unify” or to jump on board because HILLARY MUST BE BEATEN!!!1! If you can’t deal with that, the time to stop reading is now.

If you believe in limited government, constitutional principles, and liberty, stick with me. There are others like us. We’ll figure out what to do next. It won’t be supporting Donald Trump, but it will be supporting our natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I am watching Ted Cruz right now and I am proud of him and the campaign he has conducted. He made mistakes, but he has been a forceful and effective advocate for liberty and the Constitution. He still has my respect and support, as do folks like Mike Lee and Justin Amash.

Such people are the only hope for this nation.

UPDATE: The CNN crawl says Cruz is dropping out. It’s over.

UPDATE x2: It’s official. He just said he is “suspending” his campaign.

366 Responses to “Goodbye, Republican Party”

  1. Ding.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  2. Thank you, Patrick.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  3. Dedicated reader, rare commenter – I’m sticking with you. The GOP can pound sand.

    Em (d17449)

  4. Cruz is dropping out, according to the CNN crawl.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  5. What took so long? Repubs were given the House and Senate and haven’t done anything toward smaller government or the rest of your issues. The right is going to have to tear it all done and build a new party; one with no neocons…let them go back home to the left.

    dee (13a839)

  6. I don’t buy that Trump would even by accident nominate a conservative SCOTUS Justice. Even just a little pushback from the Democrat majority in the Senate will get him to fold and nominate a “moderate” who will in truth be another David Souter.

    I’m with you; after tonight I no longer consider myself a Republican.

    Chase (d14174)

  7. UPDATE: The CNN crawl says Cruz is dropping out. It’s over.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  8. The people chose Barabbas.
    It does not end well.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  9. UPDATE x2: It’s official. He just said he is “suspending” his campaign.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  10. Very much this. Praying a truly conservative party will spring out of this mess. And that it’s not already too late to save the country. This is not what my father and grandfather fought for.

    Mark (3373e9)

  11. I am grateful that Ted pointedly refused to endorse the GOP nominee.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  12. TV goes off. I am not watching Trump.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  13. Cue days of media jabbering about whether Cruz will support Trump.

    After today, I’m not so sure. Maybe 50/50. How Cruz handles it is the only interesting part of this primary remaining.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  14. Our long national nightmare is over. The Reagan Revolution is dead.

    Gee, Patterico, you never knew the Republican Party. At last, a ‘Rockefeller Republican’ has reclaimed our party and will welcome home millions of voters. They will beat Hillary Clinton just as conservatism has been beaten.

    Yes, the Reagan Revolution is dead. Thank God.

    DCSCA (a343d5)

  15. “As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
    ― H.L. Mencken

    Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
    ― H.L. Mencken

    G6loq (3a2647)

  16. I salute Sen. Cruz for the campaign he ran. It was not without mistakes, but it was an effort of which he and his supporters can be justly proud. He is a young man, and has a great future ahead of him. I believe his support in Texas is stronger today than it’s ever been.

    The Democratic Party survived its 1972 wipeout with McGovern. The GOP will survive the wipeout that’s coming in the fall with Donald Trump. If we’re lucky we’ll hang on to one chamber of Congress; that’s important. But the country will pay an enormous price even in a best-case scenario.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  17. Whatever America once was, it no longer is. I have no respect or love for a country that would elect Barack Obama — twice — or Hlllary Clinon or Donald Trump even once.

    As it has become more and more evident that Americans care little for limited government, the rule of law, the Constitution, and a smaller, less intrusive federal government, I have become convinced that the only rational course of action is to vote for whoever is going to give me the most free stuff.

    Diffus (4a5ca6)

  18. Patterico – I think Sen. Cruz is in a hard place on this one. He promised, in public, to support the Republican nominee – and I think he’s an unusual politician in that he feels bound by that promise. Yet that promise requires him to support Mr. Trump, which he (rightly) does not want to do.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  19. Well stated… and concur.

    Dilligas (389b02)

  20. Vote for the old broad. It’s important.

    nk (dbc370)

  21. I’ve never written in a candidate before. Guess I’ll learn how easy or difficult that is.

    RRFCL (ef2ffa)

  22. Perhaps now is the time to crate an official Tea Party.

    In California, it is fairly straightforward. Submit voter registrations listing TEA PARTY amounting to 0.33% of the total number of registered voters, which is something like 45,000.

    Now, it takes some organization, and it helps to have a focusing event, but since the voter registration form is online, it isn’t all that expensive.

    The process is described here:

    http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/political-parties/political-party-qualification/

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  23. Patterico – I think Sen. Cruz is in a hard place on this one. He promised, in public, to support the Republican nominee – and I think he’s an unusual politician in that he feels bound by that promise. Yet that promise requires him to support Mr. Trump, which he (rightly) does not want to do.

    That’s because he is a man of integrity.

    But Trump has never had that problem, his entire campaign has been based on bragging and whatever lie works best for the crowd. Particularly the lie that it’s Ted Cruz who has the integrity problem, which judging by yesterday’s video, creates a self-fulfilling prophecy in some people’s minds.

    scrubone (c3104f)

  24. Kasich consession speech:

    “Hey waitress, I ordered a side of fries with this!”

    DCSCA (a343d5)

  25. Hey! What’s all this surrendering crap? What the hell happened here!? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over for Hillary Clinton when she screwed the pooch and our people in Benghazi? Hell no! And it ain’t over now. ‘Cause when the goin’ gets tough…

    What the EFF happened to the Patterico I used to know? Where’s the spirit? Where’s the guts, huh? This could be the greatest night of our lives… well… maybe not the greatest but you’re gonna let it be the worst? Ooh, we’re afraid to support another conservative, we might get beat… well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I’m not gonna take this. Clinton? she’s toast! Sanders? He’s a freakin’ commie! The Left?!?!?! EFF ’em and feed ’em old fish.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  26. Even though Ted Cruz has suspended his campaign, can we still vote for him in California as a protest vote?

    Tanny O'Haley (c674c7)

  27. I will always cherish the day I drove up to cow hampshire and listened to Ted. Talking to him after was special.

    mg (31009b)

  28. I didn’t get that Patterico was “surrendering”, Colonel Haiku; I simply thing he’s decided that continuing his support for the Republican Party will cause at least as much harm as good, and is therefore not worth the effort.
    He’s still going to work towards his goals, but he’s not going to sink time & effort into the GOP anymore.

    CayleyGraph (353727)

  29. Tanny O’Haley – yes. His name remains on the ballot, votes for him will still be counted, and delegates will still be awarded to him if he wins in a Congressional district.

    Having become a registered Republican explicitly for the purpose of voting not-Trump, I still intend to do that, regardless of today’s terrible news.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  30. There are so many ways this is symptomatic of US culture today.

    Lack of integrity, media dictating the narrative, media preference for controversy, disdain for integrity, inability to discern between someone lying for sport, and someone making occasional slip-ups, hyper-partisanship **within** parties (e.g. Rubio supporters), naked lust for power (Carson), valuing image over ability to do the job (Scott Walker), the list goes on and on.

    I dunno, I think the country has to be fixed. And I come back to the point I’ve made before – I think the best way out is to let the states go free and re-create their own, smaller unions with more compatible values. The current one is clearly past it’s used by and clearly too big to be any good – or change.

    It’s only a matter of time before something breaks or blows up IMHO.

    scrubone (c3104f)

  31. You can vote for Trump, Kasich, Cruz, Carson or Gilmore if you are registered Republican.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  32. The Republican party is no more. The weak spines in D.C. killed it off. Trump is wearing the carcass. Time to hunker down; the future is not good.

    ManlyDad (3c60a8)

  33. Colonel: you and Hoagie are people I expect to be disappointed that I will not toe the line and support the GOP nominee. I won’t do that. But I also know that you and Hoagie and I all want the same thing: a better country, less government oppression, and more liberty and freedom from encroachment.

    You and I are probably not going to agree on how that happens going forward, with Donald Trump as the nominee. I think it’s best that I be up front with readers now. I will not be a cheerleader for Donald Trump. Nor will I be one for Hillary Clinton, don’t worry. But I cannot and will never support Donald Trump for the presidency.

    I’ll continue to respect you and your viewpoint. If you can’t respect mine, and I hope you can, then best wishes. If you’re willing to respect my principles and disagree about tactics, then by all means, stick around. I really hope you do.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  34. Let me join Beldar in saying I think Cruz ran a good, honest, and respectable campaign. It was not without mistakes, as I have said, but he still has my support.

    I am proud of Ted Cruz tonight.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  35. Condolences from Australia, as we enter the End Times . . .

    david (9f6eaa)

  36. Back in the last millennium, I opted out of the Libertarian Party and registered Republican. This was because I had finally seen that the Libertarian Party wasn’t interested in actually winning elections – candidates were running to advertise for the Party, and their success was measured by how many converts they won. If I want a liberty-supporting party that actually wins, I need to vote for one of the major parties.

    Suddenly, this argument carries a lot less weight with me.

    Call me when we develop a second party to compete with the Democrats.

    Karl Lembke (cd9062)

  37. If Trump names some lame chick or a rino as v.p. the republican party is alive and useless.

    mg (31009b)

  38. The Senate might just as well bring Garland’s nomination to the floor and confirm him on a voice vote. No need to bother with hearings.

    gwjd (032bef)

  39. 8.The people chose Barabbas.
    It does not end well.
    MD in Philly (f9371b

    Yes, it does. It ends in redemption because Christ never quit! Read the book. He was beaten, He was scourged, He was crucified but He never renounced, never gave up and NEVER changed sides.

    You want to quit being Republicans because things aren’t going your way? Fine, quit. We don’t need quitters. Funny how the brainwashed dummies on the left never quit. Evil never sleeps and as the saying goes all that’s needed for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Then quit. Do nothing. You all just became part of the problem.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  40. Patterico – I think Sen. Cruz is in a hard place on this one. He promised, in public, to support the Republican nominee – and I think he’s an unusual politician in that he feels bound by that promise. Yet that promise requires him to support Mr. Trump, which he (rightly) does not want to do.

    aphrael (e0cdc9) — 5/3/2016 @ 5:55 pm

    With everything Trump has said about Cruz, I could see him not supporting Trump. A man of integrity would also not support someone who said the horrific things about him, and his conscience would demand not supporting someone who has very little in common with his principals.

    I’ve never been a true member of the Republican Party- I’ve only supported candidates that had principals very close to mine. I’ve never been a straight ticket guy. I was actually hopefully that the Tea Party Movement and this election would change things around, but the voters were easily fooled. So while others are leaving, I will be welcoming them to the outside.

    Patrick Henry, the 2nd (ddead1)

  41. I was ABC, Anybody But Clinton until Trump started flogging that National Enquirer crap about Cruz. Its become clear that Trump is a foulmouthed con man and his followers are by and large boorish cultists pining for torch-lit parades. Now I’m Never Trump.

    I may or may not reregister out of GOP. Depends how much the state GOP screws me over.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  42. Sanders projected to beat the Beast from Arkansas… http://youtu.be/rX7wtNOkuHo

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  43. I am about 9 years ahead of you on this path. I stopped identifying as a Republican about about the last year of Bush 43’s presidency.

    I am a Conservative with some libertarian views, who sometimes supports Republican candidates.

    The GOP is almost certainly destined to go the way of the Whig party. They cannot nominate a Democrat and retain the base. It just isn’t going to happen.

    I will almost certainly vote 3rd party again this election.

    The problem is not that the GOP is dead, but the Republic is probably dead too.

    WarEagle82 (5bf75f)

  44. it is striking how doc brown, is more at the center of that party, like corbyn across the pond, of course the tories have proven they will consume shoe leather, as we found out with the iran deal, the question of middle east immigration and brexit,

    narciso (732bc0)

  45. Trump on TV now.

    ropelight (5c7740)

  46. well you trust red queen, from her time sliming rape victims to the present day, euthanizing coal plants, time to start the new phillip kerr,

    narciso (732bc0)

  47. Thank you for writing this. It is word for word what I have been thinking myself… except for the part about being a never trumper. I will NEVER vote for Bif Tannen. I value my sacred electoral right too much to tarnish it that way.

    It’s all bread and circuses at this point. The Republic of Rome collapsed under the leadership of more honorable and capable men than him, how can we be so arrogant to expect that our once great republic will endure? We are helpless spectators, powerless as we watch the slow motion self-destruction of our nation.

    Perhaps something glorious will rise out of its ashes… I’m not optimistic at this point, though.

    Glenn (78aa2c)

  48. Patrick Henry, the 2nd, Huh? You might consider a new handle. Perhaps Aaron Burr, the 2nd?

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  49. Rev.

    The Dems being the problem does not mean that the party of Boehner or Trump is the answer. Maybe another Republican party after this week continues to implode.

    Christ indeed was never beaten, but the nation He knew was destroyed.

    The US and the Kingdom of God are definitely not synonymous, never were, never would be,
    but the people continue to turn their backs on what would lead to peace,
    And that usually brings a price.

    The time came that Daniel saw what the prophet Jeremiah had promised came to pass,
    The return of the Jews to Jerusalem,
    But that was only after the promised destruction.

    The Kingdom of God has by no means taken a loss,
    But the people of the nation of the U.S.A.,
    They have been weighed and found wanting,

    Yet even now, says the Lord,
    If you return to me with your whole heart…

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  50. “I can’t choose between “the Court” and “everything else.” So I’m just someone who doesn’t care about the presidential race any more.”

    My sentiments exactly. The only interest I have from this point forward will be in the small amount of schadenfreude that I will have from seeing Trump supporters have to deal with the realization that they have backed a democrat.

    Bellerophon (c97892)

  51. What R. Hoagie said in #37. As I said on the other thread in regard to the Barabas bit, where it not for the people choosing Barabas there would be no Good Friday or Easter. The story is what the story is.

    WTP (094b61)

  52. Trump on TV now.

    ropelight (5c7740) — 5/3/2016 @ 6:19 pm

    ===============================================

    I have a troubling image of the look on ropelight’s face as he watches the Trumpster…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  53. It is word for word what I have been thinking myself… except for the part about being a never trumper. I will NEVER vote for Bif Tannen.

    Oh, I thought I was clear that I will never vote for Donald Trump. I am just making the point that I can’t see voting for or supporting Hillary either. I am Switzerland, as Hugh Hewitt annoyingly said during the primary.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  54. A conservative pick for v.p. might tease some.
    No one here, of course.

    mg (31009b)

  55. I bet Trump is being “gracious” and all that. Can’t bear to watch it. Won’t watch the convention. Won’t watch the debates. Don’t care.

    It’s so weird. I never ever ever thought I wouldn’t care who wins the Presidency. But now I don’t.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  56. Here is the bottom line folks — we spent years mocking Democrats as low information voters — now we quantified how many on “our side” are just as bad.

    Problem is this was created in large part by mendacious and dishonest Republicans who talk Conservative but live their daily lives and Big Gubmint Democrats. This includes the Country Club set who for a tax break and contract would sell their children to the Chinese.

    The smaller problem is Ted Cruz needs to learn to stop talking like Harvard trash and speak like a normal person. His cadence and moralistic condescension does him no good. Maybe he will learn that he can have principles and sound warmer and more friendly. He has got 4 years to figure it out — it will require every ounce of his being to change this personal “tick.”

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  57. Well, off to LuckyGunner website for more 5.56mm ammo …

    SPQR (a3a747)

  58. Trump is saying nice things about Ted Cruz and his wife and family.

    ropelight (5c7740)

  59. Die, GOP, die!

    Several people have said that Trump, as a Democrat, did not know what a Republican is and put on a parody act of a Republican. Except that it turns out that it was not a parody. He knew exactly what the Republican base is, what it wants, and whom it wants to be represented by.

    Burn the bitch!

    nk (dbc370)

  60. I am about 9 years ahead of you on this path. I stopped identifying as a Republican about about the last year of Bush 43’s presidency.

    I am a Conservative with some libertarian views, who sometimes supports Republican candidates.

    The GOP is almost certainly destined to go the way of the Whig party. They cannot nominate a Democrat and retain the base. It just isn’t going to happen.

    I will almost certainly vote 3rd party again this election.

    The problem is not that the GOP is dead, but the Republic is probably dead too.

    You were ahead of your time. Bush was a zero in most relevant ways. There have been times I liked him. I read his memoir and enjoyed it. But ultimately he did not push the country in the direction of the Constitution or limited government, and from today’s perspective I see him as a disappointment.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  61. I really wasn’t trying to get preachy, MD in Philly. I could have used Washington in the darkest days of the Revolution. Or I could have pointed out the heroism of Travis and Crockett knowing their fate at the Alamo. I’m just saying all you guys did was b!tch and moan about Trump for 6 months. Get over it already. It’s a two party system and like it or not the ONLY way we get ANY say is if a Republican wins!!! So stop being surrender monkey’s.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  62. #57 is dead on.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  63. Trump is saying nice things about Ted Cruz and his wife and family.

    Well of course he is. It’s all part of the con. I made the right decision turning the TV off.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  64. Here is the bottom line folks — we spent years mocking Democrats as low information voters — now we quantified how many on “our side” are just as bad.

    Problem is this was created in large part by mendacious and dishonest Republicans who talk Conservative but live their daily lives and Big Gubmint Democrats. This includes the Country Club set who for a tax break and contract would sell their children to the Chinese.

    The smaller problem is Ted Cruz needs to learn to stop talking like Harvard trash and speak like a normal person. His cadence and moralistic condescension does him no good. Maybe he will learn that he can have principles and sound warmer and more friendly. He has got 4 years to figure it out — it will require every ounce of his being to change this personal “tick.”

    I don’t think it will ever change. He sounds normal enough to me, but obviously he has some personality shortcomings that matter to people who care about that stuff more than policy or constitutional principles. And that’s, well, most people.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  65. Apparently nk would like to see Chicago values spread throughout the land. No thanks.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  66. It turns out I was wrong all along. Trump is a loser.

    [Comment rewritten by Patterico. If this guy is going to come piss on my comments, this is what he gets. I will never misrepresent anything in a way that misleads people, but I am done constantly wasting my time policing his comments without getting something positive out of it. The positive I get, from now on, Christoph, is that I start putting words in your mouth. Next time your last name gets used and the content gets worse. Cheers! — P]

    Christoph (dde495)

  67. You want to quit being Republicans because things aren’t going your way? Fine, quit. We don’t need quitters. Funny how the brainwashed dummies on the left never quit. Evil never sleeps and as the saying goes all that’s needed for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Then quit. Do nothing. You all just became part of the problem.

    I am not quitting and neither is Ted Cruz. I think we are just working on a different mission than you are now.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  68. From my comment on the other thread:

    But as I’ve slowly watched the Grand Old Party morph into the Donner Party, I’ve come to realize that Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber, when he was caught on video bragging to his Ivy League egghead buddies about how he brilliantly fooled the “stupid” American voters with their short attention spans, was spot on.

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  69. If you are wondering how Trump could have possibly won Indiana, well remember when David Boren, President of Oklahoma University, expelled two students for racist hate speech because it created a hostile educational environment- in an off-campus bus. I participated in online discussions about it. I heard so many people spout ignorance, claiming that a university’s code of conduct supersedes the First Amendment. Very telling was this comment by Morgan child.

    You know, “Volokh,” (I just love saying his name; it clears the throat) the overwhelming majority of men masturbate. I’d place you in the top 5%. Writing all those words so soon after the event must have been, well, titillating. No doubt, you were all in a rush.

    However, I could give a dam* about the Constitution: I don’t hold it sacred. I think the Germans have the right idea: Step up on a soap box and start talking about killing Jews; they arrest your as*. They don’t wait for “Holocaust II” to be shown on cable.

    The “students” were dealt with appropriately. OU was right to send the message that they and their ilk are not welcome or representative of what OU WANTS to stand for.

    There is such a thing as being “dead right.” You, my friend, are a corpse with exacting logic; but let me remind you, a vending machine can dispense the law; it takes a whole human being to render justice. What we all witnessed on the video is not worth defending. A cancer’s only “right” is to be cut out.

    Emphasis added.

    Should it be surprising that Donald Trump actually has a base? I mean, all of these voters want the cancer to be cut out, and Donald Trump is promising to take a broadsword and cut out that cancer. Trump is going to protect us all, they say.

    If morgan child opposes Donald Trump, I would like to know why, as morgan child shares the ethos of Donald Trump.

    Michael Ejercito (01f3f1)

  70. #59 Hoagie ….

    1) “All you guys did was bitch and moan about Trump” …. holy moly, pot meet kettle, Trump voters have been lying and slandering every candidate since day 1.
    2) Your guy won a battle — good for you. War is still to be fought.
    3) You talk about a two party system but if let us say that party refused to vote for Trump in the convention and appointed Ryan you’d have a fit. So please.
    4) I would vote Trump over Hitlery — I think Trump can help us conquer PC and expand the (R) Party for the next election cycle even if that means we need to troll idiot voters for their vote. Perfectly fine. Democrats lie to Blacks and Hispanics all the time in exchange for table scraps.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  71. Tonight’s an appropriate juncture, for me at least, to thank our host and his co-bloggers for their sustained and skillful blogging and comment-moderating here over the last several months.

    Thanks, too, to those of you whose comments have enlightened and entertained me. I’m contrary enough by nature to ensure that I’ve got some kind of major disagreement with practically everyone over something; but there are a great many commenters here who’ve earned my respect even when we disagree on matters of substantial importance.

    Since not long after its founding, this blog and its comments have been a first-class political resource and a daily read for me. During some of those times, including the last several months, it’s also been a more frequent outlet for my own opinions and observations — the posting of which, along with any responses thereto, inevitably helps me clarify and advance my own thinking, regardless of whether it ends up helping or interesting anyone else. Like our host, I expect I’ll be paying as little attention to politics as I can for the next several months, though, and that’s likely to translate into decreased commenting here — unless something very unexpected happens.

    And it still might.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  72. OT. The good news is I was accepted for Lung Transplant Surgery today at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I have 6 weeks of preliminary therapy, some weight loss to do and preparatory medications then I’m on the list. I’m very happy and my wife is even happier.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  73. By dropping out now, Cruz is making it impossible for the party leaders to effectively accuse him of disloyalty should Trump crash and burn, and he’ll be in excellent position to run again in 2020. The party leaders who signed onto the Trump train before his victory was inevitable have made their choice, and if Trump loses their careers will pay the price.

    HRC has to be the favorite to win at this point, but I suspect she is not at all happy tonight, between this and her own loss in Indiana as Sanders refuses to lie down and play dead, highlighting her own extreme vulnerability.

    M. Scott Eiland (9fd59f)

  74. well people were projecting budget balancing and immigration enforcement, and he never promised that, he had to deal with the debris clinton left, which with obama is like downtown dresden, we needed to respond more forcefully then the pinprick strikes that clinton had casually ordered, yoo and company set up a framework for collecting information from detainees, but there were too many termites in the woodwork, tenet and the late drummheller, general shinseki, pillar, et al and they lay in wait because the terrorists aren’t really as much a threat as the political opposition,

    narciso (732bc0)

  75. Beldar – If you do end up drifting away for the nonce, I h ope to see you on the flip side.

    Rev. Hoagie – that’s fantastic news! Congratulations.

    aphrael (e0cdc9)

  76. Damn if I’m not feeling like a poorly educated, Indiana-based, snaggle-toothed tweaker tonight. Sonuvab*tch!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  77. Trump just pulled off a hostile takeover. Was prince rebus and the RNC awake?

    mg (31009b)

  78. Beldar, love ya.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  79. Since not long after its founding, this blog and its comments have been a first-class political resource and a daily read for me. During some of those times, including the last several months, it’s also been a more frequent outlet for my own opinions and observations — the posting of which, along with any responses thereto, inevitably helps me clarify and advance my own thinking, regardless of whether it ends up helping or interesting anyone else. Like our host, I expect I’ll be paying as little attention to politics as I can for the next several months, though, and that’s likely to translate into decreased commenting here — unless something very unexpected happens.

    And it still might.

    Beldar,

    I have greatly enjoyed your increased presence, and I think one of the things that makes me the most angry about tonight is the idea that you might be a less frequent presence here. I believe this time is very important. The direction that constitutionalists take now is critical. I hope you will be a part of that discussion. I intend to be.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  80. Great news, Hoagie!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  81. So many lessons for many parties to draw by reading “The Prince.”

    Even in this ash their is monumental opportunity to those who know how to get power and use it.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  82. OT. The good news is I was accepted for Lung Transplant Surgery today at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I have 6 weeks of preliminary therapy, some weight loss to do and preparatory medications then I’m on the list. I’m very happy and my wife is even happier.

    The community here, I’m sure, is just as thrilled as I am. Cheers to you!

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  83. two thumbs up, Rev.

    mg (31009b)

  84. congrats, rev hoagie,

    narciso (732bc0)

  85. Trump is saying nice things about Ted Cruz and his wife and family.

    ropelight (5c7740)

    What a horrible man Trump is. Today he was smearing Ted’s father. His dad! He’s smeared Ted’s wife too. Trump went after family with what any honest man would call a lie.

    That Trump is already flip flopping and pretending to be a decent man towards his opponents and their families is even more proof of his complete lack of integrity. I wouldn’t trade hearts or moralities with Trump for ten times his money.

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  86. there … so many typos

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  87. “It’s a two party system and like it or not the ONLY way we get ANY say is if a Republican wins!!! ”

    And now we have a choice between 2 Democrats for President. Pardon me if I don’t wish to continue to play your rigged game where we have the illusion of choice, and every 4 years we bend over, grab our ankles, and scream “thank you sir, may I have another”.

    JD (52076d)

  88. All the best, Hoagie.

    nk (dbc370)

  89. One piece of good news for Republicans: Debbie Wasserman-Schultz looks likely to keep her job as the head of the DNC in spite of epic incompetence at the job, unless the Republicans score an unexpected huge win in Congress (or if unexpected calamity for HRC results in a new nominee deciding to clean out the Clinton minions). That would make it a lot more likely that Republicans could regroup and win back a substantial number of seats in 2018.

    M. Scott Eiland (9fd59f)

  90. Yeah I stopped identifying with Republicans when they helped Obama get elected via staying home and voting for Johnson. I couldn’t take the fake principles that they sore losers used to prop up their part in electing The One.

    It’s all good though. I came back for Trump. Happier than I can put into words that he is the nominee and honestly. I couldn’t care less when the sore losers try and maybe even pull off an Obama part 2. Obama in a pantsuit.

    Unite, don’t unite. Do whatever but it’s still on like Donkey Kong until the fat ankled lady sings, or pays the band. Whichever comes first.

    Drider (340c7b)

  91. #83 ,,,,, I prefer the decent fellow when he shows up over his other personality.

    But no doubt, Trump is a monumental douchebag on steroids. No one will be crying when he gets his pecker in the blender.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  92. It’s a two party system

    I always thought this was part of the problem. One of the most important aspects of free markets is that new competitors can always emerge if existing providers become complacent or corrupt; I think it’d be good to expose our political candidate providers to some competition as well.
    The only argument against it I can recall is that most European Parliaments don’t use two-party systems, and have degenerated into socialism even faster than American legislatures. However, there’s more differences between European parliamentary voting and American voting than just the USA’s two-party limit.
    Of course, actually moving to a system that supports an arbitrary number of parties from our existing two-party system is a significant task; both main parties have passed enough regulations that hobble smaller parties that we’d need significant reform in order to reach the point where we can make significant reform.

    CayleyGraph (353727)

  93. Hoagie, that’s awesome news!

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  94. A 13-second, safe for work video, that I thought up to now only applied to our Illinois Combine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7E9SS-X4YY

    nk (dbc370)

  95. Hoagie, thanks for that news (#70)! I’m hoisting one in your honor ASAP.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  96. I (almost) completely agree – but since “everything else” includes doing crazy things that could result in war, I’m willing to consider Hilary. I can’t believe that – even three months ago I wouldn’t have believed I would have said it.

    gawaine (c90971)

  97. Interesting the many contrasting views of folks who are at different points on their political journeys.

    Mark Johnson (758e29)

  98. #88 Should have stopped identifying (R) when the imbecile Olympia Snowe allowed Obamacare out of Sub Committee or when imbecile Boehner gave up sequestration for no reason.

    That right there tells you everything you need to know about why Trump resonates. Cuz no matter reality — he has convinced people he will win every hand dealt to him.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  99. Beldar- You can still slap the democrats around with your wit and wisdom. A good read, no doubt.

    mg (31009b)

  100. Hoagie,

    I’m so happy for both you and your wife. Prayers that the next six weeks go well and you hit every mark.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  101. First, congrats Rev.
    I’m still just down the road from you if I can be of any practical assistance.

    Had the people not chosen Barabbas, some how the purpose of God in Christ would have been fulfilled,
    But the people would not have had the same culpability.

    I don’t want to speculate further,
    I’m just saying that there are painful consequences of rebellion, even if there is redemption later.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  102. I voted for Cruz today in Indiana, for all the good it did.

    Some reflections on how we got here: I became libertarian after the 2008 debacle in which McCain lost to Obama. I agreed with McCain on almost nothing, yet I had to support him as the lesser of two evils, they said. A vote for anyone else was a vote for Obama, they said. So I held my nose and voted for McCain. I’ve hated that vote ever since. Never again will I pull the lever for a candidate I dislike. Romney did not get my support in 2012; I voted for Gary Johnson the libertarian. I’ll vote libertarian again this year. Yes the Republican party is dead. It’s been dead for a long time. Boehner and McConnell lead the GOP and Trump is now their nominee. The GOP congress gave Obama almost everything he wanted, refusing to use the power of the purse to stop his big government agenda. Now we’re $19.3 trillion in debt. It’s way past time for a change. We don’t have time to sit on the sidelines, being “disinterested observers.”

    In a Hillary vs Trump matchup, how can you NOT care about the election? You said it yourself, neither of them is acceptable. Neither of them. This makes it all the more important that you DON’T become silent. That’s what the parties want. But you still have a voice. Push for real change. Push for election reform, an end to the two party system and its primaries, especially with respect to the debates. Support the libertarian nominee, whether it’s Gary Johnson again or Austin Petersen. They are much closer to your values than Hillary or Trump. I think guys like Justin Amash will throw their support behind the libertarian nominee. Rand could, too, except he’s had no problem endorsing McConnell for political gain, so who knows whether he sells out to Trump like Christie and Carson did. Imagine if Cruz endorsed the libertarian, though! Not so far fetched. After all, it’s the libertarians who believe in true limited government and states’ rights on fiscal and social issues, not just lip service to shrinking the growth of government. We’re not military hawks, but we want a strong military and we’ll fight wars that truly serve our country’s interest; what we won’t do is get involved in every civil war on the other side of the globe, and we loathe “nation building.” There’s a huge amount of intellectual diversity among the libertarians, but even when we disagree it’s a principled discussion. So refreshing and different compared to dealing with all the squishes in the GOP establishment.

    Just think about it, OK? Johnson already got 11% in a hypothetical 3 person race back in March. The libertarians are the best alternative, and maybe it’s a long shot, maybe all we do is set things up in preparation for 2020, but it’s much better than just “observing” a Trump vs Hillary contest.

    Thanks for listening. -Rob W

    Robert Westbrook (494536)

  103. I don’t get people who say they’re voting for Hillary. I have no intention of doing that.

    Gerald A (7c7ffb)

  104. I wouldn’t trade hearts or moralities with Trump for ten times his money.

    Or places.

    +1

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  105. I don’t get people who say they’re voting for Hillary. I have no intention of doing that.

    I have no intention of doing it either, but I do get it. She’s a horrible, awful person, and yet is objectively a better person than Trump. Also the GOP will kinda sorta oppose her.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  106. It’s so strange: for the first time since Reagan, I was excited to cast my vote for the next president. No lesser of two evils, no holding my nose, but a full-hearted 100% belief in the candidate. That meant something to me. It felt so different. I think that’s how it’s ideally supposed to be. And yet, out of more than a dozen candidates, it boggles the mind that Trump is the one.

    Whether Hillary or Trump, we can be assured that it will be yet four more years of seeing the Constitution diminished,

    Dana (0ee61a)

  107. II feel like Cruz could have been better; could have worked harder to sell what he was selling. It was frustrating watching him throw chances away and now here we are.

    That said, I give iiright at AOSHQ Ppthy a uote of the week: “Should SMOD ever get off his lazy [*] and actually show up, he would simply bounce off of our impenetrable shield of stupid.”

    David Bowie’s optimistic SMOD song added for color:
    http://youtu.be/fwH1g2fW6Pc

    SarahW (67599f)

  108. I will be content with the ropelights, Christophs and Molineauxs being unhappy on the evening of November 8. We can worry about Hillary after January 20.

    nk (dbc370)

  109. She’s a horrible, awful person, and yet is objectively a better person than Trump.

    Why do you think this? I must say I disagree. Strongly. They’re the same person. It’s just that she is more restrained and calculated in her dishonesty and manipulations than Trump. I think that makes her more dangerous. Regardless, they’re both dishonest and self-serving amoral people. Hillary has just mastered the necessary discipline to appear less objectionable than Trump.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  110. If only Cruz wore a better fitting jacket!

    Dana (0ee61a)

  111. Preach, Dana

    JD (52076d)

  112. yes, I can tell the difference, from watergate to benghazi, not merely a corrupting force, but the umbrella for marxist, the think progress crew were her brood,

    narciso (732bc0)

  113. The person who tries to behave better than her character, even if only for appearance’s sake, is superior to the person who does not.

    Moreover, appearance is important in and of itself. The Presidency is iconic, and icons are thin coatings of paint and gilt over flimsy wood or canvas when you get down to it.

    nk (dbc370)

  114. This was unnecessary: one two combo
    Ted punches wife in the face during concession speech
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eFcLD4k89o

    Never bothered to triangulate and co-opt the Trump voters. Why?

    G6loq (3a2647)

  115. Even if HRC becomes president,
    She will not be president
    So many people have her emails, etc.
    That even if the Obama doj lets her slide,
    She will be nothing more than an operative.

    But Trump is for Trump and the best deal he can get at the moment,
    Even if is bankruptcy.

    Maybe they will still melt down before the election comes.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  116. yes, the russians, the chinese, even the iranians would checkmate her, that was the fate of another fool in Allen Drury’s dystopian tale, Come Nineveh come Tyre,

    narciso (732bc0)

  117. Hoagie, I was catching up on all the comments made while we were out for dinner, but when I saw that you’d been accepted for the transplant, it changed my entire outlook on today. Good luck and do what you need to do. We live in an age of miracles, and too many of us have come to take them for granted. I look forward to many comments from you when we are dealing with our new reality, but we will deal with it, and you’ll be part of the process.

    Best regards!

    BobStewartatHome (404986)

  118. The fault lies not in the Republican Party, nor does it lie in “corrupt” politicians who refuse to do the will of the people. The problem is the people! The Republican Party is wishy-washy because the electorate is that way! It is futile to hope for some magical candidate or party to fix things. Until the people themselves change, government will not get any better.

    One possible solution is to educate people through one-on-one dialogue, letters to the editor, participation in schools, and yes, even contributions to this blog.

    norcal (e4c588)

  119. Hoagie, I was catching up on all the comments made while we were out for dinner, but when I saw that you’d been accepted for the transplant, it changed my entire outlook on today.

    Indeed. That’s the most important news of the day.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  120. Investing heavily in the three B’s. Bullets, bullion, and booze.

    Random Numbers (b62152)

  121. The person who tries to behave better than her character, even if only for appearance’s sake, is superior to the person who does not.

    She’s just more practiced at the art of deceptionin in politics. That doesn’t make her an “objectively better” person. In fact, it might make her worse person.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  122. I supported Cruz until I found out he “forgot” about a $1,000,000 loan to his senatorial campaign. And it was from his wife’s employer, Goldman-Sachs.
    To an honest man, that translates to knowingly and willingly violating campaign finance laws.
    Sen.Cruz is just another politician, no more, no less.
    The cognitive dissonance is strong here.

    Kobeclan (8f4534)

  123. one thing I noticed, even those that should have been supporting cruz, in the senate, were sorely lacking, toomey came out of his cave, sasse eventually sauntered on stage, cotton for reasons unclear was missing in action, maybe he was upset over the surrender over the corker bill, that’s the most charitable spin, paul who had been part of the duo when they first joined up, was rather indifferent not to say hostile,

    narciso (732bc0)

  124. They — the career Republicans — all believed Manafort when he told them that what Trump was saying was not going to be what he will do if elected. Why shouldn’t they? Isn’t that the way they’ve been operating?

    nk (dbc370)

  125. oh my goodness i came as soon as i heard

    y’all must be devastated

    happyfeet (831175)

  126. “The GOP is almost certainly destined to go the way of the Whig party.”

    Pfffft. You must have been in diapers for the years of hell that was Watergate and night Nixon resigned. Reagan rose within a decade.

    And not of this Earth for the Goldwater loss. This is a door closing. Trump is about today. About shedding rigid ideology to move forward and leaving conservatism where it feels most at home: the past.

    DCSCA (a343d5)

  127. sugar you just lean on me when u not strong and you know what babycakes

    i be your friend

    i help you carry on

    happyfeet (831175)

  128. Patterico’s frat brothers
    McConnell
    Jeb Bush
    Boehner
    Ryan
    Romney
    McCain

    phedruscj (707d9f)

  129. Lyin’ Trump could “get down on his knees,” in front of the Lincoln Monument, apologize to Ted and Heidi Cruz, and kiss their a$$es, and I would not forgive him for the disrespect he’s shown them and this country.

    RRFCL (ef2ffa)

  130. I believe Hillary Clinton would be better on almost everything else — because I believe the GOP would fight her more than they would fight Trump.

    Pat, you still buy into that painfully naive assumption? Even more so when our society’s socio-political orientation is squishier — more left-leaning — than ever before. Even more so in light of the Republican Party’s presumed nominee in July.

    I want to retort: What planet do you live on?!

    I’m sorry, but if I can’t be confident in the perceptions of people who should know better (assuming you’re not channeling your inner-Peggy-Noonan and are therefore less cynical than you should be, particularly in non-contradictory ways), that to me is one more sign this nation is washed up.

    (BTW, a posting by a “Mark” towards the top is not me, and visa versa.)

    Mark (7cb211)

  131. Why do you think this? I must say I disagree. Strongly. They’re the same person. It’s just that she is more restrained and calculated in her dishonesty and manipulations than Trump. I think that makes her more dangerous. Regardless, they’re both dishonest and self-serving amoral people. Hillary has just mastered the necessary discipline to appear less objectionable than Trump.

    Personal opinion. I agree she is dishonest, self-serving, and amoral. But I have never seen her engage in the kind of attacks I have seen Trump engage in. Attacks on the looks of a spouse’s rival, or accusing a rival’s father of involvement in the assassination of a President. Have you? And while, on January 1 of last year, I would have said she might be the most dishonest person alive, I now think we have a new winner. This is in no way a defense of Hillary, but I think Trump is a worse person. YMMV and apparently does. That’s fine.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  132. that is not obvious to anyone who is willing to do the analysis, what you said

    happyfeet (831175)

  133. Pat, you still buy into that painfully naive assumption? Even more so when our society’s socio-political orientation is squishier — more left-leaning — than ever before. Even more so in light of the Republican Party’s presumed nominee in July.

    I want to retort: What planet do you live on?!

    I’m sorry, but if I can’t be confident in the perceptions of people who should know better (assuming you’re not channeling your inner-Peggy-Noonan and are therefore less cynical than you should be, particularly in non-contradictory ways), that to me is one more sign this nation is washed up.

    I asked you a while back to calculate the number of GOP votes for ObamaCare and add them to the number of GOP Senators currently supporting Merrick Garland. Have you completed those calculations?

    I understand Peggy Noonan Jeremiah Wright GODDAMN AMERICA crease in the pants good man good man good man good man. I think we have had that drilled into our fucking skulls by now. But the GOP, which I have quit, will still on balance fight Hillary Clinton more than it will fight Donald Trump and if you can’t see that then you are a leftist who probably likes the crease in Peggy Noonan’s pants.

    At least we won’t have to hear about Ted Cruz’s big nose any more. Ah, who am I kidding, yes we will.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  134. The fault lies not in the Republican Party, nor does it lie in “corrupt” politicians who refuse to do the will of the people. The problem is the people! The Republican Party is wishy-washy because the electorate is that way! It is futile to hope for some magical candidate or party to fix things. Until the people themselves change, government will not get any better.

    DING DING DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNER

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  135. Although I have not been posting a lot lately, most of you know who I am and what I believe. I’ve been posting a long time. As a matter of fact more than five years, probably longer. During that time I’ve watched my children graduate from high school and, in the next two weekends, my daughter will graduate with a BA from a prestigious college and my son will receive a Master’s Degree in Domestic Policy and International Affairs from a university you may be familiar within a graduate school named for a former president. I am extremely proud of both.

    During that time they have remained strong conservatives despite the atmosphere at their undergraduate schools. I am especially proud of that.

    So, my son asked me tonight how I will cast my vote.

    That’s where I am and where we are. I spent my children’s formative years telling them with justification that being a conservative is a good thing and the right thing. They listened to their mother and me. They are looking to me to advise them on the right thing to do.

    I know what is right, but finding a good answer to what to do when there is no good answer is difficult.

    Thanks Patterico and thanks to all of you.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  136. I’ll just be happy if Trumpkins are unhappy on the evening of November 8, happyfeet. Let’s make it happen and watch the spike in meth overdoses.

    nk (dbc370)

  137. Although I have not been posting a lot lately, most of you know who I am and what I believe. I’ve been posting a long time. As a matter of fact more than five years, probably longer. During that time I’ve watched my children graduate from high school and, in the next two weekends, my daughter will graduate with a BA from a prestigious college and my son will receive a Master’s Degree in Domestic Policy and International Affairs from a university you may be familiar within a graduate school named for a former president. I am extremely proud of both.

    Come on now. You can say it. Just because Donald Trump is orange doesn’t mean everything orange is bad!

    In all seriousness, congratulations to you, old friend. Such things are more important than tonight’s results.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  138. i just wanna make America great again

    is that so wrong

    it’s my one thing i want

    happyfeet (831175)

  139. yay Mr. Hoagie i wish i had some good advice for the weight losing

    happyfeet (831175)

  140. donuts are bad

    happyfeet (831175)

  141. The simple solution for those of us who live in navy blue states is to write “Ted Cruz” in for President. Well, given that a Democrat is going to process that write-in, perhaps you should go with “Senator Edward (Ted) Cruz” just to make it more difficult for them to discard your ballot. But make no mistake, absent hanging chads or illegible writing, the votes will be tabulated and the results will eventually be published. It might require us to assemble a county by county record of the votes, but if our total is comparable to, or exceeds, Trump’s it would provide an important lever for Cruz to use as he returns to the Senate. And even in “red” states, it might become obvious that a vote for Trump is not in your interest. I concluded this a month ago with the attack on Heidi. So we need to consider what a nationwide write-in campaign would involve. I’m sure it can be done. Write-in campaigns have been successful in both Alaska and Washington in recent years for Federal office. It just takes a lot of individuals who are willing to do the write thing.

    Do not regard this as a false hope. In Indiana Hillary! is likely to lose this evening. Could she have encouraged her voters to participate in the Republican Primary to ensure a Trump victory? And now she’s paying the price against Sanders? Stranger things have happened. So Trump’s numbers might be as phony as he is.

    BobStewartatHome (404986)

  142. University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato said Cruz was likely finished after Trump’s seventh straight primary win — but predicted he’d stay in the race.

    “Oh absolutely, but he’s not going to say that. He’ll say he’s still competitive. The circus will move on,” Sabato said.

    happyfeet (831175)

  143. Patterico: That was a good one. I actually did laugh out loud. Thanks old friend.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  144. Eat the spinach, boiled, with a little lemon, salt and olive oil; a nice piece of crusty bread; and a chunk of feta. Not the spanakopita.

    Remember also that with a weight-loss diet, you’re not losing weight if you’re not hungry all the time.

    nk (dbc370)

  145. ugh u probably right

    happyfeet (831175)

  146. Cruz still has all that momentum out of wisconsin.

    Everyone’s forgetting about wisconsin.

    happyfeet (831175)

  147. But I have never seen her engage in the kind of attacks I have seen Trump engage in. Attacks on the looks of a spouse’s rival, or accusing a rival’s father of involvement in the assassination of a President. Have you?

    No. But she hasn’t had to -yet. Bernie hasn’t posed that sort of threat. And there weren’t 16 competitors necessary to plow over. I think when she ran against Obama for the nomination, it was out of the question for her to make a personal attack on him or his spouse or family for obvious reasons. It would have come back to bite her horribly. And lastingly. If if ends up being between her and Trump, that won’t be an issue, and we’ll see just how ugly she’ll get.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  148. On the other hand, you could get JD’s training schedule for his Iron Man marathons, and if you follow it you can eat anything you want, as much as you want, and double on Sundays.

    nk (dbc370)

  149. yes yes you can’t eat anything white

    happyfeet (831175)

  150. Huey Long lives…well, until he concedes to the United States of Hillary.

    Good job, you un-intellectual populists!

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  151. speaking of white bread to be clear

    Kasich is still in this thing to win it

    god bless America

    happyfeet (831175)

  152. Ag80,

    Congratulations! You must be immensely proud of your kids. They are certainly a testimony to some righteous parenting.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  153. The perfect is the enemy of the good.

    The insistence on the perfect candidate has defeated the right time and time again.

    Get off your high horse, get him elected and work on him and with him.

    I’m tired of high minded perfectionist fucking losers.

    Fred Z (9ed538)

  154. Maybe we should revive Ag80 for. Pres
    I’ll let bygones be bygones.
    And I have a platform.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  155. From David French tweet

    “American’s have complained that politicians are corrupt–then they vote by the millions to have the two most corrupt face off for POTUS”

    I am with Patterico.

    Further; I won’t spend any time cheerleading for Trump or decrying Clinton. I am tuning out and turning off that game. I will leave that insane Sadomasochism to the millions who complain about corruption then vote for corruption while expecting different results.

    Susan (f0e3b3)

  156. this porridge is too cold

    happyfeet (831175)

  157. #116 … Wrong. In order to have followers you must have leaders. Team R is 100% to blame for Trump. The “leaders” proved time and again to mendacious twat waffles more worthy of a political guiilotine that my vote. They refused to be the Obola opposition party, they refused to deal with the blow back inherent in sticking up for what they promised, they repeatedly insulted and mocked those whose votes they trolled for ….. Not the fault of the peasants, no matter how ignorant, to wish a new master when the current one is weak and ineffective.

    Blaming the electorate is BS … The fault lies with Team R destroying its brand by pumping out great commercials but baddddddddddd product. Fix the product and much fewer would buy foreign

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  158. The perfect is the enemy of the good.

    The insistence on the perfect candidate has defeated the right time and time again.

    Get off your high horse, get him elected and work on him and with him.

    I’m tired of high minded perfectionist fucking losers.

    You are entitled to your opinion. I’m not voting for your guy. Ever. Deal with it.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  159. WWAD?

    What Would Andrew Do? I bet our host knows.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  160. Rodney King’s got it…

    We shouldn’t blame Donald Trump for all the low class idiots who voted for Donald Trump…rather, we should blame Karl Rove!!!!
    (LOL)

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  161. exactly why was there #neverobama, well scratch that, how about #neverdemocrats but #nevertrump was a thing, well because we didn’t have the numbere when the dems were out of power, for 5 years, that didn’t stop them,

    narciso (732bc0)

  162. No. But she hasn’t had to -yet. Bernie hasn’t posed that sort of threat. And there weren’t 16 competitors necessary to plow over. I think when she ran against Obama for the nomination, it was out of the question for her to make a personal attack on him or his spouse or family for obvious reasons. It would have come back to bite her horribly. And lastingly. If if ends up being between her and Trump, that won’t be an issue, and we’ll see just how ugly she’ll get.

    Maybe we will. Touting Hillary’s relative virtue over Trump’s is not a hill I’m going to die on, please understand. I’m just giving you my opinion the way I see it — today, May 3, 2016, the day I stopped being a Republican.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  163. WWAD?

    What Would Andrew Do? I bet our host knows.

    Not really. An awful lot of his friends have hopped aboard the Trump Train. Can I truly tell you it’s impossible he would have too? No, I can’t, in all honesty.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  164. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ag80/JD 2016.

    I am serious. Succumbing to the humiliation of wasted vote logic in a cycle as morally and intellectually decrepit as this one… it lessens us as human beings. There is no point in that. We are better than that.

    What if we could get every well meaning member of the Patterico community – and it truly is a community, where I have spent 10 of my 26 young years – to vote for a ticket of two people we truly trust, and respect, AS PEOPLE (even where we disagree), rather than engaging in some vomitous, transparently corrupt two-part kabuki ultimatum?

    I, for one reckless and possibly senseless youth, would count that as a victory for the value of community.

    Leviticus (6ea25f)

  165. Understood, Patterico.

    Pundit talking now about the new “Trumpocrats”… God, what we’ve become.

    Dana (0ee61a)

  166. So Patterico thinks Trump is worse than Hillary cuz he is an opportunist lying ass?

    Has Trump defended a rapist spouse? Sought to vilify and marginalized female crime victims? Laughed about getting criminals off? Run professional smear operations against her husband many accusers? Lied to families about their dead kids? Take tens of millions in bribes? Smeared conservatives as wackos?

    Lol. Trump stands accused. Hillary many times convicted. Spare me the melodrama but NFW Trump is a worse person than Hillary. Oh yeah Vince Foster and a few other conveniently dead people.

    Please. Amarense los cojones y comportensen como hombres

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  167. Patterico not being unique may I add so as not to be unfair here…

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  168. I see that MD is on the same page. Good company to be in (for my money) even though we don’t agree often.

    Leviticus (6ea25f)

  169. Trump is worse than Hillary because of the people who voted for him.
    Trump is worse Hillary because Hillary is married to a former President and Trump is married to a Slovenian golddigger (for the third time).
    Trump is worse than Hillary because of the people who voted for him.
    Trump is worse than Hillary because she has spent her whole life learning the business of government and he has spent his whole life chasing money and p________.
    Trump is worse than Hillary because of the people who voted for him.
    Trump is worse than Hillary because Hillary never made a secret of her political leanings in order to fool mouth-breathers into voting for her.
    Trump is worse than Hillary because of the people who voted for him.

    nk (dbc370)

  170. #157 .. Same low class losers that Ted Cruz was banking on to win. U loved them 6 months ago, now, ehhhh. They are ignorant trash. Lol.

    Again, Fault lies with leaders who can’t lead. Rove is among a select few who wrought this Trump trash. Team R selling out on immigration. PC crap. Sequestration. The list goes on of things they affirm in their marketing but ignore when putting out product.

    Even today on TV, Rove was propagandizing his view about “reaching out” to liberals by being more liberal instead of working to convert folks to the Right. Mocking the idea that somehow growing the base does not win elections but somehow being democrat light does.

    you hear that and all I think is “what a cunhhnt these Republican Country Clubbers are.” Why vote for them? Put that next to the Trump shyster promising strength and a guy who did not fold on popular, though idiotic, policy positions like Muslims and deportation.

    I totally get what the peasants wanted and those peasants are the foot soldiers of the war. So best you stop insulting them when they choose someone else to lead.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  171. Let’s see, in November we will have a choice between a progressive from New York and a New York progressive, both of whom think government is the answer to every problem. I’ll vote the Constitution Party for President and Republicans down ticket.

    Zoltan (c8e27b)

  172. Oh yeah Vince Foster and a few other conveniently dead people.

    Now that sounds like a conspiracy theory that a Trumper could get behind!

    I am done with that kind of bullshit, thank you very much. I was never a part of it, but I have no partisan reason to tolerate it, or not to call it out as the lunacy it clearly is.

    Hillary is bad enough without making up stupid conspiracy theory BS about her.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  173. Let’s see, in November we will have a choice between a progressive from New York and a New York progressive

    That’s about the shape of it. The Judean People’s Front or the fucking People’s Front of Judea.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  174. My goal is to alienate all the stupid people so that there’s only us non-stupid people left.

    Then we’ll look around at each other and figure out what we do.

    Trump has made it easy to identify each other. That’s a service!

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  175. If Trump names some lame chick or a rino as v.p. the republican party is alive and useless.

    There is always the chance he names his horse.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  176. Obama did not lie to get elected? He was a good dude then. Trump lies to win and he is bad dude?

    I remember Reagan promising to eliminate the Department of Education and Energy … Did he lie? He never lifted a finger to deliver that.

    They all lie. Trump is just a douch bag about it in that he shows no remorse. the others fake remorse or worse yet lie on top of the lie feigning they seek forgiveness.
    .
    Trump, morally, is not worse than Obola or Ted Kennedy or Nixon. All pathological liars. Or Hillary or Bill.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  177. He will probably pick Don Jr, or Ivanka. Or Kim Kardashian.

    JD (52076d)

  178. Hoagie: Good news. Best wishes.
    Ag8o: Congratulations to the kids.

    Now, to the point. I’m with Patterico on this. Cruz may not have been perfect, but he was way better than Trump. Trump is, for lack of a better word, an opportunist. Such people are dangerous, because it is impossible to predict how they will react in a given situation. As for Clinton, don’t even get me started on that lying traitor.

    As far as I am concerned, the Republican Wing of the Party is now dead.

    Rusty Bill (ad1f26)

  179. Very impressive, ag80. Congrats!

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  180. Obama did not lie to get elected?

    Who the hell said that? Of course he did! I must have documented dozens of instances of this on this very blog in the last two presidential elections. Dozens.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  181. Trump, morally, is not worse than Obola or Ted Kennedy or Nixon.

    Ted Kennedy is by far the worst of all of them, having killed someone. Trump has killed nobody to my knowledge.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  182. I’m with you for all except voting DT for sake of SCOTUS. Likely, we lose Senate, so no DT appointee will be ratified. Even if we keep the Senate, there is no way McConnell ratifies a constitution loving Justice. So status quo will remain. Afterall, the Constitution gave one very powerful power to the Congress and Boehner and McConnell turned it over to Obama and said you’re welcome sir. This country will be run by McConnel and Schumer for the foreseeable future, until we the people get rid of them or we get a very strong constitutionalist as President. Neither Hillary nor HillaryInDrag will be that President! Just my $0.02.

    I’ll write in Cruz if his name isn’t printed on my ballot, and I’ll feel very good about it.

    Lew T (c67f39)

  183. Leviticus – I would prefer to make the ads for the SuperPAC’s, against both candidates.

    JD (52076d)

  184. I will vote in the primary, for Kasich. There is still hope that Trump comes up, uh, short.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  185. According to Ivana, he has trouble, uh, coming up at all.

    nk (dbc370)

  186. #169 Nice way of ignoring the gist of the post.

    #171 The bell curve always applies. Even amongst the uber alles such as yourself, some are more uber than others.

    It just must burn the Cruz people that the voters they banked on, a brilliant strategy may I add, did not work because folks while affirming Cruz’s strategy chose Trump to execute it on the national stage.

    It is like the guy who invents a technology only to see some shoe salesmen come along and sell it better than him.

    The uber menschen sits around damning all the idiots who don’t appreciate his genius whiles the the unter menschen is cleaning his clock in the marketplace. So instead of looking in the mirror to improve, they sit around calling others stupid and not enlightened. Lamenting their genius un appreciated.

    Can’t stand Trump but I respect his voters. Very much so. Even if they are being duped. They are taking a chance since their previous “smart” selections were not so much.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  187. I’m with you for all except voting DT for sake of SCOTUS.

    Clearly I expressed myself poorly. I do not advocate that. I simply am explaining why I am not voting Hillary or supporting either side.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  188. All is proceeding as I have foreseen.

    ropelight (5c7740)

  189. Best wishes, Hoagie and Mrs. Hoagie. And congratulations to the entire Ag80 family.

    Alexander Hamilton on the election pitting Hamilton’s Federalist Party nominee John Adams against Thomas Jefferson (a much better choice than we will have in November, but that Hamilton found distasteful):

    For my individual part my mind is made up. I will never more be responsible for him by my direct support—even though the consequence should be the election of Jefferson. If we must have an enemy at the head of the Government, let it be one whom we can oppose & for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures. Under Adams as under Jefferson the government will sink. The party in the hands of whose chief it shall sink will sink with it and the advantage will all be on the side of his adversaries.

    DRJ (15874d)

  190. Well, I did tell you guys to vote for me. More than once.

    With Leviticus and MD in Philly on my side, seriously, what could go wrogn? Oops, meant wrong. And Dana as Communications Director! Heck, I could make happyfeet the Secretary of Happy and Avocados for the Immigrants.

    The possibilities are endless. JD could be the Secretary of Being in Shape in a Good Way. Ed from SFV could be Secretary of Making Sure Cruz is Next. nk could be Secretary of Reality. JVW would head Homeland Security. Kevin M would be in charge of naming my horse. Of course, difus would be Secretary of Defense (inside joke). Rodney King’s Spirit would head Health and Human Services. narcisco would lead the State Department. SarahW would head EPA because it’s about time. Beldar, perfect National Security Adviser. Colonel Haiku would be in charge of poetry and anti-terrorism as the head of Homeland Security, which would be renamed the Department of Killing the Bastards.

    Finally, MD in Philly will be Chief of Staff and Leviticus will be the that guy that sits in the chair left of my desk and whispers advice as needed.

    Patterico’s position goes without saying. All nominations are accepted for other positions.

    Vote for Ag80! It’s about time.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  191. Oops. Forgot DRJ. Personal adviser.

    Vote Ag80. There’s nothing else to lose.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  192. RKS,

    Elections are not anything like the free market. I love people who clean other people’s clocks in the marketplace. But voters do not have the same incentives to be rational, and so the analogy does not hold.

    Looks like it’s time to get around to posting a review of Bryan Caplan’s The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies.

    Now that I feel no need to cover presidential polltics, I have plenty of time to discuss such things.

    Nobody will care, of course. But it will make me happy. And that’s what I care about: honestly discussing things that interest me.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  193. JVW would head Homeland Security.

    Thanks Ag80. No matter how incompetent I was, I would be a step up from Jeh Johnson and Janet Napolitano. And I would grow in office, or whatever.

    JVW (a91f51)

  194. If we must have an enemy at the head of the Government, let it be one whom we can oppose & for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures.

    Hear, hear, DRJ! That quote alone is good enough to keep him on the $10 bill!

    Anyway, with these leftists in power, by 2030 it won’t matter who’s on the $10 or the $20. We’ll be debating who to put on the $50,000 as we push cartloads of them to the grocery store.

    Patterico (86c8ed)

  195. y’all is gittin it SO twistered

    happyfeet (831175)

  196. Ag80, good to hear from you, and congrats on your family’s news!

    Beldar (fa637a)

  197. @ Patterico (#190): George Soros already has dibs on the $50k note, sorry.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  198. Thanks JVW, Beldar and DRJ. It is a good time for the Ag80 family. A really good time.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  199. The simple solution for those of us who live in navy blue states is to write “Ted Cruz” in for President. Well, given that a Democrat is going to process that write-in, perhaps you should go with “Senator Edward (Ted) Cruz” just to make it more difficult for them to discard your ballot.

    Not to nitpick, but just in case it makes a difference, his whole name is Rafael Edward (Ted) Cruz. BTW, I live a a deep blue state, and that is my plan.

    RRFCL (ef2ffa)

  200. If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
    Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
    Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
    Or lesser breeds without the Law—
    Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
    Lest we forget—lest we forget!

    For heathen heart that puts her trust
    In reeking tube and iron shard,
    All valiant dust that builds on dust,
    And guarding calls not Thee to guard,
    For frantic boast and foolish word-
    Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!

    It is going to be a rough four years. (And if you think the next four will be bad, wait until we get President Kanye.)

    Consider the sequoias and their relatives; their seeds open after a fire has cleared everything else out. People who believe in the Constitution and limited government are going to have to adopt similar strategies.

    Gabriel Hanna (376cfa)

  201. “Congratulations to your children and to their parents, Ag80”, said nk belatedly. “I was just invited”, he continued wistfully, “to join the Fathers’ Club for the graduating class of 2020 of the high school in which my daughter will be an incoming freshman in September.”

    nk (dbc370)

  202. Wife and I went to the Cherokee Cnty, NC, Board of Elections yesterday and resigned our GOP registration. Next, NeverTrump, and all the way down the ticket, especially Senator Richard Burr, NC, gets a no vote come November.

    Ross (64a086)

  203. But the GOP, which I have quit, will still on balance fight Hillary Clinton more than it will fight Donald Trump and if you can’t see that then you are a leftist who probably likes the crease in Peggy Noonan’s pants.

    You can mock me about that, but you do admit that you were viscerally — again, viscerally — less turned off than I was by the Democrat’s “Goddamn America” candidate in 2008. After all, you did make two assumptions about him that struck me as amazingly naive, if not flat-out foolish. Simply put, you underestimated just how leftwing he was, certainly in regards to his attitude, his demeanor, his life history, and gave him some benefit of the doubt that he didn’t deserve, then or now.

    Eight years later, you’re underestimating just how liberal the entire socio-political scene is, from DC to SF, from the south to the north, from the Kardashian-ized media to the Nidal-Hasan-ized US military. That’s why it’s even more naive to assume the Republican Party by the time January 2017 rolls around will suddenly grow itself a spine after 8 years of being a jellyfish toward Jeremiah Wright’s buddy in the Oval Office.

    Mark (fb60e8)

  204. @Mark:. That’s why it’s even more naive to assume the Republican Party by the time January 2017

    One of the arguments advanced here against nominating Trump is that his defeat will cause so many downballot losses. If this is true, then there will be no GOP Congress with which to fight Hillary.

    These two anti-Trump arguments: his inevitable loss will fatally weaken the GOP, and he’s more dangerous than Hillary because the GOP will fight Hillary–cannot both be true. Yet they have both been advanced here and at times by the same person.

    Gabriel Hanna (376cfa)

  205. There are so many ways this is symptomatic of US culture today.

    Lack of integrity, media dictating the narrative, media preference for controversy, disdain for integrity, inability to discern between someone lying for sport, and someone making occasional slip-ups, hyper-partisanship **within** parties (e.g. Rubio supporters), naked lust for power (Carson), valuing image over ability to do the job (Scott Walker), the list goes on and on.

    I dunno, I think the country has to be fixed. And I come back to the point I’ve made before – I think the best way out is to let the states go free and re-create their own, smaller unions with more compatible values. The current one is clearly past it’s used by and clearly too big to be any good – or change.

    It’s only a matter of time before something breaks or blows up IMHO.

    scrubone (c3104f) — 5/3/2016 @ 6:06 pm

    Don’t worry about it. WWIII is right around the corner.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  206. For anyone who gives a fig about the party, consider this…if DJT loses, it will have a chance to reorganize around something not resembling populism and jingoism and the cult of personality.

    There is no saving what a DJT-led party will look like.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  207. Yes, it does. It ends in redemption because Christ never quit! Read the book. He was beaten, He was scourged, He was crucified but He never renounced, never gave up and NEVER changed sides.

    You want to quit being Republicans because things aren’t going your way? Fine, quit. We don’t need quitters. Funny how the brainwashed dummies on the left never quit. Evil never sleeps and as the saying goes all that’s needed for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Then quit. Do nothing. You all just became part of the problem.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193) — 5/3/2016 @ 6:11 pm

    Were you on the grassy knoll Hoagie? Inquiring minds want to know.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  208. Just think about it, OK? Johnson already got 11% in a hypothetical 3 person race back in March. The libertarians are the best alternative, and maybe it’s a long shot, maybe all we do is set things up in preparation for 2020, but it’s much better than just “observing” a Trump vs Hillary contest.

    Thanks for listening. -Rob W

    Robert Westbrook (494536) — 5/3/2016 @ 6:58 pm

    Johnson is an abortionist. No thanks.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  209. Good luck on your surgery Hoagie. I hope healing and recovery will make you appreciate what you have in life.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  210. I didn’t leave the Republican party. The Republican party left me.

    Dan (e77f43)

  211. He punched his wife. Then gave her the elbow on the follow through.

    IN the NBA that would have been a flagrant foul. Well… except if it was Kobe Bryant in a playoff game versus the Kings.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  212. I didn’t leave the Republican party. The Republican party left me.

    for me, it’s more like “I had values, The GOP had goals.”

    they weren’t the same.

    redc1c4 (018028)

  213. 70. OT. The good news is I was accepted for Lung Transplant Surgery today at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I have 6 weeks of preliminary therapy, some weight loss to do and preparatory medications then I’m on the list. I’m very happy and my wife is even happier.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193) — 5/3/2016 @ 6:36 pm

    Two bits of good news in two weeks.

    I don’t expect the other bit to matter much to anyone else, but it looks like my vet got all of the cancer when she amputated the toe. He’s already putting weight on the foot. So Romeo the Gordon Setter should be with me for his fully allotted time.

    Regrets if it appears I’m making light of the situation, Hoagie. I know he’s just a dog but still, I’ve had him for 11 years and I wouldn’t like to lose him.

    Steve57 (412496)

  214. Johnson is an abortionist. No thanks.

    Ditto.

    nk (dbc370)

  215. @nk:Vote for the old broad. It’s important.

    Gabriel Hanna (376cfa)

  216. @nk:Vote for the old broad. It’s important.

    Johnson is an abortionist. No thanks.

    Consistency: the hobgoblin of little minds…

    Gabriel Hanna (376cfa)

  217. So Trump is going to take away your rights?

    News flash for you.

    It’s the judiciary that protects your rights. I shouldn’t have to explain this to a bunch of lawyers.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  218. You ever want something so much that when you didn’t get it, you react by punching your wife?

    I’ve seen people like that. Can’t say I knew them or understood them. Never voted for someone like that intentionally. Never campaigned for them.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  219. Gabriel, you suffer from a severe lack of discernment and discrimination. Voting for Hillary will help Trump lose even if it is voting for an abortionist. Voting for Johnson will only be voting for an abortionist. It will not help Trump lose. And the only reason I might vote for an abortionist is that Trump will lose. Because it is very important that Trump loses. More important than who wins.

    nk (dbc370)

  220. It’s the judiciary that protects your rights. I shouldn’t have to explain this to a bunch of lawyers.

    Tell that to the John Does in Wisconsin, who spent two to three years in limbo before the judiciary vindicated them.

    Tell that to Mark Steyn, who is still waiting for his day in court five years after Michael Mann filed his lawsuit. The process is the punishment, papertiger, and your guy backed by the apparatus of the Justice Department would probably be very happy to subject his foes to this sort of legal garbage.

    JVW (a91f51)

  221. and he’s more dangerous than Hillary because the GOP will fight Hillary–cannot both be true.

    What irks me is a breed of registered Republican or quasi-right-leaning independent out there who expresses even a glint of being dovish (or kissy-face) towards Hillary. Such people may be among that pathetic bunch of Americans who’ve given her rather high poll ratings since the 1990s. Bill’s wife, therefore, is sort of both a prelude and epilogue — or the bookends — to the wretched person currently in the Oval Office.

    As such, anyone who makes it sound like the SS (USA) Titanic started taking on water rather recently apparently have been demurely rearranging the deck chairs up until now.

    Mark (fb60e8)

  222. Reason Number 173 not to vote for Trump: papertiger will be voting for him and you do not want it said that you have that much in common with him.

    nk (dbc370)

  223. Those raids were not launched against hardened criminals but against conservative activists, and the “crimes” they were accused of turned out not to be crimes at all. Rather, a hyper-partisan district attorney, John Chisholm, and his special prosecutor, Francis Schmitz, launched a multi-county criminal investigation of First Amendment–protected speech. They wanted to know the extent to which conservative individuals and groups had coordinated with Scott Walker’s campaign — and the campaigns of various state senators — to advocate conservative issues.

    This summer, the Wisconsin Supreme Court halted the investigation, holding:

    The special prosecutor has disregarded the vital principle that in our nation and our state political speech is a fundamental right and is afforded the highest level of protection. The special prosecutor’s theories, rather than “assur[ing] [the] unfettered interchange of ideas for the bringing about of political and social changes desired by the people” . . . instead would assure that such political speech will be investigated with paramilitary-style home invasions conducted in the pre-dawn hours and then prosecuted and punished.

    Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425178/wisconsin-john-doe-investigations

    A DA office is the enforcement arm of the Executive branch. In that case, the Executive office of some two bit mayor.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  224. The way I see it Ted still had the glide path to deny Trump 1237, in spite of losing Indiana.

    Even without Cruz in the last ten state primaries, Trump gets 1328. That’s a difference of 91 first ballot delegates.

    Cruz could have done it. He caved.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  225. Never apologize for loving lives important to you, steve57!!!!! I am very glad to read your wonderful news.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  226. In the big scheme of things I’m sure it doesn’t amount to much.

    But how Romeo feels about me is pretty much how I feel about Romeo.

    http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4ZPx2Wnc0lI/maxresdefault.jpg

    For that amount of bleeding I wouldn’t have taken myself to the hospital. But Romeo had been limping for a couple of days and now he was bleeding from his toenail. It turned out he no longer had a socket to hold the toenail. The cancer had eaten it away.

    She went in and got it. The only delay was, necessarily, he couldn’t eat for a while before the surgery.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojeLyPo_Wz4

    Luciano Pavarotti – Ave Maria 1978

    Again, I know, an unworthy parallel.

    Steve57 (412496)

  227. The Senate might just as well bring Garland’s nomination to the floor and confirm him on a voice vote. No need to bother with hearings.

    My thoughts exactly. The most likely outcome is that 0bama would withdraw the nomination, but so what? Let him. At least he’ll have the embarassing task of explaining to the low-information public why he’s doing that.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  228. I think Sen. Cruz is in a hard place on this one. He promised, in public, to support the Republican nominee

    I think Trump’s vicious slanders against him, his wife, and his father absolve him from that promise.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  229. I wonder what the NY Conservative Party will do. I can’t see them nominating Trump. So I’ll probably end up voting for whomever they do nominate, or for the Libertarian.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  230. 225. I wonder what the NY Conservative Party will do. I can’t see them nominating Trump. So I’ll probably end up voting for whomever they do nominate, or for the Libertarian.

    Milhouse (87c499) — 5/4/2016 @ 12:49 am

    Has anyone actually made the case Trump is better than Hillary! Including Trump? And, no, death threats don’t convince me and, no, Trumpanzees, I’m not some little girl you can throw around.

    Steve57 (412496)

  231. If it’s such a simple thing you should be able to lay it out, no problem. No need for invective or profanity.

    Steve57 (412496)

  232. Watch out for the door on the way out, buh-bye.

    Karen (db1adf)

  233. Tough day for the Cruz fans but good day for long term viability of the GOP. Brit Hume said it best when describing the two groups Conservative GOP and GOP Conservative. The first group never really saw party loyalty as necessary while the second group does.
    I think the first group tried to lay claim to the Tea Party and the Evangelicals as their own groups who wouldn’t dare stray from the fold much as the Democrats lay claim to Hispanics and African-Americans. The Trump results proved that was a bad assumption.

    The conservatives should form their own party – it is the right, principled thing to do. May not win many elections but they can finally have a clear conscience.

    The final betrayal in this cycle will be when Cruz supports Trump knowing that he is a lock for Scalia’s seat should Trump win. Palin and now Cruz. Who will be the next golden child of the truecons?

    voiceofreason (494009)

  234. Alright my friendly Cruz supporters. Nobody is perfect.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  235. The final betrayal in this cycle will be when Cruz supports Trump knowing that he is a lock for Scalia’s seat should Trump win. Palin and now Cruz. Who will be the next golden child of the truecons?
    voiceofreason (494009) — 5/4/2016 @ 1:18 am

    Cruz realizes he has to kiss Trump’s rump to stay relevant. Not just for a SC gig, but to have a shot as Trump’s VP pick or a high admin post. That’s how crafty politicians play the game – and Cruz is nothing if not a crafty politician.

    Karen (db1adf)

  236. That’s funny, Karen.

    JD (52076d)

  237. Ted does has the patience and temperament of a SC Justice.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  238. Which is I don’t see it as a betrayal by Cruz for him to rise to his natural place in the order of ability.
    He merits a SC nomination.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  239. The never Trump swabs are so pure that Bill’s wife is very attractive to them.

    mg (31009b)

  240. Our esteemed host wrote:

    I will still support and vote for Republicans, but only Republicans who demonstrate that they will adhere to limited government, constitutional principles. No longer will I vote a straight party-line ticket.

    Then perhaps you will like Gary Johnson’s issues page. Former Governor Johnson is running for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.

    Now, I certainly don’t like everything for which the Libertarians stand, including legalization of recreational drugs and maintaining the right for women to slaughter their unborn children, but some of Mr Johnson’s positions are good ones:

    Government Spending
    By the time Barack Obama leaves office, the national debt will be $20 TRILLION. That is not just obscene, it is unsustainable — and arguably the single greatest threat to our national security.

    Responsibility for the years of deficit spending that have created our debt crisis rests squarely with BOTH the Republicans and the Democrats. The debt doubled under President George W. Bush — and doubled again under President Obama. During that time, both parties enjoyed control of Congress, and the deficit spending just kept piling up.

    It doesn’t have to be that way, despite what the politicians say. But the idea that we can somehow balance the federal budget without cutting military spending and reforming entitlements is fantasy. What is required is leadership and political courage. As Governor of a state with an overwhelmingly Democrat legislature, Gary Johnson stood up to excess spending, vetoed 750 bills and literally thousands of budget line items…and balanced the state’s budget.

    Governor Johnson has pledged that his first major act as President will be to submit to Congress a truly balanced budget. No gimmicks, no imaginary cuts in the distant future. Real reductions to bring spending into line with revenues, without tax increases. No line in the budget will be immune from scrutiny and reduction. And he pledges to veto any legislation that will result in deficit spending, forcing Congress to override his veto in order to spend money we don’t have.

    No excuses. No games. A REAL balanced budget.

    Taxes

    Today’s federal tax code does all the wrong things. It penalizes productivity, savings and investment, while rewarding inefficiency and designating winners and losers according to political whim. For far too long, tax laws have been used not just as a means to collect needed revenues, but as a weapon with which to manipulate our behavior, create and destroy industries and fulfill politicians’ dreams of social engineering. The result is a tax code that is more than 70,000 pages long enforced by a government agency with almost 100,000 employees.
    It is nothing less than a massive deployment of government force on our lives, our finances and our freedom.

    Governor Johnson advocates the elimination of tax subsidies, the double taxation embodied in business income taxes, and ultimately, the replacement of all income and payroll taxes with a single consumption tax that will allow every American and every business to determine their tax burden by making their own spending decisions. Taxes on purchases for basic necessities would be “prebated”, with all other purchases taxed equally regardless of income, status or purpose.
    Many leading economists have long advocated such a shift in the way we are taxed, and Gary Johnson believes the time has come to eliminate the punishing tax code we have today and replace it with a system that rewards productivity, investment and savings. The IRS as we know it today would no longer be necessary, and Americans would no longer need to live in fear of the force of government being wielded under the guise of tax collection.

    There is more at the link, but Mr Johnson, who will certainly neither win nor carry a single state, is a candidate for whom you could vote and not feel that you had to go home and take a shower.

    The disappointed Dana (f6a568)

  241. Aphrael wrote:

    Patterico – I think Sen. Cruz is in a hard place on this one. He promised, in public, to support the Republican nominee – and I think he’s an unusual politician in that he feels bound by that promise. Yet that promise requires him to support Mr. Trump, which he (rightly) does not want to do.

    All that he has to do is to endorse Mr Trump for the general election, and then go back to being a Senator from Texas. He is not obligated to campaign for Mr Trump, or raise money for him, or treat Mr Trump with any more respect than Mr Trump treated him.

    Mr Trump threw Senator Cruz a bone, by saying what a tough fighter he had been, but that almost certainly does not make up for Mr Trump referring to him as “Lyin’ Ted” throughout the campaign.

    I would like to say that at least none of the sixteen other Republican candidates would agree to be Mr Trump’s running mate, but I can’t: Chris Christie or Ben Carson or Mike Huckabee would be on their knees in a second for such an offer. I’m hoping, at the very least, that Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio would have the decency to decline such an offer.

    The Dana who understands the concept of honor (f6a568)

  242. Fred Z wrote:

    The perfect is the enemy of the good.

    The insistence on the perfect candidate has defeated the right time and time again.

    Get off your high horse, get him elected and work on him and with him.

    I’m tired of high minded perfectionist fucking losers.

    This argument would have some merit if our choices in November were between good and bad. The problem is that our major party choices are between, at best, bad and worse.

    The discriminating Dana (f6a568)

  243. Mr Johnson, who will certainly neither win nor carry a single state, is a candidate for whom you could vote and not feel that you had to go home and take a shower.

    Do tell:

    Johnson is a strong supporter of civil liberties and received the highest score of any candidate from the American Civil Liberties Union for supporting drug decriminalization and having a pro-choice stance on abortion, while opposing censorship and regulation of the Internet, the Patriot Act, enhanced airport screenings, and the indefinite detention of prisoners. He has spoken in favor of the separation of church and state, and has said that he does not “seek the counsel of God” when determining his political agenda. Johnson endorsed same-sex marriage in 2011; he has since called for a constitutional amendment protecting equal marriage rights,[126] and criticized Obama’s position on the issue as having “thrown this question back to the states.” Johnson has been a longtime advocate of legalizing marijuana and has said that if he were president, he would remove it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act as well as issue an executive order pardoning non-violent marijuana offenders.

    nk (dbc370)

  244. Your candidate could never win the primary and only got as far as he did because Trump destroyed all the mainstream contenders first. So take your bat and ball and take a hike. Trump is going to win and win easily, and the best part is, he’s going to do it without people like you. He won’t owe your faction anything, you won’t count. You’ll be utterly irrelevant. Losing with honor is still losing, which is why the democrats are only too happy to see the GOP bound by honor and only too happy to enforce that honor upon us when they themselves have none, because they know we’ll lose with it. Trump has broken that mold, he fights to win and he’s not fighting to make friends on the cocktail circuit like most pundits are. He’s done more to advance the GOP already simply by FIGHTING than every loser pundit commenting on why we’ve lost yet another legal, cultural or legislative battle.

    Mr Black (3efb66)

  245. I agreed with McCain on almost nothing, yet I had to support him as the lesser of two evils, they said. A vote for anyone else was a vote for Obama, they said. So I held my nose and voted for McCain. I’ve hated that vote ever since. Never again will I pull the lever for a candidate I dislike

    That just makes no sense. If you live in a swing state (which I do not) then whenever there is a lesser of two evils you have to hold your nose and vote for it, because not to do so is effectively to cast half a vote for the greater evil. By November 2008 it was clear that 0bama was a greater evil than McCain. Romney wasn’t even evil, just not very good, and clearly a better choice than 0bama. But Trump is not a lesser evil than Clinton, and in my opinion he’s a greater evil, so if I lived in a swing state I’d be steeling myself from now for the ordeal of voting for Clinton in November.

    The last time I felt this way was in 1996, when I honestly could not see any reason to prefer Dole over Clinton or vice versa. I knew I preferred either one of them to Perot, but he wasn’t going to win no matter what, and I didn’t care which of the other two won. Even in hindsight I still feel teh same way. If I could reach back and change the result in that election I wouldn’t. So I voted for Harry Browne, even though I already knew he was probably a crook.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  246. Yes, Mr. Black, we know that there are 10 million drooling mouth-breathers in America. Let’s see if Badgerhead can find the other 50 million he needs to beat Hillary. Are there 50 million more like you? The bottom of the Bell Curve only goes so far, and half of it is already for Bernie.

    nk (dbc370)

  247. We’re not military hawks, but we want a strong military and we’ll fight wars that truly serve our country’s interest;

    Unfortunately (1) I don’t believe that. The LP is above all an antiwar party, and doesn’t look like changing no matter what. (2) That is the Kitty Genovese theory of foreign policy, and I don’t see how any decent person can stomach it. Just because we can’t fix every evil in the world doesn’t mean we should never fix any unless it hurts us.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  248. I don’t get people who say they’re voting for Hillary. I have no intention of doing that.

    What’s not to get? The only reason I won’t is that it’s impossible for my vote to affect the result so I don’t have to.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  249. I’ll just say that the current apparent main candidates are both really bad and have no business being the leader of our country,
    unless it is to further lead the decline…

    I’m not going to feel too strongly how one decides which is worse.

    Political leaders can influence the culture, but politics is also down stream from the culture.
    It looks like the culture is dominated by envy, just envy about different things.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  250. 235. The never Trump swabs are so pure that Bill’s wife is very attractive to them.

    mg (31009b) — 5/4/2016 @ 3:09 am

    I’m a proud swabbie. Tell me how Trump is better. Make the effing case.

    Steve57 (412496)

  251. She’s a horrible, awful person, and yet is objectively a better person than Trump.

    Why do you think this? I must say I disagree. Strongly. They’re the same person. It’s just that she is more restrained and calculated in her dishonesty and manipulations than Trump

    No, they’re not the same person. She’s got standards; he doesn’t. She’s Gentleman Johnny Marcone, or perhaps Mab; he’s Papa Raith (before he got neutralised). No redeeming features.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  252. I’ve been meaning to read a Dresden book just out of curiosity. Which is the best one, Milhouse?

    nk (dbc370)

  253. i just wanna make America great again

    is that so wrong

    it’s my one thing i want

    And I want a cure for cancer, but Trump is no more likely to deliver one than the other.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  254. 244. I’ll just say that the current apparent main candidates are both really bad and have no business being the leader of our country,…

    MD in Philly (f9371b) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:17 am

    James Webb got laughed off the stage for saying the enemy he was most proud of was the VC who tried to kill him.

    Laughed at.

    It wasn’t just the North Caroline bathroom issue that convinced me I have no one left. I am on my own.

    Steve57 (412496)

  255. Risking doing what I said I wouldn’t do,
    yes, Trump is a narcissistic opportunist who thinks nothing of leaving others to suffer for his mistakes, a petty and dishonest and vulgar person by his overt behavior.
    That said, HRC has been seeking her own fame and power by promoting evil and corruption of all kinds, brought hell to Libya for her personal gain,
    and would champion the continued degradation of human dignity, human relationships, and human rights.

    So, hard for me to choose a looser.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  256. Has Trump defended a rapist spouse? Sought to vilify and marginalized female crime victims? Laughed about getting criminals off? Run professional smear operations against her husband many accusers? Lied to families about their dead kids? Take tens of millions in bribes? Smeared conservatives as wackos?

    Mutatis mutandis, yes, he has done all of those things.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  257. Hillary is bad enough without making up stupid conspiracy theory BS about her.

    Exactly. Yes, there was something not quite right about the Foster case. But it’s a huge and illogical leap to conclude that therefore she had him killed, when there are all kinds of much more likely explanations. Personally I think the most likely scenario is that he genuinely committed suicide, for the reasons given in the official version, but the Clintons’ people found the body in a place they didn’t want searched, so they had it moved before calling it in.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  258. I remember Reagan promising to eliminate the Department of Education and Energy … Did he lie? He never lifted a finger to deliver that.

    He meant it. It just proved too difficult, and there were too many other things that took a higher priority.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  259. Mutatis mutandis.

    Yes the necessary thing. And those who once spoke disapprovingly of Billy Jeff now must be reduced to the similar.

    I say no. I said no 20 years ago and I say no now.

    Steve57 (412496)

  260. Ted Kennedy is by far the worst of all of them, having killed someone. Trump has killed nobody to my knowledge.

    But he didn’t mean to kill her. He was a manslaughterer, not a murderer. It happened, and he didn’t know what to do, so he panicked and tried to cover it up, leaving her to drown. He probably didn’t even know she was still alive. I can understand that. He was a bad person, but he probably wanted to be a better one. Trump doesn’t even want to be better than he is.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  261. Johnson is an abortionist. No thanks.

    So are both of the alternatives, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  262. It’s a stretch to imagine Trump wants to be a better person than Ted Kennedy. That if he could have been he would have.

    He doesn’t apologize.

    Steve57 (412496)

  263. I agreed with McCain on almost nothing, yet I had to support him as the lesser of two evils, they said. A vote for anyone else was a vote for Obama, they said. So I held my nose and voted for McCain. I’ve hated that vote ever since. Never again will I pull the lever for a candidate I dislike

    McCain is a fiscal conservative – more so than Bush (either one), Kasich and some others. He would never attempt to enact anything like Obamacare. He voted against Bush’s Medicare drug benefit for example. He’s been consistently pro-life. His foreign policy would not in any way resemble Obama’s insane, pro-Muslim Brotherhood, pro-Iran policies. He’s for a strong national defense.

    I was concerned about his support for Cap and Trade but had he been elected hopefully someone would have talked sense into him.

    The way he campaigned in 2008 distressed many conservatives, where it seemed like he pulled his punches and was too sensitive to, or maybe intimidated by, the mainstream media.

    Gerald A (945582)

  264. But he didn’t mean to kill her. He was a manslaughterer, not a murderer. It happened, and he didn’t know what to do, so he panicked and tried to cover it up, leaving her to drown. He probably didn’t even know she was still alive. I can understand that. He was a bad person, but he probably wanted to be a better one. Trump doesn’t even want to be better than he is.

    Milhouse (87c499) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:49 am

    Only God knows what actually happened at Chappaquiddick, but IMHO he probably in the moment had to decide whether he was going to try to save Kopechne’s life and end his own career in the process or let her die and use the power and prestige of his family name to save his ass.

    L.N. Smithee (d3752a)

  265. We’re not military hawks, but we want a strong military and we’ll fight wars that truly serve our country’s interest;

    Unfortunately (1) I don’t believe that. The LP is above all an antiwar party, and doesn’t look like changing no matter what. (2) That is the Kitty Genovese theory of foreign policy, and I don’t see how any decent person can stomach it. Just because we can’t fix every evil in the world doesn’t mean we should never fix any unless it hurts us.

    Milhouse (87c499) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:07 am

    Exactly. Well stated.

    Steven Malynn (4bc33a)

  266. Under Trump, the Republican Party will continue to be the Party of crony capitalism. Trump would be President John Boehner but with slightly more vulgarity and less crying. In addition, we can forget about the Rule of Law under President Trump. He uses the laws to protect his wealth and extend his influence. He doesn’t worry about following the law to get something he wants — to him, using or avoiding laws are what lawyers, lawsuits and courts are for.

    The sad part is Hillary is the same as Trump, except for his promises on immugration and trade that I don’t believe he can keep or wants to keep. Thus, if Trump loses, conservatives might gain control of a defeated Republican Party — which should be easier than creating a new Party. If Trump wins, crony capitalism wins and the GOP goes back to business as usual.

    DRJ (15874d)

  267. Blaming the electorate is BS … The fault lies with Team R destroying its brand by pumping out great commercials but baddddddddddd product. Fix the product and much fewer would buy foreign

    Rodney King’s Spirit (db6706) — 5/3/2016 @ 8:36 pm

    “I’m sick of buying cars from Detroit. American cars are badly designed, badly built. Next time I buy a car, I’m going to do something DIFFERENT!”

    L.N. Smithee (d3752a)

  268. After some sleep, four cups of coffee, and four cigarettes, I started thinking. How much of Trump’s vote was from Hillary supporters? Are we still playing into her hands? And what, at this point, difference does it make? Well, the difference it makes is, “Whom do I want to spite? The Badgerhead or the Cackle?” I have six months before I flip a coin. For the time being, I’ll just insult badgers.

    nk (dbc370)

  269. Buzzsawmonkey sent me this.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  270. Unfortunately (1) I don’t believe that. The LP is above all an antiwar party, and doesn’t look like changing no matter what. (2) That is the Kitty Genovese theory of foreign policy, and I don’t see how any decent person can stomach it. Just because we can’t fix every evil in the world doesn’t mean we should never fix any unless it hurts us.

    Milhouse (87c499) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:07 am

    I remember as if yesterday September 12, 2001 when Harry Browne wrote a column posted at World Net Daily titled “When Will We Learn?” that was shared on Free Republic when I practically lived at that site. Libertarians were alleging that the U.S. provoked Pearl Harbor because of the fuel embargo that denied Hirohito the ability to execute his plans for Pacific Rim hegemony. They apparently were unaware that when fully executed, Imperial Japan’s ultimate goal was reaching and conquering the West Coast of North America following U.S. humiliation in Europe.

    L.N. Smithee (d3752a)

  271. It could be part of her plan, nk, but the GOP establishment is on board. It’s hard to tell the difference between Washington Republicans and Democrats.

    DRJ (15874d)

  272. Thank you Patterico and your contributors. For those of us without a potential president we can support I would suggest focusing our efforts on ensuring the House and Senate majorities work to restrain the Executive branch from its administrative tyranny. Whoever is elected is going to need a constant reminder that we live in a constitutional republic.

    crazy (cde091)

  273. I’ve been meaning to read a Dresden book just out of curiosity. Which is the best one, Milhouse?

    I couldn’t say; I always try to read series in order of publication, so I’d always tell you to start with the first one even if it isn’t the best.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  274. If you cannot bring yourself to vote for Donald Trump — and right now, I cannot — it’s still wholly wrong to vote for Hillary Clinton. The answer has to be to vote, but vote third party. No third party candidate will win, but a surge in third party votes will indicate just how large the principled conservative vote is.

    I haven’t fully researched the third party candidates, and all of those parties have their kook fringe. I’d guess that the Libertarian or Constitution parties would be about as good a choices as we could get, and they certainly will not reflect all, or even most, of my views, but a vote for one of them will indicate that I am a conservative who could not pull the lever for Donald Trump.

    Of course, I live in Pennsylvania, where it won’t really matter: Mrs Clinton will carry the Keystone State, probably by a landslide.

    The Republican Dana (f6a568)

  275. I believe word for word that you express how millions of us feel. Especially the part that Ted Cruz still has our respect and support, as does Mike Lee. No one is perfect but Ted Cruz is amazing and is exactly what America needs right now. Yet too many Voters are going with the longtime Liberal Democrats.

    Vets (171ace)

  276. Mr. The Donald is a good alternative to pee-stank cause he’s our best chance for to move past the illegal immigrant fiasco what food stamp did on failmerica.

    He can help us both resolve the policies and also diminish the saliency of the issue.

    This would be a great service to our sad little country – resolving a problem what pee-stank would not only exacerbate, but what she’d leave sticky moist and foul-smelling.

    happyfeet (831175)

  277. The NY Conservative Party will choose its nominee in September.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  278. 171Then we’ll look around at each other and figure out what we do.

    Let us know when you figure out how to win elections with 5% of the votes.

    James B. Shearer (708165)

  279. The sad part is Hillary is the same as Trump, except for his promises on immugration and trade that I don’t believe he can keep or wants to keep.

    On trade he’s worse than Clinton. Clinton would probably end up supporting free trade whether she believes in it or not, just as her husband did. Trump won’t.

    Milhouse (87c499)

  280. He was a bad person, but he probably wanted to be a better one.

    Oh, brother. Your guilty of that ridiculous notion that a person like Ted Kennedy, imbued with liberal sentiments, deserves some added benefit of the doubt because, well, such a person at least means well. Because that type of person at least talks the talk (never mind his rarely or never walking the walk).

    That mindset is a major reason we’re in the mess we’re in today.

    Mark (fb60e8)

  281. 5% is what wins the elections. Each party has a lock on its 47%. It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing. Until now, that is.

    nk (dbc370)

  282. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Republican Brand

    When are you gonna break down
    When are you going to pound sand
    JFK could be doin’ no harm
    ‘fore he’s kilt by Cruz’s old man

    You knew nothing lasts forever
    Just wait for the drop of the shoe
    They’re not some dullards for your friends to chastise
    We’re far too young to be singing the blues

    So goodbye Republican Brand
    While the dregs of society howl
    He took us out to the woodshed
    Dems put lipstick on their sow

    Back to the howling old coot on the stump
    Tunes from a tired, old band
    Oh I’ve finally decided my future lies
    Beyond the Republican Brand

    What do you think you’ll do when
    They’re swearing that demoness in
    It’ll take you more than some vodka and tonics
    To set you on your feet again

    Or maybe they’ll get a replacement
    There’s plenty of them to be found
    Mongrels who ain’t got a penny
    Or that socialist, toothless old hound
    So goodbye Republican Brand
    While the dregs of society howl
    He took us out to the woodshed
    Dems put lipstick on their sow

    Back to the howling old coot on the stump
    taking the dirty back road
    Oh it’s startin’ to look like our future rests
    in the hands of that criminal toad

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  283. Ah ah ah…. Ah ah ah ah ah…. Ah ah ah ahhhhhhhhhhh

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  284. The way I see it Ted still had the glide path to deny Trump 1237, in spite of losing Indiana.

    Even without Cruz in the last ten state primaries, Trump gets 1328. That’s a difference of 91 first ballot delegates.

    Cruz could have done it. He caved.

    papertiger (c2d6da) — 5/3/2016 @ 11:59 pm

    You really are a hillary supporter. It’s the only way to explain your constant antagonizing of Cruz supporters even after the fact. You are a very low class human being.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  285. Tell me how Trump is better. Make the effing case. — Steve57

    Okay.

    DONALD TRUMP: ‘CONCEALED CARRY A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE’

    According to Trump, the push for national right to carry recognition is one that needs to succeed. Trump explains:

    The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states. A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving – which is a privilege, not a right – then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege.

    Trump also used the policy paper to mock the idea of describing an entire category of guns as “assault weapons.” He explained:

    Opponents of gun rights try to come up with scary sounding phrases like “assault weapons,” “military-style weapons” and “high capacity magazines” to confuse people. What they’re really talking about are popular semi-automatic rifles and standard magazines that are owned by tens of millions of Americans. Law-abiding people should be allowed to own the firearm of their choice.

    Perhaps most importantly–in the face of today’s most common gun control campaigns–Trump said he would not support an expansion of background checks. He pointed out that we have had background checks since 1998 and that those checks haven’t lived up the promises that were given when they were enacted. He says we have a situation where criminals get guns when they need them–background system or not–while law-abiding citizens are burdened with going through a check that was supposed to “be instant, accurate and fair,” but isn’t.

    link – http://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/donald-trump-concealed-carry-a-right-not-a-privilege

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  286. May the Fourth be with you.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  287. So are both of the alternatives, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

    Milhouse (87c499) — 5/4/2016 @ 6:00 am

    None of the above is my current position.

    NJRob (a07d2e)

  288. @278. Not bad, Haiku. Not bad at all.

    nk (dbc370)

  289. Trump has evolved on gun control, something he favored in 2000. What’s interesting is that he only evolves when he’s running for President. When he’s just a New York socialite, he toes the gun control line.

    DRJ (15874d)

  290. DRJ – complete 180 on waiting periods, assault weapon ban, etc. No explanation as to why he experienced a complete sea change. As you rightly noted, it appears only because he wanted to run for Team R nomination.

    JD (52076d)

  291. papertiger (c2d6da) — 5/4/2016 @ 8:08 am

    When asked how Trump is better than Cruz, he comes up with one thing that is enacted at the state level, not federal.

    The other thing he comes up with has not been supported at all by Congressional Republicans. There’s been no movement toward expanded background checks by Congressional Republican leadership that is less conservative than Cruz. How is that even an issue in his mind in comparing Cruz with Trump?

    That says it all, about papertiger and Trumpers generally.

    Gerald A (945582)

  292. You could be like the hollywood crowd and leave the country!

    Bill Heald (c33909)

  293. #204 “Johnson is an abortionist. No thanks.” #210 “Ditto”
    He supports bans on abortion at the point of viability. He would like to overturn Roe v Wade and, w/o a constitutional amendment, return the issue to the states. He wants to get rid of all public funding of Planned Parenthood. He supports parental notification laws for minors. Doesn’t sound like an “abortionist” to me. You do know that terms like “pro life” and “pro choice” are just buzzwords for most people. Some people consider themselves both, when you look at the polls. What’s important are the underlying policies. And in those situations, Johnson doesn’t differ from most Republicans except that he takes a more moderate tone. The fact is, only a small minority of people support Personhood amendments and banning all abortion at conception. Most Americans including many pro lifers dislike abortion and want bans in the 12-20 week range yet don’t support making it illegal to destroy embryos. For most people there’s some room for compromise on this difficult issue. Those who insist on only voting for people who support Personhood amendments will have very few options for president.

    #243 “The LP is above all an antiwar party, and doesn’t look like changing no matter what. (2) That is the Kitty Genovese theory of foreign policy, and I don’t see how any decent person can stomach it. Just because we can’t fix every evil in the world doesn’t mean we should never fix any unless it hurts us.”
    Just because libertarians don’t support all the intervention in the middle east doesn’t mean they will oppose all war. But you can’t be all things to all people. American interests were not at risk in Iraq, or Libya, or Syria. You can make an argument for ISIS now, but that doesn’t mean boots on the ground is the only answer. The bigger issue is to ask who decides which evils to fix and how? A lot of the libertarian complaining is over Congress’s dereliction in oversight and the president’s usurped power to wage war around the globe. Then who pays for it? The USA is almost $20 trillion in debt. And then most importantly, is it really worth risking your life and your kids’ lives over it? Do you want to pick sides on every civil war all around the world? Of course with unlimited money we can save lives, innocent lives but the lives of strangers. At what cost to Americans, and what long term consequences to our foreign relations? Do we blame countries for not getting involved in our Civil War? I certainly don’t. When I think about our military, our vets, our wounded warriors, I want a president who won’t ask them to fight every else’s battles. When we need them to fight we should give them all the tools available, but I’m not going to treat them as expendable in a civil war between opposing religious fanatics in a 3rd world desert. But give us a good cause, worth dying for, with American interests at the center, and construct a detailed/effective battle plan, with all alternatives exhausted, then most libertarians WILL be on board.

    We can argue over minor points, details, opinions. Fine. It still doesn’t change the fact that we have Hillary vs Trump, with limited government people talking about becoming “disinterested observers” during a critical election. What’s your better option?

    Robert Westbrook (53479a)

  294. JD,

    To me, the most important reason not to support to Trump is that he has supported, donated to and lived/worked with liberals all his life. Trump and his supporters claim he was simply accepting reality, but liberalism is just as prevalent in DC. Why entrust the fight to someone who has not demonstrated a willingness to fight anyone but Republican candidates?

    It’s like saying the best generals are the ones who have never fought but talk tough. Unfortunately, I fear that may be where America is in its politics and its military.

    DRJ (15874d)

  295. Steve57- Backing the Clintons is above my pay grade.

    mg (31009b)

  296. #188 Patterico, elections are very much like the marketplace, imperfections and all.

    Cruz had the right strategy for 2016 but Trump co-opted it and did it better. He won. Now we deal.

    As I have said, I view Trump as a tools to inflict some serious pain on the adversaries of good policy (and good voting) — that he will do the dirty work cowardly Ivy League Boys won’t do is a blessing for the Nation. Not so sure Ted Cruz would have had the nuts to stand up to the PC Micro Segment running our nation to the ground. As much as Ted might be despised by them he is very much one of them in many ways. Harvard/Princton/Scotus/Gubmint Jobs/Law Firms …… all bad news in my view. Not the man the profile of the man/woman I want in the WH at this time. Woodrow Wilson of the Right is not my prescription for getting things done. This is why warts and all, my guy was Walker with Cruz and Rubio 2nd and 3rd.

    So I will take the bad with the good with this CAFONE b/c with Hillary there is only more of the same bad.

    Rodney King's Spirit (db6706)

  297. Why do you think this? I must say I disagree. Strongly. They’re the same person. It’s just that she is more restrained and calculated in her dishonesty and manipulations than Trump. I think that makes her more dangerous. Regardless, they’re both dishonest and self-serving amoral people. Hillary has just mastered the necessary discipline to appear less objectionable than Trump.

    Dana (0ee61a) — 5/3/2016 @ 7:16 pm

    Dana,

    Sorry I took so long to reply, as I was busy last night.

    I have thought hard about Trump versus Hillary and I think the preference for Hillary is an easy call for several reasons.

    First, we seem to agree they are very similar politically. Very opportunistic. Similar values (one could say ‘New York values’. Both dishonest. Both would ignore the laws and both would lie and harm others to cover themselves.

    We seem to agree she’s more disciplined. That work ethic is a real thing and it’s a real distinction. Hillary would do a better job as president because even though I question her health, I do not question her effort level. Much of the job of president is being a leader, and Hillary is the better leader.

    Hillary was working in a US House office building in 1974. She went on to law school, and has done many things beyond in government up to being a poor Secretary of State. I don’t agree with a lot of what she did, but there’s no question she has a better understanding of our government and is more prepared to be president than Trump, who has never held an office of any kind and has simply bought his way through life with what he inherited.

    But Hillary is also a more patriotic and decent human being. She has been attacked more harshly, for more real and ugly things, many true, and her reactions have been tested for decades. Under the pressure of jerks bashing her as scandalized because of the father of her child screwing around, which is a ton of pressure, Hillary never smeared anyone’s wife or child or parent. She rarely got personal. One can say this is because she knows better than Trump, but at that level of pressure I am going to give her credit for having a baseline of decency.

    Hillary has never treated anyone the way Trump has treated everyone. The country is better off when our supposed leaders lead on decency. Meanwhile, Trump isn’t just nasty in his words, he is nasty in his deeds, and his treatment of women makes Bill Clinton’s look mild.

    The nominees haven’t been announced. We’ll see what happens at the conventions. If it really is Trump versus Clinton I think a lot of conservatives will scratch their heads over this election.

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  298. 290. …but talk tough. Unfortunately, I fear that may be where America is in its politics and its military.

    DRJ (15874d) — 5/4/2016 @ 8:50 am

    Like all women you know how to wound.

    I call it my brush with greatness. I asked. My command wouldn’t let me go. 2002. The war was just heating up. In the Philippines if you recall. Mindanao. The Nav put out a call for an adviser to aid the Filipino Navy/Marines in their fight against the MILF. So against all that is holy, Never Again Volunteer Yourself, I rogered up and said better me than some rookie. I had all the right quals. Time in grade. Fleet experience. Curriculum development experience. I was even qual’d on the right weapons, totally on board with driving them up with out of the bunkers with the M14s soes you could kill them with the M16s. Ammo being cheaper and all.

    Totes cool.

    But my command said no. Because if they let me go they’d never get another reservist.

    Steve57 (412496)

  299. “Hillary was working in a US House office building in 1974. She went on to law school, and has done many things beyond in government up to being a poor Secretary of State. I don’t agree with a lot of what she did, but there’s no question she has a better understanding of our government and is more prepared to be president than Trump, who has never held an office of any kind and has simply bought his way through life with what he inherited.”
    ===============================

    Somewhat like comparing pancreatic cancer with the plague.

    As for the contention that “Hillary has never treated anyone the way Trump has treated everyone.”, she’s left a trail of vilified female victims of her wandering husband, as well as being the architect of the Islamist invasion of Europe and that’s just for starters, Dustin.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  300. 248.I’ve been meaning to read a Dresden book just out of curiosity. Which is the best one, Milhouse?
    nk (dbc370) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:29 am

    I think Ghost Story is probably the best single book … but I’m not certain if it holds up if you don’t know the history.

    What’s your opinion, Milhouse?

    TG (151b93)

  301. If you believe in limited government, constitutional principles, and liberty, stick with me. There are others like us. We’ll figure out what to do next. It won’t be supporting Donald Trump, but it will be supporting our natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

    I agree with everything you wrote here. Question is, where do we go from here? My preference is a new third party, but creating one is a daunting task.

    Bored Lawyer (998177)

  302. Kevin M

    Perhaps now is the time to create an official Tea Party.

    In California, it is fairly straightforward. Submit voter registrations listing TEA PARTY amounting to 0.33% of the total number of registered voters, which is something like 45,000.

    But you don’t have that much time.

    It has to be done by the…

    102nd day prior to a presidential general election (if intending to qualify to participate in the next presidential general election)

    About July 29th.

    (To list a candidate on the ballot in California)

    Sammy Finkelman (643dcd)

  303. http://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/why-cruz-and-the-g-o-p-lost-to-trump

    Soon after the segment aired, and with Indiana Republicans already voting, Cruz held a press conference in Indiana during which he said that he was ready to let the world know, for the very first time, “what I really think of Donald Trump.” “The man is utterly amoral,” Cruz said. “Morality does not exist for him.”

    Sammy Finkelman (643dcd)

  304. As for the contention that “Hillary has never treated anyone the way Trump has treated everyone.”, she’s left a trail of vilified female victims of her wandering husband, as well as being the architect of the Islamist invasion of Europe and that’s just for starters, Dustin.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

    The architect of the islamist invasion of Europe? I think that was probably someone else, and probably years before Hillary was the Secretary of State. And who said she was a terrific Secretary of State? Trump did. She bungled that job up terribly, but not on purpose. Your paranoia is equal to those who say Bush let 9/11 happen on purpose.

    Hillary did stand by her man. I blame Bill for his deeds, not Hillary for standing with her husband.

    Hillary is a nasty boss. I used to work in DC and knew a girl who worked for her. She’s not nice. We all know she’s ruthless and her friends like Huma and Blumenthal are ruthless. Of course, Hillary got this group with the support of Trump, who wanted Hillary to be president in 2008 so much he wrote checks to her and praised her repeatedly.

    You are upset with me for seeing Hillary as the lesser of two evils, but in this case I don’t get it. You’re supporting the guy who actually took political action to get Hillary more power.

    And again, Hillary has shown more decency to her political opponents than Trump has shown to his. Hillary never smeared Sanders’s or Obama’s family. It just didn’t happen. Because as bad as Hillary is, Trump simply is worse.

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  305. …Hillary is a nasty boss. I used to work in DC and knew a girl who worked for her. She’s not nice.

    A friend of mine was detailed from ONI to work in the WH situation room, back in the day, and performed on occasion as a “potted plant” in mess dress at official state functions.

    I second your version of events.

    Steve57 (412496)

  306. “Your paranoia is equal to those who say Bush let 9/11 happen on purpose.”

    Your denial and lack of knowledge about what went on and, as a result, is still happening in Libya and Syria and that Hillary Clinton was involved up to her eye balls shows – quite frankly – that you have not been paying attention.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  307. “Hillary never smeared Sanders’s or Obama’s family. It just didn’t happen. Because as bad as Hillary is, Trump simply is worse.”

    By the same token, in the run-up to the 2012 election, you smeared Romney, his religion, his family, his motivation, his principles, etc., so what does that make you? Granted, you weren’t running for office, just running your mouth.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  308. It does not need to be Hillary. Just as long as it’s not Trump.

    nk (dbc370)

  309. 303
    Bradford was an Islamist haven long before Libya and Syria became war zones. Same with Sweden, etc. Your comment makes no sense on the surface.

    I am guessing you mean by Islamist invasion, the implosions of Libya and Syria. If so, I agree she has a large responsibility there, especially Libya. But architect suggests planning, and if anything, Libya is an example of incompetence that ought to disqualify her on the spot.

    Except the GOP has chosen a nominee who is even more incompetent!

    kishnevi (28fa9f)

  310. Yugoslavia. Former Yugoslavia, that is. The breakup thereof. Resulting in three new Muslim states in Europe — Skopje, Bosnia-Herzegovinia, and Kosovo. That’s Bill Clinton. I understand that Monica Lewinsky’s birthday is a national holiday in Kosovo.

    nk (dbc370)

  311. President Trump how are you what are you gonna do today for to make America great again?

    Hi happy nice to see you. First thing I wanna do today is get rid of all these stupid executive orders food stamp left.

    Can I help?

    You bet happy grab an armful – we’re taking them out to the rose garden firepit.

    Ok! Let it burn!

    Hah yes that’s right happy. It’s a new age of freedom and liberty!

    Mr. Trump I love you SO much.

    Thanks happy you know everything I do, I do for you and millions of other freedom-yearning people just like you.

    Thank you thank you THANK you Mr. Trump!

    You bet happy I’m here to serve.

    Can I lighter up the fire?

    I kinda promised Melania she could.

    happyfeet (831175)

  312. What’s that other thing, Mr. Badgerhead?
    What thing is that, loser?
    That thing you’re wiping your wiping your butt with, Mr. Shortfinger.
    It’s the Constitution, you disgusting pig.

    nk (dbc370)

  313. anyone who thinks Trump would be worse than Shrillery isn’t thinking…

    he might say or do some dumb things while in office, but it’s a lead pipe cinch that she WILL do evil things.

    those are not equivalent issues, and to say otherwise is to be intellectually dishonest.

    redc1c4 (018028)

  314. would Bruce Springsteen’s tranny name have to be Caitlyn too

    happyfeet (831175)

  315. evening kish, londonistan, was a thing long before september 11th, as was molenbeek, where the plotters of massoud’s assasination came from, and certain arondissements, in paris, and marseilles and other places,

    narciso (732bc0)

  316. “I am guessing you mean by Islamist invasion, the implosions of Libya and Syria. If so, I agree she has a large responsibility there, especially Libya. But architect suggests planning, and if anything, Libya is an example of incompetence that ought to disqualify her on the spot.”

    Yes, I was referring to (and stated in an earlier post) Libya and Syria. She was the primary force behind the removal of Gaddafi, for one. Her cackles over her “plan” working are a matter of record. Malevolence and the unintended consequences of her gross incompetence don’t need to be thought exclusive. And, Kishnevi, we haven’t even raised the issue of her belief that laws don’t apply to her or her disdain for national security as demonstrated by her email servers and the Guccifer stuff.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  317. 310… right on, Red. Talk about overreacting to his buffoonish bloviating which, last I checked, still falls under our right to free speech.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  318. Like it or hate it, it isn’t criminal fer Chrissakes.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a)

  319. we haven’t even raised the issue of her belief that laws don’t apply to her or her disdain for national security as demonstrated by her email servers and the Guccifer stuff.

    Yes, you are right.
    But in the choice between evil that has basic competence, versus amorality that lacks even basic competence, I will go with the first.

    Besides, in my opinion, it is better for conservativism to have her in the WH than him.

    kishnevi (9cb6b5)

  320. I’m not crazy about her politics;
    I don’t think she’s anywhere near as intelligent as her husband;
    She’s a bitch.

    I’m not fooled by Trump’s purported politics, they’re the same as hers;
    I don’t think he’s anywhere near as intelligent as Hillary;
    He’s a buffoon.

    Advantage: The Bitch. A bitch can help being a bitch; a buffoon cannot help being a buffoon.

    nk (dbc370)

  321. there were more natives from luton who went to the taliban, then deployed in the british army,

    what competence have you seen red queen display, kish,

    narciso (732bc0)

  322. i’m not voting for pee-stank that’s for sure

    not even if you take away all my star wars

    happyfeet (831175)

  323. in addition to the latest bernie gunther, I;m tackling an argentine absurdist novelist, filloy,

    narciso (732bc0)

  324. “Advantage: The Bitch. A bitch can help being a bitch; a buffoon cannot help being a buffoon.”

    She’s a freakin’ criminal, nk. Being a bi+ch is the least of it. Advantage: U.S. Federal Prison system.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  325. 314. Talk about overreacting to his buffoonish bloviating which, last I checked, still falls under our right to free speech.

    Colonel Haiku (40880a) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:20 pm

    It’s interesting you say this. Because buffoonish bloviating is protected speech. Also known as “salesman’s speech,” generalities, or as the judge in Cohen v. Trump accurately quotes “mere puffery.”

    But when you make a specific claim like “I can make you a real estate success,” “I will teach you my secrets,” signed Donald J. Trump that crosses the line into fraud.

    Steve57 (412496)

  326. Oh boy… another criminal in the White House. Welcomed with cynicism and open arms.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  327. Yes, you are right.
    But in the choice between evil that has basic competence, versus amorality that lacks even basic competence, I will go with the first.

    That comment scares the crap out of me. Kishnevi, you’d rather have someone who is competently evil than a person who is not evil but incompetent. Wow. So you’d rather have Stalin than Jimmy Carter. That’s insane.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  328. #314: i was pointing out the basic fact that, for all his failings, Trump can’t possibly be as bad for this country as President than Shrillery would be.

    i said nothing at all about anything he’s said.

    redc1c4 (018028)

  329. No, Steve… “can” or teaching sales tactics are no guarantee of success. Wrong on the fraud angle.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  330. #325… “he might say or do some dumb things while in office…” that’s what I referred to.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  331. I am saying Trump seems to lack even the minimal capacity she displays.

    As said before, my actual vote in November will be LP, unless a viable third party candidate shows up (which I doubt). In the primary I voted for Sanders solely and simply because he was running against her. I would have been happy to vote for Carson or Walker or… But I will not vote for a man who seems to be totally unfit to be POTUS, and whose policies are simply slogans.

    kishnevi (9cb6b5)

  332. Happyfeet @ 308 – not an effin chance In hell that Trump would do that.

    JD (de2247)

  333. this is the next step after westgate, perhaps harrods, some shop in la defense,

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36198561

    narciso (732bc0)

  334. @326, coronello, as a matter of fact, you can’t claim certain things. It’s why the fraud/RICO cases against Trump are going forward.

    http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20FDCO%2020140224783.xml/COHEN%20v.%20TRUMP

    ….In opposition, Plaintiff argues that while many of the advertisements at issue in this action contained “puffing” or “sales puffery,” Plaintiff’s allegations center on the relationship, or lack thereof, between Trump and Trump University rather than Defendant’s claims of general program quality. (Dkt. No. 16 at 13-14.) Plaintiff argues County of Marin is distinguishable from the present case, because the plaintiff in that case challenged the quality of service obtained rather than the identity of the service provider. (Id. at 11-12.)

    A statement is considered “mere puffery” when the statement is general rather than specific and thus “extremely unlikely to induce consumer reliance.” Newcal Indus., Inc. v. Ikon Office Solution, 513 F.3d 1038, 1052-54 (9th Cir. 2008

    …For example, the Complaint alleges advertisements featured Trump’s signature, with statements such as “I can turn anyone into a successful real estate investor, even you. — Donald Trump.” (Compl. ¶ 21(a).) Taking Plaintiff’s allegations as true, the Court finds that Plaintiff sufficiently alleges a relationship between Trump and Trump University to state a claim for the predicate act of mail or wire fraud for a claim under RICO. While Defendant may seek to prove that “Trump” was a brand or that Trump’s statements constituted mere puffery as a factual matter, the Court declines to find that Plaintiff’s fraudulent statement allegations fail to state a RICO claim as a matter of law…

    Steve57 (412496)

  335. “In the first 100 days, we’re going to knock the hell out of Obamacare,” Trump declared to his audience’s approval. “You know the great thing about executive orders is that I don’t have to go back to Congress. I just sit down… and I will be unsigning many, maybe not all. Maybe there’s a couple of good ones [Obama policies], I don’t know, I doubt it.”

    “But we’re going to be unsigning a lot of executive orders, especially his [Obama’s] order that basically lets anybody they want just pour into our country. That’s going to end,” the billionaire added.*

    tell me you’re not even a little excited

    happyfeet (831175)

  336. Unconvinced, Steve. This results in a judgment against Trump, and I’ll be convinced.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  337. Kishnevi, you’d rather have someone who is competently evil than a person who is not evil but incompetent

    I do have this recollection of his name being associated with posts in the past that struck me as tell-tale signs of his leaning left on occasion.

    Mark (7cb211)

  338. That comment scares the crap out of me. Kishnevi, you’d rather have someone who is competently evil than a person who is not evil but incompetent. Wow. So you’d rather have Stalin than Jimmy Carter. That’s insane.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:37 pm

    =============================================

    We need your kind around here, Hoagie. You are a clear thinker.

    Kishnevi? If you’re lucky, you’ll score a window seat on the train to the gulag.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  339. #325… “he might say or do some dumb things while in office…” that’s what I referred to.

    and i mentioned that because of the wailing, gnashing of teeth and clothes rending on the part of some folks here who think that’s reason enough to NOT vote for Trump.

    hell, if we only voted for politicians who never said anything stupid, there’d be no one in office.

    which, come to think of it, wouldn’t be such a bad thing, maybe. we already have more laws/taxes/regulations/etc than we need.

    redc1c4 (018028)

  340. Trump will settle, coronello. He has before, involving real estate dealings with which Trump similarly had no actual connection.

    The bulls**t artist bragged he doesn’t settle lawsuits. Because that just means you get sued more.

    He settles lawsuits. Because they have merit.

    Steve57 (412496)

  341. Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193) — 5/4/2016 @ 5:37 pm
    I was a bit rhetorical there. Substitute ruthlessly immoral for evil.

    Hillary will be bad for the country. But Trump would be worse, IMO.

    In other news you might enjoy, my Congresscreature is being primaried.
    https://ballotpedia.org/Tim_Canova

    kishnevi (28fa9f)

  342. hell, if we only voted for politicians who never said anything stupid, there’d be no one in office.

    which, come to think of it, wouldn’t be such a bad thing, maybe. we already have more laws/taxes/regulations/etc than we need.

    Couldn’t agree with you more, red. Nobody would be better than Trump. And Ivana and Marla would back me up on that.

    nk (dbc370)

  343. i escaped that den of villainy, kish moved northward,

    narciso (732bc0)

  344. Further to my last @337. On Morning Joe.

    https://grabien.com/story.php?id=50128

    …Well, look, do I want to? No. I’m leading by a lot — the Republicans. But they’re spending now $100 million on negative phony ads on Trump University which, by the way, has at 98 percent approval rating by the students that took the course — 98 percent. That’s why I won’t settle case. It would be easy for me to settle the case, it’s a simple civil case. I could settle that case so easy Joe, but I don’t want to settle it. And probably I should but I don’t want to, because I give them a great soundbite, that’s probably why I should. I win that case so easily. But — and I don’t settle cases. You know what happens? When you start settling lawsuits, everybody sues you. I don’t get sued too often, because I don’t settle cases, I win cases in court.

    In reality:

    http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mo-donald-trump-settles-baja-mexico-condo-resort-lawsuit-20131127-story.html

    Steve57 (412496)

  345. Trust teh LAT. I always go to them for a reality check.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  346. steve how much does a typical lawsuit cost, even when you win,

    narciso (732bc0)

  347. Which question am I answering? Donald Trump doesn’t settle lawsuits because he’s a fighter or Donald Trump does settle lawsuits because it makes good business sense.

    Sort it out among yourselves and get back to me.

    Steve57 (412496)

  348. Anyone who supported Ted Cruz and is now considering voting for Hillary Clinton is barking dog insane. To jump from a strong conservative to a corrupt greedy collectivist is a signal of system overload. It only computes if anger and disappointment have replaced reason with self-hatred. It’s similar to a dog so angry it bites it’s own tail.

    The good news is the condition is temporary and the best treatment is to refrain from making intemperate public statements that can only embarrass the hell out such poor souls for years to come.

    ropelight (ae1ce7)

  349. To jump from a strong conservative to a corrupt greedy collectivist is a signal of system overload.

    I don’t even know what to say to this. Anybody besides me see the problem here?

    Steve57 (412496)

  350. It’s a point of view that’s hard to understand if you don’t spike your Popov with Prestone, Steve.

    nk (dbc370)

  351. well it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but I guess that’s inherent in #willing for hillary

    narciso (732bc0)

  352. Anyone who supported Ted Cruz and is now considering voting for Hillary Clinton is barking dog insane. To jump from a strong conservative to a corrupt greedy collectivist is a signal of system overload.

    There’s one other factor you’re not considering. I think Donald Trump is more similar to Joe Stalin than any other nominated presidential candidate in American history. It’s not that I actually like the idea of Hillary being president. I despise that bitter yet likely event.

    But Trump is the same as Hillary on politics. From big government to cronyism to immigration. On foreign policy, Trump’s biggest contribution is that he loudly supported Hillary Clinton’s nomination as Secretary of State before her confirmation hearings, so it’s fair to say they share foreign policy, albeit Trump is poorly tempered and that factors in too.

    You can’t just say I support Hillary in a vacuum. But I love my country and won’t just let it go to Trump without fighting it at the ballot box.

    I understand you don’t agree, but I hope you recognize I share this view with a vast majority of Americans. If the election were held today, Hillary would win by double digits. After the convention the media will cry havoc and let loose on Trump’s despicable record. I’m just the guy telling you about it.

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  353. I just saw that the State that was the first to attempt to legalize marijuana just raised the cigarette smoking age to 21. Cruz got out just in time, I think. Teh hippie. It hurts.

    nk (dbc370)

  354. that’s just silly, now you want to see what they really think,

    http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/981347.shtml

    colorado, you would think they would have made it up in volume

    narciso (732bc0)

  355. perhaps not, politics is not predestined like sun tzu would suggest,

    http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2016/05/04/seven-reasons-why-trump-really-could-win-in-november/

    narciso (732bc0)

  356. I was a bit rhetorical there. Substitute ruthlessly immoral for evil.

    Hillary will be bad for the country. But Trump would be worse, IMO.

    Thank heaven for clearing that up, kishnevi. You sounded like you went right off the deep end. I disagree that Trump will be worse though. Trump will be elected into a group that not only doesn’t like him, they hate him. That group is Congress. The Republicans especially. He won’t be able to get anything done unless he compromises with his own party. But at least we would stand some shot at a Supreme Court which we can kiss good-bye with Hillary. To me that’s important. Maybe more so than who is President since that’s a lifetime appointment. But I agree with Patterico, we do need to come up with a plan and that plan should include not killing our own party but using Trump’s weaknesses against him. We can only do that if the Republican’s are in power. Just remember, Trump won’t last forever but leftist policies never seem to go away. Ask the Tennessee Valley Authority.

    We don’t know who Trump’s advisors will be but we do know Hillary’s will be NOW, PETA, #blacklivesmatter, CAIR, the LGBT crowd and every other far left and commie organization in America. We can’t let that happen.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  357. Dustin, that you think Donald Trump is similar to Uncle Joe that’s proof you’re off your rocker. That’s just crazy.

    ropelight (ae1ce7)

  358. As far as I know, Hillary never used Kelo eminent domain to take a person’s home for a parking lot for her casino. Collectivist! I doan theenk you know hwat that word means.

    nk (dbc370)

  359. Rev H, I am more pessimistic. If Trump wins he will deal with an intimidated Congress and what it won’t pass he will executive order into existence. And anything not important to him, like social issues, he will give to the Left as a way to prove he’s not really a bad guy. And I think he is likely to stumble us into war.

    I would like to think you are right, but…..

    kishnevi (31ba4e)

  360. Dustin, that you think Donald Trump is similar to Uncle Joe that’s proof you’re off your rocker. That’s just crazy.

    ropelight (ae1ce7)

    I’m not surprised you say that. Obviously if you saw the potential too you wouldn’t support him. But I do see it, plain as day, and I’ve learned over the years to trust my instincts about people.

    Regardless, I’m simply the guy telling you why a vast majority of Americans, including republicans, do not want Trump to be the president. You may think we’re all crazy all the way up to Hillary’s inauguration. But we told you we refuse to vote for Trump, so don’t blame us when we don’t vote for Trump, because we’re not going to. You nominated Trump knowing this in advance.

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  361. If the election were held today, Hillary would win by double digits.

    Sorry, Dustin, but if you were intrinsically, emotionally, subconsciously of the right you’d wince when stating that. Actually, you’d wince so much you wouldn’t want to even post that sentence to begin with. Or, at the very most, you’d say something more along the lines of “Hillary is a piece of leftist crud, but she’d at least beat Trump if the election were held today.”

    Mark (fb60e8)

  362. Sorry, Dustin, but if you were intrinsically, emotionally, subconsciously of the right you’d wince when stating that.

    This is such a bizarre statement.

    Why? It’s reality. Even if the polls are at the edge of the margin of error, Clinton would win by double digits today. What version of subconscious and emotional ‘right’ derpyderp do you have that is afraid of the truth? Once again I am baffled at your political views, largely a secret you keep to yourself. Yes, anyone who says something you don’t like is a secret lefty.

    But get this, Trump and Hillary are politically the same as far as I can tell. He even supported her aspiration to be president. So this isn’t really a debate about politics.

    you wouldn’t want to even post that sentence

    I prefer her to Trump, so no.

    “Hillary is a piece of leftist crud, but she’d at least beat Trump if the election were held today.”

    I don’t usually talk about people like that. Just not my style. But Hillary is indeed a piece of leftist crud, and she would beat Trump, the piece of leftist crud who would be our tyrant, and has routinely cheated people and smeared families, if the election were held today.

    How do you reconcile the fact that Trump has loudly endorsed Hillary for secretary of state and president, donated to her, and other folks to Hillary’s left such as Al Gore, Reid, Pelosi, and Weiner, with your support of this leftist?

    I sincerely think your fascination with the secret views of everyone, to the exclusion of what they actually say, is borne of your insecurity of your own psyche. Like the gay coach who acts more macho than thou (I wonder if coach Hastert was like that).

    Dustin (2a8be7)

  363. First, after consuming a decade of your nonsense, my natural response is:

    Ha. Hahaha. Ha. Hahaha

    Your humiliation is deeply deserved. You’ve promoted the mendacity of the far right wing-nuts, and now it has all come home.

    The straight-through arc from Joe McCarthy, to Barry Goldwater, to Richard Nixon, to George Bush, to Ronald Reagan, to George W. Bush, to Sarah Palin — It’s all taken root and now it defines millions of Trump voters, most of whom are defined by anger that flows from a sense white entitlement.

    And now it — this twisted, ugly face — defines your party. An utter fraud, a complete phony. The scripted reality tv star that now defines your party — indeed, he is the face of your party, and your system of beliefs and ideology.

    Just like Barack Hussein Obama represents not just my ideology, but my deeper beliefs about the ideas that should lead our nation. He’s an elegant, suave, graceful and truthful individual. He’s taken great care to administer justice, and care, with the power he wields.

    It is truly a wondrous, joyous site to watch as you and your acolytes defy your party’s standard bearer.

    (Buy the way, this is jcmaharry, and you accused me of being devious about how I posted years ago. For the record, in my firs posts I mistakenly revealed my full name. No big deal. You will most likely reveal my full name again. At this point, after all of the negative shots and threats I’ve received, your pettifogging does not matter a whit).

    In this case, from form flows function.

    Jmaharry (d90a07)


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