Patterico's Pontifications

5/27/2016

An Exhaustive Summary of the People Responsible for Trump’s Rise

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:55 am



1. Trump.
2. Media people who gave Trump free air time.
3. People who voted for Trump.

That is all.

171 Responses to “An Exhaustive Summary of the People Responsible for Trump’s Rise”

  1. All #4s are invalid. Those are the three.

    Patterico (5ff298)

  2. Subcategory 1a. Barbie Batlash, in the first debate, who asked him about insulting Rosie O’Donnell instead of what the Nuclear Triad is.

    nk (dbc370)

  3. Yikes! “Subcategory 2a” I mean.

    nk (dbc370)

  4. tl;dr

    JVW (eabb2a)

  5. i still blame Jeb

    happyfeet (a037ad)

  6. sir mr patterico you have forgotten one important category

    its characteristic of this failamerica hooker election

    buttsnufflers of braggy braggy lying axe body spray wearing spray tan hairplugged poop-stanks what have shady shady business deals with failrussian crimelords and squander dead daddys monies on bad steaks and leaded water and eurotrash hookers

    and also shakes hands with congress

    and appoints goldysacks thugs to committees

    its a whole new category and is our future

    trumpyfeet (4f347d)

  7. I think the GOP fake conservatives who say one thing to get elected then do something else when elected,
    especially Rubio and Kasich,
    especially Kasich
    They not only gave reason for the widespread anger and frustration that led to Trump’s early popularity, but preferred Trump to Cruz.

    As a party they deserve to be destroyed,
    it’s just that it is very hard to destroy them without getting something even worse.

    That was Habakkuk’s problem.

    Hey, some time ago on these very same electronic pages I said I wanted a four way race,
    though I think the logistics of getting on state ballots is a problem for Bernie and Cruz or Cruz alternative.

    MD in Philly (540285)

  8. dear mr Sir donald trump

    yes happy?

    i’m still here to help you however i can

    happy, you have served your purpose

    you mean you don’t lurve me nomore?

    happy you are no eurotrash hooker

    mr Sir donald what do you mean?

    happy, i appreciate полезные дураки like you but your vespa is over there

    go now

    i have pockets to fill with congressional monies

    and crime lord monies

    goldy sacks monies are just the minor part, happy

    mr Sir donald, I thank I have been used

    happy, you are just another полезный дурак

    go now i have bribes to take and make

    trumpyfeet (4f347d)

  9. 4. People who vote for Trump in November.

    DRJ (15874d)

  10. If that is your exhaustive list of three,
    why have you denounced the Republican Party?

    MD in Philly (540285)

  11. I’d like to add congressional Republicans that went belly up and presented themselves to Obama since 2010. Cheers –

    agimarc (324b03)

  12. DRJ,

    If we are including people responsible for his future rise, I am good with removing the “d” from the word “voted” in item 3.

    Patterico (5ff298)

  13. Ditto.

    DRJ (15874d)

  14. MD,

    The Republican Party is corrupt but the result of that did not have to be Trump. Voting for Cruz was also a response to that corruption. Only Trump, the media, and Trump’s voters are responsible for Trump’s rise.

    DRJ (15874d)

  15. I’d add the stinkin’ RINO party hacks who have been craping all over us loyal Republicans for at least as long as the Clinton’s have been around. And I don’t me just us conservatives since as conservatives we’re used to being crapped on cause we have no where else to go. I mean the moderate Republicans who voted Trump en masse in the primaries. They are the ones who made Trump the nominee, not us.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  16. Being angry doesn’t win delegates. Votes win delegates, and Trump’s voters are responsible.

    DRJ (15874d)

  17. tl;dr
    JVW (eabb2a) — 5/27/2016 @ 9:12 am

    LOL!

    felipe (b5e0f4)

  18. 2. Media people who gave Trump free air time.

    They were just maximizing viewership and hence profits. You think they have some duty besides maximizing profits?

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  19. I remember when people cut me up because I haven’t voted in 16 years. Good times, good times. America isn’t declining, we’re already there.

    I don’t mean to toot my own horn but BEEP!

    CrustyB (69f730)

  20. But I agree there are moderates voting for Trump who don’t care about conservative values. I guess there’s an aregiment that being a moderate means one is flexible when it comes to values.

    DRJ (15874d)

  21. That is all.

    So I suppose you think GWB has no responsibility for the election of Obama (and a Democratic Congress).

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  22. True, DRJ,
    But even when the Republican party had a second chance to offer an alternative to Trump,
    they stumbled when they would not let Cruz be the alternative.

    Before Cruz and Kasich dropped out, I do believe there were more total votes against Trump than for him. Those who siphoned votes from Cruz deserve some credit, I think.

    MD in Philly (540285)

  23. Did you vote this time, CrustyB? Also, it’s fine if you don’t vote but I don’t see why it’s a reason to celebrate yourself.

    DRJ (15874d)

  24. What? I got another lawyer splitting words? Okay, Trumps voters won delegates because they were angry. Better? So their anger made them vote Trump. Any way you look at it they were pissed. I’ll tell you this, if the Republican Party didn’t allow 17 friggin’ candidates this would not have happened. People who would have started out for Cruz went with Walker and Fiorina and Carson and Rubio and that severely split up Cruz’s ability to gain traction. Just an opinion.

    Rev. Hoagie ™ (734193)

  25. 14The Republican Party is corrupt but the result of that did not have to be Trump. Voting for Cruz was also a response to that corruption. Only Trump, the media, and Trump’s voters are responsible for Trump’s rise.

    Obviously the result didn’t have to be Trump but it created an opening for someone like Trump. If you rule certain popular positions out of bounds as politically incorrect eventually they are likely to adopted by someone who doesn’t care about being politically correct.

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  26. It created an opening for lots of candidates, James, but massive media exposure and the voters made Trump the choice. It’s true the media loved focusing on Trump because it boosted their ratings, but they obviously sold out journalistic standards. For instance: letting Trump call-in interviews instead of making him answer questions on camera.

    DRJ (15874d)

  27. 2a Rush; Hannity – while pretending to be neutral they never the less gave Donald legitimacy especially with regard to the Trump vs. the ‘establishment’ meme.

    BTW folks:

    Clinton predicted to beat Trump…due to economics
    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/trump-bernie-sanders-debate-10-million-223621

    Torcer (654698)

  28. They were just maximizing viewership and hence profits. You think they have some duty besides maximizing profits?

    Yes. They have a moral duty to put out a good product. A news source that is driven strictly by consumer demand does not deserve to be regarded as a news source anymore. Furthermore, anyone who puts out a harmful product in order to generate more profit than the superior version of the product gets nothing but contempt on my part.

    Tony (ff2fe4)

  29. Rev Hoagie,

    Words have meanings and help us communicate ideas instead of relying solely on emotions like anger. Trump voters are angry but it was their choice to let that anger decide how they would vote.

    DRJ (15874d)

  30. yes yes we are responsible for trumps rise

    we hate goldy sacky but don’t care about them involved with trump

    we hate pee-stank but don’t care poo-stank will be like her

    we love to be conned, to be told things and have them be false

    we love to change our mind on H1Bs

    we love to support someone who says they are against illegal immigration but hires illegal immigrants

    we love to be poor as we restrict free trade

    we love to batter women

    we hate the establishment but love to support a member of it instead of that anti-establishmenttrash who would’ve taking them down

    we love contradictions

    what is wrong with all of that

    what is wrong with not caring about facts and principles

    what is wrong with wanting to win regardless of anything else

    we just want to be heard nothing else matters

    it’ll be great I think

    sadfeet (ddead1)

  31. Most of us learned as kids that being mad wasn’t an excuse to trash the house.

    Well. Some of us. Apparently.

    Leviticus (827595)

  32. So I suppose you think GWB has no responsibility for the election of Obama (and a Democratic Congress).

    If Bush-era policies were a contributing factor to the election of Obama and the subsequent silliness of that administration, should it not follow that the rise of Trump is partly due to Obama’s failures of governance?

    That the celeb-in-chief takes time out of his [apparently slow] executive day to roast the presumed Republican nominee is damning on a few fronts.

    JP (bd5dd9)

  33. #27 Torcer,

    I won’t ever voluntarily listen or watch Hannity again. Especially the way that he was so cutesy in his denials about his softball handling of Trump. Limbaugh wanted to have it both ways, for most of the primary season. And while Mark Levin may have come around to Cruz in time for the Iowa Caucuses, he was soft on Trump for several months last year.
    Others such as Gallagher, Ingraham, Coulter, Eric Bolling…all so disappointing.

    I’ll likely for Trump over Hillary just to stop the greater of two evils in a two-person race. But when there were options such as Cruz, Rubio, Jindal, Fiorina, and Walker, the aforementioned conservative media personalities were rooting for the guy who contributed to Harry Reid’s 2010 re-election campaign.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  34. Leviticus #31: so very true, and so very sad.

    Simon Jester (4f347d)

  35. I’d like to add congressional Republicans that went belly up and presented themselves to Obama since 2010. Cheers –

    agimarc (324b03) — 5/27/2016 @ 9:23 am

    “Cheers” my ascot.

    Patterico is right. There is NO “d.”

    The Republican Party didn’t force you to vote for an inexperienced ignoramus any more than a nagging wife “forces” a husband to strike her, or online harassment “forces” a teenager to commit suicide. I’m saying it again: No level of righteous indignation is an excuse for self-destructive behavior!

    You made the decision to lower your standards from Constitutional conservative to Barely-better-than-Obama-or-Hillary. I didn’t.

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  36. “The Verizon worker strike that began on April 13 and continued through the May reference week will likely depress monthly nonfarm payroll growth in next Friday’s report,” Hurwitz said on Friday.

    happyfeet (a037ad)

  37. Most of us learned as kids that being mad wasn’t an excuse to trash the house.

    Well. Some of us. Apparently.
    Leviticus (827595) — 5/27/2016 @ 10:27 am

    Amen, brother.

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  38. Said it before: Cruz promised to fix the results of having done things the usual way for forty years. But it looked as if he was going to do it the usual way, however that looked to Trump supporters. The likelihood of selling the proposition that doing things the usual way is the cure for the results of having done things the usual way is pretty low.
    It’s certainly possible that Cruz, with the best will in the world, could not have overcome the institutional barriers to reform. The VA has 350k dues-paying employees, for example. Against that, dying veterans have no clout whatsoever.
    Hence the appeal of what one writer referred to sending a “human wrecking ball” to DC.

    Richard Aubrey (472a6f)

  39. 32If Bush-era policies were a contributing factor to the election of Obama and the subsequent silliness of that administration, should it not follow that the rise of Trump is partly due to Obama’s failures of governance?

    Obama’s failures may help Trump beat Clinton. They don’t really explain why Trump won the Republican primary. That would seem to be more attributable to the failures of the other Republican candidates.

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  40. 35You made the decision to lower your standards from Constitutional conservative to Barely-better-than-Obama-or-Hillary. I didn’t.

    Most Republican voters aren’t Constitutional conservatives (whatever that means) and had no reason to prefer Cruz. Cruz appealed to one slice of the party, Trump appealed to a bigger slice.

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  41. I think a lot of Trump’s popularity comes down to a growing contempt for mealy mouthed candidates who run scared when accused of being “racist” or the like. Trump knows the media don’t like him (except as a story), and doesn’t care. It’s Reagan’s old ploy of going straight to the voters and bypassing the media, but reduced to it’s carnival barker equivalent. Trump is to Reagan as Kerry was to JFK; sort of similar from a long distance in bad light if you squint.

    A lot of people are seriously sick of the media.

    C. S. P. Schofield (850e8d)

  42. “Teh Trumpinator:
    Clinton Suckasses Rising”
    from Harvey Weinstein

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  43. Obama’s failures may help Trump beat Clinton. They don’t really explain why Trump won the Republican primary. That would seem to be more attributable to the failures of the other Republican candidates.

    Fair enough. Would the same logic (weak primary opponents rather than Presidential policy failures) not also explain Obama’s rise in ’08? Or was the crummy economy, attributed to Bush, and the sui generis quality of Obamamania, what put him over the edge?

    It wouldn’t be a stretch to argue that the same cult of personality imagery haunts the Trump campaign.

    JP (bd5dd9)

  44. Constitutional conservatives are conservatives who think the Constitution is the supreme la of the land. Most Americans understood the Constitution is the supreme law during our history. Now it seems only a minority of conservative Republicans understand that.

    DRJ (15874d)

  45. Article VI: The Constitution … shall be the supreme law of the land.

    DRJ (15874d)

  46. However, I might enjoy watching a Trump-Sanders debate, in the sense I “enjoy” watching a train wreck. Two people who have no concept of America’s founding principles, documents and history debating what America means to them.

    DRJ (15874d)

  47. O/T, sorta.

    Today is the anniversary of the Yorktown returning to port, Pearl Harbor, 1942. Tomorrow she’ll enter drydock to fix the damage she suffered at Coral Sea.

    You know where I’m going with this, right? Mark your calendars, set up your trees, put up the ornamental lights. It’s time to celebrate the Battle of Midway.

    Steve57 (fa6407)

  48. For me it’s the biggest holiday, outside of Memorial Day, since the Valdez Fly-In.

    Steve57 (fa6407)

  49. How patrician of you.

    How about folks who thought Obola “hombre bueno?”

    To not think Trump is a response to Obola and RINO mendacity is missing the forrest from the trees.

    Rodney King's Spirit (e2dd8e)

  50. People may be angry because of Obama but how they vote is still their choice, just as people who loved Obama and are now voting for Bernie or Hillary have a choice. No one is being forced to do anything. No matter how angry, sad, or happy someone is, it’s still a choice.

    DRJ (15874d)

  51. Patterico is talking about responsibility, not causation. There are many reasons that could cause people to support or oppose any politician, but we are responsible for our decisions and actions — unless we are under duress, and being mad at how things are going is not duress.

    DRJ (15874d)

  52. Albert Earnest was the other lone survivor of Torpedo 8:

    http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=19951

    Awarded for actions during the World War II

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Albert Kyle Earnest, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane of Torpedo Squadron EIGHT (VT-8), embarked from Naval Air Station Midway during the “Air Battle of Midway,” against enemy Japanese forces on 4 June 1942. In the first attack against an enemy carrier of the Japanese invasion fleet, Ensign Earnest pressed home his attack in the face of withering fire from enemy Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft forces. His loyal devotion to duty and his utter disregard for his own personal safety in attacking a superior enemy force were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
    General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 312 (March 1943)

    Action Date: June 4, 1942

    Service: Navy

    Rank: Ensign

    Battalion: Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8)

    Division: Naval Air Station, Midway

    Just so everyone knows. I’m not sorry. On this Memorial day at least think about the men who never came back. It’s what it’s supposed to be about.

    Steve57 (fa6407)

  53. Said it before: Cruz promised to fix the results of having done things the usual way for forty years. But it looked as if he was going to do it the usual way, however that looked to Trump supporters. The likelihood of selling the proposition that doing things the usual way is the cure for the results of having done things the usual way is pretty low.
    It’s certainly possible that Cruz, with the best will in the world, could not have overcome the institutional barriers to reform. The VA has 350k dues-paying employees, for example. Against that, dying veterans have no clout whatsoever.
    Hence the appeal of what one writer referred to sending a “human wrecking ball” to DC.

    Richard Aubrey (472a6f) — 5/27/2016 @ 10:54 am

    Yeah, I know what you mean. For instance, I’ve been having trouble with my car lately. I’ve been going to auto shops all over, one after the other. None of them can fix my car.

    So now, I’m going to take my car to a wrecking yard to get it fixed. After all, the guys who said they could fix my car weren’t getting the job done. They don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe my car will finally work after some guy who’s never fixed a car can compress it into a neat little cube of twisted metal.

    Makes sense, right?

    I can’t wait to take it for a spin.

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  54. All #4s are invalid. Those are the three.

    This is exactly the type of thinking that brought us Trump in the first place. Until the Establishment is willing to examine their behavior, apologize, and correct their mistakes, there is no chance of “fixing” this problem.

    30 Years of “shut up and vote for the most electable” helped produce Trump.

    30 Years of “we need more seats”, or “we need the presidency too” while the Democrats managed to shift the government to the Left whether in the majority or minority helped produce Trump.

    Passing CRs that lock in Democratic spending levels and priorities when you have the majority helped produce Trump.

    Finally passing appropriation bills only to discover they spend more than even the Democrats and Obama asked for helps produce Trump.

    It may feel good to wash your hands and dismiss the problem…but it does nothing about fixing it.

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  55. So now, I’m going to take my car to a wrecking yard to get it fixed. After all, the guys who said they could fix my car weren’t getting the job done.

    Close..but you still don’t get it.

    Trump supporters are taking their car to the wrecking yard because they don’t care anymore, and if it does get scrapped, at least they get the enjoyment of watching it happen, and then the opportunity to obtain a new one that works better.

    You side demands that they take their car to a few more repair shops, because we’ll get it fixed this time. Honest. Trust us.

    Charlie Brown just got tired of trying to kick the football……

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  56. Sorry Patterico, the three categories mentioned are ostensibly to blame, but of course you failed to realize as did every other patsy in the world that these fools listed in 1 2 and 3 are merely puppets. Who’s puppets? Indeed.

    Jack (ff1ca8)

  57. 35You made the decision to lower your standards from Constitutional conservative to Barely-better-than-Obama-or-Hillary. I didn’t.

    Most Republican voters aren’t Constitutional conservatives (whatever that means) and had no reason to prefer Cruz. Cruz appealed to one slice of the party, Trump appealed to a bigger slice.

    James B. Shearer (094a62) — 5/27/2016 @ 11:02 am

    If you don’t know what “Constitutional conservatives” means, how do you gauge whether or not “Most Republican voters” are or aren’t? I seem to remember hearing that a large part of the reason for the revolt against the GOP was because despite their election year promises (to draw the Tea Party voters who gave them their majorities), they weren’t conservative and sat idly by as Obama ran roughshod over the Constitution.

    In any event, a lot of those who said they were sick of “RINOs” were lying, to themselves if not the rest of us. They just craved their own version of a messianic strongman, even if it meant he was a big-government, pro-abortion, thoroughly dishonest tool. They were so intoxicated by their catharsis they forgot how to think — if they ever knew.

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  58. Because Ted Cruz is just like every other politician, so why give him a chance when we can burn it down with Trump?

    DRJ (15874d)

  59. If the Republican Establishment had been willing to support Cruz, he would be the nominee right now. The simple truth is that the Establishment hates and fears Cruz more than they do Trump.

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  60. The only evidence that you need to put the Republican Establishment at #4 is the fact they they actually thought they were going to be able to impose Jeb Bush on us.

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  61. Gahrie,

    I appreciate your admission that voting for Trump is about giving a big stubby middle finger to Republicans.

    DRJ (15874d)

  62. 30 Years of “we need more seats”, or “we need the presidency too” while the Democrats managed to shift the government to the Left whether in the majority or minority helped produce Trump.

    Passing CRs that lock in Democratic spending levels and priorities when you have the majority helped produce Trump.

    Finally passing appropriation bills only to discover they spend more than even the Democrats and Obama asked for helps produce Trump.

    It may feel good to wash your hands and dismiss the problem…but it does nothing about fixing it.

    gahrie (12cc0f) — 5/27/2016 @ 12:47 pm

    ___________

    Trump supporters are taking their car to the wrecking yard because they don’t care anymore, and if it does get scrapped, at least they get the enjoyment of watching it happen, and then the opportunity to obtain a new one that works better.

    You side demands that they take their car to a few more repair shops, because we’ll get it fixed this time. Honest. Trust us.

    Charlie Brown just got tired of trying to kick the football……

    gahrie (12cc0f) — 5/27/2016 @ 12:52 pm

    Your responses are a PERFECT example of what I’m talking about when I say “They were so intoxicated by their catharsis they forgot how to think — if they ever knew.”

    Thanks! 🙂

    L.N. Smithee (b84cf6)

  63. I also agree that the GOP establishment fears Cruz more than Trump. Trump is one of them, which is why I don’t think he’s a good messenger for the message you want to send.

    DRJ (15874d)

  64. The last thing that Fox News wants is for someone like Cruz to do in the DC establishment. FOX NEWS IS PART OF THE DC ESTABLISHMENT, as much as the Washington Post, K Street, and Sidwell Friends.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  65. I appreciate your admission that voting for Trump is about giving a big stubby middle finger to AMERICA.

    FIFY

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  66. I appreciate your admission that voting for Trump is about giving a big stubby middle finger to Republicans.

    Not Republicans…the Republican Establishment.

    Your responses are a PERFECT example of what I’m talking about when I say “They were so intoxicated by their catharsis they forgot how to think — if they ever knew.”

    1) I am not a Trump supporter, I merely understand them.

    2) What is the “thinking man’s” answer? Nominate Jeb?

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  67. Guthrie is a perfect example of how the useful idiots were fooled into undoing 30 years of HARD EFFING WORK to get to a point where the the GOP could restructure the entire US government, pass amendments, close agencies and the Democrats would be able to do nothing but pound sand.

    All we needed was a consistent and dedicated president, 31 state legislatures, the House and Senate and Supreme Court. All but the last was in place (having just barely missed it in 2012 (due to some of the same doofuses)). This was The Year.

    And now? Now it will unravel. Even if Trump wins, it will unravel because we would be giving this UNPARALLELED power to a stupid ahole who gets things right only by accident.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  68. I’m trying to say that if I stomp on a person’s toe really,really hard,
    it may still be their own choice to hit me or not…
    but it would be a bit absurd for me to say that I bore no responsibility for getting my jaw broken.

    I see that there were many ways and many times that the GOP stomped on toes.

    Besides, if the GOP has no culpability in this mess,
    why the “I’m no longer a Republican!!!!” tirade?

    Maybe there is responsibility, causality, and culpability.,
    and we are not only missing each other regarding responsibility and causality, but also between responsibility and culpability.

    MD in Philly (c4bfdd)

  69. Jeb. The only people who EVER mentioned “Jeb” and “President” in the same sentence worked for Trump. He never won anything. His BEST showing was 4th in NH, a state he should have won.

    The first of many strawmen that Trump’s people got weak minds to accept as the feared alternative.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  70. I made no assumption about who you support, gahrie, only about who you were trying to speak for. You were explaining Trump supporters, and I suspected you weren’t one originally because the ones here never admit they want to burn it all down. That’s why they are also eager to show the GOPe starting to support Trump. Someone who truly fears the GOPe would be leery of how quickly they got on board the Trump train.

    And the reasoned answer is Cruz.

    DRJ (15874d)

  71. MD,

    I don’t agree with Pat that “I’m not a Republican.” I simply assert that the GOP has been hijacked by a lot of people who themselves are not Republicans and do not know (or perhaps do not care) the first thing about what the GOP is all about. They MAY be successful in this hijacking and the former Republicans may have to reform — something I would start now, but apparently some would rather sulk.

    California has absolutely horrid laws regarding independent candidates. But very liberal laws regarding new party formation (although new parties that do no become major parties are kind of moribund for lower offices in CA)

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  72. Attacking someone physically is not the same, MD. That’s why self-defense laws let us act when we are attacked but not when we are disappointed, angered or insulted. It may cause you to feel like getting even, as Trump often does, but it is your sole responsibility if you act on it.

    DRJ (15874d)

  73. 4. Ted Cruz, who tried to create a forced choice between himself and Donald Trump, but lost the comparison, hard as it may be to understand. Ted Cruz was not liked, and also not well known. And as soon as it looked like he wouldn’t win on the second ballot, he quit.

    5. Numbers USA, and the Border Guards union, and Senator Jeff Sessions.

    6. Talk radio show hosts who bombarded the American people for 42 years on immigration, and to a lesser degree on trade and maybe some other issues, without letting people effectively dispute them or carry on an informed discussion. People got used to being semi-informed. All Donald Trump had to do was take unreasonable positions on some issues that no other candidate would want to emulate. they wouldn’t want to emulate them because they would not stand up under scrutiny. Donald Trump endorsed policies not only controversial and considered immoral or against American values by some people, but impossible to implement as described.

    If, say, Ted Cruz wanted a wall, well, Donald Trump wanted Mexico to pay for it, also! He trumped him. If other people wanted to be tough and proactive on terrorism, well, Donald Trump would endorse torture, and killing families of terrorists in some vague way, and excluding Moslems from traveling to the United States (just enough to be an outlier) And he acted unreasonable in many other petty ways. But he sounded courageous and willing to defy political correctness. He backed up some of what he said with lies. Not enough people understood his cynicism.

    Sammy Finkelman (643dcd)

  74. wow Mr. Trump sure does have a way better energy policy than sourcrotch does

    The Environmental Protection Agency’s use of totalitarian tactics forces energy operators in North Dakota into paying unprecedented multi-billion dollar fines before a penalty is even confirmed.

    Government misconduct goes on and on:

    · The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against seven North Dakota oil companies for the deaths of 28 birds while the Administration fast-tracked wind projects that kill more than 1 million birds a year.

    · The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service abuses the Endangered Species Act to restrict oil and gas exploration.

    · Adding to the pain, President Obama now proposes a $10-per-barrel tax on American-produced oil in the middle of a downturn.

    happyfeet (831175)

  75. ​An America First Energy Plan

    jobs jobs jobs thank god we finally have someone what gives a damn about jobs

    happyfeet (831175)

  76. Let’s talk about Trump’s energy plan. Trump thinks requiring the equivalent of bribes/tribute paid to the US government in order to build the Keystone Pioeline:

    Trump says he would approve Keystone in exchange for “piece of the profits… that’s how we’re gonna make our country rich again”

    I think making Mexico pay for the wall gave him this idea. He has no clue about how government works or Constitutional limitations. Trump will tax businesses into oblivion if he can find a way.

    DRJ (15874d)

  77. All we needed was a consistent and dedicated president

    Who was this supposed to be?

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  78. Hmmm

    We will become, and stay, totally independent of any need to import energy from the OPEC cartel or any nations hostile to our interests.
    At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy

    Sentence 1 and Sentence 2 are a bit contradictory.

    We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure

    I think the Constitution still says Congress gets to tell the President where revenue is raised and where to spend it, even if that has been forgotten in the last eight years.

    The rest is all executive fiat, and while it is mostly phrased as a positive thing, deregulation, it is still executive fiat.

    kishnevi (e93d54)

  79. DRJ,

    There is an error regarding who will pay the bribe/tax/fee in that analysis. Increases in cost to corporation are generally reflected in increases in price to consumers. Trump is planning to Make America Grate on the public’s dime, just like every other Democrat.

    Rick Ballard (161c5b)

  80. 69. Jeb. The only people who EVER mentioned “Jeb” and “President” in the same sentence worked for Trump. …

    Jeb raised a ton of money from the Republican donor class.

    James B. Shearer (094a62)

  81. Suckers.

    After two days of yes, yes, yes, The Great White Dope says no to debate with Sanders.

    Capitalists always run from socialists. Too funny.

    DCSCA (a343d5)

  82. #52: thanks.

    Torpedo 3, 6 and 8 may have saved the entire Pacific war and allowed Roosevelt to continue with Germany First. They are remembered today only by military historians, military men, and a very few like you.

    And me, I guess. I usually take time to remember them every June 4th, but Memorial Day is close enough, and works just as well.

    Evan3457 (79ccc1)

  83. That’s true, Rick, unless Trump wants to take over the energy sector the way Obama took over health care. Then the businesses and taxpayers will foot the bill.

    DRJ (15874d)

  84. Revenues from energy production go to the local government through property taxes and state governments through taxation of refined petroleum products. The federal government imposes an additional gas tax, 60% of which funds the federal highway system and the rest goes into the general fund. It sounds like Trump either wants a bigger gas tax or he wants a share of the local/state taxes, which will hurt their budgets.

    Or it could be Trump wants to increase the government’s share of oil and gas royalty from federal lands. If so, fewer operators will want to lease federal lands so there will be less production and revenue, not more. Has anyone asked Trump if he understands supply and demand?

    DRJ (15874d)

  85. I doubt Jeb raised much money or garnered many votes from the people who frequent this website, James.

    DRJ (15874d)

  86. he’s not my cup of vietnamese coffee, but he’s not the second coming of hippias either, or draco,

    narciso (732bc0)

  87. What’s so scary about Trump is that he loves big government as much as Democrats, and his supporters do, too. But they want it to be on their side, not the Democrats’ side. Who doesn’t want the house on their side when they bet? The problem is that big government doesn’t work to make society better, no matter who is in charge. It makes everything worse.

    Conservatives believe in small, limited government which is why Trump and Hillary are both disappointing. They are two sides of the same big government coin. Heads you lose, tails they win.

    DRJ (15874d)

  88. meanwhile, back at the ranch,

    http://www.worldmag.com/2016/05/troubling_ties/page1

    this is how defense contracts get secured isn’t it,

    narciso (732bc0)

  89. I doubt Jeb raised much money or garnered many votes from the people who frequent this website, James.

    Trump’s argument was that he’d be the NOMINEE and that takes votes. Votes he could not get with all the money in the world. He spent what, $50 millon per delegate?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  90. Trump’s not as conservative as Cruz, so let’s give the keys to the car to Hillary.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  91. 4. Mirror on wall. We have not done our job as citizens for 30 years, give or take. Sowell points out that the world works in understandable ways. But he does not support the idea that we can “cure” those ways and achieve utopia. Instead, he shows how good and evil are balanced, or perhaps not. Inaction does not lead to balance. He argues that man is not perfectible. But we have been merrily going about our daily lives assuming that everything will work out. That people like Dennis Hastert or John Boehner can be elected by their peers as Speaker of the House and there will be no consequences for the rest of us. We watch in horror as Republicans fail to even attempt to do their duty, but we still reelect them judging them to be the least bad choice. And rightly so.

    The system is failing. And it is failing because of our choices at the ballot box. And Trump is only the latest of our poor choices. He is the symptom of our neglect.

    The system is failing. And it is failing because we have a totally dysfunctional educational system that uses each new failure to increase the concentration of the direction of its operation into federal hands. Nothing the system does makes any sense. Math “portfolios” instead of algebra and geometry, the rejection of western civilization, the rejection of phonics. College students who have no clue as to the nature of the political regime we live under. But are perfectly happy to condemn capitalism and the rule of law so as to garner that guaranteed “B” in PolySci. And now the boys are encouraged to dress like girls so they can use the girls restroom. And, oh yes, don’t point your finger at someone and say “Bang!” … campus lockdowns being the least ridiculous result.

    The system is failing. We are into our third generation of fatherless families created by the War on Poverty. This recently created cohort’s idea of history is that the check used to arrive in the first week of the month, but now, with their EBT card, it seems to appear on exactly the same day of each month. It’s a miracle.

    The first two years of the Civil War were marked by one Union defeat after another. The carnage and consequences were inescapable. When Lincoln finally found a General in the western theatre who could win a battle, he recognized Grant’s worth and put him in charge of the Army’s effort. We managed to win the war, but it was not guaranteed by any means.

    The Republicans have been losing for so long, that they are no longer even willing to give battle. Most of them don’t even understand why they should battle. In fact, many are unable to articulate any defense of limited government and the rule of law. They appear to be quite happy with their lives as progressive legislators.

    Trump is just a symptom, as are his supporters. They are the leukocytes waging war against a mounting infection. But they don’t have the discrimination of our body’s immune system, and they are likely to destroy beneficial things in their zeal. If, that is, they get elected. Trump’s popularity may be horribly overstated. He won the Washington State primary with a total just 72,000 votes. Republican candidates routinely roll up margins of several hundred thousand votes outside of King County and Seattle, but in the end they lose by margins of 150,000 votes or more, once the Seattle vote is counted, and recounted, and recounted again.

    BobStewartatHome (a52abe)

  92. It was Trump or Jeb Rubio Kasich Romney Ryan Cruz and now Hillary. This parade of false choices gets tiring.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  93. indeed, bill ayer’s mind arson has had an impression,

    http://hotair.com/archives/2016/05/27/cbs-poll-plurality-of-americans-now-disapprove-of-decision-to-use-the-atomic-bomb-on-japan/

    these are the fools one has to work with,

    narciso (732bc0)

  94. No, Cruz Supporter, the argument isn’t about who is more conservative. I wish it were, because Trump would win that argument. The point is What will Trump do to conservatism?

    DRJ (15874d)

  95. the practical choice, is trump or red queen, johnson adds up to the same choice,

    http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/27/syrians-palestinians-fake-honduras-ids-us-entry/

    narciso (732bc0)

  96. narcisco–

    That poll seems to show that male white republicans over the age of 45 are the best educated and sanest.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  97. they also have those weird crazy eyebrow hairs

    happyfeet (831175)

  98. DRJ,

    Trump is telegraphing his intention to blame the GOP for his loss with his delegation of all GOTV efforts to the RNC. He is not going to put money or effort into the campaign other than that required to show up and engage in Bluster and BS to yokel roundups. The Forbes assessment is correct but we will never see it play out.

    Rick Ballard (161c5b)

  99. Mr. Trump’s synonymous with victory

    but Hillary?

    she’s synonymous with smell of pee

    compare

    contrast

    advantage: Mr. The Donald

    happyfeet (831175)

  100. I can accept that, Rick, but I also think it’s possible Trump is lazy and arrogant.

    DRJ (15874d)

  101. i admire how you keep an open mind

    happyfeet (831175)

  102. #93 DRJ,

    I think you just touched on the $64,000 Question which we’ll all have to answer.
    And that is this; when voting for President between two major party candidates, are we voting for the lesser of two evils, or are we attached to the idea that the person we vote for must be a great conservative candidate?

    And my answer is, we’re voting for the lesser of two evils. Because the person who wins gets legal authority to govern. Period.
    As bad as Trump is, he’s not as bad as Hillary.
    We joined arms with Stalin in order to defeat Hitler, because at the time, Hitler was the greater threat.

    Also, I really don’t give a hoot about how the Trump VS Clinton result affects the GOP. Or how it affects conservatism, per se. That’s a fight for another day — just as fighting Stalin was for another day.
    Let’s all be honest — conservativsm couldn’t even overcome Donald Trump after 8 yrs of Barack. So the notion that the country will “finally” see the light after 8 yrs of Hillary is a total joke. We’re begging for table scraps here. Trump’s the best we’re gonna for the time being. Even a hounddog begging at the table accepts simple table scraps when he can’t get filet mignon.

    I care about preventing Hillary and Liz Warren and all those other left wing scumbags from taking the reigns of power in January 2017.

    General elections are not about conservatism. Rather, they’re about stemming the tide of the left, no matter how incremental that might be in a particular election year.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  103. Good luck with, Donna. In 1972 the Daley Machine was showing voters how to split their vote — to vote for Nixon for President and Democrat on the downticket — because for sure they were not going to vote for McGovern. I don’t need to be shown and, besides, it’s easier now with paper ballots than it was with pull-lever voting machines.

    nk (dbc370)

  104. 84. I doubt Jeb raised much money or garnered many votes from the people who frequent this website, James.

    Probably not. But if you are interested in why an obviously flawed candidate like Trump nevertheless won the Republican nomination you should consider the possibility that his opponents made some major mistakes. Like wasting millions of dollars on Bush.

    James B. Shearer (843e48)

  105. at that time, it had been almost 20 years since the republicans had held the house and senate, nk, it would take almost as long to sweep in the future,

    narciso (732bc0)

  106. I meant DD’s strategy to rely on the RNC for his on-the-ground organization. If he’s got coattails in their precincts, the local organizations will support him; if he doesn’t, they’ll ditch him and possibly even run against him.

    nk (dbc370)

  107. that misses the point, nk, he won’t use the antiquated orca system, but he will criss cross the country, and motivate turnout this way,

    narciso (732bc0)

  108. Ok.

    nk (dbc370)

  109. put it another way, you think the conditions that motivated the turnout will get better or worse, as we come closer to the election. you think is won’t attack either here or across the pond, that layoffs will be slowing, that immigration will be ebbing,

    narciso (732bc0)

  110. I quite enjoyed watching Dr. Krauthammer take The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg by the scruff of his pencil-neck and educate him on how the hog eats the cabbage re: 0bama’s visit to Hiroshima. I’d say it made my Friday.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  111. General elections are not about conservatism. Rather, they’re about stemming the tide of the left, no matter how incremental that might be in a particular election year.

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 5/27/2016 @ 3:27 pm
    =============================================

    Well said, sir! Eyes on The Prize!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  112. No, I don’t take those things into account at all. He’ll get the motivated turnout he got in the primaries but that’s what, 15 million voters? He’ll need organization for the other 50 million or so.

    nk (dbc370)

  113. gahrie (12cc0f) — 5/27/2016 @ 12:47 pm

    Passing CRs that lock in Democratic spending levels </blockquotes? he zdemocrats in the House are trying to force another continuing resolution, or at least to move everything into a back room.

    An apprpriation bill wnet too the floor open for amendments. One amendment rescinded President Obama's rule against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation on the part of federal contractors. Then another amendment was offered enacting that rule into law. It passed, with mostly Democratic votes and about 48 Republican votes. Then, having put in a poison bill, the Democrats voted against final passage, and not enough Republicans voted for he bill with the Dem amendment in it. Speaker Paul Ryan says the aim is to force a continuing resolution.

    Sammy Finkelman (335ac9)

  114. Knowing that Kevin Williamson who thinks that a very large segment of the American Population are no better than a Skinner trained pigeon playing ping-pong is vexed by Mr. Trump, brings a smile to my face.

    mike191 (4c004d)

  115. mike190 was kind of a downer but you

    you effing rock

    happyfeet (831175)

  116. According to Pat’s criteria, I’m off the hook.

    Off the chain. Free to chase cars.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  117. I don’t find him to be sufficiently nuanced, but those candidates didn’t get very far, and the above poll re nukes, explains why,

    narciso (732bc0)

  118. pikachus gotta trumpsnuffle

    hes got spray tan on his nose and in other places

    i would steer clear of him in bathrooms

    not a standard bearer for ick i have to vote trumpish peoples

    besides hes kind of a pervy troll

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  119. yeah i’m not in any way responsible for mr. senor trump either

    sending him the white light anyway

    love you more than beans Mr. Trump

    stay gold ponyboy

    stay gold

    happyfeet (831175)

  120. lol ponyboy

    pikachus safe word must be a weird one

    but not gold more like orange

    spray tan orange

    with axe body spray in odd places

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  121. also trump not likely the pony if you know what i mean

    its a free country

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  122. it seems quixotic,

    http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/bad_americans/on_not_voting_not_choosin.php

    the first commenter doesn’t understand, all the hugger mugger against him, probably helped because he really isn’t apocalypse,

    narciso (732bc0)

  123. he’s far more conservative than george w bushklanster, Mr. Trump is

    i took notes

    happyfeet (831175)

  124. how many thousands of failmerican soldiers has Mr. Trump gotten slaughtered for a handful of warm hillary piss?

    whereas George W?

    advantage: Mr. The Donald

    happyfeet (831175)

  125. I was motivated to leave a comment there

    Vote for Fraudster 1 or Fraudster 2 is to condone them both. It is really a violation of civic duty to vote for a person you know to be unqualified…and the fact that this year both major party candidates are unqualified does not exempt us from that duty.
    There is never a binary choice: to not vote or to vote for a minor candidate is to declare that you may not have the power to stop the fraud, but that you do have the power to refuse your consent to the fraud—and you are exercising that power. You are voting in a way that decreases the power of the elites.

    kishnevi (b9b7a2)

  126. Freewill by Ted Cruz’ favorite rock band, RUSH! (YouTube)

    There are those who think that they’ve been dealt a losing hand.
    The cards were stacked against them.
    They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.
    All preordained.
    A prisoner in chains.
    A victim of venomous fate.
    Kicked in the face.
    You can’t pray for a place.
    In heaven’s unearthly estate.

    You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
    If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.
    You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.
    I will choose a path that’s clear.
    I will choose
    [user edit] Donald Trump for President.

    Because Hillary’s lawyers won’t hold Trump supporters over for jury duty.*

    *you don’t want to be on that trial.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  127. There is never a binary choice: to not vote or to vote for a minor candidate is to declare that you may not have the power to stop the fraud, but that you do have the power to refuse your consent to the fraud—and you are exercising that power. You are voting in a way that decreases the power of the elites.

    Like Iranian elections, right? The Ayatollah er um Clinton doesn’t care about your protest vote.
    I doubt it would give her a minutes pause. Worse if it were to rise on her radar, she’d make voting mandatory. And with all those fresh new judges in the SC to back her play.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  128. What do people think about Trump going after Gov. Martinez in NM?

    I think it was either stupid or unhinged or both,
    little sense unless he aims to make enemies on his own side.

    Is he advertising that he will be like Obama and make people pay for not supporting him?
    Already?

    MD in Philly (6d89d7)

  129. “going after”

    did he “attack” her?

    was there downwards pulling involved?

    and she, just a helpless female latina female – what chance did she have against this attack

    oh madre de dios what chance what chance

    kiss today goodbye

    the sweetness and the sorrow

    happyfeet (831175)

  130. It means Trump is serious about building the wall. He intends to keep that promise, so when Gov. Martinez, who doesn’t talk much, breaks out with a presser to say she’s deeply offended by Trump’s language about immigrants, that’ a shot across the bow.

    Also a fine example of a Gop Governor flirting with the thought of making her’s a sanctuary state.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  131. Martinez, a rising star within the Republican Party

    lol

    happyfeet (831175)

  132. 131

    I doubt she would want a sanctuary state. Check the last paragraph of the link Narciso gave in 132.

    kishnevi (b9b7a2)

  133. from the same narciso link

    In addition, Martinez has gone on a number of trade missions to Mexico and has been pushing for more infrastructure at the booming border town of Santa Teresa.

    .
    Why is Santa Teresa booming? It’s right across the border from Juarez Mexico: Murder Capital of the World 2600 murders last year.

    More dangerous than ISIS held territory. The reason for the wall. One of them anyhow.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  134. Papertiger: there is this thing called trade, and for that you need border crossings and places where people can buy and sell, and you need it because trade is a good thing.

    Of course once Trump puts in his 30% tariff they won’t be trading very much in Santa Teresa.

    kishnevi (b9b7a2)

  135. It’s not trade she’s urging infrastructure to provide for. It’s refugees.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  136. Yes yes. So sorry huddled masses, we shut off the lantern, locked the golden door and threw away the key. You’ll just have to find some other place to breathe free.

    kishnevi (b9b7a2)

  137. He attacked her for her people being on food stamp, which I would have thought could more profitably and fairly be blamed on Obama.

    Patterico (5ff298)

  138. in california, that’s a poser who’s your local congressperson,

    narciso (732bc0)

  139. food stamps have terrifyingly powerful multiplier effects

    it’s almost too much prosperity

    happyfeet (831175)

  140. I think the fact that there was a push back from Trump is more the point, rather than if the particulars are her fault or within her control.

    She certainly has control of whether her press office throws shade.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  141. #51 DRJ writes: Patterico is talking about responsibility, not causation.

    … only a lawyer could dream up this explanation. Love to hear this expanded on.

    What is the meaning of “is”??

    Rodney King's Spirit (e2dd8e)

  142. Yes yes. So sorry huddled masses, we shut off the lantern, locked the golden door and threw away the key. You’ll just have to find some other place to breathe free.

    There have been many times in the past when the US has cut off or severely limited immigration, assimilated the current batch of immigrants and their children, and then re-opened the doors.

    Some of us are smart enough to realize that if we don’t do so again, they’ll be no more golden door, just another third world shit hole ruled by a corrupt ruling class.

    gahrie (12cc0f)

  143. pikachu is on a roll

    hes gotta stand by his orange hair lying man

    his vespa is waiting to go to battle

    nerf sword at the ready

    if you know what i mean

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  144. Santa Teresa is important to NM trade but its airport has no imports and its exports total $2.4M per year that is almost all aircraft parts. New Mexico hopes to increase its infrastructure at Santa Teresa to make it a trucking and airport hub for exports into Mexico from the Southern part of the State.

    DRJ (15874d)

  145. Thanks, RKS. I grasp that you have no interest in learning. I won’t burden your small mind with my thoughts anymore.

    DRJ (15874d)

  146. land of enchantment

    happyfeet (831175)

  147. This gives Gov. Martinez stature. Toe to toe with the Donald.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  148. pikachus who live in trashy trashy foodstampy chicago neighborhoods while avoiding voting and supporting thuggy thuggy liars might appreciate beautiful scenery

    he sees an awful lot of hair plugs and spray tan

    and jowls

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  149. RKS, I think my kids can grasp the difference. If you can’t it’s because you’re determined not to try, and I agree with DRJ that under such circumstances there is no gain to be had in trying to explain it.

    Patterico (5ff298)

  150. me im starting to wonder if pikachus fingers are stumpier than orange hucksters

    enquiring minds want to know

    trumpyfeet (0a2b49)

  151. DRJ@146
    Thank you.

    kishnevi (b9b7a2)

  152. it’s amusing to think we are not in the crushed cube of metal, it’s like powell’s pottery barn joke, as if the baathists hadn’t broken iraq after 35 years, well in eight years, there’s been a lot of mangled metal, the health care system, the institution of marriage, race relations, our hollow military,

    narciso (732bc0)

  153. I have to agree with DRJ and Patterico re RKS, and I’m an OTR trucker.

    John Hitchcock (6998b1)

  154. Donald Trump’s officially sanctioned boot-licker Sean Hannity is a Great American and the Best Conservative. Or maybe he’s the Best American and a Great Conservative. Or maybe he just likes to practice martial arts and take his kids to tennis matches. Maybe it’s a New York Hair Thing. I just love when he tells his audience that he’s overpaid and doesn’t know what to do with all that money.
    Only a zillionaire who actually believes he deserves it all would be so inconsiderate as to mention to millions of people that he’s drowning in a sea of cash.
    (Or is Hannity just a millionaire who says it aloud to zillions of people?)

    “Anyhowww, anywayyy, if you want to be part of the programmm todayyyy, call us here at 1-800-BLAH BLAH BLAH…”

    Cruz Supporter (102c9a)

  155. you can see why milo would be shiboleth to him,

    http://mattforney.com/abdul-malik-ryan/

    narciso (732bc0)

  156. When you’re sad. (jpg)

    This might be the wrong note (jpg), but the general direction.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  157. Here’s what should be playing Trump on stage, papertiger:

    Look in my eyes, what do you see?
    The cult of personality
    I know your anger, I know your dreams
    I’ve been everything you want to be

    I’m the cult of personality
    Like Mussolini and Kennedy
    I’m the cult of personality
    The cult of personality
    The cult of personality

    Neon lights, Nobel Prize
    When a mirror speaks, the reflection lies
    You won’t have to follow me
    Only you can set me free

    I sell the things you need to be
    I’m the smiling face on your TV

    I’m the cult of personality
    I exploit you, still you love me
    I tell you one and one makes three

    I’m the cult of personality
    Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi
    I’m the cult of personality
    The cult of personality
    The cult of personality

    Neon lights, a Nobel Prize
    When a leader speaks, that leader dies
    You won’t have to follow me
    Only you can set you free

    You gave me fortune
    You gave me fame
    You gave me power in your God’s name
    I’m every person you need to be
    I’m the cult of personality

    “Cult of Personality,” Living Colour, 1988

    L.N. Smithee (e92da8)

  158. Good one, LN.

    This was certainly the situation with BHO to many of my academic pals. For some, it was like a high school crush.

    Now, the tables have turned.

    While I don’t agree with it, I can respect people who grimace, hold their nose, and vote for Trump.

    What turns my stomach are the enthusiastic ones.

    It’s like a Greek curse: the Right become what it claimed to hate.

    Simon Jester (0a2b49)

  159. i was just thinking how much this whole dealio was like a greek curse

    happyfeet (831175)

  160. I referenced hippias and draco earlier, I didn’t recall from herodotus, that he was the reason the persians fought so hard at marathon, to put him back in power,

    narciso (732bc0)

  161. I see Martinez’s precinct captains showing voters how to split their vote.

    nkarnak (dbc370)

  162. Respect the tiger. (YouTube)

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  163. One last thought.
    I agree completely that those who vote for Trump are completely responsible for their own actions, they cannot put the blame on someone else,
    that said, had more Repubs followed through on their campaign promises like Cruz,
    Trump may never have gotten significant traction,
    which is why I attribute responsibility to them,
    without subtracting it from those who vote for him.
    If one adds up all of the responsibility, it is greater than 100%

    Jesus said temptations were bound to come, and the responsibility for sin rests on the one who sins,
    but at the same time woe to those who had a role in bringing the temptation.

    Anyway, my last comment on the subject.

    MD in Philly (6d89d7)

  164. Mr. Trump’s synonymous with victory

    but Hillary?

    she’s synonymous with smell of pee

    compare

    contrast

    advantage: Mr. The Donald

    happyfeet (831175) — 5/27/2016 @ 3:22 pm

    yes yes

    but the Don is synonymous with poo

    advantage: The Don

    also, hillary gave them goldy sacky speechs

    but the Don has goldy sacky men on his team

    advantage: goldy sacks

    sadfeet (ddead1)

  165. So many people are so willfully ignorant.

    The American voters are the ones responsible for Trump’s rise.
    But nobody in politics wanted to listen to the American people, they just wanted them to fall in line.

    Trump won the nomination and the 2016 election on Jun 16, 2015 in his announcement speech, when he said “I will build a great, great wall on our southern (Mexican) border.”

    fred-2 (ce04f3)

  166. nk (dbc370) — 5/27/2016 @ 3:33 pm

    In 1972 the Daley Machine was showing voters how to split their vote

    You mean Illinois was one of those states where it was possible to cast a single vote for all people on a party line?

    Sammy Finkelman (febafc)

  167. Yes, Sammy, and it was the easy way to do it with the voting machines. You just turned the party toggle at the top and then when you pulled the big lever you voted for all the candidates under it.

    To split your vote wss harder. You could do it one of two ways:
    1. Go candidate by candidate and turn the toggle for each; or
    2. Turn the D party toggle and only the Nixon/Agnew toggle and then you’d be voting for Nixon/Agnew and every D candidate except President/Vice-President.

    nk (dbc370)


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