Ted Cruz Considering Endorsing Donald Trump?
I wasn’t that worried when I saw stories saying Jeff Roe thought Cruz might endorse Trump. Roe has wanted Cruz to endorse for a while. I wasn’t that worried by a tweet from Cruz thanking Trump for supporting his Internet initiative. I wasn’t that worried by Politico story claiming Cruz was “warming to” Trump.
But right now, Steve Deace seems almost despondent on Twitter, and seems to think it’s a foregone conclusion. And Deace was always very tight with Cruz. So now I’m worried.
I’m going to adapt the hyperbolic phraseology of Donald Trump to declare: nobody supported Ted Cruz more than Patterico. I gave him money. I promoted him here on the blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook. I talked him up to friends. I bought and read his book. I defended him — even when he cozied up to Donald Trump.
Also, in general, I do not criticize people for choosing to support Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. I think Donald Trump is a congenital liar, a quintessential narcissist, and a man who represents everything that is wrong with this country. That said, Hillary Clinton represents the certainty of increasing big government, debt, federal encroachment on freedom, and judicial tyranny, while many believe Trump represents at least a chance of avoiding some of that.
But Ted Cruz is not in the same position as your average Republican. Donald Trump insulted Cruz’s wife and dad.
I think Cruz would dishonor his family if he were to endorse Trump before Trump delivered the sort of sincere and impassioned apology of which, let’s face it, Donald Trump is incapable.
I know that many will say Cruz would be elevating love of country over petty personal insults. That’s not how I see it. My family comes before my country.
Plus, you know that if Cruz endorses Trump, Trump will find some rhetorical way to lift his leg and piss on Cruz, just to show who the real alpha male is.
So: I hate to say it, because I’m worried that it’s likely, but: if Ted Cruz endorses Donald Trump, then Ted Cruz is not the man I thought he was.
There. I said it.
It hasn’t happened yet. I hope it doesn’t.
Patterico (bcf524) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:10 pmWell, I hope it is not true, either,
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:19 pmbut there was ever only one perfect person,
and Ted Cruz is not Him.
harvardtrash ted needs at least show people that he can endorse someone to where people even care
this is really likely his last chance
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:24 pmneeds *to* at least show people i mean
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:24 pmThis is the difference between people like Patterico and people like happyfeet: Standards. There is nothing Trump can do to pry happyfeet’s lips off of Trump’s jock. Trump’s a god to him.
I’m already on record as saying Cruz would become dead to me if he considered being Trump’s vice president. I don’t see any reason to trust his integrity on any other front if he caves on the honor of his father and his wife. The GOP has enough Mark Sanfords and Vance McAllisters.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:38 pmyes yes a god like Jesus and Sarah Palin
Trump is a mystery everyone must stand alone
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:41 pmThis “alpha male” zhyt Trump is so fond of is something that Rush Limbaugh praised after the stunt to get Cruz booed after his speech, and the rehashing of the bogus accusations against Cruz’s father the morning after the RNCC ended. There is no way to save face for Cruz other than to stand up to the bully and refuse to submit. I hope he understands that.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:43 pmTrump doesn’t just need to apologize to Ted Cruz. He needs to do it publicly. The offenses were public, therefore so too the apologies. And the apology must contain honest regret for his offenses, repentance for them, and an apology that seeks forgiveness and restoration. Anything short of that is, well exactly what should be expected of the man.
I have no less opinion of Ted Cruz than our host. However, the fallen man is frail and subject to the pulls of this world. If he endorses, he will have just reminded me that he, like me and everyone else, is imperfect and lacking. I may look at him with a more jaded eye, but no more than I do myself when I see what I claim (and hope) I am and what the reality is. There is always a tension between mortal man and God, and man and government. By default, and by design.
I don’t wish to see Cruz endorse Trump because I think on a personal level it will disappoint his wife and father and evidence that he is putting politics (and his own political future first), and because I don’t think a man of that conviction will be able to as easily look himself in the eye afterward. It’s an awful thing to not have a clear conscience because you know you have chosen to not stand upon honor and conviction.
Dana (995455) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:46 pmI’m not going to bake cookies for you like Tammy Wynette, Mr Cruz.
Pinandpuller (e0d4f0) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:47 pmPlus, you know that if Cruz endorses Trump, Trump will find some rhetorical way to lift his leg and piss on Cruz, just to show who the real alpha male is.
If Trump does this, the only people who will buy that he is the alpha male, are those who don’t have their own cajones. Therefore, a cheap immitation has to suffice.
Dana (995455) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:48 pmsore loser harvardtrash ted, his daddy, and his sacky
nobody cares anymore lol
their 15 minutes were over back in Indiana
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:49 pmeh, *imitation*
Dana (995455) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:49 pmbuckle up
steveg (5508fb) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:51 pmCruz is going to try to live to fight another day.
That means strange allies
yes yes like vaniller (no thriller)
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:51 pmNot only an apology in public, hold out for SCOTUS.
urbanleftbehind (847a06) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:54 pmTrump offers Cruz a bowl of lentil soup to throw himself off the Capitol, knowing that 10,000 Cruz fans will descend before his foot strikes the ground.
Pinandpuller (e0d4f0) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:57 pmLet’s wait for Cruz to lay the egg before we hatchet him. Hmm?
nk (dbc370) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:01 pmMD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:19 pm
Well said, doc. At the risk of offending my esteemed host, but out of a wish to do a service to him, that I may be looked upon as one more concerned with the truth than with the opinion of others, I must say that no one is who I think they are, especially if I place them on a pedestal of my pride; particularly if I place them in the dung-heap of my prejudice.
If I feel that there is more to me than what my friends or enemies see, then perhaps there is more to others, also unseen.
felipe (023cc9) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:03 pmCruz has already given Trump a non-endorsement endorsement by saying something along the lines of “we can’t let Hillary become president”.
Kishnevi (39af22) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:06 pmWhoops. I just accidentally (not accidentally) sent a happyfeet comment to the trash.
Patterico (bcf524) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:07 pmDana (995455) — 9/21/2016 @ 7:46 pm
Also well said, Dana.
felipe (023cc9) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:08 pmI agree.
Patterico (bcf524) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:08 pmWhoops. I just accidentally (not accidentally) sent a happyfeet comment to the trash.
Oh. What a shame.
Dana (995455) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:14 pmpathetic
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:15 pm#11 made me laugh out loud. Someone cares very much about Senator Cruz. How many “harvardtrash ted” and “sacky” comments has this odd fellow generated in the past year? Scientific notation may be necessary.
Patterico, I’ll bet I’m not alone in hoping you create a series of filters that dump certain comments in the trash.
Maybe there would be better commenting from the fellow without his nastycrutch.
Simon Jester (3dbc42) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:16 pmWe need leaders who think for the country, not throw away their positions because of some personal insult. If Cruz reacted this way to Trump – throwing away his party loyalty because a loudmouth badmouthed his family – then imagine how trollable he is. Imagine Cruz as President being manipulated by the press.
No, Ted, it isn’t about family loyalty. It’s about what is best for the country. And, it is clear, that was not Ted’s loyalty.
By, Ted. I supported you. I attended your rally.
Not again.
An Patterico, you #NeverTrumper’s are just plain annoying. As you say, Hillary represents a guaranteed disaster. A disaster under Trump is not guaranteed. Hillary will be abetted by the entire, huge, powerful liberal establishment. Trump’s worst impulses would be resisted by both sides.
Grow a pair and advocate that people vote for the guy. He is the lesser of evils, but the other evil is a clear and present danger to all we hold dear.
John Moore (508b53) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:19 pmto endorse or not endorse that is the question
lol
no sweet boy
the question is whether or not Rick Perry wants that office
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:20 pmParty Loyalty is Patriotism in CCCP, not USA. So, go back to CCCP if you demand Party Loyalty as proof of Patriotism.
John Hitchcock (36ba8e) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:21 pmlook you invited david spade, so don’t be surprised he’s full of snark,
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/politics/dhs-report-citizenship-deportations/
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:22 pmseriously though
what would sore loser ted be doing differently
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:23 pmIt’s a coincidence that this happens to be the current post when I came here to write this:
Time to vote for Trump, people: Law and Order.
We need someone who supports the police, not says it is intolerable that the police ever shoot someone who acts dangerously.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:25 pmBut yeah, Trump hanged Betty Shelby out to dry prematurely. That was disappointing.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:26 pmi wanted Scott Walker to grab the nomination
he failed
he failed nigh ecstatically
i had to accept that
what graciousness is it that lives in me what cannot gain purchase in the heart of ted cruz voters?
i can honestly say to you all that i do not know
it’s very humbling
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:28 pmDuring the primary, the question was whether Donald really believed the crazy stuff he said or Ted Cruz really believed the crazy stuff that he said. If this happens, we’ll know at least some of the answer.
carlitos (c24ed5) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:30 pmExactly. There is also a potential that Trump can solve some problems that the neocons and left can’t touch.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:30 pmPatterico,
Politicians have to live in the political world. The rest of us can have any opinion we want — it has little consequence. But in a party system, bucking your party’s presidential candidate, past a certain point, carries a steep penalty. And the guy had better lose.
Romney clearly doesn’t give a crap, but Cruz wants a future as a Republican. So he has to kiss the effing ring and bide his time. With any luck Trump will get his ass impeached.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:32 pmi believe that if you’re bristling while you hear this song
i could be wrong
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:32 pmOr have I hit a nerve?
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:32 pmThe direction of the country must trump one’s injured feelings, no matter how tacky the public insult.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:34 pmI will not blame Cruz for endorsing a this late date. I’m sure that it will be as perfunctory as it is cynical. The person I will never forgive is Ryan, who could have broken the convention wide open if he’d wanted. The party needed the blood-letting. Now it’s going to get it, but more the long knives that a fight.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:36 pmAs you say, Hillary represents a guaranteed disaster. A disaster under Trump is not guaranteed.
No, the nature and degree of the disaster under Hillary is knowable. With Trump neither the nature, nor the degree is known. It’s a singularity. But it WILL be a disaster.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:39 pmyes but for who
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:40 pmYes 31, but Trump gave “them” unofficial sanction in Cleveland alongside Don King this morning. Grant an inch have a mile taken. He found his Chechens.
urbanleftbehind (847a06) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:43 pmCruz already said nice things about Trump when he was running against him. I’ll be utterly unsurprised if Cruz supports Trump.
I would normally view support of someone who personally insulted you/family as a positive were it principled, but Trump is a special case. I am not as sanguine about Trump as our host is (and I know Patterico hates him, just not enough, I think); I view the chance of catastrophic outcome as way, way too high. (If Trump is elected and America rolls a 2 as its saving throw, well, nuclear winter Trumps global warming.)
JRM (c80289) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:47 pmreally we’re with the stillson card, now, I respect cruz’s attempt, not so much some of his advisors like beck, I don’t see how empowering red queen serves any good purpose,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:53 pmWho?
Now that Perry has tripped the light fantastic on Dancing With The Stars, Texans can look forward to Cruz crooning “O’Canada” next season on The Voice.
For Americans don’t want to be preached at or governed; they wish to be entertained.
“He’s ‘Ted,’ Jim.” – Dr. Leonard McCoy, paraphrase, almost any classic ‘Star Trek’.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:56 pmyou’re such a jackass man of mystery,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:58 pmwell deace is among those who compared trump to ahab, I suppose there’s a jezebel parallel he didn’t get around to,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:05 pmEndorse and vote for Trump.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:12 pmI think Donald Trump is a congenital liar, a quintessential narcissist, and a man who represents everything that is wrong with this country.
=yawn=
“If you took all the people J.R. trampled on to get to where he is today and lined them up, they’d stretch from one end of Texas to the other.” — Sue-Ellen Ewing
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:28 pmThe decisive issues for me were Trump’s personal attacks on Cruz and his family. Trump is a flawed man, and these actions suggested there was nothing he wouldn’t stoop to. It goes almost without saying that he wouldn’t have had traction with the voters had the GOPe behaved with just the tiniest bit of courage, innovation, and principle. But the party in opposition to the administration has been nothing but a pathetic bunch of poll-driven cowards who failed to use the excesses of Obama to educate the Republic, and in the vacuum they created, Trump, with all his flaws, seemed to many like a breath of air. If Cruz can support Trump by name, then I have no issue with the man.
BobStewartatHome (a52abe) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:44 pmThere’s a diminishing returns dynamic in every active system. Ted Cruz could play his part in the devolution of American discourse. He’d take his place beside a million morons who think Trump will stroke them like the pimp they wished for but never had.
Or not.
Let’s find out!
Either way, we’re f*cked. Thanks, cowards. Sorry you never learned what this country was actually about. But I blame your servile disposition, not the public schools. I believe in personal responsibility like that. Small comfort in the last days.
Leviticus (03bf59) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:48 pmOf course, the great indignity of this is that I sound as boring as gary gulrud.
Leviticus (03bf59) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:49 pmyes, obama was the cyanide pill, whether one enabled it directly or by proxy, but that’s not what you mean, because you like fundamental transformation,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:54 pma debate of the absurd,
https://pjmedia.com/faith/2016/06/10/is-trump-the-evil-king-ahab-or-the-redeemable-pagan-nebuchadnezzar/
narciso (d1f714) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:56 pm@36- but Cruz wants a future as a Republican.
He has none.
Ideology is out. Pragmatism is in.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/21/2016 @ 9:59 pmI bought… his book
So did I. At a thrift store. Literally for just $1.95. Signed no less.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/21/2016 @ 10:04 pmTeddy and his endorsement add up to zero.
mg (31009b) — 9/21/2016 @ 10:09 pmA few Texas friends were vacationing on the cape and told me Cruz is finished in Texas. One is a lawyer so I took his information skeptically. He laughed and had more brisket.
mg (31009b) — 9/21/2016 @ 10:15 pmAs usual, the Simpsons saw this coming:
Homer: Cleaning out the old office, eh?
Gabriel Hanna (7e037e) — 9/21/2016 @ 10:21 pmPatterson: If I hadn’t already packed my letter opener, I’d give you such a stabbing.
Homer: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, Ray. Are we gonna let politics get in the way of our friendship? Patterson: Friendship? You told people I lured children into my gingerbread house!
Homer: [Chuckles] Yeah. That was just a lie.
I bring that episode up not only because it is funny.
Hands up every one who thinks that Cruz’s dad was in on murdering JFK. This accusation was no more plausible than saying Cruz lured Hansel and Gretl to the gingerbread house. It’s like the ad in Hustler v Falwell, so ridiculous it cannot possibly be libel. I don’t think Cruz would “dishonor” his family by endorsing Trump without an apology, because what Trump said was too silly.
If there were any way that Cruz endorsing Trump would do any good in the fight against Hillary, any good for the nation, any good for Ted Cruz, I wouldn’t hold it against him. It’s just that it won’t, he’ll be left in the end without even his self-respect, because even if Trump treated him well, which he wouldn’t, #NeverTrump would never forgive or forget it.
In short nothing good comes out of it for Cruz if he endorses Trump, with or without an apology, and so I hope he doesn’t. But I would hope that if there were any good that could be got out of it, he would get over it and do it, and not nurse his butthurt.
Gabriel Hanna (7e037e) — 9/21/2016 @ 10:39 pmIdeology is out. Pragmatism is in.
So, it’s not about ideas or anything anymore. It’s just about who gets the sailboats. Gotcha.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:27 amTeddy and his endorsement add up to zero.
I gotta say, mg, if Cruz is on the outs with you, there’s nobody left on your side.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:28 amI don’t think Cruz would “dishonor” his family by endorsing Trump without an apology, because what Trump said was too silly.
No, he would dishonor himself, the nation and the Gffice of the President by endorsing the silly man who said it.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:30 amI have the strangest typos.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:30 amI would have been fine if, at the convention, Ted said he was going to vote for Trump. I’ll be fine with it today.
What I won’t be fine with is if he urges others to follow his lead.
I am extremely suspicious that a deal may have been struck in regards to the Internet freedom act Ted is rightly pushing. It’s the only Cruz crusade of which I am aware that the GOPe is actually supporting. Really supporting.
If the GOPe is to collapse, Ted simply has to know that he can’t give in to them now.
Ed from SFV (3400a5) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:54 amAll the members of team deplorable love me.
mg (31009b) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:09 amThis is interesting… http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/rfk-trump-2016-democratic-party-speechwriter-214270
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:37 amper his usual, whether or not harvardtrash ted does endorsement on Mr. Trump, it’s all about Ted
it has literally nothing to do with Mr. Trump
it’s all about what sore loser ted thinks is best for ted
and everyone knows it
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:40 am68. I loves ya sicko. Note how #nevertrump’s principles ‘eff with their principles.
There is only One, who is Reliable and unchanging:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_ANCIENT_SCROLL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-21-14-09-14
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:42 am69. Jimmah Carter speechwriter take notice.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:44 am56 “Many Christians have trouble with Trump not just because of his off-color comments, his demeaning insults, and his sleazy past, but because he says he has never asked God for forgiveness.
This may not seem like a big deal to your typical non-Christian. Why would Trump bother the Almighty with his sins? But to any Christian who believes that Jesus Christ constantly told everyone to repent, died on the cross to save us from our sins, and rose again to give us hope in eternal life, this is a key omission.”
On the contrary, Xians who are coming to know Him and know themselves, know Faith itself is a gift to the underserving. Those focused on other’s unrighteousness expect God to accept them as they are, self-sanctified.
Whether these people are just immature in their faith or have not had a saving change of heart is unclear until the end.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:58 amUndeserving.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:00 amCould you PLEASE filter out happy feet ? His comments make no sense. He is obviously disturbed. Letting him comment is mocking the mentally ill.
S harms (a44296) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:01 amgood morning pooper
here’s a tweet for you from teddy pickles
ooh what does it say tell me tell me
oh my goodness! smells like
comity!
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:04 am75. Actually feet’s comment at 70 is very perceptive.
Jesus in his ministry among us reserved His most sustained criticism for the sin of hypocrisy. Check your concordance and see for yourself that this is so.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:07 amGlobalism has failed and no one will escape contagion:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/09/21/un-fears-third-leg-of-the-global-financial-crisis-with-epic-debt/
“The extraordinary result is that some countries are slipping backwards, victims of “premature deindustrialisation”. Many of them have fallen further behind the rich world than they were in 1980 despite opening up their economies and following the global policy script diligently.”
$25 Trillion in debt, largely loans denominated in dollars, taken on by emerging market corporations, all come-a-cropper because America has no jobs to buy it all.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:15 amhttp://www.breitbart.com/california/2016/09/21/mexican-peso-30-since-trump-began-campaign/
The rising dollar is killing all Emerging Market economies. Our US Treasuries are the only public debt vehicles earning anything at all.
DNF (755a85) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:25 amIt’s simple: Ted Cruz endorses Donald Trump, and then, act of obeisance performed, President Trump appoints Senator Cruz to the Supreme Court.
The conspiracy theorist Dana (f6a568) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:40 amI don’t think Trump threw the female officer under the bus. She shot at the same time another officer used a taser. She sounded panicked on the radio call of “shots fired”. It seems one step worse than that LA(?) transit cop who grabbed his gun instead of his taser and shot the kid on the ground.
Xmas (3a75bb) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:02 amCruz called his Majority Leader a liar on the floor of the Senate. Anything’s possible in an infinite universe, but I’ll look for him to endorse Trump when I see the Devil buying thermal underwear.
nk (dbc370) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:27 am82. The Ricketts family have a role to play in both freezing-of-hell scenarios facing us, they having been Cruzers during primary season. They could be brokering the parameters of Ted’s come to Jesus moment.
urbanleftbehind (f65350) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:46 amDNF, I found your comment about hypocrisy amusing. Mr. Feet has been precisely that for years, on various issues.
He just posts to be an ass. Personally, I think he wants to see how far he can push Patterico. It’s a weirdness.
Seriously: think about the words he uses so much, if things like “harvardtrash,” “pickles,” “sacky,” and so forth were filtered, I wonder what he would sound like.
Or if there would be any posts at all.
Clearly he is a messed up person, and I am far from alone on that judgement. But since he feels he has the right to piss all over Patterico’s site, I have an equal right to say so. Just as you have the right to defend him.
Getting back to the point of the post, as opposed to dealing with sillyass trolls, I am with Patterico on honor. It’s an old fashioned concept, and I can understand how others might differ. But if someone insulted my family, I could not endorse such a person. Especially when the insults were unnecessary, inaccurate, and hurtful. In fact, the insults were counterproductive, working against what Mr. Trump hopes to accomplish. It shows a weird lack of self control.
Simon Jester (3dbc42) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:52 amWhich brings us back to Mr. Feet.
bluh bluh bluh
happyfeet (28a91b) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:54 amThis will not STAND!!
http://www.wbtv.com/story/33156246/nascar-hall-of-fame-among-sites-hit-by-vandals-in-charlottes-overnight-violent-protests
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:56 amThe only reason I have to go to Europe is to drive the Nurburging.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:58 amNürburgring. Damn Skynet.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 5:59 amAnyone should understand Cruz not wanting to endorse Trump because of his bizarre Kennedy assassination remark and his ugly insult of Cruz’s wife.
But he didn’t have to make that speech in which he seemed to be urging people not to vote for Trump. It sure seemed that way to me at least. He probably shot himself in the foot in terms of the possibility of being the nominee in the future, especially if Trump loses in a close one.
I said a while ago working for Trump’s election would be a smart move for Cruz. He could earn the gratitude of Trumpers. But a tepid endorsement now probably wouldn’t undo the damage anyway.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:02 amCruz is living with his miscalculation regarding allowing Trump an open field in the beginning as well as his miscalculation in deciding to go to Cleveland. The political advantage gained or lost by this move is so small that I wonder at the purpose behind Deace’s mutterings. Tepid support at this point gains Cruz nothing with the lumpenprolatariat and will not deflect assignment of blame when Trump loses.
Rick Ballard (102f97) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:04 amhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KiC03_wVjc
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:11 am@Kevin M:it’s not about ideas or anything anymore. It’s just about who gets the sailboats.
When the ideas are rejected by the electorate, then they don’t get implemented. People have to get elected first. It’s necessary (but not sufficient) to win elections if you want ideas implemented.
Up until 2012-ish almost every Democrat of national stature was on record against gay marriage and had been for years. Progressives voted for them anyway, and got gay marriage.
Party of Stupid can’t learn.
Gabriel Hanna (7e037e) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:14 amhttp://www.nuerburgring.de/en/fans-info/race-tracks/nordschleife.html
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:17 amThey can learn. The important thing to notice is what they don’t care to learn.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:27 am@Steve57:The important thing to notice is what they don’t care to learn.
Not sure where you’re going with that. If the Party of Stupid is too pure to win elections, they don’t do anyone any good, except the permanent administrative class that they are ceding all control to.
Gabriel Hanna (7e037e) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:33 amOh, and the krack kadres of kampaign konsultants who get paid to orchestrate their losses. Party of Stupid, by keeping its hands unsullied, can certainly do well for them.
Gabriel Hanna (7e037e) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:36 amYes indeed. Some don’t care to learn the importance of the Supreme Court – which is how gay marriage came about on a national level. Even though Clinton and Obama didn’t campaign on SSM, all their SCOTUS appointees voted to impose it.
Quite a few of the Trumpers, many of whom aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, probably didn’t vote in 2012. Now many “conservatives” are going to repeat that. A NeverTrump talking about not caring to learn is strange.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:43 amI went for the Paris Auto Show. Stayed for Oktoberfest.
Bill H (971e5f) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:52 amSan Francisco BART.
Bill H (971e5f) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:09 amMinitrue is going after instapyndit, he didn’t even suggest the nick fury solution.
narciso (d1f714) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:13 amI thought Harry Reid was acting in typical disgusting form when, in reference to his lies about Romney’s taxes, “It worked, didn’t it?”
I think that was despicable,
and I am not going to get all excited about voting for anyone who acts the same way.
I will vote anti-Clinton the most effective way possible, and hope Trump gets successfully impeached.
Too much is just pontificating opinions across the bow with little effort rationale.
About Cruz and Cleveland, did Cruz:
1) go to further his own career at the expense of Trump and the party?
Or
2) go and give the speech he did thinking it had the blessing of Trump and was enough,
and was ambushed by Trump and the GOPe?
If you think #1, it makes sense to ridicule Cruz.
If you think #2, it makes sense to have no desire to see Trump elected,
except to prevent Clinton.
I think #2 from the things I read and witnessed.
Some, like Dustin, really think Trump would be a worse president,
and that is his call to make.
Others, like our host, know that their vote for Trump will do nothing,
so they are happy to give a protest vote,
fine.
The big picture is that the country is so morally and intellectually bankrupt that we can’t do better than this,
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:42 amand without recognizing that,
it is all rearranging deck chairs.
I think Cruz or anyone would be a fool to make a deal with Trump and expect Trump to keep it.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:45 amFirst time I heard of nurburgrind was in Horowitz take on bond.
narciso (d1f714) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:45 amTrump is not a real “alpha male”.
Doctors who are truly great and worth respecting do not build themselves up by belittling others,
they don’t need to.
Trump needs to keep “proving” his “greatness” because he isn’t.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:48 amquitting twitter is the ethical
i also set my amazon prime to not renew
i don’t go to starbucks no more
this used to be my playground
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:57 amoopers right blog but wrong thread
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:58 am80.It’s simple: Ted Cruz endorses Donald Trump, and then, act of obeisance performed, President Trump appoints Senator Cruz to the Supreme Court.
Given the oodles of love and admiration for Tedtoo from his colleagues in the Senate, the chances of that confirmation occurring are none and none.
He’s done.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:04 amTexas toast.
Which would be an unnecessary burden for JR?
[ ] Marla Maples starts giving interviews.
[X] Tedtoo endorses.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:11 amRasmussen has trump up by 5, the goulash of the nbc poll should be clear.
narciso (d1f714) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:14 am84. Thank you for the kind words.
Memory is a funny, fickle thing. Few are like narciso, recording everything.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:17 amExisting-Home Sales Fall for Second Straight Month
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:19 amhttp://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/22/gundlach-trump-has-a-chance-to-blow-himself-up-on-monday.html
DoubleLine Capital chief Jeffrey Gundlach told CNBC the first presidential debate, set for Monday, could be make or break Donald Trump .
“It seems clear that Mr. Trump has momentum,” Gundlach told “Fast Money” on Wednesday evening. “You know that I’ve been saying all year Trump was going to be our next president.”
“[Trump] certainly has a monumental opportunity on Monday to really gain further momentum,” the bond guru said. “I would also acknowledge he has the opportunity to blow himself up on Monday.”
“If he does a good performance, I think he’s going to pull ahead in the polls … in a definitive way,” said Gundlach, whose firm has more than $100 billion in assets under management.
However, Gundlach also said he’s looking for “downside volatility to develop” on Trump gains, because of the view that if the billionaire real estate mogul wins the election “the world is going to come to an end.”
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:20 amI love you bitter-enders can still get your panties in a wad over an unflattering photo of Cruz’s wife, but completely forget the pro-Cruz ad featuring a nude Melania Trump:
Just to refresh your memories, here are the ads run in Utah from this “independent” PAC:
http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/21/someone-thinks-melanias-nude-photos-will-hurt-trumps-chances-of-being-president/
Note that they don’t say “Vote for anyone but Trump”. They all say “Vote for Cruz”.
But I hear you crying out through the ether “But coordinating between campaigns and PACs is illegal. Clearly Ted Cruz’s campaign had nothing to do with it because it came from a PAC”. But you really know better, don’t you? Besides the sleazy back-door “friend calls a friend of a friend” communications, often they do in public.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/super-pac-coordination_us_56463f85e4b045bf3def0273
So you see, they release public statements or have their representatives make statements IN PUBLIC, then the PACs know what kind of ads and how many ads the campaign wants them to run.
So, before March 21, did Cruz representatives make remarks about Melania during interviews? Why yes, they did. They pointed out she was not born in the US, that she posed nude, that she was his third wife. And then magically, Melania turns up naked in a PAC ad in Utah.
http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/03/08/ted-cruz-supporter-knocks-melania-trump-posing-nude-being-foreign-born
http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/war-of-wives-inside-the-cruz-trump-fight/
http://www.usmessageboard.com/threads/cruz-surrogate-glenn-beck-attacks-melania-trump-as-lesbian-porno-model.485948/
So where unicorns fart rainbows, Ted Cruz had no part in the attacks on Trump’s wife. In the real world, Cruz and his surrogates had a pattern of making Melania’s modeling, birthplace, and being married to a divorcee into issues in the Presidential campaign. Their disgusting ad in Utah was only the bridge too far, which backfired on them and put their hypocrisy on full display.
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:25 amTrump wins, uses his bluster to make sure a conservative SCOTUS nominee isn’t filibustered (maybe by demanding McConnell ends Judicial filibusters) and makes major progress on border security (undoes Obama’s executive order, gets a large part of the fence funded etc.), then gets impeached, and President Pence is elected to a full term in 2020.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:25 amCan’t say everything but I have seen when they stray over machogrande.
narciso (d1f714) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:26 amMD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:42 am
It had the blessing of Trump AND he was ambushed.
Donald Trump didn’t want Ted Cruz to walk out of the convention and possibly run third party, so he didn’t eliminate everything from the speech he didn’t like, but simply decided to organize some booing at the points in the speech that he wanted to object to, but didn’t dare.
And then Newt Gingrich came on to “explain” what Cruz meant.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:31 amMD in Philly:
It is also important, if Trump wins, that he not win by a big margin, or have a majority, or even get more than 40%, so that members of Congress will have the courage to oppose him.
And it’s correct that virtually every vote will do nothing except possibly send a message.
It is also much better if somebody else becomes president, and it seems we should try.
I don’t know if the country is morally and intellectually bankrupt, but American politics is.
Politics will be better, or at least not worse, if Hillary is defeated, and a Trump presdidency will improve politics, even though it will bring out the worst in some Democrats, but that will limited by the fact that they lost.
But the effects on future politics can’t be the only consideration. People’s lives can be impacted adversely in the meantime.
Things would be easier if they were running for Governor of New York.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:33 am92, 94, 97, et al. Opting for splendid isolation, like the isle of Elba, is an end. See C.S.Lewis’ The Great Divorce.
It’s a short read, at most a couple hours.
#nevertrump is at most 3% of the voting public, a group whose efficacy is in doubt going forward, and though overweight in lawyers, has proven unable to persuade pluralities in the assemblies of voters which they take part.
Unhappiness, endured alone, desolates the soul. GLWT.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:35 am26. John Moore (508b53) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:19 pm to Patterico:
As you say, Hillary represents a guaranteed disaster. A disaster under Trump is not guaranteed.
41, Kevin M (25bbee) — 9/21/2016 @ 8:39 pm
The dangers of Trump are more short term, and the dangers of Hillary are more long term, although there are some possible long term dangers from Trump, too. The damage Trump does is more recoverable, if it doesn’t kill people or ruin people’s lives in the meantime.
The median of all possible Trump presidencies is probably better than the median of all possible Hillary presidencies, but the standard deviation is larger. Trump is more likely, but not all that likely, to be impeached and removed from office, and Hillary is more likely than Trump to become disabled, which will at least weaken her impact.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:42 am113. Good points. I moved 10% yesterday into money markets for a total of 25% ahead of the Oct. 1 change that will force UST as a replacement gating withdrawals from money market investment.
LIBOR will be a critical fulcrum in the coming months as liquidity issues spike for investors, e.g., trying to get out of leveraged ETFs, or banks and hedges trying to shed risk.
We saw a big sell off last week, since restored on the promise of no rate hike thru the Inauguration but the shocks will be fast and furious over that span.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:46 amTrump is an ass, but a Cruz “endorsement” at this point in the campaign wouldn’t diminish Cruz but might prevent the rise of the queen of corruption. Just imagine Trump’s WH staff holding their breath every time Cruz rises to speak in the Senate never knowing if today’s the day he’s going to lift his leg to Trump’s legislative priorities while Hillary tries to keep the Clinton hustle going.
crazy (d3b449) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:46 amGerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:43 am
The Supreme Court did a lot of damage already in the 1960s and the 1970s but there is still some damage that could be done. Possible dangers if it becomes more liberal:
1. Complete abolition of the death penalty, except maybe for military commissions.
2. Prohibitions of any kind of aid to non-secular education. Maybe even any additional tax deductions.
3. Greater difficulty in prosecuting crimes and punishing crimes, which may be overcome, but only by spending a lot of money.
4. Hillary’s priority: Upholding any restrictions on political speech and activity.
5. Upholding of interpretations of statutes the way that the Administration wants, which may not be the way Congress intended when it passed that law years before.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:49 am121. crazy (d3b449) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:46 am
No, I think it’s the other way around, as Gabriel Hanna said @62.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:53 am41. Mr. M., as with #nevertrump generally, is fond of grand statements, but never demonstrates acquaintance let alone mastery over the events and processes on which he holds forth.
Of Clinton we hear, ‘the future in her hands will be like the past, no better no worse’; of Trump ‘cats and dogs living together, the sky falls in and we burn to a crisp!!!’
Ask him about Climate Change, I dare you.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:54 amWe shall see…
crazy (d3b449) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:56 amDNF
Kishnevi (c91988) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:57 amYou might be thinking of Pilgrim’s Regress.
Or at least, there’s a pertinent incident in there as well.
Been too long since I read Great Divorce to remember what you might be referring to in that one.
126. Thanks fot the tip. I haven’t read fiction in many years but that looks very interesting.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:06 amDNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 8:54 am
The NeverTrumps keep things as vague and undefined as possible. There’s some kind of emotional thing going on. It is totally unrelated to logical thought process.
I heard Michael Medved (who I’m pretty sure is a NeverTrump though he hasn’t said so AFAIK) nitpicking Trump’s statement about how the NYC bombing is the result of letting Muslims come “flooding” into the country. Medved was very anxious to point out how the suspect was born here and therefore didn’t come “flooding” into the country. His point was very narrowly correct, but actually utterly irrelevant and quite stupid. The Syrians now flooding into the country will have children here and some will likely be radicalized. Why is he so anxious to make these irrelevant nitpicking points? It likely makes him feel really rational and analytical or something. He’s neither.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:12 amNot a book:
http://breaking911.com/breaking-dashcam-video-shows-keithscott-coming-toward-officers-gun-hand/
Won’t all the looters and rioters be embarrassed?
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:14 am128. Beside your point but I read both weekend jihadis born outside US, at 7 and 9.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:17 am128. “The NeverTrumps keep things as vague and undefined as possible. There’s some kind of emotional thing going on. It is totally unrelated to logical thought process.”
Absolutely agree, tho I’m still casting about for a common impulse, employing Okham’s Razor.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:19 am128. Cont. My instinct says its a perceived existential threat to government by which they are fed or make their livelihood.
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:23 amToo good to excerpt, VDH:
http://rightwingnews.com/column-2/hard-rain-going-fall/
DNF (ffe548) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:30 amFTFY.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:31 amI don’t think I’ve been vague in my criticism of Trump but if it seems that way, perhaps it’s because Trump flip-flops on every policy. How can we critique Jello?
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:37 amOrange Jello, at that, which is the worst one.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:37 amHeads will ‘splode if/when Cruz endorses. #GallagherShow
Colonel Haiku (a74c52) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:49 amI will be disappointed in Cruz if he endorses Trump. I will still support him because he is a conservative, and I support conservatives, but I won’t respect him as much for being principled.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 9:57 amI learned from this pledge thing. Don’t pledge to do support all the candidates unless you actually support every single candidate.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:10 amDRJ @139. And that means don’t make it any kind of a principle that anyone who runs in a primary should agree to support the winner of that primary.
Sammy Finkelman (dec35d) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:13 amAs for happyfeet, its posting have a very distinctive character in terms of spacing and indenting.
Since they are meaningless, by this point my eyes just skip over them with a quick check at the end to make sure it was what I thought it was.
Learn the skill and you won’t even see the posts any more.
Kind of like the (fnord)s.
Ingot9455 (e5bf64) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:20 am@Sammy:And that means don’t make it any kind of a principle that anyone who runs in a primary should agree to support the winner of that primary.
Not much point in a political party, at that point.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:21 amit is if you care about the principles and ideology of the Party, not just it’s personalities, but I admit that seems to be a forgotten concept.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:25 amYou should be less careful from now on.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:41 amthat was gratuitous
happyfeet (29f1f2) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:46 amPeople with yesterday’s political ideas don’t like hearing those with today’s.
Who knew?
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:56 am@DRJ
I don’t find him vague at all. Is he vague on SCOTUS? Is the tax cut plan he unveiled vague? He wants to spend a lot more on infrastructure. Do you actually listen to him? You may say you disagree or you have absolutely no idea if he’ll follow through, so maybe he’ll appoint someone to SCOTUS indistinguishable from what Hillary would (which I think is quite stupid), but that’s not the same as vague.
I’m not sure what your criticism of him even is (other than that he flip flops). Does he actually flip flop on every policy? I know you’ve said that to his supporters the election’s not about the amount of spending but who it gets spent on, but that’s his supporters, not him.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:59 amBold, italics mine:
So, lemme get this straight: Medved was “very narrowly correct” about a point, yet it was “irrelevant,” “nitpicking,” and “quite stupid,” but somehow that’s “vague and undefined.”
It’s “quite stupid” to be “correct.” Yep, that’s the rationality and analytical brilliance we’ve come to expect from Trump defenders.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/22/2016 @ 11:00 am@DRJ:it is if you care about the principles and ideology of the Party,
Right, but a political party is not a debating club or a think tank. It is intended to win elections. It cannot implement any ideas at all, bad or good, progressive or conservative, small-government or big-government, without putting people in office.
Exhibit A: California Republican Party. 35% of the state assembly, 35% of the state senate, 0% of statewide offices.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/22/2016 @ 11:13 am@L. N. Smithee: It’s “quite stupid” to be “correct.”
That’s not what Gerald is saying at all. He’s saying that Medved is focusing on something relatively trivial while missing the larger point. This is not hard to understand.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/22/2016 @ 11:15 amMedved’s argument is analogous to saying that we shouldn’t have English as our official language because America is not England.
Second-generation immigrants cannot radicalize if the first-generation immigrants did not in fact immigrate. How is this hard? You have to work to misunderstand it. And to insist, as Medved does, that it was the second generation who did it, while technically correct (the very best kind of correct), misses the point.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/22/2016 @ 11:23 amMy comment about “vague and undefined” was referring to certain commenters here who keep asserting things like Trump will be a “disaster”, but we have no way to glean what the disaster will be. They just keep repeating “disaster” or something over and over.
Actually I take it back. Medved wasn’t even narrowly correct. Trump didn’t actually say the bomber himself had flooded into the country. He just talked about Muslims flooding into the country in connection with the bomber.
It’s obvious Trump’s point was about allowing large numbers of refugees in to the country currently. Rather than address that substantive point Medved tries to find some inaccuracy in how Trump words things.
You’re correct that Medved’s comment wasn’t vague. Medved has some fetish about wanting to analyze the phrasing of Trump’s statements with a microscope, rather than address his obvious substantive point. Which is stupid and maybe weird.
Since you seem to want to analyze my own statements with a microscope, I’ll amend my statement. They are (in the majority of cases) either vague and undefined or remarkably stupid. There are some that are neither.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 11:25 amSounds like someone is crying out for attention to me. Other than the few diehard Cruz fanboys nursing their spite and resentment nobody cares about teddy bear Cruz anymore. The world has moved on and he has all the relevance of Santorum or Huckabee. He’s a footnote.
LBascom (c230be) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:48 pmPersonally, I have never been either “vague” or “undefined” about the reasons why I believe Trump will be a disaster.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/22/2016 @ 12:54 pmEarly in the primaries, after listening to Cruz speak, my wife turned to me and said: “I don’t like Cruz – he is too smarmy!”. Knowing enough not to speak, I just thought to myself, “I guess that’s settled then.”
EldonH (e0559f) — 9/22/2016 @ 2:28 pm155. EldonH (e0559f) — 9/22/2016 @ 2:28 pm
It was.
Of course that was just the surface manifestation of something wrong with his words, which your wife didn’t know enough to detect most of the time – but she could detect swarminess.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:20 pm147. Gerald A (76f251) — 9/22/2016 @ 10:59 am
He finally settled on a position, but doesn’t really understand and he thinks the big issue is the Second Amendment.
He outdid all previous politicians in telling different things to different audiences on the same day.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/us/politics/trump-tax-plan.html?_r=0
He told the National Federation of Independent Business one thing and teh Tax Fioundation another.
But don’t worry. Should he become president, he will appoint the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and he will tell him to torture the numbers until they give in.
Wall Street Journal story: http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trumps-tax-plan-leaves-crucial-question-for-businesses-1474052247
Here’s a Wall Street Journal story on another Donald Trump tax plam:
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/09/21/checking-the-math-on-donald-trumps-family-tax-cut-promises/
Maybe nobody told him that this is nonsense. I’d like to hear somenbody arguing against it.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:31 pmThe character and principles of the people who win the elections make a difference, as is proven by the moribundity of the GOP in the California. How could that ever happen in the land that gave America both Reagan and Nixon? I’ll tell you how: Californians elected a Republican with celebrity name recognition, unmistakable charisma, no more than a thimbleful of interest in policy but a LOT of interest in being The One Who Tells Everyone What To Do.
Ahnuld ended up cutting a deal with another self-serving Republican that has doomed the Golden State to deep blue status for the foreseeable future. And just like now, such a doofus RINO had as his biggest cheerleader Sean Hannity.
Everything old is new again.
L.N. Smithee (b84cf6) — 9/22/2016 @ 3:56 pm158: I think you’re leaving out a lot.
After the state GOP (the so-called smart guys)gave us that terrible, time-server AG for a governor’s run in 1998, we got the terrible Democrat who sold out to the guard’s union. Then we had the recall and a chance to fix things.
Arnold appointed great judges, and most importantly, gave the People their shot at cutting the state pension bloat and a lot more. This was a tremendous chance.
He supported 3 or 4 Propositions that would have restored California to some fiscal sanity. He was vociferously opposed by the state’s democrats, their union allies and the LA Times.
Did he get help from the state’s “National Review republicans” or the “Ted Cruz wanna bes” who wanted to combat the creeping menace of gay marriage? No, he didn’t. They preferred their “policies” to his, and to realistic action to improve the state.
Arnold fought the good fight with no help from the “professional republicans,” the ones who fancied then and fancy now, that they are the smart ones. They ran for cover, preferring to fight in the abstract for perfection, instead of taking the best chance they had. The Propositions lost. Arnold didn’t bother wasting more time.
California will never get those propositions on the ballot again: because Sacramento is now infested with long term democrats, and the Ag would bounce one off the ballot, just like we’ll have if HC wins.
Waiting for perfection cedes the field to the other side.
Harcourt Fenton Mudd (5e0a82) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:14 pm159, 158’s points are corroborated by the fact Trump will probably do no harm to GS-13s and below and at most maybe sack a bunch of director-level people. A resurgent “they thought it couldnt be done Rubio” is dead lock for the Abel Maldonado role on something.
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:23 pm@ DRJ (#136): I share your distaste for orange Jello. Did they serve it in your elementary school cafeteria too? Orange Jello Day was like Punishment Desert Day every time.
Beldar (fa637a) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:29 pmSpeaking of California,
urbanleftbehind (5eecdb) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:38 pmhttp://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2016/09/21/sacramento-mayor-kevin-johnson-hit-in-face-with-cake-at-event-assaults-protester-in-bloody-scene?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GMIB%209/22/2016&utm_term=NBA%20National%20Newsletter
Trumpalos 5 minutes ago: “We are mad as HELL that Republicans won’t stick to their principles and fight Democrats!”
Patrick Henry, the 2nd (dd9551) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:41 pmTrumpalos now: “We are mad as HELL that Cruz the Republican won’t ignore his principles and support a Democrat!”
If I read a complaint here about “some commenters” doing something inexplicable, I never know if I’m included, in which case I might have an explanation.
I’ve rarely been accused of being insufficiently specific when it comes to Trump.
As for the rumors about Cruz, it’s pointless to speculate about them. However, I will say two things:
(1) My decision not to vote for either Hillary or Trump is one which I have made independently. I don’t care who may reach a contrary decision on this particular matter. Even if truly convinced that I had been visited in the night by the True & Honest Ghosts of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan to implore me to vote Trump, it is not going to happen. Indeed, at the earliest opportunity, I intent to cast my early vote, which given this year’s ballot in my state, county, city, and precinct, will be straight-ticket GOP except for the top slot (for POTUS & VPOTUS).
(2) My decision to support Ted Cruz, as my state’s junior U.S. Senator — representing the state with the second biggest population overall, and by far the most GOP voters of any in the nation — is likewise not linked to how he votes or who he quote-unquote endorses, or with what fervor, or who he actively campaigns for. When I read small-minded Trumpkin shills insist that Cruz is irrelevant, or that they know someone who lives in Texas who says he is done here, I just nod and squint, and go on with my day: Texans know to keep a respectful distance from creatures infected with rabies.
Beldar (fa637a) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:44 pmThe whole “Trump is a democrat” meme has been debunked so many times for so long anyone using it now just looks silly.
Trump, in his objective to make America great again, is demonstrably more conservative than the nevertrumpers willing to let Hillary win because of their so called conservative principles.
I would think this truth is even starting to dawn on Cruz, but then at this point, who cares. Cruz is a footnote in the general scheme of things.
LBascom (c230be) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:52 pmit’s gotten very silly, what are the practical alternatives, bluntman, who clearly doesn’t understand the first three amendments to the constitution, or mcguffin, who cervantes would say is exceedingly quixotic,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/22/2016 @ 4:55 pmGerald A 147,
Yes, Trump flip flops on everything, and that link is from July. He has doubled down on his flips since then including immigration, the death tax, and even where Obama was born.
Beldar,
LISD had orange Jello and it was my least favorite. I was a lime Jello fan.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:01 pmLN Smithee – the 1998, 2000, and 2002 election results demonstrated that the CA Republican party was already moribund. Ahnold was just icing on the cake.
aphrael (33dc58) — 9/22/2016 @ 6:18 pmMom started putting grated carrots into the lime jello and that was the end of it.
steveg (5508fb) — 9/22/2016 @ 7:24 pmWhere in the world are you getting your information?
There were no “Ted Cruz wanna bes” in California in 2005, unless they secretly pined to be the Solicitor General of the state of Texas. And while it’s true that Schwarzenegger faced long odds after a well-organized and ultimately illegally-financed public employee union effort blew away his reform measures in a rare special election, his response was not to maintain his alleged principles, it was to ensure his own re-election in the regularly-scheduled gubernatorial election by ditching them.
I’ve seen this movie before. The flashy showbiz bully with a big mouth that spoke in catch phrases collapsed in a pile after getting his first punch in the nose.
L.N. Smithee (be07d1) — 9/23/2016 @ 5:03 amGray Davis for Teh Win!
Colonel Haiku (a74c52) — 9/23/2016 @ 5:27 amWell you said Trump will start a shooting war with Russia or China over some perceived slight. That’s specific. How you were able to divine such a thing is beyond me, but it is specific. Maybe because he called Cruz’s wife ugly.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:01 am@L. N. Smithee: Your attribution of the collapse of the GOP in California to Arnold Schwarzenegger requires a time machine. The GOP has not had a majority of either chamber since 1996. Further, if Arnold was such an obvious failure that everybody hated then why did he get reelected? It was because he was not a conservative in a state where conservatives have been an unpopular minority for nearly 20 years. (You’re also overlooking another “showbiz bully with a big mouth who spoke in catch phrases”, and took a lot of naps, and was governor of California, and was the last Republican President California voted for.)
From the data it looks more like Arnold briefly arrested the decline, not like he ruined a perfectly good party.
1995 – 1996: Senate 40.0% R, Assembly 51.3% R
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:29 am1997 – 1998: Senate 40.0% R, Assembly 47.5% R
1999 – 2000: Senate 37.5% R, Assembly 36.5% R
2001 – 2002: Senate 35.0% R, Assembly 37.5% R
2003 – 2004: Senate 37.5% R, Assembly 47.5% R
2005 – 2006: Senate 37.5% R, Assembly 40.0% R
2007 – 2008: Senate 40.0% R, Assembly 40.0% R
2009 – 2010: Senate 35.0% R, Assembly 40.0% R
2011 – 2012: Senate 28.0% R, Assembly 33.8% R
2013 – 2014: Senate 32.4% R, Assembly 30.4% R
2015 – 2016: Senate 35.0% R, Assembly 35.0% R
That link deals with various details of proposals. You make it sound like he switches to the opposite position.
On the death tax, taxing unrealized capital gains on an inheritance if the inheritance tax is abolished seems unavoidable. Otherwise the capital gains would be permanently untaxed. The main reason the inheritance tax is held to be unfair is that the estate represents what’s left over after taxes, so it’s double taxation. That’s not true in the case of unrealized capital gains. If the individual had sold an asset just before dying they would have paid the cap gain tax. Instead the unrealized gain would be converted into a tax free capital gain.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:34 am@Gerald A:rump will start a shooting war with Russia or China over some perceived slight. That’s specific.
Whether Beldar said exactly that I don’t remember but plenty of other #NeverTrumps have even if Beldar didn’t. I find this one a perfect example of extremely stupid statements coming from people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
A President cannot start a shooting war with a word from his royal mouth. There are any number of other people involved in the decision and its implementation.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:35 amGabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:29 am
Did the number of members of the California Assembly and state Senate stay the same?
From the looks of this there was abig decline in 2010, the eyar Jerry Brown was elected Governor again – and BEFORE the next apportionment?
What happened?
I suppose the extra decline might be attributed in some way to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, but how exactly, since there are not really any coatils today.
We see there was some recovery in the State Senate, but a further loss for Repubocans in the Assembly, but both recovered in 2014 – the Senate to where it had been in 208, although not 2006, and the Assembly less – but the Assembly was at the same percentage in 2008 as it was in 206, while the [ercentage of Senatprs who were Republican declined.
Could this have something to do with the dynamics of term limits, where politicians term limited out of the Assembly, can run for the senate and vice versa?
Sammy Finkelman (3915d0) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:40 amAs I think about it now, maybe that’s not very specific. How would Trump start the shooting war? Would he just nuke a city? Or would he order a conventional attack of some sort? And what would be the target? Their national territory? That would require a tremendous buildup of forces over months I would think. Maybe he’d order one of our subs to torpedo a ship.
Extremely stupid. The Trumpers and NeverTrumps remind me of each other.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:42 am@Sammy: Did the number of members of the California Assembly and state Senate stay the same?
Yes. The Senate had, and has, 40 members and the Assembly had, and has, 80.
What you call “recovery” and “decline” is a change by one or two members, keep in mind the numbers are very small. California has the largest population per legislator of any state.
Could this have something to do with the dynamics of term limits, where politicians term limited out of the Assembly, can run for the senate and vice versa?
The old term limits were a total of three terms in the assembly and two in the senate, the new term limits are 12 years regardless of chamber.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:48 am@Gerald A:Would he just nuke a city?
Everyone knows that nuclear weapons are launched solely by the President pushing a large red button that lights up red when he pushes it. Why no President has rolled over it in their sleep I can’t say, maybe #NeverTrump can shed light on this. We’re lucky Hillary didn’t hit it when she threw plates at Bill.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:52 am@Sammy: The story is worse for the Republicans that I had time to assemble. The Senate has not had a Republican majority since 1970, and that 1996 majority in the Assembly was the ONLY one since 1970.
So yeah, unless Arnold really is the Terminator and traveled back in time to 1970, I don’t think he did it.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:54 am@Gerald A:That would require a tremendous buildup of forces over months I would think. Maybe he’d order one of our subs to torpedo a ship.
To be fair, American bombers can go just about anywhere in the world on short notice. And of course our military is staffed entirely by psychopaths who would gleefully kill civilians because someone said something about the President’s short fingers.
Sweet Jesus.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:57 amit would be neat to actually win a war for a change even if it’s just avenging a remark about stubby fingers
and winning would be good practice for later
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:10 amGerald A 174,
Or maybe because Trump is all about getting even and responding like a bully to the smallest slights, qualities that predispose one to pulling the trigger based on emotion instead of reason.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:11 amComment 182 proves my point. Thank you, hf.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:12 amDon’t you wonder why the military likes the Libertarian rather than the Republican?
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:13 amI recall Reagan joking about abolishing the Soviet Union, announcing that “We begin bombing in five minutes”, when he didn’t realize he had a live mike. The media/Democrats went nutso over that.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:14 amI don’t think I’m smarter than everyone else, Gabriel. I used to come here to discuss things with people I respected because I don’t know everything and I believed discussing topics with thoughtful people was good.
Now, while there are still smart people here, there aren’t many thoughtful people anymore. There are angry people here, like Trump. Anger comes from fear, and IMO neither emotion is helpful to reason or duscussion.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:19 ami’m here to serve
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:20 amGerald A,
Trump said he would abolish the death tax and then he said he would keep a different version. Is that a detail or a flip flop?
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:22 amYour doubling down on this. Unbelievable.
There’s nothing in there at all about being a bully. One could argue that he is one but that link has nothing about that.
The story at your link quotes a few people who believe his decision to run for President was motivated by people slighting him and that he thinks becoming President would be a kind of revenge.
Somehow that translates to starting a war with Russia.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:27 amDRJ, I think our whole society has worked very, very hard to create a bumper sticker way of thinking. Slogans about thought. Memes rather than discussion.
Add to it an unpleasant narcissism: I am smart and good, so people who disagree with me must be stupid and bad.
Finally mix in a shocking level of amnesia; people taking positions different from ones they had even months before, and loudly denying it.
We are facing the result of this horrific Venn diagram, on both sides.
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:34 amThe NeverTrumpers also can’t seem to make up their mind whether he would start a war with Russia or be Putin’s BFF. Or whether he would attack a foreign country or roll tanks int he streets and order the wholesale slaughter of his political enemies. Or launch nuclear weapons to prove he is the alpha dog (a phrase they seem to obsess over, much like they obsessed over the size of his genitals). They’re like children who have been told “No” for the first time.
In related news, the great libertarian hope, Gary Johnson has followed up his foreign policy mastery (“Allepo? What’s an Allepo?”) with his awesome grasp of current affairs regarding the terrorist bombings (“just grateful that nobody got hurt”)
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:41 amYeah, based on a poll by Syracuse U. and Gannett/USA Today. But don’t you think Johnson’s illiteracy on Middle East affairs would turn off at least of few early supporters? And once his party’s platform of deep military cuts comes to light, whatever support he has now will evaporate.
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:51 amTrump likes to get even. My link says it, his behavior says it, and I have repeatedly linked a report that even Trump said it. That is what bullies do. Trump is a bully and proud of it.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:55 amIt isn’t a different version of the death tax. The estate tax, as it is currently implemented, is a tax on all assets of the estate. As was already stated, the problem with the estate tax is it represent double taxation. But for the part of the estate that has yet to be taxed, that is not true. So the estate has to pay the taxes they owe before they can pass down to their heirs tax-free. What is unfair about that?
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:56 amMoreover, his supporters are proud of it, too.
PS to prowlerguy – I hope you aren’t one of those Trump supporters who complain that NeverTrump folks think you’re ignorant, because it sounds like you just called military voters ignorant about Trump.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:57 amSo getting even, in your mind, is the same thing as being a bully? Isn’t the essence of a bully someone who provokes other and attacks them without cause? Is someone who stands up for themselves a bully, or someone who is tired of being bullied?
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:00 amYou are assuming any unrealized gain would never be taxed unless you treat death as a taxable
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:02 amevent, but that isn’t true. Why not wait until someone actually sells an asset to tax it?
Getting even is revenge, not justice, and it’s the definition of being a bully.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:03 amWhere did I do that, DRJ? I questioned the validity of the only poll that supports the proposition that military voters will be voting for Johnson. I then pointed out that Johnson has been a gaffe machine to rival Biden on issues that the military cares about (ME and terrorism) since that poll, and that they may not be familiar with all the content of his party’s platform.
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:04 amGotcha. You punch me, I get you fired and put in jail, and I’m the bully.
prowlerguy (fa36d8) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:05 amThe examples of what he considers getting even do not translate to starting a war with Russia over a perceived slight. You’re just way out there.
Once again DRJ actually focuses on a Trumper as a way of proving something about Trump.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:08 amGetting him fired and jailed requires going to the relevant authorities who should follow the rules/law to reach justice. I’m sure it would feel like getting even to you because you would be angry and vengeful, but revenge or getting even is not what should motivate an employer or government to act.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:11 amI provided two links in my comments regarding Trump’s motivation to get even. Happyfeet’s comment isn’t proof of Trump’s motives, nor did I say it was — let alone “once again.” But I think it’s interesting how often Trump’s supporters emulate him and his behavior.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:13 amnonono
Mr. Trump emulates me
i was here first
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:14 amUnder current tax law, the basis for calculating capital gains on inherited assets is the value at the time it was transferred to the heir. This is known as the Stepped up basis. Therefore the only taxable capital gains are appreciation from that time forward. That makes sense if there’s an inheritance tax. Otherwise the same asset would be taxed twice.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:14 am178. Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 6:48 am
that would mean a change of 1 member n the State Senate is 2 and and half percentage points (2.5%) and in the Assembly, 1.25%.
Going from 40% to 35% just involves two members – going from 16 to 14 out of 40 seats.
This makes it hard to campaig, but even in New Hampshire and Vermont it’s probably too large for anything grass roots, Bernie Sanders partially excepted.
The size of the constituency is large, btthe importance f the office is pretty small, even with nly 40 members maybe.
Sammy Finkelman (3915d0) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:16 amI don’t know what Trump will do, Gerald A, and I hope he would never start a war over a perceived slight. My concern is his unpredictability. Simply reading his angry Twitter feed should give everyone pause.
I’m not saying don’t vote for him — vote however you want — but I do think he is a loose cannon.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:17 amhe’s not a loose cannon he’s a hot buttery scone
don’t get it twisted
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:22 amI understand stepped up basis. If you are worried about collecting taxes on unrealized capital gains, why use the estate tax to collect them? Death isn’t the best time/way to do that, nor is the estate tax structured to accomplish that goal. And what about marital transfers? They escape taxation.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:29 amGovernment picks winners and losers all the time. That’s one reason I’m a conservative, because I want to limit government’s ability to pick winners and losers. We don’t have to tax everything. Death is a convenient event to tax but that doesn’t mean we have to.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:34 am@DRJ: it sounds like you just called military voters ignorant about Trump.
If you honestly think the military will obey Trump when he orders an attack on Russia after Putin calls him a short-fingered vulgarian, what are YOU calling military voters?
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:34 amyes yes some of them are very good readers
happyfeet (a037ad) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:35 amActually it would not be collected at the time of the inheritance, according to The Tax Foundation:
All Trump would be doing is eliminating the step-up basis and whenever the heir sells the asset is when they would pay the cap gain. This is not an estate tax at all, according what The Tax Foundation wrote.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:40 amThe military follows orders, as they should, and I doubt there are explanations and justifications that accompany those orders. There are ways the military can question orders and even disobey them, but the system is not set up to have every order questioned. Did the military refuse to bomb Afghanistan and Sudan when Bill wagged the dog?
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:41 amI know it would not be collected at death, which is why I said the estate tax is not structured to do that. I’m the one who wants to abolish the estate tax, aND Trump usedan tO say he did, too, until recently. My understanding of your argument is that Trump now wants to keep part of the estate tax because it is a way to tax unrealized capital gains. Did I misunderstand you?
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:45 amWe cross-posted on that.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:46 amThis is not using the estate tax. The estate tax is collected when someone dies. That is not happening here. What is it you’re not understanding about this? This is not complicated.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:50 amOkay never mind.
Gerald A (76f251) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:53 am@DRJ:Did the military refuse to bomb Afghanistan and Sudan when Bill wagged the dog?
Are you really claiming that Bill Clinton got all his generals in a room and said that he’s having some trouble with the press right now so please can you kill some foreigners for me for now reason?
There wasn’t ANYTHING ELSE going on the Sudan or Afghanistan that might have justified military action?
You can’t get all indignant about a suggestion that military voters don’t know what they need to know about the election, and then turn around claim they are killbots just waiting for the right order, no matter how stupid.
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:57 amI understand what you are saying but I am confused by what Trump’s plan says. All the reports say Trump wants to eliminate federal estate and gift taxes, which was his position last year. But my Marketwatch link says his new plan is to eliminate stepped up basis and tax the capital gains at death. Other reports say the same thing but are silent regarding when the tax would be levied, at death or at a later time.
If levied at death, then Trump is reconfiguring part of the estate tax into an inheritance tax. Estate taxes are levied on and paid by the decedent’s estate. Inheritance taxes are paid by the beneficiaries. The federal tax is an estate tax, but most states levy inheritance taxes. If so, then it’s still an arbitrary death tax to me. If death creates a taxable event, then beneficiaries who don’t want to sell the inherited asset may have to in order to pay the tax.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:05 amI’m not indignant or calling anyone a killbot. I said that the military follows orders and I think it would make that hard for them to second-guess Presidential orders.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:07 am@DRJ: I think it would make that hard for them to second-guess Presidential orders.
So if Trump turned to one and said “Shoot that little girl” would they or not?
And if he said “Nuke Russia” they would, just at a word from his royal mouth? None of all the elaborate safeguards and procedures developed over decades would be followed?
And if he said “Bomb Chicago” they would, just like that?
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:11 amApparently you think it’s possible he might say those things.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:13 amThe military would have shot down a commercial airliner of innocent people on 9/11 because the President ordered them to. They would not necessarily have known what had happened or why they got that order. The nature of military orders is the military men and women who execute the orders probably don’t have all the information but they trust the commander to make the right call.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:19 amI agree with the decision to authorize shooting down commercial airliners on 9/11. It was a horrible decision that had to be made. Many military orders seem horrible and may be personally hard to execute. We want our military to have a conscience but they also have to trust their commanders and follow orders. What the military polls suggest to me is that many don’t trust Trump.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:23 amOn second thought, I think Marketwatch is right. The reason to eliminate stepped up basis at death is so you can go ahead and tax the capital gains at death.
If so, then it’s true Trump wants to eliminate the federal estate tax, which is an imperfect method of taxing unrealized capital gains at death. But he would create an inheritance tax to target and collect the same capital gains. It’s a cleaner mechanism but it’s still using death as the taxable event, plus some verbal subterfuge to make it seem like he’s getting rid of the death tax when he isn’t.
DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:35 amwell sometimes it’s not necessity but circumstance, recall what the vincennes did to the iranian airbus, for which reagan did not apologize, there are some schools of thought, that pan am 103, arose in part out of that tragedy,
narciso (d1f714) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:51 amDRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 8:45 am
When the estate tax was abolished, for the year 2010, the step-up in the cost basis e was also abolished, although Congress allowed executors to keep te step-up in basis if they paid an estate tax at the 2009 rate. This made the question of what was best to do quite complicated.
What’s really wrong is the estate tax taxing everything including non-liquid assets. This only causes smaller businesses to be sold, and promotes increased business concentration and can throw people out of work. Others buy otherwise unnecessary insurance. And if exempting ongoing businesses would cause people to invest more in businesses what’s bad about that?
Houses also should not be taxed, at least not till sold, or farms, which are businesses.
Limit the estate tax just to cash, cash equivalents and marketable assets and maybe a few other specific categories where you are willing to force a sale. For some reason Congress can’t do anything like that. Lobbyists steer the argument.
As for not having a step-up in basis, how is somebody supposed to figure out what something cost that somebody else bought, years ago, in many transactions that maybe involved both buying and selling, at a time from which no records remain? There is pretended precision here. Sometimes it is known, but other times it wouldn’t be. Do you, to be on the safe side, assume a cost basis of zero?
There’s now a move by the IRS to change the way the IRS values minority stakes in businesses which till now have been valued at a discount, because in fact, if only the minoroty interest is sold it would sell for less. To change that more to what it would be if the whole business were sold. What’s the idea here?
And then there’s the requirement now to pay within a short period of time, and to give no adjustment for decline in value that may take place after death. The estate tax is based on what the value was on the date of death even if it sold for a lower price in the end. The difference would be most apparent with marketable securrities, otherwise nobody knows.
But these are problems of rich people, or of people working for them. Accounting is also even more difficult for any form of financial aid but everybody pretends income and.or assets are precise. And stable. we’re seeing a little bit of that with Obamacare subsidies where the Obama Administration has postponed the day of reckoning.
Sammy Finkelman (3915d0) — 9/23/2016 @ 10:09 am225. DRJ (15874d) — 9/23/2016 @ 9:19 am
Or the wrong call.
What if the passengers on Flight 93 had successfully recovered control of the plane?
Sammy Finkelman (3915d0) — 9/23/2016 @ 10:12 am@DRJ:Apparently you think it’s possible he might say those things.
No. Reductio ad absurdum. I’m trying to find out what you think about the military.
The military would have shot down a commercial airliner of innocent people on 9/11 because the President ordered them to.
No, they wouldn’t have, because the word would not have come to them personally from his royal mouth. At that time he and his military advisers had an ideas of what was going on and they would have been making that decision together. Bush did not personally call up a fighter pilot and tell him to shoot down a plane, nor would he have. How would the pilot even know it was him?
Gabriel Hanna (64d4e1) — 9/23/2016 @ 12:41 pmSo: I hate to say it, because I’m worried that it’s likely, but: if Ted Cruz endorses Donald Trump, then Ted Cruz is not the man I thought he was.
Tedtoo announces on Facebook in a Friday afternoon posting he is ‘endorsing’ Trump; says he’ll ‘honor’ his pledge to support the GOP party nominee and vote for Trump in November.
Oops. A ‘whores’ is a ‘whores,’ of course, of course… talk to Mister Ted!
“This really isn’t your day, is it.”– James Bond [Sean Connery] ‘From Russia With Love,’ 1963
DCSCA (797bc0) — 9/23/2016 @ 12:50 pmGabriel, if Trump wants to nuke Putin for calling him short-fingered, he will construct a pretext. That’s how governments justify wars. And people will cheer the pretext. Perhaps even you will.
Patterico (bcf524) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:12 pmLook, you people seriously need to put aside your concerns, however valid, and support Trump against the corrupt Obama/Hillary regime to save the Republic.
Remember the 800?
Now this: Email shows federal immigration bosses in OT push to swear in new citizens ‘due to election’
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:15 pmThis is Treason.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:17 pm“We either have a country or we don’t.”
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:20 pmBlockquote/regular text reversed in above comment.
Denver Guy (4750ec) — 9/23/2016 @ 7:23 pm