Graham floats Rubio-Kasich ticket

[Right_in_Virginia]

Yep, he's got a reputation of giving in and going along with what he's told to do...

He will if he wants to stay in office or get reelected.  Money--big, deep, coordinated money is the master power. 

Even if you don't believe it.   

[Right_in_Virginia]

But everyone's "GOPe elite"

I thought the "e" in GOPe stood for "establishment".  Frankly, I'd prefer that over "elite".   

Just sayin'.

[Scottftlc]

Trump can't "get rid of" Common Core.  That's a state program that the feds have no jurisdiction over.

It's not the tax structure that causes businesses to go offshore.  It's the cost of labor. America can never compete for textile jobs or basic assembly jobs, like electronics.  Those jobs will never come back. 

Trump wants to tax the $5 trillion and corporations have already been taxed on that money.  They want to bring it back tax free.  So there's your stalemate.

If these issues were easy to resolve, they'd be resolved already.  Trump has duped you into thinking he can magically fix all this with his "negotiating skills", but you can't negotiate when the other guy holds all the cards.

States earn extra points for federal education funding, in the form of grants which are offered competitively by the Department of Education in many programs - notably in Obama's Race to the Top program - by adopting common core standards.  State are not required to adopt Common Core by the federal government, however they are much better positioned to win federal grant money if they do.  If you remove the federal incentive for Common Core then you will allow states to dump it as in most cases the states are using that incentive for federal dollars to retain it.

[Sanguine]

The folks who have turned on Cruz simply because of their loyalty to Trump have become very confused.............

Yes, and that is what is behind all of the ugliness. 

[musiclady]

Yes, and that is what is behind all of the ugliness.

Yep.

[Carling]

Because he's just made a very smart suggestion?   Kasich/Rubio (or Rubio/Kasich) can win the general election.  Cruz or Trump will almost certainly lose. 

It has been received wisdom (until this year) that it's best to nominate the most conservative ELECTIBLE candidate.  I've no desire to tilt at windmills.

Hey I have a great idea how about Romney/McCain! 

When are the GOPe supporters and politicians going to come to the reality many of us have moved on from the lies and the ineptitude, and we're not coming back?

[Bigun]

The folks who have turned on Cruz simply because of their loyalty to Trump have become very confused.............

And are allowing their GUT over ride their brains!  For a conservative to support Trump requires the suspension of the use of facts and evidence!

[Jazzhead]

When are the GOPe supporters and politicians going to come to the reality many of us have moved on from the lies and the ineptitude, and we're not coming back?

Speaking for myself,  I don't care if the Trump supporters ever come back.  They should vote for Trump as an independent candidate; my goal is that under no circumstances should Trumpism wear the banner of the Republican Party. 

[musiclady]

And are allowing their GUT over ride their brains!  For a conservative to support Trump requires the suspension of the use of facts and evidence!

A fact that they will deny for all eternity, methinks......

[Carling]

Speaking for myself,  I don't care if the Trump supporters ever come back.  They should vote for Trump as an independent candidate; my goal is that under no circumstances should Trumpism wear the banner of the Republican Party.

I didn't mention Trump.  Odd you'd bring him up, though.  Your opinions of his supporters are already established, and established, and established... 

[Jazzhead]

I didn't mention Trump.  Odd you'd bring him up, though.  Your opinions of his supporters are already established, and established, and established...

So you're a Cruz guy?   If he's the nominee,  I'll support him.   If Rubio or Kasich is the nominee, will you support him?  If not, why not?   

[Paladin]

How Graham gets the attention he does is beyond me.

The MSM has always turned to Liberal Republicans in order to present their views as representing the average party member. I recall watching in amusement as the same tactic was pulled in the 80s at one of the Republican National Conventions when the MSM would ignore Conservative voices and line up practically in a row to interview Connecticut senator Lowell Weicker.

Weicker, like Lady Lindsey, ran to be the Repub nominee for Prez, lost miserably, and later quit the Republican Party to run as an independent.

[Sanguine]

The MSM has always turned to Liberal Republicans in order to present their views as representing the average party member. I recall watching in amusement as the same tactic was pulled in the 80s at one of the Republican National Conventions when the MSM would ignore Conservative voices and line up practically in a row to interview Connecticut senator Lowell Weicker.

Weicker, like Lady Lindsey, ran to be the Repub nominee for Prez, lost miserably, and later quit the Republican Party to run as an independent.

Paladin, I know a number of ladies (like MusicLady), and Lindsey is no lady!

 

[PzLdr]

Lindsay Graham would float CPT. Smith of TITANIC for Sec/NAV.

[MACVSOG68]

The MSM has always turned to Liberal Republicans in order to present their views as representing the average party member. I recall watching in amusement as the same tactic was pulled in the 80s at one of the Republican National Conventions when the MSM would ignore Conservative voices and line up practically in a row to interview Connecticut senator Lowell Weicker.

Weicker, like Lady Lindsey, ran to be the Repub nominee for Prez, lost miserably, and later quit the Republican Party to run as an independent.

Lady Lindsey?  The mods here have struck out at posters who even say "Trump Supporters".  I hope they recognize that the other side has been alive and well in condemning anything conservative.  "Lady Lindsey" has served his Country for many years as a military officer.  Other than making $billions, what has the protected one done?

[HonestJohn]

A Rubio/Kasich ticket gives the home field advantage to Republicans in Florida and Ohio.  Both of these states are critical for any Republican candidate to win in the general election.

Republicans cannot win without carrying at least one of these states, preferably both.  So anything that maximizes Republican chances in them is to be supported.

---

And mind you, I said the general election, where ALL registered voters come to vote.  Not just Republican and Republican-leaning voters.

[truth_seeker]

Speaking for myself,  I don't care if the Trump supporters ever come back.  They should vote for Trump as an independent candidate; my goal is that under no circumstances should Trumpism wear the banner of the Republican Party.

So you favor continued rampant illegal immigration, sanctuary cities harboring convicted violent criminals, further trade and employment losses to offshore factories, terrorists entering under the guise of "refugees," etc.?

You don't score many points putting forth the proposition that there is something wrong or undesirable about Trump's supporters, BTW.

[MACVSOG68]

A Rubio/Kasich ticket gives the home field advantage to Republicans in Florida and Ohio.  Both of these states are critical for any Republican candidate to win in the general election.

Republicans cannot win without carrying at least one of these states, preferably both.  So anything that maximizes Republican chances in them is to be supported.

---

And mind you, I said the general election, where ALL registered voters come to vote.  Not just Republican and Republican-leaning voters.

We do need both states for sure.  I have respect for both Rubio and Kasich, but a ticket with both is no more viable IMHO than a Trump/Cruz ticket.  Not only are battleground states important, but so are political ideologies.  To repair the GOP, we need to be able to bring together the right and center wings of the Party as well as independents and moderates from both sides of the aisle.  If trump wins with 35% of the GOP, even the most ardent fans should recognize that a VP choice will be paramount in bringing in the other 65% as well as those in the middle and other side. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

And are allowing their GUT over ride their brains!  For a conservative to support Trump requires the suspension of the use of facts and evidence!

No, it's really the opposite, Bigun.  For a conservative to support Cruz means ignoring what a US Senator only 3 years into the position, with no executive experience, questionable eligibility for the office of POTUS and nothing more concrete to offer than the promise of ideological purity can lead to.

How do you suspend all logic?  I'm curious, Bigun, deeply curious.

[Jazzhead]

No, it's really the opposite, Bigun.  For a conservative to support Cruz means ignoring what a US Senator only 3 years into the position, with no executive experience, questionable eligibility for the office of POTUS and nothing more concrete to offer than the promise of ideological purity can lead to.

How do you suspend all logic?  I'm curious, Bigun, deeply curious.

What's wrong with standing on principle?  (And  by your criteria,  why aren't you supporting John Kasich?   He's the Reagan conservative who's got over 30 years of experience,  including foreign policy experience,  and wins election after election.   

Trump's a billionaire,  but that's no qualification for the Presidency.   Given his ego,  temperament,  lack of any sort of defining principles,  and cynical exploitation, your "suspension of logic" challenge is properly in the Trumpians' court. 

[Bigun]

No, it's really the opposite, Bigun.  For a conservative to support Cruz means ignoring what a US Senator only 3 years into the position, with no executive experience, questionable eligibility for the office of POTUS and nothing more concrete to offer than the promise of ideological purity can lead to.

How do you suspend all logic?  I'm curious, Bigun, deeply curious.

No! I'm afrad not! Ted Cruz is the only politician I  have ever encountered in my life who is doing in office EXACTLY what he promised to do while running for that office! The ONLY one!  What  more do I  need to know to choose him over a pig in a poke like Trump!

[Right_in_Virginia]

No! I'm afrad not! Ted Cruz is the only politician I  have ever encountered in my life who is doing in office EXACTLY what he promised to do while running for that office! The ONLY one!  What  more do I  need to know to choose him over a pig in a poke like Trump!

Has Cruz met with any success? 

[Right_in_Virginia]

No! I'm afrad not! Ted Cruz is the only politician I  have ever encountered in my life who is doing in office EXACTLY what he promised to do while running for that office! The ONLY one!  What  more do I  need to know to choose him over a pig in a poke like Trump!

Just a side note here, Bigun.  I know you hate Donald Trump; and you adore Ted Cruz.  It's not necessary to include such divisive and insulting adjectives to define Trump.  I am trying to have a conversation with you, so please, tone down your rhetoric, or you're going to make that conversation impossible.

[Bigun]

Just a side note here, Bigun.  I know you hate Donald Trump; and you adore Ted Cruz.  It's not necessary to include such divisive and insulting adjectives to define Trump.  I am trying to have a conversation with you, so please, tone down your rhetoric, or you're going to make that conversation impossible.

LOL! Do you even know what pig in a poke means?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_in_a_poke

And no I do not hate Donald Trump! I just hate his politics!

[jmyrlefuller]

I will say only one thing:

The same electorate that chose Graham for Senate over seven competitors combined was also responsible for creating the result that has everyone yammering about Trump's supposed inevitability now.

Live by the sword, die by the sword