Breaking #DavidFrench - I’m Not Running for President

[RoosGirl]

I am so stealing that.

LOL. 

I reread it and almost erased it because it's so obnoxious. ;)

[INVAR]

Drop the #nevertrump position and get fully behind the GOP's duly chosen candidate. It represents the best chance for the most conservative outcome.

POUND SAND.

Trump has accomplished what the Democrats, Obama and the Ruling Class GOP Establishment could never have accomplished: render Reagan Principled Conservatism irrelevant, dead, and buried.

Trump and the sycophants for his kingship have already been busy redefining what it means to be a Conservative, thus rendering 'Conservatism' into just another bastardized word to mean Northeastern liberal socialism that everyone will be lectured is what Reagan really stood for.

Being a Conservative in the era of Trump means funding and endorsing a known Communist for mayor of New York just 3 years ago.

[TomSea]

In one of these threads, we were talking about Neo-Cons today;

Per the father of Bill Kristol:

Irving Kristol (January 22, 1920 – September 18, 2009) was an American columnist, journalist, and writer who was dubbed the "godfather of neo-conservatism."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Kristol

William Kristol (born December 23, 1952) is an American neoconservative[1] political analyst and commentator. He is the founder and editor of the political magazine The Weekly Standard and a political commentator on several networks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kristol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism#Administration_of_George_W._Bush

I feel that Neo-Conservatism has hurt the GOP.  Or at least, some facets of it.

[kevindavis007]

In one of these threads, we were talking about Neo-Cons today;

Per the father of Bill Kristol:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism#Administration_of_George_W._Bush

I feel that Neo-Conservatism has hurt the GOP.  Or at least, some facets of it.

I rather be a neoconservative than some loser paleocon.

[Oceander]

Why? What you call that there, is an example of illogical "true conservative" thinking. 

They bitch and moan about the GOP, about illegal immigration, unsecure borders, politically correctness, biased media, general decline etc.

Along comes somebody outside of the political mainstream that addresses most of their concerns in ways they themselves previously asked for, and guess what?

They retreat, claim he is an imperfect vessel, align themselves with the very entrenched political establishment they resented last year.

Drop the #nevertrump position and get fully behind the GOP's duly chosen candidate. It represents the best chance for the most conservative outcome. 

#NeverTrump

Go pound sand

Post modified by Mod1 for insult

[Right_in_Virginia]

Go pound sand modified by Mod1

 

@truth_seeker
@Oceander

[markomalley]

I'm glad he pulled out. It would have been a blasted joke. Insulting that he was even proposed.

[TomSea]

I rather be a neoconservative than some loser paleocon.

And this in turn, translates into getting snagged up in foreign wars.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

He wasn't the one.  There is no conservative leader.  Trump's demolition of the modern conservative movement is total. 

Trump cannot unit conservatives, much less the GOP.  He loses 50 states, the Senate, and possibly the House in November. 

The GOP is a non-viable party within three years. 

Take hope, fellow squid.

The silver lining is that the GOP cannot help but have learned a lot from this election cycle.  They've learned that deliberately tuning out things they don't want to hear from voters haunts them in the long term.  My guess is that the GOP will come out of this election far more united and disciplined than they were before.  I'm actually kind of pleased by the tone/leadership of most other Republicans in response to Trump.  I understand why many have reluctantly announced support for him, but they also haven't refrained from criticism.

The point is that if we can hold on to the House, and thereby limit the damage Hillary can do, we may have a real chance for a massive comeback, and with some of the candidates who needed more seasoning this time around coming back as better versions of themselves in 2020.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Drop the #nevertrump position and get fully behind the GOP's duly chosen candidate. It represents the best chance for the most conservative outcome.

I'm trying.  I really am.  But can you just please have him stop saying stupid stuff for a couple of weeks?  It's not going to do any good if guys like me hold their nose and vote for him if he keeps this up, because he's going to chase away everyone except his disciples and the most fervent #NeverHillary.  And that's going to mean a landslide for the witch.

[truth_seeker]

I'm trying.  I really am.  But can you just please have him stop saying stupid stuff for a couple of weeks?  It's not going to do any good if guys like me hold their nose and vote for him if he keeps this up, because he's going to chase away everyone except his disciples and the most fervent #NeverHillary.  And that's going to mean a landslide for the witch.

To some that know me, I am the "iceman" with little emotion. All logic, common sense, facts (married 48 years to a feisty emotional pureblooded Italian lass-and that is a fact)

In politics that is how I view it. None of the candidates warrant personal affection from the voters. Just a choice.

And the choice is nearly always between the Republican who will be the more conservative choice, and the democrat who will be the more liberal choice.

If one wanders away from that binary analysis, it becomes magical thinking*. No 3rd party candidate has come close to winning in modern history. And no democrat has been the more conservative of the two viable choices.

Trump is an imperfect vessel for sure, but he also represents the path to gaining several policy choices that conservatives have demanded but failed to obtain. Elect him then hold his feet to the fire.

--Border enforcement and interior enforcement reform.
--More business friendly climate domestically, and tougher stance with foreign trade nations.
--Restore national pride, putting Americans and American interests first, not the opposite.

* French was an example of magical thinking; the idea an unknown could enter this race now, and have any chance of success.

Conservatives unfortunately engage in very much magical thinking, since in my opinion many are math/logic challenged. Fancy words sure, but not the analytic side of things.

[sinkspur]

To some that know me, I am the "iceman" with little emotion. All logic, common sense, facts (married 48 years to a feisty emotional pureblooded Italian lass-and that is a fact)

In politics that is how I view it. None of the candidates warrant personal affection from the voters. Just a choice.

And the choice is nearly always between the Republican who will be the more conservative choice, and the democrat who will be the more liberal choice.

If one wanders away from that binary analysis, it becomes magical thinking*. No 3rd party candidate has come close to winning in modern history. And no democrat has been the more conservative of the two viable choices.

Trump is an imperfect vessel for sure, but he also represents the path to gaining several policy choices that conservatives have demanded but failed to obtain. Elect him then hold his feet to the fire.

--Border enforcement and interior enforcement reform.
--More business friendly climate domestically, and tougher stance with foreign trade nations.
--Restore national pride, putting Americans and American interests first, not the opposite.

* French was an example of magical thinking; the idea an unknown could enter this race now, and have any chance of success.

Conservatives unfortunately engage in very much magical thinking, since in my opinion many are math/logic challenged. Fancy words sure, but not the analytic side of things.

Yeah.  Everybody's stupid but you.

It takes a really enlightened person to excuse overt racism and bigotry.  But, you've managed to do it.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

To some that know me, I am the "iceman" with little emotion. All logic, common sense, facts (married 48 years to a feisty emotional pureblooded Italian lass-and that is a fact)

Most impressive.

In politics that is how I view it. None of the candidates warrant personal affection from the voters. Just a choice.  And the choice is nearly always between the Republican who will be the more conservative choice, and the democrat who will be the more liberal choice.

I was commenting more on the reality of how other voters tend to see it.  I tend to agree with your analysis.  One of my pet peeves is people who talk about electing the "best leader", because unless you're leading me in the correct direction, being a good leader is a minus, not a plus.  The key point in deciding who to vote for is the direction of travel, not the magnitude of the vector.

I'm just growing increasing worried that Trump is just alienating too many voters whose votes he will need in the general election.  There are an awful lot of people who will cast their votes on the basis of personality, not policy, and Trump is setting himself up to lose a lot of them to Hillary Clinton, which should be impossible.

I should add that a lot of people have reasonable doubt about the "nearly always...more conservative choice" part of your statement regarding Republican v. Democrat.  Some folks really question that with respect to Trump, which then makes all those other factors more important.

[OldSaltUSN]

Trump is an imperfect vessel for sure, but he also represents the path to gaining several policy choices that conservatives have demanded but failed to obtain. Elect him then hold his feet to the fire.

--Border enforcement and interior enforcement reform.
--More business friendly climate domestically, and tougher stance with foreign trade nations.
--Restore national pride, putting Americans and American interests first, not the opposite.

What evidence do you have, other than Trump's varying, inconsistent statements since he announced in June 2015, that Trump would do anything he's "suggested"?  Actually, the real date is back somewhere in 2014 when Trump told some in a private business meeting that he was running, that the Presidency was his for the taking, and he wouldn't even spend a nickel of his own money doing so, as he'd use the free media to his benefit.  So, the real demarcation between Trump the progressive, and Trump the populist, anti-GOPe, real-thing, "Let's make American Great again" (Reagan's slogan)  conservative, and the progressive he's always been, is 2014.  What has he actually done, as in historical fact, that proves he's a reformed progressive, and not a lyin' progressive (oops, I repeated myself)?

In any case, I get somewhere between mildly annoyed and internally, falling down silly laughing, when I see Trump supporters line up their reasons for dumping 50 years of conservative policies, and voting for the NYC progressive.  There is, in fact, no evidence he'll do any of the things they claim, and in fact, plenty of evidence he'll run a straight, progressive, "for profit' Presidency, if he doesn't manage to get us all killed first.

Actually, I'm really not much worried about Trump as President.  He'll lose 50 states, the Senate, and much of the GOP House, and there is no evidence to the contrary.   

Unfortunately, French wouldn't have changed the trajectory of this race.  Trump elected Hillary during the GOP primary, which is why he's still attacking his own party, or supposed party, and doing everything he can to PERMANENTLY alienate Americans from the GOP, or better put, from any other party but the progressive Democrats.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I think Trump will scare more voters than he will alienate to be honest. There is a difference. Even people like me who may hold their nose are frightened of the consequences of doing so. Last week I found out that Trump wanted to continue running his Trump U after being elected. That honestly bothered me more than the judge thing for some reason. Part of me wonders that maybe Trump will be elected and end up as some sort of uber Nixon who gets impeached because he truly has "no boundaries". Will Trump go in the other direction and try to rule as a "Caudillo" Peron Chavez type? Who the hell knows? His statements vary from day to day based on how he "feels".

[Mechanicos]

I think Trump will scare more voters than he will alienate to be honest. There is a difference. Even people like me who may hold their nose are frightened of the consequences of doing so. Last week I found out that Trump wanted to continue running his Trump U after being elected. That honestly bothered me more than the judge thing for some reason. Part of me wonders that maybe Trump will be elected and end up as some sort of uber Nixon who gets impeached because he truly has "no boundaries". Will Trump go in the other direction and try to rule as a "Caudillo" Peron Chavez type? Who the hell knows? His statements vary from day to day based on how he "feels".

Consider this. In CA in discovery the Defense completely destroyed the case against Trump when they had the chance to question the main accuser, it was so bad for the class action they had to withdraw the lead plaintiff. In other words its a political case not a meritorious case.  It will go away once Trump is on the White house.

[truth_seeker]

What evidence do you have

1. I don't let it become too complicated. The winner will be either the democrat, of the Republican.

2. Republicans have historically governed more in the conservative direction, and democrats in the liberal direction.

3. Therefore the GOP candidate gets my vote.   

[jmyrlefuller]

1. I don't let it become too complicated. The winner will be either the democrat, of the Republican.

2. Republicans have historically governed more in the conservative direction, and democrats in the liberal direction.

3. Therefore the GOP candidate gets my vote.

A.k.a., the "stuck in the past" mentality, the belief that nothing will ever change.

[OldSaltUSN]

The question to Trump supporters:

What evidence do you have, other than Trump's varying, inconsistent statements since he announced in June 2015, that Trump would do anything he's "suggested"? 

The response:

1. I don't let it become too complicated. The winner will be either the democrat, of the Republican.

2. Republicans have historically governed more in the conservative direction, and democrats in the liberal direction.

3. Therefore the GOP candidate gets my vote.

I'm still batting 1000.   

I ask Trump supporters this, and either they fail to respond, or they change the subject.  They NEVER cite evidence documenting that Trump has lived or performed as the conservative (prior to 6/2015) that they claim him to be.  Yet they will blame conservatives who will not support Trump out of conscience of everything from being a closet HItlery supporter, a troll, a fake christian, gay, stupid, and etc. .  We're wrong, they're right, and we should ignore evidence, just shut up about it, and support THE DONALD.

We are #NeverTrump for principled reasons, for CONSERVATIVE reasons.  We respect evidence over hope, deeds over bluster.   Trump supporters cannot claim the same.

I am proudly #NeverTrump, because I am #ForeverChristian.  That is my world view, justified by both faith and evidence, and that will never change.
I am also an #OathKeeper, as in, the LIFELONG Oath I made to this country when I accepted my commission as a Navy Officer.

Therefore, Trump is as evil to me as any other progressive, except that he's more openly self-interested, e.g. narcissistic than most.   He claims to represent me, my Christian beliefs, and conservative values.  How can a man claim to represent GOP conservatives, to be a Christian, to be a conservative, when he doesn't recognize American exceptionalism?  That concept is at the heart of the Republic.  It's ludicrous than anyone would believe one word Trump says.

@INVAR @Maj. Bill Martin @sinkspur