The Trump Rationale

[endicom]

National Review
Victor Davis Hanson
May 22, 2018

His voters knew what they were getting, and most support him still.

Why exactly did nearly half the country vote for Donald Trump?

Why also did the arguments of Never Trump Republicans and conservatives have marginal effect on voters? Despite vehement denunciations of the Trump candidacy from many pundits on the right and in the media, Trump nonetheless got about the same percentage of Republican voters (88–90 percent) as did McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012, who both were handily defeated in the Electoral College.

Here are some of reasons voters knew what they were getting with Trump and yet nevertheless assumed he was preferable to a Clinton presidency.

More... https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/05/trump-rationale-why-voters-chose-him-and-support-him-now/

[Maj. Bill Martin]

That is an excellent article.  In a perfect world (or at least forum...), it would eliminate the need for any more arguments between pro and anti-Trump factions.  Not because it is inarguable, or unanswerable, but because there's really nothing else that needs to be said.  Everything is pretty much in there, and either you agree with it, or you don't.

[endicom]

That is an excellent article.  In a perfect world (or at least forum...), it would eliminate the need for any more arguments between pro and anti-Trump factions.  Not because it is inarguable, or unanswerable, but because there's really nothing else that needs to be said.  Everything is pretty much in there, and either you agree with it, or you don't.

You could extend that to say that in a perfect world we would need no government. But we need governing of some sort and that means we need to choose among imperfect people to people the governing.

[aligncare]

Trump did not run in a vacuum. A presidential vote is not a one-person race for sainthood but, like it or not, often a choice between a bad and worse option. Hillary Clinton would have likely ensured a 16-year progressive regnum.

A President Hillary Clinton, after breaking the glass ceiling, would have made sure that the shards cut deeply on conservative Americans heads.

But, I differ from the author here in that I thought Trump was not just a less worse candidate; but rather the right candidate with the right skills. He had the right temperament and work ethic, drive and tenacity, and had the right message. I thought this made Trump the only candidate likely to have a jarring impact on the corrupt status quo – enough perhaps to turn things around, away from the crushing progressivism there now.

A Hillary presidency was unthinkable to me. Luckily, I was was happy to vote for Trump and didn’t need overly worry myself or think about her. You might say I knew Trump would win, when he tirelessly ran rally after rally mostly in the heartland and I saw the response he was gathering – though we all saw how it turned out when he tried wholesale politicking in Chicago. I don’t think they like him much there.

[INVAR]

I love these endless op-eds that spend so much time explaining to us great unwashed WHY Trump's moribund acolytes will support him no matter what.

Yes, we already know why.  It's the same underlying mindset that possesses the Obama's nutballs who still worship him as the greatest being to ever to hold office.  HE is their Caesar - possessing all the traits they want in order to impose punishment on their enemies and to remake society into their image.

These thrilling exposés that detail why principles, character and morality no longer matter when making men our rulers, reinforce the insistence among self-identifying Conservatives that bad behavior and character should no longer be a consideration in choosing who rules us.   In fact, it is insinuated that men of lesser character make better rulers for a people who see decency and morality as an evil.

Choosing those who are vulgar, Adulterous, unfaithful, vile and despicable - are now said to be positive attributes in choosing our rulers - because we will have better results to get what we want from the morally void. 

So, I laugh at these same people who always toss up Hildabeast as the cassus belli for why every American should have undying fealty to Trump.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I read the article looking for the money quote encapsulating Hanson's point.  I didn't find one.  This essay is really just more of the 60 percent dissing of the President quickly followed by a weak 40 percent "but".  Personally, I find such essays boring in their predictability and repetition of the same "points".

I also think such essays at this stage are unhelpful and divisive.  It all boils down to trying to explain an election held in 2016.  It is still riddled with "them" (the Trump supporters) and "us" (those who opposed him, many still).  This serves no good purpose.

I hope someone pings me when Hanson authors an essay saying: 

"The rationale for Donald Trump no longer matters, that debate is behind us. The Great War of 2016 is over. In its wake we should be grateful for the nearly half of Americans who saw something in Trump that made him the right man at the right time; not only sparing us from a presidency headed by the empress of the deep state but for electing a man who is doing one helluva good job against the headwinds of nearly insurmountable obstruction. 

We should now fully engage with applause and encouragement for the President's conservative instincts.  We should value his fearless ability to fight, even if we don't understand the value of twitter and large, boisterous rallies.   We should help him win a Republican congress in the midterms, doing so with vigor and leaving off the "ifs ands and buts".   

With a meaningful majority in both houses of Congress and this President in the oval office we have a damn good chance to right this ship---through a realignment of the courts, the economy, legislation on renewed immigration policies and reinvigorated global leadership. 

Yes, I'll say it, we have a chance to make America great again.  Let's not be the ones to blow it."

[endicom]

Yes, we already know why.  It's the same underlying mindset that possesses the Obama's nutballs who still worship him as the greatest being to ever to hold office.  HE is their Caesar - possessing all the traits they want in order to impose punishment on their enemies and to remake society into their image.

Keep repeating that until you've convinced yourself.

[INVAR]

Keep repeating that until you've convinced yourself.

Oh no, YOU Trump people are the ones who have convinced me.

Fully.

[INVAR]

"The rationale for Donald Trump no longer matters, that debate is behind us. The Great War of 2016 is over. In its wake we should be grateful for the nearly half of Americans who saw something in Trump that made him the right man at the right time; not only sparing us from a presidency headed by the empress of the deep state but for electing a man who is doing one helluva good job against the headwinds of nearly insurmountable obstruction. 

We should now fully engage with applause and encouragement for the President's conservative instincts.  We should value his fearless ability to fight, even if we don't understand the value of twitter and large, boisterous rallies.   We should help him win a Republican congress in the midterms, doing so with vigor and leaving off the "ifs ands and buts".   

With a meaningful majority in both houses of Congress and this President in the oval office we have a damn good chance to right this ship---through a realignment of the courts, the economy, legislation on renewed immigration policies and reinvigorated global leadership. 

Yes, I'll say it, we have a chance to make America great again.  Let's not be the ones to blow it."

Goebbels would be so proud of you for that.

[Frank Cannon]

Goebbels would be so proud of you for that.

Effing Nazi references now? You really are a bucket of fail.

[INVAR]

Effing Nazi references now? You really are a bucket of fail.

Propaganda dear boy, propaganda.  Salute the state and it's leader who will make us great again.

Or is it verboten to mention the art form being employed and whom entitled it these days?

[Frank Cannon]

Propaganda dear boy, propaganda.  Salute the state and it's leader who will make us great again.

Or is it verboten to mention the art form being employed and whom entitled it these days?

Actually it is and has been made extremely clear by the boss, especially when it is used to describe posters. Beyond that it is lazy, irrational and fairly boring which is why I described it as a bucket of fail.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Goebbels would be so proud of you for that.

   You are such a confused, small man --- trapped in the echo chamber of the voices in your head.

But no worries, you've earned my sympathies.

[GrouchoTex]

I thought the article was even-handed and showed the stark differences between what life is like with a Trump Administration, and what life would have been like under a Clinton Administration. I'n not sure why some see this as a negative Trump piece.

As far as a "money" quote goes:

What John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, Peter Strzok, Sally Yates, and others did in 2016 would never have been known — given that their likely obstruction, lying, and lawbreaking were predicated on being unspoken recommendations for praise and advancement in a sure-thing Clinton administration. Christopher Steele might have either been unknown — or lionized.

Could anyone, with 100% accuracy, known how just deep all of this went without a Trump presidency?

[endicom]

As far as a "money" quote goes:

What John Brennan, James Clapper, James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, Peter Strzok, Sally Yates, and others did in 2016 would never have been known — given that their likely obstruction, lying, and lawbreaking were predicated on being unspoken recommendations for praise and advancement in a sure-thing Clinton administration. Christopher Steele might have either been unknown — or lionized.

Could anyone, with 100% accuracy, known how just deep all of this went without a Trump presidency?

Not unless they were in the middle of it. And we still don't know very much as this has more loose ends than a Pride parade.

[INVAR]

  You are such a confused, small man --- trapped in the echo chamber of the voices in your head.

Unlike the Trump echo chamber that endlessly reverbs in your skull?

You know the one that admonishes us to fully engage with applause and encouragement for the President's conservative instincts while meditating on the Mysteries of Trump that we cannot fully know or understand because we are mere mortals?

Tell you what toots, I'll take the 'voices' in my head over the garbage floating in yours.

[INVAR]

Beyond that it is lazy, irrational and fairly boring which is why I described it as a bucket of fail.

You know what is actually really boring?

The endless and constant analysis, essays and gratuitous explanations of why Trump is God in the minds of so many.

I don't care.

In fact I have for simple starters, 1.3 $TRILLION reasons WHY I do not care why people think Trump is great.

The worship of politicians and men is boring and offensive to me, because those are the key ingredients to killing liberty altogether.

[GrouchoTex]

Not unless they were in the middle of it. And we still don't know very much as this has more loose ends than a Pride parade.

Now that's a money quote.

 

[Frank Cannon]

You know what is actually really boring?

The endless and constant analysis, essays and gratuitous explanations of why Trump is God in the minds of so many.

I don't care.

In fact I have for simple starters, 1.3 $TRILLION reasons WHY I do not care why people think Trump is great.

The worship of politicians and men is boring and offensive to me, because those are the key ingredients to killing liberty altogether.

Yeah it is weird that a GOP President is being supported by GOP voters and supporters. I can't figure it out either. I also see how little you care about all of this. That is why you are blowing up into irrational rages calling people Nazis and dropping long winded screeds against the President about 4 times a day. Nothing says "I don't care" like doing that.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Tell you what toots, I'll take the 'voices' in my head

Good to see all of you are getting along so well. 

[DCPatriot]

Good to see all of you are getting along so well.

Top notch!   

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I love these endless op-eds that spend so much time explaining to us great unwashed WHY Trump's moribund acolytes will support him no matter what.

Yes, we already know why.

Then why bother responding? 

You said absolutely nothing in your post that you haven't said 50 different ways prior to this, and the same goes for a lot of the pro-Trump people.  It's like you guys think if you keep yelling at each other, you'll magically convince...someone.  Or gain some kind of emotional catharsis -- who the hell knows.

It's pretty much the definition of insanity -- everyone having the exact same conversations over and over, and expecting something different to happen.  Here's a hint....

It won't.

You know what is actually really boring?

The endless and constant analysis, essays and gratuitous explanations of why Trump is God in the minds of so many.

I don't care.

Well that's a lie.  You clearly care when these articles get posted, or you'd simply ignore them.  Do you really think nobody here is unaware of your opinions on this?  Crap, you're a smart guy.  Why keep banging your head against the wall when you know everyone already knows what you're going to say before you even say it??

[DCPatriot]

Then why bother responding? 

You said absolutely nothing in your post that you haven't said 50 different ways prior to this, and the same goes for a lot of the pro-Trump people.  It's like you guys think if you keep yelling at each other, you'll magically convince...someone.  Or gain some kind of emotional catharsis -- who the hell knows.

It's pretty much the definition of insanity -- everyone having the exact same conversations over and over, and expecting something different to happen.  Here's a hint....

It won't.

.....like playing 'Dodge Ball' on trampolines!     

[Maj. Bill Martin]

.....like playing 'Dodge Ball' on trampolines!     

It's just odd as hell.  VDH does a nice job summing up the pro-Trump argument - pretty much hits the highlights.  Either you buy it, or you don't, but no amount of argument is going to convince anyone on either side to change their opinion.

[INVAR]

Yeah it is weird that a GOP President is being supported by GOP voters and supporters. I can't figure it out either. I also see how little you care about all of this. That is why you are blowing up into irrational rages calling people Nazis and dropping long winded screeds against the President about 4 times a day. Nothing says "I don't care" like doing that.

Now, now, don't go all Jazzhead or TomSea on me Frank.  I called no one a Nazi.

I did suggest Goebbels would be proud to see his formulas being applied so liberally by someone who told us all what we should all think in regards to Trump.

But as for screeds against the president - I think you just confirmed my suspicions that you do not read my screeds at all.  Which is fine. 

I know you prefer short, sweet, to the point and with boobs if possible.

But if you did torture yourself and read my screeds, you would recognize the fact that I am more interested in the mindset of a people who would make men gods and monarchs and ascribe them as such and whom insist that we should banish to hell the principles that actually undergird liberty.