Scott Morefield - Why I Soured On Trump

[Kamaji]

Why I Soured On Trump

Scott Morefield
Aug 14, 2023

People call me 'Never Trump,' but I was as Trumpy as the Trumpiest Trumper in 2015-16. Wore the red hat. Donated. In 2015, I argued in op-eds for TheBlaze and other places that Trump could win where no other Republican could. And he did, thank God.

So what happened? Why did I switch?

Things were going swimmingly for a while, for three years to be exact. As any of my columns or tweets from the time will prove, I was among Trump's biggest cheerleaders. Then Covid hit, and though I was frustrated with various aspects of the way he handled things, I continued to support him throughout 2020, because obviously Biden was a lot worse.

Then J6 happened and the worm began to turn for me. I realized Dems would play nonstop clips of the worst aspects of that riot in a 2024 rematch. I also saw Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis set himself apart as a leader willing to take bold stands and get important policy measures passed that conservatives in other states could only dream about.

Where Trump wilted on Covid, DeSantis learned, grew, and threw up a proverbial middle finger at the tyrannical biomedical establishment hellbent on using the virus as a vehicle to ever more power. He did it on masks, vaccines, mandates, treatments, all of it. It was a stark contrast that only the willfully blind wouldn't notice.

Then, DeSantis won a resounding reelection victory that should have made him the toast of the GOP. Except that, since he refused to rule out a presidential run, Trump's attacks - and lies - grew ever more bitter and unhinged.

And the lies, oh the lies ... DeSantis obviously wasn't some sort of RINO, establishment, globalist shill hellbent on doing the bidding of Paul Ryan, the Bush family, and George Soros. Anyone with half a brain knew that, yet Trump and his minions happily unleashed a hellstorm of insanity down on the most popular governor in the land whose policy positions ironically were the closest to Trump's own. Just nonsensical, made-up stuff.

*  *  *

Source:  https://townhall.com/columnists/scottmorefield/2023/08/14/column-n2626955

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Great article - pretty much agree with it up and down the line.  This part in particular resonated:

People who were allies against some of the most evil forces humanity has ever encountered began to turn into enemies simply because of our differences about one politician. Instead of a friendly if competitive political rivalry that could have sharpened both candidates and made the winner better, one side treated the other like traitors who were committing political treason by daring to question the king.

They can pound sand with that.

Too many were fooled by the lies and the cult of personality that has developed around Donald Trump. Still are. I wasn't. To me, politicians are vehicles to get policies I like implemented. Nothing more. Even when I loved the guy and what he was doing, I never bought into the cult.

Instead of doing something, anything, to expand his voter base and try to win swing states he lost in 2020, he was attacking a popular governor and making bizarre ALL CAPS statements on Truth Social....

His willingness to destroy people with whom he aligned very closely in policy showed me that he cared more about winning than he did about advancing the right goals for the country.  It's just about him, and always has been

[BellyAche]

Great article - pretty much agree with it up and down the line.  This part in particular resonated:

His willingness to destroy people with whom he aligned very closely in policy showed me that he cared more about winning than he did about advancing the right goals for the country.  It's just about him, and always has been

 

[andy58-in-nh]

Great article - pretty much agree with it up and down the line.  This part in particular resonated:

His willingness to destroy people with whom he aligned very closely in policy showed me that he cared more about winning than he did about advancing the right goals for the country.  It's just about him, and always has been

Agreed. 100%. A man of deeper (any?) character with the same essential policies would be far preferable. 

Trump has every right to run for office again, and to make a case for himself.

Instead, he is spending the majority of his time and effort poisoning the well for other Republicans.

[DB]

"Just nonsensical, made-up stuff."

That's what he did with Cruz in 2016: his wife is ugly and a nut, his father is an assassin, his eight "mistresses", Goldman Sachs owns him and "Lying Ted"...

And with all that, the ends justify the means to his supporters. That puts me in strong opposition to his supporters because people who think that way are morally bankrupt and I want no part of.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

"Just nonsensical, made-up stuff."

That's what he did with Cruz in 2016: his wife is ugly and a nut, his father is an assassin, his eight "mistresses", Goldman Sachs owns him and "Lying Ted"...

And with all that, the ends justify the means to his supporters. That puts me in strong opposition to his supporters because people who think that way are morally bankrupt and I want no part of.

 

Ted Cruz is a good man and a great conservative.  And Trump put him in the position of having to choose between supporting the right political choice, and avenging the insults on his wife/family.  Trump likely gloated over Cruz choosing him, too.

Trump really needs to be flushed.  Just a morally despicable human being.

[Timber Rattler]

Why I Soured On Trump

Scott Morefield
Aug 14, 2023

People call me 'Never Trump,' but I was as Trumpy as the Trumpiest Trumper in 2015-16. Wore the red hat. Donated. In 2015, I argued in op-eds for TheBlaze and other places that Trump could win where no other Republican could. And he did, thank God.

So what happened? Why did I switch?

Things were going swimmingly for a while, for three years to be exact. As any of my columns or tweets from the time will prove, I was among Trump's biggest cheerleaders. Then Covid hit, and though I was frustrated with various aspects of the way he handled things, I continued to support him throughout 2020, because obviously Biden was a lot worse.

Then J6 happened and the worm began to turn for me. I realized Dems would play nonstop clips of the worst aspects of that riot in a 2024 rematch. I also saw Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis set himself apart as a leader willing to take bold stands and get important policy measures passed that conservatives in other states could only dream about.

Where Trump wilted on Covid, DeSantis learned, grew, and threw up a proverbial middle finger at the tyrannical biomedical establishment hellbent on using the virus as a vehicle to ever more power. He did it on masks, vaccines, mandates, treatments, all of it. It was a stark contrast that only the willfully blind wouldn't notice.

Then, DeSantis won a resounding reelection victory that should have made him the toast of the GOP. Except that, since he refused to rule out a presidential run, Trump's attacks - and lies - grew ever more bitter and unhinged.

And the lies, oh the lies ... DeSantis obviously wasn't some sort of RINO, establishment, globalist shill hellbent on doing the bidding of Paul Ryan, the Bush family, and George Soros. Anyone with half a brain knew that, yet Trump and his minions happily unleashed a hellstorm of insanity down on the most popular governor in the land whose policy positions ironically were the closest to Trump's own. Just nonsensical, made-up stuff.

*  *  *

Source:  https://townhall.com/columnists/scottmorefield/2023/08/14/column-n2626955

Well said!  I never liked Trump to begin with, following first with his aborted 2012 run and then supporting Cruz in 2016.  But, I generally liked most of his commonsense policies and fearlessness in fighting the Dems on Capitol Hill.  And there is no doubt that the Clintons, and their toadies John Podesta and Marc Elias, were the ones who caused this whole mess back in November and December 2016 with Russia! Russia! Russia!  That was the original sin!  They poisoned the well and then sabotaged Trump's presidency, causing an enormous amount of damage that will take decades to fix, if ever.

But I have never liked Trump personally, and his cluelessness during COVID and behavior after the November 2020 election was simply reprehensible.  He can't win the 2024 general election now, no matter how much his supporters wishcast for him, so it has to be DeSantis or Scott or Haley or whoever if we're going to beat Biden.  It's that simple.

[cato potatoe]

I'm glad the author finally saw the light, but Trump's inner demons were on display early in the 2016 primaries.  His attacks on Ted Cruz were those of a wananbe tin pot dictator with a microphone.  Nobody should have taken them, or him, seriously.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I'm glad the author finally saw the light, but Trump's inner demons were on display early in the 2016 primaries.  His attacks on Ted Cruz were those of a wananbe tin pot dictator with a microphone.  Nobody should have taken them, or him, seriously.

I didn't take him seriously in 2016, but I did take Hillary seriously, which is why I ended up voting for Trump in the general election.  Same thing in 2020 with Biden.

The difference now is that I am taking Trump seriously, which is why I can't vote for him in the 2024 general election if he's the nominee.

[LMAO]

I didn't take him seriously in 2016, but I did take Hillary seriously, which is why I ended up voting for Trump in the general election.  Same thing in 2020 with Biden.

The difference now is that I am taking Trump seriously, which is why I can't vote for him in the 2024 general election if he's the nominee.

The only thing keeping the Democrats on life support is Trump and the “MAGA Republicans.”

Otherwise, outside of the abortion issue, can anybody name one reason to vote Democrat? The country is in shambles under their watch. We have a compromised president not just cognitively but ethically and, it increasingly appears, legally. The cities they’ve run for decades are crime ridden cesspools. People are fleeing the states they dominate

The Democrats are vulnerable. But many of these conditions existed in 2022 and MAGA still couldn’t win and the cognitively challenged president changed his midterm fortunes by successfully defining “ MAGA Republicans” to the voters at large

Of course, the “MAGA Republican” well will run dry at some point. But, for the time being, it’s working

[Kamaji]

The only thing keeping the Democrats on life support is Trump and the “MAGA Republicans.”

Otherwise, outside of the abortion issue, can anybody name one reason to vote Democrat? The country is in shambles under their watch. We have a compromised president not just cognitively but ethically and, it increasingly appears, legally. The cities they’ve run for decades are crime ridden cesspools. People are fleeing the states they dominate

The Democrats are vulnerable. But many of these conditions existed in 2022 and MAGA still couldn’t win and the cognitively challenged president changed his midterm fortunes by successfully defining “ MAGA Republicans” to the voters at large

Of course, the “MAGA Republican” well will run dry at some point. But, for the time being, it’s working

[mountaineer]

Here's another one who worked to elect Trump in 2020 but now doesn't support him:

Opinion: I worked to re-elect Donald Trump in 2020. But I'm not supporting him now.
While some may insist that Trump is the only one qualified to accomplish conservative policies or has some sort of “unfinished business” to achieve, that sort of thinking is sycophantic at best.
Josiah Oleson, Guest columnist
Aug. 19, 2023

Why are you supporting someone other than Donald Trump? As someone who worked with his campaign in 2020 and has been a supporter since 2016, I have been asked this question with some regularity.

This is not a decision I take lightly. I am committed to the conservative cause and have given blood, sweat, and tears to President Trump’s efforts in 2016 and 2020. However, it has become clear that the Republican Party will be better served by nominating someone other than Trump in 2024.

In 2020, Trump failed to gain the 270 electoral votes needed to win re-election. Trump’s claims and my own concern that the election in 2020 was rife with issues don’t negate that fact.

Regardless of any irregularities, the 2020 election was not unwinnable for Trump. Trump should have won by dominant margins based on his multiple domestic and foreign policy accomplishments. Unfortunately, he demonstrated a distinct inability to know when to speak and when not to. This was obvious in the first 2020 debate when he interrupted and insulted Joe Biden several times. Several of my friends decided they could not support Trump based on that debate alone. Rather than learn from these mistakes, Trump has doubled down on his brash and crude personality. A quick scroll through his Truth Social account shows the ramblings far more befitting of an insolent pre-teen or your weird uncle after a few beers.

Speaking of Trump’s policies, his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic must be addressed. During the crisis, Trump ceded charge of the country to Debbie Birx and Anthony Fauci, and the results were disastrous. Entire states were locked down, and hundreds of thousands of small businesses went under. ...

Josiah Oleson of Ankeny has an extensive resume in conservative grassroots politics, including working with Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.

More at the Des Moines Register

[Fishrrman]

"Instead of a friendly if competitive political rivalry that could have sharpened both candidates and made the winner better, one side treated the other like traitors who were committing political treason by daring to question the king."

Like it or not, this is how it's going to be, from now on.

From now on.
Like it... or not.

Better get used to that.
And learn how to use it to our advantage.

[mountaineer]

Trump vs Trump on his own hires.

https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1693959529329729881

[LMAO]

Trump vs Trump on his own hires.

https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1693959529329729881

Lol… ouch

And I guarantee that would get worse should he get another term

[LMAO]

His supporters claim that, if Trump gets a second term, the mistakes he made in his first term will all magically go away. No.

I can’t guarantee what a POTUS DeSantis, Scott, or that guys name who I can never pronounce, would ultimately do should they become president. But I can point out things on Donald Trump’s first term that would intensify under a second term.

Who for all practical purposes gave control of the country and economy to a corrupt health bureaucrat? Donald Trump

Who signed onto bloated budgets that increase an already unsustainable debt and laid the groundwork for the inflation we’re experiencing today? Donald Trump

Who ultimately chose these people on his staff and cabinet? Donald Trump

Who signed onto these Covid relief funds that we now know an estimated 200 some billion dollars stolen? Donald Trump

Who attempted to pressure the federal reserve to not only keep interest rates lower longer  than they should have been but also suggested they should cut interest rates to zero or even negative which would’ve hurt savers? Donald Trump

Whose tariffs ended up hurting American farmers that they had to be bailed out and even suggested that they should be grateful because of all the money he’s given them? Donald Trump.

His supporters can blame RINOs, Democrats, the media, or God, himself if it makes them feel better.

But ultimately, the buck stops at Donald Trump. To even  suggest that the US can never default because we can always print our money assumes that other countries would happily accept our devalued currency

The things Donald Trump did right during his term, energy and the border, would probably return in a second term to only be dumped when he’s out of office. But the things I listed would get worse in his second term. Again, I can’t guarantee what any of the other candidates running in the GOP primary would actually do as president. But I already know what Donald Trump would do in a second term so therefore, I cannot vote for him and still claim I’m a Coolidge/Goldwater/Paul conservative

I’ve made my choice and what other people decide to do is their business. But everything I listed is factual. And people have to ask themselves that if everything I listed was the same, but instead of Trump it was Hillary Clinton, what would be their reaction?

And the above list does not include his conduct post election loss. How would MAGAs react if Hillary conducted herself the exact same way as Donald Trump did after she lost 2016?

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Trump vs Trump on his own hires.

https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1693959529329729881

Trim it up a bit, and it could make a really effective anti-Trump ad in the primaries.

[LMAO]

Trim it up a bit, and it could make a really effective anti-Trump ad in the primaries.

I have no doubt it would be used by his Democrat opponent

[DB]

Trump vs Trump on his own hires.

https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1693959529329729881

But none of it was Trump's fault... None... Just ask him or his supporters...

That is what failure looks like. Kissing the ring was more important than competency.

COVID was more of the same with lock downs and paying people not to work with drastic consequences for millions of people. And he rewarded the swamp bureaucrats who did this to us.

The common denominator to all of this is the problem. We don't need more of the same. We have much better options.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Trump vs Trump on his own hires.

https://twitter.com/AGHamilton29/status/1693959529329729881

Fantastic.  Thank you.

“He didn’t know anyone so had to depend on advice of the Swamp!”

[Maj. Bill Martin]

"Instead of a friendly if competitive political rivalry that could have sharpened both candidates and made the winner better, one side treated the other like traitors who were committing political treason by daring to question the king."

Like it or not, this is how it's going to be, from now on.

From now on.
Like it... or not.

Better get used to that.
And learn how to use it to our advantage.

I don't think it will be like that in future primaries without Trump. Maybe if there is a hardcore Trumper as a candidate, but otherwise I think it is more likely to return to normal competition without the urge to destroy.

[DB]

I don't think it will be like that in future primaries without Trump. Maybe if there is a hardcore Trumper as a candidate, but otherwise I think it is more likely to return to normal competition without the urge to destroy.

Or a candidate from New York... Those New York values and all...

[Maj. Bill Martin]

But none of it was Trump's fault... None... Just ask him or his supporters...

When he talks about Sessions, he says Sessions was "totally unqualified".   If that was true, then Trump has no legitimate excuse for having appointed him in the first place.  The least he should have done before entering office was to have a baseline on qualifications for cabinet officers.

[LMAO]

But none of it was Trump's fault... None... Just ask him or his supporters...

That is what failure looks like. Kissing the ring was more important than competency.

COVID was more of the same with lock downs and paying people not to work with drastic consequences for millions of people. And he rewarded the swamp bureaucrats who did this to us.

The common denominator to all of this is the problem. We don't need more of the same. We have much better options.

Haven’t you heard he’s the only one who can “save America?”

[Kamaji]

When he talks about Sessions, he says Sessions was "totally unqualified".   If that was true, then Trump has no legitimate excuse for having appointed him in the first place.  The least he should have done before entering office was to have a baseline on qualifications for cabinet officers.