No, I Don't Believe Donald Trump Is a Conservative

This short essay is in response to a friend who asked me to explain how Donald Trump is unacceptable to "movement conservatives."

Let's first acknowledge that many Trump supporters don't even claim to be conservative -- though others do -- and Trump himself is rather dismissive on the point, so they may consider this column a meaningless academic exercise. But a Trump supporter asked, so I'll try to explain.

Because I think my questioner was inquiring mostly about issues, I won't delve into Trump's apparent lack of presidential temperament and public deportment -- as reflected mostly in the debates and his speeches -- other than to suggest that they betray values that don't strike me as particularly conservative.

On the issues, Trump appears to have no ideological core. He can't sufficiently define "conservative" and, when pressed, says that even Ronald Reagan wasn't that conservative. Trump cites Reagan's earlier affiliation with the Democratic Party as his excuse for having supported liberal causes and politicians all his life, though unlike Reagan, Trump can never point to a personal conversion. He prefers to work with the uncompromising, extremist left, represented by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, rather than defeat it.

But having no internal conservative antenna, what goals would he seek to achieve through his legendary negotiating wizardry? Indeed, many conservatives sense that Trump is not one of them because while he champions national sovereignty and patriotism, he evinces no understanding of conservative ideology and much less of the Constitution and its design of limited government. Under some political pressure, Trump promises to appoint strict constructionists to the Supreme Court, but there is no indication he has any real commitment to this vital principle.

It's not just that Trump, for a presidential candidate, is conspicuously ill-informed on political science and policy but also that he has no abiding allegiance to conservative policy solutions, as evidenced by his flip-flops, which are wider-ranging and more frequent than those of other notorious flippers. Even on his signature issue of immigration, he's exhibited a surprising openness to soften his positions. In any event, he is easily less reliable on this issue than Ted Cruz.

Movement conservatives are also uneasy with Trump's conflation of "Art of the Deal" business practices with conservative governance. Trump's success in creating thousands of jobs signals to conservatives that he is a friend of business, but it doesn't assure them that he comprehends the government's role (or lack thereof) in creating a job climate. Presidential statecraft isn't the same as private entrepreneurship. Government doesn't "create jobs"; it enacts policies and laws to remove the shackles of government so that the private sector can flourish on its own power. A private CEO is under different constraints than the president. Though Trump's acolytes boast that he "knows how to get things done," he won't -- and shouldn't -- enjoy the same latitude to operate as president.

Trump seems disinclined to laissez faire and too comfortable with a major role for the federal government on economic issues. More troubling is his support for tariffs and protectionism, which could significantly damage our economy. Tied to this issue is one of the most distressing developments of this campaign: the emergence of class warfare themes emanating from the "right."

Trump gives lip service to reducing spending and balancing the budget but offers few specifics; see his hollow promise to end fraud, waste and abuse. Experts believe that his fiscal plan would lead us into further debt. Having been coached to prepare a tax plan palatable to conservatives, he has made some progress here, but he is disturbingly open to punishing the "wealthy" through progressive tax policies -- which would add more fuel to class tensions and be counterproductive for the economy.

Trump stubbornly refuses to reform Social Security, which is on a collision course with national insolvency and cannot be "saved" by robust economic growth as Trump glibly contends. We have more than $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities with our entitlement programs, and no marginally informed person believes we can simply grow out of this inevitable train wreck. In refusing to acknowledge that or put forth a plan, Trump has sided with demagogic liberals.

It's not just on economic issues that Trump betrays an alarming lack of knowledge. Indeed, Trump substitutes slogans for serious policy proposals on many issues, and conservatives instinctively know that he doesn't get it -- that he's not even interested in getting it.

Accordingly, Trump's promises to make America great again and to restore winning are pathetically devoid of specific plans to achieve those goals. No presidential candidate in my lifetime has demonstrated less command of the issues than Trump, and his lack of intellectual curiosity and interest cannot be adequately remedied by his selecting smart advisers. We need someone at the helm who has an understanding of important issues and who will be guided by conservative instincts. Instead, Trump has shown a tendency to favor strong government action to get "results" -- more government, more authoritarianism, not less. This is a serious danger signal to conservatives.

On a smattering of other issues, Trump's conservative bona fides are in doubt, from affirmative action to the Second Amendment to universal health care to religious liberty to the Iran nuclear deal to his professed neutrality on Israel and Palestine to his dubious support of life, including his endorsement of federal funding for America's premier abortion factory, Planned Parenthood. I realize he and his supporters vehemently deny some of these criticisms, but I've heard his disconcerting statements on them, even if he later modified or retracted them.

Trump has been brilliant in hijacking anti-government sentiment and in amplifying his immigration and trade message through manipulating the press, and I admit he might seek to honor some of his basic campaign promises. But we have no assurance beyond these few issues that Trump would behave or govern like a limited-government conservative, and because of his practiced vacillation and refusal to commit to many other issues, he'd have a mandate to do what he darn well pleases -- and that's more than a little scary to me.

It concerns me that after Americans had finally united in strong opposition to Barack Obama's leftist record, the movement was co-opted by a populist with a super-amped megaphone. The solutions to America's problems are not some hodgepodge of policy goals fueled by nationalistic pride that is untethered to principles of limited government. You don't restore America's greatness by burning the house down, especially when you can remodel it from the inside out through a rededication to America's founding principles and constitutional conservatism.

I could better understand the support behind Trump if there weren't an infinitely superior candidate in Ted Cruz, who would specifically address the problems that plague us -- and without abandoning the principles that made America unique in the first place.

Non eligible, not Natural Born Citizens, Cubans, Chihuahua Marko and Pinocchio Ted attacking Big Donald at CNN freestyle match.

Cruz "character":

1. Phony summonses mailed out, scaring people to vote for Cruz.

2. Claiming Carson quit, presinc captains told voters "vote for Cruz"

3. Campaigning in the 800 churches, showing video "vote for me" with his preacher/father stomping for him. Rafael Cruz is a 7 Mountain Dominionist and believes his son is the anointed one.

4. "Brilliant" lawyer, did not know he was Canadian citizen and that he is not Natural Born Citizen, not eligible for office of P or VP.

5. Making phony video advertising with lies about opponents.

Just enough to beat Trump in IA, apologize, rinse and repeat?
Liar is the polite term for this Cuban. His father was pro-communist in Cuba, imprisoned by Batista, but now he is refugee?

IRREFUTABLE AUTHORITY HAS SPOKEN

(Oct. 18, 2009) The Post & Email has in several articles mentioned that the Supreme Court of the United States has given the definition of what a "natural born citizen" is. Since being a natural born citizen is an objective qualification and requirement of office for the U.S. President (and VP), it is important for all U.S. Citizens to understand what this term means.

http://www.thepostemail.com/2009/10/18/4-supreme-court-cases-define-natural-born-citizen/

“Conservatism” has become a religion for some. These zealots have been exposed by this election cycle.

Where their cult of conservatism is more important to them than saving our country. For them, Trump isn’t “Black” enough, I mean “conservative” enough. Even though most of his views are “conservative”, and his stated policies are conservative, they still attack him as if he were a Communist.

As Donald Rumsfeld said “You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time”.

Stop trying to destroy the “army we have”, The Trump army. Donald J Trump, commander in chief of his army of voters.
By constantly attacking Trump, they are at the same time attacking his voters, ultimately YOUR general election voters.

It’s time to STOP attacking Trump on his conservatism. He’s conservative ENOUGH!

The conservative zealots, cultists, are finding out in this election just how few in number they really are. If they had their own convention, it would have to be held at a Holiday Inn Express. MOST conservatives do not ascribe to their version of conservatism. Most conservatives find Donald Trump conservative.

Exit polls have shown him to win among ALL types of conservatives. Yes, as the categories get to “moderate conservative” or “somewhat conservative”, his numbers SOAR because that is where MOST conservatives are.
For “conservatives” to win, you need ALL conservatives.

Rush and David Limbaugh, nor the fools at National Review, get to define who is a conservative. We know who we are. We know what our values are. We don’t need the pompous zealot wing of conservatives to dictate just who can be in their elite conservative club.

Go ahead, just keep on attacking Trump and his “conservative” voters and you will be holding your meetings in a phone booth.

Wonderful summation and I have no doubt that your information is correct. After four years of Obama and the abject ineptitude of the campaign of that fraud Mitt Romney, I’m not the least bit surprised that he’s thought about running since 2012. However, FACTS would suggest that he didn’t begin to contribute to Republicans in 2012, but that his campaign contributions began at least 23 years earlier. Truth be told, I suspect that neither you nor I would be all that pleased with the Republicans he contributed to.

According to Politifact, the FEC and a variety of state elections offices: “Trump has actually been relatively evenhanded in doling out cash to the two parties, but since 1989, he’s contributed over $350,000 MORE to Republicans running for federal and state offices, campaign finance records show. Data from the Federal Election Commission and state elections offices provided by the two websites show that Trump has given $584,850 to Democrats and $961,140 to the GOP over the last 26 years.” Note that that data goes back to 1989, not 2012.

Source: http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/jul/09/ben-ferguson/donald-trumps-campaign-contributions-democrats-and/

I ran across the following a few weeks ago in an article on whether Trump is a Conservative or not and the author named 40 things So Called Conservatives support.
So here they are, by this list and definition I guess Trump is a Conservative:

Here are forty things that real conservatives do, think, believe, and support which show that they and Trump are merely peas in the same pod:

Real conservatives talk about reverence for and fidelity to the Constitution but don’t actually follow the Constitution.
Real conservatives think that Americans should be locked in a cage to be raped and humiliated if they possess too much of a substance the government doesn’t approve of.
Real conservatives support taking billions of dollars from American taxpayers and giving it to the corrupt governments of other countries in the form of foreign aid.
Real conservatives think that Israel should receive more foreign aid than any other country.
Real conservatives complain about Obamacare but never open their mouths about Bushcare—the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 that expanded Medicare beyond LBJ’s wildest dreams.
Real conservatives believe that all tax reform should be revenue neutral.
Real conservatives support the national security state overseen by the CIA, DIA, and NSA.
Real conservatives support the Department of Homeland Security even though the United States already has a Department of Defense.
Real conservatives support the continuation of U.S. military alliances with many countries around the world.
Real conservatives support making “the rich” pay their fair share via a progressive tax system.
Real conservatives support increasing the defense budget.
Real conservatives attack Bernie Sanders for being a socialist but at the same time support socialized medicine via Medicaid and Medicare.
Real conservatives support refundable tax credits like the earned income credit that allow some Americans to receive tax refunds when they paid in no taxes in the first place.
Real conservatives complain, sometimes, about the abuses of the TSA, but never call for airports and the airlines to provide their own security.
Real conservatives support federal gambling laws.
Real conservatives support the government taking money from some Americans to educate the children of other Americans.
Real conservatives believe the U.S. Navy is a global force for good instead of evil.
Real conservatives support the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for all gun purchases.
Real conservatives support the U.S. empire of troops and bases that encircles the globe.
Real conservatives criticize, sometimes, the waste and fraud in federal welfare programs, but support in principle the welfare state via WIC, food stamps, SSI, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Section 8 rent subsidies, SCHIP, and TANF.
Real conservatives believe the government is entitled to a portion of every American’s income.
Real conservatives think that Social Security—an intergenerational, income-transfer, wealth-redistribution welfare program—should be “saved” so that future generations of the elderly can be supported by the young.
Real conservatives support the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and see a role for the federal government in education even if they call for abolishing the federal Department of Education, which they rarely do anymore anyway.
Real conservatives believe the government should provide the poor and farmers a safety net.
Real conservatives support laws against victimless crimes.
Real conservatives consider every veteran and member of the military to be a hero.
Real conservatives think it is okay for the government to take money from those who work and give it those who don’t via unemployment benefits.
Real conservatives support the United States imposing sanctions on other countries, a form of economic warfare.
Real conservatives support a government space program.
Real conservatives support a foreign policy of intervention in various degrees instead of a foreign policy of strict neutrality.
Real conservatives want to consolidate federal job training programs instead of eliminate them.
Real conservatives believe the United States should police the world.
Real conservatives want to eliminate certain tax deductions, credits, and loopholes that allow Americans to keep more of their money in their pockets and out of the hands of Uncle Sam.
Real conservatives support government grants for scientific and medical research.
Real conservatives think that free trade agreements have something to do with free trade.
Real conservatives believe it is the job of the U.S. government to provide relief to other countries after a natural disaster.
Real conservatives support the federal ban on organ sales.
Real conservatives would never publicly call for the elimination of the National School Lunch Program.
Real conservatives oppose LGBT discrimination laws, but support the principle of federal anti-discrimination laws.
Real conservatives support the government taking money from some Americans to pay for the health care of other Americans.

“had the consulate not considered them natural born citizen. You really need to get better informed before you are making a bigger fool of yourself than you already are. “

Don’t get mad, but you are incorrect. This is a very confusing and difficult issue to understand.

Because of your circumstances, you were born a “NATIVE” citizen. Not needing to be “naturalized”. In other words a “citizen at birth”. That is NOT a “natural” born citizen. The distinction is only an issue if you want to become president or vice president. It isn’t a “lesser citizenship, as a naturalized citizenship is not a lesser citizenship. It is a specific “constitutional” requirement to those offices.

If you were not born “in the country” by “citizen parentS” (plural) you CAN NOT BE a natural born citizen eligible to the office of president (Article II, Section 1, clause 5) or vice president (Article XII, the last sentence).

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