Posted on 08/18/2015 8:48:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Okay, so what happens after Trump?
What happens if he fades away or decides he’s had enough and drops out? What do his angry, frustrated and fed-up supporters do? Do they also drop out?
Early warning: This column has more questions than answers – usually not a good thing for someone who’s at least attempting to influence the conversation. But when writing or talking about Donald Trump and his run for the presidency, there are few easy, or obvious, answers to the many questions his candidacy raises.
You’ve been warned.
There is a civil war raging in the Republican Party, even if some conservatives don’t think so. It’s a battle between the angry, frustrated and fed-up wing and the more moderate types. At the moment Trump is the standard bearer for the angry wing, voters who may very well sit home on Election Day if Trump or someone they think is not “conservative enough” wins the nomination.
Trump tells us he’ll deport 11 million illegal immigrants. It’s not going to happen and I suspect even he knows it. But so what? It’s what the angry, frustrated and fed-up wing wants to hear.
He tells us he’s going to build a wall to keep illegals from south of the border out of this country – and the Mexicans are going to pay for it. That’s not going to happen, either. But again, so what?
How’s he going to deal with China? Don’t you worry, he will. He’s a good negotiator. Just ask him. And that also is good enough for his the Trump faithful.
When you’re angry, frustrated and fed-up someone like Trump looks like a messiah you’ve been waiting for. They don’t care if Trump is just spouting words that have little substance. They don’t care how impractical he is. His strong suit is that he’s not the others. And for the moment, that’s more than enough.
Here’s another question: If Trump no longer is in the race will his acolytes throw their support to another “real conservative” or say the deck was stacked against their guy and sit it out?
And what if that post-Trump “real conservative” is someone in the Trump mold, but a tad more sophisticated – someone like Ted Cruz? What if he also fails to win the nomination (which is a good bet)? Will the angry, frustrated and fed-up wing support Rubio or Kasich or Fiorina? How about Bush or Christie? Don’t bet on it.
Of course, there’s another possibility – in my view, a very long shot. And that is: Trump actually wins the nomination.
Most GOP voters want anybody but Hillary (or Sanders or Biden), but do they want Donald Trump and his massive ego as the voice and face of America? Do they really want him in charge of the nuclear football? Will they vote for Donald – or sit home?
We all remember that at the top of the GOP debate, Fox News moderator Bret Baier asked all the candidates if they would pledge to support the party’s nominee — whomever it might be. All but Trump said they would. But there’s another important question hovering over the campaign: Will GOP voters support the Republican candidate — whomever it turns out to be.
The answer to that question would tell us a lot about whether the Republicans have a real chance of winning the White House in 2016.
I will only support Trump.
Really? If Ted Cruz is the nominee you stay home?
30 million seems plausible based on that 11 million number bandied about for almost a decade.
I really fear he’s going to turn into another Schwarzenegger.
In my opinion, that is a foregone conclusion. I don't want Trump. I think he would build a border fence because he put his own credibility on the line, and I think he would do other things for which he has staked his credibility, but being consistently conservative on all the other issues I very much doubt. We would get more Liberal Judges, and that is a deal killer for me.
Makes sense to me. Why ask for forgiveness if one has not violated any of the 10 commandments? Does speeding 10 MPH over speed limit require asking for forgiveness?
If you will not like Trump’s judges, wait until you see Hillary or Sander’s judges.
You don’t get to build the empire TRUMP has built by backing down EVER!!!! Arnold NEVER built ANYTHING except his biceps!!!!!
In my case, I will vote with enthusiasm if Trump, Cruz or Carson are the nominees. Walker may be. Rest unlikely, and will be the first time I stay home on election day.
You are so right. How many employees Arnold employed? How many buildings built? How many world class golf resorts built? These are all real world projects, not Hollywood acting roles.
They will be the same judges. That is exactly my point. The legal system is filled to the brim with Left-Wing Liberal nut judges, and unless you specifically select Conservative judges, you will get Liberal judges by default. Trump will put forth whatever judges his staff picks, and we will get the same Liberal Judges as Hillary would have picked.
Judges like his sister?
I do not currently know enough about her to express an informed opinion regarding this.
If Trump does nothing but show the other likely candidates that being defiant, honest and sticking to your ideas and principles is inspiring and refreshing - and they do the same - he will have done a very good thing.
If they wimp out and continue to play the dem PC game, genuflecting at every turn to please the dems and the drive-by media, he may very likely ride the wave to the nomination. They will have handed it to him.
That’s how it seems at the moment.
And, I fear any of the others will turn into another Boehner or McConnell.
I will only support Trump and Cruz. Anyone else, and I stay home. If they are on the same ticket - it’s a win, win for the country.
I see that maybe happening.
If we don’t get a conservative, I’ll write in Cruz.
You are wrong on the judges. I heard him say in one interview that he would appoint conservative judges. He has done so many interviews that I can’t pin point this particular one, but, I did hear him say it.
Warning: trump is not a conservative, he’s a populist.
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