Posted on 07/24/2015 9:47:18 PM PDT by WilliamIII
In 2011, as Donald Trump was considering yet another White House run, he quietly changed his voter registration from a Republican to an independent. Publicly, the real estate mogul’s defection from the GOP was pitched as a protest against a roster of White House hopefuls he found unacceptable. Privately, Trump and his advisers were laying the groundwork for a potential third-party presidential bid in 2012 that never materialized.
These days, Trump is busy seeking the Republicans’ presidential nomination and preparing for the GOP’s first televised debate on Aug. 6. Yet, his advisers tell TIME, he is still considering a potential third-party bid. His advisers are consulting with veterans of Ross Perot’s 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns and examining state-by-state requirements to get on the ballot. Cost estimates swing wildly, but most conversations end up in the $10 million ballpark—a fraction of what Trump might spend on a bid for the GOP nomination that is hardly certain.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Damn, you can smell the fear through the computer.
How can they be so wrong? Are they wrong on purpose, or are they really that stupid?
Trump is not stupid. He may have a big ego, but he’s not stupid. He has to know that if he runs as an independent, he will siphon off votes from the GOP nominee and ensure the election of Hillary.
Trump has to examine what exactly he wants to accomplish? Does he want to be president? Is he willing to go through the wringer to try for the GOP nomination and have a real shot at being elected? Or does he just want to gratify his ego, by running as an independent with no realistic shot at actually winning election? And in so doing, guaranteeing that Democrats will still inhabit the White House????
I’ll repeat how a 3rd Party run is not like Perot’s run in 1992. But it’s going to take a Trump/Cruz team to roll over the Washington Cartel.
It’s not such a small chance today as it was in past elections because of a huge relatively unreported change in voter affiliations. They can do it and win. Many think it will be Perot deja-vu all over again; they would be wrong.
Since 1992 the electorate has changed and since 2012 there has been a seldom reported sea change in voter registration affiliations.
In 2008, 24% of the electorate identified themselves as Independent. After 2012 and by 2014 that number surged to 42% of the electorate identifying themselves as Independent. That is an ENORMOUS change and 2/3’s of those 42% identify themselves as conservatives with most of the rest as moderates or leaning conservative.
As a result of this huge growth in the ranks of Independents, there remain only 27% republican affiliated and 31% democrat affiliated. Of the 27% republican registered, 18% are conservative base and the rest moderate or establishment, and the conservative base are mostly following Cruz and now Trump. Of the democrats 31%, 8% (of electorate) are Latino-Americans and 5% (of electorate) are Reagan democrats. Cruz will take 40% of the Latino vote (as he did in TX) and all of the Reagan democrats or will share them with Trump.
Cruz has also tapped into the 17 million apathetic but conservative-leaning Americans that don’t bother to register or vote because they see a one-party system and correctly determine that the candidates offered represent the same Oligarchs. So they withdraw and stay quiet until they have had contact in town halls with Ted Cruz. Now they are fired up.
There is no danger of a Perot-like splinter of the GOP. There is the very real possibility that Cruz/Trump takes (in % of total electorate) 28% as Independents, 3% Latino-Americans, 5% of Reagan democrats, up to 18% of the GOP conservative base and millions more who are inspired for the first time in a generation to register and show up to vote.
No matter how it is sliced, Trump/Cruz leaves the democrats and GOPe at a loss in a 3-way race. If a 3rd party movement were to emerge, the only way to stop the above confluence of political realities is to fantasize that the democrats and republicans will merge officially <— NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
But a 3rd Party movement is still in the fringe and will likely not happen. However, a merging of Trump and Cruz is very possible.
Donald Trump Staffers Eye Third-Party RunThis is the only way possible that Hillary can become President - and put McDonald’s Trump forever in the good graces of the Democrats, thereby increasing his wealth ten fold.
Watch it happen.
Perhaps Trump is throwing out the possibility of a third party to discourage the GOP-e from pulling dirty tricks on him. Remember the GOP-e and Mississippi.
Oh man, here come the conspiracy theories now. Time will tell if Trump is a savior or a Hillary stooge who jobbed us all.
Ten Billion isn’t enough?
Trump will transcend money.
I think Trump is getting the RNC in line with a threat. He calls it tapping in negotiations. They will settle down and support him if he wins the primaries, or they can assure their loss in 2016. It’s very simple - and he won’t back down. What’s that old Tom Petty song? I’ll Stand My Ground? That should be Trump’s theme song.
I don’t think the Republicans care if they lose. Most likely that is their plan. Why else would they be stabbing us in the back? Hell, they do that when they win...
You mean the Hillary he once spoke glowingly of and had at his 3rd wedding? The Hillary he contributed lots of cash to? That Hillary.
Trump cares about Trump. That some portion of conservatives are falling for this clown show he is putting on is just sad to watch.
And in so doing, guaranteeing that Democrats will still inhabit the White House????
Trump is far more concerned with his brand than who is in the White House. If he can't be President, he would be perfectly happy to let his ego make sure no Republican can be - and Hillary would owe him big which he could capitalize on under her administration.
He’s gotta get Hillary elected one way or the other!
It makes for a damn good pick, to use a nascar term. I remember that Mississippi crap very well. What scumbags.
The most intersting thing is that if Hillary gets the nomination Bernie Sanders may jump in. And if Trump is running as the Reform candidate, Sanders may calculate that he has a chance as a Green party candidate. We could very well have a four way race for the Presidency. Trump vs Jeb vs Hillary vs Sanders.
A Trump-Cruz team up seems more plausible particularly after Cruz called out Capt Mitch the joyous earlier this week.
“conspiracy theories”
Laugh if you want, but last Saturday night when I was abducted by an alien space craft—again!—I overheard one of the crew creatures, using a language translating machine I had hidden in my ... to cut to the chase, Trump is not human.
Bingo. It’s a threat to tell them to back off.
Well, of course it is.
When spending one's own money, this is a very attractive option.
And it would not diminish, one iota, his chances.
The GOP better start showing some due respect or they'll cease to exist.
Good riddance.
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