Posted on 01/21/2016 9:06:53 AM PST by Isara
It’s pretty clear Donald Trump isn’t a conservative. The problem is many voters in the Republican Party think he is. These voters are real, they care about the constitutional principles that make America exceptional, and Trump needs them. He can’t afford to have the base of the Republican Party leave him for Ted Cruz.
This is why he needed Sarah Palin’s endorsement. This is why he went to Liberty University and talked about “2 Corinthians.” This is why Cruz’s comment about New York values was problematic for him. Many pundits made the mistake after the last debate of thinking the comment would hurt Cruz. It didn’t. It opened the door for everyone to see how liberal Trump truly is. This exchange with Tim Russert is damming (emphasis mine):
Russert: Do you think homosexuals should get married?
Trump: It’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought to. I live in New York City, and there’s a tremendous movement on to have and allow gay marriages, something that is too premature for me to comment on.
Russert: How about gays serving in the military?
Trump: It would not disturb me. I mean, hey, I lived in New York City and Manhattan all my life, ok, so my views are a little different than if I lived in Iowa perhaps, but it’s not something that would disturb me.
Russert: Partial birth abortion. The eliminating of abortion in the third trimester. Big issue in Washington. Would President Trump ban partial birth abortion?
Trump: I’m very pro-choice, and again, it may be a little bit of a New York background, because there is some different attitude in different parts of the country, and, you know, I was raised in New York and grew up and worked and everything else in New York City.
Russert: So you would not ban it?
Trump: No, I am pro-choice in every respect.
Trump’s own words are a ringing endorsement of his liberal values, and despite the whining from the New York crowd about Cruz’s comments, Trump knew he had a problem. He had to fix it. He clearly says in the Russert interview that New York values are very different from Iowa’s values. And with the Iowa caucus not far off, he had to do something to stop the bleeding. Enter Palin: the conservative darling of the Tea Party.
Many are applauding her endorsement and predicting how it will strengthen Trump’s support among conservatives. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. That depends on the conservatives—whether they’re already in his camp or thinking about joining it. It’s to these conservatives that I ask this question: If Trump is indeed repentant of his liberal sins—if he is actually a conservative—then why does he need Palin? Why not stand on his own as the true conservative in the race?
And here’s another question: If he is not a conservative—which appears to be the case, because he does, in fact, need Palin—then why would she support him? She’s supposed to be a conservative, right? If he’s not a conservative, then why endorse him? Why not endorse a true conservative?
Of course, none of us can really answer that last question because we don’t live in Palin’s mind. Whether it’s hunger for the spotlight, a promised place in the Trump administration, personal loyalty to a friend, money, or simply that she thinks he can win and believes the shtick that he’ll make America great again, the fact remains: she is abandoning her conservative principles to support Trump.
Should conservative voters do the same? Should conservatives sacrifice their principles on the altar of populist passion and pride? This is the only question that matters. Personalities don’t matter. Celebrity doesn’t matter. Promises made in the heat of campaign rallies don’t matter. Roaring rhetoric on a debate stage doesn’t matter. All that matters is this: Do you believe in conservative principles or don’t you?
If you do, your candidate is not Donald Trump. Palin’s endorsement doesn’t bolster his conservative credentials—it proves they don’t exist.
Where do you stand, conservatives? The time to choose is now. Up to this point, many of us who call ourselves constitutional conservatives have been silent in our support of any one candidate. We’ve been watching patiently as we’ve seen Trump take a wrecking ball to the Establishment. We didn’t attack Trump for his liberalism or his authoritarianism or even his elitism because we wanted him to continue to tear down the Establishment elites. It had to be done. They were the oozing scab that needed to be ripped off, so we could get to the infection underneath. Trump was the man to do that—and he’s done it well. We conservatives who have been fighting for America for years stood aside, even applauded, and often explained the reasons for the rise of Trump populism.
But we never believed for a minute that Trump should be president. We saw him as clearing a path for another, for a true constitutional conservative. That could have been one of many early on (Rick Perry, Rand Paul, Ben Carson), but now there is really only one: Ted Cruz. Now is the time to rally around him as the candidate who can channel the forces of populism in a principled conservative direction.
Granted, many populists won’t want to come along because they have never held to conservative principles. But that’s not the case for others. Many Trump supporters are conservative to their core, but they have populist sensibilities and sympathies. It’s to you that I’m making this appeal. The Trump juggernaut has done its job. It’s time to leave him and support the candidate who is truly committed to the Constitution, who respects states’ powers, who values individual rights, who is unquestionably pro-life, who understands the need to make our military strong in defense of this nation, and who is willing to repeal Obamacare. It’s time to support the true conservative in the race who has actually fought for your rights and liberties.
If conservatives fail to make a decision to stand for constitutional principles now that the Trump wrecking ball has done its job, then the unprincipled populist genie will never be put back in its bottle. It will continue to grow bigger and bigger until the reasoned voices of those who are actually fighting for our country are silenced.
If you’re still not swayed and are drawn to the populist ideals over your core principles, consider this: Trump isn’t a populist either. He made that clear when he made the following statement about getting deals done in Washington: “You get Congress, you get ‘em together, you get everybody together in a room, you cajole, you get along, you have dinner, and you make deals.”
Are those the words of a populist? Is a populist someone who wants to cozy up to politicians who rip our Constitution to shreds and sell out hard-working Americans to Wall Street cronies? Does a populist want to have dinner with the Establishment elites and Leftists while the people wonder what’s happened to their country? Maybe they’ll have a scotch and a nice Ramon Allones cigar. Maybe finish it off with a round of golf at Trump International. Is that a populist? Is that a fighter? Is that a leader who speaks for the people?
Clearly, the answer is no. Trump isn’t a conservative and he’s not a populist. Think on it. Think on it hard. Your rights and liberties hang in the balance. Your children’s future is at stake. If you’re still in doubt about the first point, ask yourself: Why did he need Sarah Palin? If you’re still in doubt about the second, ask yourself: Why does the Establishment want Trump and not Cruz?
It’s time for conservatives to make a choice. Stand for reason and constitutional principles or abandon them for madness and power.
Another thing I think we are seeing is the desire to actually win this next election.
“Why does the Establishment want Trump and not Cruz?”
The GOPe are grasping for an a$$ to kiss. They have worked with Cruz and the know his a$$ isn’t “kissable,” so they’re hoping they can co-opt Trump. I think they’re wrong, but it’s now down to their trying as their last best “hope” because Trump is going to be the nominee. You should also be pondering Cruz’ fate if there haddn’t been a Trump in the mix. You’d already be “teary eyed” over Little Yebbie’s garnering the nomination because it’s been Trump, not Cruz who has put it out there talking about key issues in a way that Cruz would never have done on his own. He may not be “mainstream,” but Cruz is still a polititian with donors to satisfy. Now, you can go put up some more of your nonsensical charts. GO TRUMP!
“Why does the Establishment want Trump and not Cruz”
The eGOP wants Jeb and hates Trump and Cruz. Think about that.
BFD
Oh I PRAY some here will wake up before it is too late.
+1
Sw
We need Bobalu’s Freeper Twister Board to be posted everything this one is!
Your wrong!
If GOD be for us who can stand AGAINST US...America needs to return to God, and the nation will be saved. Trump is a imposter of the enemy.
I’m with you.
Haha! You’re good.
I totally agree. I support Cruz and will vote for him in the primary, but if Trump is the nominee, I will vote for him in the election. Hillary or Bernie will be another rock on the backs of our country and may possibly destroy this great nation.
And how could Trump be any worse than Obama? (Although I would hate to eat those words).
Donald got bought for corn and soy.
Excellent article that will go unheeded by the pavlovian sheeple for Trump.
Trump is not the “Perfect” conservative but compared with Obumber, Clintoon,Sanders, etc., Trump makes Barry Goldwater look like a pinko. I am not against Ted Cruz, I simply believe that Trump will get the job done and has a better chance at winning.
I must’ve missed those elections...in 2008, I held my nose & voted for the moderate, feckless McCain (hope he’s defeated this Nov. in a primary) & in 2012, I similarly held my nose & voted for the moderate Romney who’s views on healthcare was a precursor of the vile 0bamacare. I would like to vote for a real conservative this time...
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