I was specifically responding to someone who asked “how” is Cruz stealing votes. So my entire diatribe (whew, that was long!) was written as if it is Cruz’s campaign that is doing the stealing. But yes, of course, any campaign can engage in these activities because they are legal. (Something I hope gets changed!)
By now I would hope you are aware that Cruz has #NeverTrump SuperPAC money behind him, and they have spent over $500 million in negative ads and other efforts to stop Trump. Trump is trying to run his campaign the way he thinks government should be run — as if the money matters. So yes, Trump could bribe people, but he had naively believed (like 99.99% of America) that people’s votes matter.
People on this forum and in the media (Amanda Carpenter-I-hate-Trump, for example) have complained that Trump should have spent more money to win more delegates. I can’t believe Conservatives are arguing that a politician should spend more money on the election process. I can’t believe Conservatives are arguing that a politician should have bribed more people. I can’t believe Conservatives are arguing that the completely complicated and convoluted election process should be applauded and that anyone (Trump AND his supporters) who doesn’t “understand” the process is dumb, uneducated, etc., when the reality is that 99.99% of the population believes our vote matters. On that point, I guess 99.99% of us are in fact ignorant, and that is not limited to just Trump supporters.
As for how much of this bribery goes on.... The little bribes can happen a lot: dinner with the candidate, a party at Trump Tower, etc. But if a candidate has only 1200 delegates locked up, then the bigger bribes only need to happen with a few dozen key people - those are the King-makers.
On the other hand, SuperPAC could spend $50,000 each on 1237 delegates and it would “only” cost $62 million to buy the nomination!! That’s 1/8 as much as they have spend on negative ads already!!
AND THIS IS LEGAL, ACCEPTABLE TO THOSE WHO ARE INSIDE THE GAME, AND IGNORED BY THE #NEVERTRUMP PEOPLE — WITH GLEE.
And while the #NeverTrump people scream, “You Trump-supporters and Trump are too dumb to know the rules, but our guy Cruz is brilliant!!”
The Trump supporters and Trump scream, “THE SYSTEM IS CROOKED AND IT’S UNFAIR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE !!!”
“People on this forum and in the media (Amanda Carpenter-I-hate-Trump, for example) have complained that Trump should have spent more money to win more delegates. I can’t believe Conservatives are arguing that a politician should spend more money on the election process. I can’t believe Conservatives are arguing that a politician should have bribed more people.”
Spending more money (and effort) on the election process doesn’t equate to bribery. I received a few emails and a phone call from Cruz’s people (paid? volunteers? I don’t know) to go attend my precinct and district caucuses. At the district caucus it was mostly Cruz supporters there. They probably got similar calls and emails (Washington State).
I read where Trump sent out mailers, but had them addressed to Washington D.C. So yes, a “ground game” of probably mostly volunteers seems to work.
I feel snubbed though. All I got was emails and a call. Maybe my cash bribe will be waiting for me at the state convention. (Hey - come to think of it - I’m in the hole a couple hundred bucks for the various fees! Not counting travel and hotel to go to state.)
BTW - Washington state delegate are bound to the winner of our primary. So I guess the bribing will only happen if Trump doesn’t make the 50%+1 threshold.