Conservatives and a Lone Libertarian Take on Donald Trump

http://www.cato.org/blog/conservatives-lone-libertarian-take-donald-trump ^ | january 22, 2016 | David Boaz

[cons_it]

Today I join some 20 other writers in making the case against Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy. The venerable National Review, founded by William F. Buckley, Jr., assembled a group of diverse critics to argue that Trump is not a conservative, not an advocate of limited government, but rather (as the editorial asserts) “a philosophically unmoored political opportunist who would trash the broad conservative ideological consensus within the GOP in favor of a free-floating populism with strong-man overtones.”

[cons_it]

David Boaz is the executive vice president of the Cato Institute and has played a key role in the development of the Cato Institute and the libertarian movement. He is the author of The Libertarian Mind: A Manifesto for Freedom and the editor of The Libertarian Reader.
He is a great voice in defence of individual liberty, limited government and free markets, while leading the way in opposing policies ranging from Obamacare and Wall Street bailouts to the Iraq war.

[dragnet2]

[disndat]

as my book The Libertarian Mind would indicate

In my own contribution I emphasize two points

Flame on!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[palmer]

...who would trash the broad conservative ideological consensus within the GOP in favor of a free-floating populism...

I suspect Mr. Boaz and his puppet posting this article are now just puppets of the GOPe. If that is the case, that is sad. The GOPe is not on the side of America. They refuse to defund Obamacare, curtail surveillance, control the border, cut taxes, cut regulation, reign in the courts and executive or do anything substantive to restore American greatness.

Being a very long time Cato supporter I know the history and value of Cato. Cato has a libertarian ideological consensus which hash been a valuable counterweight to statists like Bush, Ryan, McDonnell, etc. But now that seems to be changing, at least temporarily.

Any "conservative ideological consensus" that exists in the GOP is strictly lip service. The reality is that the GOP has been corrupted by power and needs to be dismantled. Instead of limited government that Cato has supported for its existence, the GOP supports greater federal power and intrusion into state, local and personal affairs with no limit whatsoever.

[Jim Robinson]

What broad conservative ideological consensus within the GOP?

[cons_it]

Puppets? Ahaha... Your mogul’s rethoric is epitome of anything that might be considered irresponsible and opportunistic. He never was and never will be conservative, he only wish to be the man of “big deals” with the GOPe and other Rats. Have a nice day!

[cons_it]

I’m a newby here, and I really love reading this blog, but I started thinking there were too many covered liberals. So I subscribed... Hope I’m wrong. Thanks

[Jim Robinson]

Too many liberals here for your taste?

well, bye.

[palmer]

Deals are his personal path to greatness. Trump will make some deals to get taxes and regulation down to levels that allow American greatness to come back especially in industry. Some other things will be not be negotiable in any deal: closing the border and curtailing third world and Islamic immigration. He will not let America turn into Mexico or Saudi Arabia or Germany. There is a lot at stake in this election and the country needs a strong man (as you put it) at this point. It’s too bad it had to get to this point, but that’s the way it is.

[PA Engineer]

Too many liberals here for your taste?

Just while. So many of the recent sign ups are wearing suicide vests. They blow up so young these days.

[dp0622]

bro, you know we’re voting for POTUS!!, not school cafeteria monitor.

i’m voting for the guy, but with serious reservations about whether he is really a conservative, whether he is a pure and dangerous narcissist or not, whether or not he’ll react in poor judgement at the first insult thrown his way, etc.

wont vote for ted after the NY comment, but guys, at least be a little introspective when casting the vote.

i never know i guy could just start saying stuff he never said before and command a legion.

i guess it’s happened before in the past.

i hope he is a conservative sane pres

[SubMareener]

From: http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-01-22/trump-or-cruz-no-sweat-wall-street-s-big-republican-donors-say
Here is an interesting bit: “Cruz doesn’t frighten one former Goldman Sachs executive who watched the senator help his wife, Heidi, woo clients to a unit that caters to people and families with average investments at the firm of more than $40 million. The senator knows bankers, went to the same Ivy League schools, understands their needs and has taken their money, he said.”
Are we sure that Ted Cruz isn’t in this for the money?

[SmokingJoe]

[Bobalu]

[Jim Robinson]

You can sit on the sidelines a few days for that crap.

[factoryrat]

Okay, so let’s say that the conservatives manage to oust Trump.

What then? Who do back after that? Cruz? The GOP/DNC will chew him up and spit him out. Crispy/Carson/Fiorina? They’re non-starters.

No, the GOP/DNC want JEB. He was supposed to be the “inevitable” candidate/cannon fodder for this election cycle. Trump and Cruz threw a monkey wrench into their plans, and now they want blood, consequences be damned.

[drpix]

Recent RINO winners of National Review's "conservative" seal of approval:

Shouldn't everyone ask what's NR's real problem with Trump?

[Frapster]

Exactly