Posted on 02/16/2016 4:59:00 PM PST by conservativejoy
It's easy to underestimate Donald Trump. The other Republican candidates in the race continue to do so, writing him off as a clown, a charlatan, a fool. Today, David French of National Review writes him off as a conventional Democrat:
Trump doesn't threaten the Republican establishment because he's too conservative or too populist. He threatens the Republican establishment because he belongs in the other party.
There's truth to this - there's a reason that Code Pink essentially endorsed Trump over the weekend, after Trump veered into Iraq trutherism and blamed George W. Bush for 9/11. And Trump, as I've written before, resembles Bernie Sanders on policy far more than he resembles Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), the most conservative person in the field.
But there's more to the Trump challenge than merely Republicans embracing Democratic ideas. There's the appeal of the strong man.
Worship of the strong man has never been foreign to Democrats. As the American branch of the international left, the Democratic Party has always worshipped at the altar of the strong man. Woodrow Wilson said in 1906, "The president is at liberty both in law and conscience to be as big a man as he can. His capacity will set the limit." Wilson said that if the president could garner the support of the public, "no single force can withstand him, no combination of forces will easily overpower him." In 1911, Wilson stated, "The whole country, since it cannot decipher the methods of its legislation, is clamoring for leadership; and a new role, which, to many persons, seems little less than unconstitutional, is thrust upon our executives."
From FDR to LBJ to Barack Obama, the Democratic legacy has wavered little from this vision of government.
But the strong man has always made conservatives uncomfortable, just as it made the founders uncomfortable enough to rebel against a King. The Federalist Papers repeatedly explain that the presidency is not an unchecked monarchy; the anti-federalists argued that even the specific delegated powers of the Constitution gave too much control to the executive branch. The Republican Party represented an extension of that idea: discomfort with a strong man with unbridled power to "get things done."
Trump, by contrast, recognizes no limits to presidential power. It’s not merely that Trump mirrors Democratic views of the world - he represents Democrats' caudillo-like view of executive power. When Trump speaks, he routinely talks about singlehandedly imposing his view of the world from the Oval Office. He talks about "winning" for particular constituencies. He will "get things done." He won't be all talk. He'll use the power of the government for you.
In 2010, Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez - a man universally reviled by his enemies as a clown and a boor - campaigned again on the basis of his unique brand of power. "I demand absolute loyalty to my leadership…anything else is betrayal," said the socialist. “I am not an individual, I am the people. It's my duty to demand respect for the people." He added, "If you cherish the fatherland, join Chavez." Chavez never had to use violence in outsized measures to consolidate his rule - his populist shtick worked just fine.
It has worked fine for Barack Obama. It's working fine for Bernie Sanders. And it's working well for Donald Trump, too. Before writing Trump off as "just another Democrat," we should recognize that his policies aren't the worst aspect of his Democrat-lite routine. It's his embrace of Democratic notions of the role of the executive and the role of government. Should Republicans choose Trump, they'll be buying into the Democratic century-long project of subverting Constitutional checks and balances in favor of a Wilsonian "big man." The last thing America needs is two parties stumping for alternative "big men."
Gee newbie you’re a democrat. Who woulda thunk
“These anti Trump clowns need to get a life. They lost.”
Do we get to keep the cool big shoes and the red noses?
Code Pink ENDORSED Trump?
LOL, that’s rich.
Oh well, a week from now things will be a bit dull here.
To add to this article, I can understand the comparison between Trump and Hugo Chavez. Just about 4 days ago I was accused of being a traitor because I wasn’t all in for Trump.
Trump got the nomination while I was napping?
The Trump Derangement Syndrome is fun to watch. Shapiro whines like a mule.
Well like Beck said, at least Cruz will Shepard us through the “Rapture”.
Well Trump is definitely a threat to the RINO GOPe for sure.
Drivel.
There’s nothing wrong with re-examining 9/11, the War on Terror and the reasons for the Iraq war in light of the enormous cost to our liberties via the Patriot Act, use of force resolution, NDAA/emergency powers, the not so-covert US support of ISIS, the creation of DHS etc. Right now, the executive has little check on the use of force anywhere in world including in the “homeland”. In fact, it’s an open question as to whether the domestic enemy in the WH recently ordered a hit on a SC justice.
Yeah, didn’t you know? Code Pink endorsed Trump. Jimmy Carter endorsed Trump. Trump is going to put his abortion doctor sister on the Supreme Court. Carson dropped out. Rubio has zero conservative endorsements.
So speaketh the Anointed One, and thus his faithful flock did parrot. Vote Cruz. He’s the only trustworthy candidate.
ROFL! *Snort*
There was one who always posted that 'Twister' chart with all the red, yellow, and green dots.
We should keep her too.
I can’t wait for Saturday, its not that I want to see Cruz beat, its that I want to see his Supporters beat. They truly are Anti-Desiples
I wanna give the Billionaire populist gadfly the benefit of the doubt and trust him in his run for president.
However, doesn’t bother any ardent Trump supporter that he took over as head of Perot’s NY Reform Party back in 1998?
Could Trump = Perot 2.0 ultimately resulting in a Dem candidate victory or if he’s elected would his life long liberal tendencies and policies move us further left?
RE: ““Ross Perot redux...â€
Exactly what I have been saying for awhile!”
We don't need the army to deport them.
Make them unemployable and they'll deport themselves.
Ross Perot was an extremely intelligent man with good ideas. My uncle worked shoulder to shoulder with him and said he would have made a great president. My uncle was about as conservative as one can be.
Trump is the real deal. He connects with the average voter better than anyone else. A billionaire who is more of a man of the people than all the rest of the political class can ever hope to be.
“Well Trump is definitely a threat to the RINO GOPe for sure.”
Yep. Probablly a boon to the Planned parenthood folks, though.
Trade offs. What a few more million babies?
Now I’m creeped out. Is that his kid? If it’s just a random kid I don’t know what to say.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.