Bottom of page....Had something to say about Reagan. (He'll need to spin that hard if it comes out and gains traction.}
Posted on 01/15/2016 11:38:31 AM PST by TBP
Byron York had an interesting piece on Donald Trump that is worth reading. At least anyone who might be interested in the real Donald Trump. Trump appeared in front of the “non-partisan†No Labels group who desperately wants candidates that will “compromise†even though it is never clear what compromises will result in.
Donald Trump told this group, "Let me just tell you, the word compromise is not a bad word to me. I like the word compromise. We need compromise, there is nothing wrong with compromise, but it's always good to compromise and win. Meaning, let's compromise and win." Can you imagine the reaction of Trump’s supporters if a Marco Rubio actually met with this group and said this? The cries of RINO would arise and say that Rubio is nothing but a tool of the Establishment.
York's thesis is that Trump is prone to saying outrageous things or beginning with outrageous positions so he can get what he wants. This is Trump the deal maker who understands you won’t get all that you want so you start with many positions that you know you can throw away to get what you want in negotiations.
As American Enterprise Institute Marc Thiessen noted, a portion of Trump’s plan on immigration is actually an idea that came from Texas Moderate Senator Kay Baily Hutchison, who proposed Trump's “touchback†in which you deport millions of immigrants to let them back in. You can decide whether this is a practical plan, but make no mistake, under Trump’s reform, the vast majority of illegal today will still be here after his reforms. This means that the results will be no different than a President Rubio or a President Bush. If you don’t believe me, listen to Trump’s own words when he told CNN's Dana Bash, “I would get people out and then have an expedited way of getting them back into the country so they can be legal…. A lot of these people are helping us … and sometimes it’s jobs a citizen of the United States doesn’t want to do. I want to move ’em out, and we’re going to move ’em back in and let them be legal.â€
I have already made the case that Trump’s plan is laying the basis for Republican compromise on immigration, and I am not the only one as National Review's Ramesh Ponnuru has made the same observations. Nor is that the only area that Trump will compromise on. As I have mentioned in past posts, moderate and liberal Democrats and conservatives have all agreed that any tax reforms will include lower marginal rates and fewer deductions since 2009. Even the President's own commission under moderate Republican Alan Simpson and liberal Democrat Erskine Bowles agreed with this consensus and Trump's own tax plans follow along those same lines. Trump's tax plans also have been sold as a boon for the Middle Class, using language similar to what Marco Rubio has said about his plan. (There are differences in details but Trump’s tax plans are part of what the real consensus truly is.)
Trump has set the stage for his own version of the big compromise on both taxes and spending if elected, and his foreign policy is closer to the left than the right as he has supported the leftist position that much of the Middle East's problems are Bush’s fault and not Obama's handling of foreign policies, even though he has criticized Obama's deal making skills. In attacking Obama’s deal making skills, he has not really attacked the basis of Obama’s foreign policies. In the case of the Iranian deal, he has made it clear that he would not ditch the deal but simply “renegotiate†the deal. And his protectionist trade views are in line not just with the populist right but also the hard left.
The reality for Republican voters is that Trump is the most centrist candidate we have running, if you chose to read what he actually says as opposed to the image he projects. My own view of Trump is that of a business man who loves to make money; he has an instinct for conservative ideas but he is not the conservative that Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio is. Trump doesn’t keep a copy of F.A. Hayek in his back pocket, and over the past decade, he has taken positions that are to the left of the GOP and other times, he sounds like the hard core right wing. If you look at Trump’s supporters, they are more politically moderate than Rubio’s or Cruz's supports, and they are more blue-collar. They are not traditionally conservative but he is building a broader center-right coalition, leaving the question of will that be enough? And a Trump Presidency will be a centrist administration with something for everyone, but will it be a conservative administration? That is a question that one can’t fully answer.
Trump is the only one who demonstrates selflessness, love of country and his fellow Americans. He has no need for power or money. He is old. He has been there, done that. He knows what is important. He is passionate.
The other candidates may have one or more of the above attributes except for rich and old and wise, need for money, need for power. He could disappoint, but so could any or all of the others.
Bottom of page....Had something to say about Reagan. (He'll need to spin that hard if it comes out and gains traction.}
“I’d bet that 99% of billionaires are socialists.”
Trump has already said he will bring in his millionaire friends to help him run the country. The peasants, those without the millions, will be ruled by them.
He's a new guy, don-o.
You're not. :)
Besides, I've watched you in action against the TexasBloviator, always fighting the good fight.
As one of the Old Ones, you know that not all on FR are what they present themselves as.
You know, DITHF, ClassyGreenEyed, etc.
He is a member of the moneychanger club.
Deceit, greed and bearing false witness is also in the Bible.
Must be the Mouth of Manhattan missed those parts of bible study? Or perhaps he was partying with the Clintons those days. :)
It’s a repeat of 12. And it is mostly the same people that screamed loudest back then screaming now. The problem is that as usual, they are screaming excuses and tanking the most conservative people running to get the most liberal candidate they can.
And no one sees the pattern or cares.
Sorry any analysis by yobs from NRO can be disregarded for the self serving crap they are.
Lots of folks pointed out Reagans flaws and flip flops in 1980. Glad I ignored them
>>Candidate and President will likely be 2 different people<<
You mean like all those Tea Party Candidates we elected in 2010 and 2014 to go to D.C. and show Obama what’s what? LOL
I’s Cruz first, Trump second for me.
Aw shucks man, don't forget to invite me if there is betting to take place. Nothing like a good evening filled with Dwarf Tossing.
Trump is who he is. I will take that every day of the week. He will not be micromanaging policy efforts.
Cruz is who Cruz is. I can live with that. He may micro manage some policy efforts but he won’t be a Carter or Obama
He must be. He criticized Trump. QED.
Or maybe he will surprise you
Wow
Applause to you for your honest appraisal.
Welcome home. :)
LOL
Trump is not exactly conservative either
Neither is America.
And by that I don't mean that America has gone liberal or progressive, but rather that the largest plurality of Americans are what might be called old-fashioned-Democrat-lite.
Let's admit it: here is where much of America stands on the important issues, in no particular order...
Welfare: should be available, but only for people who really need it.
Jihad: get rid of the "bad" Muslims, keep the "good" Muslims.
Homosexual issues: who cares what you do in your bedroom, and if you want to get married who cares, just don't make religious people have to support it.
Military: keep it big enough to defend ourselves, stop fighting stupid wars that we don't want to win. [1/15: I would add "bomb the crap out of anyone who makes us look bad."]
Abortion: it should only be available for rape, incest, saving the life of the mother, and when I think I need one, but we shouldn't be able tell a woman what she can't do with her own body.
The debt: stop foreign aid.
Corporations: stop using "slave labor" in third world countries, put Americans back to work--doesn't matter at what, just put 'em back to work.
Immigration: get rid of the "bad" non-citizens, keep the "good" ones.
Anyone see a pattern here? This is essentially what Trump stands for, or at least what is the perception of what Trump stands for. He is by no means a conservative, but "conservative" is an ideology, and Americans in general do not like ideologies. And that is why he is a popular demagogue, in the non-pejorative sense of the term.
Depends on your definition of moneychanger. Did Trump make his money solely by trading stocks? Or banking and financial instruments? Did he pull money out of thin air through fed loans at 0% interest like the banks did?
Or did he make his money by building, selling, and marketing products and services?
A broker, funds manager, and banker all have digital accounts that say they have X amount of wealth.
Trump has REAL estate with his name on it, and hard assets to back it up. That he built, from scratch, with real labor and effort.
He uses other peoples money, as well as takes money away from other people. He has a less than stellar nor honorable business history. He is the epitome of “The Rainmaker”.
It really is rather ridiculous that people would be getting upset over the New York values comment isn’t it? I amazingly for as intelligent as Ted Cruz is I don’t think it was the smartest thing to say. It could even be a 47% kind of error if it took in more than just New York. But if it were not for the precious Donald Trump, who apparently unbeknownst to all of us is the most delicate little flower and so fragile that he can not ever be criticized or insulted, almost everyone here would agree with what Ted Cruz said.
But these are people who clearly want to have it both ways. They blame New York values, or at least liberal politics, for being the reason that Donald Trump played the game and donated to Democrats. Yet as soon as Donald Trump attacks someone and that someone in Ted Cruz has the audacity to actually defend himself then all the sudden New York values are the most precious commodities around. I guess if they love all of the values in New York politics and politicians then I suppose Peter King can you some advocates around here. I honestly believe that some people, like Ann Coulter for one, are literally offended that these other candidates what even try the challenge Donald Trump. So I don’t blame you for calling these people out. Really it would be nice if the childishness and personal vitriol would cease all the way around. But of course that isn’t likely to happen.
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.