Posted on 01/22/2016 6:42:49 AM PST by TBBT
What if the real problem is defeatism? The Republican establishment has been spooked for some time by a media that puts every objection to Obama's agenda in the worst possible light, as well as by the narrative of irreversible demographic and cultural change. Despite favorable off-year contests, Obama's re-election in the face of expectations to the contrary has taken its toll. Undoubtedly, serious differences of interest and conviction play a role in Republican divisions, and politicians will always tend to run from risky battles. But the abject surrender of congressional Republican leaders goes well beyond ordinary political caution to defeatism pure and simple. The emerging view that Trump's supporters are "populists" who were never really particularly conservative to begin with is only partly right. Plenty of Trump's supporters are long-time conservatives. I know some of of them. These folks are not unaware of Trump's belated and not entirely reliable conservative conversion. Yet they're willing to take what they view as the modest risk of policy betrayal because of their utter frustration at repeated Republican surrender. These Tumpites have a sense that conventional politics is so bankrupt-so complete a failure at resisting Obama, the cultural left, and a quasi-liberal Republican donor class-that only a bold roll of the dice has a chance to work. These folks are also tired of losing and they believe that Trump can win, which is more than they think any conventional conservative can do. In a word, quite a few Trump supporters are conservative defeatists, and thus mirror images of their establishment foes. They despair of conservative victory through ordinary means.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Pretty good analysis there though I do not believe Trumps supporters are any more open to persuasion than Obama and Clinton supporters were.
They do care about conservatism, they just care more about their daughters being shot at the beach or raped at the mall of America.
When the other candidates have their banning trials in the British Parliament, the race should start to heat up a bit.
National Review has forsaken paragraph breaks as a cost-cutting move I see.
One if the problems is simply celebrity - Trump has gotten so much free publicity with his insults and antics that people assume he’s inevitable. They’re not even interested in hearing rational arguments and they really don’t care what he says. I remember when he said foreign labor was because Americans were overpaid - which I’m sure is his view - and his fans hastened to explain it away!
I think celebrity is self limiting though, and people may get tired of him before long. Bernie Sanders is probably going to be the Dem candidate, so our candidates might want to turn some attention to arguing against socialism.
What Stanley Kurtz and his ilk will not acknowledge is that "ordinary means" have failed to give us a conservative president, and the GOP establishment is a large part of that failure.
Does anyone really think the beltway bandits will throw in for Ted Cruz if he gets the nom? I don't.
Honestly, the only arguments that will have any real sway will be vote for my guy, this is what he stands for. Ad hominem attacks just turn off Trump supporters. Trump gets very little support from the publicity gaining infantile attacks. He gains rabid supporters by addressing issues that conservatives AND the general public have been wanting for years.
Curtailing the illegal invasion, anti common core, awful trade give aways, handing billions to terrorists, strong gun support... Well, the list goes on.
My advice for Cruz is figure out some way, today, to get the agenda out there, because the message is not getting across.
Perfect summation Toll. This is really not complicated and I find it interesting the attempts made to throw more and more mud, simply to take away from the very clear reality you expressed.
The Lefts policies are actually put American lives at risk now. Some don’t see it so they are still fighting the old fight over tax cuts and such. I can only assume that they live in a very safe area and they haven’t been effected or witnessed their children have to alter their lifestyle because of it. When their area turns into Juarez or Copenhagen they will finally understand that being a “principled conservative” hasn’t seemed to help.
Yes! And I’ve come to the conclusion that people here either DO live in such areas as you describe, or, they never leave their couch and take a break from this circus, so they have NO idea what is unfolding out there.
Additionally, they clearly do not spend any significant time with the youth. If they believe any 20 something hasn’t been brainwashed, they are sadly mistaken. Those kids will never vote for Cruz. Unfortunate they’ve been so consumed with the global warming lie, the gay marriage rights, the whole idea of socialism being the answer, that they can’t see truth and reality.
But what they do know is that they are struggling and need a job!
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