Despite the Trump juggernaut, they refuse to rethink Bushism in their support for Rubio
Here is something to think about as we approach Super Tuesday.
If Marco Rubio becomes president, we can expect:
1.) That he will work with Democrats and the GOP leadership in Congress to pass something that looks like the Gang of Eight amnesty bill.
2.) That he will urge Congress to pass any trade agreements that Obama has signed.
3.) That he will send significant numbers of U.S. troops to the Middle East.
4.) That his foreign policy will be developed by many of the same people who advised George W. Bush.
5.) That his economic policy will reflect the views of those who were in power when the United States was hit by the economic crisis of 2008.
Now, I don’t think any of these points are truly controversial. Somewhere, there may be naïve people who actually believe that Rubio will put border enforcement first. But all sophisticated analysts of politics — including the folks at National Review — certainly expect that a President Rubio will support the same type of amnesty that was supported by Sen. Rubio. And on the other issues, Rubio has not even pretended that he will break with the Obama/Bush trade policy, the Bush foreign policy, or the Bush economic policy.
For almost eight years, it has been increasingly clear that many, many Republicans — probably a majority of the party — do not agree with any of the five principles outlined above. Time and time again, grassroots and movement conservatives have expressed their opposition to all five of the key planks in Rubio’s platform. These Republicans do not support the Gang of Eight bill. They do not support Obama’s trade deals. They do not want to spend huge amounts of blood and treasure again in the Middle East. And they most certainly do not want the economy to look like it did in the fall of 2008.
These voters have tried, through every means available, to make their opposition felt. They are the reason that Eric Cantor is no longer in the House. They are the reason that the Gang of Eight bill didn't pass. They are the reason that John Boehner is no longer speaker. And they are the reason that Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have dominated the polls for months.
Many people have urged the Rubio donor network, think-tank fellows and media supporters to back off on their policy demands — to do more than simply acknowledge "the voters are right to be angry." In fact, Gov. Chris Christie advocated for compromise during a speech at St. Anselm’s College earlier this year. People such as former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan wrote recently that the GOP must be more sensitive to the concerns of working- class voters, whom she dubbed the "unprotected."
Nevertheless, even today, the Rubio supporters refuse to budge. They could have supported Govs. Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal, or Christie, or Carly Fiorina. Even today they could support Gov. John Kasich or Sen. Ted Cruz. But from the beginning, most of the Rubio supporters have made it clear that they are only willing to support two people: Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio. They have shot down every other candidate who has been offered. And many have publicly and privately threatened to bolt the party and support Hillary Clinton if they don't get their way.
Furthermore, the Rubio supporters have, for the most part, flatly refused even to debate the policy issues at stake here. They will not even discuss changing our trade policy. They make some noises about immigration enforcement, but this is not done in a spirit of compromise, but with the arrogance of those who know that no one really expects them to change their views if they win. For all the complaints about Trump’s policy generalities, Establishment GOP types have not even pretended to engage in a serious debate. Their offer is simple: You do as we say, or we will throw the election to Hillary.
Ironically, last summer these same people were obsessing about nailing Trump down with that debate pledge to support whomever the GOP nominated.
Haven't we seen this over and over and over? Didn't they do the same thing in 2008, when they shot down Mike Huckabee? Didn't they do it in 2012, when they shot down Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum? Didn't we see it last year, when they gave over $100 million to Jeb before the race had even begun?
It is this fanaticism — this complete unwillingness to change their policy or even to debate the possibility of serious change — that has put us in the position we are today.
This is the reason old Reaganites like Pat Buchanan and Phyllis Schlafly understand and are looking kindly on Trump's campaign, because they know you must utterly rout the Establishment in order to change policy.
This is the reason people like Senator Jeff Sessions and Sarah Palin are supporting Trump — because they understand that compromise is impossible with an entrenched oligarchy.
This is the reason Christie has endorsed Trump — because he recognizes that Rubio and his supporters will lead us down a path that will be disastrous for the party.
As a committed conservative for more than three decades, I am not happy about the potential break-up of the GOP. I have supported the Republican Party for almost 40 years, and I fully intended to support it for the rest of my life. I have great respect and admiration for many of the people in the Rubio camp, and I know we have won important victories together.
But I do not see how things can go on as they are now. I do not see how you can ask the working-class people of this country to support a collection of policies that have failed them over and over and over.
What do the Rubio supporters think? That he is a better administrator than George W. Bush? That he will staff his administration with better people? That somehow his youth, or his background, will magically make the same policies that failed in the 2000s begin to work?
Of course, they do not say. Even today, with the fate of the party at stake, their only argument is to attack Trump and his supporters, to call them stupid, and racist, nativist, and isolationist and every other epithet they can lift from the editorial pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post.
In the end, they have left the opponents of the status quo no choice — they must either defeat Rubio, and radically change the power structure of the GOP, or they must watch Obama's immigration policy, Obama's trade policy, Bush’s foreign policy, and Bush’s economic policy, be implemented.
On Tuesday, we’ll know how the voters react to those alternatives.
#1: Pinguinite To: nativist nationalist (#0)
Something is wrong with these 2 statements. He supports a party that has instituted "policies that have failed them over and over and over".
Pinguinite posted on 2016-02-29 17:03:29 Reply Private Reply
#2: misterwhite To: nativist nationalist (#0)
And why not? Hillary's platform looks similar.
misterwhite posted on 2016-02-29 18:47:22 Reply Private Reply
#3: paraclete To: nativist nationalist (#0)
They would still be able to do their deals with Trump, they would just have to do them differently
paraclete posted on 2016-02-29 18:52:57 Reply Private Reply
#4: SOSO To: vicomte13 (#0)
You must be eating a turkey, you Hillary lover you.
Yep, Trump is killing the REP Party, or more accurately it is killing itself. This is what you have been praying for. Trump is a shill for Hillary. But you know this.
SOSO posted on 2016-02-29 18:59:02 Reply Private Reply
#5: Hondo68 To: Pinguinite, *The Two Parties ARE the Same* (#1)
Laura has the same problem as Phyllis Schlafly and millions of other brain dead party hacks. They really don't give a damn about America, or we the people, they're loyal to the globalist big money interests, and will vote for anything with the R (or D) label.
They have always caved in and voted for anything with an R, and they always will. There is no incentive for the party to improve whatsoever with brain dead zombies like that, reliably pulling the lever for the party brand. It's a recipe for disaster that's been proven to screw Americans since dishonest Abe Lincoln.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-02-29 20:03:42 Reply Private Reply
#6: Vicomte13 To: SOSO (#4)
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-02-29 22:41:43 Reply Private Reply
#7: Vicomte13 To: SOSO (#4)
I have detested the GOP as liars and pet monkeys pf the Country Club for years now. With Trump, though, I can vote GOP and like a Trump-led GOP. Yes, because Trump is ripping up that old GOP I hate and replacing it with people like me.
Once it's MY party, then the McConnells and the country club set can hate it from the outside. I'll be liking it, because it will represent me.
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-02-29 22:45:00 Reply Private Reply
#8: rlk To: Vicomte13 (#6)
I sincerely hope so.
rlk posted on 2016-03-01 00:00:31 Reply Private Reply
#9: sneakypete To: nativist nationalist (#0)
Not really. The primaries are primarily the playground of party people. It is always the "undecided" that determines who gets elected president.
Truth to tell,pretty much anybody that runs as a Republican would win this time. Bubbette! base are blacks and geezer lesbians. Not even the rest of the Dims really want her.
Opposing her is Sanders,whose bases is basically young Dims and non-lesbian geezers so immature they think socialism is the wave of the future,and not like communism at all.
Bubbette! Is looking good in the Dim polls purely because the Dim Party Machine has fallen in behind her to rally her support. Non Party People Dims hate and mistrust her,and it is the non-Party People Dims she needs or she won't win.
IF Bubbette were to pick Sanders as her running mate she would pick up a lot of his young supporters,but he isn't even a registered Dim and the DNC has no real power over him,so I don't see this happening.
I think when the dust settles and the general election starts it will be Cruz versus Bubbette! and I just don't see him losing that match up.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 03:53:27 Reply Private Reply
#10: sneakypete To: paraclete (#3)
He mostly knows how to lose money.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 03:55:54 Reply Private Reply
#11: sneakypete To: Vicomte13 (#6)
He's never going to be president. He's going to take the pay-off from the DNC and step out of the race.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 03:59:48 Reply Private Reply
#12: Vicomte13 To: sneakypete (#11)
You don't surge to frontrunner status and take a payoff when you can press on and be President.
Trump is going to win this thing.
Vicomte13 posted on 2016-03-01 07:16:21 Reply Private Reply
#13: sneakypete To: Vicomte13 (#12)
He will never be president. He doesn't even WANT to be president because then he would be accountable. Something he has avoided his whole life.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 11:17:49 Reply Private Reply
#14: paraclete To: sneakypete (#13)
So in your mind this is just a new season of The Apprentice with Trump being fired in the final?
Trump is obviously drunk on POWER, this is what he craves, now if he wasn't the front runner, if he wasn't getting the press
paraclete posted on 2016-03-01 15:14:46 Reply Private Reply
#15: sneakypete To: paraclete (#14)
No. He can't allow himself to be fired,or to lose. His ego is too fragile to handle either. It would make him a "loser".
On the other hand,he could quit and then spend the rest of his life bragging about how he "COULD have been the President of the United States if I wanted,but I decided the job was beneath me,so I dropped out.
Who knows howmany billions he thinks that will increase the value of his trademark/name? He already rates it as being worth 2 billion.
now if he wasn't the front runner, if he wasn't getting the press
The instant that starts happening is the same instant he drops out.
It's not a presidential race,it's a ego trip for him,and one that he plans to make money from.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 16:56:34 Reply Private Reply
#16: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#15)
You can go to this loser site and help the cause.
https://www.change.org/p/donald-j-trump-drop-out-of-the-2016-presidential-race
A K A Stone posted on 2016-03-01 17:03:10 Reply Private Reply
#17: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#15)
Oscar. You're funny.
A K A Stone posted on 2016-03-01 17:03:42 Reply Private Reply
#18: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#15)
In your dream when did this happen?
A K A Stone posted on 2016-03-01 17:13:27 Reply Private Reply
#19: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#16)
What,and take his good friend Hillary's job away from her?
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 17:21:54 Reply Private Reply
#20: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#18)
It hasn't happened YET.
You could at least try to pay attention.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 17:22:59 Reply Private Reply
#21: paraclete To: sneakypete (#20)
Trump is a shill, a decoy. While he stays in the race Hilliary looks good, so even if he looses the presidental race he wins, meanwhile he is shattering the opposition
paraclete posted on 2016-03-01 17:38:02 Reply Private Reply
#22: A K A Stone To: paraclete (#21)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-03-01 17:42:19 Reply Private Reply
#23: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#20)
Are you thinking 2020?
A K A Stone posted on 2016-03-01 17:42:52 Reply Private Reply
#24: paraclete To: A K A Stone (#22)
Bernie who? he is about as relevant as yesterday's breakfast. look, no candidate is a radical as Trump, everyone looks conservative compared to him, but this is rhetoric, it's all bullshit
paraclete posted on 2016-03-01 18:11:17 Reply Private Reply
#25: sneakypete To: paraclete (#21)
Nope. Has nothing to do with Hillary looking good or looking bad. It is all about him taking all the attention and money away from actual conservatives so they never get any traction with voters.
so even if he looses the presidental race he wins,
Wrong again. Losing is the same as death to him. Maybe even worse because he publicly hates losers and has nothing but contenpt for them.
IMO,his role is to weaken the alleged Republican field and make sure no actual conservative gets to build a following.
meanwhile he is shattering the opposition
He is shattering no one. The INSTANT the media quits pumping him up and start pointing out trusts about him and his "business successes" is the instant he is no longer important. His job is to destroy any chance of a conservative challenge to Dim rule,and then drop out late after the Republicans have no time left to form a strong organization.
The Ruling Classes win regardless of if a Dim or an alleged Republican is sitting in the WH. They only lose if another Reagan shows up. Trumps role was to try to prevent that from happening.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 18:12:26 Reply Private Reply
#26: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#22)
He's more conservative than your globalist Princess with the orange hair and skin.
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 18:13:26 Reply Private Reply
#27: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#23)
Why are you even asking that? Are you paying no attention at all?
sneakypete posted on 2016-03-01 18:14:45 Reply Private Reply
#28: paraclete To: sneakypete (#25)
This isn't a horse race with the horses running on different tracks, Hilliery started to attack Donald Dump, now if he had no effect, why do it, no, she has to distance herself from him even now because it is known they are friends and she doesn't want the shit to stick
paraclete posted on 2016-03-01 20:47:16 Reply Private Reply
#29: A K A Stone To: sneakypete (#13)
You've come a long way Pete.
A K A Stone posted on 2018-07-01 21:38:22 Reply Private Reply
#30: sneakypete To: paraclete (#21)
sneakypete posted on 2018-07-02 19:10:36 Reply Private Reply
#31: paraclete To: sneakypete (#30)
paraclete posted on 2018-07-04 05:48:42 Reply Private Reply
#32: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#29)
Like everyone else,I evolve as situations change.
I believe what I wrote at that time to BE TRUE FOR THAT TIME,but lo and behold,Trump won! Once he won he had to develop a new plan in order to protect his ego. Now that he was president,he actually had to BE a president and be responsible as a president. His enormous ego would accept nothing less.
I am not one of those people who think that people aren't motivated to change as situations change. I explained why I changed my mind and decided to vote for Trump and encouraged others to vote for Trump the night before the election.
I believed then and believe now that Trump is driven and controlled by his ego,and his ego will allow him to be nothing less than the best President he knows how to be. His self-image is the most important thing in the world to him,and he will do anything he can do to go down in the history books as a great and accomplished President. Unlike others,he is immune to bribery and status. He is already immensely wealthy,and his ego makes his own impression of himself more important than the impressions others may have.
Simply put,he is going to do the best he can do to make America great because pulling America back from the abscess of globalist leftism makes HIM a great president.
sneakypete posted on 2018-07-04 08:06:26 Reply Private Reply
#33: sneakypete To: paraclete (#31)
I deleted the reply as being irrelevant to the current situation.
sneakypete posted on 2018-07-04 08:07:57 Reply Private Reply