Quote:
Originally Posted by Platapus
I think we need to stay out of isolationism.  |
Someone once said the main problem was apathy, but they couldn't muster any interest in the subject...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tchocky
Trump isn't running as a Republican, he's running as a joke. Every word written on him is in excess and a waste of electrons.
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He doesn't stand a chance of winning at all, but he could be a very big thorn in the GOP far right as far as drawing attention to matters they do not want openly raised during the campaigns. The far right has made a practice of concentrating on nebulous platitudes regarding patriotism, 'family values', idealistic conservative 'moralities', and the like; they really, really don't want to talk specifics such as the economy, fiscal responsibility, and the growing class divide that threatens to upset American society on all levels. If Trump can maintain enough of a momentum to remain in the top ten of GOP candidates and therefore be eligible to participate in the one or two GOP Presidential candidate debates, he could negatively impact the overall GOP strategy in much the same manner Perot torpedoed GHW Bush in 1992 by drawing attention to the shortcomings in GOP economic policies as they regard the larger middle-class electorate. Remember how Perot's persistence over economic issues only served to solidify the whole "It's the economy, stupid" meme and how GHW Bush was unable or unwilling to adequately counter the effect. Perot got about 20% percent of the vote (including mine; I didn't like either GHW Bush or Clinton) and demonstrated there was a significant sentiment for a more direct, open, and focused response to economic issues. This is the essential weakness now facing the GOP. As long as the far right holds sway over the party's decisions and policies and continues to fail to address the issues affecting the larger electorate on specific, everyday concerns rather than flag-waving, drum thumping, sloganeering, a 'wild card' such as Trump and, to a lesser degree Rand Paul, could cast a very harsh light on GOP shortcomings. Remember the last three GOP administrations post-Eisenhower [Nixon/Ford, Reagan/GHW Bush, GW Bush] have resulted in the most severe economic crises and the three most severe recessions since WWII. There are people within the GOP who are highly capable and who have a grasp of what are really basic issues, but they are overshadowed and shouted down by the bellicose far right, who may be better referred to as the 'far wrong'...
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