These personal reporter accounts the Times provides each day of the GOP Convention convey a mood and atmosphere at an emotional level that is not conveyed in routine press and TV coverage.
The 2016 GOP convention turned Hate Fest is bizarre, nasty, and truly embarrassing for a supposed democratic country. I feel like I got off the midnight train at some nightmare arena, populated by a bunch of zombies and vampires spewing ugly sounds and messages and cheering against one woman, described as the enemy and a devil who should be jailed/killed/shot. The train is gone, and I am stuck and trapped where I really do not want to be.
Today I was thinking, this GOP horror show reminds me of a short story I read decades ago when I was babysitting as a teenager. It was late at night, the kids were asleep, and I found a book of short stories by Steve Allen, the 1950s' comedian.
The story was science fiction at some future time that took place in a sports arena. One person was strapped to a chair in the middle of the arena, while tens of thousands of people in the stands ringing the arena concentrated very hard on thinking the person dead. The person was being punished for some misdeed. It took hours, but the person finally keeled over and died, satisfying the crowd.
A science fiction kind of mob violence in the 1950s. Coming closer to reality in 2016?
The 2016 GOP convention turned Hate Fest is bizarre, nasty, and truly embarrassing for a supposed democratic country. I feel like I got off the midnight train at some nightmare arena, populated by a bunch of zombies and vampires spewing ugly sounds and messages and cheering against one woman, described as the enemy and a devil who should be jailed/killed/shot. The train is gone, and I am stuck and trapped where I really do not want to be.
Today I was thinking, this GOP horror show reminds me of a short story I read decades ago when I was babysitting as a teenager. It was late at night, the kids were asleep, and I found a book of short stories by Steve Allen, the 1950s' comedian.
The story was science fiction at some future time that took place in a sports arena. One person was strapped to a chair in the middle of the arena, while tens of thousands of people in the stands ringing the arena concentrated very hard on thinking the person dead. The person was being punished for some misdeed. It took hours, but the person finally keeled over and died, satisfying the crowd.
A science fiction kind of mob violence in the 1950s. Coming closer to reality in 2016?
Cruz and Gingrich gave great speeches with excellent content and style. Both are experienced orators. Pence was no slouch too. The media has lost its mind over the Cruz snub and has totally overlooked how both speeches were prepared and delivered to outperform anything that Trump is likely to do Thursday evening.
Cruz said look at what you are missing. A person who can put two intelligent sentences together. The audience was spellbound and in his grip when he segued to the bomb. It was a premeditated move with malice and intent.
Gingrich did the same thing. He expertly upstaged Trump while he auditioned for the Secretary of Defense cabinet spot. He had the audience in his grip with a priceless sense of cadence as he rattled off the dates and terrorist event.
TRUMP has been upstaged. I don't think Trump will it it out of the park or "very very" far. He will walk slowly onto the stage waving his arm as a gladiator -- just to stretch out the dwell time for his entrance.
Maybe get a double. He will display his family. Presumably Ivanka will introduce him. It will be puff, nothing that says he is ready to formulate national and foreign policy which his co-president is supposed to handle while he is out Making America Great Again
Cruz said look at what you are missing. A person who can put two intelligent sentences together. The audience was spellbound and in his grip when he segued to the bomb. It was a premeditated move with malice and intent.
Gingrich did the same thing. He expertly upstaged Trump while he auditioned for the Secretary of Defense cabinet spot. He had the audience in his grip with a priceless sense of cadence as he rattled off the dates and terrorist event.
TRUMP has been upstaged. I don't think Trump will it it out of the park or "very very" far. He will walk slowly onto the stage waving his arm as a gladiator -- just to stretch out the dwell time for his entrance.
Maybe get a double. He will display his family. Presumably Ivanka will introduce him. It will be puff, nothing that says he is ready to formulate national and foreign policy which his co-president is supposed to handle while he is out Making America Great Again
The Republican elite at the convention (many of whom had some pretty nasty things to say about their nominee before they decided to support him wholeheartedly) keep saying Republicans must win this year if the country is to move ahead. Delegates interviewed by the media talk about gridlock. How President Obama has ruined our country and gotten nothing done. The deficit. ISIS. All the fault of President Obama and Democrats. Nothing about what they would actually do to improve what they see as failed policy. Nothing about the fact that this country's worst terrorist attack happened under their watch. Nothing about the worst recession since the depression which their tax and banking policies caused.
Many Americans say they want "change," because they're tired of the gridlock. Might I point out the irony of these people voting for Republicans. The gridlock in congress was not caused by President Obama or Democrats. The Republicans in congress are wholly responsible. Period. The GOP in the Senate filibustered more during Obama's term than all the Presidents before him combined. No budgets were passed. Instead they shut down gov't. No compromise ever. Frankly, why they're in gov't when they don't believe in it is puzzling.
Here's an idea for those who want change; vote out the Republicans. Vote for Democrats for everything. Maybe then our gov't will address infrastructure, immigration, unfair tax policies, student loans, climate change. Hate and vitriol does nothing.
Many Americans say they want "change," because they're tired of the gridlock. Might I point out the irony of these people voting for Republicans. The gridlock in congress was not caused by President Obama or Democrats. The Republicans in congress are wholly responsible. Period. The GOP in the Senate filibustered more during Obama's term than all the Presidents before him combined. No budgets were passed. Instead they shut down gov't. No compromise ever. Frankly, why they're in gov't when they don't believe in it is puzzling.
Here's an idea for those who want change; vote out the Republicans. Vote for Democrats for everything. Maybe then our gov't will address infrastructure, immigration, unfair tax policies, student loans, climate change. Hate and vitriol does nothing.
So tonight Donald Trump does one of two things, he either reads from a teleprompter some canned speech that he has no clue about half of its substance (but it actually makes some sense to the few smart republicans) or he goes off on his normal crazy rants where he offers no solutions and just hates on everyone. For an intellectual country this would be a loss either way (not that he would have ever gotten to this point in an intelligent country) but here in the U.S. of Dumbbells either way it will not matter. You just have to look at the bimbo in the photo here (or any convention images) in this is blatantly obvious! Rednecks, Freaks, and Fools it should be a country song...
Finally! Teflon Trump got a dose of his own underhanded destructive devious medicine and ironically via a messenger whose political rhetoric and behavior is similarly myopic and despicable. Will Trump learn from this profound lesson in the universal law of cause and affect, as well as, the truth of the Golden Rule which states: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?" Probably not.
3
For the first time, I have a little respect for Ted Cruz. I wouldn't vote for him in a million years, but finally, at least, here's a Republican who was on the receiving end of Trump's nastiness and bizarre lies who didn't kowtow to The Donald. All the others -- McCain, Rubio, etc. -- looked extra-pathetic when they cowered and crawled to Trump liked whipped puppies once they saw he was going to win the nomination. Made me seriously wonder if he had dirt on them. Anyway, one point for Cruz.
1
Ted Cruz has acquired a lot of resentment for his poor behavior both the Congress and during the Republican primaries, and it is against the spirit of Party unity to not offer support for the Republican Party's nominee, so Cruz's speech last night drew a lot of anger and resentment from the delegates, last night. But lets be honest about why Cruz would be justified in doing what he did.
The RNC has made no effort to force Trump to stop his nasty rhetoric and mean school yard bullying during the debates and in his public speeches. They let him turn the primary into a sitcom like faux reality entertainment show, driving genuine discussion about everything related to sensible policies and leadership issues completely out of the discussion. To do so Trump simply bullied and distracted his opponents and then mocked them to the delight of his audiences, taking special aim at Cruz. His stupid and mean demeaning actions included insulting Cruz's wife and taking the effort to distribute trashy gossip from the National Enquirer that made Cruz's father seem to be involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.
Given the RNC's condoning of Trump's egregiously uncivil conduct and nasty bullying of his competitors and the facts of what Trump actually did, I think Cruz had no choice but to do as he did. To do otherwise would have been to say what Trump did was okay and that anything done or said to gain the nomination is okay. Cruz has been a jerk but he was not last night.
The RNC has made no effort to force Trump to stop his nasty rhetoric and mean school yard bullying during the debates and in his public speeches. They let him turn the primary into a sitcom like faux reality entertainment show, driving genuine discussion about everything related to sensible policies and leadership issues completely out of the discussion. To do so Trump simply bullied and distracted his opponents and then mocked them to the delight of his audiences, taking special aim at Cruz. His stupid and mean demeaning actions included insulting Cruz's wife and taking the effort to distribute trashy gossip from the National Enquirer that made Cruz's father seem to be involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.
Given the RNC's condoning of Trump's egregiously uncivil conduct and nasty bullying of his competitors and the facts of what Trump actually did, I think Cruz had no choice but to do as he did. To do otherwise would have been to say what Trump did was okay and that anything done or said to gain the nomination is okay. Cruz has been a jerk but he was not last night.
2
Cruz is playing the long game. This was perfectly played. If Trump wins it will not take long for the honeymoon to end. Trump Jr promised that on the day his father takes office America will be great again, like magic, all our problems will go away. It isn't going to happen. So when the far right realizes Trump doesn't share their core values and he is unable to deliver his vague promises of greatness they will turn to Cruz. Cruz can honestly say he was the only one who didn't prostitute himself by supporting Trump.
If Clinton wins, Trump will be vilified as was Romney, for losing an election that was his to win. He certainly will no longer be "a winner".
Either way Cruz will be smugly standing tall in 2020.
If Clinton wins, Trump will be vilified as was Romney, for losing an election that was his to win. He certainly will no longer be "a winner".
Either way Cruz will be smugly standing tall in 2020.
1
Well done, Ted. He stood up for his family. The pledge was "voided" once Trump crossed the line that no one is supposed to cross, and that is insulting your family.
I applaud Cruz for standing up to the crowd and defending his values.
I applaud Cruz for standing up to the crowd and defending his values.
1
I think the party is anxious to divest itself of hard line extremists, of whom wasTED Cruz is only one. In any case, it's going to be really great not to have to see or hear this repulsive creep for a while. Bleh.
1
Best thing that crazy, narcissist zealot has ever done. Best part is that the Trump people saw Cruz's speech beforehand but failed to recognize the pending attack.
2
If someone called your wife ugly and linked your father to the assassination of President Kennedy, would you stand up in public and support him? I watched the convention last night specifically because I knew that Cruz would never support Trump. And if I knew that, how could the convention organizers not have realized that this would happen?
3
Ted Cruz is a a calculating, cynical opportunist, not a profile in courage. Furthermore, his speech was a transparent power play. Given the splits in the Republican Party, there was probably no better way to establish himself as the leader of the anti-Trump contingent than poking Trump right in the eye at the convention. Cruz is setting himself up for the next election, and in the meantime, trying to wrest control of a weakened, fractured GOP. The only thing surprising to me is that he didn't announce his candidacy for the 2020 election. Regardless of who wins in Novemeber, he can say "I told you so," and point to his "courageous" speech at the 2016 convention. He knows if Trump wins, it'll be a disaster for the country, and if Clinton wins, he can blame it on Trump. Either way, it's good for Ted Cruz, and that's all Ted Cruz cares about.
1
I am impressed with the Times coverage of the Republican Convention. The only word that comes to mind after watching the convention is "spectacle".
I will reserve judgement on the effectiveness of these conventions until after the Dems do their thing in Philadelphia but I hope that Democrats won't get into the nicknames and very rude and negative chants like those in Cleveland. We need a better discussion of the policy related platform solutions proposed by the candidates. It is pretty clear that our society is unraveling.
So far I feel like I am watching one of those Roman spectacles in the Coliseum, staged by the establishment to distract the people from the realities of the Roman society. I also note that the TV commentators are discussing the horse race and polls but very little on the issues.
Maybe It is too early to discuss issues and the ink and coverage will take up the serious stuff after the each of the debates. It is my hope that the Democratic convention will address some of the serious economic and social issues that seem to have kept so many American in a stagnant financial condition, and also the growing backlog of repairs to our aging and deteriorating infrastructure. We have seen a steadily widening gap in income between the top 5% of income earners and the rest of society. The result, a stagnant US standard of living is not preparing the US for some tough times due to climate change and the resultant global societal stresses.
I will reserve judgement on the effectiveness of these conventions until after the Dems do their thing in Philadelphia but I hope that Democrats won't get into the nicknames and very rude and negative chants like those in Cleveland. We need a better discussion of the policy related platform solutions proposed by the candidates. It is pretty clear that our society is unraveling.
So far I feel like I am watching one of those Roman spectacles in the Coliseum, staged by the establishment to distract the people from the realities of the Roman society. I also note that the TV commentators are discussing the horse race and polls but very little on the issues.
Maybe It is too early to discuss issues and the ink and coverage will take up the serious stuff after the each of the debates. It is my hope that the Democratic convention will address some of the serious economic and social issues that seem to have kept so many American in a stagnant financial condition, and also the growing backlog of repairs to our aging and deteriorating infrastructure. We have seen a steadily widening gap in income between the top 5% of income earners and the rest of society. The result, a stagnant US standard of living is not preparing the US for some tough times due to climate change and the resultant global societal stresses.
3
Michael Moore (https://www.yahoo.com/tv/trump-michael-moore-bill-maher-republican-12572... says Donald Trump is going to win this election, and offers a convincing analysis in support. He may well be right. Clinton has a 61% chance of winning according to Nate Silver's latest forecast, and that number shrinks day by day.
Why might she lose? First, She will try to play it safe in her choice of Vice Pres. Does she need someone with foreign policy experience (Kaine or Stavridis) to counter Trump and Pence? Ridiculous. Or Agriculture Secretary and friend of agri-business Tom Vilsack? Absurd. A NYT op-ed from several months ago promoted Al Franken for the post. Great idea, but no chance, apparently.
If she loses, it will be because millions of white working class males, and many of their wives, will vote for Trump. These are people who were indifferent to Mitt Romney but are stoked up about Trump. If you wanted to capture some of these votes you would offer Sanders the nomination. Good luck with that.
But the real problem lies deeper. Nothing Trump can say or do will undermine him amongst his base. He has already said and done it all. Meanwhile every thinking Democrat must live in dread of the next Clinton scandal. The Clinton Foundation anyone?
Perhaps this is just Clinton's lowest point. But then again, perhaps The Clinton nomination is nothing but a suicide pact, poised to doom us all.
As the old proverb would have it, "May you live in interesting times"
Why might she lose? First, She will try to play it safe in her choice of Vice Pres. Does she need someone with foreign policy experience (Kaine or Stavridis) to counter Trump and Pence? Ridiculous. Or Agriculture Secretary and friend of agri-business Tom Vilsack? Absurd. A NYT op-ed from several months ago promoted Al Franken for the post. Great idea, but no chance, apparently.
If she loses, it will be because millions of white working class males, and many of their wives, will vote for Trump. These are people who were indifferent to Mitt Romney but are stoked up about Trump. If you wanted to capture some of these votes you would offer Sanders the nomination. Good luck with that.
But the real problem lies deeper. Nothing Trump can say or do will undermine him amongst his base. He has already said and done it all. Meanwhile every thinking Democrat must live in dread of the next Clinton scandal. The Clinton Foundation anyone?
Perhaps this is just Clinton's lowest point. But then again, perhaps The Clinton nomination is nothing but a suicide pact, poised to doom us all.
As the old proverb would have it, "May you live in interesting times"
3
Well, this has been enlightening. The GOP is a big tent of hatred and ugliness. It is "1984" in its doublespeak. Lies are truth and truth is a lie. Christians who do not have any tolerance. Rich men who say they identify as blue collar.. Polished, articulate adult children who have had the best of everything purporting to be an ordinary family with family values. A losing contender who brings Roy Cohn to mind in looks and words, marking his place for a 2020 run which implies he thinks Trump will lose and dissed him by not endorsing him. A VP nominee who embodies all that is odious about the GOP (intolerance of gays, denial of a woman's right to choose, and so much more) wrapping himself in sanctimony and patriotism. And tonight we will have the Donald in all his glory - the narcissistic huckster, the man without any solid policy credentials on domestic or foreign policy or even governance. He thought he could name his cabinet before being elected. And finally the crowd - white bread haters who have been consistently convinced to vote against their own best interests, not realizing that the GOP is the party of rich people. But the GOP has long used dog whistle politics to divert their attention and gain their votes. Bread and circuses, as the Romans said, bread and circuses. This cauldron of hate and pseudo-patriotism boiled over into shouts of "lock her up" and even a call for Clinton to be shot. All in all a convention to be proud of and Trump hasn't spoken yet.
2
Done damage? You are joking. Such calculated manipulation. Really. You still don't get it.
I've wondered who it was in the Trump camp, whose job it was to alert a counterpart in the media that Melania speech was plagiarized from Michelle Obama.
The DT is appealing to conservative voters. Corruption and conspiracy are the mainstays of conservative ideology. They are the secret handshakes to a sociopathic view of life in which deception and misinformation are the mainstays of salesmanship.
The guy is a master at it.
I've wondered who it was in the Trump camp, whose job it was to alert a counterpart in the media that Melania speech was plagiarized from Michelle Obama.
The DT is appealing to conservative voters. Corruption and conspiracy are the mainstays of conservative ideology. They are the secret handshakes to a sociopathic view of life in which deception and misinformation are the mainstays of salesmanship.
The guy is a master at it.
I don't feel sorry for Trump, nor am I surprised the Cruz would pull a stunt like that. The Republican party deserves both of them and I hope the Republicans fall flat on their collective faces up and down the ticket in November. They deserve no less for the way they have treated the citizens of this country over the past 8 years.
7
As I understand it, Mr. Trump -- as the Republican nominee -- will soon be receiving highly classified national security briefings.
Hopefully, these will begin with some basic geography lessons to teach him the locations of China, Russia and Brazil, along with the names of the leaders of Germany, France and England.
Luckily for all of us, Melania and the kids will be there to help him with the other stuff.
Hopefully, these will begin with some basic geography lessons to teach him the locations of China, Russia and Brazil, along with the names of the leaders of Germany, France and England.
Luckily for all of us, Melania and the kids will be there to help him with the other stuff.
5
I don't agree with the assessment that Ted was wrong to attend. Even though I'm a Bernie/Hillary supporter - I admired his courage to speak before that group of people and not endorse Donald - it shows strength of character and integrity. Imagine you are his wife and he did that for her - she's feeling loved today! All my liberal buddies agree! Well done. It's a shame the audience he spoke before showed him a lack of respect but as someone pointed out - it's more of a mob than a group...
4
I am a Democrat and I am definitely no friend of Cruz; his positions are radical and he is cut from the same narcissistic cloth as Trump-- albeit a lot smarter. Cruz does not owe Trump any allegiance and Trump was shunned by Cruz for good reason. Trump crossed way over the line during the primary, and the media just treated it like the new normal, thereby giving rise to Trump. Cruz was smart and calculating last night and I would also add downright courageous, knowing that he would be demonized. The media needs to look more objectively this convention. It is unhinged, downright hateful and in disarray. It has literally turned my stomach. Is that what the American people really want? They should be careful what they wish for.
13
I'm no Cruz fan and certainly agree with everything Frank Bruni has written about him throughout the primary process, but this one I disagree with. Yes, Cruz is about Cruz, always has been. But in this instance, Cruz did the one thing we all wish Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and true Republicans would do, which is ACT their conscience, ACT with integrity. This notion of the election being a binary choice is a ridiculous reason for Ryan and McConnell to encourage Americans to vote for a person they know is a fraud. If this is political suicide by Cruz, then at least he is putting his ideals above politics (in this one instance.) This serves him not at all, but he did it, and he sucker punched Trump in a way no one could have envisioned. While the rest of us enjoyed watching it at home with mouths agape, we also all wished Ryan would do the same. Lose the White House but gain some self-respect and retain an ounce of dignity. Cruz rolled the dice, big time, and what he's relyng upon is that after Hillary wins the White House, she'll bungle governing, Democrats will bungle governing, and ideology vs. ideology, Cruz can stand by his and say we should have gone with unadulterated Republican conservatism. As a soccer mom and long-time left-leaning voter, even I would have respect for Republicans who wait this one out, vocally state their opposition to this fraud of a candidate, and realize 2020 isn't a long way off and four years is a long time for a lot to go wrong.
7
And here we have The Frank Bruni Guide on Proper Behavior for Reactionary Thugs When They Interact in Public Spaces.
5
We all remember Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" where Brutus knifed Caesar to death in public view. Ted Cruz's oratory was similar to Brutus's knife when he said at Trump's convention that he would not endorse Trump for the presidency. Prior to night 2, when I saw the lineup of GOP politicians who were coming to praise Trump after he had maligned all of them in the primary that this was a night of hypocrites. But Cruz proved me wrong, and without agreeing with him, I think he was at least honest to his belief that Trump was not the man he needed to be to be president of the United States. If Trump had been smart enough to remember John Behner's description of Cruz as "Lucifer incarnate", he might have avoided the blow that can bring an end to his chance to be president. This episode proves that Trump is unprepared to be president, because he has no ability to judge people, even those who are against him.
1
I dislike that my country is being used once again for personal control and vendettas......Bush for Iraq and personal oil profits and Trump for personal megalomaniac theater. I'm glad my parents are no longer alive to witness these guys....
8
My parents' hair would have turned white instantly. How low some among our political class have sunk. It's just deeply sad.
3
In the very dangerous times in which we live, it is imperative for Americans to have the fullest possible knowledge and understanding of the people running for President.
As evident in the words and actions of Mr. Trump throughout his campaign, tax records -- essential as they are -- are not enough.
We should be getting a much clearer picture of financial stability, bankruptcy filings, history of law suits, military records (if any), health (including mental health) and marital and divorce history, than we have at present.
Where we get little or none of this information, as in the case of Mr. Trump, Americans are entitled, even obligated, to imagine the worst.
As evident in the words and actions of Mr. Trump throughout his campaign, tax records -- essential as they are -- are not enough.
We should be getting a much clearer picture of financial stability, bankruptcy filings, history of law suits, military records (if any), health (including mental health) and marital and divorce history, than we have at present.
Where we get little or none of this information, as in the case of Mr. Trump, Americans are entitled, even obligated, to imagine the worst.
3
I noticed, I hope correctly, that Cruz litany for "law and order"
included the hideous shootings of police by Muslims and
Blacks, but no mention of White loonies killing children
in CT, or Black worshippers in Charleston, or Columbine
type murders. Nothing about the few whacko police who
found it necessary to kill Blacks already down and under
control.
included the hideous shootings of police by Muslims and
Blacks, but no mention of White loonies killing children
in CT, or Black worshippers in Charleston, or Columbine
type murders. Nothing about the few whacko police who
found it necessary to kill Blacks already down and under
control.
6
The Times is missing the Big Picture. The Republican Party is a Big Tent.
A Big Circus Tent. The Convention has given us an unparalleled upfront view of the Republicans' circus acts, culminating last evening in Ted Cruz sticking his head in the lion's mouth and getting it almost bitten off. How exciting! Even Goldman Sachs got a bit role in the dog and pony show thanks to Ted's wife. But tonight we get to see the star attraction: Trumpie the Clown. Laugh as he launches his Xenophobia Rockets at every treaty the US has negotiated under Democratic and Republican administrations alike. They'll be rolling in the aisles in Cleveland. A few may even cough up their pre-Convention cocktails.
A Big Circus Tent. The Convention has given us an unparalleled upfront view of the Republicans' circus acts, culminating last evening in Ted Cruz sticking his head in the lion's mouth and getting it almost bitten off. How exciting! Even Goldman Sachs got a bit role in the dog and pony show thanks to Ted's wife. But tonight we get to see the star attraction: Trumpie the Clown. Laugh as he launches his Xenophobia Rockets at every treaty the US has negotiated under Democratic and Republican administrations alike. They'll be rolling in the aisles in Cleveland. A few may even cough up their pre-Convention cocktails.
4
As usual, Bruni is ignorant. Cruz told Trump he would not endorse him gave him and his people his speech in advance. They could have told him not to come if he was not going to endorse, but they said ok. Cruz deserves no blame, if you think the speech is blameworthy.
1
The Time's denigration of Ted Cruz (my least favorite presidential candidate) is motivated by it's fear that Bernie and his supporters will not fall nicely in line with the establishment backing Hillary at their convention. They won't. The progressive movement didn't start with Bernie and will continue beyond him - as long as massive income inequality exists in the country.
2
The fear is that through ignorance and spite, the young, new time Bernie supporters will not understand the actual evil that is represented in the Republican party. What they have convinced themselves is principal, by voting for a third party candidate and therefore throwing their vote away they will be aiding probably the person most antithetical to Bernie's world view. There is no purity involved in this. There is just a lack of understanding.
2
The Republican Convention - Another Trump bankruptcy.
6
Exactly. It's part of a pattern. He is destroying the Republican Party. My delight is indescribable.
4
Cruz gets booed for telling delegates to "vote your conscience."
Not surprising. But they should have been applauding the irony.
Not surprising. But they should have been applauding the irony.
5
One of the worst things for the GOP would be to have Trump elected POTUS.
Cruz's speech was the first one he gave that I ever agreed with. "Vote your conscience" -- yes !
Indeed - Cruz "could so easily have tucked “for Trump” but -- what if Cruz does not believe that Trump is good for the GOP ? What (gasp) if he thinks that Trump is bad for the USA?
Party loyalty above all else? Are you claiming Nazi/Bolshevik political theory that "The Party" trumps all?! Even the good of the state?!
Consider that Cruz could have clearly and expressly stated "Vote for Hillary".
By taking your logic to its conclusion - we can do away with elections altogether. All we need do is count party memberships on election day. Subtract voters deemed unwelcome by the various (GOP controlled) state legislatures and that's it.
When membership in Party A (minus disenfranchised voters) is greater than membership in Party B (minus disenfranchised voters), Party A wins. Etc.
Saves money.
Cruz's speech was the first one he gave that I ever agreed with. "Vote your conscience" -- yes !
Indeed - Cruz "could so easily have tucked “for Trump” but -- what if Cruz does not believe that Trump is good for the GOP ? What (gasp) if he thinks that Trump is bad for the USA?
Party loyalty above all else? Are you claiming Nazi/Bolshevik political theory that "The Party" trumps all?! Even the good of the state?!
Consider that Cruz could have clearly and expressly stated "Vote for Hillary".
By taking your logic to its conclusion - we can do away with elections altogether. All we need do is count party memberships on election day. Subtract voters deemed unwelcome by the various (GOP controlled) state legislatures and that's it.
When membership in Party A (minus disenfranchised voters) is greater than membership in Party B (minus disenfranchised voters), Party A wins. Etc.
Saves money.
2
I enjoyed Ted Cruz poking his finger in Don The Con's eye last night. The man called him Lyin' Ted, called Heidi Cruz ugly, and claimed Cruz, Sr was involved with the JFK assassination and the expected Hugs&kisses??? Cruz and Trump represent between them everything that is the train wreck called the Republican Party. As the old saying goes, A pox on both their houses!
2
Wow! I didn't think it was possible, I thought the bar had been set too high. There really is someone who is sleazer than Trump or Hillary. Congratulations Ted Cruz, you have set a new low with your performance.
1
Sorry, Frank, but this time i disagree entirely with you column. Cruz did a brilliant and entertaining act with his words. I still detest him, but in those few words he won my respect at least fora few minutes. Trump had this coming, it was needed and Cruz rose to the occasion. Good for him.
As so many posters have said, "Revenge is a dish best served cold." Trump had it coming.
As so many posters have said, "Revenge is a dish best served cold." Trump had it coming.
2
As a liberal I'm periodically checking in on the Republican convention, i.e. meltdown, between bouts of nausea and thinking "there really is a God in heaven." From Melania's plagiarized speech to a delegate wanting Hillary killed to Cruz not endorsing The Donald after Trump's plane almost landed on Cruz' 2020 election kickoff gathering to Ms. Cruz needing police escort to escape the convention alive to Pence who's the most boring politician in the last decade to Republican Governor Kasich boycotting his own convention in his own state and turning down the VP nod. And now the grand finale - the big acceptance speech by The Donald. I'll bet that he criticizes Hillary at least 25 times before it's over. And I bet that we Democrats will take over the White House and both houses of Congress in January. There Really Is A God In Heaven.
4
yes and the 125,000 balloons that will be dropped tonight on Trump have been inflated by an enterprising group of African American high school students who will receive a donation to their booster club from a local vendor! That's just delicious. When a couple were interviewed they said Trump is a bully, the other said we know what he thinks about us a people - which is actually sad that high school kids have to be aware of that...
1
Never thought I'd find Sen. Lindsey Graham to have the best opinion on an issue, but he was right: the choice of Trump versus Cruz is like choosing to be shot or poisoned. They are both raving narcissists and megalomaniacs.
2
Given what happened during Christie's convention speech last night, Cruz should not have been surprised that his non-endorsement of Trump would elicit raving lunacy from the convention's delegates. But from the video of his reaction, it did! So I'm not sure whether Cruz's speech was an act of political courage, indulgence in personal revenge, an incredibly public act of political suicide brought on by miscalculation, or a brilliant move that will distance him from what is looking more and more like a GOP disaster in November. Maybe it was just a mashup of all four.
But one thing is certain. A party that can't govern itself at its national convention sure as heck won't be able to govern the country.
But one thing is certain. A party that can't govern itself at its national convention sure as heck won't be able to govern the country.
4
At the same time that roomful of delusional habitually angry Republicans was booing their red inflamed heads off, I personally was filled with a truckload of "wicked pleasure" that at last Teflon Donald was getting his comeuppance; at last he was getting some payback for the chronic character assassination he regularly smugly employs including claiming that the father of Ted Cruz was involved in the Kennedy assassination. There is after all a law of cause and affect; a law of consequences that until now the Donald has ignored and willfully been able to skirt.
3
So the Times has given up any pretense of objectivity and is now the No-Trump all the time media outlet.
Will you be calling for a coup if he wins next like your namesake on the left coast??
Will you be calling for a coup if he wins next like your namesake on the left coast??
1
In the Republican spirit of tossing out political correctness, I think we need to just call it like we see it: we're watching a bunch of idiots make a mockery of democracy and worse, the office of the American Presidency.
4
"The Ted in the Punchbowl"!!!
3
Perhaps Mr. Al Baldasaro, who wants to execute Hillary Clinton for the four deaths at Benghazi, would first want to execute GW Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condaleeza Rice, and Paul Wolfowitz, for the tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands wounded in Iraq? Perhaps Mr. Al Baldasaro could show some equivalency of action related to the proportion of dead and wounded for Iraq?
5
Frankly, it's delicious poetic justice to watch two of the biggest dirtbags in American politics sniping at each other. The smarmy sociopath from Texas and the bombastic narcissist from New York. What a political party you've built for yourselves, GOP. I wouldn't trust any of you to run a lemonade stand without burning it to the ground.
4
Propaganda Politics.
That's what the GOP/NRA Party Convention Is.
NO Policy Proposals
NO New Ideas To Move The Nation Forward
NO Plan On How Their "Leader" Will DO Anything Of Note
What do they have?
Hatred. Yelling. Demonetization.
And of Course, Plagiarism....
That's what the GOP/NRA Party Convention Is.
NO Policy Proposals
NO New Ideas To Move The Nation Forward
NO Plan On How Their "Leader" Will DO Anything Of Note
What do they have?
Hatred. Yelling. Demonetization.
And of Course, Plagiarism....
10
This debacle is so bizarre that it's gone from sickening to funny.
So when will 'Trump: The Campaign' become 'Trump: The Broadway Play'?
So when will 'Trump: The Campaign' become 'Trump: The Broadway Play'?
3
"Turning a dull affair into a freak show"-.sounds like you didn't watch the first two nights of the RNC Convention Mr. Bruni. I admit that I didn't watch every moment of this confab because there weren't enough antacids to get a human being through it. Cruz was a veritable Cicero compared to Giuliani and Christie. And as for Cruz's non-endorsement-he may be jockeying for 2020 but he might, just might, not want to endorse a latent fascist for the highest office we have Good on him!
3
Looked like Munich '33. Bruni took the bait.
Why do you need unity? As long as you vote your vote your conscience, Hillary cannot win.
Why do you need unity? As long as you vote your vote your conscience, Hillary cannot win.
1
I have absolutely no sympathy for any Times OP ED columnist attending the Republican convention. Ever since Donald Trump announced his run for the presidency over a year ago the Times responded by been running a non-stop barrage of anti-Trump articles on its OP ED pages every single day. What a disaster that proved to be for the Paper of Record as all of the Times' endless attacks on Donald Trump kept backfiring. On the night of July 21, 2016 Donald Trump will accept the Republican Party's nomination as its candidate for President of the United States for 2016.
It's about time that the NY Times took some responsibility for the Frankenstein it created. \
It's about time that the NY Times took some responsibility for the Frankenstein it created. \
1
Everyone with a combination of knowledge and a care for the fate of this country and the world is anti-Trump.
2
Bravo, NYTimes! You're not afraid to tell the truth.
We have witnessed yet again why John Boehner privately called Cruz "Lucifer in the Flesh".
I just hope this will be the nail in the coffin of the hell Cruz has wrath upon our dear country.
I just hope this will be the nail in the coffin of the hell Cruz has wrath upon our dear country.
3
From Christie to Donald junior to Cruz and especially he man for whom this convention exists, it is a mountainous terrain of ugliness.
11
Let me see the snake oil salesman did not endorse Donald Trump , no surprise in that. In the end even Trump staged the whole thing it did not hurt thick skinned Ted Cruz , or increasing credibility of Donald Trump.
End of the third night Donald Trump still not ready or fit to be the President.
End of the third night Donald Trump still not ready or fit to be the President.
4
Heidi Cruz had to be escorted by security guards?
What a testament to the Republican base.
It would be fun to watch the Republicans' vile hatred turned inwards if it were not so utterly terrifying.
What a testament to the Republican base.
It would be fun to watch the Republicans' vile hatred turned inwards if it were not so utterly terrifying.
7
There is little I like or respect about Ted Cruz, but considering how Trump mistreated his family (wife and father), I think it showed a sense of unprecedented courage (for him) not to support Trump.
That said, Cruz's move doubles down on his guesstimate that Trump will go down in flames to the most hated political figure by the majority of Republicans, making Cruz, Kasick and a few more the only ones not tarnished by Trump trashing their party.
That said, Cruz's move doubles down on his guesstimate that Trump will go down in flames to the most hated political figure by the majority of Republicans, making Cruz, Kasick and a few more the only ones not tarnished by Trump trashing their party.
2
I dislike Cruz more than Trump.
Cruz said goodbye to tens of millions of republican voters last night. Reagan made a great speech in support of Ford in 76 and went on to win the presidency.
I never agreed with much of Reagan's agenda (The national debt exploded with his policies), but I liked the guy - back then it was considered patriotic to hope a president's policies would be good for the country even if you didn't agree with them (We had votes on Supreme Court justices too)
I don't agree with much of Ted Cruz's agenda either, but I can't stand him. Now millions who liked him know why millions of us don't
Cruz said goodbye to tens of millions of republican voters last night. Reagan made a great speech in support of Ford in 76 and went on to win the presidency.
I never agreed with much of Reagan's agenda (The national debt exploded with his policies), but I liked the guy - back then it was considered patriotic to hope a president's policies would be good for the country even if you didn't agree with them (We had votes on Supreme Court justices too)
I don't agree with much of Ted Cruz's agenda either, but I can't stand him. Now millions who liked him know why millions of us don't
I don't understand Frank Bruni's notion that politicians need "to play nice and play along". The Republican convention may be idiotic, but the consequences could be serious for all that. Millions of lives might be at stake. Billions, perhaps. I don't think Cruz has the correct answers, either, but he can at least see through Donald Trump. Given a chance to undermine that dangerous demagogue, it was his duty to do so. Stepping on party hack toes and upsetting the sensibility of pundits are less important considerations. I never expected to say this, but "Well done, Mr. Cruz."
2
Frank
False prophet. I always like when something in the modern era illuminates the biblical past. How does a group which espouses one set of ideas find themselves following a leader who espouses another? We are watching it happen. You would think the Republicans, of all groups, would know Matthew 7:15.
False prophet. I always like when something in the modern era illuminates the biblical past. How does a group which espouses one set of ideas find themselves following a leader who espouses another? We are watching it happen. You would think the Republicans, of all groups, would know Matthew 7:15.
1
Please Texans, get rid of Cruz when he is up for re-election. He is bad for Texas and bad for America.
7
Amen!
1
When vile people get even an iota of comeuppance which they so richly deserve, it is so heart warming.
Now, something similar for theRump, please...
Now, something similar for theRump, please...
2
Ted Cruz is the apprentice, and he's learning. Do and say what you want, when you want, be outrageous and unpredictable, go for shock value, just like the boss man. Trump should be proud. Cruz did a pretty good Trump impersonation. His speech may have been the ultimate in political incorrectness. Be happy, Donald. You've taught your students well -- well, at least this one.
Has anyone tried turning off the Republican Party, waiting 40 seconds, and then turning it back on?
5
If Trump somehow wins, will the new Law and Order candidate maintain an Enemies List. Ted Cruz will be right at the top. Expect an IRS audit
Wild dogs conduct themselves with more decorum. What a terrible vision this conjures for America.
1
Sen. Cruz definitely is a nasty piece of work. But then, again, so are they all.
6
This is entertainment, scripted like the WWE. It all makes good sense when looked at through that lens. Stop taking it seriously, as though there is substance. It is all misdirection; you should be reporting what is behind the curtain.
1
"It is all misdirection; you should be reporting what is behind the curtain."
The play is awful, and you want to meet the director and talk to the writer!? I thank the NYT for sparing us (and their reporters).
The play is awful, and you want to meet the director and talk to the writer!? I thank the NYT for sparing us (and their reporters).
Really, I think this column wrong-headed throughout. What was Cruz doing if not standing for his own conscience (by refusing an insincere endorsement, as lickspittle Christie offered) & revealing his capacity for independence (surely a virtue in politics, no?)
4
Unbelievable. The Times has been bluntly attacking Trump every day for a full year -- for good reason, of course -- then when Cruz makes a more subtle play at the same game, he gets called a narcissist by Bruni and a misanthrope by Dowd? Drop your biases for one moment, people, and admit: Cruz stood by his principles and did the right thing with his speech.
For making the most non-partisan, agreeable statement by any candidate this entire election cycle -- “Don’t stay home in November. Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience” -- and for punching the bully in his nose at his own party, tonight we should all be calling Cruz what he really is: American Hero.
For making the most non-partisan, agreeable statement by any candidate this entire election cycle -- “Don’t stay home in November. Stand, and speak, and vote your conscience” -- and for punching the bully in his nose at his own party, tonight we should all be calling Cruz what he really is: American Hero.
4
Say what you want about Ted Cruz, and I've said plenty myself, none of it complementary. Until now.
The guy is gutsy and really smart.
He believes that Trump is going to lose, and he's putting all his chips on the table for 2020.
The guy is gutsy and really smart.
He believes that Trump is going to lose, and he's putting all his chips on the table for 2020.
6
The Week of the Bombasts is limping along toward its well-deserved conclusion. The proud candidate has centerstage fired-up and ready for him Thursday night by his H-U-G-E number of supporters, (his Cruz to bear notwithstanding) the Donald is certain to make America feel safer after dashing off what is to be an eloquent (and original) oration which will explain how he came to capture the hearts and minds of the disenchanted minority of the GOP electorate and how easily he will catapult the nation backward in time into its once great future. Giuliani saved New York, Christie saved New Jersey, and may God save us all.
3
He did a Trump on Trump. Trump has made a carrier out of being nasty to everyone including his own party. Maybe Curz would have been nicer if Trump had said things about Cruz's father, wife and children. It is not all about Trump. It is the party and country as well although Trump would disagree there could be anything grander, bigger, better than himself.
2
What an amazing article! You write: "By saying yes, Cruz was suggesting that he’d play nice and play along, or at least that’s what he should have been telegraphing. If his convictions precluded such obedience, he could have stayed home."
Several Republicans who used to have convictions, who'd identified Trump as a racist, the "family values" people who can somehow applaud a thrice-married self-confessed philanderer, have paraded in front of the cameras and made nice in support of the smirking bully who leads their party this year. (Luckily Trump has family, or his list of speakers would have been slim indeed!)
Now, for the very first time, I find something admirable about Ted Cruz. "Vote your conscience," he said. Many of his fellow Republicans have mislaid theirs somewhere on the road to Cleveland.
Several Republicans who used to have convictions, who'd identified Trump as a racist, the "family values" people who can somehow applaud a thrice-married self-confessed philanderer, have paraded in front of the cameras and made nice in support of the smirking bully who leads their party this year. (Luckily Trump has family, or his list of speakers would have been slim indeed!)
Now, for the very first time, I find something admirable about Ted Cruz. "Vote your conscience," he said. Many of his fellow Republicans have mislaid theirs somewhere on the road to Cleveland.
2
Ted Cruz has principles. They may be wrong, but they're principles. That's more than can be said about most Republicans.
3
I've said it before and I'll say it again, republicans are their own worst enemies. They eventually cannibalize each other.
1
Cruz and Trump are two sides the GOP counterfeit coin. Anyone supporting either deserves the consequences.
1
The fear among the left is palpable. This convention displays only the most marginal forms of nationalism, and already we get the hysteria about "fascism".
You are probably the same Wei who thinks that "egalitarianism" is the big problem of the West.
Frank, in fairness to Ted Cruz (and I just had to get up to take a long, lingering look in the mirror after typing those words), Trump brought this on himself. His attacks on Cruz during the primary, like suggesting Cruz senior had a hand in the Kennedy assassination, were way outside the pale. Trump reaped what he sowed Wednesday night, while the rest of us saw yet more evidence of why this guy is utterly unsuited for the presidency.
1
How does this guy make money? I know, he has a history of business failings, but even then, he has made some money along the way. No business can run under the conditions we are now watching at this convention. Just a total organizational mess.
1
the delegates are educated people. It's disquieting to watch them turning into rabble rousers manipulated by a reality TV host.
1
In the neighborhood I grew up in, the routine response to a man who insulted your father, mother, wife, girlfriend, masculinity or dog was a punch in the face,
Sen. Cruz delivered that punch last night, in my opinion quite rightly.
.
Sen. Cruz delivered that punch last night, in my opinion quite rightly.
.
3
The concept of Donald Trump running for ANY elected office makes me shudder.
And the Cruz speech? In a way, it wasn't surprising. At least Donald Trump supposedly has friends; Cruz is probably the most hated member of Congress. Even his own party disavows him unless he can be used as a vicious, nasty tool. What he did on Wednesdays demonstrates why his peers feel the way that they do about him.
And the Cruz speech? In a way, it wasn't surprising. At least Donald Trump supposedly has friends; Cruz is probably the most hated member of Congress. Even his own party disavows him unless he can be used as a vicious, nasty tool. What he did on Wednesdays demonstrates why his peers feel the way that they do about him.
The Trump campaign is suffused with undertones of violence, including Trump himself swaggering around saying he wanted to punch someone in the face and saying of a protester "In the old days he would have been carried out on a stretcher." Then there was Trump's statement his supporters would stick with him if he shot someone on 5th Avenue. It seems that when at rest, Trump's mind automatically resets to pleasing thoughts of someone somewhere getting a beating. This is a guy who spent years promoting wrestling, when he pretended (note the 'pretended') to be threatening to beat people up himself.
Trump doesn't appear to have ever been in a physical fight in his life - he just threatens people. He enjoys violence when it involves other people, not him.
Al Baldasaro, who made the comment that Hillary should be executed, isn't even that weird a character in Trump World. Remember Trump's longtime butler Anthony Senecal repeatedly made facebook posts saying President Obama should be killed? Trump seems to both attract and intentionally surround himself with people obsessed with violence - a life populated with sordid, unstable people. Now there's a warning sign........
Trump doesn't appear to have ever been in a physical fight in his life - he just threatens people. He enjoys violence when it involves other people, not him.
Al Baldasaro, who made the comment that Hillary should be executed, isn't even that weird a character in Trump World. Remember Trump's longtime butler Anthony Senecal repeatedly made facebook posts saying President Obama should be killed? Trump seems to both attract and intentionally surround himself with people obsessed with violence - a life populated with sordid, unstable people. Now there's a warning sign........
3
For a group that touts its strong Christian belief and values, it is quite astounding how UN-Christian this convention has been so far. Violating most of the Ten Commandments - I think it is clear which ones they have treaded on.
Mr. Baldasaro inciting the murder of Clinton under the specious claim that she lied - how about directing his criminal vindictiveness toward those who lied him and the rest of the world into a war of convenience and profit in Iraq? The word "Hypocrisy" just does not properly convey the systemic and intentional divisive hatred being incited by this GOP mob extravaganza.
Putin must be thinking he won the cold war after all looking at this shameful display in Cleveland.
Mr. Baldasaro inciting the murder of Clinton under the specious claim that she lied - how about directing his criminal vindictiveness toward those who lied him and the rest of the world into a war of convenience and profit in Iraq? The word "Hypocrisy" just does not properly convey the systemic and intentional divisive hatred being incited by this GOP mob extravaganza.
Putin must be thinking he won the cold war after all looking at this shameful display in Cleveland.
1
Instead of different wings of a traditional political party vying for influence, we are witnessing a battle for personal power between cliques grouped around ambitious individuals and maniacs. When a key study showed that American politicians are four times more likely than the general population to be subclinical psychopaths it sounds impressive and the last three days in Cleveland bears more resemblance to that fact.
1
Cruz, in this instance only, is a hero. He refused to be kept away from a convention of his party to which he had earned the right to speak as the candidate with the second largest number of delegates. And, he refused to bow down to a man who called his wife ugly and accused his father of killing JFK. He refused to endorse a candidate to represent his party who he believes is unqualified, doesn't represent the real values of the party, and is truly dangerous. I don't like Ted Cruz, but I have more respect for him today than I do for Rubio, Perry, Christie, Pence, and Paul Ryan all of whom have either been insulted by Trump and/or who know that he is an absolute disaster but are supporting him anyway. Cruz, Kasich, the Bushes and others are making a principles stand for the values of the Republican Party.
3
There is also an editorial in the Times today about the situation in France -- the writer argues that France's particular commitment to secularism as a facet of citizenship has alienated immigrants, and says it's time for the French state to rethink and adapt. But what does religion bring to politics? Before the Age of Reason and the rise of freethinking, religions ruled the planet. Obedience was enforced with threats of damnation, and inspired by promises of paradise. People who "belonged" to one faith opposed those who "belonged" to others -- on every scale and at every level, from where they lived, to where they were buried. This continues, and it is summoned, invoked, and celebrated this week in Cleveland. When I think back to the "great" decades of the 50's-60's-70's, I recall that even though people in upstate New York generally seemed to identify with one faith or another, their practice was largely perfunctory. Since then, there has been a rebirth of fundamentalism, evangelism, and cathartic ritual: emotion over logic. With this, a move away from the commitment to secular public education. The political travesty in Cleveland is a direct result. Speakers at the RNC repeatedly cast lawlessness and terrorism, and fear of terrorism, as the inevitable outcome when leadership is not divinely ordained. This reaction is contrary to the response embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is a direct attack on the values that define a free nation.
1
Ross Douthat had a thoughtful rumination on Fox and Trump in this space.
The reason why our politics increasingly resemble reality TV is a universal franchise that we insist on taking seriously. It seems that with every election we flush out another few percentage points of the “eligible” voter population – Dems are particularly maniacal about this with their wounded screeches over “voter suppression”, vaporous at any thought of not finding SOMETHING useful under EVERY rock they pry up.
I’d suggest if Dems are ever successful at placing a “D” button on every beer bottle in every sports bar in America (to facilitate beyond absurdity a voting process they’re certain benefits them), that they’ll actually destroy themselves as a party: they’re just not entertaining enough for SERIOUS lions-eating-Christians spectacles. When we could count on the participation of only 50% of eligible voters, the tone was yuuugely more serious because these were more serious people, and far more engaged.
The Hannity part of Fox and Trump himself realize, instinctively, that with every additional million voters we bring online the successful proponents of ideology need to be that much more effective at entertainment. Fox and Trump do a good job, while Dems fail dismally.
If Mrs. Clinton loses this contest, it might come down to her being the least entertaining presidential candidate in generations. But, by all means, keep prying up those rocks.
The reason why our politics increasingly resemble reality TV is a universal franchise that we insist on taking seriously. It seems that with every election we flush out another few percentage points of the “eligible” voter population – Dems are particularly maniacal about this with their wounded screeches over “voter suppression”, vaporous at any thought of not finding SOMETHING useful under EVERY rock they pry up.
I’d suggest if Dems are ever successful at placing a “D” button on every beer bottle in every sports bar in America (to facilitate beyond absurdity a voting process they’re certain benefits them), that they’ll actually destroy themselves as a party: they’re just not entertaining enough for SERIOUS lions-eating-Christians spectacles. When we could count on the participation of only 50% of eligible voters, the tone was yuuugely more serious because these were more serious people, and far more engaged.
The Hannity part of Fox and Trump himself realize, instinctively, that with every additional million voters we bring online the successful proponents of ideology need to be that much more effective at entertainment. Fox and Trump do a good job, while Dems fail dismally.
If Mrs. Clinton loses this contest, it might come down to her being the least entertaining presidential candidate in generations. But, by all means, keep prying up those rocks.
1
So, “with every election we flush out another few percentage points of the “eligible” voter population – Dems are particularly maniacal about this.” The truth is just the opposite. The voter Id issue and the realization, nay, the admission, that the efforts to impose strict requirements, yet not to support the obtaining of those Ids, was all of a strategy to restrict and suppress voting. This has been the GOP mania. They’re the ones who vaporously pried up the rock of voter Id fraud and even though little of it was found, they were not dissuaded. That of course was because the exposure of fraud was not their real goal; it was the suppression of voting that they were pursuing.
We are treated to a GOP-style descent into absurdity and extremism with lines like “if Dems are ever successful at placing a “D” button on every beer bottle in every sports bar in America (to facilitate beyond absurdity a voting process…).” Nothing approaching that has ever been suggested or advocated, but theatrical accusations are all the GOP has in the way of debate points.
The small notion that Fox is a reputable news organization is dispelled with the admission that they are “much more effective at entertainment,” that “Fox and Trump do a good job.” Who, other than devout Fox viewers, didn’t already know that?
Limited voting, as in primaries, has brought us the “spectacle” of a Trump nomination. And you would call this “more serious because these were more serious people, and far more engaged”?
We are treated to a GOP-style descent into absurdity and extremism with lines like “if Dems are ever successful at placing a “D” button on every beer bottle in every sports bar in America (to facilitate beyond absurdity a voting process…).” Nothing approaching that has ever been suggested or advocated, but theatrical accusations are all the GOP has in the way of debate points.
The small notion that Fox is a reputable news organization is dispelled with the admission that they are “much more effective at entertainment,” that “Fox and Trump do a good job.” Who, other than devout Fox viewers, didn’t already know that?
Limited voting, as in primaries, has brought us the “spectacle” of a Trump nomination. And you would call this “more serious because these were more serious people, and far more engaged”?
1
Welcome to the over-entertained society.
Oh come, now, Richard! Surely you know the 'Voter Fraud' and Gerrymander - schtick were creatures dreamed-up and enacted by the Republican party expressly for the purpose of making America a One-Party nation, and you seem to forget the fates of two of the most recent incarnations of One Party Politics (Bolshevvism, and the NAZIs)
1
First, let me extend my sympathy to the NYT journalists and columnists who have to sit through this nonsense for 4 days. I assume you all have drink heavily to sedate yourselves.
I am surprised there are two blacks among the photos presented in this column though. I shouldn't but I did. After all, there are folks like Dr Ben Carlson. But the current GOP is almost like Captain Ahab's dream coming true. There is a Great White Whale after all!
Cruz is Cruz and Trump is Trump, and Gov Chris Christie is making his last ditch attempt to get a gig with the would-be Trump Administration. He was auditioning for AG last night but maybe his expertise is in transportation. After all, by rejecting a free 3rd tunnel (between NYC and NJ) and a bridgegate, not to mention all the crumbling NJ infrastructure, GOP should feel safe to task him with the job to starve the beast.
One thing though, this convention really crystalizes what many people like myself don't understand the GOP. Between Mrs Trump's stunting white gown and Speaker Ryan's group of young interns - I am sure they are capable bunch, some may even be filled with idealism - it dawns on me Trump has become their symbol of the Great White Hope. No wonder the extremists and supremacists are so drawn to him
I am surprised there are two blacks among the photos presented in this column though. I shouldn't but I did. After all, there are folks like Dr Ben Carlson. But the current GOP is almost like Captain Ahab's dream coming true. There is a Great White Whale after all!
Cruz is Cruz and Trump is Trump, and Gov Chris Christie is making his last ditch attempt to get a gig with the would-be Trump Administration. He was auditioning for AG last night but maybe his expertise is in transportation. After all, by rejecting a free 3rd tunnel (between NYC and NJ) and a bridgegate, not to mention all the crumbling NJ infrastructure, GOP should feel safe to task him with the job to starve the beast.
One thing though, this convention really crystalizes what many people like myself don't understand the GOP. Between Mrs Trump's stunting white gown and Speaker Ryan's group of young interns - I am sure they are capable bunch, some may even be filled with idealism - it dawns on me Trump has become their symbol of the Great White Hope. No wonder the extremists and supremacists are so drawn to him
11
This was the first major gauntlet thrown down in the Republican presidential fight for 2020.
Cruz from the first has been running for 2020. Surprised that Trump was clearing the field of everyone but him -- and especially of Bush -- Cruz started to take 2016 seriously. Once it was clear he wouldn't get the nomination, he was faced with having to decide if Trump might win. Having decided Trump was likely to lose, Cruz went back to his original plan of preparing for 2020. To do that at this point, he had to maintain his credibility with his supporters, all of whom loathe Trump. Thus it became an easy call not to support Trump and to do it in a very public way with maximum publicity. Not only does Cruz thus embed himself rock solid with his supporters, but he gets points from much of the Republican establishment which, though they do not like him, will appreciate what Cruz did, even if their public cheers are muted.
Again, this was the first major gauntlet thrown down in the Republican presidential fight in 2020.
Cruz from the first has been running for 2020. Surprised that Trump was clearing the field of everyone but him -- and especially of Bush -- Cruz started to take 2016 seriously. Once it was clear he wouldn't get the nomination, he was faced with having to decide if Trump might win. Having decided Trump was likely to lose, Cruz went back to his original plan of preparing for 2020. To do that at this point, he had to maintain his credibility with his supporters, all of whom loathe Trump. Thus it became an easy call not to support Trump and to do it in a very public way with maximum publicity. Not only does Cruz thus embed himself rock solid with his supporters, but he gets points from much of the Republican establishment which, though they do not like him, will appreciate what Cruz did, even if their public cheers are muted.
Again, this was the first major gauntlet thrown down in the Republican presidential fight in 2020.
4
I can't stand Ted Cruz, but this time I thought "bravo". Why should he stay home and play mum, and suck up to Trump in his speech like all the other sycophants? Besides, the more upheaval in the GOP the better.
26
Me too, Jennifer! I'm a Texan, and I can't stand him, either.
2
he is despicable, but you are right (no pun intended), he did the correct thing.
2
The Trump show boggles the mind - his father-in-law is a member of the Communist Party (and Ms. Trump). A crazed mob want to do bodily harm to Hillary Clinton. All that is missing are the white robes, hoods, and torches. I see photos of machine gun carrying civilians. Mr. Trump will not defend NATO members against invasion. Mr. Trump wants to alienate both Canada and Mexico. He prefers his Communist buddies? Is this really the USA?
25
Barbara, it is not the 'America' that I know, or could have predicted. H.E. Munro might have been able to make something out of this. Perhaps we should not react to the sting and stench, but keep our eyes wide open during this nightmarish time.
The Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the Liberties that many of our ancestors fought for, have been tarnished, but all is not lost. Some of us are putting up a fight, regardless of Party affiliation. We are Americans first, and although what we are seeing may send cold shivers our way, we are not going to give up our spine, our spirit or whatever it takes to be a 'True American'.
Disturbers of Peace and instigators of Violence should be placed in jail to cool their heels. Freedom of Speech, followed by acts of Hate and threats, to be condemned. There is something evil and nauseous in the air, and a great many Americans are not in league with 'The Trump Dynasty' which appears to be bent on bringing out the worst of us. A Civil War is taking place and this is a call for the People of America to unite.
The Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the Liberties that many of our ancestors fought for, have been tarnished, but all is not lost. Some of us are putting up a fight, regardless of Party affiliation. We are Americans first, and although what we are seeing may send cold shivers our way, we are not going to give up our spine, our spirit or whatever it takes to be a 'True American'.
Disturbers of Peace and instigators of Violence should be placed in jail to cool their heels. Freedom of Speech, followed by acts of Hate and threats, to be condemned. There is something evil and nauseous in the air, and a great many Americans are not in league with 'The Trump Dynasty' which appears to be bent on bringing out the worst of us. A Civil War is taking place and this is a call for the People of America to unite.
Barbara, all that's missing are the brown shirts.
1
I beg to disagree.
I never liked Cruz. But I am happy he gave Trump a helping from hell.
I do not think Cruz's behavior was beyond the pale. He was not being too aggressive, or too egocentric or too narcissistic. (And how can any one top Trump in those obnoxious traits.)
Today, we are too used to scripted conventions in which everything was determined in advance. Very few things are left to chance and they're a bore.
Years ago, when conventions were often contested fierce fights broke out.
In the 1960 Democratic Convention, Eugene Mc Carthy made a proud, riveting nominating speech For ADlai Stevenson (The refrain was "Do not Reject this Man."). Mc Carthy didn't tone down his exuberance or cut his conscience becuase JFK seemed likely to win. In 1924, the Dem Party was torn between the KKK and northern progressives, over 100 ballots were held until a nominee was found, and I believe physical violence transpired. And in 1968 in Chicago, as the police rioted against peace protesters, Abraham Ribicoff, at the lecturn and in front of America, accused Mayor Daley of Gestapo Tactics in the Streets of Chicago. Now that was politics.
Yes, Cruz does not play by the rules; he doesn't "get along, go alone" as Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, said while arguing how Legislators should behave.
I never liked Cruz. But I am happy he gave Trump a helping from hell.
I do not think Cruz's behavior was beyond the pale. He was not being too aggressive, or too egocentric or too narcissistic. (And how can any one top Trump in those obnoxious traits.)
Today, we are too used to scripted conventions in which everything was determined in advance. Very few things are left to chance and they're a bore.
Years ago, when conventions were often contested fierce fights broke out.
In the 1960 Democratic Convention, Eugene Mc Carthy made a proud, riveting nominating speech For ADlai Stevenson (The refrain was "Do not Reject this Man."). Mc Carthy didn't tone down his exuberance or cut his conscience becuase JFK seemed likely to win. In 1924, the Dem Party was torn between the KKK and northern progressives, over 100 ballots were held until a nominee was found, and I believe physical violence transpired. And in 1968 in Chicago, as the police rioted against peace protesters, Abraham Ribicoff, at the lecturn and in front of America, accused Mayor Daley of Gestapo Tactics in the Streets of Chicago. Now that was politics.
Yes, Cruz does not play by the rules; he doesn't "get along, go alone" as Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, said while arguing how Legislators should behave.
8
I knew Eugene McCarthy, if only very casually. He was the most decorous, civilized of men. He would have been appalled by this crazy Hate Fest, or a candidate whose surrogate has called for the opposing candidate to be executed.
2
I agree. Isn't standing up to the bully better than staying away if given the chance to speak? Cruz's policies are no better than Trumps, but why would staying away haven a better way to go? If only Priebus and Ryan would follow suit and denounce the demagogue.
2
I thought Republicans were supposed to be boring. This is more fun than professional wrestling.
6
Best thing to happen since Roller-Derby!!
Baldasaro saying that Clinton should be executed was Baldasaro's way of showing support for Trump.
Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign’s spokeswoman said, “We’re incredibly grateful for his support, but we don’t agree with his comments.”
It follows that the Trump campaign is grateful to Baldasaro for saying Clinton should be executed even if they don't agree with his comments?
Any way this Republican party parses there is soul-sickness there.
Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign’s spokeswoman said, “We’re incredibly grateful for his support, but we don’t agree with his comments.”
It follows that the Trump campaign is grateful to Baldasaro for saying Clinton should be executed even if they don't agree with his comments?
Any way this Republican party parses there is soul-sickness there.
20
Trump and his doppelgänger don't like each other. Quelle surprise.
Cruz gave him back exactly what Trump dropped on his head earlier and Trump just showed us and the whole world that his totally predictable ego made him blind here. He actually thought a guy like Cruz was going to "make nice" to him.
Let's keep both of these guys away from the ship of state.
Cruz gave him back exactly what Trump dropped on his head earlier and Trump just showed us and the whole world that his totally predictable ego made him blind here. He actually thought a guy like Cruz was going to "make nice" to him.
Let's keep both of these guys away from the ship of state.
16
"About midway through the Republican platform, there appears this statement: “We support reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 which prohibits commercial banks from engaging in high-risk investments.”
But if Hillary gets elected, she'll veto it. Guess I'll have to vote for Trump.
But if Hillary gets elected, she'll veto it. Guess I'll have to vote for Trump.
1
You believe what Trump says?
- So did the folks who paid thousands for the so-called Trump University and are now suing to get their money back
- So did the contractors and vendors who lost millions when Trump cavalierly declared bankruptcy FOUR times.
- So did the business people, mostly small business people, who didn't get paid the amount promised in their contracts with Trump
- and finally, so did the two wives, the mother of four of his children, to whom he promised to be faithful until 'death do us part' and then very publicly cheated on them.
You really believe anything Trump promises? Your vote is to precious to waste.
- So did the folks who paid thousands for the so-called Trump University and are now suing to get their money back
- So did the contractors and vendors who lost millions when Trump cavalierly declared bankruptcy FOUR times.
- So did the business people, mostly small business people, who didn't get paid the amount promised in their contracts with Trump
- and finally, so did the two wives, the mother of four of his children, to whom he promised to be faithful until 'death do us part' and then very publicly cheated on them.
You really believe anything Trump promises? Your vote is to precious to waste.
1
Folks, I don't like Trump or the convention any more than you do, and probably less. Still, looking at this from the perspective of a voter just watching, I thought they had a pretty good night. Walker and Gingrich delivered. Pence gave a very good speech at the end. Cruz is a devious oddball with a lot of cerebral activity going on. I'm not sure that the Cruz debacle was seen that way by most voters watching. Punditry is not necessarily electoral reality.
2
Listening to Chris Christie's "prosecution" of Hillary Clinton last night at the GOP Convention was extremely troubling. He manipulated the crowd into declaring her "guilty" of pretty much all the world's problems from terrorism to human rights violations. His purpose was to incite rage and violence. He appeared amused and pleased that he succeeded in causing the crowd to angrily chant "lock her up!" He is irresponsible and dangerous. How pathetic Trump and the GOP are to allow such incompetent and uncalled for behavior. Then there's the representative from New Hampshire who says Hillary should be executed! Unbelievable. And no one from the GOP speaks out and calls for the behavior to stop. It's clear they have zero leadership. It's frightening.
64
At this juncture, I am utterly confused. Texas is a conservative state. Here people talk of school prayer, the curse of transgender bathrooms and abortion. Clinton spelled upside down and backwards is Satan. By and large they are voting for Trump.
I heard his wife's speech the other night and thought about vampires. To my mind, their supporting a man for the presidency that's a walking, talking sociopath among other things.
The jokes are getting old. He might actually win. He's not a logical choice, but much of history is illogical, and mankind self immolating.
I heard his wife's speech the other night and thought about vampires. To my mind, their supporting a man for the presidency that's a walking, talking sociopath among other things.
The jokes are getting old. He might actually win. He's not a logical choice, but much of history is illogical, and mankind self immolating.
20
I am continually surprised at the surprise of the journalists when it comes to the Republicans.
Like all this just happened....over night.
Where have they been since 2008 when Mitch McConnell declared war on Obama?
All Things Obama BAD!
Republicans even voted against their own bills the second the president thought enough of the bill to support it.
Overt racism, incompetence, obstinance, obstruction all...all have become the template for Republican behavior.
And now they're stumped...STUMPED...at how their party got this bad.....
and apparently over night.
Like all this just happened....over night.
Where have they been since 2008 when Mitch McConnell declared war on Obama?
All Things Obama BAD!
Republicans even voted against their own bills the second the president thought enough of the bill to support it.
Overt racism, incompetence, obstinance, obstruction all...all have become the template for Republican behavior.
And now they're stumped...STUMPED...at how their party got this bad.....
and apparently over night.
25
To my young neighbors, so poor that the broken panes in their windows are made of cardboard;
To the gentleman, once from Queens now retired, he drives Americans on errands. He is a Trump supporter;
To the fine men, roof constructors hard at work, far finer than Trump, they will vote for him;
To my African-American friends in the Humanitarian Community, let us safeguard our Children in this dangerous hour;
To so many good people in my Country, women and men of all nationalities and color, we will not give into Despair, and we will not hand America over to this Convention with a smile of hatred that shines like a silver plate on a coffin.
To the gentleman, once from Queens now retired, he drives Americans on errands. He is a Trump supporter;
To the fine men, roof constructors hard at work, far finer than Trump, they will vote for him;
To my African-American friends in the Humanitarian Community, let us safeguard our Children in this dangerous hour;
To so many good people in my Country, women and men of all nationalities and color, we will not give into Despair, and we will not hand America over to this Convention with a smile of hatred that shines like a silver plate on a coffin.
3
Didn't everyone expect Trump's convention to be chaotic and menacing? It's exactly like the Republican candidate himself. Wherever he goes he brings the aura of dissension and strife.
On the other side, I'm horrified by Hillary's possible choice of Tim Kaine to the ticket. He's firmly against bank regulation in spite of the latest deregulation disaster in 2008. Sherrod Brown would be such a better fit for her. He is clearly fond of her and he's the best defender of feminism and social reform short of Bernie. Her pick will say a lot about her.
On the other side, I'm horrified by Hillary's possible choice of Tim Kaine to the ticket. He's firmly against bank regulation in spite of the latest deregulation disaster in 2008. Sherrod Brown would be such a better fit for her. He is clearly fond of her and he's the best defender of feminism and social reform short of Bernie. Her pick will say a lot about her.
3
I think the big reveal to us about the Republican convention is the constant undertone of violence - and even the overt talk about Hillary being imprisoned or a call by one of Trump's supporters (a man Trump has introduced as a spokesperson at one of his events in Trump Tower) for her to be executed. The air of chaos surrounding the convention hasn't concealed the vitriol, which is at a shocking level for an official, organized, national political event.
I don't much like Hillary but after watching the barely submerged violence at this GOP convention, nothing Hillary could do horrifies me.
All I care about now is getting Trump & Co. off stage before he does anymore damage to this country.
All I care about now is getting Trump & Co. off stage before he does anymore damage to this country.
2
I agree 100%, I'd love to see Sherrod Brown running with Hillary, in fact I would have rather seen him for the top spot!!!!
I can not believe after this convention people can't see the disaster a Trump presidency would be.
I actually had a "shout out" with two of my sisters yesterday about him. They trust him more than Hillary????????????????????????????????????????
I can not believe after this convention people can't see the disaster a Trump presidency would be.
I actually had a "shout out" with two of my sisters yesterday about him. They trust him more than Hillary????????????????????????????????????????
1
GOP/Trump voter: a malcontent that has an axe to grind with some group of designated"others" who are the designated cause of all of the world's problems; one who protects a delusional reality behind a brainless delegation of personal responsibility and accountability for anything and everything that's wrong with their life or doesn't meet their personal expectations for grandeur; a person suffering from ideological blindness..........and then there's just the plain old regular haters.
6
Empty drum (trump) has instilled fanaticism in the minds of a group of people in our society. They are so ferocious and they want to settle the score by violent means. This animal is going to haunt him soon. He encourages people to arm; he does not know what he is triggering.
These idiots talk about constitution and freedom of speech. However they are not aware that Constitution never allow you to hurt others by your speech and action. Empty drum is just a waste, and must be dumped. He has created an evil group within our society. Ultimately that group will be refined or purged by the forth coming Hillary Clinton administration!
These idiots talk about constitution and freedom of speech. However they are not aware that Constitution never allow you to hurt others by your speech and action. Empty drum is just a waste, and must be dumped. He has created an evil group within our society. Ultimately that group will be refined or purged by the forth coming Hillary Clinton administration!
5
What a mixed up farce.
Cruz refuses to endorse Trump, Trump leaves Mike Pence alone on the stage after he gives him a little almost cheek smooch and turns around, Newt Gingrch and Scott Walker again put the limelight on Hillary, Trump's son gives Trump a Daddy A+, and the crowd yells "Lock Her Up" as a Hillary Clinton message.
I can remember watching these conventions and feeling a sense of respect of country and humanity.
The RNC today seems more like a zoo.
Cruz refuses to endorse Trump, Trump leaves Mike Pence alone on the stage after he gives him a little almost cheek smooch and turns around, Newt Gingrch and Scott Walker again put the limelight on Hillary, Trump's son gives Trump a Daddy A+, and the crowd yells "Lock Her Up" as a Hillary Clinton message.
I can remember watching these conventions and feeling a sense of respect of country and humanity.
The RNC today seems more like a zoo.
14
The talk of assassinating Hillary Clinton is dangerous and irresponsible. But it is what the anti-abortion zealots have been doing for years. And hoping there is some wacko out there in the crowd that will attempt murder, being caught up in the frenzy. This is so despicable that I can't believe it's happening in America. But I just hope that some of these wacko Republicans look at themselves on TV and realize just what they are advocating. This is not political. It's conspiratorial.
12
it's called TREASON.
1
Andrew Rosenthal wondered about the usage of the J in Donald J Trump. You mean like the Rodham in Hillary Rodham Clinton?
2
"Al Baldasaro ... spoke up as a veteran for Trump earlier in the campaign, ..."
More precisely, Trump INTRODUCED Baldasaro at Trump's own event. See the full video on Youtube. If you watch carefully, you will see Baldasaro smile when Trump calls a reporter a "sleeze" just before Trump introduces Baldasaro.
(On Youtube, search for "trump veterans news conference".)
More precisely, Trump INTRODUCED Baldasaro at Trump's own event. See the full video on Youtube. If you watch carefully, you will see Baldasaro smile when Trump calls a reporter a "sleeze" just before Trump introduces Baldasaro.
(On Youtube, search for "trump veterans news conference".)
5
The vitriol leveled against Hillary Clinton terrifies me. It is similar to the vitriol leveled against women (see recent vitriol against star of new Ghostbusters for an example) on the internet - calls for executions, rape, violence...tee-shirts saying Hillary sucks, but Monica sucks harder, etc. etc. This needs to be called out for the absolute hatred and sexualized violence speech that it is, and all decent women and men, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, should stand against it. The fact that the Republican party has allowed this to occur at their convention, broadcast on national television...Words do have consequences. I cannot find enough words to express my horror, and I wish Hillary Clinton did not have to hear, read or know about such violent speech directed at her, personally. She is not a object; she is a living, breathing woman who deserves to be treated with courtesy and kindness as do we all. No one should ever have to hear such language spoken about them. Ever. And there is absolutely hatred of women in the level of the vitriol, just like Barack Obama endured hatred of African-Americans with language I cannot even repeat spread all over the internet, not to mention 3 times as many death threats. But even he did not have to hear a member of the political class - a state representative - call for his execution.
19
@Leigh
Good post and I agree with all your points. But remember that Trump's longtime butler Anthony Senecal repeatedly made Facebook posts saying that President Obama should be killed. Again and again and again. Senecal had said in the past that he and Trump enjoying talking politics. Hard to imagine that Trump had no idea what Senecal thought about Obama, given that he was publicly advocating on Facebook for him to be murdered.
Trump lives in a sordid world.
Good post and I agree with all your points. But remember that Trump's longtime butler Anthony Senecal repeatedly made Facebook posts saying that President Obama should be killed. Again and again and again. Senecal had said in the past that he and Trump enjoying talking politics. Hard to imagine that Trump had no idea what Senecal thought about Obama, given that he was publicly advocating on Facebook for him to be murdered.
Trump lives in a sordid world.
3
Family values Republican style.
1
Haaretz has compared the rhetoric at the GOP convention to the rhetoric in Israel preceding Rabin's assassination. The Republicans are playing a very dangerous game. The chants at the convention are just plain ugly and Baldasaro is among the worst. All Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike should be appalled.
13
The manner in which people behave tells you all need to know about their character. Republican delegates in Cleveland have been an embarrassment. Their conduct has been generally uncivil, frequently thuggish, and occasionally criminally threatening.
It is not a good idea to give greater power to thugs and bullies. That never ends well.
It is not a good idea to give greater power to thugs and bullies. That never ends well.
9
Despite the fact that Sen. Cruz was booed for not endorsing Il Trumplinin outright, he made the most offensive comment yet in the Clown Circus called the Republican Convention, by saying the President Obama is exporting jobs while importing terrorists.
How anyone could vote for a party that has already marched in lockstep to the abyss of fascism purs is beyond understanding.
How anyone could vote for a party that has already marched in lockstep to the abyss of fascism purs is beyond understanding.
4
“This whole thing disgusts me,” he said. “Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.”
What kind of diseased mind does Baldasaro have that he would say such a thing? Does he not know we live in a civilized society? The people he represents should be deeply ashamed.
What kind of diseased mind does Baldasaro have that he would say such a thing? Does he not know we live in a civilized society? The people he represents should be deeply ashamed.
8
"A Trump delegate and adviser publicly urged that Hillary Clinton should be put in front of a firing squad and executed for treason."
Should we surprised that Trump supporters support terrorism at home?
The NRA is our own American ISIS.
Should we surprised that Trump supporters support terrorism at home?
The NRA is our own American ISIS.
9
Not to mention the fact that Treason is the only crime actually defined in the Constitution, and like her or not, objectively Clinton is nowhere near the very specific definition of the crime.
2
It's great that Trump's guy believes in the Constitution, whatever that means. Maybe he should take the next step and read it, and then read all the jurisprudence that's developed around it. It's a living, breathing document; he seems to think it's etched in stone.
5
He should read it. There is only one crime defined in it, and it's treason. And it's an incredibly hard bar to clear.
2
"Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign’s spokeswoman, told NH1 News in New Hampshire that Baldaraso “doesn’t speak for the campaign,” and then added, “We’re incredibly grateful for his support, but we don’t agree with his comments.” "
Translation:
Dear Mr. Baldaraso. We completely agree with you, and in fact I'd volunteer to be on the firing squad. Honestly, we love you -- we really are grateful for your support. We just have to say we don't agree with your comments because that's the kind of thing you have to say to the press -- gotta be politically correct you know. I am sure we can count on you to understand. Stay strong in your hatred, Mr. Baldaraso, and we'll win this November.
Translation:
Dear Mr. Baldaraso. We completely agree with you, and in fact I'd volunteer to be on the firing squad. Honestly, we love you -- we really are grateful for your support. We just have to say we don't agree with your comments because that's the kind of thing you have to say to the press -- gotta be politically correct you know. I am sure we can count on you to understand. Stay strong in your hatred, Mr. Baldaraso, and we'll win this November.
10
Yeah, I've been wondering about "Donald J. Trump," too. I guess it's designed to represent a transitional phase between "(just plain) Donald Trump" and either "His Highness" or "Der Fuhrer." As for me, I think I'll simply continue to refer to him as "that idiot" unless he's elected and threatens to have me arrested for doing so.
45
Idiot seems a mite tame. Jerk? Dumpster fire? Definitely combustible, ethically challenged ...
9
Most Presidents have a middle name or initial, and are referred to by a 3 letter acronym -- FDR,JFK, LBJ, BHO, etc.
Even Harry Truman had to put an S in there -- that stood for nothing.
I think that is all Trump is doing. No grand conspiracy.
Even Harry Truman had to put an S in there -- that stood for nothing.
I think that is all Trump is doing. No grand conspiracy.
...missing a period.
Obviously, the campaign is trying to weigh whether it's easier to cheat and steal under Glass-Steagall than it is under Dodd-Frank, or if there is some way to use Glass-Steagall to repeal Dodd-Frank.
Cheating and stealing is a key underlying offering of the Republican platform.
The one honest thing that you can count on from Republicans is that whatever they do, it will be for them, their relatives, and their pay-to-play friends. You don't even have to imagine that it might be for anything that advances the interest of the country or it's people.
Cheating and stealing is a key underlying offering of the Republican platform.
The one honest thing that you can count on from Republicans is that whatever they do, it will be for them, their relatives, and their pay-to-play friends. You don't even have to imagine that it might be for anything that advances the interest of the country or it's people.
30
Hey Radx28, Don't look now, but it was Bill Clinton who buried Glass-Steagall and stuck NAFTA down our throats. Hillary is running true to form by pimping for the TPP, which she now says she is now maybe opposing.
This is the same Hillary who gives undocumented pep talks to the banksters at Goldman-Sachs for a modest $183 PER SECOND! Is that cheating and stealing or do we operate from different dictionaries?
This is the same Hillary who gives undocumented pep talks to the banksters at Goldman-Sachs for a modest $183 PER SECOND! Is that cheating and stealing or do we operate from different dictionaries?
2
It is pretty ironic that a convention that is supposed to have so many fundamentalist Christians espouses so much hatred. Kind of like the Spanish inquisition. I want to defend myself from these people rather than to embrace anything they appear to stand for.
79
Our friend from New Hampshire who wants to shoot Hillary also wants to leave all gays in the military to fend for themselves - says you can't trust your behind to someone who might be looking at it. He also believes the UN wants to end all private transportation, and will ban fishing in US lakes (because of a UN study that lead sinkers are bad for fish and us, and that public transportation might mitigate climate change.) He is a NUT. He is Donald's choice for Veterans Affairs. He's probably not as cute as Melania in the buff. But he uses his own crazy words to express his own crazy views. And NH voters elected him. Several times. Run!
47
How can one ever measure the damage done to so many brains by the alternate universe and perverse reporting, analysis and punditry by Ailes' stars.
What this means is that the Murdoch brothers are out to make FOX News into a more helpful communication outlet.
I have despised Rupert Murdoch for years for his sociopathic attitude to communications delivery and his approval of the terrible drum beats and positions broadcast from his opinion programming nightly schedule. He set the low bar for integrity and I don't know how FOX was able to keep its FCC BROADCAST LICENSE.
Millions believe that it's an all-sides-of-the story no-spin zone. Its tag lines are totally corrupt.
What this means is that the Murdoch brothers are out to make FOX News into a more helpful communication outlet.
I have despised Rupert Murdoch for years for his sociopathic attitude to communications delivery and his approval of the terrible drum beats and positions broadcast from his opinion programming nightly schedule. He set the low bar for integrity and I don't know how FOX was able to keep its FCC BROADCAST LICENSE.
Millions believe that it's an all-sides-of-the story no-spin zone. Its tag lines are totally corrupt.
6
And of what kind of conservatism are you Mr Douthat? You excluded yourself from the analysis. Enquiring minds want to know!
6
Interesting and also somewhat disturbing that Mr. Douthat identifies the late Justice Antonin Scalia as someone who "helped build and define a long era in conservative politics."
Of course the statement is true but what is disturbing is that we are no longer even pretending that the Judicial branch is non political. Seems to me that an originalist interpretation of the Constitution would hold that the Judicial branch is above politics. That canard was of course laid to rest when the Court appointed W. as President.
Of course the statement is true but what is disturbing is that we are no longer even pretending that the Judicial branch is non political. Seems to me that an originalist interpretation of the Constitution would hold that the Judicial branch is above politics. That canard was of course laid to rest when the Court appointed W. as President.
27
Feeling rather snarky, I would just like to add, for those fellow jurists and pundits
who found Scalia 'brilliant' or a 'hunter'.... he was the most turgid of 'originalists' , choosing to ignore the volumes of literature by the writers that their work was to be a living document.... and hunter! Fat old white guy in expensive gear walking into a wood filled with equally over-fed game tossed into his line of sight..... Not a Hunter. Not a Thinker. This is me, away, to my bed.
who found Scalia 'brilliant' or a 'hunter'.... he was the most turgid of 'originalists' , choosing to ignore the volumes of literature by the writers that their work was to be a living document.... and hunter! Fat old white guy in expensive gear walking into a wood filled with equally over-fed game tossed into his line of sight..... Not a Hunter. Not a Thinker. This is me, away, to my bed.
24
Thanks, stupidity abounds in the clueless country.
I did something counterintuitive. I got bored with the RNC. I surfed over to Amazon looking for film to escape it. I saw "The Candidate" a classic satire on politics with Robert Redford. It was made in 1972. But it could have been made today. It had more to say about the corrupt political process than the RNC. And the RNC was a real event with real people in real time. Yet the RNC was the staged unreality. So in my vain attempt to escape reality, I found more reality. more truth or the verisimilitude of truth, in a world of fiction. Which begs the question: What is reality today? It's what a fellow citizen does daily going about the business of life. Duh, that's obvious. Maybe we were no longer live in reality but a hyperreality, a hybrid of reality and virtual reality, in our internet era, given these vibrant, even lifelike HD images that now pull us into "The Matrix" as Neo did into the vortex of a dystopian world created by the Wachowski siblings. Maybe, Mr. Robot. the hit TV show on USA, says more about reality than the unreality of the RNC. I didn't recognize those my attending the RNC. They reminded me of how Ivan Pavlov trained his dogs to salivate in a reaction to a conditioned response. Delegates were howling to those visual dog whistles on the placards that read: Make America Safe. I also watched An American Werewolf in London a cult classic. I thought about Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London." "Aooo! Werewolves of London! Aooo!" But they were now in Cleveland.
13
Mr. Douthat and all other "conservatives" didn't have a bad word to say about sean hannity, bill o'reilly, michael savage, breitbart, mitch mcconnell, john boehner, donald trump, etc. as they spewed distortions and unrelenting attacks against barack obama for years. now, see where the vitriol has led us.
56
the inmates are now completely in charge of the republican asylum -
4
The Republican party is no longer a party - it is a mob.
94
It has been a mob since it sent a bunch of hooligans - in suits, yes, but still hooligans - to shut down the vote count in Florida in 2000.
75
Reply to John
You are exactly right. They are a frightening mob.
You are exactly right. They are a frightening mob.
28
@mancuroc
Yes. And it's amazing how many historians and pundits describe James Baker - who had a hand in that mess - as a "great man."
Yes. And it's amazing how many historians and pundits describe James Baker - who had a hand in that mess - as a "great man."
1
I don't know if I can bear another night of "LOCK HER UP" and firing squads.
They have no ideas, a crazy platform, vacuous Trump kids and a plagiarized speech.
I'm trying to keep informed and see it for myself as painful as it may be Trump doesn't have to be president to reinstate torture he's doing just fine as the Republican nominee.
They have no ideas, a crazy platform, vacuous Trump kids and a plagiarized speech.
I'm trying to keep informed and see it for myself as painful as it may be Trump doesn't have to be president to reinstate torture he's doing just fine as the Republican nominee.
54
Breaking news from the Convention of Hate...
"Secret Service investigates Trump adviser who said Clinton should be executed
Earlier this week, Al Baldasaro said “Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.”
"The Secret Service is investigating one of Donald Trump's most outspoken supporters, a New Hampshire state representative who said this week that Hillary Clinton should be shot for treason."
https://www.washingtonpost.com...
One of The Buffoons more moderate advisors, no doubt.
"Secret Service investigates Trump adviser who said Clinton should be executed
Earlier this week, Al Baldasaro said “Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.”
"The Secret Service is investigating one of Donald Trump's most outspoken supporters, a New Hampshire state representative who said this week that Hillary Clinton should be shot for treason."
https://www.washingtonpost.com...
One of The Buffoons more moderate advisors, no doubt.
18
Has anyone got a good picture of when Donald will put his business interests (empire) in a blind trust if he wins? What if he doesn't?
4
I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea that the Republican National Convention and the Gathering of the Jugallos are both taking place in Ohio this week. Just imagine if they were to combine? Nah, it'll never happen... but still, just imagine.
You could say the RNC has it's own posse of insane clowns, but perhaps that's a disservice to the Jugallos.
You could say the RNC has it's own posse of insane clowns, but perhaps that's a disservice to the Jugallos.
15
The xHamster post made me recall the 1996 GOP convention in San Diego. The local gay bars were rammed with people from out of town and I met folks with a much higher appreciation of kink than your average Thursday out and about. Undoubtedly Cleveland is seeing similar trends this week.
5
A trend worth monitoring so thanks for your national service.
Hahaha the joke is on you GOP. First you let the Tea Party in and then Donald Trump and now like a ship a sea your left picking up the bodies of the disenfranchised. You lost your soul. Good Luck!
36
Trump could be audacious and address his remarks at those who are missing from the convention by turning the knife around: Essentially say that those who are missing wanted to stand in his place an lie about why they loved immigrants when all they really wanted was to provide cover for their corporate paymasters who wanted immigrants for the sole purpose of lining their pockets with the fruit of slave labor.
He could go on to laud the accomplishments of immigrants - his wife(ves) included - and declare the foundation of a new republican party that will use immigration laws to....um....make America great again (I'm not the retrogressive type, frankly, so that wouldn't be my phrase).
Will Trump look to shore up by scapegoating the usual suspect groups or will he effectively target the Republican starch that isn't there? One is a cowardly loser, the other is a daring gambit that could win.
I'll be listening for that.
He could go on to laud the accomplishments of immigrants - his wife(ves) included - and declare the foundation of a new republican party that will use immigration laws to....um....make America great again (I'm not the retrogressive type, frankly, so that wouldn't be my phrase).
Will Trump look to shore up by scapegoating the usual suspect groups or will he effectively target the Republican starch that isn't there? One is a cowardly loser, the other is a daring gambit that could win.
I'll be listening for that.
1
This has all been building since Kevin Phillips gave the right the Southern Strategy. The notion that this move has somehow been anathema to the right's more staid figures -- not to mention the other vacuous clown, Reagan, whose ethos The Art of the Deal epitomized -- is simply precious.
9
Southern Strategy, right. In 1972 George Wallace won the 1972 Democratic Primary based on his position agains bussing for the purposes of public school desegregation. Many of the Democratic party officials wouldn't touch the issue. Or folks like George McGovern supported it but was paying non-resident tuition for his own daughter to attend Bethesda, Maryland, public schools, which were only 3 percent black.
So all of you out there, which of your cities have school bussing for desegregation?
And there's not Southern Strategy or dog whistle to it.
So all of you out there, which of your cities have school bussing for desegregation?
And there's not Southern Strategy or dog whistle to it.
2
Appreciate Ross Douthat's shock and horror at the turn the GOP has taken in the last year and at this convention in particular. It would be awesome if he would acknowledge that his staunch support for the GOP in the last decade -- for the Bushes, the Scalias, the Krauthammers, the McConnells of the world -- has helped create it.
61
Oh, dear, the Times Opinionbots are comng unglued.
"It’s not just Trump who brings out the squish in politicians. Their spines jellify in all sorts of situations."
Mr. Bruni, the same could be said of the fourth estate, where it's fourth and twenty, and the punting team on the field seemingly every down.
In what way did the fourth estate not go for the cheapest conventional wisdom, even years before the race started? Who started the race? The New York Times did, tasking callow Amy Chozick with a Hillary Clinton beat in February, 2013, as Clinton left government service. Did the Times assign a beat reporter to any other prospective candidate, Democrat or Republican, in or out of government service? Of course not.
Then David Leonhardt struts his future columnist stuff by admitting that John Dickerson had to translate the words of an openly peeved James Comey to demonstrate how troubling Hillary's dissembling was? That's an admission you might have been better off withholding from the world. It hardly inspires confidence in your upcoming column.
Andy Rosenthal hops off the top of the Board of Ed pile & can't seem to run a column without gratuitously bashing Bernie Sanders and his supporters. This from the man who, when he was in charge of the Times Board of Ed, implored Hillary Clinton to release the tran$cript$ to the bank$ter community at the same time as he himself refused to release the transcripts of the extensive interviews of the Board of Ed & candidates. Hypocrite!
"It’s not just Trump who brings out the squish in politicians. Their spines jellify in all sorts of situations."
Mr. Bruni, the same could be said of the fourth estate, where it's fourth and twenty, and the punting team on the field seemingly every down.
In what way did the fourth estate not go for the cheapest conventional wisdom, even years before the race started? Who started the race? The New York Times did, tasking callow Amy Chozick with a Hillary Clinton beat in February, 2013, as Clinton left government service. Did the Times assign a beat reporter to any other prospective candidate, Democrat or Republican, in or out of government service? Of course not.
Then David Leonhardt struts his future columnist stuff by admitting that John Dickerson had to translate the words of an openly peeved James Comey to demonstrate how troubling Hillary's dissembling was? That's an admission you might have been better off withholding from the world. It hardly inspires confidence in your upcoming column.
Andy Rosenthal hops off the top of the Board of Ed pile & can't seem to run a column without gratuitously bashing Bernie Sanders and his supporters. This from the man who, when he was in charge of the Times Board of Ed, implored Hillary Clinton to release the tran$cript$ to the bank$ter community at the same time as he himself refused to release the transcripts of the extensive interviews of the Board of Ed & candidates. Hypocrite!
5
Hold your friends close. Hold your enemies closer: Sun Tzu, The Art of War.
It is not unusual to learn that an atheist has read the Bible. It is unusual to find a fundamentalist Christian who has read any books by skeptics. Newly minted Christian, Donald Trump, has, and I'm willing to be a lot of money on this, read neither. If he claims he has, to steal a quote from Molly Ivins upon hearing that Texas Governor Bill Clements was trying to learn Spanish: "Oh, good. Now he'll be bi-ignorant."
Perhaps now would be a good time for right wing Christians and the Republican party to consult the tome they hold in reverence, specifically, Daniel 2:31-35 New International Version (NIV)
"31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."
Don't know about you, but the parallels are obvious to me.
It is not unusual to learn that an atheist has read the Bible. It is unusual to find a fundamentalist Christian who has read any books by skeptics. Newly minted Christian, Donald Trump, has, and I'm willing to be a lot of money on this, read neither. If he claims he has, to steal a quote from Molly Ivins upon hearing that Texas Governor Bill Clements was trying to learn Spanish: "Oh, good. Now he'll be bi-ignorant."
Perhaps now would be a good time for right wing Christians and the Republican party to consult the tome they hold in reverence, specifically, Daniel 2:31-35 New International Version (NIV)
"31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."
Don't know about you, but the parallels are obvious to me.
7
That´s not true. I consider myself a thorough breed conservative, And I´ve never heard or read anything about Ailes. I do must admit feel atttracted to Fox News, even though I don´t live in the USA. But comparing Ailes to hard core and genuine conservatives is like comparing a cheap supermarket chain cola to Coca-Cola, the real thing. Now with respect to Trump, he is a pragmatist and he saw a chance to fill a vacuum in the conservative arena. And one must admit he earned it fair and straight, without the plethoric spring of money spent by Jeb Bush and HRC! Right now all manuals of political campaigning have been rewritten by Donald J Trump, and he sells with results, with real jobs created by his empire, and fine young men and women he has raised as a father.
2
Clio is not amused at Ross Cardinal Douthat's invocation of herself, especially as he has the temerity to accuse another of being a partisan hack. That Hannity is indeed such a mote in god's eyes does not absolve the writer of the beam in his own.
2
I keep seeing the statement "HRC is a flawed candidate". I wonder if that is the right word choice. Rather, wounded; or maybe, struggling; or even disabled -- but not flawed. Indeed, HRC's flaw is her perfection, forbearance, inexorable stamina. Like a tagged eagle, her wing is clipped but despite all, she soars. The Trumps are becoming the fat little fish in a shallow, warming sea -- ready, just about, to be plucked and swallowed. Flawed, no; inspiring awe, yes.
36
Karma destroyed the GOP. The constant irrational fear and hate mongering by the GOP, FOX news, Beck and Limbaugh created their political frakinstein, Trump. This constant agitation of uncritical thinkers with misinformation and bigotry got these folks all riled up and they took over th GOP. If you look at facts, Obama has unemployment under 5%, stock market at new highs, 10 million more people have health insurance, Osama is dead, the L,G,B, T community have more civil rights, gas is under 2 dollars a gallon, etc. History will be kind to Obama, not so much Trump and his supporters, the xenophobic bigots represent our worst angels and hopefully this isn't the USA's future, but the end of a political party committing suicide.
39
Chris, greed destroyed the Greedy Ossified Party. Money is their god, pure and simple and they know how to bamboozle the imbeciles of this country to vote for them. I blame the American people for allowing this to happen.
The GOP has been running a con game for decades now. Does anyone still believe tax cuts for the rich create jobs or trickle down? Yet you won't find one Republican who will admit it. And so it goes for the rest of the Republican sales pitch. It's all a scam.
Enter Donald Trump, a world class snake oil salesman. None of the GOP dwarfs could stop him, because to stop Trump, they'd have to admit their party and everything they stand for is bogus. Trump has out-hustled them all. They sowed the ground; now he's reaping the harvest.
Enter Donald Trump, a world class snake oil salesman. None of the GOP dwarfs could stop him, because to stop Trump, they'd have to admit their party and everything they stand for is bogus. Trump has out-hustled them all. They sowed the ground; now he's reaping the harvest.
28
I love the Times. Best paper in the US. I've got a beef. Too many opinion pieces like this dig into strange minutia and seem to lose sight of the larger picture. That is, the totally Orwellian and bizarre nature that saturates every aspect of the 2016 campaign - especially, but not exclusively, the Trump "thing", whatever the heck it is.
10
"The day is coming, he told Mr. Kasich, when no one in America, no matter what party or for what office, will be elected “without courting Hispanics.”"
I have been hearing folks make this empty threat / promise for decades. Sorry to say this, but Hispanics are a group that doesn't vote, never have voted and won't be voting this year - same as every election.
I have been hearing folks make this empty threat / promise for decades. Sorry to say this, but Hispanics are a group that doesn't vote, never have voted and won't be voting this year - same as every election.
2
To really have a view of things in a realistic way, the world needs to wait for Clinton's platform, speeches, and vp choice. She'll certainly have to defend her husband's choice to sign off on trade deals that killed the steel mills of Pennsylvania and Ohio and then running his sword through Glass-Steagall in 1999, which all but assured the disaster of 2008.
Should be interesting--not to mention all her nefarious business with her home-server, Wall Street, and "Foundation" deals while traveling around as Obama's Secretary of State.
So much to hear from Clinton and her DNC. Can't wait.
Should be interesting--not to mention all her nefarious business with her home-server, Wall Street, and "Foundation" deals while traveling around as Obama's Secretary of State.
So much to hear from Clinton and her DNC. Can't wait.
3
Alice's Restaurant: this is a response to your comment. Not many people would recognize the background of your screen name. I'm not certain that the so called trade deals that the GOP is focused on are the cause of the loss of manufacturing jobs. They were in decline before the NAFTA. Union membership has been on a downward slope for many years. Please be aware that the China trade deal Trump continues to bring up never existed. We have no trade deal with China. The WTO admitted China on 12/11/01. Without a doubt China has caused real trouble dumping their steel in world markets at exceedingly low prices. That being said, this should have been an easy problem to address. You wish to sell us $100 billion of steel you must purchase $100 billion of XYZ in return. The handwriting was on the wall for the coal industry for quite some time. Not only because of global warming but health issues were also part of the equation. The fact that the USA developed fracking technology put the nail in the coffin for coal. Let me point out that Republican administrations were behind many of the these problems. The coal and steel industry need real government support, job training, benefits, the development of new industries to take the place of the old. Laying blame isn't the answer. It's the wrong prescription to fix trade. The retirement of Glass-Steagull Act wasn't the main reason for the downfall of the financial services industry. Derivatives and lack of oversight were the main culprits.
13
You're wrong on just about everything you've said here. Clinton is the guy who put the steals mills out of work and he killed Glass-Steagall. Saying that the "retirement of Glass-Steagull (sic) Act wasn't the main reason for the downfall" is like saying rapacious mismanagement and massive Politburo corruption wasn't the main reason the Soviet Union failed. Nice spin, though. Wall Street and the banking industry probably bought it. But check with Bernanke next time.
1
Father Douhat writes that "Roger Ailes helped build and define a long era in conservative politics".
That's incorrect.
Rupert Murdoch helped build and define a long era in American propaganda politics, built on the conscious or unconscious inspiration of John Birch, Joseph McCarthy, Joseph Goebbels and the worst snake oil salesmen in human civilization....all with the unlimited purse-strings of the diabolical Rupert Murdoch as the guiding light of destruction.
Roger Ailes and Company helped destroy civilized political discourse, reason, political compromise, moderation and helped ensure the success of cultured stupidity as the real American exceptionalism.
Nation-wrecking and IQ-wrecking is a fine legacy, Mr. Ailes and GOP For Dummies - take a bow !
That's incorrect.
Rupert Murdoch helped build and define a long era in American propaganda politics, built on the conscious or unconscious inspiration of John Birch, Joseph McCarthy, Joseph Goebbels and the worst snake oil salesmen in human civilization....all with the unlimited purse-strings of the diabolical Rupert Murdoch as the guiding light of destruction.
Roger Ailes and Company helped destroy civilized political discourse, reason, political compromise, moderation and helped ensure the success of cultured stupidity as the real American exceptionalism.
Nation-wrecking and IQ-wrecking is a fine legacy, Mr. Ailes and GOP For Dummies - take a bow !
105
"Roger Ailes and Company helped destroy civilized political discourse, reason, political compromise, moderation and helped ensure the success of cultured stupidity as the real American exceptionalism."
What a ridiculous and over-the-top comment. According to Variety magazine, the Fox News Channel draws an average of 1.8 million viewers nightly. The population of the US is 322 million people. That comes out to a tiny 0.55% of Americans who actually watch Fox News nightly (and no, I am not one of them). That is a very small number, and no doubt more than a few are liberals who can't keep from tuning in to engage in "hate-watching".
What a ridiculous and over-the-top comment. According to Variety magazine, the Fox News Channel draws an average of 1.8 million viewers nightly. The population of the US is 322 million people. That comes out to a tiny 0.55% of Americans who actually watch Fox News nightly (and no, I am not one of them). That is a very small number, and no doubt more than a few are liberals who can't keep from tuning in to engage in "hate-watching".
1
"the diabolical Rupert Murdoch" Acting on behalf of the Crown.
Didja ever notice how the GOP turned into a clone of the Tories and began advocating free trade and opening up our economy to foreigners right around the time the Brits finally lost their last colonial resources in Africa?
Didja ever notice how the GOP turned into a clone of the Tories and began advocating free trade and opening up our economy to foreigners right around the time the Brits finally lost their last colonial resources in Africa?
1
Indeed. Rupert Murdoch started with Australian newspapers then like a disease, spread to the UK and America. And yes, the two of them helped warp our political system to the point where an under-educated and fearful mob, have taken control of the Republican Party.
8
Republicans have been using the base to create an oligarchy and the base finally wised up. This was inevitable. If Rubio would have won (and won the election), the infuriated base would have picked a "Trump" the next time around.
It's time for Rich Republicans to accept the fact that in a democracy, they can't fool at least 50% of the people 100% of the time.
It's time for Rich Republicans to accept the fact that in a democracy, they can't fool at least 50% of the people 100% of the time.
10
Not only did David Leonhardt admit that it took surface paddler John Dickerson to demonstrate to him just how Hillary's evasions to the FBI were troubling, but he doubled down on an oy vey moment by admitting he thought that Marco Rubio, the bought and paid for cabana boy of lower case Sheldon Adelson Norman Braman would have been the strongest Republicant candidate? The same Rubio who abandoned his leadership of the Florida State Snate in order to run for s $enate, then was prepared to abandon that for the Presidency. Come on, Mr. Leonhardt, what about the guy who lied about how his parents fled Castro (NOT, they left during the Batista regime) ever sounded like going all the way.
And Christie destroying Rubio on the debate stage came because Rubio was too dim to keep from robotically parroting the exact same mendacious talking points. Do you think a platform built on Obama knows exactly what he is doing to destroy the evonomy could pass the giggle test, let alone prevail in an election? Yikes...
And Christie destroying Rubio on the debate stage came because Rubio was too dim to keep from robotically parroting the exact same mendacious talking points. Do you think a platform built on Obama knows exactly what he is doing to destroy the evonomy could pass the giggle test, let alone prevail in an election? Yikes...
2
Ah, yes; John Dickerson. We all were so pleased that CBS decided to continue the Republican bias of Bob Schieffer, who chose to parade McCain and Graham before us nearly every single Sunday morning, with Dickerson. Between 60 minutes (especially Lara Logan and Steve Croft, who appeared to be intoxicated during his disrespectful interview of President Obama) and Scott Pelley on the evening news, CBS Tips so far to the right, it has lost all pretense of political balance.
1
Oh, please! Yes, Trump is a nightmare, the great unhinged. But why would Republicans reward the empty-suit Rubio, who didn't like his Senate job and called Senate votes "unimportant" with the presidency? Don't be nostalgic for something that didn't exist. The reality of Rubio is far different than the dream. Most of the GOP candidates were unappealing enough for a reality show star to knock them off easily, a la, Cruz, Carson, Fiorina, Christy, Huckabee, Santorum. No one could stomach another Bush after W. and Kasich could never catch on big enough the the present GOP.
31
although kasich is the same as all of them, just lots of lipstick and sounds sane, his policies, just check them out.
The nomination of Donald J Trump should be a wakeup call for not only the GOP, but the nation at large. We need a viable two party system.
So why is the GOP in trouble. Is it really the candidate or is it the policies. As one pundit put it, Candidate Trump is simply 'texting the sub text'. He is, shockingly, taking the GOP screwball policies to their logical endpoint. So, when you pass an abortion law, and that law is broken by a woman, guess who goes to jail?
Exactly.
Remember all those flawed Senatorial candidates in Indiana, Missouri, and Delaware? Remember the choice of Palin as VP? They were all in some form 'texting the sub text'. And they all cost the GOP dearly.
GOP'ers, quit deluding yourself. It's the policies stupid, it isn't the candidates. Get out of the Fox News channel bubble. Building a wall, deporting millions, banning abortion, and cutting taxes for the rich to fix the economy, are NOT what the Country at large wants.
The angry white population is shrinking. Failing to adjust to that reality will simply result in the GOP shrinking as well.
So why is the GOP in trouble. Is it really the candidate or is it the policies. As one pundit put it, Candidate Trump is simply 'texting the sub text'. He is, shockingly, taking the GOP screwball policies to their logical endpoint. So, when you pass an abortion law, and that law is broken by a woman, guess who goes to jail?
Exactly.
Remember all those flawed Senatorial candidates in Indiana, Missouri, and Delaware? Remember the choice of Palin as VP? They were all in some form 'texting the sub text'. And they all cost the GOP dearly.
GOP'ers, quit deluding yourself. It's the policies stupid, it isn't the candidates. Get out of the Fox News channel bubble. Building a wall, deporting millions, banning abortion, and cutting taxes for the rich to fix the economy, are NOT what the Country at large wants.
The angry white population is shrinking. Failing to adjust to that reality will simply result in the GOP shrinking as well.
28
Mr. Leonhardt: Would "...a different nominee — one without sky-high disapproval ratings and capable of putting on a more competent convention —... be favored to win the presidency"? The fate of the many who entered and left the primaries suggests no.
This election, and probably the ones to come, is a referendum on the inevitable changes occurring in the make-up of the electorate, the decline of the Republican-Baptist marriage of voter lists, the failure of the Baptist Church to create a dominant 'Papacy', the failure of the Bush-neo-con war across the Middle East, and other failures, domestic and international, spawned by the Republican party.
Remarkably, the Republican party will not regain regular access to the presidency until such time as the House of Representatives is freed from its being gerrymandered. That is necessary for all politics to return to the local public square. In other words, the Republicans have to give up their House majority to regain access to the presidency. Until that happens we will suffer with the blocked government we now have.
This election, and probably the ones to come, is a referendum on the inevitable changes occurring in the make-up of the electorate, the decline of the Republican-Baptist marriage of voter lists, the failure of the Baptist Church to create a dominant 'Papacy', the failure of the Bush-neo-con war across the Middle East, and other failures, domestic and international, spawned by the Republican party.
Remarkably, the Republican party will not regain regular access to the presidency until such time as the House of Representatives is freed from its being gerrymandered. That is necessary for all politics to return to the local public square. In other words, the Republicans have to give up their House majority to regain access to the presidency. Until that happens we will suffer with the blocked government we now have.
10
David Leonhardt recognizes that "today's" Republican party is broken. No surprise there; it has been broken since 1964.
10
The author states "(John Dickerson of CBS News, in an episode of Slate’s Political Gabfest podcast, helped me understand how problematic her statements had been.)"
But doesn't indicate where in the 1 hour piece John makes the problematic statements clear: at 9 minutes? at 16 minutes?
But doesn't indicate where in the 1 hour piece John makes the problematic statements clear: at 9 minutes? at 16 minutes?
4
Unless our country is going through a world war, it is the skill of the other political party to keep the real or fabricated negatives of the second term president out there in the face of their constituencies. But add the unique situation of America's first black president, taking on the Republican's Great Recession and the coalescing of many of the nation's bigots and hyper-religious folks to the GOP, and the Democrats should be vanquished in November.
But that will not happen. Trump to the Democrat's rescue.
But that will not happen. Trump to the Democrat's rescue.
1
Where I believe the Republican party went off the rails was when they valued being in power more than governing. 'Making Obama a one-term President' sums up the Republican approach to governing better than I could have put it.
39
Just who are you replacing in Nov. when you start your new column?
1
Looking at the Trump children and wives, my only thought was: the biggest winner tonight is plastic surgery.
29
Have they ALL had their lips done?
4
You can read all of the opinions, articles, predictions and, most importantly, facts about the disfunction of the GOP and what a disaster a Trump presidency would be and agree with all of them. But, a lot of people in this nation still believe that they are the answer. Voters concerned about this situation must turn out in record numbers this year to vote this threat away. That is the only thing that will matter in the end.
15
The author says that "Democrats are trying to win a third-straight term, which has happened only once (George H.W. Bush, in 1988) in the six chances since 1960."
This is incorrect. The Republicans won a third term in 1988 and Democrats won a third term in 2000. But in the latter case, a Republican junta rigged the balloting in Florida, then used the five Republicans on the Supreme Court to install George W. Bush in the White House nevertheless.
This is incorrect. The Republicans won a third term in 1988 and Democrats won a third term in 2000. But in the latter case, a Republican junta rigged the balloting in Florida, then used the five Republicans on the Supreme Court to install George W. Bush in the White House nevertheless.
27
I'd say the GOP got a 4th and 5th term in Bill Clinton who perfected/finished reagan's destruction of our government handing power of to the 1% pretty much permanently or until we elect more people like Bernie Sanders to Congress.
1
Bush lost Florida -- in the end the SCOTUS decision made no difference, it just pushed up the pace of events.
Several media outlets did a non-biding recount, after the fact -- and boy, they would have loved to have "proven" Gore really won. But he didn't. He lost, by a small percentage, but still. Bush won. And therefore, he was the real winner of that election.
Note that we DO NOT elect POTUS by any popular vote. We elect POTUS by the Electoral College and there, Bush won.
(If Hillary ends up winning via the Electoral College...I am sure you will praise it and the Founding Fathers for their incredible wisdom!)
Several media outlets did a non-biding recount, after the fact -- and boy, they would have loved to have "proven" Gore really won. But he didn't. He lost, by a small percentage, but still. Bush won. And therefore, he was the real winner of that election.
Note that we DO NOT elect POTUS by any popular vote. We elect POTUS by the Electoral College and there, Bush won.
(If Hillary ends up winning via the Electoral College...I am sure you will praise it and the Founding Fathers for their incredible wisdom!)
The Republican Party, clearly, is coming up a little short. With Chris Christie leading the way, they're trying to turn Cleveland into Salem. But if Hillary Clinton is bad as they say, it shouldn't be a prison sentence, it should be a hanging. Step it up, boys and girls. Set up the gallows and the Hillary doll. Go for it!
5
If the Republicans are broken, the Democrats are not far behind. This year will likely see the eventual campaign of two of the most disliked candidates at the same time ever to stand for an election. Talk about having to confront a choice of apparent "lesser of the evils," and this time it becomes a really tough call.
Trump is full of himself and wants to brand "Trump" to the front of "White House." Hillary skirts the law and honesty, no matter how good on paper her credentials may seem. A well-respected crook is still a crook.
Of the other choices, Rubio will likely be best remembered for his really below-the-belt dig at Trump and his genital size. Presidential material there, NOT. Cruz, too fanatical. Carson - stick to what you know, neurology.
With all the good intent of the 18th century Founders into our political systemic design, they did not anticipate both the career politician nor the exorbitant cost that seeking elective office would become. Due to the cost, corrupting money and influence. As both parties are in decline, we need to look at the issues that make them broken and perhaps adjust things at a more systemic level. Another commented on switching to a Parliamentary system. While interesting, that would require a wholesale revamping, something not likely to happen. Instead, enforced term limits, minimum of 15 years before being able to lobby Congress, closing the contribution loopholes seem more practical and doable. If we can find the political will.
Trump is full of himself and wants to brand "Trump" to the front of "White House." Hillary skirts the law and honesty, no matter how good on paper her credentials may seem. A well-respected crook is still a crook.
Of the other choices, Rubio will likely be best remembered for his really below-the-belt dig at Trump and his genital size. Presidential material there, NOT. Cruz, too fanatical. Carson - stick to what you know, neurology.
With all the good intent of the 18th century Founders into our political systemic design, they did not anticipate both the career politician nor the exorbitant cost that seeking elective office would become. Due to the cost, corrupting money and influence. As both parties are in decline, we need to look at the issues that make them broken and perhaps adjust things at a more systemic level. Another commented on switching to a Parliamentary system. While interesting, that would require a wholesale revamping, something not likely to happen. Instead, enforced term limits, minimum of 15 years before being able to lobby Congress, closing the contribution loopholes seem more practical and doable. If we can find the political will.
6
If I were a Republican then I would want the party to rely on facts and not the most alluring conspiracy theories. Then they could move forward to developing more pragmatic and fact based solutions to our problems and needs and for the needs of the whole planet.
I can't wait.
I can't wait.
2
Walker or Rubio would have Democrats panicked?!? Are you serious? I'm sure the author saw them put their best foot forward and they came off as crisp as wet dough.
In fact, they were beaten by TRUMP of all people. Yea, I'm sure Clinton would be shaking in her boots.
In fact, they were beaten by TRUMP of all people. Yea, I'm sure Clinton would be shaking in her boots.
15
Mr. Leonhardt knows what is wrong; everyone with a brain does. Very few want to talk about it openly, and solutions are not obvious ... other than letting Trump's people die out.
Trump is both the acme and the destruction of the Ailes GOP. And it is all happening apace -- Ailes is going out the door too.
Ailes built this GOP, from Nixon to Trump. He engineered the shift from red-baiting to race-baiting. He pioneered the promotion ignorance, nurtured Rush and Glenn and Hannity. With Murdoch he created FOX -- hate-o-tainment and bimbo-faux-"news," . paranoid serials about extraterrestrials and terminators and yada, yads, with just enough T & A.
And don't forget the FOX "experts:" Joshi Shibani on how Germany has more sun.
The GOP is now the Trump party -- the party of angry downwardly-mobile revanchist white guys. Ailes built that -- but was surprised to see Trump take it over and run with it.
There's nothing left of the GOP now. Writing that Walker or Rubio could have saved the party is ridiculous.
Trump is both the acme and the destruction of the Ailes GOP. And it is all happening apace -- Ailes is going out the door too.
Ailes built this GOP, from Nixon to Trump. He engineered the shift from red-baiting to race-baiting. He pioneered the promotion ignorance, nurtured Rush and Glenn and Hannity. With Murdoch he created FOX -- hate-o-tainment and bimbo-faux-"news," . paranoid serials about extraterrestrials and terminators and yada, yads, with just enough T & A.
And don't forget the FOX "experts:" Joshi Shibani on how Germany has more sun.
The GOP is now the Trump party -- the party of angry downwardly-mobile revanchist white guys. Ailes built that -- but was surprised to see Trump take it over and run with it.
There's nothing left of the GOP now. Writing that Walker or Rubio could have saved the party is ridiculous.
21
Did you just write, "In would come a big, fat tax cut for the affluent"??? Because, wow, that takes some balls. I'm a 1%er and I'm disgusted. Mind you, I'm not a fan of paying more taxes than I do, because I pay quite a lot, but that depriving millions of health insurance and giving tax cuts to the rich is the ONLY concrete "good" you can bring up from your imagined glorious new era of conservatism is pretty horrendous. Just look at what you wrote. You don't need to ask yourself why Republicans are losing. They are adopting a social agenda that reeks of fundamental Christian shariah law, which would set back rights by women, gays and minorities by over 100 years, and an economic agenda that would only widen the gap further between the haves and the have nots. Your foreign policy agenda is all hawk eating the dove, which would only mean more people's sons would be killed for pointless reasons. If this is the America that looks good for you, I can only feel desperately sorry for your narrow, obnoxious world view. Sadly, this is the agenda being promoted by the most toxic elements of your base and you are shamelessly pandering to them. It may be attractive to the Tea Party but the rest of America has moved on. THAT'S why your party is in such dire straits. Until you take a good look at what is not only wanted but needed by the people of this country, your party will never regain its legitimacy.
26
Thanks to Donald Trump's unabashed and highly vocal bigotry and incivility, the Haters no longer need to skulk off to KKK or John Birch Society meetings. They are now made to feel entirely welcome at the Tiny Tent Republican Party's 2016 Convention and Hate Fest. As we sadly see and hear every depressing and embarrassing night of this nasty convention, the party of Lincoln has now become the Anti-Party for the les miserables.
Let's hope there are not more haters in this country than lovers who turn out to vote on election day.
Let's hope there are not more haters in this country than lovers who turn out to vote on election day.
17
You left out a word in this sentence; let me fix it for you:
"The REPUBLICAN director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation just excoriated her careless behavior with a private email account and for misleading statements about that account. "
Comey's role was either to advise the attorney general to indict or not to. His statements after deciding he had no evidence were purely political, and should be given no more weight than those of any other citizen. By exceeding his mandate he undermined the FBI and the Justice Department, and destroyed his own credibility.
So, stop quoting him as if he were an objective expert.
"The REPUBLICAN director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation just excoriated her careless behavior with a private email account and for misleading statements about that account. "
Comey's role was either to advise the attorney general to indict or not to. His statements after deciding he had no evidence were purely political, and should be given no more weight than those of any other citizen. By exceeding his mandate he undermined the FBI and the Justice Department, and destroyed his own credibility.
So, stop quoting him as if he were an objective expert.
44
Charlie B.
My thoughts exactly! I have been waiting for someone to forcefully state this. Comey just couldn't restrain his Republican bias to just do what he was supposed to do, which was only to advise the Justice Department to indict or not. The FBI is meant to be apolitical, as is Justice.
My thoughts exactly! I have been waiting for someone to forcefully state this. Comey just couldn't restrain his Republican bias to just do what he was supposed to do, which was only to advise the Justice Department to indict or not. The FBI is meant to be apolitical, as is Justice.
6
"[Cruz he won’t inspire much pining from Republicans. But Walker and Rubio, who’s speaking by video, will."
You 're joking, right?
BOTH were utterly exposed as know-nothing, plastic, memorized-line-spouting minions of the Koch Bros and similar right-wing extremists! And NEITHER Walker or Rubio has much of anything to their credit, in terms of accomplishments either! (Unless you could authoring essentially NO senate legislation and destroying a state economy as "accomplishments"!)
Say, what we will, the primaries did the job they were MEANT to serve with Rubio, Walker, and Cruz! They allowed voters to see and hear these characters and we all saw enough! And enough to outweigh $millions in special interest propaganda too! One of the few encouraging signs of our democracy at work in 2015-2016!
And sticking in the same tired old, endlessly recycled, Republican "talking point" about Clinton and email is telling. Is this your attempt at "balance"? Or do we have another David Brooks being born as a Times opiner?
You 're joking, right?
BOTH were utterly exposed as know-nothing, plastic, memorized-line-spouting minions of the Koch Bros and similar right-wing extremists! And NEITHER Walker or Rubio has much of anything to their credit, in terms of accomplishments either! (Unless you could authoring essentially NO senate legislation and destroying a state economy as "accomplishments"!)
Say, what we will, the primaries did the job they were MEANT to serve with Rubio, Walker, and Cruz! They allowed voters to see and hear these characters and we all saw enough! And enough to outweigh $millions in special interest propaganda too! One of the few encouraging signs of our democracy at work in 2015-2016!
And sticking in the same tired old, endlessly recycled, Republican "talking point" about Clinton and email is telling. Is this your attempt at "balance"? Or do we have another David Brooks being born as a Times opiner?
9
Republicans will pine away for Walker/Rubio/etc? Maybe Republicans who didn't watch a dozen or so candidates demonstrate their incompetence in that ridiculous series of "debates". The Democrats had with three candidates who, agree with them or not, knew what they were talking about.
12
'How could a clear plurality of party voters choose a business executive with a spotty record who has never held elective office, who regularly demeans large groups of Americans and who tells many, many more untruths than Hillary Clinton?'
You ment to write: How could a clear plurality of party voters choose a 'racist birther'? And concerning that fact there was no need to mention Hillary at all - just:
How could a clear plurality of an American party choose a 'racist bither'?
How?
And I want an answer - and I'm sick and tired reading all these 'political reports' as if it would be some kind of US 'politics' as usual and not the most revolting and sickest event of my life.
You ment to write: How could a clear plurality of party voters choose a 'racist birther'? And concerning that fact there was no need to mention Hillary at all - just:
How could a clear plurality of an American party choose a 'racist bither'?
How?
And I want an answer - and I'm sick and tired reading all these 'political reports' as if it would be some kind of US 'politics' as usual and not the most revolting and sickest event of my life.
16
There are many would-have-been leaders speaking during this convention. And, what we don't want is to forget their integrity, or lack thereof, in the future. Elections matter: utmost for POTUS this year, but for years to come, we will be choosing Rubio's or not. Let's not.
3
Consider an alternative view that explains the GOP though the heart and soul of their base voters. The voters are flawed through ignorance, Republican rhetoric and a simple minded view of science, knowledge and personal station. Whatever your own views of religion and culture are the incessant need to make everyone exactly the same, (like you). Anything not like you is evil and unworthy. You're a Republican.
9
TERRY -
I think you are on to something. Maybe throw in a few of the geographically challenged from the old Jay Leno man-in-the-street interviews to keep the pews full.
I think you are on to something. Maybe throw in a few of the geographically challenged from the old Jay Leno man-in-the-street interviews to keep the pews full.
I am a Democrat, but I too would like the other party - whether it be a new Republican Party or a new to-be-named party to be a viable and meaningful party. I am for fiscal prudence, I am for a vibrant economy, I am for an accountable citizenship. But I am also for social justice, collaboration, and equal opportunity. I can imagine voting for a Republican or non-Democratic candidates. The Democrats need a meaningful "opposite" to stay attuned and effective in their ideals. If the Republicans cannot mend themselves from the inside (hard to imagine given this current candidate and their support base), then maybe it is time for a new party. Good luck.
4
It's not New News to come to this less than brazen conclusion: The Republican Party is irrevocably broken,, and it does not bode well for America to have less than a two-party system moving into a tumultuous 21st century. Where have you been, David, for the past 16 years, at the very least? Snoozing at your desk?
American politics needs to be honestly reinvented, and yes, we need to move from a corrupted representative democracy to a viable populist democracy. But if we have both the will and the intelligence to do this are the real questions.
Unfortunately, I think, Crises will be The Mother of Invention, and she rarely puts forth an abortion.
American politics needs to be honestly reinvented, and yes, we need to move from a corrupted representative democracy to a viable populist democracy. But if we have both the will and the intelligence to do this are the real questions.
Unfortunately, I think, Crises will be The Mother of Invention, and she rarely puts forth an abortion.
1
What if the GOP was a serious party with a willingness to govern on a set of principles they believe would help the majority of the citizens of the country? That's the What If I wonder about...
5
The Republican party has been kidding itself for years. The elite, educated, and affluent party leaders assumed they were fooling the working class with their rhetoric. But the working class knew all along that the 1% doesn't represent them. Donald Trump is the result. A key reason that white working-class conservatives don't vote for Democrats (excluding the reasons of religious conservatives) is the perception of favoritism toward minorities in public policy. Which is not the reality, but unfortunately, many struggling white voters do see it that way, and feel ignored. Then they fear a huge tax increase to finance all those public programs. It's an ugly sign of continuing race and class warfare in this country. When Democrats do a better job of convincing Joe the Plumber that they've got his back, too, Democrats will win that voting bloc handily.
4
The Best Way to Avoid Future Trumps?
By HANS NOEL
Reform the presidential-election primaries to encourage contested conventions.
Hogwash, Mr. Noel.
Donald Trump won the nomination because sadly Mr. Trump was literally the best candidate the G.O.P. could find. NONE of the other primary candidates would have been any better.
And the Democrat super delegates, not Democratic voters, choose Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders because Ms. Clinton is a party insider her entire life who can be counted on to bring into her administration the career political hacks who choose her as the nominee.
By HANS NOEL
Reform the presidential-election primaries to encourage contested conventions.
Hogwash, Mr. Noel.
Donald Trump won the nomination because sadly Mr. Trump was literally the best candidate the G.O.P. could find. NONE of the other primary candidates would have been any better.
And the Democrat super delegates, not Democratic voters, choose Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders because Ms. Clinton is a party insider her entire life who can be counted on to bring into her administration the career political hacks who choose her as the nominee.
2
Respectfully - there are any number of ways to change the primary process, and encourage different outcomes for both Republicans and Democrats.
This year, we are dealing with one (hopefully) fatally flawed candidate and one with mere grievous wounds. The underlying drivers in our selection processes this year, both sides, is an increasing disconnect between the performance of government, and the welfare of either a majority or a large plurality of the citizenry.
Rather than argue about the system of choosing, perhaps it's time to fix the underlying problems. Unreasonable times produce unreasonable solutions. Thus Trump, and Sanders.
"...Government of the people, by the people, FOR the people."
This year, we are dealing with one (hopefully) fatally flawed candidate and one with mere grievous wounds. The underlying drivers in our selection processes this year, both sides, is an increasing disconnect between the performance of government, and the welfare of either a majority or a large plurality of the citizenry.
Rather than argue about the system of choosing, perhaps it's time to fix the underlying problems. Unreasonable times produce unreasonable solutions. Thus Trump, and Sanders.
"...Government of the people, by the people, FOR the people."
1
"Tonight is a night for Republicans to...ponder why their party is essentially broken."
And yet the party whose platform is defined by bigotry, gun violence, hatred, homophobia, ignorance, misogyny, privilege (for the few at the expense of those of us who actually work), racism and xenophobia could actually win the election, which would mean the end of America.
No, I wouldn't count Mr. Trump out, thanks to the fact that Ms. Clinton is just not a person (regardless of what the reality might be) who inspires confidence in her intellectual abilities.
And yet the party whose platform is defined by bigotry, gun violence, hatred, homophobia, ignorance, misogyny, privilege (for the few at the expense of those of us who actually work), racism and xenophobia could actually win the election, which would mean the end of America.
No, I wouldn't count Mr. Trump out, thanks to the fact that Ms. Clinton is just not a person (regardless of what the reality might be) who inspires confidence in her intellectual abilities.
"Something about today's Republican Party is broken."
One generation will hold on to their deceased grandmother's once cherished but now broken china for nostalgic purposes. The next generation will look at it, have no emotional connection whatsoever, and toss it in the trash without a second thought.
Maybe it's out with the old, in with the new with today's GOP. To me it's just good riddance to bad rubbish and the purging has only just begun. Then again, the new stuff is not any better, it's just different and more expensive-- but it's still junk.
One generation will hold on to their deceased grandmother's once cherished but now broken china for nostalgic purposes. The next generation will look at it, have no emotional connection whatsoever, and toss it in the trash without a second thought.
Maybe it's out with the old, in with the new with today's GOP. To me it's just good riddance to bad rubbish and the purging has only just begun. Then again, the new stuff is not any better, it's just different and more expensive-- but it's still junk.
2
Talk about being out of touch. I dont know from what Leonhardt draws his findings, but one thing is crystal clear from the primary votes: the GOP and its incumbent leaders is a political party virtually, if not completely out of touch with the majority of working Americans. It has become the party lobbyists rigging the laws and markets to favor the all-too-many predatory commercial practices of corporate businesses and finance sector.
Nobody on that GOP convention floor misses the Bushes, or the pretensions of Rubio, or Walker --- even if Trump flops in the general election.
Nobody on that GOP convention floor misses the Bushes, or the pretensions of Rubio, or Walker --- even if Trump flops in the general election.
1
The Republican Party was profoundly feckless towards Trump's disgusting antics. If establishment candidates had the courage to say no, I won't appear on the same debate stage with such an odious and bigoted man, then maybe he would have been disgraced out of the race. But we all know the story line as it played out. No one went after him "for fear of alienating his supporters." Wasn't that line repeated over and over? So yes, Christie goes after Rubio and does Trump's bidding. I will also never forget Jeb Bush high fiving Trump during one of the early debates. I'll bet Jeb's parents both became ill over that one. There used to be courageous people in the party, like Margaret Chase Smith. But now we have a bunch of last minute converts, who are choosing not to go to the convention. It's a little late folks.
1
The Republican Party is a Ponzi scam that just collapsed. The scam has always been to get the yahoos in with a pack of lies about the evils of "The Government", racism and religious nonsense while working for the rich.
The yahoos have fallen for it since Nixon's times but the bait and switch failed when the yahoos grabbed the bait and ran with it.
Trump is obliviously deranged and spouting craziness but the craziness is little different than that spouted by the other contenders for the Republican nomination.
The only real difference is that the other guys would have dropped the craziness once in Office and work for the rich like Nixon, Reagan and Bush 1 & 2 did. Trump can't drop the craziness because he really is crazy.
The entire house of cards the Republicans have built is crashing down and the Rich will be backing Hillary this time because they know the Clintons will do business.
So here we go Folks! from a right wing bait and switch to a left wing bait and switch. Ain't democracy grand!
The yahoos have fallen for it since Nixon's times but the bait and switch failed when the yahoos grabbed the bait and ran with it.
Trump is obliviously deranged and spouting craziness but the craziness is little different than that spouted by the other contenders for the Republican nomination.
The only real difference is that the other guys would have dropped the craziness once in Office and work for the rich like Nixon, Reagan and Bush 1 & 2 did. Trump can't drop the craziness because he really is crazy.
The entire house of cards the Republicans have built is crashing down and the Rich will be backing Hillary this time because they know the Clintons will do business.
So here we go Folks! from a right wing bait and switch to a left wing bait and switch. Ain't democracy grand!
1
"When Chris Christie brutalized Rubio"
That is almost Trumpian in its hyperbole. Christie did not actually use knuckle dusters but only verbal thrusts on Rubio. The NJ governor has been far less polite with some of his constituents.
@JMarksbury
The American two party system functioned fairly well until the movement conservatives dominated the Republican Party. Compromise and bipartisan legislation were possible when both parties believed in government. For decades the Republicans have banged the drums for a government so small it could be flushed down the bath. If a party does not believe in government, it would be hardly fit to govern. The charlatans of the Republican party, have now become prisoners of the true believers in the "Freedom Caucus," of the racists and of Tea Party.
In the 1960's the Republicans could join with northern Democrats to write civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act. It is astounding that I miss Republicans like Sen. Everett Dirksen who worked with LBJ on many occasions. Truly, there was horse trading but politics are not for the faint hearted. The Republicans have strayed far to the right and away from responsible government in the last decades.
That is almost Trumpian in its hyperbole. Christie did not actually use knuckle dusters but only verbal thrusts on Rubio. The NJ governor has been far less polite with some of his constituents.
@JMarksbury
The American two party system functioned fairly well until the movement conservatives dominated the Republican Party. Compromise and bipartisan legislation were possible when both parties believed in government. For decades the Republicans have banged the drums for a government so small it could be flushed down the bath. If a party does not believe in government, it would be hardly fit to govern. The charlatans of the Republican party, have now become prisoners of the true believers in the "Freedom Caucus," of the racists and of Tea Party.
In the 1960's the Republicans could join with northern Democrats to write civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act. It is astounding that I miss Republicans like Sen. Everett Dirksen who worked with LBJ on many occasions. Truly, there was horse trading but politics are not for the faint hearted. The Republicans have strayed far to the right and away from responsible government in the last decades.
16
Hillary Clinton, as a young attorney, worked on the impeachment investigation of Richard Nixon. Later, as the wife of Bill, she took point on health care. Those two issues alone would have created deep hatred for her within Republican ranks.
"Deeply flawed?" Hardly. Considering the decades of investigations, innuendos, and outright lies, all of them endlessly repeated by the media, Hillary has but this one blot upon her: she was both careless and clandestine in the protection of her emails. Wow. That's enough to make her unfit?
A person even minimally fair would list the major issues upon which this firebrand has had a significant and critical impact.
Hillary Clinton is a fine candidate and deserving of being our first female inhabitant of the Oval Office.
"Deeply flawed?" Hardly. Considering the decades of investigations, innuendos, and outright lies, all of them endlessly repeated by the media, Hillary has but this one blot upon her: she was both careless and clandestine in the protection of her emails. Wow. That's enough to make her unfit?
A person even minimally fair would list the major issues upon which this firebrand has had a significant and critical impact.
Hillary Clinton is a fine candidate and deserving of being our first female inhabitant of the Oval Office.
90
Thank you @JSVD
We have Trump because of the GOP’s conscious turn from political party to exclusive representative of the 1%. It was inevitable that the electorate eventually realize the rhetoric gaining their votes was hyperbole and the GOP were never going to help them in any way that made their lives permanently better or more secure.
It didn’t have to be Trump it could have been anyone, its just that Trump was there and read the room. I think he started this run as another money making scheme, money raised for campaigns can be shifted in all sorts of ways. His favorite seems to be paying himself and others as “employees” thus avoiding directly taking the money and criminal scrutiny. Then he saw that his shenanigans were winning him support and the clowns next to him were paper tigers (just like him).
He understood first that the GOP status quo was not going to fly and his brand of content free* hyperbole was. The main problem for the GOP is its “platform” and insistence on all its phony “conservative” standards that are in essence anti American, anti Capitalist, pro rigged business, and anti common man.
You can expect more “fly by the seat of your pants” episodes like Mrs. Trump speech right on into the WH and beyond if he wins.
*The meaning of nearly everything he says depends on the willingness of the listener to infer that meaning and their state of mind at the time.
It didn’t have to be Trump it could have been anyone, its just that Trump was there and read the room. I think he started this run as another money making scheme, money raised for campaigns can be shifted in all sorts of ways. His favorite seems to be paying himself and others as “employees” thus avoiding directly taking the money and criminal scrutiny. Then he saw that his shenanigans were winning him support and the clowns next to him were paper tigers (just like him).
He understood first that the GOP status quo was not going to fly and his brand of content free* hyperbole was. The main problem for the GOP is its “platform” and insistence on all its phony “conservative” standards that are in essence anti American, anti Capitalist, pro rigged business, and anti common man.
You can expect more “fly by the seat of your pants” episodes like Mrs. Trump speech right on into the WH and beyond if he wins.
*The meaning of nearly everything he says depends on the willingness of the listener to infer that meaning and their state of mind at the time.
7
With the news of a sacrificial lamb stepping forth on the Mrs. Trump speech I figured I might mention one possible theory, Mrs. Trump may be a lot smarter than she is given credit for and did it on purpose ( http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/us/politics/melania-trump-convention-s... ) to submarine Trump as she understands better than most just how bad he would be for the country.
2
Ever since Bush I started with a 'thousand points of light', a 'newer, gentler conservatism', and 'read my lips no new taxes!' there has been a steady decline in the difference between the GOP and Democrat party. Fast forward 28 years and now there is a north eastern millionaire who wins the GOP nomination. You have to go back to Teddy Roosevelt when the GOP nominated a similar candidate (Romney doesn't count). The question is why? Because even though he may be liberal in outlook he is not a creation of the rino establishment and that makes all the difference in the world.
Why doesn't Romney count? He is literally a reaganite who made his millions helping to destroy profitable American industry as reagan intended.
11
Romney isn't from the north east and neither romney or trump are 'reaganites'. I would argue that Bush I is a rino and he set in motion exactly what you are saying. Reagan? Reagan is known for increasing deficit spending to bankroll the military build up.
If Trump is unqualified to be President (and I think he surely is), so is Rubio, who Leonhardt trumpets as the great might have been. Maybe Christie savaged Rubio to impress Trump when he saw his own campaign going down the tubes, but he was right to expose Rubio as an empty, no-nothing suit. Rubio's mantra that Obama was purposely destroying America wasn't really that far off from the more egregious claims ('he's Muslim'; 'Nice is his fault') that we hear from Trump and his supporters. Walker at least had executive experience, but like most of the folks in the Republican field last year, he is/was inherently lazy -- both intellectually and in his governing style. Beyond gutting organized labor, making it more difficult to indict corrupt public officials and setting a once great university on the path to ruin, what has Walker done for Wisconsin? Rubio and Walker might have been more "sellable" to the American public but really, their core ideas about America aren't that different from Trump's. Trump knows how to whip up rage and grievances but no one really thinks he actually going to do anything about the heartland's economic distress, do they? Everything you need to know about Trump's future economic policy is evident in his declaring that the man who is in charge of his corporate fundraising (Mnuchin) is going to be his nominee for Sec. of Treasury. Even a blind person can see that quid pro quo coming.
27
Mr. Leonhardt asks: "How could a clear plurality of party voters choose a business executive with a spotty record who has never held elective office, who regularly demeans large groups of Americans and who tells many, many more untruths than Hillary Clinton?"
I believe a lot has to do with pure math. The key in Mr. Leonhardt's question is the word, "plurality." I submit that had there NOT been 17 candidates at the start, it would have been much more difficult for the bombastic, larger than life Trump to dominate the 16 other candidates who splintered the field. Had there been fewer candidates, it would have been much easier for one or two others to also amass a plurality early. Keep in mind that Trump never exceeded about 35 to 40% in the polls. Had, say, Jeb Bush, not have had to compete and share space with such luminaries as Carly Forina, Rand Paul, Rick Perry (even George Pataki!) taking a few percentage points each in the early polls, I submit that someone like Jeb Bush (or Marco Rubio for that matter) might have been able to amass a decent plurality to compete against Trump's early plurality.
I believe a lot has to do with pure math. The key in Mr. Leonhardt's question is the word, "plurality." I submit that had there NOT been 17 candidates at the start, it would have been much more difficult for the bombastic, larger than life Trump to dominate the 16 other candidates who splintered the field. Had there been fewer candidates, it would have been much easier for one or two others to also amass a plurality early. Keep in mind that Trump never exceeded about 35 to 40% in the polls. Had, say, Jeb Bush, not have had to compete and share space with such luminaries as Carly Forina, Rand Paul, Rick Perry (even George Pataki!) taking a few percentage points each in the early polls, I submit that someone like Jeb Bush (or Marco Rubio for that matter) might have been able to amass a decent plurality to compete against Trump's early plurality.
If Scott Walker or Marco Rubio were running, Democrats would be "panicked"?! Those two are drier lint. Emptier suits than Ryan.
What's wrong with the media? Why have they failed us?
What's wrong with the media? Why have they failed us?
38
Scott Walker is a Koch Brother puppet reviled as the Governor of Wisconsin for trashing workers rights and underfunding the state's formerly robust public university system.
Walker signed a 20 week abortion ban that includes no exceptions for rape victims or severe fetal anomalies.
Walker said during an interview that an abortion is not a decision to be made between a woman and her doctor.
The man is a right-wing radical and a front man for libertarian tax dodgers unworthy of even a governorship with a 53% Wisconsin disapproval rating.
He is even less Presidential than Donald Trump.
Marco Rubio is billionaire Norman Braman's puppet without any soul of his own, happy to fast-talk national defense and religious 'freedom' for a political living while pretending to be the new JFK...except without the charm, gravitas or ability to thing on his feet while his "Barack Obama is trying to destroy America" broken record is skipping uncontrollably.
Marco Rubio is not Presidential material.
Pastor Cruz and the rest of the Republican crash test political dummies offer no real ideas to Americans aside from the collapse of the separation of church and state, gun anarchy, tax cuts nihilism and ill will toward others.
Republicans have to rebuild using facts, evidence, reason, compromise and education, all of which they are categorically allergic to.
Let the GOP continue to self-immolate as the functioning world and the country walks around their smoldering political funeral pyre.
Walker signed a 20 week abortion ban that includes no exceptions for rape victims or severe fetal anomalies.
Walker said during an interview that an abortion is not a decision to be made between a woman and her doctor.
The man is a right-wing radical and a front man for libertarian tax dodgers unworthy of even a governorship with a 53% Wisconsin disapproval rating.
He is even less Presidential than Donald Trump.
Marco Rubio is billionaire Norman Braman's puppet without any soul of his own, happy to fast-talk national defense and religious 'freedom' for a political living while pretending to be the new JFK...except without the charm, gravitas or ability to thing on his feet while his "Barack Obama is trying to destroy America" broken record is skipping uncontrollably.
Marco Rubio is not Presidential material.
Pastor Cruz and the rest of the Republican crash test political dummies offer no real ideas to Americans aside from the collapse of the separation of church and state, gun anarchy, tax cuts nihilism and ill will toward others.
Republicans have to rebuild using facts, evidence, reason, compromise and education, all of which they are categorically allergic to.
Let the GOP continue to self-immolate as the functioning world and the country walks around their smoldering political funeral pyre.
150
Republicans have to be honest about what they are: They are the party that hopes to keep America moored to a simple and idealistic caricature of itself. A party that portends to be Andy Rooney but by a thousand cuts has become half Archy Bunker and half Lex Luther. The party needs to tell everyone: "we're not interested in the hard work of government but it's important for America to retain a particular character and let's have that debate while Democrats act as the professional governing party that they are."
The problem can be fixed if people become honest again.
There are several steps required:
1) Make the system open to more parties. To do this, the election system has to be changed.
2) Stop using deceptive marketing campaigns. Just stop being liars!
Obama won without much negativity. The Clintons only know negativity. You don't have me, Hillary. I'm a Bernie supporter, and you cannot get my support without a rabid opposition to the TPP.
Some of us our informed.
There are several steps required:
1) Make the system open to more parties. To do this, the election system has to be changed.
2) Stop using deceptive marketing campaigns. Just stop being liars!
Obama won without much negativity. The Clintons only know negativity. You don't have me, Hillary. I'm a Bernie supporter, and you cannot get my support without a rabid opposition to the TPP.
Some of us our informed.
Bozo-like New Nixon tough on Democrats with Communist-plagiarist wife seeks to exploit resentment of flawed grandmother figure and African American president. No policy needed or proffered. And the GOP can't figure out what is wrong.
41
I can tell you one thing that's wrong -- the gerrymandering of political districts by the Republicans which gave my state a Justin Amash, a young man ushered into the job and allowed to vote NO on every single thing that has come before Congress. This is legislating? It's more like pouting.
105
treason is a better word.
A Trump presidency is a nightmare to contemplate. But there is truly a silver lining in every cloud. Trump has done Americans a big favor, if only we are courageous enough to grab hold of it. Our two-party system is in shambles, as it should be. We are the only major democracy that has such a system, and for good reason. At its core, it discourages compromise. I wager that the country's ability to govern would be a whole lot better if we adopted a parliamentary system which often succeeds through the necessity of building coalitions. Britain faced World War II with a coalition government that united conservatives, liberals and labor out of the morass of deeply divided public opinion that existed in the late 1930s. It would replace an Imperial Presidency with a government that would either have a clear majority to do its will or one that had to negotiate with opposing sides, under the leadership a Prime Minister who operates under less pressure to be the everything to everybody, less of a lightening rod, less of a Father (Mother) figure for Americans. Frustration in our country is deep largely owing the erratic notion of post Nixon America that the answers can only be black or white, never gray. And gray is the biggest color in human existence.
27
I agree 100%! And while I lean Democrat, I wish that people would stop saying we have to get rid of all Republicans in Congress. Seriously? You want a one-party system like North Korea? You might really regret this if it came true. How about we work to elect moderate, sensible, intelligent Republicans with a 21st century mentality, instead? (yes, they exist!). And yes, how about we elect more Independents and other third party members?
2
"Something about today’s Republican Party — regardless of what happens in November — is broken."
Add up all the lies, phony intellectualism, trickle down fantasies, weapons of mass destruction, and all the dead, dying, and walking wounded that have emerged like pus from republican policies. Is broken the right word? Rotten might be better, how about damned rotten?
Add up all the lies, phony intellectualism, trickle down fantasies, weapons of mass destruction, and all the dead, dying, and walking wounded that have emerged like pus from republican policies. Is broken the right word? Rotten might be better, how about damned rotten?
95
Republicans are self-immolating. They think that the party has betrayed them so they go with a buffoon who is as directionless as they are. Just desserts.
40
What is broken is the beltway. If it were no,t why on earth would there be the likes of a Trump, or a prior Sanders, supporter demographic? Hopefully the career politician Clintons, can mend some fences. Many doubt it, as they are part of the political elite, as we have come to call them. Well healed well taken care of.
2
In his article, "The Big What-If Night," David Leonhardt correctly describes the GOP as a broken party. (He also reasonably predicts that the Republicans will lose the popular vote for the 6th time in the last 7 presidential elections.)
Why are the Republicans such Losers? Simple. It's because they're:
1. Anti-Collaboration (most voters prefer compromise over disruption)
2. Anti-environment (most voters like the environment)
3. Anti-gay (most voters embrace the scientific facts on homosexuality)
4. Anti-choice (most women voters like to make their own bodily decisions)
5. Anti-Truth (most voters realize that Obama is American, and Christian)
6. Etc.
But the biggest reason the Republicans are Losers?
Their constant chest-pounding and me-first persona turns off the majority of the rest of us.
Why are the Republicans such Losers? Simple. It's because they're:
1. Anti-Collaboration (most voters prefer compromise over disruption)
2. Anti-environment (most voters like the environment)
3. Anti-gay (most voters embrace the scientific facts on homosexuality)
4. Anti-choice (most women voters like to make their own bodily decisions)
5. Anti-Truth (most voters realize that Obama is American, and Christian)
6. Etc.
But the biggest reason the Republicans are Losers?
Their constant chest-pounding and me-first persona turns off the majority of the rest of us.
115
Ken in St. Louis: I definitely think there is more to it than that. I am going to vote for Trump because I cannot tolerate Hillary. That being said, I don't fit under any of the five enumerated reasons you list.
I have read quite a few articles pushing this "how could it have come to this: theme concerning Trump, but not one of them ever considers that Hillary is the alternative and the rest of the Republican also-rans where too much establishment for this cycle. (How did Bernie do as well as he did?)
It is constantly repeated that the convention floor is too white, thus proving how racist are the Republicans and their platform. But the Democrats have become very anti-white and (and anti-male) and viciously attack anyone who points this out. This may not concern many guilty-conscience north eastern liberals, but that crowd does not well represent most of America (or even like most of America from what I can tell reading the comments on this board week after week). I think there is some truth to the idea that Trump has given white people permission to voice their opinions concerning themselves and their (soon-to-be-minority) race in the same way every other group does.
In a sense, this is a Democratic victory in that soon white people will be just another interest group.
I have read quite a few articles pushing this "how could it have come to this: theme concerning Trump, but not one of them ever considers that Hillary is the alternative and the rest of the Republican also-rans where too much establishment for this cycle. (How did Bernie do as well as he did?)
It is constantly repeated that the convention floor is too white, thus proving how racist are the Republicans and their platform. But the Democrats have become very anti-white and (and anti-male) and viciously attack anyone who points this out. This may not concern many guilty-conscience north eastern liberals, but that crowd does not well represent most of America (or even like most of America from what I can tell reading the comments on this board week after week). I think there is some truth to the idea that Trump has given white people permission to voice their opinions concerning themselves and their (soon-to-be-minority) race in the same way every other group does.
In a sense, this is a Democratic victory in that soon white people will be just another interest group.
2
@Ken
I certainly hope that the constant chest-pounding and me-first persona turns off the majority of the rest of us.
Yet spending my summer months in the cool mountains of West Virginia to escape the suffocating heat in the DC area, I noticed that former card carrying democratic union members fell into that trap after a man with a darker skin and funny name got electected to the highest office of the land, and really would like to make America Great and White Again.
I certainly hope that the constant chest-pounding and me-first persona turns off the majority of the rest of us.
Yet spending my summer months in the cool mountains of West Virginia to escape the suffocating heat in the DC area, I noticed that former card carrying democratic union members fell into that trap after a man with a darker skin and funny name got electected to the highest office of the land, and really would like to make America Great and White Again.
2
Mr Leonhardt has cut closely to the core of the issue with his assessment of the big "what - if" political issue of our times.
I'd suggest the broken nature of the republican party is the fault line for the polarization of the American people over socio - economic issues both great and small. That polarization is nurtured by and exists in a symbiotic relationship between the republican political party, its propaganda organs and socially reactionary segments of our people.
The funding mechanism for this array of political forces is provided by a shrinking core of conservative intellectuals who bought into Reagan's strategy to divide the country over social issues while restructuring the rewards system of the economy to favor themselves even more so. These political leaders gladly support "open carry" in order to have the opportunity to implement Kansas budget policies, or GWB declare war on the nation's credit cards.
The republican party is breaking down in large part because by now even the socially conservative zealots have begun to realize republican governance changes nothing meaningful in their lives. Basically, even the socially conservative zealots are beginning to believe that they have been played for suckers by the republican party and their elected republican representatives.
So the party, its leadership, and its members have now given the country Donald Trump as the best and the brightest of the republican cause.
I'd suggest the broken nature of the republican party is the fault line for the polarization of the American people over socio - economic issues both great and small. That polarization is nurtured by and exists in a symbiotic relationship between the republican political party, its propaganda organs and socially reactionary segments of our people.
The funding mechanism for this array of political forces is provided by a shrinking core of conservative intellectuals who bought into Reagan's strategy to divide the country over social issues while restructuring the rewards system of the economy to favor themselves even more so. These political leaders gladly support "open carry" in order to have the opportunity to implement Kansas budget policies, or GWB declare war on the nation's credit cards.
The republican party is breaking down in large part because by now even the socially conservative zealots have begun to realize republican governance changes nothing meaningful in their lives. Basically, even the socially conservative zealots are beginning to believe that they have been played for suckers by the republican party and their elected republican representatives.
So the party, its leadership, and its members have now given the country Donald Trump as the best and the brightest of the republican cause.
8
All old news.
2
How to shoot an old elephant and watch it go down? How to become a coward and a failure, losing all sense of Right?
Broken would assume that there was a solid building to begin with---the entire party, for decades, has been built on a house of cards.
33
This mess is a direct result of Fox Faked News (FFN), Rush Limbaugh and a thousand other radio loudmouths, along with extreme websites and conspiracy dreamers taking control of the Republican party for their own benefit. When you can speak to people across the nation 4, 5, and 6 hours or more per day, telling them to be unhappy, telling them what's wrong with the world, harping on Hilary Clinton endlessly, you have more power than presidents do at this point to sway public opinion. Combine that with the unresolved issues from the Great Recession, no pay raises for decades for many and the loss of millions of jobs overseas and you have a formula for someone named Trump.
This will not stop with the election in Nov. The above mentioned provocateurs will not blame themselves for the disaster. They will look for a better Trump and count all the money they make from misleading the nation. The pivot: destroy a Hillary Clinton presidency. Cue: impeachment.