US Politics

[Desertfalcon]

True, very tiny percentage of total population, but would I be right to assume these are the "high end" well educated Bain Capital type republicans - not angry rural folk.

Just the opposite. Trump's most loyal base are white males with only a high school education. That does not mean that he does not get some of the university educated, indeed, he does get even some minority voters. Trump is the weirdest political phenomenon in quite some time in America.

I was wondering if there are now conservative establishment types voting for Trump?

There are, but the bigger story that has no precedent, is the growing number of conservatives/Republican elected officials that will not vote for him under any circumstanced.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/271578-22-republicans-who-wont-back-trump-as-nominee

Here is a verbatim quote from an American friend who is a financial type in NY. " at least Trump has done something, not like Cruz - that guy has spent a lifetime stopping anything from getting done".

Maybe some well educated people are seeing Trump as a better alternative to Cruz?

Sure, he will. There is allot of anger out there, specifically among Republicans but if Trump becomes the nominee, and I think he will, I think Sen. Clinton will win most of the professional class, college educated types.

 

[Dalit]

I know you're not making it up and yes, sentiments can vary from town to town, but lets just take one thing you said,



I assume you mean, Trump's idiotic proposal of a ban as their is of course, no ban on Muslims entering the USA, but besides that point, Trump was not only roundly condemned by virtually all of the country's leaders, the American people in poll after poll, overwhelmingly opposed any such ban. Now lets look at another statement statement,



It's explained again, in understanding that it is not "white Americans". It's a small percentage who happen to be "white Americans". You know who the next candidate is who's followers are disproportionately white compared to his opponent? Socialist/Liberal Bernie Sanders! It's Bernie's biggest problem, so you can't just generalize. Of course there are Americans who are bigots, and there are jackasses who act out in their bigotry, just as in your country, but you won't get the true nature of the country by generalizing. A hidden camera TV show that has a series of interesting experiments, this one about anti-Muslim bigotry. Probably a better representation of the American people than a Trump rally...

You keep saying that the voters who are voting for Trump are a small percentage. Yet, he has more than 50% of the conservative GOP voters behind him which indeed is a very significant number. From evangelicals to moderates and conservatives. Not to even mention, other non-GOP voters from all walks of life who are also massively voting for Trump. To make matters worse, Trump is indeed also receiving votes from well-educated folks which also happen to be primarily white folks. Trump's base support is wide and getting only wider. In one particular state, Trump even got a sizable Hispanic vote which is telling. The landslides wouldn't be happening without massive support from the voters. We cannot shrug this off as something insignificant. This is the truth and we have to face it. Ask the Republican elders who are now clueless how to deal with Trump's rise and fame.

We need to admit the inconvenient truth that Trump's horrendous message is striking a chord with many particularly white conservative and even non-conservative Americans. He is saying things which many white Americans are relating to. When he says that all Muslims are a danger to US society he receives a lot of credit and support for saying this. The white Americans who endorse the anti-Muslim views actually expect Trump to deliver on banning Muslims from entering their country. When Trump says that Mexican rapists and criminals are being sent over he actually receives a standing ovation from the white segment of the society. His supporters actually expect him to build a wall on the border. This is very troubling and we cannot hide these disturbing facts under a rug. He hasn't even started on the general elections yet and his popularity is skyrocketing. We need to call a spade a spade. This is a troubling trend and there is a reason why some analysts are comparing Trump's rise with Hitler.

 

[Desertfalcon]

You keep saying that the voters who are voting for Trump are a small percentage. Yet, he has more than 50% of the conservative GOP voters behind him which indeed is a very significant number. Not to even mention, other non-GOP voters from all walks of life who are also massively voting for Trump. In one state, Trump even got a sizable Hisoanic vote which is telling. The landslides wouldn't be happening without massive support from the voters. We cannot shrug this off as something insignificant.

I would not shrug it off at all. It's the most seismic political event to happen in the US in some time, but again, you are confusing some things,

Trump even got a sizable Hisoanic vote which is telling.

Perfect example. No he didn't. He got a percentage of the very small number of Latino voters who vote in a Republican Party primary. Or...

The landslides wouldn't be happening without massive support from the voters.

He is getting massive support from the relatively small percentage of voters who are voting in Republican primaries. Just as I had posted before, Trump overwhelmingly won the Massachusetts GOP primary............which means he got 4.4% of the people of that state to support him, but I can safely bet my bank account today, that in the general election, the Democrats will win Mass. be a huge margin. Now, that does not mean that I don't think Trump will be the GOP nominee. I think he will.

We need to admit the inconvenient truth that Trump's horrendous message is striking a chord with many particularly white conservative and even non-conservative Americans. He is saying things which many white Americans are relating to. When he says that all Muslims are a danger to US society he receives a lot of credit and support for saying this. When Trump says that Mexican rapists and criminals are being sent over he actually receives a standing ovation from the white segment of the society. This is very troubling and we cannot hide these disturbing facts under a rug. He hasn't even started on the general elections yet and his popularity is skyrocketing. We need to call a spade a spade.

Well I certainly am not hiding them under a rug because I am one of those politically active Republican Party members who will not, under any circumstance, vote for Mr. Trump. I think what you are missing is that Trump does not represent the views of the majority of the American people. Even some who may vote for him, do not necessarily agree with his bigotry. That is a false generalization. What is really motivating those white, working class Americans is economic fear, far more than racial or religious fear. They no longer have any sort of economic security of a union job, benefits that will always be there, and a secure retirement. Many are too old to re-train for new fields of work, and they see illegal immigrates working in jobs they used to work in as kids. There are other reasons as well, but that is the biggest motivation for Trump's loyal base. It will not translate into a victory in the general election though. There just aren't enough of that base to accomplish that. America has changed too much for that to happen.

 

[RabzonKhan]

From what I read, he started off with $1 million from his father. He became a millionaire to a billionaire. So that makes him a self-made person. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

That’s what Donald Trump would want you to believe, he actually inherited successful business his grandfather, Friedrich Drumpf started.

Now you must be wondering, Drumpf, yes it was Drumpf, a German name, before his family changed it to Trump, so it would be easier for Americans to pronounce.

Oh my goodness, it is really hilarious, everyone should watch it. It reminds me the story of the naked Emperor and the child. It is quite a popular show on the YouTube, React series, it invites different age groups to give their views on various issues.

Here is a small sample of kid’s comments/reactions:

‘If you want to be president, you shouldn’t be racist”

“So undiplomatic”

“So rude”

“He is like a five-year-old”

“He throws tantrums about stupid things”

“Filthy rich”

“He speaks his mind, but his mind isn’t right”

 

[Zabaniyah]

@T-72M1 I think you'll find this article informative.
China, Brexit, Trump top risk discussions | Global Trade Review (GTR)

@Dalit Trump's danger doesn't lie in his ideological extremism. It is his vulgar populism and anti-establishment ideals. That is what makes him dangerous.

I wonder how true that is though? Massachusetts voted for Trump - huge margin. MA is one of the richest and most liberal states with low rates of unemployment . Trump won Nevada - very high Hispanic vote.

I don't know what's going on but I don't think the angry white rural folk explanation really fits anymore.

Maybe Trump got this far because-

1. Trump communicates differently to the other politicians. He uses simple language, he is entertaining (made for TV), he does not bore people with complicated ideas - " I will replace obamacare with something terrific" No details or difficult ideas or explanations just simple fantasy building.

He isn't smooth or suave the way most politicians are. And through long experience nobody trusts smooth and suave anymore.

2. His opponents underestimated him and so didn't go after him early enough. Everyone just assumed he was a clown and would fizzle out, so they didn't do the necessary work. The republicans have been undermining Hilary for years now, they never gave a fraction of that attention to Trump. They just sat back and laughed at him. The establishment was as entertained by him as everyone else now they are panicking and it may be too late.

Prepare to get your mind blown
I voted for Trump to destroy the GOP—commentary

 

[Sky lord]

Nice article-

I especially agree with this part-

"I believe that Republicans made a deal with the devil in 2009 when they embraced the Tea Party, a populist group who were just mad as hell and weren't going to take it anymore. In Congress, the Tea Party has been aggressive in destroying all the norms that made it work for more than 200 years."

I actually share conservative values, but not the bigotry and xenophobia and suspicion of science - all of them Tea Party additions to the Republican Party.

 

[RabzonKhan]

More DECENT Republicans speak out against Trump.


Republican Foreign Policy Experts Pen Open Letter Bashing Trump

by Claire Groden
MARCH 3, 2016

Here’s something 70+ of them agree on.

In an open letter to Donald Trump, more than 70 Republican foreign policy experts have banded together to agree on one thing: Trump cannot become president.

The letter, posted on foreign policy site War on the Rocks, said that Trump would make the United States “less safe” if elected president. The experts listed their gripes with the frontrunner’s foreign policy platform, including his aggressive advocacy for waging trade wars—”a recipe for economic disaster”—and his inconsistent vision for the United States’ role in global affairs.

“Controlling our border and preventing illegal immigration is a serious issue, but his insistence that Mexico will fund a wall on the southern border inflames unhelpful passions, and rests on an utter misreading of, and contempt for, our southern neighbor,” the letter says.

Former Bush administration State Department official Eliot Cohen and Bryan McGrath, who advised Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign, organized the letter, according to the Washington Post. Signatories include former homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff, former Bush homeland security adviser Frances Townsend, and former deputy secretary of state Robert Zoellick.

The foreign policy experts agreed that they would be “unable to support a party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head.” But it’s not clear how much of an impact, if any, the letter would have. As the Post notes, the list of elite, DC-insiders are unlikely to impress Trump supporters who chafe at the Republican establishment’s opposition to the frontrunner.

Fortune has reached out to the Trump campaign and will update this post will their reply.

 

[Dalit]

I would not shrug it off at all. It's the most seismic political event to happen in the US in some time, but again, you are confusing some things,



Perfect example. No he didn't. He got a percentage of the very small number of Latino voters who vote in a Republican Party primary. Or...



He is getting massive support from the relatively small percentage of voters who are voting in Republican primaries. Just as I had posted before, Trump overwhelmingly won the Massachusetts GOP primary............which means he got 4.4% of the people of that state to support him, but I can safely bet my bank account today, that in the general election, the Democrats will win Mass. be a huge margin. Now, that does not mean that I don't think Trump will be the GOP nominee. I think he will.



Well I certainly am not hiding them under a rug because I am one of those politically active Republican Party members who will not, under any circumstance, vote for Mr. Trump. I think what you are missing is that Trump does not represent the views of the majority of the American people. Even some who may vote for him, do not necessarily agree with his bigotry. That is a false generalization. What is really motivating those white, working class Americans is economic fear, far more than racial or religious fear. They no longer have any sort of economic security of a union job, benefits that will always be there, and a secure retirement. Many are too old to re-train for new fields of work, and they see illegal immigrates working in jobs they used to work in as kids. There are other reasons as well, but that is the biggest motivation for Trump's loyal base. It will not translate into a victory in the general election though. There just aren't enough of that base to accomplish that. America has changed too much for that to happen.

I beg to differ entirely.

Exit poll: Three-quarters of S.C. GOP voters support Trump's Muslim ban

Measuring Donald Trump’s Supporters for Intolerance - NYTimes.com

Trump supporters in South Carolina would ban Islam, shut mosques and a third would prevent gays entering US | US elections | News | The Independent

A sizable white segment of the US society in many states supports banning Muslims from entering their country. Not all, but certainly a sizable segment. This aggrieved white segment might also have other reasons for supporting Trump, but banning Muslims is an overwhelming factor. The hate for Muslims is immense and intense.

I'm not confusing anything. First, people were doubting his very candidacy. Suddenly, they started realizing the huge crowds at Trump rallies. Then, came the shock when Trump started wining states. It is very easy to say now that Trump is going to be blown away by Hillary. This was also said during the GOP primaries, but the truth is quite the opposite.

 

[F-22Raptor]

Ted Cruz wins Kansas.

 

[Desertfalcon]

I beg to differ entirely.

Exit poll: Three-quarters of S.C. GOP voters support Trump's Muslim ban

3/4 of GOP voters is NOT the same as the majority of the American people.

Poll: Solid opposition to ban on Muslims entering U.S. - CBS News

Trump supporters in South Carolina would ban Islam, shut mosques and a third would prevent gays entering US | US elections | News | The Independent

Again, you keep trying your best to take a very small minority percentage of people and turn that into how the majority of Americans feel. I left that one link above as an example. First of all, even among Trump's supporters, as per YOUR link, a majority of them do NOT support banning Muslims or shutting down mosque. Read you own link, those are in fact, minority opinions among Trump’s South Carolina voters. It's a misleading headline from a well known, leftist, British source. Given the actual survey, the accurate headline would read,

Even among white Evangelical conservative Trump supporters, a majority (60%) opposes their candidates proposal of banning Muslim entry into the US. An even greater majority solidly oppose any ban on homosexuals entering the US. They are evenly 50/50% split on the issue of mustard or vinegar based BBQ sauce.

That last one was just 'cause I found it funny. Secondly, as that poll was of almost exclusively white, mostly hard core Evangelical Protestant, South Carolina southerners, who are hard-right and active enough to bother to answer a poll based ON their activism, IOW, you are taking the opinions of a minority percentage of ONLY 827 total people surveyed, and then extrapolating that to say, "See, the American people are all horribly bigoted and racists!" South Carolina's population: 4.9 million. USA's population: 317 million. And of those; 39+% are Latino, Black, or other minorities. 827 white southerners is not reflective of their views.

It's bad math and faulty reasoning.

 

[F-22Raptor]

Sanders wins Kansas and Nebraska

Cruz wins Maine

Clinton wins Louisiana

 

[Sky lord]

I beg to differ entirely.

Exit poll: Three-quarters of S.C. GOP voters support Trump's Muslim ban

Measuring Donald Trump’s Supporters for Intolerance - NYTimes.com

Trump supporters in South Carolina would ban Islam, shut mosques and a third would prevent gays entering US | US elections | News | The Independent

A sizable white segment of the US society in many states supports banning Muslims from entering their country. Not all, but certainly a sizable segment. This aggrieved white segment might also have other reasons for supporting Trump, but banning Muslims is an overwhelming factor. The hate for Muslims is immense and intense.

I'm not confusing anything. First, people were doubting his very candidacy. Suddenly, they started realizing the huge crowds at Trump rallies. Then, came the shock when Trump started wining states. It is very easy to say now that Trump is going to be blown away by Hillary. This was also said during the GOP primaries, but the truth is quite the opposite.

At the end of the day, US voters have a right to have their voice heard on who does or does not come into their country, however bigoted or discriminatory it might seem to you or me.

It is what it is and they get to make their rules and run their country as they see fit.

 

[ultron]

delegates update

http://www.cnn.com/election/

 

[F-22Raptor]

Trump wins Louisiana and Kentucky. He only won by 3-5% over Cruz in those states. Rubio and Kasich need to drop out.

 

[Desertfalcon]

Trump wins Louisiana and Kentucky. He only won by 3-5% over Cruz in those states. Rubio and Kasich need to drop out.

They do, and I have been a Rubio supporter. My state's GOP primary is this Tuesday and I may vote for Cruz just to try to stop Trump, if nothing else.

It is still Trump's race to lose, however. Cruz has only won one actual primary outside of his home state, I believe. Caucus goers are more heavily, party faithful. Trump is stronger in the broader based primaries. The problem now for Cruz now is it is quickly turning to mostly primaries that are winner-take-all states, and they are mostly in states that are not "Cruz country".

Canada announces their bid for the Presidency of the United States