Is it the party organizations fault or are they the victims of the increasing radicalism on both the left and right? Are they a victim of their own gerrymandering policies whereby so many districts are so "one party" that the candidates fall over themselves to get the votes of the most radical of their party. The big battle is in the primary and not in the general election, leading to a lessening of influence of moderates in both parties.
Stu, you're right, in truth it would seem that there are a variety of factors. I think maybe where I was coming from is that I'm of the view that so many of the issues that confront us in that regard are a result of the lack of effective leadership, fwiw.
Trump wins the Xichigan case and the Colorado case but the Colorado judge comes up with a novel ruling that "It appears to the Court that for whatever reason the drafters of Section Three did not intend to include a person who had only taken the Presidential Oath.” a very curious interpretation to be sure, but does states for the record that “Trump engaged in an insurrection on January 6, 2021 through incitement, and that the First Amendment does not protect Trump’s speech” at the Ellipse that day. She also found that Trump “acted with the specific intent to disrupt the Electoral College certification of President Biden’s electoral victory through unlawful means.” Stay tuned..... Trump to remain on Michigan ballot after judge rejects another 14th Amendment challenge | CNN Politics Trump ‘engaged in an insurrection,’ judge says, but should remain on Colorado ballot | CNN Politics
As we continue to watch this nation disintegrate on so many fronts, memories of the "good old days" under Donald Trump come to the forefront. Let's face it, optics are everything. We look at our severely impaired President, our college kids rallying for murderers, foreigners streaming over our borders, the weekly grocery bill, etc. and its clear that people are willing to dance with the devil again. And the obvious all-out assault by the Democrats to get Trump by any means necessary is clearly showing diminishing returns and may be having the exact opposite effect on him. I don't like the guy but I understand what's going on.
Krebsie, don't underestimate the bi-partisan nature of the anti-Trump coalition. I'm not a Dem, never voted for one and did vote for every single Republican presidential candidate on the ballot in my voting lifetime, including him in 2016. Never again....and there are millions of moderates and independents like me who have concluded that by his actions he has proven that he may be the single most unworthy candidate for the Oval Office in our history and in my view, likely disqualified by the 14th Amendment. He has betrayed his people, incited an insurrection, laid siege to our Constitution, disdainful of our military and it's tradition and heroes, indicted and soon to be convicted felon. Never again, I ain't a Dem but put me in the all-out assault camp. That we don't have a more qualified candidate than these two is the real tragedy in this election
I suspect Buck T is correct which is why I keep hoping T will be disqualified somehow. I don't like the guy, but there's no way in HE!! I can watch the continued calculated destruction of our country by the Democratic Socialist party. Another 4 years with these folks in charge and you'll have to go way down the menu to know what number to press for English...
I know several Republicans who have already said they will vote for Joe Manchin if he declares. But if Trump somehow makes it on the ballot I expect most if not all Republican politicians to fall in line rather than fall on their sword to save their own political futures. These guys are nothing if not gutless profiteers. The #1 thing this country needs, above everything else is re-unification.
I continue to be amazed by Trump's poll numbers. Nicky Haley is gaining some ground but she has a long way to go.
The all-out concerted and coordinated effort by the Justice Dept, individual state legal systems, the mainstream Press, the Entertainment industry, the Democratic Party and select RINOS like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney to destroy Trump and his family since 2015 is unprecedented in American history. It has been choreographed and relentless. His opponents may be witnessing the Law of Diminishing Returns in action and in fact realizing the exact opposite results than the ones they intended. His numbers seem to have steadily increased. When he initially decided not to debate I thought he was making a mistake. But after for debates I now think he was a genius.... he has a huge lead in the polls and the other candidates have been less than stellar on the stage. The Governors of Iowa and New Hampshire have endorsed Desantis and Haley respectively. If Trump overwhelms the field in those two primaries then the die will have been cast on the GOP side. Desantis, Christie and Ramaswamy will likely drop out immediately after. Haley will hang in there... she has a lot of money and donors including Democratic donors. She will hold out hope that women will turn out en mass for her which I don't see happening. What I do find amusing is the Biden family and the Democrats whining about the impeachment inquiries and the prosecution of Hunter when they themselves have done nothing less to the Trumps for 8 years.
I agree. Nikki will get some juice from the Sununu endorsement amongst the centrist right and independents and others on "Team Normal" who were hoping for a Sununu or other non-extremist candidacy. My expectation is that some element of support from the right-center for the criminally-indicted, failed former President will begin to erode as his trial(s) gets underway and the American people begin to understand and appreciate the full weight of the facts behind his lies, betrayal and treachery upon them laid out for all to see in a court of law. Those uninterested in facts will never be swayed but I refuse to believe they are significant enough numbers for him to prevail. That Cheney and Romney are now characterized as RINO's by some on the right flank of the party simply because they speak the truth, refuse to swallow the lies, drink the kool-aid and bend the knee to one where evidence has been put forth under oath in a court of law that, more likely than not, he tried to defraud the people and overthrow the duly elected government of this country is all the proof one needs to evidence how far the party has strayed from it's core principles and has become a cult of sycophants
The two Rinos that you and I referenced above have gone so far as to state publicly that they would consider a vote for Joe Biden. That tells me that these former "Royals" are going far beyond anti-Trump rhetoric; they are willing to sacrifice basic conservative principles. They are all about self-preservation on their own terms, nothing more.
Disagree Krebsie, they are country first, partisanship second. The notion that supporting a candidate with Trump's "credentials" is a vote for basic conservative principles flies in the face of everything he's shown us and defies all logic. Trump is neither a Republican nor a conservative, never has been and embodies the essence of RINO. There are no political figures in our lifetime with less bona fides to re-define the essence of a once proud political party to match his personal preference. He has done more to defile and destroy the party than to renew. If I believed that a vote for Biden was necessary to keep Trump out of the White House, I'd vote for him in a heartbeat and I'm no RINO. My political views haven't changed in the almost 70 years I've been on the planet. A RINO is an insurrectionist with utter contempt for our military heroes, leaders and traditions, leading white, nationalist populist elements clothed in authoritarianism pissing on the rule of law while shredding the Constitution and waving a red flag with an R and an elephant on it ears tuned only to the fawning cheers of his misguided and ill-informed sycophants, country and it's core institutions be damned.....
Voting for Biden is damn near treasonous to me. That jackass and his handlers seem to be hell bent on taking this country into the shitter once and for all... At least vote for Kennedy if you want to throw it away.
I'm a patriot before I'm a partisan. I hear ya Scott and I get it, but from where I sit he is far and away the superior alternative between two and I don't think it's close. I know that this great country can survive 4 more years of bad policy because we have done so in the past and will do so again in the future. What I don't believe we can survive is torching the Constitution, which would be validated by the election of an insurrectionist, one who betrayed his people for personal power and the installation of an authoritarian regime filled with sycophants and the complete destruction of the foundations and institutions upon which we were founded and the fundamental elements that lead us to global leadership. I voted my conscience in 2020 and picked Romney as I believed him to be the most qualified candidate and I didn't think there was chance in hell that Trump would win. 2024, diff scenario Biden at best even money....the notion of an apocalyptic presidency by a modern day Benedict Arnold is unthinkable to this patriot and tantamount to slitting the throat of the country I love, imho
BT, with all due respect, if you are saying that you will cast a vote for Joe Biden in order to do your part to stop Donald Trump then you and I have very little in common and see conservatism and patriotism in completely different lights. And to remind you, if it comes down to those two, I will submit a write-in vote for the person who I think would make the best President.
Next stop SCOTUS.... Colorado Supreme Court removes Trump from 2024 ballot based on 14th Amendment’s ‘insurrectionist ban’ | CNN Politics
It could happen but it's clear at this point that it will happen if, and only if, he gets bailed out by the Courts. I've got a 24 year old son and he wants to run for President too but he doesn't meet Constitutional qualifications either and would need similar judicial help to qualify. Wouldn't it be one of the great ironies of our generation if Trump had to rely on judicial activism to even get his name on the ballot. Truth often stranger than fiction....