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For gun rights voters, Republican Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump seems to have one minor flaw: his previous support for an assault weapons ban. Since Mr. Trump entered the race, the real estate mogul has reversed his position. He’s now against any new gun control laws and “gun free zones.” He’s for national reciprocity. So what’s not to love? To answer that question, listen to what Mr. Trump said at the last debate when confronted by the military establishment’s rejection of his plan to torture terrorists and kill their families . . .

“I’m a leader. I’m a leader. I’ve always been a leader. And I’ve never had any problem leading people. If I say do it, they’re going to do it. That’s what leadership’s all about.”

Mr. Trump retracted his statement the next morning, pledging loyalty to the rule of law: “I will be bound by laws just like all Americans.” I don’t buy it. I don’t believe Mr. Trump misspoke. I believe he meant it when he said “If I say do it, they’re going to do it.” And that’s not what leadership’s all about. That’s what dictatorship is all about. And dictators always disarm citizens.

To understand the threat, you have to resist the temptation to see Mr. Trump’s candidacy as a spin-off of The Art of the Deal. While Mr. Trump has positioned himself as the ultimate “dealmaker” — bedeviling conservatives who cling to their guns and their bibles and frustrating journalists looking for intellectual consistency — Trump’s voters are not supporting their man as the “Dealmaker-in-Chief.” They’re voting for the guy in The Apprentice.

“You’re fired.” Those two words are the key to Donald Trump’s success in his bid for the White House. Voters want to fire the politicians taxing their income, allowing illegal immigrants in and putting their country in danger. The President and the Congress. All of them. And they want Donald J. Trump to do it. They want Donald J. Trump to be the boss. The guy in charge. Of everything.

Why wouldn’t they? The Donald they know from The Apprentice is nothing less than the God of the Old Testament. An all-powerful being who dispenses justice with an iron fist. No political correctness — as Mr. Trump himself has pointed out time and time again. No mercy — as his comments about torturing terrorists and killing their families indicates. A being who descend from on high (Trump Tower, Trump branded helicopters and jets) and is never, ever wrong.

There’s your teflon Trump. Because even when God appears wrong, he’s right. You don’t just understand. He is, after all, The Man in Charge. The media can bitch and moan about Trump’s policy flip-flops but his supporters couldn’t give a damn. They believe Mr. Trump is better than they are. They believe in my father’s endlessly aggravating saying “if you’re so smart, how come you’re not rich?”

Yes, but — where’s the evidence that The Donald would go from flexible deal maker and self-avowed gun rights supporter to fascist dictator and gun grabber? Setting aside the remarks which inspired this post, leaving out Mr. Trump’s obvious, mean-spirited arrogance and egomania, please revisit our post Donald Trump: No Guns for Americans on the Terrorist Watch List.

And then ask yourself if President Trump could resist the urge to place his enemies on the government’s secret, unaccountable Terrorist Watch List. And maybe even move to confiscate their firearms by executive order. But gun owners are Donald Trump’s friends! He wouldn’t put them on the Terrorist Watch List! Yes, they are his supporters. Right until they’re not.

Gun rights advocates cherish all their Constitutional rights. If they end up defending the “wrong” right in a Trump administration — remembering that Mr. Trump has already indicated his willingness to modify the First Amendment — they will end up in his crosshairs. And Trump will retaliate. What makes you think he wouldn’t?

Donald Trump may have the skills needed to “make America great again.” He certainly knows how to make a profit. But, as The New Testament warns, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Words that Trump supporters — whether gun owners or not — would do well to consider.

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228 COMMENTS

  1. Make no mistake, this election boils down to whether America commits cultural suicide by electing a Globalist, or America remains a free and sovereign nation.

    Trump is the answer to that most pressing question.

    • Until America abolishes the Federal Reserve, which is neither Federal (gov’t), nor has any reserves, we will never be free or sovereign.

      When private banks control the printing of currency and the interest rate associated with the printing of currency, it make the people using said currency and paying said interest effectively debt slaves.

    • Right. So Mr. Globalist is going to keep America free? He is just a tad better than Hillary. No choice for freedom lovers on either one.

  2. Here’s the thing.

    Of all candidates left standing in all parties, I think Trump is the most likely to be impeached for a given overstep, because he will always be seen as an outsider. More generally, I think Congress would be most politically willing to rein in an increasingly imperial Presidency with him in the chair.

    Hillary, in contrast, would be the least impeachable and in-check because she’d be our first female president, and nobody would want to be seen as “that guy” by those who write history. And I see no hesitation to her playing that card.

    So I’m hoping for The Donald. Sigh. But I simply see him as being the most likely to be damage-limited across the board.

    • Sadly, the Republican party will focus more on picking each other apart, and end up failing to stand against hillary in solidarity.

      1000 cuts will kill, I say.

    • There is ONE truth to this whole spectacle we have witnessed this election cycle , from the moment Ted Cruz announced his intentions to run for the presidency , everything we have witnessed has been about preventing him from getting his message to the American people and becoming the President .
      The GOP and DEM progressives have played nearly all their cards .’
      All the GOP entries into the field .
      The Trumpster as the outsider .
      The media deluge on the Trumpster .
      The attacks on Cruz’s moral character .
      The lack of media coverage on Cruz .
      The calls to the underlings , Rubio , gov. K. , and Carson from the old progressive elites , McCain , Dole , Carter , Graham , McConnell etc. to stay in the race .
      Now the media is repeating over and over and over again that the elites are trying everything they can to keep Trump from the nomination knowing full well that this will just increase his support from the disenfranchised , and in fact it is CRUZ they are most frightened of . Cruz is their true nemesis , not the trumpster .
      Cruz is the actual real outsider . Trump is the biggest player to run for president we may have ever seen get this far and the media has flipped the tale . The American public is being hoodwinked once again .
      Fox is run by the progressive right and MSNBC and MSM is generally progressive left and CNN is progressive middle and people are being led to believe that Trumpster is the outsider .
      Cruz or over , in my opinion .

  3. While its obvious Robert you don’t care for Trump. Im probably with you as I prefer Cruz for his insistence on following the Constitution as written, But since Trump is more then likely the devil we know and will be the Republican of choice. Constantly pointing out his change of mind and denigrating him does us no good as the other choice whoever it will be for the Dims. Is going to be far worse.

    • Cruz is a sociopathic liar who, like Glenn Beck, espouses a fantasy fairy tale Disney version of the constitution and founders. They’ve turned it into a quasi-religion and twisted American history so badly to suit their narrative that it makes me sick. MLK was not an American hero. Crispus Attucks wasn’t important. Furthermore, the GOPe set up the primaries the way they were to intentionally stop Ted Cruz. Donald Trump blew that all up. However, now the Dominionist sociopath whose father believes he was anointed king to ‘steal the riches’ from the wicked stands a decent chance of winning the Republican nomination.

      http://mpcdot.com/forums/topic/8799-lying-ted-the-gope-splitter-strategy-and-going-full-mississippi/

      • LOLWUT? “MLK was not an American hero.”

        Yeah anyone who would say, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character” sucks, right? Seek help.

        • Except he didn’t actually believe that. He was a communist, a philanderer, and a reverend who didn’t even believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. If that sounds familiar it’s because there’s a big pattern of it, from MLK to Jesse Jackson to Al Sharpton. Get a grip.

        • John ,
          God will of coarse forgive you for blurting out garbage from your rather twisted soul , just like he would forgive Trump for his wicked ways , but I fear you , just as Trump has said , do not feel a need to ask God to forgive you for anything .
          I do hope I’m wrong or if I am right that you will reassess your position .
          MLK , was a human of coarse and a hero , and Glenn Beck and people who have actually read and studied the actual words of our founders and those people of their day are correct and you my dear American brethren are misinformed and perhaps indoctrinated into the lies perpetuated over the last century and a half .
          My opinion .
          God bless .
          I actually believe Rafael Cruz may be correct , God will always send his people a messenger before the fire and brimstone and a boat before the flood , we must be in a position to see it though .

        • John is right, MLK was a degenerate unfit for a leadership role. The civil rights act was wrong because it had to be forced upon us at gunpoint. The National guard was sent in to forcibly integrate the negroes. No successful relationship begins with violent coercion, and the civil rights act, despite its “good intentions”, is no exception.

        • Let me guess Rusty , Trump supporter , Right ?
          Sounds like you’re ready to do some head bashing , Right ?
          O.K. , I get it .
          Trouble looms , folks .


  4. Gun rights advocates cherish all their Constitutional rights. If they end up defending the “wrong” right in a Trump administration — remembering that Mr. Trump has already indicated his willingness to modify the First Amendment — they will end up in his crosshairs. And Trump will retaliate. What makes you think he wouldn’t?

    Another way of asking the question:
    What makes you think any of that is worse than, or even as bad as, whatever Hillary’s Justice Department will do to me?

      • Not necessarily, since there’s a strong likelihood that the Congress will remain in Republican hands, and those Republicans will at least put up some resistance to Hillary’s efforts. But they would likely roll over for an imperial Republican presidency, and let him run wild (much like the rubber-stamp and blank check they gave to G. W. Bush), which doesn’t seem like it will end well for the country or the Constitution.

        • We’d like to think they’d put up a fight. Recent history has indicated otherwise, especially when it comes to statist insanity like “Patriot”, wire tapping, monitoring the web and such.

        • 16V, don’t your examples kind of prove my point? All of the surveillance-state stuff you describe started when the Republicans in Congress decided to let Bush run roughshod over the Constitution. They make a lot of noise about Obama’s abuses now, but when Bush was doing the very same things, there wasn’t a peep of protest from that side of the aisle.

          The same thing would happen with Trump. There’s at least the possibility of resistance to Hillary’s agenda. I don’t expect anyone in Washington to act out of principle, but this would be a case of self-preservation. Any compromise with Hillary would virtually guarantee that a Republican up for re-election in 2018 would face a primary challenger who would paint him as Hillary’s best friend.

        • stinkeye, Pretty sure we’re in agreement. My point was merely that while they may let an R pres run wild, I don’t know that they would guaranteed offer substantive push-back to a D pres.

        • “and those Republicans will at least put up some resistance to Hillary’s efforts. ”

          Yeah, just like they have resisted OBAMA’S!!!

          /they haven’t.

          /at all…

          And if she wins she will drag in some Dem. Senators.
          And then flood he country with millions of DEMmigrants.

          AND FILL THE COURT WITH MARXIST GUN GRABBERS.

          /feel better now about not voting fr the R candidate?

      • Let me make an analogy that I made on another story today that is fitting here .
        First let me say that I am one who will not vote for Trump if he is the nominee . I actually prefer Bernie Sanders over Hillary and both over Trump .
        I trust that Bernie would attempt to make some changes to our gun rights , I trust that Hillary would attempt to completely over ride our 2nd Amendment rights and
        I DON”T TRUST TRUMP AT ALL !
        I have raised chickens for 30 plus years and I know , like most readers here will have awareness of , that a fox will slip up in the dark of night , while we sleep and dig a small hole under the wire of the run and if the coop is open , it will carry off a hen or two . It may come back the next night for a few more , until , left unaddressed , it will carry off all your chickens eventually .
        A raccoon will slip in one night and take it’s cute little fingers and unlatch the door of the coop , go inside , and brutally murder all your hens at once so when you go out in the morning to let them out to range , there won’t be a single chicken alive , the coon will have killed everyone of them seemingly for the hell of it .
        You all know that a deer will get in your garden and nibble a little corn , eat some beans and bean flowers , nibble a few squash flowers and the tender tops a your tomato plants but a raccoon will pick one night to invite all their relatives and have a destroy the garden party , ride every cornstalk to the ground , and make you think a mini tornado blew through while you slept .
        Bernie is a deer , Hillary is a fox , and Trump is a white eyed raccoon , in my humble opinion .
        I hunt deer with no qualms here in WV , I’ll trap a fox and release if I have a trouble maker and I leave the raccoons for my dogs to teach a lesson that any survivors can tell their friends and families about . I hate raccoons and coyotes .

    • Simply put, either Clinton or Trump will eventually result in damage to the 2nd Amendment. He has stated that he would have no problem putting his sister, who is a raging leftist, on the Supreme Court. (of course, he has now said he would not, so, guess you can pick which Donald was telling the truth.)

      The way I see it, I know what I get if Clinton is President and I never thought there could be anything worse, until the Republicans came up with Trump of course. Hillary would be a rabid leftist who at least would encounter push-back by whatever opposition the supposed opposition party can muster. Trump, on the other hand will have no opposition to his doings by the Democrats as he works to enact the things Democrats could only dream of under Obama. And the Republicans would go along with him and also offer no opposition. Trump in this case is the far more dangerous person.

      I will vote for Ted Cruz, even If I have to write it in.

      • Well said, friend. That’s the main problem I see with Trump; he’s a Democrat masquerading as a Republican for the sake of convenience and vanity. Hillary would be an atom bomb for The 2nd, but I can’t trust Trump not to do the same. Do you really want the ‘You’re Fired’ guy as the figurehead of the US, or with his finger on The Button? Me neither.
        The more I dig in to Trump, the more I see a white Kim Jong hiding under that toupee…

      • You need to grow up.

        You know Hildebeast will appoint 3-4 SCOTUS judges that will gut the 2ndA and other rights for a generation or more.

        With Trump you at least have a hope that he won’t do that.

    • >> What makes you think any of that is worse than, or even as bad as, whatever Hillary’s Justice Department will do to me?

      I don’t know – did Hillary say that she’d like to torture terrorists because it’s fun and satisfying?

      (And I’d like to remind you that many militia, patriot, 3% etc groups are already classified as “domestic terrorists” in various government databases.)

  5. And if the only choices in November that have the slightest chance of winning are Hillary or Donald…..then what?

    • I’m writing in Limberbutt McCubbins.

      Then the question is do you want another 4 years of a Democratic president or another 8, 12 or maybe even 16. If Hildebeest is elected we have a chance in 2020 to elect a pro-2nd Amendment conservative, but if it’s Presdent Combover, that chance won’t come until at least 2024. And then, if Trump is reelected that country will be sick of Republicans and you’re likely to get a liberal gun grabber. So even if he’s marginally better than Clinton, letting Clinton get elected will be better for the cause in the long run. Trump will only tarnish the only brand we’ve got.

      • … except for the fact that a Democrat President will be appointing as many as three justices to the United States Supreme Court.

        No, we cannot have a Democrat take the office of President of the United States in 2017.

        • This is the one thing Trump can do to get my vote – give me a vote for Scalia’s replacement. If he selects his nominee before the election and he or she is someone who believes in the constitution as written I’ll vote for Trump. But that’s not going to happen and I honestly don’t trust Trump any more than Clinton when it comes to SCOTUS nominations. Trump might even be worse because the Republican senate will be reluctant to oppose his nominees.

        • As someone who would’ve preferred Rand Paul, let me say that I totally get the idea of tactical voting. I won’t make the perfect the enemy of the good.

          But I feel that argument totally breaks down around Trump. Who the hell knows his thoughts on SCOTUS nominations? I mean, seriously.

        • The president can nominate all they want, but it still requires confirmation in Congress.

        • “This is the one thing Trump can do to get my vote – give me a vote for Scalia’s replacement. If he selects his nominee before the election and he or she is someone who believes in the constitution as written I’ll vote for Trump.”
          Seeing as he floated his progressive-minded sister, for freak’s sake, I’d say the answer is patently obvious.

        • DMZ says:
          “Who the hell knows his thoughts on SCOTUS nominations? I mean, seriously.”

          I have serious doubts that Trump knows; I’m fairly certain no one else does. The only thing that is obvious is that whomever he chooses it will be whomever seems expedient to bolstering his ego and feeding his narcissism at the time.

  6. Trump may or may not be rock solid on gun rights. Doesn’t matter as we know for sure that hildabeast is coming for our guns. And there’s a scotus slot open. If hildabeast gets in we may see a permanent awb as a starter.

    I would prefer cruz but if he’s not up to beating Trump then he’s not the man for the job.

    Hate to sound like the NRA with hand out but this is likely the most important election of our lifetime.

    • I agree. I think this is THE most important election that we will witness. I would prefer Mr. Cruz to be the nominee on the R side, but if it’s Mr. Trump? I’ll vote for him over “free stuff for everyone” or the “Teflon queen”.

  7. I don’t trust Trump.

    I know exactly what Clinton will do – it’s not a question of trust, we know this woman is a tyrant and an enemy of the constitution and liberty.

    Trump is a wildcard, I do not trust this man but I also admit I do not know what he really believes when it comes to the constitution and liberty.

    If the choice is Clinton or Trump, this is a terrible choice, but an easy one to make.

    Good gravy, 300 million people and these are the two we have to choose from? That right there is a clust3rf*ck. But it is what it is.

    • What Donald believes in? Polls…

      Whatever furthers the greater self-interests of the Trump brand. If that means that as Trump the President·· has to sell The Constitution (not authored by Trump) short, so be it. As long as his minions will follow his twitter feed when they aren’t watching Kardashians, he’s cool with it.

      I am amused by him, he has facilitated some very un-pc conversations that need to continue, but when your main focus in a debate is not even pretending to answer policy questions, but instead to allude to dick size of your opponents, c’mon. It is really challenging to take him even semi-seriously, despite his continued candidacy being a stick poke in the eye of the machine.

      • Your attribution of the dick size bit to Trump is silly. Rubio brought it up, saying “Trump has small hands, and you know what they say about people with small hands…(giggle)…” Then Rubio pretended, convincing no one, that he was implying something else.

        Trump simply came back to point out Rubio’s error.

        • Perhaps my memory is fading, perhaps my timelines are mixed up – wasting space in my brain with all the nonsense is taxing…

          I thought that prior to the last debate Trump referred to Rubio as “little man” on several occasions. My understanding was that was a Trumpian reference to Marco’s ‘stature’ of the type not on your driver’s license.
          Or it could be a poke at Rubio’s status deep in the closet. The photos of the ‘foam parties’ from his youth, are pretty much a guarantee of which team he’s playing for. He’s got the Jesus thing and a beard with kids, so I would imagine there’s no rent boy gonna pop-up. But, eventually, when he tires of politics, and needs the money, there will be an autobiography…

        • Next week’s headline: Trump rapes Rubio at campaign event in demonstration of dominance

    • Your last paragraph is proof that the system has failed. Only billion dollar bullies can play, and we can see the “quality” of candidate that leaves us with.

      • Very true. I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember Ross Perot, who was a much different kind of billionaire who ran back before the general populace was quite as sick of the government.

        I do wonder if he would fare better today. He was certainly right about the “giant sucking sound” of all those jobs leaving the country…

      • Sanders is hardly a billionaire, and he has already demonstrated that it is entirely possible to run a very large-scale, successful campaign solely off small private donations.

    • Amen, Mr .308, honestly if this is the best our country can provide then we deserve either one of them. Hillary would be a disaster. I’m not convinced that Donald would be any better.

    • “These are the only two…”
      Stop only looking at Drudge and the news media, and realize that Cruz is running an incredibly competitive campaign that has been deliberately hidden from you for the entire election cycle. He’s less than 80 delegates behind Trump, and looks to beat him in several more winner-take-all closed (meaning; no ex-Democrats allowed) primaries. Competitive enough to warrant supporting a man who’s a heck of a lot more predictable in ways you agree with than someone who is transparently disloyal to those who help him to power.

  8. I do not trust the Donald. Voted for Cruz because he has the track record of supporting the 2nd Amendment that Trump only recently started supporting with rhetoric.

    My 2¢ may not match all his billions, but collectively we may be able to limit the damage he can and will cause.

  9. With the way all the media are covering everyone but Ted Cruz, I strongly support Ted Cruz. Pay attention not only to what the media tells us, but what they are silent about. When it’s Trump in 1st, Cruz in 2nd and Rubio in a distant 3rd yet the entire story is run on multiple media outlets without ever mentioning Cruz, we are being manipulated.
    Push comes to shove I’ll vote for Trump over Hildabeast. But make no mistake we are being manipulated into voting for Trump.

    • The establishment, both Republican and Media, hate Cruz more than Trump. Trump they think they can work with and the media know they’ll get some entertainment. Cruz they know is going to be an unreasonable constitutionalist. Which, in my view, makes him an excellent choice.

      • Keep an eye on Drudge for a few days; hardly any stories about Cruz that aren’t a list of rankings.

        The ‘narrative’ is Trump Vs Establishment, with no alternative –even though there is a compelling and competitive one

        The ‘narrative’ is it’s either Trump or Hillary –even though he’s the only one who loses to her in the general election polls consistently (and has for months)

        I honestly think a lot of Republican rabble-rousers out there are channeling the old-school race hustlers and trying to sabotage their own movement to protect their position rousing the rabble, with no expectations of success

  10. ‘He certainly knows how to make a profit.’

    Not really. If you add up all his profits and subtract his losses I’d bet he’d be in the red. Trump does however know how to stick his losses to unsuspecting investors and creditors through multiple bankruptcies while pocketing the profits for himself. He is a master at making himself rich at the expense of others. Most billionaires made themselves rich by creating jobs and opportunities for others, creating products that enrich the lives of others. Trump is a charlatan. He’s a snake oil salesman. I think it was Rubio that said, ‘if you weren’t born rich you’d be selling watches in Times Square.’

      • I’m assuming you mean Bain Capital. Bain is a salvage yard for failing businesses. Just like cars, some can be rebuilt, some can be scrapped for parts and others are sent to the crusher. It’s not the junk yard operator’s fault you’ve got 300,000 miles on your car.

        A little different than fleecing your investors.

        • Gov, you clearly know zilch about the leveraged buyout business. If the companies were scrap, they’d never get bought.

          The “leverage” in the name is the essence of the thing: LBO operators look for companies which have enough credit quality and cash/assets to justify the operator borrowing very large amounts of cash from banks and other investors. They buy the company. Then they mortgage every asset the company owns, max out their lines of credit, and pay the result out to the LBO boys as a “special dividend.” Only THEN is the company a scrap yard item. It (and its remaining employees) can struggle for life. Maybe they’ll survive. Maybe, like Colt, the politics will allow a reorganization, but only if the carcass pays out another fat check to the LBO gang that wrecked the place.

          Bain Capital was an LBO outfit, not by any means a rescue specialist (of which there are many).

        • You’re right. That’s why I had to bury that old car in my back yard because no one would take it. Scrap being synonymous with worthless. Too bad too, last week I needed a new printer and I went to where Staples would be, but there was no Staples because Bain sent it to the crusher so they could take in obscene profits putting people out of work. Got it.

        • More like a mushroom that decomposes corporations after they’ve already died (or nearly so)

  11. Right, Farago! But we shouldn’t worry about Obama coming after our guns, also right? I wanted Perry; would prefer Cruz, but will unconditionally support Trump. I would in fact vote for the World Weekly New’s Space Alien over Hillary. Hell, Farago, I’d vote for YOU over Hillary!

    Michael B

      • A lot of us were wrong about Obama, mainly because the gun banners went on silent running after the 94 AWB sunsetted. Sandy Hook was the blood in the water that brought all the sharks to the surface for what they thought would be an easy meal.

        Looking back, the White House and the media began talking up American guns being used by the cartels in Mexico about the time Fast and Furious was getting under way. He was always planning to go for a gun ban. If F&F hadn’t blown up in their faces, calls for new gun control would have come sooner. As it was, he vastly underestimated how much the gun culture had grown since the 94 AWB and how many gun owners there were to fight him on any new gun control legislation.

  12. I usually side with RF and with the gun thing I get his point. A president doesn’t run the country, Congress does. Trump spent a total of seven months stepping into political area so retracts happen. For me the issue is the RNC splitter vote strategy conceived four years ago to install their pick in the WH. Their choices are falling away and within two weeks, two non establishment candidates remain while whispers of a brokered convention loom.

    Both men have exposed the manipulation of the RNC and media, used the RNC splitter strategy against them, and both suffer attacks by the very organization that put them there. What I fear most after voting Republican all my life, is a brokered convention, which is code for stealing the will of the people. If the RNC takes that then the Constitution isn’t worth the parchment it’s written on.

    It’s not about the gun.

    • Point of fact, the Constitution is only binding to the federal government, not the parties. The Democrats are free to have their super-delegates and the Republicans are free to have their brokered convention. If you don’t like it you’re free to form your own third party. The danger for Republicans isn’t the brokered convention in itself, but who they broker into the nomination. For instance if Cruz finishes second and Rubio third and between the two they have more delegates than Trump and Cruz offers the VP spot to Rubio in exchange for his delegates that’s how it’s supposed to work. Trump will pout and go home, but he’s free to make the same offer. If, on the other hand, they nominate a Jeb Bush the party is over. Both the Cruz and the Trump people stay home in November, Hildebeest is elected president and the Republican party loses all credibility.

      • If you don’t like it you’re free to form your own third party.
        Having worked for the Libertarian Party, that is just not very easy and the Republocrats will make it hard as possible.

        • The problem with libertarians are they can’t accept they are only 10% of the population. You just can’t break the 2 party system with 10%.

        • You also can’t break the two-party system when those two parties have colluded for more than a century to set up election rules, voting districts, and federal and state laws to assure it’s virtually impossible for a third party to develop enough to challenge their stranglehold on power.

        • >> You just can’t break the 2 party system with 10%.

          You can, if the system provides for proportional representation rather than per-district/state winner-takes-all.

          If, say, Libertarians had those 10% of the popular vote translate to 10% of seats in the House, they would be able to showcase their politics, and who knows? If they show more competence than Republicans (not exactly hard at this point), next election they might take in 15%, and then 20% etc.

          But the way it is set up right now, the only way you can “break” the system in a single stroke is if you can actually gather more votes than one of the major two parties, and that it is a certainty in advance. Otherwise even people who support you will overwhelmingly not vote for you because they’d be “wasting their vote” – because they assume that everyone else will vote for one of the big two.

        • int, short of rewriting the Constitution, libertarians can be a force in the Republican party, You’re not going to get your way much in either our system or a parliamentary system. Many countries have 5 or 6 major parties and nothing gets done without different parties forming alliances. Here they’re just condensed into two, but the effect is the same. One way or another you’ll never get anywhere without a coalition. This is what I find frustrating about a lot of libertarians, if they can’t have it all they’ll take nothing. For instance they’ll shun a candidate from the social conservative sector of the GOP, even though they share 90% politically.

          Unless you’re a weed libertarian who isn’t really libertarian at all, but just wants pot legalized, there is no place for libertarians in the Democratic party. The Dems are all about government control over every aspect of your life, so although they may throw the pot heads a bone, libertarianism is the antithesis of everything they stand for.

        • First, I am not a libertarian. I am, however, sympathetic to their plight, because the same issue with third parties exists on the left.

          Now, regarding this:

          >> Many countries have 5 or 6 major parties and nothing gets done without different parties forming alliances. Here they’re just condensed into two, but the effect is the same. One way or another you’ll never get anywhere without a coalition.

          Exactly – nothing gets done without forming alliances. And it’s a good thing, because alliances are dynamic, and configurations can easily change. It means that things aren’t set in stone, and it means that small third parties can still extract concessions from the big players in exchange for lending them their support on some other issue.

          The two party system is not the same, because it artificially draws a large line that defines what kinds of coalitions can or cannot be created. Furthermore, as time goes by, the groups on either side of that line grow further and further apart, and, consequently, within each party, partisan groupthink begins to dominate, and voters become more and more anti-something than they are pro-something.

          Here, just look at this – does this look like a healthy progression to you? What do you think is the endgame?

          https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/23/a-stunning-visualization-of-our-divided-congress/

        • >> This is what I find frustrating about a lot of libertarians, if they can’t have it all they’ll take nothing. For instance they’ll shun a candidate from the social conservative sector of the GOP, even though they share 90% politically.

          Why do you believe that social conservatives share 90% politically with libertarians? You are making a rather arbitrary assertion here, that GOP economic policies are the “90%” (and that’s even being generous and assuming that they’re actually libertarian, which in practice is not t he case), and everything else is “10%”. But for many libertarians it is simply not true, and they don’t consider GOP as a “small government” party in anything but slogans, simply based on actual experience when Republicans were in control.

        • Wait, why is a parliamentary system that facilitates alliances to form to “get things done” preferable to our system of checks and balances designed to hamper government action? Do you know of any of these parliamentary systems that have greater RTBA for it’s citizens than ours? I can name plenty that have less of those rights than ours, and it’s hard to imagine the 2A even existing today if the government wouldn’t have been so hampered by it’s designed inefficiency after say, Sandy Hook.

          The federal government being an inefficient cluster F actually works in our favor most of the time, as it’s designed.

        • It’s not preferable – they are two completely orthogonal things.

          Checks and balances in this sense is necessary in any system to prevent tyranny of the majority and populism running wild.

          Proportional representation would allow people to actually vote their conscience and see it reflected in policy, as opposed to arbitrary meaningless bundling of issues and partisanship over them.

          Speaking of RKBA in particular, imagine if all the pro-gun Democrats (and to remind, 1 out of 3 Democrats have a positive opinion of NRA) had their own party that would be liberal in all ways, but pro-gun. How would that affect RKBA?

      • I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again – delegates are under no legal obligation to vote for who won their respective contest. This is true for the party congress, more importantly, it also holds true for the electoral college. This assumption that the candidate has “won” delegates, is just an assumption until the delegates actually, you know, vote.

        It is very simply, whoever the machine and the people will into the position at that time. Nothing more.

        I’m not saying it will happen, or that it’s even slightly likely, but with Trump lasting more than 10 seconds in this race, all things really are possible. And it’s possible and more importantly legally allowed that Trump could win the general election by a wide margin, and the electoral college selects Ted Cruz as president. There is no federal law requiring electors to merely go and rubber stamp the popular vote. (Yes there are some states with laws, but not all, nor most.)

        • I believe you’re right on the electoral college, but the in first vote at the Republican convention the delegates are required to vote in the proportions determined by the primaries and caucuses. There were a few states that used to be free to vote contrary, but I believe they’ve all been changed. After the first vote though, if no one gets to 1237 all bets are off.

        • If Trump accumulates the *magic number* of delegates for the nomination, expect the RNC to change the convention rules before it convenes.

          At that point, break out the popcorn and hard liquor…

        • Since the Republicans vote on the rules at the beginning of each convention, that’s not a stretch.

      • The republican party lost all its credibility the moment it let Mitt speak without a party rebuttal to his slanders.

        • I honestly think they were testing the waters, to see the reaction.

          There has been talk, especially lately, about (for some reason, the guy’s unelectable) dumping Mittens into the middle of the convention as an alternative to Trump. I think that balloon popped very close to the ground.

      • Cruz and Rubio are beating Clinton in most of the polls, Trump is losing to her. Your choice.

        • Trump is only about 80 delegates ahead of Cruz, and there’s a very good chance that neither get to 1237. Cruz will need to pick Rubio for VP to get his delegates at the convention. Odds are it will come down to Rubio to pick between Cruz and Trump. I’d wager he picks Cruz.

  13. The way Trump speaks off the cuff is his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. Strength because people see him as “genuine” and willing to tell it like it is. Weakness because he often says very foolish things.

    Yet if you read his position papers, they are by and large excellent. (We can quibble about his trade policies.) So which Trump are we going to get? The brash loudmouth from New York who changes his mind every few years on key issues, or the calm, reasoned executive in those position papers?

    Honestly, I think President Trump would be a figurehead. He’d hire the best people he could to actually craft policy, and if it’s the same people writing his papers then we’re going to be in good shape.

    I also don’t think gutting the 2A would be at the top of his agenda, even if that’s what he secretly wanted to do.

    Even so, last night I sent Ted Cruz a check for $25. I suggest anyone who’s worried about Trump do the same.

  14. Since Paul was unacceptable, Cruz was chosen,
    Since Cruz was unacceptable, Trump was chosen.
    Since Trump was unacceptable, Romney was chosen.
    Since Romney was unacceptable, Clinton was chosen.

    • Perhaps. Since we’re on the path deconstructing the Constitution, might as well hand her the key to accelerate our demise.

      • With all of the Executive Orders flying out of Obonzo’s butt and the whim of SCOTUS creating legislation from thin air, I think we already have arrived.

    • Hard for a Republican to find enough acceptance when there’s a ton of ‘first time’ former Democrat voters pouring into your open primary because their party’s contest is a foregone conclusion (and therefore not as entertaining)

  15. I have to sleep at night… There will be no vote for Trump in any election. Clinton and Trump are essentially the same politician. Trump is just hiding it under a cloak of right-wing nationalism. The R next to his name will guarantee a congress that will pass his nonsense, the D next to hers will guarantee a congress that blocks her similar nonsense… I’d rather have a do nothing Democrat than a quasi-dictator RINO. Hopefully, the Libertarians nominate someone decent.

    • A conservative (Republican) who does not vote is voting for Hillary! If you are in a state that routinely goes blue regardless how you vote, sit it out, you will not make a difference, but if you are in a purple or red state, please vote, no matter how much you dislike the Republican candidate.

      • No matter what state you’re in, if there’s a candidate that is likely to be a pro-2d Amendment stalwart, show up and at least vote for him/her. Local elections often matter far more when the rubber hits the road than federal ones.

  16. You know, when literally ALL forms of media, from left and right news orgs, social media, fake news websites, and even blogs, are in an absolute panic over the prospect of one man being president, I can’t help but support the guy. The more the media panics, the stronger he gets. All media from here to the BBC is terrified. And I love it.

    • I completely understand your sentiment and yanks in this election cycle but I regret to inform you and a great deal of America , you are being hoodwinked and conned once again . The Left , the media , the establishment progressives , both GOP and DEM’s have finally woke up and realized exactly what you just said and you said it very succinctly by the way , is what most Americans are feeling and saying and they are playing you completely by making you think that Trump is their nemesis , when all along it is Cruz that they fear the most and the one who would inflict the most damage to their 100 + years of government growth and rewriting of the history books to fit the progressive agendas which is primarily an effort ( agenda ) to replace God with government , all over the world .

  17. I would have loved to see Paul or Cruz win the nomination, but I just do not see that happening. I would take Trump over Mittens. Neither are a prize. Hitlery will rank with Obonzo, Slick Weiner, and Jimmied Crapter as the worst things to have happened to the USA.

  18. Briefly, my Theory of Trump is this: the only way for him to get elected is to beat the left/right establishment; once elected, the only way for him to govern with any hope of reelection will be to regularly appeal over the head of Congress to the people who elected him. That will put enormous pressure on him to fulfill or defend his campaign agenda. We’ve already seen an example of how this works. In the last debate he attempted to “moderate” his position on H1-B visas–and then had to IMMEDIATELY walk that back. He does not and will not as president enjoy the type of blind support that other presidents of the left/right establishment have enjoyed.

    • “Go around congress to the American people” –hey, that sounds like what Obama plays at, with his weepy TV appearances on CNN! Screw these pesky checks & balances, mob rule is far more efficient!

  19. My wife and I drove to the University of Central Florida in Orlando yesterday to hear Mr. Trump. We were unable to get into the arena as it only holds 10,000 people and 20,000+ tickets were subscribed online. Fortunately for us, Donald’s speech was broadcast to the crowd outside.

    Mr. Trump made a strong defense of the Second Amendment. Lots of Millennials supporting him.

    I find myself asking:
    Who stands with him, and why do they?
    Who stands against him, and why do they?

    Those whose minds have been corrupted by any or all of the following HATE Mr. Trump.

    Marxism
    Cultural Marxism
    The Frankfurt School
    Critical Theory

      • Commie, it’s a shame Sen. Joseph McCarthy was prevented by the GOPe /RINos and Democrats from exposing and eradicating “your kind” sixty (60) years ago, you’re a parasitical infestation destroying your “host” (our nation). Now head on back and lick four-eyed Georgie Will’s shoes at National Review.

        Vote Trump!

        • ^ This guy. Sheesh. Is it hard getting your white hood down over your tri-cornered hat? I’m curious.

          Here’s a free bit of advice: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

          It’s people like you that make me want to rethink my position of holding my nose and voting for Trump if he’s the nominee. Your obnoxious scorched earth policy of character assassination is repellent.

  20. I don’t trust Trump. I have no confidence in him adhering to the constitution. I support Ted Cruz. I will vote for Trump if he is the nominee against Clinton or Sanders, but he is not my first choice.

  21. Can this guy just drop out already? He’s going to cost us the election to HILLARY FRIGGIN CLINTON! He’s the ONLY candidate that loses to Hillary in nearly every single poll, whilst the other candidates win by comfortable margins.

    If you’re voting for Trump you’re costing us America.

  22. Trumps popularity may be pointing to a new day. Maybe a break with the dems and the repubs. Could be that if trump is pres and the repubs maintain control of house and senate americans will get a good dose of life under republican rule. If hillary wins and the dems take the senate progressives will be happy and everyone else will not be. All the candidates are idiots and I would rather not see any of them walking around the white house with his or her thumb on the nuclear trigger. Maybe, just maybe, we are rolling down the road to the emergence of an third and even fourth viable party. That will be a good day for the republic. BTW I heard a rumor that Barnum and Bailey want to take the republican party on the road next year. Big sticking point is they don’t have enough clown cars to hold all of them.

    • There is usually a swing of the pendulum after a presidential election. The overall trend is for the opposition party to take or strengthen their control of Congress when the White House “football” changes hands.
      If the Democrats keep the Presidency in 2016, the Republicans keep Congress. If the Republicans win, then the Democrats are likely to dominate the 2018 elections in the House, the Senate, or both… regardless of who the candidates are.

      • Especially when they get elected on impossible promises then fail to deliver. Even if construction starts on day one of a Trump administration (it won’t), the wall won’t be done in two years (try at least ten, assuming it doesn’t go all quagmire long before then), and there damn sure won’t be a significant effect on migration by then (apart from the now-absent Obama administration’s advertising of our open borders to South America). Even if mass deportations begin on day one (they won’t) they won’t make a dent in the migrant population within two years (assuming illegals don’t simply get better at evading deportation in the meantime, instead of holing up in easy-to-find ghettoes and hanging out at Home Depots for work)

  23. 3 million more have voted in the Republican primaries and caucuses than in the Democrat’s. Math. I watched Hillary’s speech last night and listened to the forced and muted cheers from the crowd that was never shown. Her “security review” is starting to wear her down.

    • The math the RNC figured with the splitter strategy was the base. They were shocked the Don brought at the volume of new voters to replace the base and tapped into what the people see vs. what they’re told.

      Jackson built defensive works to save New Orleans. Trump will build a wall to save the country.

      • Figures a Trump supporter would somehow find a way to say nice things about Jackson (one of the most shit-bag human beings to ever occupy the White House). Rose to power promising free shit to mobs of onlookers with no regard to consequences, same as Trump is promising with his wall.

    • Why, it’s almost as though a bunch of Democrats are electing a Republican candidate. Wow! Suddenly all his bizzare reversals on very basic conservative principles and progressive background aren’t the kind of detriment they used to be! He gets a coalition of some pandered-to Republicans (‘The Wall’) and pandered-to Democrats (‘Free Wall, Free jobs for all!’) that almost rivals the remainder on both sides with a clue, if not unity.

      This is why you have closed primaries; so when the leeches in the Democrat party finally finish burning their own house down (ie Hillary and Sanders are all you have to offer) they can’t immediately start to infect your own for a cycle or two. Turns out political parties (and their attendant establishment corruption) actually do serve as an effective check/balance in our nation; they function to protect the public from the rapid rise of a populist candidate with fascist ambitions & allegiance to no one –a danger far more likely/immediate at any given time than the slow progression of a party toward destructive policies

      • The Republican candidate can’t win without pulling Democrat votes. It was the Reagan Democrats who put Ronnie in the White House, as the most obvious example. As of a couple of years ago, Independents were at an all-time high of about 46%, Republicans were at an all-time low of about 26%, and Dems were around 29%. The three factors for most people this fall are distrust of Trump, fear of Cruz, and loathing of Clinton.
        Right now, Republicans hold the Senate but not by much. We have 54 Senate seats, with 34 up for re-election (10 Dems, 24 GOP). There are 11 races that could go either way. If Clinton wins, the Dems win the Senate, too, and look for another Sotomayor on the Court. Then watch Heller evaporate like spit on a hot sidewalk.
        I believe Trump will be the Republican nominee. Whether it’s Trump, Cruz, or Rubio, in November the choice will be between a candidate who will disarm the public and a candidate who may NOT disarm the public.

  24. >If I say do it, they’re going to do it. That’s what leadership’s all about.

    That is NOT leadership. Leadership is about vision, and inspiring others to achieve great things. Trump’s mode of operation is “do what I say, or I’ll fire you” which is going to be a complete failure when dealing with people whose support he needs as President but who he can’t fire, like Congress and the voters.

    This is turning into a “Mrs. Robinson” election:

    Laugh about it, shout about it, when you’ve got to choose
    Every way you look at this you lose.

    • It’ll be a real whiz-gigger if he DOES try to pull his “you’re fired” crap, too. We thought the various executive agencies were politicized and weaponized against the president’s enemies now…no, Donald’s not a vengeful sort at all…

  25. The only Republican candidate who exhibits a permanent grasp of reality is Kasich and he is the least effective campaigner remaining. Meanwhile the Democrats support a liar over a socialist. Hang on boys it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

  26. I am a Ted Cruz guy-but I will vote the donald over ANY dumbocrat. I don’t trust him but I don’t worship ANY politician(or non-pol running for freakin’ president). And being older I am used to being disappointed. Sorry Nancy Reagan passed away…

  27. If someone can watch that creepy Cruz Christmas video, with his brain-washed children and wife participating, and still vote for that crazy, then I say go for it.

  28. Rubio and Cruz are puppets and the establishment loves them. Rubio is much easier to control so he’s their first choice, but Cruz isn’t far behind. He loves to pretend he’s libertarian, but he’s not. His wife is a Goldman Sachs executive. The same Goldman Sachs that is in bed with Hillary, too. And, unlike Trump, they are all warmongers who will no doubt bring about a major conflict that could cost millions of lives. Any one of these three is much preferred by the establishment than Trump, whom they hate because they can’t control. The last Fox News debate proved it. They set up a trap for Trump, claiming that they dropped support for Rubio. They wanted to make sure that Trump shows up. They led him to a slaughter. Rubio is still their first pick, mainly because how stupid and easy to control he is. I’m not saying Trump is this wonderful candidate. But the fact that even conservative pundits are being told to attack him with the #NeverTrump should tell you all you need to know. They are very afraid of Trump’s popularity, because he threatens their position of power. The lifetime career politicians, the heads of various powerful agencies, departments and their cronies have finally met their match.

  29. It’s really great that The Truth About Guns (and The Truth About Cars) is staying neutral in their opinions about the candidates /

    • Call it a public service that he’s calling out Trump on his anti-freedom bullshit. Make no mistake, he’ll backpedal on gun freedom same as everything else he has before long.

  30. “And dictators always disarm citizens.”

    Then we’ll shoot him the same as anybody else that gives that order.

    Make absolutely no mistake, there is NO salvation in this election. Crash is happening. Dollar will become toilet paper some time in the next ten years, whoever is sitting in the Oval Office.

    Trump is the only person is this that makes leftists shriek. he’s the only one that has SJWs googling about moving to Canada. He’s the only person that makes the writers for Huffington Post run to their safe spaces and cry. So he’s the only one worth putting in.

    Sending Donald Trump to Washington, DC is an alternative to sending bullets. Personally I don’t see why anyone is bothering, but at least it will be entertaining. If we’re really lucky he’ll start mass round-ups for illegals and maybe even throw a few leftists outa helicopters in a tribute to Augusto Pinochet, the right wing dictator that saved Chile’s economy by brutally murdering his countries communists.

    We tried being nice, we tried Ron Paul and look where that got us. So now it’s time to not be nice.

    • “f we’re really lucky he’ll start mass round-ups for illegals and maybe even throw a few leftists outa helicopters in a tribute to Augusto Pinochet, the right wing dictator that saved Chile’s economy by brutally murdering his countries communists.”

      And there you have it, laid out by a Trump supporter. They want a dictator. They just want one that will imprison and kill their political opponents.

      • And the more bodies he drops the better. Trump is not an end to himself. He’s a weapon. An opening salvo. Ron Paul was the last olive branch. From here on things get progressively uglier until the actually shooting people starts, one way or another, top down or bottom up. However it happens this country needs the r-selected lefty rabbit people gone if we’re ever going to get anywhere.

        The right wing, the religious, the libertarians, and other k-selects can sit down and have an honest debate about the nature of government once the r-selects have been either driven out or are simply dead. Until then we’re stuck dealing with Black Lives Matter, the BLM, safe spaces, “The Patriarcy” and other total horse manure and can get NOWHERE.

        The leftists are what’s keeping us in these problems, so get rid of them.

        • So what you’re saying is that you want to physically cull the “disagreeables”, and then go back to democracy, which will be safe since everyone will vote the way you want them to.

          Nice reference to r- and K-strategies, as well. For those curious what this is all about, read this:
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/K_selection_theory
          So now we’re also talking about eugenics.

          Hm… perhaps I should get another crate of ammo.

        • Spoken like a goddam Bolshevik.

          BURN IT ALL! WORKERS’ PARADISE! PROSPERITY FOR ALL! WE WILL MAKE THE NATION GREAT AGAIN! PURGE THE OPPOSITION! KILL THE WEALTHY TYRANTS (except our own)! NO TRIALS! EXPROPRIATE THEIR FAMILIES!

        • “Bolsheviks”? You got us ALL wrong, like Franco in Spain we’re “Nationalists”, patriotic Americans, and we WILL hold those that seek to weaken and destroy OUR nation accountable.

          Vote Trump!

        • >> like Franco in Spain

          Holy fuck.

          So, already, we’ve had Trump supporters to say that he is like (or will/should pay tribute to):

          – Augusto Pinochet
          – Francisco Franco

          How much will it take for rest of you guys here, who plan to “hold your nose” and vote for him in the general, to admit that Trump’s voter base is openly, unabashedly fascist, and (since he’s a populist who says and does what his voters want) so will be his policies?

          Actually, let’s see if we can get some more names right here. Twat, what would you say about these guys:

          – António Salazar
          – Park Chung-hee
          – Rafael Trujillo
          – Miklós Horthy
          – Getúlio Vargas
          – Philippe Pétain
          – Anastasio Somoza
          – Ion Antonescu
          – Suharto
          – Ante Pavelić
          – Greek “Regime of the Colonels”

        • Int19h, look, it’s a list of the best post-war ‘Little Hitlers’ all in one fabulous collection! Anyone who sees a hair of difference between fascist and socialist tyranny is either a moron or pure evil. We won’t let you murder any of our fellow countrymen for your own sick amusement.

        • barnbwt:

          What are YOU worrying about, it’s not we aren’t going to have “public” trials. Of course to insure “justice” is served the juries will be comprised of OUR “peers”.

          It’s about time “the Left” as an “institution” one which dominates the media, entertainment, politics, academia, medicine, the literary world, industry (Facebook’s Zoiker-BOIG/Twitter’s Jack Dorsey & the “renewable” ie. solar/wind energy conglomerates as an example among others) were held to account for 120 years of their crimes against us, our culture, and our nation.

          The fact remains had Sen. Joseph McCarthy and those that came before him (prior House & Senate Committees) not been stymied in their efforts, vilified, and “sold out” by their own in addition to the obstructionism and perjury of those they sought to expose we wouldn’t be in the predicament we find ourselves today.

        • Finally some Trump supporter truth .
          Now can some of you folks see my references to 1931 Germany and the .analogies for what they were intended for ?
          Nationalism is rearing it’s ugly head , the Obama pendulum has swung and is reaching the apex of our next great ride and I don’t think the tracks are finished at the bottom .
          Constitutionalism is being pushed aside so people can get what they believe is theirs , what they deserve , what is owed them . American pride in what ? ……… If it isn’t based on strong moral principles and God endowed character then all that’s left is greed and lust and the dark dreary days that will lay wasted ahead .
          If America chooses Trump over Cruz we will be crying aloud to God that we do not need his favor and choose to go at it alone and the days of Katrina will be in memory before God and a sign for all to see and one we should have heeded .

        • Mark, at this point, you sound like you’re firmly convinced that Trump would be a disaster. But you seem to believe that Cruz is the answer that would mitigate that – if everyone chooses wisely. Here’s a question for you, then.

          Clearly, the present wave of discontent that is propping up Trump is not really about him. He was just the first politician sleazy and unprincipled enough to tap into it to its full extent, saying and doing all that needed to be said and done to blow that anger up and feed it.

          If Trump doesn’t get elected – regardless of how this happens, whether it’s losing in the convention, or losing in the general – his supporters will be mad, and they won’t go away. And for all the bigotry and hatred that is coming from that crowd, the foundation of that anger is the very real problems that their facing – and at the root of its all is economy. Simply put, the country has let its blue collar middle class down big time, and now they’ve ran out of patience; so whoever comes and tells them that X and Y is to blame for their woes, and promises to deal with X and Y in no uncertain terms, gets the vote.

          Now, if you look at the origin of that let-down, it begins in the 70s, but it really went into high gear under Reagan, when his tax-cutting policies resulted in a significant change to how the produced wealth is distributed. I’m sure you’ve seen this graph before, but I’ll repost it for convenience:

          http://online.wsj.com/media/EPI_productivity_compensation.png

          So, basically, American workers have been producing more wealth per hour spent, but all of that extra wealth does not translate to higher wages for them – it goes to the companies that hire them, and, ultimately, to people who own the companies. Here’s another graph that clearly shows where that money went:

          http://www.motherjones.com/files/images/change-since-1979-600.gif

          Meanwhile, real (i.e. in inflation-adjusted dollars) wages remain stagnant. In fact, for some categories, real wages went down, and many people simply lost their jobs outright, due to free trade policies resulting in massive outsourcing to developing countries, where labor is cheaper.

          And if you look at the demographics of Trump supporters, these people do indeed make the core.

          Now, the conservative Republican dogma on economy since Reagan has been that low taxes, low regulation and free trade is good for economy and the jobs. Trump is the first guy to seriously challenge that, and he gets massive support to a large extent because a lot of Republican electorate had simply stopped believing in those things – and, in all fairness, why should they, given that they know from experience it’s not good for them personally?

          So whoever the next president is, if they pursue the same Republican economic dogmas, they’re not going to do anything for those people to make their lives better. For example, looking at Cruz and Rubio, both propose further massive tax cuts which are mostly concentrated at the top brackets of income tax, and various other taxes (corporate income, capital gains, inheritance) that are primarily of the concern to the richest segment of society. They propose further deregulation and more free trade, as well (yes, I know that Cruz has flip-flopped on it somewhat, but given his long past track record, I doubt it’s genuine).

          All this will inevitably translate to the gap on the first graph going greater. And this means that all these angry people supporting Trump in this cycle, will still be angry in 4 years.

          So, electing someone who cannot or doesn’t want to fix the underlying issue (or doesn’t believe that it is an issue), means that the reckoning is merely postponed by 4 (or 8) years. And it may be much worse by then, because there will be even more angry workers who feel cheated out of their fair share of the wealth that they produce. And then Trump – or someone else of a similar mind and disposition – will use them to prop themselves into power, and abuse it in all the ways you have already explored.

          Given all that, why do you believe that Cruz, or, really, any Republican candidate, is the answer this time? Or, to phrase it alternatively, how do you think Cruz (or someone else) will be able to make those angry voters not angry, or at least less angry, in 4 or 8 years?

  31. The sky is once again falling.

    Even if Trump is the great gun rights evil Farago thinks he is- and that’s a big if -you have to assume he’s going to somehow get more traction with his efforts than Obama did… Which was none. And the moment he tried, it’s proven political suicide. Do I trust Trump? Not really, but I trust his ego not to damage his rep so overtly.

    So can we go back to the evil law enforcement trope now?

    • Sure, tell us you and everyone else wasn’t scared one bit when Obama was making his gun grab noises and all the news and social media were singing along. You were so unafraid you trippled the price of guns, ammo, and mags surely just in jest, no?

      • And once again,you have to buy into the certainty that Trump is a lock for some form of weapons ban.

        Moreover, if Farago wants to be the politics police, he should dig a bit into Cruz’s connections with Goldman Sachs, Citibank and the Bush 41 presidency, then publish those fun facts… But I guess it’s just Trump that’s the imminent threat of our time, not the guy that would take his place if he was suddenly edged out of the running.

        Point is everybody has an agenda. Even Farago.

        I trust Trump to be Trump. For the most part, you get what’s on the tin. He’ll run the presidency like he runs his brand, and his brand is important to him. I expect his ego to keep him in check in terms of campaign promises, if only because it will damage that brand to go back on them. Frankly, it comes down to the fact that I know what I’m getting with him, versus the murky waters of his competition. The evil you know, unfortunately. For now, the fact that he isn’t beholden to the party that got us here is enough for me.

        I wish there was better, but I don’t see Washington, Jefferson or Roosevelt on the horizon.

    • I thought Romney was supposed to be more dangerous than Obama for gun rights since, as a Republican, he could give his party poltiical cover to pursue an antigun agenda at his direction? I thought this was the primary danger of so-called RINOs in the first place? Now you say that Donald Trump as a RINO is not dangerous, presumably because he is Donald Trump?

      Bosh.

  32. I recently saw an interview with Donald Trump, where he said that he would bring in rules against the press and that you couldn’t say or write anything that is harmful to somebody. That would infringe the first amendment. So why should you Americans trust him? If he wishes to infringe one thing from the constitution why wouldn’t he infringe another?

    • Those that vote for him don’t give a fuck about the Constitution. They want it to be infringed, if it only applies to people whom they hate (Muslims, illegal immigrants etc for most of Trump’s base – and on its fringes, anyone non-white and non-Christian).

      • You know whats also really scary from a German point of view? That the Donald made a proposal to make lists with all muslims in the US. Do you know what started with only lists ruffly 80 years ago here in Germany? Yeah, I know couldn’t happen in the Us and it is all talk, but that is exactly what many conservatives were thinking about the Adolf back in the day. And I really hate to make that comperassion.

        • I know. And a lot of people here are seeing the obvious parallels, as well. And it’s not just the proposals, but also the general way in which he campaigns – it’s all about fiery speeches that tap into hate and anger. There’s very little substance there in terms of specific policies, proposals, etc. 90% is talk about Mexican rapists etc.

          A significant proportion of his electorate are unabashed, full-on racists. It even started to spill into anti-Semitism. Have a look at the comments here, and search for “Trump” on that page:
          http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/02/robert-farago/incendiary-image-of-the-day-ted-nuggets-anti-semitic-facebook-post-edition/

          A sample comment:
          “If we are not careful and get out and vote for Donald Trump, we will end up with a Jewish Communist dictator ruling over us.”

          Also, have a look at this:
          http://www.cc.com/video-clips/h2l2ij/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-who-s-actually-supporting-donald-trump-

          (While The Daily Show is political satire, their focus groups and interviews involve real people, not actors.)

        • Int thanks for searching the links, but I don’t need them to get the picture. The comments here alone are very telling. If his supporters compare him to Franco it is pretty obvious that there is something not good going on. Franco was a dictator, who supported Adolf and got help from him gaining power and they really compare Trump to him. Franco only survived WW2 because he didn’t get caught up in it. He was a full on dictator and Spain under him wasn’t a funny place to be. Why would you vote for someone like that? I really don’t get it.

        • >> Why would you vote for someone like that? I really don’t get it.

          I thought it’s obvious – because you believe that they will use state power to repress your enemies, and, generally, people whom you don’t like.

          That such regimes are not particularly picky about those they devour is rarely considered.

    • Here, I’ll do your research for you. Aren’t I nice? You’re presumably referring to the speech made on 2-26-16 containing the following–

      “(I’m) gonna open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.” -Trump

      Libel (noun): a published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation; a written defamation. synonyms: defamation, defamation of character, character assassination, calumny, misrepresentation, scandalmongering.

      It’s also the basis of already existing law in the US.
      Moving on, now?

    • I’ll bet you bitch and moan every time a politician, member of the Liberal Media, or anti-gunner like Shannon Watts/Everytown lies about the NRA and gun owners don’t you and feel there’s nothing you can do about it, right? Well what Trump is suggesting would be revising our “libel” and “slander” laws through Congress.

      Currently the aggrieved, like us gun owners, the NRA, or Trump would not only have to prove “intent” to “harm” (think “reputation”) but also that the source of an offending claim or statement “knew” what they were printing/saying was “false” which is nearly impossible as how can you prove someone “knows” something or not?. Many defendants hide behind the existing language, play “dumb” and claim they were not aware of certain easily obtained facts/statistics that would refute their assertions.

      I for one am tired of ALL the lies, ie. Mike Brown was a “Gentle Giant”, Trayvon Martin was “murdered” by George Zimmerman, gun owners all have small penises, Republicans/Conservatives are “racists” and “bigots” used to advance “social causes”, stir unrest, and vilify our candidates.

      • As an example last night during the Democratic Debate Diane Rodham aka ‘hillary Clinton” claimed Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, used an “automatic” weapon specifically designed to increase it’s “lethality” and kill as many people as possible. if I was the manufacturer of the AR-15 Lanza used I’d sue her for “slander/libel” but we ALL know she’d claim she was confused due to the “bump on her head” (read: stroke) when in reality she purposely said what she did in the manner she did in order to demonize an entire class of firearms and energize her base.

  33. This election is like choosing between gonorrhea and AIDS. Both suck, but one will definitely kill. At this point it is about damage control.

    • Well, STDs are what you get for thinking with your dick (or ‘voting with your ladyparts’ as the case may be)

  34. “Overpopulation leads to economic insecurity and social unrest. Unrest and insecurity lead to more control by central governments and an increase of their power, In the absence of a constitutional tradition, the increased power will probably be exercised in a dictatorial fashion. ”

    Aldous Huxley

    Build the wall, Donald.

    • Erect a fascist surveillance state so that we might preserve our freedom!

      Dude, all we have to do is turn off the tap and no wall is required (especially since a wall won’t work anyway; most folks have no idea what kind of obstacle the border is already as a geographic feature, nor how truly remote much of it is, nor how utter complicit authorities and locals in the high-traffic areas are –all these things moot the need for a wall in the first place)

  35. I’m not so worried that Trump will come after our guns- I’m a lot more worried that petty tyrants like him are the reason we need to keep them in the first place.
    Part of Trump’s appeal is that he doesn’t register clearly on the “Conservative/Liberal” political axis. He’s muddy on all the issues. He doesn’t seem to even CARE about the entrenched policy alignments of the traditional American “Left” vs. “Right” and we’ve gotta admit that’s refreshing.
    But he DOES register on the “Authoritarian/Libertarian” political axis. The man is a raging Authoritarian. He is his own law. He will do whatever the hell he wants… and we all know what he wants:
    1) He wants to aggrandize himself,
    2) He wants to belittle others,
    3) He wants to hoard wealth, power, and attention.
    That’s what he’s always done. That’s all he’s ever done. He won’t serve the American people. He won’t serve American interests. He won’t support the Constitution. The only thing we can expect him to serve is himself. He’s cheerfully unconcerned about any of the policies the rest of us might care about.
    Look, I know that many of the folks on here consider the Democrats their enemies. I know many people on this thread think Obama is the Antichrist and Hillary is the next worse thing. I get that. My point is that this is NOT a Democrat/Republican choice. Trump would have run as a Democrat if he’d stood a better chance that way. It’s not even a Liberal/Conservative choice. He’s not a true conservative, nor is he liberal; he doesn’t seem to have ANY consistent principles beyond “You Suck, I Rule.” This is a Democracy/Tyrrany choice. The Donald is a simple bully. That’s all he’s ever been, that’s all he is now, and that’s all he’ll ever be.
    With the mechanisms of government in Trump’s hands, he won’t just be entertaining us with smack talk- he’ll have jackbooted thugs kicking down doors and people disappeared in the middle of the night. He’s already threatened as much. Trump is a nascent Kim Jong Il, or Idi Amin, or Mohamar Khadafi. The only thing more certain than the abuse of power in his hands is the personal pettiness that will provoke it.
    If there’s one consistent trait shared by the People Of The Gun, it isn’t conservatism over liberalism- it’s Libertarianism. It’s the idea that power should be distributed rather than consolidated. It’s the idea that the rule of a powerful enclave of Elite cannot be trusted.
    Therefore, we must recognize this man as our natural enemy. It’s that simple.

    • I believe Trump thinks the presidency is the fastest route to him becoming the first ‘Trillionaire’ in the few years he has left on this Earth. He’s been obsessed with wealth-rankings his whole life (Forbes’ just came out; watch for Trump to not shut up about it for a week or so, like every year) despite not making much headway vs. his peers. But any idiot can see that the last several presidents have multiplied their wealth by ever-increasing factors with hardly any oversight; the Clintons freakin’ BOUGHT Haiti with their ‘Foundation’ for cryin’ out loud! Putin is by many measures one of the most wealthy men on Earth, having looted the estates of all who would oppose him, as well as much of Russian in general. Trump isn’t dumb enough to overlook the opportunity, especially when his loud-mouth antics are so obviously appealing to a democrat electorate fed up with their choice(s) –Hillary is so weak that Trump didn’t even need to run against her in the primary; by running as a Democrat in Republican clothing, he gloms enough rubes from both sides to get a solid third of the vote in (open) Republican Primaries without any skill or consistency.

      • I personally believe he likes his big gold name on the buildings more than the money it take to put them there .
        People like Trump are motivated by power more than the money usually associated with it .
        It actually takes a person who doesn’t prize money to get in his position , the way he has done it . A gambler does not worship the money , but the game that acquires it .
        As a 57 year old , very financially conservative man , who worked hard for every dollar I have ever made , I probably care more about money than Donald Trump . I am not a gambler and still paper bag my lunch today to save a buck or two . I don’t drink or smoke anymore , primarily because it waste my money . I could give two nickels about power . I conserve my money so I can take care of my family and friends if absolutely needed and so I can better care for other people in need and one day stand before my creator and hear Him say , good job my son .

  36. If the Republicans nominate Trump, they lose the general election to Clinton. That’s what the current polling says. That’s not true of either Cruz or Rubio. That could easily change between now and November, but right now he’s a losing proposition.

    From my personal perspective, as someone who’s never voted for a Republican in my lifetime, the one candidate I would consider voting for is Cruz. I believe he’d govern from a Constitutional standpoint and the Constitution is what matters most to me.

  37. Trump is 90% shit.

    But Hillary is 98% so. The 2% non shit, is her standing in the way of a Bloomberg run.

    Because Bloomberg is 1000% shit.

    • And then you have Cruz, who’s about 90% not-shit, and maybe 5% gold, with a speckle of poo here and there like everyone else. But nope, he’s too ‘unelectable’ (I thought Trump supporters hated Mitt Romneys?) and doesn’t ‘reach across the aisle’ enough (I thought Trump supporters hated compromisers?) to bring across large numbers of disaffected Democrats who have still not lost their appetites for free shit and statist tyranny (I thought Trump supports hate empowering these lowlifes?). Even though Cruz is still winning states and beating Hillary/Sanders in most national polls unlike Trump who has hardly ever been shown an ultimate victor. Despite almost no media coverage from either the liberal media (“Look how crazy-‘conservative’ Trump is acting today!”) or even the conservative media (It’s been weeks since the word “Cruz” has even shown up on the Drudge Report apart from primary ranking headlines, despite being a close number two the whole damn election cycle) and with even more staunch opposition from his own party’s leadership than the frail flower Trump who constantly complains of being mistreated (awful lot of senators suddenly backing Trump when he started looking like the winner; I don’t think McConnel’s allowed a single senator to openly endorse Cruz despite the man having a decent following in the so-called Freedom Caucus)

      • Cruz repeats the same low taxes, no welfare etc GOP platform of old, that was only swallowed by white middle class because it came attached to immigration and racial issues that they found important. Otherwise, why would a middle class white worker want less taxes on Wall Street types? They don’t, and that is why Trump is so successful – he ditched all that conservative small government economic baggage that the base never really bought into.

        • Exactly; promising the people free shit, just like Democrats is why Trump has so much support from people who until the last few cycles would have typically voted Democrat. Who’d a thunk it?

          You do realize, that were welfare not so pervasive and easy to come by in so many parts of the nation to so many, that it would not provide a draw for illegal immigrants, nor subsidize those who would otherwise be doing jobs that are frequently taken by illegals? You want to build the wall so they can’t weigh down the safety net/hammock, but of course you still want to lie in it yourself, right? So long as Americans wish to be taken care of, socialism will attract poor masses of migrants with little to offer (same reason the nations they hail from are socialist).

          What’s funny, though, is that no wall will ever keep them out in the end, since the gatekeepers will simply be bribed or avoided. Anyone who wants to will eventually get through, so would you rather the prize at the end be a fat slice of free cheese, or merely the space & freedom to pursue success by the sweat of your own brow? What type of mouse will each attract?

        • The people who vote for Trump are not the people who “would have typically voted Democrat”. On the contrary, it’s the people who have been the driving force behind the Republican party all along. The problem is that the party had a very weird mix of fiscal economic conservatism, religious social conservatism, and white identity politics (Southern Strategy etc), that don’t really make much sense. And the party elites have assumed that their base was all about the first two, while in practice it was all about the third.

          So let me amend that. These people would have typically voted Democrat – back in 1950s.

          But here and now, they are the soul children of GOP. The very ones that the party has raised.

  38. Demographics are the most important issue and Trump is the only one who’s actually willing to build a wall and no-platform the undocumented Democrats within our country. It’s not a fix, but it’ll add fifteen seconds to the clock that’s rapidly ticking. If we don’t take measures to prevent the demographic erosion of white middle America and to preserve the character of our nation we will become minorities in our homeland. When that happens America will resemble Brazil more than anything else. Chaotic, low trust, little care for the law or high-minded constitutional principles. In some areas, it’ll resemble present day South Africa. Not a good thing for gun rights or any of the things you care about.

    Fact of the matter is that none of the establishment guys can be trusted on this. Cruz is a liar who’s in bed with Goldman Sachs, Robert Mercer, the fracking industry, etc. He is not an outsider.

    On immigration and trade, Cruz did what he always does. He took a very careful, measured, eloquent stand, which, if you pay close attention, actually lets him argue he was on whichever side happened to win. I encourage you to look at the available video with an open mind and decide for yourself. The initial position Cruz staked out on these issues would allow him to later say he was for or against Gof8 or TPA/TPP, depending on which way the political winds blew. (Of all places, Slate has a couple of good articles on this: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/01/ted_cruz_may_be_the_most_gifted_liar_ever_to_run_for_president.html and http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/12/ted_cruz_has_lied_about_immigration.html).
    So like Obama, nothing about Cruz is really genuine, save for his own political aspirations. The chief difference is that while the POS from Hawaii decided to adopt a Magical N*gro identity to sell to his base, Cruz (who met his wife working on GWB’s campaign) adopted a Texan Crusader identity to sell to his. It’s a long con, and it’s been working so far, so why shouldn’t he shoot for the moon?

    He has to be stopped. He will not win the general against Hillary. He’ll only be able to carry the midwest and some of the South, but not enough of the Southern states to matter. Florida will not break for him.

    • I’m one of the last folks to throw up the race card, but you clearly have some irrational race-war fantasy bullshit kicking around in your head. I’d stop watching Fox News or Stormfront or whatever has you convinced brown skinned zombies will be storming your home within five years to steal all your stuff. I would also submit that Donald Trump has already succeeded in getting ‘tough on border control’ in some form or other nailed to the GOP plank, guaranteeing as strong an effort (read: not results) as the dismantling of Obamacare. The wall won’t be built (won’t work, won’t be needed, won’t even be completed within a decade if ever) and the illegals won’t be deported, so obviously something more intelligent is needed to get to the root-cause of the migration. Sorry, but Mitt was right all along about attacking their financial support structures in this country being the only sensible option with success as an outcome. There is no need for Donald to be elected at this point, as all the candidates with a hope of winning now talk tough on the border, but have far more reliable track records vs. their positions than Trump has ever had.

      But “wall” is far fewer syllables for a slogan.

      • “….. brown skinned zombies will be storming your home within five years to steal all your stuff …..”? What do you mean five (5) years, haven’t you heard “home invasions” are UP and that a MAJORITY of them are committed by :minorities” and I’m NOT talking about Asians and Jews here?

        Vote Trump!

        Only Donald J. Trump has promised to push Congress to pass then sign National Concealed Carry for all law-abiding Americans.

    • I’ve got news for you you GOPe/RINO stooge, Trump WILL be the GOP nominee and you WILL vote for him otherwise Diane Rodham aka “Hillary Clinton” WILL be president and you don’t want THAT do you?

      Fact: just like in N.J. and many other “closed primary” states blue-collar Ohio voters, lifelong Democrats, are switching their party affiliation in order to vote for Donald J. Trump.

      http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/03/06/report-youngstown-ohio-blue-collar-workers-switching-to-republican-party-to-vote-for-donald-trump/#more-113416

      • I will not give that man the opportunity to backflip on gun rights at the worst moment & give Republican RINOs the political cover to pass gun laws. He will do it, he will let you down every time, and on most issues he already has. Trump is a Republican in name only.

        • “Trump is a Republican in name only”? Didn’t to intend to say 98% of Republicans are ‘RINOs”?

          The fact is Trump is a patriotic American and a businessman, his duty was to his bottom line, family, and shareholders thus he contributed to members of BOTH political parties. I have NO problem with him contributing to Hillary Clinton because at the time he did so he had three or four international projects that were being stalled by the governments where the projects were due to be built. It’s quite simple, often a call from the U.S. Secretary of State threatening the withholding of U.S. aid or retaliatory sanctions against foreign companies from those nations doing business in the USA is often enough to get the obstacles removed. We shouldn’t have to resort to paying OUR elected officials to do their jobs but it IS a fact of life not only here in the USA but across the globe that 99% of politicians and bureaucrats are corrupt.

          Though I like Ted Cruz I’ll be voting for Trump. Why? Because I believe he has OUR best interest at heart and he will do what is necessary so that “we”, the USA, ALWAYS come out on top.

  39. I trust Donald Trump on the second amendment. I don’t think he would break the deal on this one.
    But other issue like eminent domain are a cause for concern.
    Because of federal rules he will not be able to say “you are fired” to federal employees. But he could say to the ATF stand down for 6 months just like Obama has told the border patrol to stand down. This according to the union border officers group leader.
    Any person you vote for is never going to be perfect. To think otherwise makes you a utopian.

    Ted Cruz is my guy. And he is not perfect either.
    I will vote for trump if in the general election.

    • Cruz is certainly not perfect; as much power as we’ve stupidly vested in the Executive, not even Jesus Christ could be elected on a platform of pleasing everybody at this point. But the places I disagree with Cruz are few and far between across his career; his detractors always seem to bring up about three votes he took part in which are antithetical to his stated principles. Three. That’s it. And I don’t believe his vote was instrumental to the success of any of them (the unstoppable juggarnaut of the pacific trade treaty is an example; congress had long since ceded their power to vote it down, I believe before Cruz was even elected). Far more examples of him acting in accordance with his stated principles, which is all we can expect of human politicians.

  40. Trump’s nuts.

    That’s not a politically-driven perspective; that’s from knowing what a sociopathic narcissist looks like and knowing that Trump is skirting on the edge of being institutionalized. And he will only get worse. If he wasn’t rich and famous I’d wager that he’d either be in a loony bin or in a prison.

    I have no love for Hillary but she’s at least predictable. Trump is a loose cannon with loose screws. We should all be very afraid.

    • Not to mention that, considering the Donald is clearly being spoon-fed his talking points by image people (his eloquent policy papers are laughably obvious ghost-writing from policy institute folks) and using external polls to determine his every media move, it is highly likely that he has been using similar experts to manage his business affairs & make decisions. It would explain how he can avoid losing his shirt while wasting so much time and energy on Twitter all day and other vain celebrity activities. For a guy who ‘makes his own money’ he seems to have a lot of time on his hands to do unproductive things.

      Quite possible that it’s all running on autopilot at this point, managed by experts he hired to maintain the empire, while he descends into madness/senility/whatever like Howard Hughes, with no one but his closest sycophant confidants aware of his actual decline.

    • Not going to argue if you’re right or wrong about Trump. But what does it say about his opposition, bernie and the hildabeast that, Americans are willing to take a chance on Trump instead of them? How frightening must the future with them in charge be to make the donald look good?

      And in the internet age when no one’s life can withstand the 24/7 electronic scrutiny, I’ve seen Mother Teresa pilloried by folks on the inteerwebz, how can anyone expect to measure up?

      I don’t like Trump. But if it comes down to him or hildabeast, Trump it is.

  41. Trump has flip-flopped on torture twice already, actually. First he said he’d do “waterboarding and worse” because “they deserved it”. Then he said that he’ll “obey the law”. And now he said this:

    “You know, it’s very tough to beat enemies that don’t have any, that don’t have any restrictions, all right? We have these massive restrictions. Now, I will always abide by the law, but I would like to have the law expanded … I happen to think that when you’re fighting an enemy that chops off heads, I happen to think that we should use something that’s stronger than we have right now. Right now, basically, waterboarding is essentially not allowed, as I understand it. … I would certainly like it to be, at a minimum, at a minimum to allow that.”

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-vows-to-strengthen-laws-to-allow-torture-waterboarding-election-2016/

    So, as of today, Trump is officially pro-torture – and worse yet, he wants to codify it into law.

  42. Out of all the candidates, Trump is the only one who genuinely frightens me. The man is a genuine narcissist, a bully, autocratic, antisocial, unbalanced, unreliable, and dictatorial. This man has no advanced leadership skills; all he does is shout people down if they are equals, bully them into silence if inferiors, and undermine them if they are his superiors. This has always been Donald Trump. This is Donald Trump today. This will be Donald Trump tomorrow. He has proven he cares nothing for the rights and dignity of people, ethics, decency, or policy, and has no interest in even learning anything about statecraft or realpolitik. If he becomes president, I expect Congress to clamp down on every single thing he tries to ram through. and knowing him, when he doesn’t get his way, he’ll take drastic measures, almost certainly doing something criminal on a level genuinely worthy of impeachment on par with Richard Nixon or Andrew Jackson.

    America, wake up! A man who is telling you that he envisions himself as a dictator in everything but name, has aspirations towards dictatorial style rule, and has already stated he doesn’t care about your rights, says he wants you TO PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIVES!

    HOW STUPID COULD YOU BE TO THINK HE COULD EVER BE A GOOD CHOICE!?

      • It’s not the Dems. The Dems have been putting out the same thing ever since Clinton.

        It’s the GOP that had been drifting to the right so rapidly that its electorate is in fantasy land now, so far away that anyone on the left to them is a communist or worse.

        Here, have a look. This guy was an economic adviser to Reagan and Bush Sr, and a strong proponent of supply-side economics (aka Reaganomics). Read what he has to say:

        http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/3/6/1494477/-Twelve-questions-for-Bruce-Bartlett-economic-historian-and-former-Reagan-adviser

        Back when he was the adviser, it was common-sense stuff that Republicans have also subscribed to. Now, you’ll dismiss him as “RINO” (and, truth be told, 80% of what he says, Hillary would also approve of).

        Reagan himself would be dismissed as RINO if not for the near-mythical cult of personality that GOP created around him. At this point, they worship Reagan the myth, not Reagan the actual president. Reagan himself would be disgusted by Cruz and probably even Rubio, and aghast at the notion that Trump is the frontrunner. And policy-wise, he would probably find moderate Democrats to be a better fit today.

        So… yeah. GOP electorate went full retard. And the solution to that is emphatically not to go meet them where they are.

        But it might be that for this problem to resolve itself, Trump does need to be elected, and to actually implement all the shit that he’s talking about, and thereby cause a massive constitutional crisis, and a reboot of the political system.

        • So looking at it from your leftist point of view the gop supporters went full retard? Maybe we do need a reboot.

          But be care full of what you wish for. You may get it.

        • Yes. I mean, first, there’s Trump, which I cannot describe in any other way, and which gets, what, around 40% popular support among Republicans by now?

          But even ignoring Trump, what do the other Republican candidates have to bring to the table? Well, let’s look at their tax plans:
          http://www.vox.com/2016/2/25/11110526/gop-tax-plans
          “Balanced budget”, right?

        • Regarding the reboot, I think that it’s needed for system as a whole, not just GOP. Democrats have become the party of status quo, and that’s not good. In that sense, a Trump presidency might also be beneficial in that if Hillary loses hard, it will trigger some soul searching in the party.

          And yes, I understand that a reboot like that would involve massive social upheaval either way. Maybe even violence. I don’t like that at all, and I don’t want it to happen, but if it’s the only way to move forward (i.e. it’s going to happen eventually), then it’s better for it to happen and be dealt with, than to sit and wait for the other shoe to drop.

          Even if Trump were to lose, his supporters are not going to magically disappear. They will still be there, and they will still be mad.

        • I believe you’ve stated before that you were unable to vote because of your immigration status. But if you could vote, who would it be for?

        • Given the options, I consider Sanders the only sane choice.

          I don’t subscribe to all his economic policies, and I’m actually in favor of scaling down the federal government and shifting responsibilities to the states, such that they are free to experiment with various economic and social models – but for myself, I’d want something moderately left wing. So ideally I’d want Ron Paul as president, and Sanders as my state governor.

          Here and now, though, Sanders is the only candidate with a reasonable platform on the most pressing issues. Most importantly, he’s the only one on the Democrat side who is willing to say that, yes, the (predominantly white) blue collar middle class in this country has been genuinely screwed, and acknowledges that this is what fueling the Trump-mania. And Sanders actually has a platform that can alleviate that.

          There’s no way to argue with Trump supporters or convince them, but if the economy is not such a rotten deal for them anymore, the fervor will subside – for all the “we’re angry about political correctness” rants, the real thing that hurts people is money – more broadly, economic prospects – or rather lack thereof; and that’s where the root of the problem is. And fixing that requires a president who would genuinely emphasize middle class economic interests (i.e. promote actual, physical wealth production in the country – manufacturing etc – and its fair distribution to those who produce it) at the expense of the financial sector and transnational corporations.

          Now, if you look at the field, on the right, everyone but Trump subscribes to super-low taxes on the rich, reductions in welfare etc. That’s all going to hurt that blue collar ex-middle class even more if enacted, and will only entrench them in their belief that they need someone like Trump to champion their cause. On the left, Hillary is basically the status quo candidate, and very much pro-free trade and a darling of Wall St – she’s not going to change anything significantly if elected, and so the trumpistas anger will simmer for another 4 or 8 years, and will come back with a vengeance afterwards.

          Sanders is the only one who is proposing to raise the taxes on the rich part of the spectrum and tax capital gains, use all that to fund massive infrastructure products in US (= well paying jobs for those blue collar workers) and additional welfare that would prevent jobless workers from slipping into outright poverty, and is in favor of limiting free trade to support local manufacturing. He’s also the one who wants to scale down foreign interventions – which are very costly, and which would free a lot of money for investing inside the country (which, again, means more jobs etc).

          Consequently, at this point, I see him as the only even remotely realistic long-term solution to the problem posed by Trump electorate.

          Unfortunately, Democrats have all but pissed their chance away. I’ll still do what I can to get as many people vote for Bernie in the primaries in my state, but at this point it’s more of a duty to stick to one’s beliefs and ideals to the end; realistically, his chances to win are too low at this point.

        • I begin to believe that trump will be our president. Not that I care for him. But I care less for the hildabeast.

          So I will contine to gin up support for the gop best as I can.

        • I thought that Hillary vs Trump would be a slam dunk (for Hillary), but at this point I’m not at all certain.

          So what I’ll do is go buy some more ammo.

          Seeing how we already have people talking about “throwing a few leftists outa helicopters” here, I’m beginning to think that there’s a non-zero probability that I might actually need it.

        • BTW, a question for you. What if GOP does cheat Trump out of nomination at the convention, and he takes his voters and runs as an independent – where will you go?

        • “I thought that Hillary vs Trump would be a slam dunk (for Hillary), but at this point I’m not at all certain.”

          That’s a good observation. Interestingly, in the primaries so far, those turning out for Trump tend to be an awful lot of folks who tend not to vote at all. Those raw numbers lead me to believe if the RNC kicks Trump out on his ass those voters would go with him, but not enough to let the Repubs beat HRC in the general.

          To me it appears the RNC needs to swallow its pride and nominate Trump if they have any realistic expectation to win in November. I honestly believe at this point the RNC will commit political suicide and toss Trump out.

          If that happens, the RNC convention of 2016 will make the Democrat 1968 convention seem quaint.

          Better make that ammo purchase at least a pallet…

        • Thing is, GOP is about to commit suicide either way. If the elites sinks Trump, its own base will revolt with torches and pitchforks. If it fully endorses Trump, it becomes a completely new party with a new ideology and platform, and nothing in common with the old GOP except for the label (and some of the electorate).

          Hillary vs Trump will all hinge on turnout, both positive (pro-X) and negative (anti-X), but largely the latter. The question is, how many scared Democrats will there be to come and vote for anyone-but-Trump, vs how many angry Republicans will be there to come and vote for anyone-but-Hillary. And also, how many disappointed Sanders supporters will give the middle finger to Hillary, and how many moderate and libertarian Republicans who also think their own party went full retard will give the middle finger to Trump.

          This is something very hard to predict, and it also means that polls are not particularly reliable (we don’t know how many of those people polled will actually come and vote).

          But the problem is that Sanders is the candidate who drives excitement and enthusiasm on the Democrat side, in a similar way to how Trump drives it on the Republican side. If it were Sanders vs Trump, it’s be an even match in that sense, and I do believe that Bernie’s more positive message would carry the day. But Hillary? She doesn’t inspire enthusiasm. At best, she can rally people under the “anyone but Trump” slogan. Whether that will be enough to beat Trump’s enthusiasm, I’m not sure anymore.

          And all this is the best case scenario, assuming she doesn’t get seriously mired in that FBI investigation. If she does, I sincerely hope DNC is going to do the right thing, drop her, and nominate Sanders no matter what before it’s too late (e.g. by flipping superdelegates); otherwise Trump will have a field day and will sink her in the general for sure.

      • int19h. If trump jumped ship I would vote for whoever had the best chance, in my opinion, of taking out hildabeast or bernie.

        Trump, Cruz, a pet rock.

  43. I initially had a lot of appreciation for Trump’s “candor”, poking fun at many of the entrenched liberal causes and protected classes. In the beginning, his off color remarks and jabs at the “establishment” seemed like a breath of fresh air, and were entertaining, too. I have been a pretty solid supporter of Ted Cruz all along, but Trump was making a case. I’m not exactly sure when the realization that he is nothing more than a buffoon came over me. I think it was during one of his many personal attacks on the other Republican candidates. If I have to hold my nose for the third time in 12 years and vote for him versus staying home, I will. I think he is the embodiment of the disenfranchised , angry white guy. He is using Obama’s play book, one that put many disparate groups together in 2008 to unite behind him. Unfortunately, Trump does not seem to unite, but mostly polarize.
    The GOP has had 7 plus years to articulate an effective rebuttal to Obama’s transformational agenda, and has failed miserably. They have ignored, ridiculed, and patronized “the base”, and despite having 2/3 of the government under their control, can’t stop anything that the Democrats want to do, even after all their promises. This has fueled a blind rage, and Trump has seized onto the opportunity to vocalize the anger.
    Unfortunately, too many of his supporters just want to transfer their hopes and grievances onto his candidacy and will not do any research into his past positions. Just like Obama’s followers did (or didn’t do). I read his book “Art of the Deal” years ago, and he is using the same tactics now. The problem is, that this is a much bigger stage. I hope voters come to their senses and stop his run. Soon.

    • “I’m not exactly sure when the realization that he is nothing more than a buffoon came over me.”

      For me it was when he began almost immediately advocating progressive policies completely in opposition to the ‘corrections’ his damage control image guys put out right afterward (this story is one of many similar).

      People rightly called Obama an empty suit for being unable to speak a coherent thought more than five seconds long without a teleprompter. People called GW Bush a puppet for looking to Cheney and his advisors for so much guidance. Well what the hell is Trump, then? Can’t talk to save his life without padding the answer with nonsense & repetition to distract from the fact he’s forgotten what his image people have cobbled up for him to dangle in front of the gaping masses. Not even an empty suit, since he has no class; just a windbag.

  44. “I will be bound by laws just like all Americans.”

    Here’s a question for you Trump supporters:
    -Was he lying just now when he said he’d be bound by laws?
    -Was he lying when he said he’d give our soldiers plainly illegal orders to commit war crimes?
    -Was he lying when he said he’s bribed politicians as a regular course of business?
    -Was he lying when he said he was a supporter of the second amendment as written?
    -It is more likely he’s a bullshitter telling you what you want to hear, and won’t deliver on any of it?

    I also have a theory about those who may chime in to claim other candidates (especially Cruz) offer some sort of even more crooked alternative to what Donald has given us the opportunity to examine; they are Democrats. Suddenly, all the nonsense about Cruz being an ‘establishment’ insider and Trump’s single-payer plan being the greatest gift ever makes sense (complete with the promise of a free wall for people who bemoan the FSA all day every day). The oddly-familiar language of the deniers of the Trump University “phony scandal” and dismissing a statement quite similar to “I’ll have more flexibility after the election.” Maybe they previously voted Republican out of some moronic loyalty and just now realized they want to vote for Santa Claus, or more likely they were driven screaming from their old burning trainwreck of a caucus, and now agitate for a similar conclusion to the Republican party (a statist fascist completely above the rule of law; a strongman, for those who wish to be led)

    The most feverish Trump supporters are nothing but Bolsheviks. “Burn down the old system! We promise what comes after will be beautiful!” Useful idiots, every one of you.

    • Nice arguement. Millions of people don’t agree with you so they’re ‘idiots”. Why not sheeple?

      Why not examine that the dems are fielding such dreck for candidates that they made the donald a viable candidate?

      • Not what I said, unless you mean the most loud & angry Trump folks shouting to burn stuff down; yes, they are Bolsheviks. This ‘burn stuff down’ trait was what they group was identified as one back in Tsarist Russia (and ‘sans cullotes’ in France). This impulse, while fun in the short term, is never productive, and if successful, is universally destructive to magnitudes to terrifying to even consider. But you plow right on ahead, I’m sure you feel like you know what you’re doing.

        “Why not examine that the dems are fielding such dreck for candidates that they made the donald a viable candidate?”
        My point (elsewhere) exactly; the Dem party is so damaged by corruption and moral decay that they field a damned spy and a socialist. A lot of Dems are finally realizing how messed up their party has become (though not why, of course) and now clamor for the same kind of stupidity in the Republican open primaries, chasing the brightest colored object with a loud voice promising free stuff and success with no explanation.

        • “Usefull idiots. Every one of you.” And I’m not a trump supporter. But if it’s him or hillary…..

        • In his defense, the antecedent of “you” in his statement appears to have been:

          “The most feverish Trump supporters”

          so the whole bit reads:

          “The most feverish Trump supporters … Useful idiots, every one of you.”

          Looked to me like he’s talking to a subset of Trump supporters…the rabid ones that really believe Trump is some sort of savior.

          How large a percentage that subset is is anyone’s guess. I think it’s bigger than some would be comfortable admitting.

    • I just hope no one gets assassinated out of all these heated emotions blowing around; epic bad juju for gun rights and freedom all around if any of the Four-to-Six Most Hated People in America get attacked

      We’re just now thinking of digging ourselves back out of the hole made after the ’60’s social unrest & assassinations nearly shut the door for good.

  45. “For gun rights voters, Republican Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump seems to have one minor flaw: his previous support for an assault weapons ban.”

    For voters who care about all rights, there are many more than one. Those of us remember Vera Coking fear that a fellow who cares so little for your property rights in where you live is unlikely to care more about your property rights in what you shoot.

    That having been said, do I prefer any one of the other major party candidates? No. Same as the last N presidential elections. How in hell did America let herself be herded into this position?

  46. Golly folks the ONLY candidate left(Rand is long gone) who has actively fought for my GUN rights is Ted Cruz. This IS a gun blog after all. Guns are 1st or 2nd with me(along with fighting baby murder). Ted is the only one I trust completely on either. In fact I haven’t trusted any politician EVER(voted in 1972). Pretty sure we as a nation are screwed but hey I have kids and grandkids I care about. And the donald ain’t the answer…

  47. ” I believe he meant it when he said “If I say do it, they’re going to do it.” And that’s not what leadership’s all about. That’s what dictatorship is all about. And dictators always disarm citizens.” TTAG believes that and so do I.

    “I will make Germany great again.” Oops – that was Hitler.

    “I will build a wall” – Sure, a wall 30 feet long and 3 feet high and we’ll call it Trumps Towering Wall. LOL

  48. Trump is a Democrat in disguise.I don’t see how you people can’t see that. A vote for trump is a vote for hillary. You aren’t doing America any favors by voting for trump.

  49. Why are so many people simply voting Trump because “it’s better than Hillary”? There are other parties pushing candidates that won’t erode American values like the reds and blues have been doing. I’d bet if people who are voting for x because they’re better than y actually went beyond the two party shilling, our third parties would see a lot more support.

  50. “I’m a leader. I’m a leader. I’ve always been a leader. And I’ve never had any problem leading people. If I say do it, they’re going to do it. That’s what leadership’s all about.”

    These sentences, if we can call them that boil down to this; Leader, Leader, Leader, Leading, Do it, Do it, Leadership.

    It repetitious brainwashing pablum. Almost any speaking he does can be broken down into this sort of drivel.

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