I'm a DeSantis supporter because I agree with you that DT wasn't as great of president as his cult thinks he was, and I think RD can win more of the crossover vote where Trump cannot. He's just an unlikable guy for many that judge from a distance.
However, that being said, it would be dishonest to not acknowledge the economic measurables for the individual across all races while Trump was president was even better than when Reagan was president, and that was going against an awful lot of opposition from the Ds and the D-supporting R's, like the appeaser, Speaker Paul Ryan.
I don't think anyone knows what's the definition of a true R is any longer, because things have changed. I'm no longer a R supporter because I got tired of the constant appeasement by the R's just as long as the corporate rich, Wall Street and the military industrial sectors we're rewarded and protected by their D counterpart. While the Ds continued to shift our country left, and made a mockery out of our pandemic response and the 2020 and 2022 elections, the R's hardly did anything about it, and even backed the D's over the Rs.
The reason Trump is supported by so many conservatives is he fought back against the Ds and the DC-Cabal of progressives from both parties. I'm not a supporter of his, but I can acknowledge the fighter that he was, was much better than anything the Rs have had since Reagan left office.
You listed all the principles that the Rs share, but the s claim these same principles. The only difference is their definitions are almost 180° off from most conservatives, and from Trump's principles.
>God [How many Rs voted against Trump's push for religious protection?]
>Family [What R legislation actually helped the family?]
>Freedom [What R legislation actually protected our freedoms?]
>Fidelity to the Constitution [What R legislation solidified our Constitutional rights... certainly not our right for our legal vote to count?
>Adherence to the law [What Law? Same one the R's allow the Ds to keep abusing?]
>Knowing the difference between right and wrong [Who defines this? Many conservatives who barely can feed their families see Congressmen and women enriching themselves, yet they will not push for term limits]
>Individual liberty [When the R's appease on regulation bills that reduces individual liberties. Trump saw this and spoke up about it.]
>Individual responsibility [See above]
>Less government [What have the Rs ever done about it?]
>A strong national defense [doesn't mean fighting endless battles in the ME or fighting someone else's civil wars.]
>Low taxes [For Who?]
>Free market economics [This is a joke when dealing with trade deficits. Free is not allowing jobs to go to slave labor or government subsidized businesses.
>Fiscal responsibility
>A beacon for freedom for the world [Again, this doesn't mean wasting our tax dollars to nation build or play policemen in someone else's country]
"an awful lot of opposition from the Ds and the D-supporting R's, like the appeaser, Speaker Paul Ryan."
In fact Paul Ryan got the single most important domestic accomplishment of President Trump done: the tax reform law. Without Ryan, Trump would not have been able to sign this law, which was a great win for low, medium, and medium high earners. The Democrats opposed it, as it raised taxes on the high income people.
In my opinion, the Republicans are the same as the Democrats and they are all the establishment. The Republicans are happy to continue to spend money like drunken sailors, are not doing anything to get us out of this dangerous war with Ukraine and spend the money on our people, have done nothing to rebuild the broken infrastucture in our country, have done nothing to stop illegal immigration pouring in, have done nothing to rebuild the broken education system, etc etc.
In my mind, it's no longer right vs left. It's the deep state establishment/tech corporations/industrial war complex vs the people of this country. And that includes both parties.
Michael recycles every fetid cliche about Trump there is and then says, "America needs some adults."
GMFB
Trump overcame the entire establishment from day one. Michael wants to saddle Trump with everything that didn't go his way and contends that it's all Trump's fault.
Mitch lost the Senate by being an obstacle
Paul Ryan lost the House by being an obstacle
You are helping the demons who've taken our children hostage by being an obstacle to what the people CLEARLY want, regardless of your handwringing and whining.
You are a part of the problem. Reagan ain't coming back.
Mike's best cartoon of 2016 played on the leitmotif of "Angry Birds" (a screen-game that was popular at the time). The cartoon panel showed an obviously angry American Bald Eagle faced with a 'choice' between Donald Trump and sHrilLIARy Clinton. I think the caption was "REALLY?" or words to that effect.
Mike had a similar cartoon in 2000 with Uncle Sam on the proverbial psychiatrist's couch mumbling incoherently, "Biden, Trump, Biden, Trump, Biden, Trump...."
The United States of America deserves better choices than this.
I can only imagine the vitriol this post will create. And, yet, it really nails the essential truth of the election: Trump lost to himself. The "anybody but Trump" feeling led many democrats to hold their nose and vote for JB. When Trump ran it was anyone but Hilary for many.
I think Trump accomplished many things while in office and I'm not convinced that any other Republican would have done the same. But we need a leader who is not swayed by what others say about him/her. There are more examples than I can count of Trump supporters who the moment they did not show loyal fealty 100% he would immediately trash them as if they were terrible.
Come on. This is playground stuff.
And, I really do believe that the Democratic strategy is to force Trump onto the ticket because the same people who voted against Trump in 2020 will do the same in 2024.
Are there Democrats who will vote against any Republican? Of course.
But we have a strong field of contenders who are true conservative leaders that can bring in the undecideds and the non-committed Democrats.
I don't think it's about fair, Zuckerberg, and all of the other stuff. It's not even that I disagree... I just don't think it's relevant in winning an election.
Republicans are going to have ALL of that to deal with. Every. One. Of them.
Facebook will print crap about any Republican.
There will be shady voting and mail-in ballots, and ballot harvesting, etc. All of it.
Which means to me that we need a candidate that can still rise and succeed against all of that.
There are only two factors that prevented the GOP from being a permanent minority party, relegated to throwing peanuts from the sidelines:
The Tea Party
Donald Trump
I'm a DeSantis supporter because I agree with you that DT wasn't as great of president as his cult thinks he was, and I think RD can win more of the crossover vote where Trump cannot. He's just an unlikable guy for many that judge from a distance.
However, that being said, it would be dishonest to not acknowledge the economic measurables for the individual across all races while Trump was president was even better than when Reagan was president, and that was going against an awful lot of opposition from the Ds and the D-supporting R's, like the appeaser, Speaker Paul Ryan.
I don't think anyone knows what's the definition of a true R is any longer, because things have changed. I'm no longer a R supporter because I got tired of the constant appeasement by the R's just as long as the corporate rich, Wall Street and the military industrial sectors we're rewarded and protected by their D counterpart. While the Ds continued to shift our country left, and made a mockery out of our pandemic response and the 2020 and 2022 elections, the R's hardly did anything about it, and even backed the D's over the Rs.
The reason Trump is supported by so many conservatives is he fought back against the Ds and the DC-Cabal of progressives from both parties. I'm not a supporter of his, but I can acknowledge the fighter that he was, was much better than anything the Rs have had since Reagan left office.
You listed all the principles that the Rs share, but the s claim these same principles. The only difference is their definitions are almost 180° off from most conservatives, and from Trump's principles.
>God [How many Rs voted against Trump's push for religious protection?]
>Family [What R legislation actually helped the family?]
>Freedom [What R legislation actually protected our freedoms?]
>Fidelity to the Constitution [What R legislation solidified our Constitutional rights... certainly not our right for our legal vote to count?
>Adherence to the law [What Law? Same one the R's allow the Ds to keep abusing?]
>Knowing the difference between right and wrong [Who defines this? Many conservatives who barely can feed their families see Congressmen and women enriching themselves, yet they will not push for term limits]
>Individual liberty [When the R's appease on regulation bills that reduces individual liberties. Trump saw this and spoke up about it.]
>Individual responsibility [See above]
>Less government [What have the Rs ever done about it?]
>A strong national defense [doesn't mean fighting endless battles in the ME or fighting someone else's civil wars.]
>Low taxes [For Who?]
>Free market economics [This is a joke when dealing with trade deficits. Free is not allowing jobs to go to slave labor or government subsidized businesses.
>Fiscal responsibility
>A beacon for freedom for the world [Again, this doesn't mean wasting our tax dollars to nation build or play policemen in someone else's country]
>Truth, justice, and the American way.
"an awful lot of opposition from the Ds and the D-supporting R's, like the appeaser, Speaker Paul Ryan."
In fact Paul Ryan got the single most important domestic accomplishment of President Trump done: the tax reform law. Without Ryan, Trump would not have been able to sign this law, which was a great win for low, medium, and medium high earners. The Democrats opposed it, as it raised taxes on the high income people.
Republicans need to DO, not just talk...
In my opinion, the Republicans are the same as the Democrats and they are all the establishment. The Republicans are happy to continue to spend money like drunken sailors, are not doing anything to get us out of this dangerous war with Ukraine and spend the money on our people, have done nothing to rebuild the broken infrastucture in our country, have done nothing to stop illegal immigration pouring in, have done nothing to rebuild the broken education system, etc etc.
In my mind, it's no longer right vs left. It's the deep state establishment/tech corporations/industrial war complex vs the people of this country. And that includes both parties.
Conservatives need to focus on getting our message out to the new immigrants now.
Remember the Muslim community came out and fought LGBTPQ push in schools?
Hispanic, Asian, and other immigrants also place "Family Value" and their children's education and wellbeing as their #1 priority.
We need to organize and reach them now.
Ryan was black hole. That deal was going to get done even without Ryan. Trump completely bypassed that black hole.
Michael recycles every fetid cliche about Trump there is and then says, "America needs some adults."
GMFB
Trump overcame the entire establishment from day one. Michael wants to saddle Trump with everything that didn't go his way and contends that it's all Trump's fault.
Mitch lost the Senate by being an obstacle
Paul Ryan lost the House by being an obstacle
You are helping the demons who've taken our children hostage by being an obstacle to what the people CLEARLY want, regardless of your handwringing and whining.
You are a part of the problem. Reagan ain't coming back.
Excellent essay by a principled conservative, who will now be lambasted for not worshiping in the cult of Trump.
Concur. Not popular with most of my family but Trump is not the solution but fear he will be the nominee. The general election will be a train wreck.
Mike's best cartoon of 2016 played on the leitmotif of "Angry Birds" (a screen-game that was popular at the time). The cartoon panel showed an obviously angry American Bald Eagle faced with a 'choice' between Donald Trump and sHrilLIARy Clinton. I think the caption was "REALLY?" or words to that effect.
Mike had a similar cartoon in 2000 with Uncle Sam on the proverbial psychiatrist's couch mumbling incoherently, "Biden, Trump, Biden, Trump, Biden, Trump...."
The United States of America deserves better choices than this.
I can only imagine the vitriol this post will create. And, yet, it really nails the essential truth of the election: Trump lost to himself. The "anybody but Trump" feeling led many democrats to hold their nose and vote for JB. When Trump ran it was anyone but Hilary for many.
I think Trump accomplished many things while in office and I'm not convinced that any other Republican would have done the same. But we need a leader who is not swayed by what others say about him/her. There are more examples than I can count of Trump supporters who the moment they did not show loyal fealty 100% he would immediately trash them as if they were terrible.
Come on. This is playground stuff.
And, I really do believe that the Democratic strategy is to force Trump onto the ticket because the same people who voted against Trump in 2020 will do the same in 2024.
Are there Democrats who will vote against any Republican? Of course.
But we have a strong field of contenders who are true conservative leaders that can bring in the undecideds and the non-committed Democrats.
Excellent summary Mr. Ramirez. You got it right (as in correct, and as in, what right should be thinking).
I don't think it's about fair, Zuckerberg, and all of the other stuff. It's not even that I disagree... I just don't think it's relevant in winning an election.
Republicans are going to have ALL of that to deal with. Every. One. Of them.
Facebook will print crap about any Republican.
There will be shady voting and mail-in ballots, and ballot harvesting, etc. All of it.
Which means to me that we need a candidate that can still rise and succeed against all of that.