Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[iam416]

It's an interesting question. There was an interesting discussion on the topic at NRO. I was more persuaded by what I was articulating last week -- people tend to side with the party, not the ideas. In Trump's case, "Trumpism" is, in almost no way, ideological (or coherent). It is, in nearly every way, a cult of personality. His base loves TRUMP. His base isn't going anywhere.

The folks he pisses off are, you know, actual, legitimate Rs. Kevin Williamson -- heh -- wrote about how, "go figure, the New York Democrat is a New York Democrat." But those aren't the "big tent" Rs. Those are people who are already Rs and have already had to compromise/hold their nose and vote for DJT.

So, I'm leaning more to the side of the argument that the folks he brought to the R party aren't going anywhere while the folks who already don't like him have already voted for him once as the least bad option and will likely do so again.

All that said, in the states where it matters, it's still the economy. If it's all sunshine and fucking rainbows no one will really care if you've switched course a dozen times. As long as you get there.

It'll be really interesting to watch.

[iam416]

I think of it in sports terms. My family are huge Cavs fans and the Cavs have looked like poop for the past two weeks. And there's much hemming and hawing about whether they can even win the ECF. And that all plays well when you're talking about things in a vacuum -- yes, they look like poop. But we're not in a vacuum. The real question that matters is WHO WILL BEAT THEM? Sure, they aren't playing well, but tell me who is going to beat them.

As it relates to DJT, tell me where the "base" or "traditional Rs" are going to go? I mean, it's unfathomable that they'll go D, so it has to be they just won't vote, and not only that, it has to be that they won't vote in states that matter.

So, I think the more precise question isn't in terms of support, but in terms of voting. Will the base still vote for DJT? And if the answer is no, then you need to say why. That's a much tougher question.

[Wild Hoss]

He is viewed as being against the Left; that's all that matters to many.

To others, he made promises that he will not fulfill...if that matters to them more than the above, he'll pay a price.

"Party Rs" will peel away the minute the electorate tells them that have to. Or to double-down on the Trump card. Who the **** knows what happens anymore.

[iam416]

Who are the "Party Rs" going to peel away to?

[THE_WIZARD_]

TaintedBan...if you won't leave these boards voluntarily...

[Wild Hoss]

Who are the "Party Rs" going to peel away to?

They don't have to peel away to anybody...just away from him.

[Da Geezer]

Where Are Trump's Tax Returns ... ??

During a recent Trump rally stop, a heckler from the audience hollered, "Hey Where is Trump, hiding his tax returns?"
The speaker politely responded, "he found a very secure place that I'm certain they won't be found."
The insistent heckler, then shouted, "And just where is that"?
The speaker smiled and said, "They are underneath Obama's college records, his passport application, his immigration status as a student, his funding sources to pay for college, his college records, and his Selective Service registration.
"What's your next question?"

[iam416]

They don't have to peel away to anybody...just away from him

I have a hard time seeing "Party Rs" abstaining in a presidential election in numbers that matter.

[Wild Hoss]

I have a hard time seeing "Party Rs" abstaining in a presidential election in numbers that matter.

That's probably what John and Mitt thought too.

[crashcourse]

George not getting the last shot saved Cleveland in game 1
love posting up Stephenson for 10 straight point was difference in game 2
indy could sweep 3 and 4 and who knows what would happen then
pacers are a dangerous team but you guys did what you needed to do

[froot loops]

Where Are Trump's Tax Returns ... ??

During a recent Trump rally stop, a heckler from the audience hollered, "Hey Where is Trump, hiding his tax returns?"
The speaker politely responded, "he found a very secure place that I'm certain they won't be found."
The insistent heckler, then shouted, "And just where is that"?
The speaker smiled and said, "They are underneath Obama's college records, his passport application, his immigration status as a student, his funding sources to pay for college, his college records, and his Selective Service registration.
"What's your next question?"

The speaker could have shortened his answer to "Obama was black."

[Dr. Strangelove]

If Trump fires Bannon, I think the Alt Right will turn on him. I think they will portray him as in the thrall of Kushner and Ivanka. He's a NYC Dem after all. Now is their audience more loyal to them or to Trump, is the question?

On a related note, did everyone see that Alex Jones is going through a messy divorce and in trying to keep custody of his kids, his lawyer is arguing that Jones merely plays a character on his show and doesn't represent his true beliefs? Some of his hardcore 'true believer' fans are losing their minds.

[Jeff Buchanan]

............

Anyway, the HuffPo gonna HuffPo. In more mainstream media, the NYT has seen wisdom in providing editorial space to an imprisoned Palestinian "activist" in announcing his hunger strike with basically a column railing against Israel. ...... But, you know, he deserves his space in the NYT.

Are you suggesting that the progs, or the libs, as the case maybe, are living in a world of delusions instead of reality, those delusions created by the (liberal) press?

Geezer ...... don't answer that.

[froot loops]

Trump's base is not a winning majority, he threaded the needle by picking off enough independent voters and benefitted from an opponent that had did not have an enthusiastic base. By 2020 that base will be enthusiastic for the proverbial ham sandwich. His constant need to be in the news cycle will keep that base energized.

It's way too far off to speculate, even 2018 is far off.

[Da Geezer]

Munchen said this morning that the tax cuts won't be done by the August recess.

And in a related note, Christine La Garde of the IMF called for more and quicker tax cuts in the US in order to boost the world economy. IMF also raised their estimates for US growth to 2.3% from below 2%, assuming the tax code does not change.

It's an interesting question. There was an interesting discussion on the topic at NRO. I was more persuaded by what I was articulating last week -- people tend to side with the party, not the ideas. In Trump's case, "Trumpism" is, in almost no way, ideological (or coherent). It is, in nearly every way, a cult of personality. His base loves TRUMP. His base isn't going anywhere.

I go the other way on this. I think Trump's ideas got him elected, particularly those relating to illegal immigration, tax cuts, and Obamacare replacement. This is compared to Hillary's vapid campaign based on personality. Does anyone doubt Hillary almost certainly loses any such campaign, even to Trump?

I believe the single most reliable determinant of party affiliation is which party your parents and family belong to. Combine that with the rich/poor divide of 2/3 of the wealth of the population residing in the (roughly) 600 counties Hillary won to the 1/3 of the wealth in (roughly) 2,500 that went to Trump, and it is not terribly difficult to see where the most significant shift in voter loyalty lies. Working class whites went for Trump. Under normal circumstances, one might expect them to move back to their historic home with the Dems, but the Dems don't seem to want them. So, from a R point of view, the country-club Rs dislike Trump but like control of the Executive, and the "new" Rs like Trump partially based on his personality. I have never met a party Republican who likes Trump.