The GOP Base Loves Trump

[Agschmid]

[center][/center]

There’s no world in which Donald Trump is a serious candidate for president. Republican elites don’t want him, Republican donors don’t want him, and if—through some cosmic fluke—he managed to win a major primary, every strategist and activist in the Republican Party would turn their aim toward him and his candidacy.

But just because Trump is an unqualified vanity candidate doesn’t mean he’s unimportant in the story of the 2016 GOP presidential primary. Unlike Chris Christie or Mike Huckabee—two vastly more legitimate candidates—Trump is popular with Republican voters. A new CNN national poll puts him in second place in the GOP field at 12 percent support—seven points behind the leader, Jeb Bush—while recent polls from Iowa and New Hampshire also show him with a second place spot in those crucial early contests. If Trump holds his position, he’ll be on stage with Bush, Scott Walker, and Marco Rubio when official debates start in August (he could even lose some support and still make the cut).

The obvious question is “Why?”—why does Trump have a hold on this thick slice of the members of the Republican base? The answer is, unlike the professional politicians in the race, Trump is—from his views on immigration to the “issue” of Obama's citizenship—one of them.

That’s not to say that more serious candidates like Ted Cruz or Bobby Jindal are insincere. They are reliable conservatives with strong, right-wing beliefs and positions. But they’re also elected officials: They legislate, they build coalitions, and they compromise between what they want and what is possible (though this is more true of Jindal than Cruz). They can appease the Republican base with harsh attacks on the other side, but they can’t endorse every crazy idea, lest they hurt their goals and priorities.

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[Laura PourMeADrink]

1. We should love him Too !!! He's got the money and resources to dig up dirt on the other

numskulls AND he won't give a flying shit what he blurts out - he's not programmed.

I just hope he holds it together enough to last long enough to damage and doesn't go completely apeshit

[Agschmid]

2. I give it a month.

Walker is my real concern.

[hifiguy]

7. Indeed. He is the Chosen One of the Kochtopus.

The problem is that he looks vaguely like Howdy Doody and Alfred E. Neuman's love child and has the inspirational charisma of a plate of warmed-over yogurt.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. Maybe for VP (with Jeb) for the Koch Bros. IMHO.. nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. Bush lets the Koch brothers dump millions of gallons of toxic waste !

In February 2015, Florida Attorney Steve Medina asked me to help him break an exclusive story on Daily Kos, about a scandal involving Charles Koch, David Koch, Florida Governor Rick Scott, and presidential candidate, Jeb Bush. They are part of a deal made that allows the Koch Industries' highly profitable paper and pulp company, Georgia Pacific, to dump millions of gallons of toxic waste per day, into St. John's River in Florida. The original story (well worth the long read) has been picked up by multiple news groups, and also shared, posted, tweeted and emailed with a social media reach estimated to be in the millions. The online petition is gaining momentum. In the past few days it picked up over 3k signatures. Americans are not only aware of the massive Koch corruption, they are stepping up and taking action to stop it.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/13/1392660/-UPDATE-New-Legal-Action-Further-Exposes-Jeb-Bush-Koch-Brothers-Rick-Scott-GP-Scandal

[hifiguy]

17. Everyone who is surprised by this stand on your head...

[Laura PourMeADrink]

19. establishing a Koch link

[maddiemom]

30. "Kochtopus" Nice!

[davidpdx]

43. I agree, but maybe a little longer

He has the money and resources to stay in as long as he wants. The question is how long will he drag it out.

*Note to anyone reading this portion of the post: *

I really wish I could get a high level job on his campaign so I could suggest campaign strategies that would not only sink his candidacy. I mean I know he'll do that on his own, but wouldn't be fun to help?

I have some suggestions for "The Donald" to help fuck up his campaign (if anyone has others, feel free to add them):

-Announce Jessie Ventura has his vice-presidential running mate
-Propose a flat tax of 10% and eliminating the IRS
-State that the Department of Education needs to be eliminated
-Propose privatization of the highway system and post-office

[olegramps]

25. Its hardly strange that racists love racists.

There is only one thing that is preventing the Republican Party from completely imploding. That is the block of Southern racists and their fellow travelers throughout the rest of the country. It is the glue that binds them ands sustains them. Everyone of the positions of the Republican Party are a declaration to crush the working class and make to subservient to the oligarchy. Their blind hatred allows them to swallow the propaganda of Right to Work Laws, that minorities are lazy welfare cheats driving Cads and everyone of their fundamental liberties ranging from gun ownership to religious liberty are under assault.

It is only their undying hatred that totally consumes them that allows them to ignore that they are digging their own financial graves. They are blissfully oblivious to the fact that they are also relegating their children and grandchildren to life of virtual servitude.

[hibbing]

39. He's a rich white racist bully

Of course they love him.

Peace

[bvf]

38. Yes.

"...and doesn't go completely apeshit."

That ship has sailed, but it doesn't disqualify him by any means.

[Stellar]

3. But then, they've always loved Whack jobs, right?

[rocktivity]

4. Fine by me -- the more tightly the GOP embraces their base

the more moderate and independent voters slip through their fingers...learned nothing from 47% Romney, I see...


rocktivity

[hifiguy]

5. I swear to Celestia herself, if the pukes' base

got one bit dumber they would be declared plant life and, as such, ineligible to vote.

[Agschmid]

6. More link a fungus...

There is in fact a fungus among us.

[hifiguy]

8. Mold. Now why didn't I think of this?

[mmonk]

9. Would love it if their base had their way.

Definite shoe in for the Democrats,

[Agschmid]

10. But a race that could hurt America...

Talk about divisive!

[SunSeeker]

42. 2016 will be divisive regardless.

The GOP's positions are now so extreme that there really is no way to have a polite debate.

[Warpy]

11. You mean they recognize the blowhard's name

If he'd been a blowhard, frequently bankrupted businessman without a TV show, they'd be going "who?" and his rating would be down there with Rick Perry.

This is about name recognition.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

20. But, isn't it a bit more than that? Sure they know the name - but they also

know who he is - and everyone in this country knows who he is.

[Warpy]

21. Yeah, they see him roaring "YOU'RE FIRED!"

at everybody but them. Mostly, it's name recognition.

[rocktivity]

28. ^^^^^DING DING DING! WARPY, you're our grand prize winner!^^^^

Immigrants are fired. Minorities are fired. The poor are fired. Non-bimbos are fired. They don't realize that Trump never hired them to begin. Vote for planet Trump-merica!


rocktivity

[hifiguy]

40. He'd probably rename the country

The US of Trump. Silly shitheel puts his name on everything.

[Xipe Totec]

14. The GOP's Great White Dope. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. I do absolutely hate broad brushes

not all of the base loves him... even if dog whistle politics work, the broad brushes help none.

Just an observation from the non partisan corner... where we are trying to wrap our head over the descent into hyper partisanship and the damage it is doing to the country in general

[Agschmid]

16. Nadin he is #2 a good portion of the base supports him...

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. There are 14 declared candidates

11 percent is not a good portion. Though I expect him to do far better than most, that said, recent developments will have my revise this view if Trump decides to protect his brand. We shall see.

And I mention the 14, because apparently there are more than just 14. (At least according to the mythical mailer I did not get that Rachel mentioned the other night... sometimes being a decline to state gets you jewels, sometimes it does not)

[UTUSN]

22. And, allow me to be the first to absolutely LUERVE the Repuke base for luerving him!1 n/t

[calimary]

23. At the risk of being crude, I must say again...

Hey GOP - YOU climbed into bed with him. Now he gets to fuck you!

[HoosierCowboy]

48. Without...

..."Protection"

[joshcryer]

24. I hope he wins.

Can you possibly imagine?

I know it's Bush but still, damn it would be insane.

[madokie]

26. Sure they do

They're just like him in thought and mind

[HFRN]

27. i once heard, from somone who had been high up in a presidential campaign

and now works as a consultant, to a handful of people (of which I was one), after a big event that the primaries are pretty much a sham, that boutique candidates go around telling niches of voters what the want to hear, then in the end, the candidates of each parties powers that be picked from the beginning get the nomination, then whoever wins, the same things (in the big economic issues) happen no matter what

maybe he's just become cynical, or....

[maddiemom]

31. This was a surprise to you? In terms of the PTB picks?

Not to mention the way the Media negates those candidates not favored by the PTB. I do totally disagree with the idea that the other candidates are "boutique" shams involved in a major electoral ripoff. If you've followed Bernie Sanders (for instance) for very many years, can you believe that?

[alc]

29. I know 2 democrats who love him too (or at least prefer him to any others)

One who doesn't care about politics but loves him on TV.

One who says things keep getting worse voting for politicians so let's try something different.

I learned this at a birthday party (about 25 people split about 50/50 R/D talking about the candidates on both sides) where all the Rs thought Trump was a joke/embarrassment and these 2 Ds said they'd vote for him today.

[Gothmog]

32. I would love to see Trump be the GOP nominee

[LongTomH]

33. I hope both he and Bobby Jindal are included in the debates.

They'll be good comic relief!!!!!

[Whiskeytide]

34. I just want to see him in at least...

... one debate. Oh PLEASE let him hang in there until the first debate!

[muntrv]

35. Why? Because the GOP base is bankrupt like the Donald?

[Rex]

36. This is true, the local GOPers here LOVE them some Trump! Thinks he is greeeeeeeeeeaaat!

Looks like someone crafted Trumps head out of silly puddy!

[craigmatic]

37. Of couse they do. They hate latinoes too.

[blitzen]

41. Jindal legislates, builds coalitions, and compromises? Yeah, right...

tell that to the people of Louisiana. He has decimated higher ed and health care because of his hard-line right-wing GOP playbook inflexibility.

[Latrecia Bennett]

44. Shameless

Nothing but a self promoting corporate elitist. A caricature not a candidate.

[Astraea]

45. Huckabee is a legitimate candidate?

He's a crazy theocrat! He's nowhere near Christie.

[cheapdate]

46. The operations manager at my office likes Trump as a candidate.

This is a man who is a married professional. I'm the only liberal in my office. Rush Limbaugh is very popular -- still.

[HoosierCowboy]

47. Can't wait for the Bimbo Eruptions

Political porn at its best

[kentuck]

49. Trump is the latest Tea Party problem for the GOP...

How will they appease him?

[Cosmic Dancer]

50. The establishment thugs don't like him because.....

he's not beholding to the rich, he is rich and so they can't control him.

[orpupilofnature57]

51. An idiot that will play the role, Shrub will never be beat but, Megalomania is

definitely a prerequisite to the atrocities the " Republican base " requires to feel comfortable, 600% just ain't enough these day's .

[Gothmog]

52. A significant portion of the GOP base watch Fox News and hate all minorities

Trump is playing to that base.

[CanonRay]

53. This jerk i worth a billion dollars to the Democratic Party

We couldn't buy attack ads that are better than what he is doing to the GOP.

[C Moon]

54. I bet the Koch's will talk him out of it, and get him all his lost contracts back.