By Mike McCarville
The revolution in Republican politics is underway.
The leader is not the choice of “grassroots” Republicans, Ted Cruz.
He’s not the choice of the “establishment” either, Marco Rubio.
He is, instead, the unlikely-est of all, Donald Trump.
And it is a revolution, make no mistake. Thousands of voters in primary and caucus states have validated what is happening.
Others are startled by Trump’s ascension. The Associated Press interviewed one man, a voter, and reported the conversation: “(he) is part of a legion of skeptical Republican voters across the United States coming to grips with the prospect that Trump, a candidate whose appeal they simply can’t understand, may end up being their party’s best chance for retaking the White House. The real estate mogul has scored three commanding primary victories in a row, including Tuesday in Nevada, and enters next week’s delegate-rich Super Tuesday elections in strong position.”
Rolling Stone profiled the quixotic Trump, in part writing, “At the Verizon Giganto-Center in Manchester the night before the New Hampshire primary, Trump bounds onstage to raucous applause and the booming riffs of the Lennon-McCartney anthem ‘Revolution.’ The song is, hilariously, a cautionary tale about the perils of false prophets peddling mindless revolts, but Trump floats in on its grooves like it means the opposite. When you win as much as he does, who the hell cares what anything means?”
How did we get here, where thousands flock to a caustic political neophyte and thousands more can’t understand his appeal, a man sweeping primary and caucus states?
Democrat mismanagement and two terms of Barack Obama.
Republican intransigence with no ability, apparently, to see and correct shortcomings.
And underneath it all, anger. Anger at Washington, anger at government, anger at “them.”
Trump’s bellicose remarks, tough and sometimes crude comments, his attitude, is ringing a bell with those who are fed up and (from a famous movie) aren’t going to take it anymore.
And here’s what many, even some political pros, do not understand: It makes no difference where Trump stands, precisely, on most issues. It is his hammer-down persona that wins support.
He’s not gonna take it any more. He’s gonna kick some butt in DC. He’s gonna punch someone. He’s gonna build a wall.
This is why attacks on Trump aren’t working. They just give him the opportunity to be even tougher, more belligerent. Attack ads that once were valid just don’t work with Trump. The Club For Growth tv ad campaign against Trump is, my opinion, a waste of money. The shout he’s been oft-married carries no weight, at least thus far. Noting he’s been bankrupt falls on deaf ears; Good Lord, he’s got so many millions he’s funding his own campaign! And lots of voters like that as well.
The reality we appear to be facing is that we have as the GOP front-runner a real “Teflon Don.”
Revolution is the wrong word. It is complete disintegration of the republican party. Everybody is burning down their hovels.
I have been amused at how the national media have first attached, then mocked, then acted bewildered, and now resigned (although they don’t like it) that Trump is indeed, going to win.
Mike, you’ve got it right with your commentary. Voters are not stupid. They know a lot of stuff Trump is calling for won’t happen. They don’t care. SOMETHING is going to happen, and that’s why they are behind him. The same old crap won’t be coming down the pike with the Don.
It’s going to happen, Republicans, and you better get used to it, and behind him, no matter how much you might not want to. Who’s the alternative?
Mike,
Amazing, you have nailed it better than anyone else I have read or heard. I believe that Trump is showing both the right and left of the GOP to be hypocrites to a great extent. The so-called Tea Party has for years cried for a revolution and dismantling of the “business a usual” way politics, yet now when they are faced with a chance to do that, it is bridge too far. They want the SAFE candidate. Essentially all they are saying is that WE want to a president that we can control and not the other guys. They hide behind rhetoric like “true conservative or a constitutional conservative, etc. If we truly believe in the constitution we would welcome a Trump presidency. We might for once a see government works as it should again.
I am saddened by what I am seeing, particularly those who have railed against the establishment for so many years.
I think the look on Megan Kelly’s face said it all when Trump won New Hampshire…..and South Carolina……and Nevada. My thanks to all the Oklahoma rinos who outed themselves with their Rubio support. We’re coming for you next!
I was a county Republican official for years and support Trump. It’s not just being mad at government – I’m particularly disgusted with Republicans that run as “conservatives” and sell out the second they get to Washington. We elected a Republican majority in the house and senate and they won’t do anything to stop this administration. I’m not sure what I will do in the general election for the races other than President because it doesn’t seem to matter who we send. They’re interest is solely on what will benefit themselves.
I support Donald Trump for his position as an Un-Republican and as an Un-Democrat.
I can’t point to anything the labeled conservative OR Constitutionalist has done or will do, lately, for the work-a-day person.
I support Donald Trump. He is breaking down strongholds in campaign finance, stereotypes, political correctness, media control of campaigns and doing it all under budget and under schedule! He is a doer, a quintessential American man who has not been feminized and weakened.
Trump is an independent creator, builder and a responsible human being. His children reflect his commitment to them and the positive qualities he has instilled. I expect him to go to DC and actually get things done. That is who he is. That is what he does. He does have a record that proves it. I see no far left agenda he is pushing or planning. The US Chamber, Murdock and the other unusual suspects from the trans-nationalist agenda are against him. He has billions but did not join in with Bill Gates and other wealthy social engineers who want to control our lives. It encourages me that there are enough Americans left who will support a candidate who really knows how to take charge and get the job done. I think he loves America. Speaks genuinely though not always what I would say is in the best way but he is himself and people appreciate that. We’ve had all the phony, practiced, robotic movements, gestures and wordy speeches we can stand. He delivers his message loud and clear. He is actually very intelligent but does not chose to use a vocabulary which would have lost half of the people in the room. Now that is smart and effective.
If Trump wins the nomination it will illustrate clearly that the ideas of movement conservatism are no longer essential to Republican voters. This has been a long time coming, and we have observed it happening in waves, but for a majority of Republican voters conservatism is no longer an ethos but a pathos. And Trump has proven to be the vehicle that can best appeal to the emotions of conservatives who are defined by disaffection, anger and misanthropy, rather than a coherent ideology and understanding of the proper role and scope of government.
For conservatives who prioritize liberty and the sanctity of life, a Republican Party that nominates Donald Trump for the Presidency is not a reliable vehicle by which to pursue the policies that matter most.
I think the thing that most shocks me about where we find ourselves currently is that it is so abundantly clear to me that Trump is a very bad person and so many either do not see this or do not care. The idea of conservatism is in my mind wholly inseparable from the Christian virtues. To conserve anything, to act as a bulwark against the temptation of human and liberal arrogance and emotion, we must possess prudence, humility and temperance. This man is the embodiment of the opposite of these qualities. He is unfit for the Presidency.
We are in dangerous and uncharted waters.
If you wanted this just because you wanted to stick it to the establishment or the elites or you just wanted someone to tell you that you were justified in your anger and unhappiness, then shame on you. A man with a -80% favorable among latinos cannot win the presidency. You had an opportunity to help the party address that problem by supporting more electable candidates who could help Republicans with that problem and you went for the guy who made you feel the best about being miserable. Way to go.
I support Trump and am astonished at the establishment GOPers who are so vitriolic at their opposition to Trump. For years I held my nose and voted for establishment people who let the democrats and liberal media (same thing really) kick them in the groin and NEVER fought back. George W. Bush let the GOP brand get kicked EVERY SINGLE day and NEVER fought back to protect the GOP. Trump is like no other candidate, he has media skills a GOP candidate needs to win. If the GOP doesn’t endorse and support the winner, as I and millions of other party members have done in the past elections, they will be going against their constituents and left on the ash heap of history.
This idea that the problem is a matter of will is curious to me. How did you arrive at that conclusion? The things you wanted to happen didn’t happen because party leaders and elected officials didn’t want them bad enough? Politics is a numbers game. A sufficient level of desire is meaningless if you’re outnumbered.
So your options are thus: you can vote for someone who is actually constrained and guided by conservative ideas and will champion the things you care about, and work to forestall the inevitable decline of the GOP, or you can vote for a guy who is not a conservative and whose policy ideas are a vague mashup of moderate democrat junk and crazy authoritarian constitution shredding. This is not to mention the fact that his racist commentary confirms for a vast percentage of the country that they are not welcome among us. We are about to bear witness to our downfall as a party at the national level.
When we find ourselves talking about the same issues that were being discussed 30 years ago, it is obvious nothing has gotten done, nor will it with the current “system” (read as ‘people’) in place. There are 3 levels of decision outcomes. 1- Make the right decision (this is the preferred level). 2- Make the wrong decision (this is the 2nd level). 3- Make No decision (this is the worst option). It is time to got off the pot because it is obvious that our government (and the Rep party) is constipated and doing nothing. I’m ready to see some tables get kicked over! Yep, I’m pissed.
I am disgusted with the parties. They are setting up the system so our vote doesn’t count. They have more unattached delegates than there are delegates from the voters! That’s why they keep saying “Trump won’t be the candidate from Oklahoma”. The party has been pushing Cruz & Rubio for months. I think they see him as another GOB that they will be able to control.
By the way – I think Hillary is more divisive the anyone. She divides us into black, latino, white, special needs, by religion, by income, by sex, etc. The Liberal News Media is just as bad. We need to stop all this and talk about the WHOLE. Theirs is a “lets You and He fight” plan and report.