Palin’s endorsement protects Trump’s tea party, evangelical flanks

“So why Trump and why now? Aside from the headline-grabbing attention this gives the headline-seeking Palin, the endorsement allows Trump to aggressively step up his attacks on Cruz without as much fear that the attacks will boomerang among evangelicals in Iowa and elsewhere.” Dallas Morning News

Discussion

…vacuous

It should be in the party platform: no individual may be nominated for pres. or vice pres. who has ever had their own “reality TV” show.

I don’t think this gives him much of an uptick with “evangelicals” though. Those who think it makes sense to back him already do, and those who know better are not impressed by a Palin endorsement.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

…but I have to ask the question if Palin’s endorsement may hurt Trump among older voters, Ross Perot supporter types who often sit out but were enthused by Trump’s “outsider” approach.

But alas, what Trump has said and done thus far hasn’t hurt him, so I doubt anything will.

We have become a nation of sound bytes and immediate impressions without regard to depth of character or consistency of principle…so maybe we deserve a “Trump”

Jim

Are people that mad at Washington? I’m not sure if it’s anger, or madness, or what. Though I’ve seen lots of analysis of “Why Trump is so popular,”

  1. In your view, why is Trump preferable to any of the other candidates?
  2. What would make Trump a better president than any of the other candidates?
  3. What do you believe Trump would accomplish in foreign policy that the other candidates would not accomplish?
  4. What do you believe Trump would accomplish for the U.S. economy that the other candidates would not accomplislh?
  5. What do you believe Trump would accomplish on social issues you care about vs. the other candidates?
  6. Do you believe Trump would work with Congress better than the other candidates? Why/why not?
  7. Do you believe Trump would better protect and preserve Constitutional division of powers?
  8. Do you believe Trump would enhance U.S. standing in the world?

Well, I could go on… On these 8 items, I believe he would do no better than several of the alternatives. And on a few, he would certainly do far worse. I do not trust him to use prudent restraint in the exercise of power. I do not believe he would lead Congress well. He is unlikely to enhnace US standing abroad even with the currently low level as a starting point. He might be able to improve foreign policy a bit given the current low, but he might very well produce catastrophe. Roll of the dice on that one.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

1. In your view, why is Trump preferable to any of the other candidates? He will fight mercilessly against the opponent in the Democratic party. He was the first to bring up muslim immigration while others were afraid. Now they are jumping on the bandwagon. He was the first to dare bring up Clinton’s war on women while the other candidates were to fearful to bring up the past. A lot of Christians I talk to like Cruz and Rubio better, but feel they are too weak to go up against the Clinton machine and Wall Street.

2. What would make Trump a better president than any of the other candidates? He won’t be better than a number of R candidates, but he is preferable to the Democrat candidate who will continue the downslide of the last 7 years.

3. What do you believe Trump would accomplish in foreign policy that the other candidates would not accomplish? They feel he will be more strong against Russia and Iran than the current establishment of both parties.

4. What do you believe Trump would accomplish for the U.S. economy that the other candidates would not accomplish? He will be more considerate to the lower -middle class blue collar workers by being tough on our trading partners who are cheating the system. A lot of Christians are hurting, financially, and are rethinking their party’s connection with Wall Street and wealthy donors.

5. What do you believe Trump would accomplish on social issues you care about vs. the other candidates? Not any worse than the other candidates. We had a Christian friendly President and congress for 6 years at the start of the century, and nothing improved. We even passed the Defense of Marriage Act and it was trashed by a conservative majority Supreme Court. If you think that Cruz, Rubio, Bush are going to make any headway on abortion or homosexual marriage, you are deceiving yourselves. The battle is now protecting Christians to be able to worship. Trump may not be Pro Christian, but he is not Anti Christian like the Democratic party is right now.

6. Do you believe Trump would work with Congress better than the other candidates? Why/why not? No, but so what? The Republican majority Senate can’t pass anything anyway. The congress struggles as well. The people consider them as part of the establishment that needs to end.

7.Do you believe Trump would better protect and preserve Constitutional division of powers? Better than current administration.

8. Do you believe Trump would enhance U.S. standing in the world? If you read the Economist you will see that the world, except for Israel, does not want to see anyone in office except for Clinton. They distaste conservative ideaology and will hate Cruz, Rubio, and Bush as much as Trump.

The evangelical vote is more pragmatic than idealistic this year. They see Trump as someone strong enough to stop the Obama/Clinton destruction of the Judeo-Christian American way, and they would say it is absolutely ludicrous to think Trump would be worse.

[Joeb]

Wow this is a laugh but again the Carnival Barker may get it done. I sure hope not. Get Palin a fake beard and she can be his bearded lady in the side show. Palin sold out for the money and fame. How can Christians be so gullible. These two are a joke. If Iowa picks Trump over Cruz than the Country is lost. Correct me if I’m wrong but Iowa is Baptist central for the mid-west. Believe it or not I’m Hawkeye and lived there as a kid for 7 years. I was rasied in two different Baptist churches in Iowa. Well that might tell you why Trump will take it and I’m sure Bert Perry will concurr. Anyway I pray Trump won’t. As much as I dislike Cruz we all have to admitt he is the one guy who will say no to the spending. Since this Country is broke Cruz maybe our last best chance to save it. If Trump takes Iowa he might run the table. What’s left Hillary or Donald. With that I won’t depress you anymore. How could conservative Christians even consider such a boob and not consider someone like Cruz or Rubio or Bush. Are people that mad at Washington.

Cruz will win in Iowa.

-------
Greg Long, Ed.D. (SBTS)

Pastor of Adult Ministries
Grace Church, Des Moines, IA

Adjunct Instructor
School of Divinity
Liberty University

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/postgazette/obituary.aspx?n=jeffrey-h-…

He had a great smile and all his teeth were still his. Friends received at McCABE BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 6214 Walnut Street, Shadyside on Friday from 12-3 p.m., followed immediately by a celebration of his life from 3-4:30 p.m., with a reception for friends and family at the Bartlett Street home following the celebration. Jeffrey would ask that in lieu of flowers, please do not vote for Donald Trump.

@ Barry L.

I can see several areas where Trump would be plausibly better than our current Pres. or anyone likely to be nominated by that party in 2016. But we’re talking about GOP nominee options at this pt.

Even so, I’m not persuaded that Trump would enhance our standing in the world. To clarify, I don’t mean “they’ll like us more,” but rather a matter of greater international respect, event if begrudging respect. What we have now is much dminished in the respect department. And Trump with all his bluster and hyperbole and downright rudeness…. Can we be respected less? We may well find out!

Hillary is basically a crook, but I’m confident she would at least not start a war by shooting her mouth off. And Bernie would just lie and down and say “come on over and invade… do you need a ride?” So I’d take Trump over Bernie, on the “war scenarios” criterion. I think I’d take Hillary over Trump on that one. Much as it pains me to say anything good about Hillary. She is unprincipled, but pragmatic enough to at least try very hard not do something massively insane in foreign relations. I’m not sure Trump is even that tethered to reality.

On executive power, though Trump would have a better agenda than any liberal, any continuation of the trend of abusive expansion of executive fiat would be very bad for the country, no matter what policy decisions are actually being made. How you get there is sometimes more important than where you get.

If I read political history right (going way back), populist power abusers may very well be more dangerous than elitist power abusers. Maybe not. But it’s certainly not clear that having some popular stated goals really makes an egomaniac a better occupant of high office.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

I can’t believe Sarah Palin endorsed a classless, rude bully like Trump. In the past Sarah has been victimized in the same way Trump did Megan Kelly. How can she overlook the way he mocked a handicapped reporter? Will her son with Downs be mocked if Sarah does something Trump doesn’t like?

[Barry L.]

1. In your view, why is Trump preferable to any of the other candidates? He will fight mercilessly against the opponent in the Democratic party. He was the first to bring up muslim immigration while others were afraid. Now they are jumping on the bandwagon. He was the first to dare bring up Clinton’s war on women while the other candidates were to fearful to bring up the past. A lot of Christians I talk to like Cruz and Rubio better, but feel they are too weak to go up against the Clinton machine and Wall Street.

2. What would make Trump a better president than any of the other candidates? He won’t be better than a number of R candidates, but he is preferable to the Democrat candidate who will continue the downslide of the last 7 years.

3. What do you believe Trump would accomplish in foreign policy that the other candidates would not accomplish? They feel he will be more strong against Russia and Iran than the current establishment of both parties.

4. What do you believe Trump would accomplish for the U.S. economy that the other candidates would not accomplish? He will be more considerate to the lower -middle class blue collar workers by being tough on our trading partners who are cheating the system. A lot of Christians are hurting, financially, and are rethinking their party’s connection with Wall Street and wealthy donors.

5. What do you believe Trump would accomplish on social issues you care about vs. the other candidates? Not any worse than the other candidates. We had a Christian friendly President and congress for 6 years at the start of the century, and nothing improved. We even passed the Defense of Marriage Act and it was trashed by a conservative majority Supreme Court. If you think that Cruz, Rubio, Bush are going to make any headway on abortion or homosexual marriage, you are deceiving yourselves. The battle is now protecting Christians to be able to worship. Trump may not be Pro Christian, but he is not Anti Christian like the Democratic party is right now.

6. Do you believe Trump would work with Congress better than the other candidates? Why/why not? No, but so what? The Republican majority Senate can’t pass anything anyway. The congress struggles as well. The people consider them as part of the establishment that needs to end.

7.Do you believe Trump would better protect and preserve Constitutional division of powers? Better than current administration.

8. Do you believe Trump would enhance U.S. standing in the world? If you read the Economist you will see that the world, except for Israel, does not want to see anyone in office except for Clinton. They distaste conservative ideaology and will hate Cruz, Rubio, and Bush as much as Trump.

The evangelical vote is more pragmatic than idealistic this year. They see Trump as someone strong enough to stop the Obama/Clinton destruction of the Judeo-Christian American way, and they would say it is absolutely ludicrous to think Trump would be worse.

The problem, as I see it, with all these responses is that there is zero evidence to support them. Someone may believe that Trump will be better than the alternatives, but it is little more than blind faith in the words of a very public liar.

The bottom line is Donald Trump is unelectable in a general election. The liberal news media is just waiting to pounce once their dreams are fulfilled and they hear the words “Nominee Donald Trump.” Then they pounce, and it won’t be pretty. In the end Trump would struggle to get 40% in the general election. So if you wish to see either President Hillary or President Sanders come to pass, then Trump is your guy.