Rand Paul op-ed: Don't Fall For A Fake Conservative

[dannno]

You think that use of the word 'serious' is fine? I don't, I think it will turn off people. You disagree? Fine, move on.

Do you understand that the reason officials are elected is primarily to drive policy?

The article is about the fact that the people who support Donald Trump, like yourself, don't support the type of policies that he supports. They seem to only like him because they like his personality. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what actual policies do you agree with of his?

 

[r3volution 3.0]

Totally wrong approach. Nobody likes Trump personally. Nobody thinks he's some great ideologically pure Conservative. Trump is leading in the polls because GOP voters are tired of being betrayed over and over again by weak, spineless, cuckservatives and they don't see anyone in the current field worth supporting so they are giving the party the finger in the form of Trump, who despite all his many faults, is at least willing to stand his ground and put up a fight.

Yea, to spite the fake conservative leadership of the GOP, we'll elect a fake conservative!

That'll show 'em!

You don't beat Trump by attacking Trump. You beat Trump by being a better version of Trump.

An even faker conservative?

And here is a point nobody on this board seems to appreciate, and it is probably the most important: WE WANT TRUMP TO STAY HIGH IN THE POLLS FOR NOW. Rand's credibility and support among Conservatives and those pissed at the system is at an all time low. If Trump were to magically implode tomorrow, the beneficiaries would be other candidates. Rand needs time to retool his campaign and start winning back Conservative voters. That is going to take a couple months of concerted effort. Trump crowds out other candidates that could otherwise be capitalizing on Rand's current problems.

Trump supporters are not conservatives.

Trump maybe a fake conservative. And I think most people actually know this, but they just don't care because Trumps giving them something they want even more: A non-politically correct and unapologetic White man.

Well, Rand's a man, and he's white...

Unapologetic, hmm...

I got it!

Rand should hold a press conference endorsing socialized medicine, the bailouts, the stimulus, gun control, and abortion, and then refuse to apologize for it!

 

[squirl22]

I'm with Rand. I personally cannot believe all of the so-called conservatives who are supporting Trump. Go over to The Right Scoop...big Cruz site; except now that Cruz visited Trump, well Trump must be ok and maybe he'll select Cruz as his VP. Go to Hot Air; go to any of the conservative sites; Trump is conservative and Rand is not...unbelievable. I, like Rand, cannot believe the total stupidity of the American people, and the hypocrisy of the Tea Party conservative movement.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

I'm with Rand. I personally cannot believe all of the so-called conservatives who are supporting Trump. Go over to The Right Scoop...big Cruz site; except now that Cruz visited Trump, well Trump must be ok and maybe he'll select Cruz as his VP. Go to Hot Air; go to any of the conservative sites; Trump is conservative and Rand is not...unbelievable. I, like Rand, cannot believe the total stupidity of the American people, and the hypocrisy of the Tea Party conservative movement.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folk of the land will reach their heart's desire and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." (H.L. Mencken)

...perhaps that doomsday is finally upon us.

 

[DisneyFan]

This is a good piece, but just like the debates, Rand makes the mistake of going after Trump which is going to do nothing but bring his own poll numbers down.

What I assume is happening is that Rand is seeing some of his supporters going over to Trump and getting frustrated and thinking he must win them back and trying to do so on an intellectual level. Sorry, but that isn't going to work.

What he should be doing is acting like he doesn't have a problem with Trump and going after Jeb, Christie, and other establishment guys and only establishment guys. That way, once Trump mania is over, and it will eventually be over, he will be there to pick up a good chunk of Trump folks, including those weaker Rand fans that strayed for a bit during Trampsanity.

 

[ARealConservative]

great article.

 

[Spikender]

Seriously good article.

 

[enhanced_deficit]

Rand Paul op-ed: Don't Fall For A Fake Conservative

Rand is very right, Trump is not a conservative (like 95% of GOP candidates in this election) and is an opportunist Republican. But I'm not sure if it's Rand's job to spend time trying to define who Trump is. Rand's focus should be on defining who Rand Paul is. Any attacks on other candidates should be left to surrogates or Fox news or others. Rand should be talking about his ideas and policy views even more forcefully and boldly than Trump is pushing his. Polls can be fickle and could change next month.

It was unfortunate that Rand was not given equal time to get his message out at the debate organized by Fox corporate media owners and he has to fight back to get his message across.

 

[LibertyEagle]

The conservative vote is split up so much, it's hard to see how anyone, besides maybe Trump, is going to be able to beat Jeb. Which I think is the purpose of so many people running.

 

[ARealConservative]

Rand is very right, Trump is not a conservative (like 95% of GOP candidates in this election) and is an opportunist Republican. But I'm not sure if it's Rand's job to spend time trying to define who Trump is. Rand's focus should be on defining who Rand Paul is. Any attacks on other candidates should be left to surrogates or Fox news or others. Rand should be talking about his ideas and policy views even more forcefully and boldly than Trump is pushing his. Polls can be fickle and could change next month.

It was unfortunate that Rand was not given equal time to get his message out at the debate organized by Fox corporate media owners and he has to fight back to get his message across.

what a load of crap. Trump is leading, you attack the lead. Furthermore, Trump is easy to attack, he is full of fluff and no substance. His brain dead followers are attracted to shiny objects, so Rand just needs to shine the hook

 

[Publicani]

what a load of crap. Trump is leading, you attack the lead. Furthermore, Trump is easy to attack, he is full of fluff and no substance. His brain dead followers are attracted to shiny objects, so Rand just needs to shine the hook

I agree with all that, but in my opinion Rand's attack is very weak. I sincerely don't understand why most of the people here like it. Can anybody give me one argument from his article that you find convincing?

 

[enhanced_deficit]

Then attack should be more pointed. Trump is not popular these days because he has convinced voters that he is "conservative" - he is ahead because he seems to have convinced part of GOP that he has lot of spine to stand up to anyone. In the long run, he would likely fade but for now he is appealing to many in a timidish GOP crowded field. He is the only one who has called Obama "incompetent".
Has Rand tried attacking Obama as fiercely as Trump?

 

[ARealConservative]

I agree with all that, but in my opinion Rand's attack is very weak. I sincerely don't understand why most of the people here like it. Can anybody give me one argument from his article that you find convincing?

the fact that he is finally calling out Trump is an improvement, but he nailed it from the get go.

Trump is a guy that has benefited personally from the gamed system, and Rand is calling him out for it from the very first sentence.

he is a phony outsider, a phony conservative, and phony speaking truth to power, and the article hit on all those points.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

I agree with all that, but in my opinion Rand's attack is very weak. I sincerely don't understand why most of the people here like it. Can anybody give me one argument from his article that you find convincing?

How about the part where he shows, point by point, that Trump supports everything that conservatives oppose (socialized medicine, the bailouts, the stimulus, etc)?

 

[Publicani]

Then attack should be more pointed. Trump is not popular these days because he has convinced voters that he is "conservative" - he is ahead because he seems to have convinced part of GOP that he has lot of spine to stand up to anyone. In the long run, he would likely fade but for now he is appealing to many in a timidish GOP crowded field. He is the only one who has called Obama "incompetent".
Has Rand tried attacking Obama as fiercely as Trump?

No, Trump support is deeper than that. The problem is that the Republicans were betrayed on many important issues - illegals, Obamacare, Iran. The "leaders", Rand included, started speaking Trump's language now, but they were supporting Obama in all his policies. Maybe Cruz made little waves occasionally, that's all. Rand was no different. Were else can the Republicans turn?

 

[staerker]

No, Trump support is deeper than that. The problem is that the Republicans were betrayed on many important issues - illegals, Obamacare, Iran. The "leaders", Rand included, started speaking Trump's language now, but they were supporting Obama in all his policies. Maybe Cruz made little waves occasionally, that's all. Rand was no different. Were else can the Republicans turn?

So you were pretty much not paying attention for the last four years, then.?

 

[loveshiscountry]

Then attack should be more pointed. Trump is not popular these days because he has convinced voters that he is "conservative" - he is ahead because he seems to have convinced part of GOP that he has lot of spine to stand up to anyone. In the long run, he would likely fade but for now he is appealing to many in a timidish GOP crowded field. He is the only one who has called Obama "incompetent".
Has Rand tried attacking Obama as fiercely as Trump?

You haven't been paying attention.

 

[Publicani]

How about the part where he shows, point by point, that Trump supports everything that conservatives oppose (socialized medicine, the bailouts, the stimulus, etc)?

He basically said he used to support. Didn't Rand was against defunding Obamacare because he didn't want the GOV to stop working? I may be mistaken.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

No, Trump support is deeper than that. The problem is that the Republicans were betrayed on many important issues - illegals, Obamacare, Iran. The "leaders", Rand included, started speaking Trump's language now, but they were supporting Obama in all his policies. Maybe Cruz made little waves occasionally, that's all. Rand was no different. Were else can the Republicans turn?

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight, because Trump represents true conservative ideas (like socialized medicine, corporate welfare, Keynesian economics, and gun control), while Rand's just cozying up with the establishing (by proposing the largest tax cut in history, the largest spending cut in history, preserving the bill of rights, etc)...

 

[Publicani]

So you were pretty much not paying attention for the last four years, then.?

I thought I did. Tell me what I missed.