132 Comments

I attribute to Trump the failure to build the wall (even though *I personally* know he would have needed the cooperation of others to do so) to him specifically because he (either willfully ignorant, or outright lying) made the claim that he'd accomplish it without, apparently, recognizing this fact. He not only made the claim, it was a significant plank in his platform. He RAN ON IT. Once in office, he did not do much to build the bridges of cooperation within his own party or outside it to get it done. As Harry Truman used to say, 'the buck stops here' as it does with EVERY president.

I agree he had an uphill battle to fight against the 'Russia collusion' stories etc. But again, now that we've all had a good long look at this self-absorbed narcissist who is only concerned with his own interests and ego, I share the belief that the last place this man belongs is in the White House. While I don't condone the illegal and shady methods the Democrats used to try to either keep him out of office or hamstring him once in it, I understand their desperation. Not that their guy is any better, mind you.

As for legal hearings etc, I am in the legal profession and I've already seen and heard enough about his actions and the evidence against him to know that in at least 2 of the 4 cases against him, he's in deep trouble and will likely serve some period of time in prison. Just like with the 'stolen election' nonsense, I actually took the time to read most of the pleadings/complaints filed alleging this across the country and not only did they contain nothing factual in evidence, in some cases the attorneys made basic procedural errors in either writing the documents or in filing them, causing them to be dismissed outright. Errors I'd be embarrased to make and are potentially cause for malpractice accusations. Either that, or they willingly did this, knowing that in a court of LAW they had no case, but in the court of PUBLIC OPINION, they did, with supporters who largely won't bother to read the actual cases. I don't know what his criteria for hiring counsel is but these have got to be some of the dumbest or laziest lawyers on the planet. But maybe they're loyal to him, and that's all that matters to him, I guess.

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It may be that 4 more years of Biden is the only cure for Trump. Requiring minimal literacy of voters would take care of the problem, but it won't happen

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I've been thinking about what you said yesterday and today. I think that what we're seeing is that nothing is private anymore. The behavior has always been present in amoral or sinning politicians, we just didn't see it. Nothing seems to sink people, anymore, unless you're a person who speaks out. RBrand, EMusk, DTrump, etc. Do you have suggestions for what we do now?

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I’m pretty sure even Mr. Erickson would agree that DeSantis was given assurances that Trump would be out of the picture. I think he’s even put it in writing.

By the time DeSantis officially got into the race, everyone was saying “he can’t win”. Just Google “Trump can’t win”. You’ll find all kinds of folks saying “Trump can’t win”. But it was just hope-full thinking from the establishment on both sides. But now, real panic has set in because it certainly looks like he could win - short of them killing him. It’s apparent now that jail probably won’t stop him. So DeSantis is doubling down on “he can’t win” in a very public way.

Ron DeSantis: Donald Trump's chance of being elected if convicted 'as close to zero as you can get' - Washington Times

It really is absurd to think that any of the so-called GOP contenders believe they have a chance unless Trump is taken out by something besides an election. In a normal election, the polls would have already caused their money to disappear. But because they still desperately hope that something will take Trump out, they soldier on. All the Trump hatters from Soros to Erickson are simply holding on to that hope. And sadly they mostly hold the same conviction- anybody (including DeSantis, Christy, Biden, Michelle Obama, the idiot governor of California, Harris, etc.) absolutely anyone but Trump. The ramifications of this fact I think give Trump his best shot at winning.

Mr. Erickson like many, has said he was wrong about Trump- that he actually produced good results as President. But he doesn’t like him - you know - orange hair, mean mouthed, not in his view a Christian, etc. But Americans, if you believe the polls, think it is inherently unfair to allow arguably the most productive President in at least decades to be attacked so unfairly. Even DeSantis says the attacks against Trump are politically motivated. These attacks are a crime. If you’re not fighting against those attacks, you lose standing with millions of voters.

What if Trump’s best chance of retaking the WH is to get thrown in jail and continue running from his cell. That may now be their greatest fear. Here’s a conspiracy theory for you. The entire HATE TRUMP community is conspiring to take him out - by any means possible. If you think that’s a conspiracy theory then you probably still believe masks were/are an effective measure against COVID. You also probably believe that COVID was just Mother Nature rearing its ugly head. But millions differ. If any part of that is you, you’re on the wrong side of history.

Ask Mr. Erickson if he believes DeSantis would have ever run against Trump if he hadn’t been assured that Trump would be taken out. Or for that matter, ask if any of the GOP candidates would still be in the running if they were not at least hopeful that Trump will be taken out. And if you think they care how it’s done, you’re naive at best.

What TRUMP HATERS are doing is way more immoral than anything Trump has ever done.

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"But Americans, if you believe the polls, think it is inherently unfair to allow arguably the most productive President in at least decades to be attacked so unfairly." Yes, I would say most agree with that statement but not with "orange hair, mean mouthed, not in his view a Christian, etc." Previous Trump voters on the whole probably could tolerate some of his prior behaviors because he did get somethings done and showed we could stand up but he did far less than he could have and made unforced errors. However, taking Christian morals out of it, his current behaviors are not what most logical people want in our next President who has to face all the problems we now have. He acts like a spoiled kid whose toys were taken away, and has made one bad decision after another. Instead of being a kingmaker he is willing to put us at risk. We do not need another self-serving old man who may or may not even be up for the challenge. Face it a stroke or heart attack has a very real chance, then what? Fiery rhetoric is not a game plan, emotional attachment not a reason to vote when a younger person that could go 8 yrs, hopefully get the under 50 on board for more than 1 election, and doesn't provide the visceral hate that Trump does. He is even backtracking on things he did right. His best quality was as an unknown player but that no longer applies and he has shown how easily he can be manipulated. Add back in his less than moral character which is what we dislike about the current govt, the willingness to lie, cheat, turning on others, etc. it is easy to see why we no longer support him for President. So, no, a larger majority of non-Trump voters are not haters we just see the bigger, longer-range picture, put our country first and hope more people see we have better options and it is time to move to a younger more moral candidate.

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Amen, I couldn't say it better. We are hypocrites if we don't call out immoral behavior on our own side (and there's plenty on both sides). I too am done voting for these clowns. I suspect 2024 will be the first election I just stay home since I first became elible to vote. Candidate quality has really deteriorated since the Reagan era. I am tired of holding my nose to vote for people of little character and even lesser morals who just are a different side of the same coin and are there to mostly appeal to their own egos and/or fatten their wallets. I owe no one my vote. Maybe the R's will get sick of losing and figure out they need to put up better candidates.

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I only agree with you up to a point. I don't want Trump as a president again for a number of reasons. I will financially support another choice during the primary season. But, if Trump wins the nomination anyway and the choice is between him and Biden, Obama, Harris or Newsom. I am not staying him but supporting the lesser evil. You may feel this is not a Christian response but I don't feel like faced with all undesirable choices, getting behind the least undesirable is not un-Christian. Sitting at home as our culture, values, faith and religious freedom is getting destroyed is just too passive for me.

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Trump has just lost some Christian votes with his recent words about abortion. I know it's not enough to make a huge difference, but the numbers continue to creep up.

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I do not know of any NEW voters that Trump has picked up. But I do know a LOT of previous supporters that he has lost. I just do not see how he can win the general election, even against the geriatric.

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he is revealing slowly what we knew him to be all along - a fake conservative.

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I had this conflict for years with my business partner until we separated because of it. My constant criticism of his position was that we should not be involved in playing the game if we are going to play cricket when the market is playing rugby.

He was a stuck-up New England prude that spent all his time polishing his image as a smart and good person while he constantly failed at meeting his performance expectations.

Hey look at me... I am Mr. Wonderful even though I suck at my job getting things done!

There is something I consider a weird tick in some people that are so damn sensitive to image. I could give a flying eff about anything other than winning the game within the ethical rules of the game. This tendency to slip into moral judgement of what are simply a requirement of ethics, I think, is a flaw in the judge and not a flaw in the judged.

Ethics is the the game requirement, not morality. Ethics are defined, morality is completely subjective.

If you fail to recognize the shifting landscape and adjust accordingly, you will consistently get your hat handed to yourself in defeat.

I have this conflict with some of my board members. We have a business within a very competitive market where all the sales partners are young, high-testosterone professionals. In one annual event done in Las Vegas, groups of these people, male and female, head to a Vegas strip club. The company does not reimburse for those expenses if my sales people attend, but I have no policy to prevent it. I don't encourage them or discourage them from attending.

Our competitors in our market not only attend, but spend a lot of money at those events.

I have some board members that want me to update the policy to disallow any employee, even on their own time, to participate in any activity that includes naked people. Thankfully the majority of the directors vote them down as they see these activities as harmless, normal and necessary for us to maintain friendly relationships with the business referral network.

I agree even though I would never attend.

The entire mainstream media is cool with corrupting democracy in collusion with the Democrat political machine and we are going to wring our hands about a candidate that types mean Tweets and then vote for his opponent in a temper tantrum of hate because we feel that he damages our image as good moral people? In terms of ethics, the Democrats are crap. And then for Republicans to make their response a bar of high morality... well hell no. Talk about tying both hands behind your back!

Wake up people. Look in the mirror and grow some self awareness that your behavior to vote for destruction rather than suffer a hit to your self perception of high and mighty morality is the stuff of personal dysfunction. It is a sign that you are not really whole... not really a self-confident individual that can throw your shoulders back and stand upright in the fight for what is truly right and righteous.

Grab the ring of high ethics, but don't get your underwear in a bunch over your emotional turmoil over morality.

If you are a soldier fighting a war, do you freeze with the immorality of killing the enemy or do you make a decision based on the ethics of your current role for the current situation? If the former you are defeated and likely dead.

Moralist are far from absolute... they are as variable as the wind. What one person sees as moral the person next door might consider cause for severe reprimand. Lauren Boebert is a good example. She was with a date and they were behaving like two young sexual humans. The more prudish are aghast at the behavior. The more rational and reasonable look at it as nothing and nobody else's business.

Why go there? Why allow yourself to be hooked into the game of some giant American Idol competition where the branding of Democrats is positive and the branding of Republicans is negative?

Russel Brand is being destroyed by the Democrat media after being loved by the Democrat media only because he dared to oppose the Democrat machine. I know we will have Republican prudes that jump on that "destroy Russel Brand" bandwagon because that behavior is soooo... unbecoming of a high and mighty conservative moralist.

Basically the Democrats do very well weaponizing Republicans against themselves in this way. The Democrats play with zero morality and zero ethics with a goal to win. The Republicans, in turn, play with a demand for high morality that supersedes any perspective on ethics, and keep getting beat at the polls and cannot understand why.

I wish more of my Republican friends would wake up and play rugby.

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You miss one point, sometimes a lack of moral ethics can be detrimental in the end. Say the high achiever who happily embezzled from you or sold company secrets to competition, etc. The person we elect can be too good (Jimmy Carter) but when you have really bad candidates it is usually more than just one slip-up, it is a pattern. When you have strong candidates that have a higher moral standard than others why would you discard them in favor of one who has many failings? Choices do matter and just as crime starts small and then grows people who don't have a moral compass are not the best choice, especially when you DO have better choices out there. Trump may win the primary but not the election. Add in his less than moral character which is what we dislike about the current govt, the willingness to lie, cheat, etc. it is easy to see why we no longer support him for President. As for Lauren Boebert I don't believe in getting in people's bedrooms but when divorce, separation is as easy as it is why cheat, especially when a public figure - poor decision making.

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I wish it were this easy...vote for a person with good Christian morals and that person will turn (or at least start to turn) the country around if he/she wins the Presidency. Unfortunately, those of us over 50 years old (of course most close to that age were too young to vote, but still may have heard of the U.S.'s economic decline and overall weakness on the world stage from our parents and grandparents) will remember the vote for a moral man and how it all turned out. That person's name is Jimmy Carter. That's not to say to vote for an immoral person, but in the case of running the country, more aspects need to be considered in addition to morals. I'll gladly trade in a few moral points for other characteristics that will turn the country from the nose-dive it's currently in.

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I will vote down ballot Republican, but under NO circumstance will I ever vote for the clown known as Donald Trump. It’s time we rid our party of this grifter and his band of degenerates. It appalls me that we have Trump and Lake(former Democrats) now calling lifelong Republicans RINO’s. Enough is enough. Good riddance!!!

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I agree, we should not have to vote for morally decrepit candidates

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I do agree with you about holding candidates to high moral standards, or they will not get my vote. For the sake of some people in Colorado, I hope a better candidate will appear and run to represent the people in my district.

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The primaries matter, we need to encourage our GE only voter friends to get out and vote in the primaries... stop the terrible candidates there!

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How 'people of faith' could rally around Trump after his pre-election comments in 2016 always amazed me, but, then I was a 'party over principle' skeptic when I was a newly registered Democrat over 50 years ago in an essentially 1 party (D) state.

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Sometimes a vote requires discerning the lesser of two evils.

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I completely agree with you. I don’t know why we have so many people with plain old bad character who seek public office. And they try to explain it away as ordinary and ok. We’re living in a never ending episode of House of Cards. I gave up two votes in the last election for deeply flawed candidates being served up by the GOP. Not again.

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