I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

The hilarious thing to me about the Pence pick were the reports that Donald was up at midnight trying to figure out a way to take it back, just hours after he offered and it was accepted. Of NeverTrump folk, not a single one is placated by the pick. Some pro-life people are happy, and he didn't earn a floor fight over picking a Democrat. I guess that's a win.

I love how he ripped off the Think Progress logo too. That was inspired. And that whole thing about putting down Tim Tebow as a speaker at the convention without actually asking him about it. Trump runs a top organization there.

ETA, I forgot the best part of Pence is how soft he is on immigration. Trump surrogates, like Ann Coulter, are shocked! that he would betray them. Sad!

The GOP isn't worth saving from itself. I am now going long in what to do long term after Trump loses 40 states in November. I am even planning on reading Jeb!'s plan for reconstruction. I yearn for the days when I thought Jeb Bush would be the worst thing to the GOP in 2012.

Snark aside, what is the basis for a national right or center/right party in the US today? Where is there a political platform that will have demographic appeal outside of the increasingly smaller group of deep red states?

There is a lot in the Republican platform that annoys me, but more interesting is what there is in it that annoys key constituencies. The two big things seem to me how the Republicans relate to their traditional business communities and how they relate to their cultural warriors. These folks don't seem to get along any more.

With the abandonment of free trade in the platform and presidential candidate for the R's, we're left with neither party formally supporting one of our defining business and foreign policy positions worldwide, as an advocate of free-trade capitalism. This is a massive abandonment of the big business/chamber of commerce types in the Republican party.

There's a significant part of the party that is just not on board with the anti-gay stuff, but you aren't going to keep the CINO evangelical crowd on board without hating on gays. Same on choice issues.

Race is a whole separate issue, and a problem that's not new for the R's. They just keep digging that hole that Nixon started to win over the Wallace/Thurmond types.

[SEC_Chick]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Snark aside, what is the basis for a national right or center/right party in the US today? Where is there a political platform that will have demographic appeal outside of the increasingly smaller group of deep red states?

There is a lot in the Republican platform that annoys me, but more interesting is what there is in it that annoys key constituencies. The two big things seem to me how the Republicans relate to their traditional business communities and how they relate to their cultural warriors. These folks don't seem to get along any more.

With the abandonment of free trade in the platform and presidential candidate for the R's, we're left with neither party formally supporting one of our defining business and foreign policy positions worldwide, as an advocate of free-trade capitalism. This is a massive abandonment of the big business/chamber of commerce types in the Republican party.

There's a significant part of the party that is just not on board with the anti-gay stuff, but you aren't going to keep the CINO evangelical crowd on board without hating on gays. Same on choice issues.

Race is a whole separate issue, and a problem that's not new for the R's. They just keep digging that hole that Nixon started to win over the Wallace/Thurmond types.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/ar...ty-realignment


I thought this piece from Bloomberg did a decent job of breaking down the shift in the Republican party. It was always a loose coalition based on an agreement with respect to smaller government and lower taxes, but that has been a commitment of words only for a while now. I no longer know what it is to be a Republican, but I am pretty sure it's not a fit for me any more.

Tonight's theme, Make America Safe Again, sounds like a great slogan for a police state, and the filling of convention speaking spots with Trump family has a bit too much of a North Korea vibe for my tastes. I may continue to vote in the R primary, as in many cases here in TX, it is effectively the election for statewide races, but Mr. Chick and I are being pretty careful with our campaign donation dollars in down ballot races. He wanted to give to the CO Senate candidate, Darryl Glenn, but he agreed not to after he learned Glenn is on the Trump train. It's become a bit of a litmus test.

I almost feel bad for Pence. It seems he was asked today if he agreed with Trump on liking soldiers who weren't captured and stuttered until Trump told him how to respond. Look forward to the next 4 months of that buddy.

I miss the TP logo, because it made me want to put my shirt over my head and do a Cornholio impersonation.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

I miss the TP logo, because it made me want to put my shirt over my head and do a Cornholio impersonation.

Live streaming video.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

Live streaming video.

2.

No, 3. Three peat! Wonked!

[SEC_Chick]

So Dump Trump has signatures from enough state delegations to force a floor vote on the rules package. The Secretary of the Convention is reportedly hiding, literally, behind a curtain and armed guards, to escape delivery of the petition.

Trump's people are on the floor allegedly threatening and intimidating those who signed the petition. The challenge will of course fail, but the delegates want the votes on the record.

As a small government conservative, I have obviously been pretty disappointed with the GOP for many years. It is now beyond shameful. In any case, Trump's new coalition is destined to fail spectacularly, and I will feel nothing but sweet, sweet Schadenfreude. He said he didn't need us and did not even want our support, while at the same time threatening those who opposed him.

ETA: They did the floor vote, forced it through and determined the Ayes had it even though it was pretty balanced. Refused a roll call vote. Chairman walked off the floor. State delegations are walking out. This is an entertaining dumpster fire. Frankly, it looks like they could use a registered parliamentarian.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

So Dump Trump has signatures from enough state delegations to force a floor vote on the rules package. The Secretary of the Convention is reportedly hiding, literally, behind a curtain and armed guards, to escape delivery of the petition.

Trump's people are on the floor allegedly threatening and intimidating those who signed the petition. The challenge will of course fail, but the delegates want the votes on the record.

As a small government conservative, I have obviously been pretty disappointed with the GOP for many years. It is now beyond shameful. In any case, Trump's new coalition is destined to fail spectacularly, and I will feel nothing but sweet, sweet Schadenfreude. He said he didn't need us and did not even want our support, while at the same time threatening those who opposed him.

ETA: They did the floor vote, forced it through and determined the Ayes had it even though it was pretty balanced. Refused a roll call vote. Chairman walked off the floor. State delegations are walking out. This is an entertaining dumpster fire. Frankly, it looks like they could use a registered parliamentarian.

Following twitter, it sounds like there is a coup d'toupee under way, but the leadership is confident they can repress it.

They're calling in the helicopters and personal jets now.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

If the coup d'toupee fails, there will be hell to pay.

Trump seems to be asking Baio to take control of the rules process, and purge the offenders.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

2.

No, 3. Three peat! Wonked!

You're celebrating matching me. Think for a minute about how sad that is.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

You're celebrating matching me. Think for a minute about how sad that is.

come on, man, you are legend.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

I miss the TP logo, because it made me want to put my shirt over my head and do a Cornholio impersonation.

While we're on graphics (where's NCS?), cafe press took down a trump shirt because they thought it violated the "Cheetos" trademark. Question for the resident IP experts: doesn't this mean there's a substantial likelihood that Trump could indeed be confused with a mass-produced puffed cheese snack?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

It was always a loose coalition based on an agreement with respect to smaller government and lower taxes, but that has been a commitment of words only for a while now.

I mean, let's be honest, that's been a joke for quite a while.

Probably the last time anyone thought there was any real chance of a Republican-backed bill actually shrinking government was the first year of the contract on america congress, and the most successful president at shrinking the bureaucracy in our lifetime was Carter (though the award for most successful politicians at shrinking government would have to be a bipartisan award to Gramm, Rudman and Hollings).