Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Donald Trump Is Not a Conservative, But …
In an article published yesterday, Victor Davis Hanson agues that “Politics, Not Personalities, Will Likely Determine the Presidential Election” and advances several important policy distinctions between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. I believe these distinctions are real, important, and can help guide conservative voters to use politics (logic) more than personalities (emotion) in making a difficult decision in this crucial election.
In several recent Ricochet threads, many members have stated that they believe Trump is just as “scary” or “dangerous” as Clinton, or that he will be just as liberal as her. Others have argued that he will “set back” conservatism more than Clinton, and that we should just write-off this cycle and try again in 2020. I think Hanson debunks these ideas with several points regarding the likely policy distinctions under each administration. Regarding their foreign policies, he writes:
Trump is a Jacksonian nationalist who likely would choose America’s friends and enemies solely on the basis of perceived national interests. Clinton presumably would continue Obama’s lead-from-behind foreign policy. Trump would be blunt about the connection between terrorism and radical Islam. Clinton likely would mimic Obama’s policy of not referring to Islam at all in such a context.
Regarding taxes, spending, and the border:
Trump probably would revise the tax code and lower taxes, cut back on government regulation and seek business-orientated solutions to the economy. Clinton likely would raise taxes on the upper income brackets and expand government in continuance of the Obama tradition. Chances are that Trump would cut overall spending but increase defense expenditures. Clinton probably would expand entitlements and limit military spending to past norms. Trump presumably would make good on his promise to close the border to illegal immigration by building a wall at the border and would also probably end sanctuary cities. Clinton likely would maintain the Obama administration’s lax immigration policies and offer formal amnesties.
Regarding climate change and the 2nd Amendment:
Clinton seems to believe that the government must act radically to curb global warming. Trump seemingly is not sure that man-caused warming is an existential threat worth drastically altering the economy to address. Trump likely would oppose further gun control and follow a National Rifle Association agenda. Clinton would almost surely double down on the Obama administration’s efforts to make gun ownership more difficult.
Regarding judicial nominations:
On the Supreme Court, Clinton undoubtedly would appoint more justices like progressive jurists Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Trump probably would try to steer the court in the conservative direction of justices such as Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. In general, if voters are content with the current foreign, economic, social and cultural policies of the Obama administration, then the progressive convert Clinton would likely ensure that those policies continue for at least four more years. If, on the other hand, a voter feels Obama has been, in the words of Trump, a “disaster,” then professed conservative Trump would represent a shift in the opposite direction.
In summary, if Hillary finishes-off a third Obama term, she’ll likely take the county with it, and there won’t be much left to save in 2020. But if a Trump administration halts — or merely slows — the progressive assault on what America represents, we’ll be in an infinitely better position to renew a real “American future” in the years to come.
Published in Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy
It was an unfinished joke. The entire PIT seems to revolve around hating Frank, or so I was told when I first entered that circle of hell.
I don’t go to the PIT. I save that kind of language for the Main Feed. I didn’t get the joke.
Number 1. is the only area I see where he could be worse than Hillary, and it could be bad.
As for number 2, I hope our enemies have the same impression of him.
And he is a great guy!
Hillary supports the western alliance. Trump supports Putin. Which side are you on?
Good point.
Nicely put.
The GOP killed itself long before Trump descended his escalator.
We shouldn’t credit the guy standing over the body pointing with murder when the GOP and center right abandoned any semblance of principles and faded to irrelevance.
Not true — we just need competent leadership. The rank and file of the GOP are in great shape.
THIS^
But the rank and file of the GOP chose Trump.
Whatever else Trump might be, competent leadership is not it, so they must be looking for something else.
True. And in my humble opinion, ‘they’ are looking to win by truly fighting against the liberal democrat socialism that has been shoved down our throats since the second term of George W. Bush … which is a dramatic difference from the path pursued by the previous GOP leadership(s):
Well, the rank and file that visits Ricochet is deeply divided.
At the first GOP Presidential debate, every GOP candidate was asked to pledge to support the ultimate nominee of the process. Donald Trump was the only one who did not make that pledge that night. He was rightfully roundly criticized and he later relented and made the pledge.
Donald Trump won the GOP nomination process by gaining a necessary majority of the needed delegates. This is the voice of the rank and file. Deeply divided, yes, but that’s how the process works. It is time for unity.
A great Secretary of Defense once said that “you go to war with the Army you have. They’re not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
True. The bad times won’t last forever. We just have a nasty four to eight years ahead of us.
That’s fine, but don’t say the rank and file are looking for competent leadership after they picked Trump.
I don’t Trump has a chance of winning, so I don’t think they really wanted to win, but we will see in November. They do want a fighter, that much is clear.
It depends on how you define competence in this arena. Winning is a mark of competence. If Trump loses then this will prove to be a bad choice but it will be seen as a cry from the heart. Do you think the present leadership gives [expletive] about any lessons learned here?
But, if he wins and is able to get things done better than the incompetent present slate of leaders then I think this will prove to be a turning in our national despond.
I don’t think it all comes down to policies or personality, at least if we mean personality in the usual sense.
I agree with Trump on policies more than Clinton, no question. And I find Trump’s personality, that is, his demeanor, his manner, his persona, his behavior, etc., about as off-putting as anyone I’ve ever encountered.
But that’s not it. That’s not why I won’t vote for him, although, truth be told, it would be enough against most candidates, but not against Hillary.
The other thing, besides policy and personality, is character. I don’t trust Trump. I don’t see in him what I’m looking for in a president. Not even remotely close. I don’t believe he is an honest man. I don’t believe he is a good man. I don’t think he is completely in control of all his marbles.
I have never seen so much narcissism. The bragging. The constant talking about himself. How rich he is. The size of his genitals. His many, many women. His great brain. Everyone else is stupid but him.
The episode with the judge is a great example. Most people focused on his “Mexican” comment. But just as telling is the fact that he would spend 11 minutes of a campaign rally discussing the details of a personal lawsuit. Who does that?
If I win the lottery….
He will crush Hillary.
Seems to me the GOP leadership lost its way years ago, so a tiny part of me says, “told you so” with regard to where we are now. The GOP has been “having a meeting about having a meeting” for years, arguing whether it should be called the Judean Peoples’ Front or the Peoples’ Front of Judea. I’m not thrilled about gay marriage or TG bathrooms, but that train has left the station (yes, I understand there is a much larger issue here!). I abhor abortion but consider it a necessary evil. Therefore, I’m not conservative enough and cast into the void. Quite frankly, where we are today with DT rests – in my humble opinion – at the feet of the GOP leadership and thanks to the scorn of the party purists.
Yes, this is me, too. Well said.
I love your handle — “Cold Comfort Farm” is one of the few perfect movies and it is hilarious, fun and warm. It’s hard to get all that to work together but they did it with that movie.