Friday, April 01, 2016

Is Donald Trump Trying to Throw the Election?


Let's face it. There hasn't been this much interest in a Republican Presidential Primary in forever. It seems everyone knows who the leading GOP candidate is and everyone has an opinion (and usually quite a strong one). The Democrats and the corporate media see "The Donald" as akin to the Antichrist. Someone who could derail the Empress-in-Waiting, by which I mean of course Hillary Clinton, and keep her from fulfilling her "destiny". After all, she was previously delayed in fulfilling her place in the sun by the "Chosen One" himself; the messiah....Barack Obama, who rose like a rocket from local obscurity to national distain.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders has proven he's no fluke...or flake. Bernie has become the voice of America's new favorite child, the Millennials. Back when a no name candidate with no experience from Chicago, Barack Obama, first ran for president, the Millennials were still coming of age. They hadn't quite found their political footing and like youth down through history, supported the "anti-establishment" candidate, along with significant numbers of minorities in America which included gays and women. But was that really unexpected? Just look who the Republicans had put up...John McCain. Sure, for a Republican he was maverick; a military hero from a lost war which produced very few national heroes, but for the country as a whole he was just another rich old white guy from the political class. In 2008, it was an obscenely rich white guy whose finger was more on his hemorrhoids than on the pulse of the American Public, Mitt Romney.

The Millennials are more experienced now. More sure of themselves as a political force and Bernie Sanders represents the kind of change the Millennials want to see. However, Bernie has two key factors which I don't think he can overcome. The first is the fact that the corporate powers-that-be who control American politics want, for some unfathomable reason, to complete the crowning of Hillary Clinton as the first female president of the United States. This means the media, which is owned by these same powerbrokers, will do everything possible to make sure that happens. It will build her up. It will downplay or hide her many flaws and possible treasonous or criminals acts, it will inflate or manufacture her accomplishments, and make it appears that her coronation is everything but a fait accompli. The second handicap facing Bernie Sanders is Bernie himself. While Bernie has shown himself to quite energetic, he's no Spring chicken and sooner or later, his age will catch up to him. Bernie also lacks the charisma, good looks (not that Hillary scores any points here either), and engaging speaking style which are critical in today's politics. Perhaps a third problem, which is connect to the other two, is a lack of sufficient money which is the life blood of politics.

While the corporate media unquestionably supported Obama in 2004 and 2008 just as they now do Clinton, let's face it, they didn't have to do much heavy lifting when it came to McCain and Romney. Now comes Donald Trump. Known to many simply as "The Donald". A classic New York real estate mogul. Brash. Cocky. Exuding confident, and rich--some of it inherited but much of it self-made. Someone not afraid to take chances or speak his mind. A one man publicity machine. He is entertaining. He says exactly what the majority of the American People are thinking, and most importantly, he is primarily self-funded; something candidate's have wet dreams about. But to the oligarchs who now rule this country, that is something to be feared. They can't cut off his financial tap so to speak. He can buy time on TV, the radio, and the Internet at his leisure. He can afford to hire the very best experts from policy to media. He can't be excluded from the presidential debates because he has the money to make sure he can't be ignored. What scares the oligarchs the most I think is that he is a unscripted candidate. He's not "pre-approved". He's not been vetted. He's not "packaged". He's not a "cardboard" candidate. They can't be sure he'll follow the script or do as he is told, and I strongly suspect this keeps them up at night.

At first, many in the media (especially at Fox News), thought Trump as some novelty candidate; something of the comic relief before the "serious" candidates take the stage. In fact, other candidates such as Ted Cruz often remarked that it was time for the "circus to leave town" or for the "court jester to get off the stage". When that didn't work they started pressuring Trump; assuming it couldn't take the heat. They were wrong. Then they started trying to bully or intimidate him. Big mistake. Then they started trying to tag team him where everyone would gang up on him in order to force him to quit. Well, it ended up that most of them had to quit or back off, but not before forcing out those who wouldn't go along like Dr. Ben Carson, starting with the Cruz campaign lying about Carson quitting a race on election night and calling voters to get them to switch their support to Cruz. It was damage Carson couldn't recover from. Rubio even tried to strong arm Trump and ended up out on his kiester.
Throughout all of this, the media did everything it could to make Donald Trump look unbalanced, a fringe candidate, a racist and a crackpot. Even the commentators at the presidential debates, who are supposed to be neutral, targeted him. Lately, various Leftwing and race oriented groups have been starting fights at Trump rallies. Storming the stage, attacking pro-Trump supporters, trying to shout speakers, blocking road and highways, blocking entrances to buildings, hitting vehicles, and threatening violence while the media does its upmost to put the blame on Trump and his supports. It political spin at its best...or worse in this case. This not only shows just as seriously the powerbrokers don't want Trump as the Republican nominee and how seriously they see him as a real threat to Hillary Clinton's coronation, but just how badly the political system itself is broken beyond repair.

No matter who wins either the GOP Primary in May or ultimately the general election this November, politics in America won't be the same although it may take the media and party hacks to realize it. I believe the Republican Party has done irreparable damage to itself and I wouldn't be in the least surprised to see it implode and perhaps fracture into a third party. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has shown itself to be the party of the Establishment and not of the people. Trust in either party, as well as the media and government in general have been in a sharp decline in this country for decades, I believe we will see an even sharper decline just before and certainly after the general election. As it is, voters have been leaving both parties in droves for years. Independents how represent the largest political bloc in the US with 43% and hold a large lead over the Democrats with the Republicans trailing in distant third place. Yet despite this, the media still continues to act as if we have only two choices---their pre-approved and scripted Democrats or Republicans. That must stop. We do have other choices and we must prove it time and again until they finally get it. We won't be blindly led or manipulated anymore.

This brings me to another point; one which could demonstrate just how seriously things have gone awry. Donald Trump has been running as the "anti-establishment" candidate throughout this race thus far. He has hit just about every cord, but there's increasingly something just not right. For some reason, Trump, whose campaign is under enormous pressure from the media, both parties, and the powerbrokers, have been making some serious mistakes. Just recently, Trump said in an interview with "Hardball's" Chris Matthews that he thought women who had abortions should be criminally prosecuted while the men who got them pregnant had no responsibly. He's made some unflattering comments about former candidate Carly Fiorina (whom I personally like) and Fox's Megyn Kelly (he also made some less that complimentary remarks about Whoopie Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell, though I suspect he was probably justified). He's also made statements insulting some the leaders of our allies, about building a wall to keep illegal immigrants out and making Mexico pay for it, about his willingness to use nuclear weapons against ISIS and other terrorists (while it shouldn't be ruled out, just at least be downplayed a bit), he stated that we should export "more jobs", plus China, Putin, the Pope, Mussolini and the list goes go. He's even made some particularly rude comments toward some of those attending his rallies. True that either Trump or one of his cheerleaders almost immediately stepped in a correct or "clarify" what Trump meant to say, but it is still happening too often.

This makes me wonder whether "The Donald" is a little more nervous or stressed than he lets on and is mishearing the question or confusing what he intended to say with what he was coached to say or is even thinking a question ahead and not really paying attention. Regardless, it's providing fodder for the very media out to get him and for Hillary Clinton's camp who are looking past Bernie Sanders and to her potential opponent in the Fall campaign. Trust me, should Trump win the Republican nomination in May, this will come up again (and again) this Fall. All this brings me to a central point---could Donald Trump be actually trying to throw the election? Let's think about that for a moment. Most everyone on the Left and Right (including the media) thought Trump's entry into the race was a farce; another publicity stunt by "The Donald". They thought he'd come in, make a few points, stir up the pot and leave. But that didn't happen. He actually started getting backers, and not just from the so-called "lunatic fringe" of the Far Right, but from ordinary conservatives who were tired of a broken Republican Party; from Tea Party and Pro-Constitution supporters, as well as from moderates who were purged from both political parties, and from Independents. To paraphrase a quote about General George Patton's run to the Rhine in World War II, give Trump a headline and he's good for another 30 days.

Perhaps suddenly, he thought he could actually win this and went into his hyper-competitive "win at all costs" mode for which "The Donald" is world famous. Then, perhaps just as suddenly, Trump realized that (yikes), he really could win this, then what? He wouldn't have support from either party, and certainly not the leadership. The oligarchy who controls the government would ensure that his initiatives are defeated or watered down and in the end, he's powerless and publically humiliated. That's something Trump's ego just couldn't stand. So he starts doing and saying things that are increasingly outrageous (either intentional or subconsciously) to cause him to lose supporters and ultimately the nomination.
He could always claim that he was the strongest candidate; he held the lead throughout the race; he gave voice to most Americans, but was declining the nomination for the "good" and/or "wellbeing" of the Republican Party and the conservative movement in the United States. It gives him the acclaim he lives on and makes him look like the good guy to the status quo powerbrokers. This would avoid a brokered convention which could force another unsuccessful run by Mitt Romney. The nomination would likely go to Ted Cruz and some other pre-approved Vice Presidential party boy (or gal). In the end, Cruz would likely lose to the "Empress" and the coronation would proceeded as planned all along while Trump's run fades into a election cycle anomaly; a lesson to anyone who challenges the machine.

Of course, I could easily be wrong. Maybe he is simply misspeaking or maybe he is actually saying what he really thinks, but if I'm right, it would certainly make sense in light of what's been happening with the Trump campaign, and let's not forget that he had a long private meeting with senior GOP leadership on March 31st; the very leadership that he has so often spoken out against. It would also makes sense in light of just how far this country has fallen; of how much our elections and the candidates are bought and paid for; and just how truly broken the system is. Perhaps the spotlight has become too bright even for "The Donald" himself.



Donald Trump's 3 biggest leadership mistakes
http://fortune.com/2015/07/02/donald-trumps-3-biggest-leadership-mistakes/



Five critical mistakes made by Donald Trump...thus far
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/todays-buzz/sfl-five-critical-mistakes-by-donald-trump-20160128-story.html



The 16 Worst Donald Trump Quotes...
http://www.bustle.com/articles/90679-the-16-worst-donald-trump-quotes-are-all-the-evidence-you-need-that-hell-never-and



Why is Donald Trump had for America?
http://theodysseyonline.com/tcnj/why-is-donald-trump-bad-for-america/154425



Here's why Donald Trump won't win the Republican presidential nomination
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/22/donald-trump-wont-win-republican-presidential-nomination


Trump meets with Republican leadership
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0WX1V6

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