The Neocons

[BIGOSUFAN]

Amusing watching the Neocon rats scurry to mobilize anti-Trump efforts. The Eliot Cohen/Robert Kagan crowd is jumping fully behind the anti-Trump movement in the GOP and these Neocon bums are threatening to openly support Hillary Clinton. GWB was dumb enough to hand over his foreign policy to these clowns and the prospect of a Trump presidency (someone they can't manipulate) has them scrambling. Amusing to watch.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Maybe they just don't think he's presidential material? They are Americans, right? They are eligible to express their opinion, correct? I do think their voicing the possibility they would support Hillary is disgustingly reprehensible.

The idea that Trump won't be manipulated on foreign policy (by someone) should he win is foolishly naive. He knows nothing about it.

 

[squeak]

Amusing watching the Neocon rats scurry to mobilize anti-Trump efforts. The Eliot Cohen/Robert Kagan crowd is jumping fully behind the anti-Trump movement in the GOP and these Neocon bums are threatening to openly support Hillary Clinton. GWB was dumb enough to hand over his foreign policy to these clowns and the prospect of a Trump presidency (someone they can't manipulate) has them scrambling. Amusing to watch.

I'm not sure the huge Trump following will forgive the Republican Party after all of this. This is the scortched earth I'm looking for.

 

[NZ Poke]

Check out this clip of Ted Koppel (2002-ish) using the neoconservative talking points to explain why we should invade Iraq to Phil Donahue.

The same corporate media desperately trying to bring down Trump, were some of of the war's biggest backers. (including the New York Times)

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

That's true, NZ.

 

[NZ Poke]

I'm not sure the huge Trump following will forgive the Republican Party after all of this. This is the scortched earth I'm looking for.

The Huffington Post reported that a handful of tech CEOs also met the weekend of March 6 at an isolated Georgia resort with GOP leadership to derail the Trump train.

The meeting on Georgia’s Sea Island was reportedly attended by:

• Apple’s Tim Cook
• Tesla Motor’s Elon Musk
• Facebook investor Larry Page
• Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Along with Ryan, the House was represented by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (Mich.), Rep. Kevin Brady (Texas) and almost-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), sources said, along with leadership figure Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.), Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (Texas) and Diane Black (Tenn.).

Philip Anschutz, the billionaire GOP donor whose company owns a stake in Sea Island, was also there, along with Democratic Rep. John Delaney, who represents Maryland. Arthur Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, was there, too, a Times spokeswoman confirmed.

Federal Aviation Administration records available on FlightAware.com show that a fleet of private jets flew into and out of two small airports near Sea Island this weekend. Fifty-four planes flew out of the airport on St. Simons Island, Georgia, on Sunday -- nearly four times as many as departed from the airport the previous Sunday.

Many of the planes are registered to jet-sharing companies such as NetJets and Flexjet or private jet services companies such as Jetsetter. At least two of them flew directly to San Jose, California, home of many tech giants, on Sunday.

While the event was supposed to be off-the-record, Weekly Standard chief William Kristol tweeted that the meeting was haunted by the “specter of Donald Trump.”

“The key task now, to once again paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him,” Kristol reportedly wrote. “In general, there’s a little too much hand-wringing, brow-furrowing, and fatalism out there and not quite enough resolving to save the party from nominating or the country electing someone who simply shouldn’t be president.”


http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...tings-to-stop-trump-with-brokered-convention/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aei-world-forum-donald-trump_us_56ddbd38e4b0ffe6f8ea125d?2oz85mi

 

[squeak]

The Huffington Post reported that a handful of tech CEOs also met the weekend of March 6 at an isolated Georgia resort with GOP leadership to derail the Trump train.

The meeting on Georgia’s Sea Island was reportedly attended by:

• Apple’s Tim Cook
• Tesla Motor’s Elon Musk
• Facebook investor Larry Page
• Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Along with Ryan, the House was represented by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (Mich.), Rep. Kevin Brady (Texas) and almost-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), sources said, along with leadership figure Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.), Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (Texas) and Diane Black (Tenn.).

Philip Anschutz, the billionaire GOP donor whose company owns a stake in Sea Island, was also there, along with Democratic Rep. John Delaney, who represents Maryland. Arthur Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, was there, too, a Times spokeswoman confirmed.

Federal Aviation Administration records available on FlightAware.com show that a fleet of private jets flew into and out of two small airports near Sea Island this weekend. Fifty-four planes flew out of the airport on St. Simons Island, Georgia, on Sunday -- nearly four times as many as departed from the airport the previous Sunday.

Many of the planes are registered to jet-sharing companies such as NetJets and Flexjet or private jet services companies such as Jetsetter. At least two of them flew directly to San Jose, California, home of many tech giants, on Sunday.

While the event was supposed to be off-the-record, Weekly Standard chief William Kristol tweeted that the meeting was haunted by the “specter of Donald Trump.”

“The key task now, to once again paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him,” Kristol reportedly wrote. “In general, there’s a little too much hand-wringing, brow-furrowing, and fatalism out there and not quite enough resolving to save the party from nominating or the country electing someone who simply shouldn’t be president.”


http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...tings-to-stop-trump-with-brokered-convention/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aei-world-forum-donald-trump_us_56ddbd38e4b0ffe6f8ea125d?2oz85mi

Aren't Tim and Elon liberals?

 

[imprimis]

It boils down to being able to control the President and keeping their livelihoods and influence intact. It's a power struggle of immense proportions like we've not seen in a long time.

 

[imprimis]

Jeb Hensarling ran many radio commercials during the primary season espousing his conservative credentials. The tone of them was that he was Cruz's right hand man with his disdain for the way the House/government/DC was run. His monthly email say how much of an outsider he is. It appears that he is much like Boehner, Ryan and many others---what he says in his district is much much different than how he performs while in DC.

 

[BIGOSUFAN]

They are Americans, right?

Maybe they just don't think he's presidential material? They are Americans, right? They are eligible to express their opinion, correct? I do think their voicing the possibility they would support Hillary is disgustingly reprehensible.

The idea that Trump won't be manipulated on foreign policy (by someone) should he win is foolishly naive. He knows nothing about it.

Trump will do what is best for America, which is the exact opposite of what the Neocons want.

 

[ThorOdinson13]

Trump will do what is best for America, which is the exact opposite of what the Neocons want.

Sorry, but Trump is going to do what's best for Trump first. If he was so principled he wouldn't have played the game so extensively all these years by taking advantage of lobbies to buy politicians, protectionism, etc.

 

[NZ Poke]

The Tech Titans, GOP Establishment and Super Pacs all collaborating. I think they will succeed in bringing Trump down --- negative ads do work.

The stop-Trump movement’s leading super PAC, Our Principles PAC, is adopting what its operatives call a “surround sound” strategy in Florida: more than $3 million in television advertisements, plus direct-mail pieces, digital ads, phone banking and emails — all designed to sow doubts about Trump’s character, convictions and fitness for office.

“There is not a silver bullet,” said Brian Baker, a strategist involved with planning the super PAC’s activities. “It’s the cumulative effect of all of these messages.”

Baker also advises the political work of the billionaire Ricketts family, whose matriarch, Marlene, gave $3 million in seed money to Our Principles PAC. Baker and Michael Meyers, president of TargetPoint Consulting, developed the delegate-count slide show that was shared with The Post.

Some party establishment figures are assisting the super PAC, including former New Hampshire governor John Sununu, who confirmed that he has been calling friends and urging them to make donations.

A separate group, American Future Fund, also is trying to take Trump down with a $2.75 million series of ads in Florida. A third group, the Club for Growth, is advertising against Trump in Florida and Illinois and is assessing a possible barrage in Ohio.

“There is so much anti-Trump messaging out there, it’s flooded,” said Kellyanne Conway, president of Keep the Promise I, a pro-Cruz super PAC. “What could we say that isn’t out there?”


https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...6d2c62-e487-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html​

 

[imprimis]

I don't find fault with Trump for his method of doing business than I do for any other business person who engages in the same. Right or wrong, it's the accepted way of doing business at those levels. It's amusing to see the hysteria among the game players when someone comes along who might achieve the pinnacle without playing by their rules.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Trump will do what is best for America, which is the exact opposite of what the Neocons want.

You have zero evidence to base that on, based on his track record. For example, he donated the maximum to McConnell's PAC when there was a legitimate chance that MM could have been defeated in a Senate primary challenge.

He will almost certainly nominate Supreme Court justices that will be a disaster in terms of the 2nd amendment (among many other issues).

 

[TPOKE]

All things aside, it's humorous to see McConnell, Graham, McCain, Ryan and others panicking that their Good Ole Boy network may crash.

 

[HighStickHarry]

Every attack makes me fall deeper and deeper in love with the narcissistic psycho. He doesn't need this presidency and he is putting his money where his mouth is.

 

[MegaPoke]

Every attack makes me fall deeper and deeper in love with the natcicistic psycho. He doesn't need this presidency and he is putting his money where his mouth is.

I'm far from in love with him, but my hatred of the GOP is about to hit a tipping point.

 

[NeekReevers]

I have been anti Trump from the beginning because I think he's a blowhard that lacks substance with respect to policy. However, given the set of choices now available, and the fact that the entire Republican party is now hell bent on derailing him, I am starting to come around. The media hates him and both parties hate him and since I pretty much hate all of them maybe he's my dream candidate.

 

[ThorOdinson13]

I don't find fault with Trump for his method of doing business than I do for any other business person who engages in the same. Right or wrong, it's the accepted way of doing business at those levels. It's amusing to see the hysteria among the game players when someone comes along who might achieve the pinnacle without playing by their rules.

I don't necessarily hold it against him either. I just think that supporters implying he's highly principled are mistaken in doing so and would be in for a rude awakening.

 

[Headhunter]

The fact Trump doesn't have an issue using the very corrupt system to get ahead tells me that he will use the same ability to get much needed things done.

Does anyone really think Trump wants to go down in history as the guy who conned America to get richer?

Trump says things that make me cringe but I trust him a hell of a lot more than I do career pols who think only about keeping their cush positions and holding on to power and influence.

 

[imprimis]

I don't necessarily hold it against him either. I just think that supporters implying he's highly principled are mistaken in doing so and would be in for a rude awakening.

This is my concern. Among my concerns are: Who would he nominate as Judges? Will he follow through with all his immigration stances? He's already vacillating on H1B visas.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

I don't find fault with Trump for his method of doing business than I do for any other business person who engages in the same. Right or wrong, it's the accepted way of doing business at those levels. It's amusing to see the hysteria among the game players when someone comes along who might achieve the pinnacle without playing by their rules.

I understand your point, I really do. But, how about when he simply flat out lies? About his businesses, his wealth?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-claims-he-employs-many-people-at-honolulu-hotel/

 

[ctdub]

If the republicans are really serious about anti Trump the solution is pretty simple. They need to start endorsing Cruz. Cruz has a dozen or so house endorsements and zero senate endorsements. If they're serious they need to get behind the only candidate capable of beating Trump head to head. Of course they are just slightly less concerned about what a Cruz presidential nomination means to the establishment they are remaining silent.

 

[imprimis]

If the establishment cannot stop Trump (he gets the 1237 delegates) will enough people either sit at home and not vote or vote for Hillary to ensure her win? or

Will the establishment carry through and have a brokered convention with its potential civil war (should nobody get 1237 delegates)? or

If Trump has the delegates, gets the nomination and wins the general election, will the GOP in the Congress side with the democrats to block him from implementing his agenda?

They could also do the same against Cruz especially siding with the democrats in Congress.

 

[squeak]

I understand your point, I really do. But, how about when he simply flat out lies? About his businesses, his wealth?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-claims-he-employs-many-people-at-honolulu-hotel/

I wouldn't call that a lie. At most it's stretching it. I'd call that semantics.

Not the perfect analogy, but my wife has her own business and she has contractors that aren't employees. I wouldn't say she is lying if she said she employs people. At the end of the day, she puts people to work.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

If nobody gets the majority of delegates, but Trump has the most, a lot of his supporters will probably bolt even though that is perfectly within the party outlines and regulations. Of, course, a decent number of his supporters aren't Republican, so they might not support anyone other than Trump.

If nobody gets a majority of delegates and Cruz has the most, I think a decent number of Trump supporters would back Cruz, but I'm not super confident in that.

If nobody gets a majority of delegates and the nominee ends up being someone other than Trump or Cruz then there will be a massive revolt.

FYI, I do not believe anyone will get a majority of the delegates.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

I wouldn't call that a lie. At most it's stretching it. I'd call that semantics.

Not the perfect analogy, but my wife has her own business and she has contractors that aren't employees. I wouldn't say she is lying if she said she employs people. At the end of the day, she puts people to work.

Good Lord, you are now full on dissembling in favor of the guy. What you are describing is nothing like the situation with the Honolulu hotel. He has ZERO association with the hotel other than them licensing to use his name.

 

[TPOKE]

They must've been pretty confident in where they thought people stood in regards to the Republican Party. Maybe next time when there's a tea party movement and many conservative talkshow hosts are warning them, they'll pay closer attention. All I have to look at is a Republican-controlled Congress still getting pushed around by Obama.

 

[squeak]

Good Lord, you are now full on dissembling in favor of the guy. What you are describing is nothing like the situation with the Honolulu hotel. He has ZERO association with the hotel other than them licensing to use his name.

His company operates the hotel.

Would you have a problem if will Rogers airport claimed they employed the workers at sonic in the airport? What about the company who actually employs the workers at the sonic? What about Sonic Corp?

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

His company operates the hotel.

Not true.

 

[squeak]

Not true.

That's what his communications director says in that article.

 

[NZ Poke]

Been seeing some of these names popping up over the last week, especially the Rickets family, and Robert Mercer (backing Cruz).


A Guide to the Billionaires Bankrolling the GOP Candidates

These mega-donors may determine which Republicans get a real shot at the White House.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics...naires-bankrolling-the-gop-candidates/391233/

 

[ctdub]

Without doing any research I'd guess that the hotel is owned by a private equity firm or REIT and they license out the Trump name and contract with his company for the management of the hotel. So his company doesn't technically own the property, but they manage it. Just a guess...

 

[squeak]

Without doing any research I'd guess that the hotel is owned by a private equity firm or REIT and they license out the Trump name and contract with his company for the management of the hotel. So his company doesn't technically own the property, but they manage it. Just a guess...

If it's his management company then they're his employees, I would think.

Regardless, he's putting people to work, which I think was his point.