Appealing to one's own baser instincts is always seductive. That's what makes Trump popular in the first place. I know that, so I'm very hesitant to acquiesce to the Dark Side. But the feeling is there, nonetheless. I think I can resist the urge. I've also considered sitting this one out. That's still a viable option for me at this point.
I've had a secret belief for a while now that the left is in for a nasty little surprise should Trump be the GOP nominee in the general. These are all positions Trump has publicly taken in the GOP primary: 1) He thinks the rich should pay more in taxes. 2) Wants to erect massive barriers to free trade (including placing a 45% tax on ever single item large or small that China exports to the US). 3) Wants to restrict American capital access to overseas labor markets and force American companies to on-shore their manufacturing. Those are all populist/leftist positions. That's straight out of an anti-NAFTA, anti-WTO leftie wishlist. Bernie Sanders has said these things. It's besides the point that for any given thing he's said, he's said the opposite only days before. The GOP primary has clearly demonstrated that that fact doesn't actually matter for a significant number of voters. You already saw in Trump's victory speech on Super Tuesday his softening of tone and pivoting towards the center. Watch as this drags on as he continues that pivot and goes after angry and disgruntled independents and blue dog dems in the rust belt and elsewhere. He's been telling pissed off people whatever the fuck they want to hear for months now, just tweaking it for the particular group of angries he happens to be talking to that day. He'll be tweaking for the blue collar left next. Mark my words, there is a strong possibility that there will be a lot of people on the Left horrified at at how many of their own perceived voters he peels off. A lot of us, including me, have been pretty glib and mocking of someone that really deserves more serious consideration than we've given him. We imagine ourselves as a group, as a sort of saintly firewall. I think we could find that we've been egotistical and condescending to the point of peril if we don't watch it.
And remember that Trump supports Planned Parenthood, supported benefits to gay couples (after he saw the writing on the wall but still) and is against the trade deals. My big fear is that Clinton vs trump will hinge on turnout. Many Bernie supporters will say "screw it" and stay home. But the Evangelicals out here FROTHING AT THE MOUTH hate Trump. My county in the caucus went to Cruz. And some of those people I work will will not vote for Trump because he is a "godless sodomite." It's going to be weird. Trump's friends concern me and whatever court picks he chooses will almost certainly piss me off. Clinton? Not sure. Bill took Kentucky twice by a good margin, so Hillary might carry some of that institutional memory into November assuming she does not fall ill or get indicted or have anything weird happen. The Republican Convention is going to be Awesome to watch as an outsider, and you bet I am going to be watching that go down live this summer.
Exactly. He does support them: http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/12/donald-trump-defends-planned-parenthood-calls-abortions-small-part-of-what-they-do/ But remember, he also thinks they are terrible, doesn't support them, and wants them defunded! http://www.lifenews.com/2015/10/19/donald-trump-planned-parenthood-should-absolutely-be-de-funded/ And he'll support whatever else he needs to for the crowd he's in front of that day. He's a mirror. All you have to do to look into it is feel angry and disenfranchised. And he's tilting towards the center left in direct proportion to how locked-up he feels he's got the GOP primary.And remember that Trump supports Planned Parenthood, supported benefits to gay couples (after he saw the writing on the wall but still) and is against the trade deals.
Anecdata: I've been hearing die-hard movement conservatives talking about not bothering to vote if Trump gets the nomination. I'm used to hearing that from people on the left, who have had to pick the lesser evil as long as I've been alive, but it's really weird to see from conservatives.
If I could bet money, I'd bet that the GOP falls in line lock-step behind Trump if he grabs it, outside of a handful of Conservative thinkers in the media. And the scant few that refrain will be outnumbered by the number of new energized voters he adds to the rolls. And I think that the problem is that there simply aren't many die hard movement conservatives in existence. I'm talking the philosophy of conservatism here. The GOP has spent so many years courting angry social conservatives (I consider a different beast entirely), and a general anger and hostility at all things government in any way shape or form that the voters they actually have in the greatest numbers aren't actually aligned (in the aggregate) with serious conservative intellectual thought. It's more nihilistic and xenophobic than principled and considered.
They said the same thing about McCain and Romney as well. Romney got a ton of hate out here and that reduced turnout among the Republicans. Remember ObamaCare is Romney's Massachusetts health insurance plan taken nationally, and many conservatives held him responsible. When politics comes up out here, I sit back, get quiet and casually munch on the popcorn.