Of the remaining candidates for the presidency, Ted Cruz is by far the most worthy of my support. He is the candidate that I feel is best equipped to reverse the damage done to America by Obama. So let's be clear about that at the outset.

However, unlike many of you, I don't have any hate toward Donald Trump. There actually are some things that I like about him. His conservative credentials, however, are iffy at best - and he will never get my vote simply because I don't trust him to truly be a conservative.

That said, I would prefer to see him in the White House than Hillary or Sanders.

But here is my question for you: Can either Cruz or Trump beat Hillary without the full backing of the Republican establishment? It disgusts me that the likes of McConnell, King, Graham and Ryan are so dead set against these two guys. In my view, establishment guys like Jeb Bush had their chance and failed.

Rush Limbaugh once speculated that the Republican establishment (including politicians, lobbyists and business power brokers) would rather let Hillary win in November than see Trump or Cruz claim the presidency. Do you think he is right?

Limbaugh is probably correct. The party bulls know Hildabeast all too well, and Trump is so obvious they were on to him ages ago. That does not mean Trump will win. The GOP would rather alienate voters for 8 or even 16 years, rather than let Trump come in and wreck their game.

Quote from: Jasmine on April 20, 2016, 10:05:02 PM
Of the remaining candidates for the presidency, Ted Cruz is by far the most worthy of my support. He is the candidate that I feel is best equipped to reverse the damage done to America by Obama. So let's be clear about that at the outset.

However, unlike many of you, I don't have any hate toward Donald Trump. There actually are some things that I like about him. His conservative credentials, however, are iffy at best - and he will never get my vote simply because I don't trust him to truly be a conservative.

That said, I would prefer to see him in the White House than Hillary or Sanders.

But here is my question for you: Can either Cruz or Trump beat Hillary without the full backing of the Republican establishment? It disgusts me that the likes of McConnell, King, Graham and Ryan are so dead set against these two guys. In my view, establishment guys like Jeb Bush had their chance and failed.

Rush Limbaugh once speculated that the Republican establishment (including politicians, lobbyists and business power brokers) would rather let Hillary win in November than see Trump or Cruz claim the presidency. Do you think he is right?

I have to agree with Rush on this one. The group you mentioned again are more concerned with maintaining their power positions than have the GOP win the WH with Cruz or Trump. They realize they would no longer be rulers of their little empires whereas with a dem in the WH they maintain their positions of power.

Agree with the above comments.  Odds are against either of the top two leading Republicans winning & bypassing the GOP establishment.

The only way an outsider wins, is with an electorate willing to vote against the GOPe wishes.

Trump is poison to the electorate, forget what the MSM is trying to do, prop him up as inevitable, going to win 1400 delegates, etc., NY primary just showed he's going to get slaughtered in his home state, and for that matter, the New England states.  Negative campaigning takes it's toll on the whole electorate.

Cruz has the positive message, but hasn't had the media outlet & message exposure Trump has.  After sucking all the oxygen out of the press, any air time Ted has is reduced to ad buys.  We've been highlighting Ted's policy, trustworthiness, credentials here, but this forum doesn't have the reach the MSM has... and they'd rather make a buck with Trump.  "There's no news, like bad news." - Elliot Carver

Our hope, and this race is FAR from over, is the grass roots will continue to rise in support of Ted, anything else is a Democrat in the White House, IMO.

Quote from: Hoofer on April 21, 2016, 04:46:27 AM
Our hope, and this race is FAR from over, is the grass roots will continue to rise in support of Ted, anything else is a Democrat in the White House, IMO.

And I believe that is the case with a lot of the delegates this time around.  I think the grass roots have made serious inroads into the process.  If Trump stays below 1237 I believe the grass roots/tea party/constitutionalists type delegates will do their damndest to keep the GOPe from  pushing through a Kasich or a GOPe carpet bagger.

Not only is Trump, Not a Conservative, he's worse, he's a admitted NY Lib whom lacks any sense of moral values, no compunction to right those he's wronged, simply because in his mind getting away with it validates his beliefs.
Trump's law is all that matters, winning at all costs, using people and govt as weapons in forcing the outcome in his favor proves him right.

He views all of life as his personal challenge, that if he accomplishes his goal, then it must have been morally right.
Like using the power of the court to steal an old widows home, because if it were actually wrong, the laws wouldn't have allowed it, loopholes are part of his bag of tools, legal threats and black mail are last resorts, but always at the ready.

The reason I point out what most view as disgusting character flaws are actually seen on the left as a strength.
Making deals and winning at all costs, where sacrificing principal and morals which are built into the fabric of this Nation is OK, libs see this as "Progressive", retaining the statusquo is stagnation, which is why libs love Trump.
They know when it comes to what they want, a Trump administration will give them everything they want as long as it benefits Trump.

Now ask yourself, has Trump's past actions shown in any way that he has this nations best interests at heart?
Not BS rhetoric, but actual actions?
One other point to consider is his negatives. His are the highest of any candidate for the WH at this tpoint in election history.
In other words, no candidate has ever won with negatives even close to his, which is proof if he were the nominee, Hillary would actually win because the Conservative base is done voting for libs on the GOP ticket.

Ask yourself, is he more Conservative than Dole, McCain, Mitten?
I don't remember any of them winning either...

Quote from: Jasmine on April 20, 2016, 10:05:02 PM
But here is my question for you: Can either Cruz or Trump beat Hillary without the full backing of the Republican establishment? It disgusts me that the likes of McConnell, King, Graham and Ryan are so dead set against these two guys. In my view, establishment guys like Jeb Bush had their chance and failed.

It will be up to the voters.

I have no intention of voting for Trump if he gets the nomination, and I'm not alone.  There are a lot of Trump supporters who won't vote if Trump doesn't get it.

I am not hopeful that Republicans can win the election, because the party is too split.  It's basically dead. 

Quote from: Dori on April 21, 2016, 08:11:58 AM
It will be up to the voters.

I have no intention of voting for Trump if he gets the nomination, and I'm not alone.  There are a lot of Trump supporters who won't vote if Trump doesn't get it.

I am not hopeful that Republicans can win the election, because the party is too split.  It's basically dead.

Truth is, the Establishment is split, but the Base is solid behind Cruz, which is 60% of the party. Roughly 70% on the party despises Trump.
That claim of a split party has been floated by the LSM for a year now and the GOP'e tried to blame it on the base.
Now how laughable is that, blame it on the constituency because the leadership supports the Dim party?

Quote from: Solar on April 21, 2016, 08:17:24 AM
Truth is, the Establishment is split, but the Base is solid behind Cruz, which is 60% of the party. Roughly 70% on the party despises Trump.
That claim of a split party has been floated by the LSM for a year now and the GOP'e tried to blame it on the base.
Now how laughable is that, blame it on the constituency because the leadership supports the Dim party?

And who put the leadership into office?  They were voted in by their constituents and kept there by them. 

Quote from: Dori on April 21, 2016, 08:33:09 AM
And who put the leadership into office?  They were voted in by their constituents and kept there by them.

And the base they lied to, to get elected is taking them out finally.

I think both can win but for different reasons.

Cruz would out debate her and present actual argument for electing him where Hillary's argument is it's her turn. She has no ideas just talking points and grievances. She like all democrats act like it's 1916 rather than 2016 where everyone is equal. Cruz is also not afraid to go after her. If he survived Trump he can survive Hillary.

Hillary's biggest problem is she is as likeable as a genital wart. Trump has major popularity problems but he has a positive message and so far none of his monumental gaffes has hurt him. Hillary's only option is to make Trump look worse than her. She will play gutter politics but Trump will drag her into the sewer. She has a massive trust deficit and Trump will hammer her on every one of her  scandals.

Quote from: The Boo Man... on April 21, 2016, 11:02:45 AM
I think both can win but for different reasons.

Cruz would out debate her and present actual argument for electing him where Hillary's argument is it's her turn. She has no ideas just talking points and grievances. She like all democrats act like it's 1916 rather than 2016 where everyone is equal. Cruz is also not afraid to go after her. If he survived Trump he can survive Hillary.

Hillary's biggest problem is she is as likeable as a genital wart. Trump has major popularity problems but he has a positive message and so far none of his monumental gaffes has hurt him. Hillary's only option is to make Trump look worse than her. She will play gutter politics but Trump will drag her into the sewer. She has a massive trust deficit and Trump will hammer her on every one of her  scandals.

Agree. When the American people get a fulls dose of Hillary sans Bernie her irritating shrill and arrogant attitude will wear very thin.Both Trump and Cruz will not play nice like McCain and Romney. The key is to go after Hillary.

I will vote for anyone other than Hillary Clinton.  If that means Trump, so be it.

Quote from: Charliemyboy on April 21, 2016, 12:02:45 PM
I will vote for anyone other than Hillary Clinton.  If that means Trump, so be it.

Why?

Quote from: Charliemyboy on April 21, 2016, 12:02:45 PM
I will vote for anyone other than Hillary Clinton.  If that means Trump, so be it.

Have you considered a write-in, rather than a write-off?