Originally published on “Dave Miller Daily.”
Okay, that title was total clickbait – I admit it.
- I am happily married. Well, a better description might be “exhaustedly married.” We married off our daughter on Saturday, now all 4 of our kids are married. All four kids, their spouses, and all 5 grandkids (plus the Virginia ham in the oven) were in Springfield, Ohio, for the weekend and “Bapa” and “Nani” are still recovering.
- There’s nothing legal about my separation. I don’t even know how to officially leave the Republican party. Is there a paper somewhere that I’m supposed to file?
I’m coming to grips with the fact that my party is going to nominate a misogynist, serial adulterous, non-conservative, nativist/xenophobe, who cannot string sentences together into a coherent thought, and who appeals to worst in America. Yeah, you can tell I still love Donald Trump.
I will not be part of a party that has Donald Trump at the top of the ticket. Unless there is a miracle and Trump can be held to 1236, the convention kept open and another candidate nominated, I’m through. D-I-V-O-R-C-E. Dave will not be part of the GOP anymore.
I was wrong about the American people – I thought Americans would see through the nonsense and reject Trump by now. They didn’t. Sin clouds minds and destroys judgment and America is proving its depravity. When a nation CHOOSES for itself Hillary Clinton, one of the most blatantly dishonest and amoral people ever to enter public life, and Donald Trump, who is just plain crazy, that nation is clearly far gone. The sad truth is that we had some great choices this time around and we CHOSE this mess.
So, what will we do now?
Some of you will support the party and vote Trump. I recognize that voting is not an absolute and that each of us makes our decisions. You do not answer to me and I do not answer to you – Jesus is Lord. But I will speak my mind. I think voting for Trump is morally unacceptable. If you can justify it to yourself and sleep at night, fine. I cannot.
- Trump is not pro-life. Don’t kid yourself. He is no more pro-life than Hillary, just less honest about it. He pandered to pro-life people to lie and cheat his way to the GOP nomination, but his constant support of Planned Parenthood, his history, and his rhetoric makes it clear that Trump is not pro-life at heart.
- Trump is immoral. He is a serial and unrepentant adulterer – he has NO morals and no sense of sorrow over his sins. Yes, I know Reagan was divorced – puh-leese! Trump has been married repeatedly and has bragged in his books about the hundreds of women he has slept with, many of whom have been married. Then he said that he never felt as if he had any sin he needed to repent over. Do you want to cast your vote for a debauched man without conscience and without sorrow and without repentance? You can. I won’t.
- I know. Hillary is evil. I agree. “He is the lesser of two evils.” First, I’m not sure he is the lesser of two evils. But even if he is, you are still voting to DO EVIL! I voted for Bob Dole and for Mitt Romney, and I was unenthusiastic. But I did not consider them evil. I considered them blah. Uninspiring. But not evil. I will vote for an uninspiring candidate, but if I vote for a lesser of two evils, I am still supporting evil. Voting for Trump is supporting evil in my mind. I won’t do it.
- Hate is not a godly motive. Boil it down, the only reason to vote FOR Trump is Hillary-hate. I understand it. I hate Hillary. The idea of her smug mug on the TV with “Hail to the Chief” in the background galls me. But my disdain for her abortion-loving, lie-telling, immoral self is no reason to vote for Donald Trump who is not really a moral improvement over Hillary.
So, to sum it all up, I’m not voting for Hillary, and I’m not voting for Donald. Ever.
I want a new party. Maybe it is time we think about forming a new party. Donald Trump is going to ruin the GOP, I’m convinced of that. My party is over – I’m abandoning a sinking ship. He is a nuclear warhead looking for a place to detonate. I do not want to abandon the country to the Democrats – they are against everything I am for. They are devoted to the destruction of the American constitution’s freedoms, our way of life, and our moral foundations. If we give America over to the Democrats, there will not be an America – it will be a European-style socialist nation within a decade and headed down the same moral, spiritual, and economic sewer as those nations. But Republicans have shown themselves to be craven, weak, and inconsequential. Voting GOP will change nothing.
So, a new party needs to form. But that path is filled with land mines. We can all agree that things are a mess, but what are the uniting principles that will bring us together? There are actually a thousand “third parties” and they are all small and insignificant. Why? Because whatever unifying principle they form around drives as many people away as it brings in. They tend to be unbalanced or extremist or, let’s admit it, just plain weird. Some of them become conspiratorial, or single-issue focused or go to seed on a topic. Finding a single unifying issue on which to found a new party, one that is worth a person’s devotion but which is not so narrow as to divide us; that is the challenge.
I believe I have such a principle, which I will articulate below. But first, let’s examine some of the landmines we will encounter in the formation of a new party. There are many obstacles that will be encountered and hurdles that must be jumped.
Landmines to the Formation of a New Party
- The name landmine – the name is no easy thing. All the good names have either been taken or sullied in some way or another!
- The Foreign Policy landmine – this may be the toughest. Conservatives are split between interventionists and isolationists (who don’t like to be called isolationists). The Ron Paul contingent challenged the GOP’s pro-military stance since the second Gulf War and many have come to question our tendency to intervene in foreign conflicts. Any new party is going to have to either choose a side or walk the kind of fine line of balance that is very difficult to do. I lean toward the interventionist side – history has not looked well on those who stood by and allowed evil to grow unchecked – but there is something to be learned from the other side. This will be a difficult balance in any new party.
- The Drug-war landmine – another hard one. The US has engaged in a decades-long and losing war against drug cartels. Some, even among evangelicals, have said that the drug war is not a wise way to go. It is not that they support drug use but that they believe that our current policy is a failure that does more harm than good. I’m not convinced by their arguments yet, but it is a growing number in conservative ranks who say that legalization, taxation, treatment, prescription management and such things would be a better way to handle the drug problem. A new party would have a tough
- The Immigration landmine – it is ironic that a nation of immigrants has become hostile to immigrants. How would a new party handle the immigration issue? Would it side with the “round-em-up-and-ship-em-to-the-border” wing of the GOP or would it adopt the more centrist view that says, “Secure the borders and then find a reasonable solution for the 12 million people here now?” Immigration is an issue on which Christians struggle to be reasonable.
- The Social-issue landmine – some of our most controversial issues today are social and family in nature. Abortion. Same-sex marriage. Would a new party focus on economic issues or would it be a social-issue based party?
- The Religious landmine – another tough one. For many, especially those steeped in David Barton’s revisionist history, America is a Christian nation whose purpose is the propagation of the gospel and the advancement of Christianity and Christian principles in the world. I know, I overstated that a little, but just a little. Would the new party focus of “rebuilding a Christian America” or on simply protecting religious liberty and justice for all?
The formation of a new party is perilous and there are many difficulties that must be faced. I have no idea whether these can be overcome. It may be that with our many ideas, many beliefs, many passions, we may not be able to form one new party that has any chance of being a real force in the American political landscape. But I have an idea to share that I believe may be worthwhile.
The Founding Principle of a New Party
Back in 1789 a group of political geniuses gathered and created a document that guided our nation to what I believe is exceptional greatness. I think America has been exceptional among the nations of the world. We are far from perfect, but what nation has ever had the kind of political and military power we’ve had and not used it to conquer and subjugate. If Hitler had our power we’d all be speaking German and the Final Solution would have been final! We’ve conquered Germany twice and Japan once and turned them into allies and powerful partners on the world stage. The heart and soul of this was the Constitution and the Bill of Rights which were crafted by the Founding Fathers.
- We were founded on the principle that certain rights were given to us by the Creator and those founders, though most were not what we would today call evangelicals, believed that the management of the nation was a sacred trust.
- We were founded on the principle that freedom and self-governance were admirable and that tyranny and government intervention needed to be limited. The constitution was designed primarily to limit the power of the government and to establish the rights of individuals.
Based on that, I propose the formation of the “Constitutional Freedom Party” (I don’t know if that name has been taken). Call it the Snufflelump party, who cares?
The core principle of the Constitutional Freedom Party is the restoration and protection of the basic freedoms that were guaranteed in the constitution and established as being given by the Creator.
What are these rights? They are defined in the founding documents of our nation.
- The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You don’t have a right to happiness, but you have a right to pursue it. The government should neither try to guarantee you freedom (stop trying to buy votes with giveaways, candidates!).
- The basic First Amendment rights. There are several rights guaranteed in that precious statement. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” These freedoms are under constant and sustained attack!
- We have Freedom of Religion. This means no religion can be officially established (Christianity or any other, including atheism). Also, it is not freedom of worship that is protected, but the “exercise of religion” that is protected. I have the freedom not just to gather on Sunday with my fellow members, but to practice my faith every day.
- We have Freedom of Speech. Liberals hate freedom of speech unless it’s theirs. They are working to limit our rights to speak every day through political correctness and so-called “hate-speech” laws (which they tend to define as anything that doesn’t line up with liberal orthodoxy).
- We have Freedom of the Press. Donald Trump has made some ominous statements about limiting this freedom and gotten applause. The American press is a joke – slanted, petty, celebrity-oriented – but it must remain free.
- We have Freedom of Assembly. We have the right to gather and speak about what we believe, even to be critical of the government.
- We have Freedom of Redress. The American people have the right to criticize their government to seek to correct its wrongs and to seek redress of their grievances against it.
- The right under the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms. I am not a gun owner and have no desire to be, but the constitution guarantees those rights and prohibits the government from infringing on those rights.
- The Fourth Amendment protects us against unlawful search and seizure and requires the government to get warrants.
- The Fifth Amendment prohibits double jeopardy (sorry, Alex), protects us from self-incrimination, and demands the government compensate us if it seizes property.
There are other rights in other amendments, each crucial. Simply put, I propose a party dedicated to simply protecting these rights.
Core Principles of the Constitutional Freedom Party
1. If you don’t like something in the constitution, you are free to change it – by the prescribed means, but not by judicial fiat.
If the American people want to do away with the right to keep and bear arms, we have that right. Maybe we will be convinced that we are a better place disarmed. Fine. Elect representatives and pass a constitutional amendment, then get it ratified by the requisite number of states. Until then, live with the fact that the American people have the right to keep and bear arms.
If you want same-sex marriage, pass a law! If you want abortion, pass a law! Look, in the Constitutional Freedom Party, we are governed by the Constitution which gives the people the right to decide what laws they want to live under. It grants the judiciary the right to review laws for the constitutionality, but not to create laws out of whole cloth because they don’t like the ones that the legislature passed. We have abortion and same-sex marriage because of the courts, not because of the Congress.
Here is the key difference of this party from some on the right. If the duly elected Congress passes laws that we Christians hate, we have to live under them, or perhaps break them to “obey God rather than men,” but we must demand that the process be constitutional and not some judicial fiat by liberal courts.
The CFP Snufflelumps will appoint and support only strict constitutionalists to the courts.
2. The Constitution is a document and it is NOT alive.
More violence has been done to the meaning of the constitution through the lie that the constitution is a “living document.” No, it’s ink on paper. It’s established. It is made up of words that have meaning. It can be changed – that’s why we don’t have slavery anymore. As I said before, if the liberals want to take away guns, they have every right to lobby for a constitutional amendment to change the Second Amendment. The Constitution is not the Word of God. It can be changed. But it is also not “living.” It does not evolve unless it is changed by the approved process. It is hard to change the constitution, but if America has changed it can be done.
3. The goal of the CFP is not to make America a Christian Nation but to make Americans a free people.
It is the duty of the church to lead Americans to Christ. Our nation is supposed to be a place in which our laws protect our freedoms. We err when we seek to establish laws to make the USA more Christian. We should seek to establish the freedoms under the US Constitution and then the church can do its sacred work unhindered. We need not ask the government to do our work, just to stop hindering us from doing ours.
We erred by not seeking these goals when we were the moral majority. We enforced a civil religion that was a pale imitation of Christianity and so many people think they are “American Christians” who neither follow the founding principles of America nor understand the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
Here’s the thing – a non-believer could and should support the CFP. It gives him freedom to live as an unbeliever and promote his views. We would not be asking the government to penalize unbelievers for not believing or asking the government to establish Christianity as the national religion. We’d only be asking for the freedom to practice our faith (and granting the same to atheists, Muslims, Hindus, even Methodists!), and freedom of speech, and all the other freedoms under the Constitution until someone gets around to changing them the right way.
I believe in the government established by our founding fathers. Perfect? No. Many were slave owners. But they left a way to take care of that and the Thirteenth Amendment was unlucky for slave owners. Our problems are not with the Constitution but with our failure to follow it. We’ve replaced constitutional restraint with judicial activism and that isn’t helpful.
So, I hope someone will form a party that is looking to return us to the intent of the founders – not to some mythical “Christian Utopia” that never really existed, but to the morally-rooted freedoms of the governing documents of the USA, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Go Snufflelumps!
There’s word today that Cruz might announce Carly Fiorina as his running mate.
I’d be a big fan of that move – love Carly. But I am afraid he’s dithered too long and the die is cast. If he can stop Trump and hold him under the 1236, I’ll happily destroy the divorce papers, for now at least, and attempt a reconciliation.
Hard to believe that you actually believe “Lyin’ Ted”.
Dave, with all due respect, you say that you are not for handing the country over to the Dems, but splitting the Conservative vote does precisely that.
Nominating Trump will hand the country over to the Democrats – and bring the GOP crashing down with it.
I’m looking at something to replace it after the implosion.
Nominating Cruz would certainly ensure a Dem victory in Nov. I think Trump has a real shot against Clinton.
Couldn’t disagree more.
Besides, since Trump is not a conservative, or really a Republican, how does that help anything?
Amen, Dave – Amen!
Agreed. Clinton is evil, but not crazy. Trump is evil AND crazy. I’m suspicious of even his self-proclaimed strengths. Anybody can write a book on deal-making, and it doesn’t take a business genius to make money if you are given a fortune to begin with.
Not Amen, Tarheel. There is no way that Cruz can beat Clinton.
Simple math John, the number of people on the right side of center who will not vote for Trump greatly outweighs the number of people near center and left of center that “might” have voted for Trump. Further, the majority of folk who voted for President Obama because they wanted to feel apart of history (voting for the first Black president) will also likely vote for Sec Clinton (thus voting for the first female president).
I said it in another thread but IF Trump gets the nomination, whether I vote for him will be entirely based on who he selects as VP. If he picks a moderate Republican, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM! I will vote in my state races, but not for Trump (likely a write-in for Cruz).
First of all you didn’t address my comment. And here is simple math for you, Trump has already received more than a million more votes than Romney during the entire primary season and there are 10 contests left. I think you need to check your math.
John, the majority of those cases happened in “open primary” states, that is regardless of how you are registered, you can vote in any primary. Parts of my family (my father, uncle, ect) have for as long as I can remembered, always voted for the “worst” Democrat running in the primary.
When you compare all the polling data showing Trump would get TROUNCED by the Democratic Party ticket (whoever it is but especially Sec Clinton), you have to conclude that a significant number of Trump primary votes are people who have no intention of voting for him in the General Election.
Further, the argument that Trump can “bring people in” from the Democratic Party is itself concerning as this indicates that he is NOT a Conservative, but a Moderate (at best). The days of blue-dog Democrats like Zel Miller are LONG GONE! The GOP does not need more moderates, it needs more Conservatives to step up and participate. Trump will NOT give us that.
I do not think you are right about that – at all – John. I think Cruz probably has a better chance in the fall. But the American electorate has made me give up the desire to prognosticate much.
Trump supporters such as yourself, John, are going to have to get the job done without my help. But you guys have an easy out, I suppose. If Trump loses you don’t have to blame Trump’s policies, his temperament, or his inarticulate verbal meanderings. You can blame guys like me who refused to vote for him.
Ultimately, though, I simply cannot vote for him.
Here’s the thing – I’ve been a loyal Republican and I have not wanted to leave the party. I’ve been frustrated and disappointed often, but I have stuck with it. But your boy Donald is a bridge too far for me! I just can’t go there. I won’t.
And if the GOP chooses to put forward a man such as Donald Trump as their nominee – immoral, amoral, embarrassing, etc – then they cannot demand I violate my convictions and vote for this man. Can’t do it. Won’t do it.
Look Dave, no need to be snide with all those “your boy” comments. Trump wasn’t my first pick, but he will be my party’s candidate and I will cast a vote for him without batting an eye.
Cruz would lose more States than Romney did. He can’t even manage to get 30% of Republicans to vote for him much less Dems or Independents.
John, you don’t know the future, but you seem to think you are omniscient. You make absolute predictions as if you are psychic or something. I think you are wrong on just about everything you say and I don’t think your predictions are sensible.
For instance, you make an absolute “open convention will destroy the GOP” dictate. There have been, from what I read, 6 open conventions and the GOP candidate has won 5 times in the general.
You want Trump, evidently, so you don’t want an open convention. That’s fine. But say that. I believe nominating Trump will destroy the GOP.
In fact, I think Trump has likely destroyed the party one way or the other. If he gets the nomination, he will destroy it. If he doesn’t, his followers will.
You’ve made some pretty absolutists predictions yourself. Please
I sense Dave that you place much trust in a person’s morality.
While I agree with that stance I consider one of the greatest mistakes I ever made in a presidential election was to vote for Jimmy Carter for a first term because he was a Christian and a Southern Baptist. He went on to become probably the greatest flop as president in my lifetime of 84 years and counting.
So, while morality and religious beliefs are credentials I desire in a candidate history has shown me they must be tempered with what the candidate might be able to do for this country and my personal needs and beliefs.
This election more than any in the immediate past is going to be important from the perspective of Supreme Court appointments and I consider that issue as the most important issue facing this country today. One more outlandish liberal judge and this nation will be placed in a position from which it will never be able to recover. So, I encourage every Christian voter to hold his or her nose and place that concern at the top of their list when deciding for whom to cast their vote; and don’t do anything that will assure the election of Hillary.
I’ve always said that 45% of voters will vote Democrat even if their candidate is Donald Duck and 45% will vote for the Republican candidate even if it is Mickey Mouse, so it is up to the remaining 10% of us to use common sense and pick the best available candidate.
I think there is still hope for our country, although little, after the insincere politicians of all parties with ridiculous political correctness mindsets and self-preservation attitudes have colluded to saddle us with a nation that we barely recognize any longer.
Well, I did not vote for Carter and did not support any of the SBC candidates. Common decency and humanity do matter. Electing a man like Trump is asking for trouble. We cannot vote the devil into office then complain when he sins.
Not that Trump is an improvement over Hillary, but he would get skewered in the general election. There are not enough angry white men to give him the electoral votes needed. His negatives and disapproval ratings among most all voting blocs (other than angry white men) coupled with an unleashed media will usher a humiliating defeat for the Donald. And the GOP in general will be toast.
The media have doomed the republicans during this election cycle. They gave the Trump freak-show free publicity for months. If he succeeds in becoming the nominee, they will tear him to shreds.
Does anyone here travel abroad? Trump has made our country a laughingstock. People around the world are still half waiting for someone to say April Fool. Trump would have us believe people around the world are quaking in fear and awe over a Trump presidency. It isn’t quaking, it’s giggling.
What Bill Mac said
What David said about what Bill Mac said.
What Dave Miller said about what David Rogers said about what BillMac said. 🙂
The problem with “Third Party” Movements is they have everything backwards in what they hope to accomplish. Everyone wants to start with the President and then work down. If only they could elect a “Third Party” president first, and then everything else will fall in line. That line of thinking will FAIL along the same reasons why the Conservative movement within the GOP as a whole failed.
The answer is not “top down”, but rather “bottom up”. You do not like what the GOP stands for? Who are you electing to local positions? State congressional positions? State wide positions? US Congress positions? Congress has an approval rating something like 10-15%. And yet the incumbents keep getting elected!?!? Please tell me how that works?
Simply put, if more Conservatives got involved at the local and state levels, the federal level would sort itself out. The initial wave of “Tea Party” elections was a great step but what happened after that? People stopped caring about that level of elections. Moderate Republican incumbents continue to go unchallenged in the primaries.
This countries government was, as founded, focused on the Congressional branch. It was the branch that was given the most authority, the most effective powers. And yet with “third party” movements it seems that the majority of the focus is on the Executive branch, the Presidency. And people wonder why Third Parties continue to fail?
I don’t completely disagree. However, the problem isn’t as much at the local level (our mayor is a believer and a good friend) but at the national level.
Third parties tend to fail, I believe, because they have a narrow focus, or are extremist and lack broad appeal.
And what about your State congressional delegation? What about those who sit on your county/state GOP committees?
I just don’t think it works as you are saying.
We live in a representative democracy! Of course it works that way.
Participating in local GOP events allows you to express your opinions and views on what kind of candidates should be running for office. If a large number of people think like you do, the candidates in your local and State Congressional delegations will be candidates you want to support. Then maybe the next time your US Congressman is elected, it will be a guy like this. Yes, you can only influence the elected office of which you are a constituent. But imagine if thousands of people like you step up all across your state? What about hundreds of thousands of people across the country?
Apathy…Apathy for the political process is what causes harm for the Conservative political movement. The fewer people who get involved, the less likely change can take place.
And let’s not forget that it is utterly impossible for a third party candidate to ever be president under the current system.
The bottom line is that Trump will, without a doubt, be the GOP candidate. It’s equally true that a third party candidate cannot win. There are only two choices, Trump or Clinton. We can resist the inevitable all we like, but what I said was true.
If Trump is president, it will be without my vote.
Could we not make this about the disaster that is Donald Trump? I’d rather explore what I wrote about, which is what a new party would need to do to pick up the pieces after the coming implosion of the GOP.
Yes Dave, I will abide by your wishes. Since we are talking about a third party, how do you propose actually winning? Because if all this is is about making a statement, it is futile.
As I see it, in a society where we as biblical Christians are in the minority, “making a statement” can fulfill a prophetic role and provide a way to express our faithfulness.
You really state things well. It’s a shame you never considered becoming a blogger.
I’m sorry, I cannot agree. You don’t waste money and effort to perpetually lose elections. Money given to missionaries would be better spent than dollars wasted in the name of making a statement.
I didn’t say anything about money and effort, just my vote. It is for this very reason I choose to use the big part of whatever influence I may have in support of missions rather than politics and culture wars. But just as bodily exercise pales incomparison to spiritual discipline, but has some value, politics has a little bit of value, in my book. Just not all that much.
David, with all due respect, a wasted vote has no value whatsoever. It still involves wasted money and effort. And since the article itself is about forming a political party and running candidates, my point is valid.
How is your proposal different than the Constitution Party that is (I think) already on the ballot in all 50 states?
http://www.constitutionparty.com/
“There are only two choices, Trump or Clinton.” That may be true if—and only if—your motive in voting is tied to the illusion your candidate may actually win.
David, you make my point brilliantly about the utter waste of time in forming a third party.
For me, voting is an ethical duty in a democratic society. There has been quite a while since there was a candidate I could enthusiastically support among GOP and Dem nominees for POTUS. But that hasn’t kept me from voting—for someone else.
John, I’d recommend a book by Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson, called “Blinded by Might.” It spelled out the fundamental distinction between Christianity – the pursuit of and proclamation of truth – and politics, which involves compromise to gain and hold power.
If all you are after is power, you will compromise principle to gain power. As Christians, we cannot be all about power. We have to be about truth and righteousness – about do what is right, even if we lose doing it.
To me, voting for Trump is as wrong as voting for Hillary. Both would destroy my beloved nation. I will vote for someone else, even a losing candidate, to avoid doing evil.
The only way a third party movement can succeed is if it can fracture BOTH the Republican AND the Democratic parties.
There’s dissatisfaction in both. Fracturing the GOP isn’t an issue. I think its done.
Multiple parties would be helpful at nearly every level. The consolidation behind the current system doesn’t make sense anymore.
I’m with Dave on the #neverTRUMP concept. I’ll have to wait and see who’s on my ballot this Fall. Next week I’m one of those Indiana voters who get to determine things.
Tony, you guys are probably the last line of defense. If Indiana deals Trump a sound spanking, there might still be the slightest hope of an open convention and some semblance of sanity in the GOP.
Dave, I really honestly want to know, how is it a semblance of sanity to try to steal an election from a man who has received millions more votes than Cruz has? You speak of the Republican party disintegrating, I can tell you an open convention will destroy the party.
It’s not stealing an election. You Trump guys need to stop making up that myth.
Trump has only earned the nomination if he wins 1237. If he doesn’t get 1237, he has not won the nomination and on the second ballot the delegates are free to vote for whomever they wish.
Those are the rules.
Now, if Trump won 1240 and they found a way to take it away from him, then you loyalists would have a quarrel. But it’s not “stealing” anything because he hasn’t won anything unless he wins 1237. If he gets 1236, he has NO RIGHT to claim the nomination. It’s up to the delegates to decide whom they wish to elect and they are free to do as they please. (Some states bind their delegates for more than one round of votes).
That is becoming less of an issue because it looks like your boy Donald may get to 1237, but if he falls ONE DELEGATE short, you have no right to demand the nomination.
And I hope if he falls one delegate short the GOP will have the sense to find another candidate.
Maybe they could elect Cruz’ running mate.
Trumpites are like a football team that has a lead going into the fourth quarter and demands that the other team quit and stop trying to “steal the game.”
“Hey, we have the lead and the game is rightly ours. Stop playing so hard and trying to steal the game from us. It’s wrong.”
No, until Trump has won the game, he hasn’t won the game. Right?
John, Going into the 1860 Republican Convention, William Seward had the most delegates. After the first ballot with 173 votes, his next closest competitor had 102. That man was Abraham Lincoln.
Secondly, I hope you are not implying that popular vote should always win the day? What about the 2000 Presidential election? We have an Electoral College system (which the delegate system is partially based off of) for a reason you know. Allow low populated states to have a voice against large population states.
No SV, I am not suggesting that at all. I recognize that what you and Dave are saying is right about an open convention is correct and has happened several times before.
I am as frustrated as y’all are about the current situation. My only concern is that a third party candidate is not a viable option as a presidential candidate in this current system. I wish we had a truly multi party system, like Great Britain or Israel.
I could vote for a third party candidate, and would do so gladly, if I thought that they had the slightest chance of winning. The only thing I will not do is do anything that will result in a Dem being elected.
I happen to agree with you in your earlier comment about shooting for lower goals and building up. If a new party could get a few House members elected and/or a Senator or two, then the party would begin to have viability.
“After the first ballot with 173 votes, his next closest competitor had 102. That man was Abraham Lincoln.”
Yeah, and look how that turned out.
Dave,
I would be interested in your third party if it can coalesce.
To your question of “How do I leave the GOP?” You have to change your registration, which I think you can do at the DMV. You may have a multitude of party options in Iowa. In Oklahoma, I had to go Independent because my only other choices are GOP/Dem. I didn’t want to b a part of either one.
Only bad thing about being an indy is until recently I could not vote in any primaries. However, this year the Democrats votes to allow Indys to vote in their primaries. Which is cool because it means I can vote for Dem candidates who most closely align to what I care about- pro-life, care about the poor, etc. So I got to vote for a few people this year.
Enjoy the switch. You will get a LOT less mail!
The Constitution Party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnPs2Snctmg
As I said, the name is an issue. I’ll go with the Snufflelumps.
I read about a Constitutional Party that was a typical David Barton-type anti-religious liberty party.
Dave, by reading your bullets, it really seems that your struggle isn’t on creating a new party, but whether or not to join the Libertarian Party.
Perhaps when thinking about a third party, we need to start more fundamentally.
Truth: Clinton is a liar. Trump is Clinton squared as a liar. All the other candidates, to one degree or another, are liars. We have come to expect it and so excuse it because they are politicians, but we should demand better. A new party should demand the full truth and welcome fact checking.
An Open Book: We don’t need to demand an unspotted past, but we should demand a past that is an open book. No revelations.
No pandering: If a candidate wears a cowboy hat in Texas and a yamulka when speaking to a Jewish audience, they’re out. As a Christian, I’m frankly sick of hearing candidates talk endlessly about their faith. We can read about their church, and their service in the church, and make our own decisions. Tell me the bible is your favorite book and then say “two corinthians” and it just makes me crazy.
A willingness to relinquish power: We don’t have term limits on members of congress, but any politician can promise to limit their service. We should expect it. If you are willing to give up power, then you won’t do anything in the world to try to retain it.
A third party would be a slow process, but the two existing parties are hopelessly infected. We must demand better people, then we can work on a better platform.
It appears the vast majority of Americans are either apathetic and ignorant of the world around them or are perfectly willing to support a woman of no integrity who lies continually to the public and herself or an amoral thin-skinned narcissistic megalomaniacal dictator both of whom’s lives are totally at odds with even a Judeo-Christian ethos or worldview let alone exhibit any fruit of a genuine Christian conversion I can not vote for either. Where are those who stand on Biblical Christian principles above all today? They certainly do not include Jeffress, Huckabee or Falwell.. The Bible clearly teaches we are to select as our leaders men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe Exodus 18:19-23 English Standard Version (ESV) 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon rejected voting for “the lesser of two evils” Early in his career (he was but 22 years old), he preached this to his congregation: Let us whenever we shall have the opportunity of using the right of voting, use it as in the sight of Almighty God, knowing that for everything we shall be brought into account, and for that amongst the rest, seeing that we are entrusted with it. And let us remember that we are our own governors, to a great degree, and that if at the next election we should choose wrong governors we shall have nobody to blame but ourselves, however wrongly they may afterwards act, unless… Read more »
Cruz has publicly thrown in the towel by selecting a VP prior to the Convention. He just stated he needs help to beat Trump. Kasich was an impotent alliance and this is just plain surrender. Picking Fiorina is merely an attempt to attract women. Again, he is declaring he can’t win the nomination without help. Cruz is done, put a fork in him.
Moreover, the only reason Trump has ascended is because the Republican Party is everything Dave castigates onto Trump. They are liars, prideful, arrogant, backstabbers who have aspired for themselves instead of their constituents. Their unwillingness to do what they campaigned on and what the American conservative voters sent them to Washington to accomplish is beyond any sin you want to place on Trump. They never once stood up to Obama (easily the most liberal president in history). They are traitors at the highest level (in my opinion) beginning with McConnell and Boehner (look what he said about Cruz today) and including the rest of the establishment.
While there are Representatives (and perhaps 1 or 2 Senators) who haven’t capitulated, the Republican Party is a sham and should be blown up. Trump’s ascendency is the cry of the people that this is true. The Bush Era has ended and is being buried.
If you want to blame somebody for Hillary’s election look no futher than the Republicans in the Senate and in the House.
Hate and anger, such as you express, are seldom paths to wisdom. They are leading America to folly. A biblical response to your anger would be better than supporting the downfall of our nation by promoting Trump.
With all due respect Dave I don’t think my anger against the Republican party is any worse than yours against Trump. I truly believe the overwhelming majority of the Senate and the majority of the House have not lived up to their campaign pledges and have sold the Conservatives out. Look at Boehner’s comments about Cruz. How is that any worse than what Trump says?
I agree that it is anger and frustration against the Republican establishment that is propelling Trump. But it’s a little like saying “I’m so mad at Republicans I’m going to shoot my own leg off.”
Thing is, Cruz is one of those “1 or 2 Senators” who is doing exactly what his constituents elected him to do. That is the reason why many members of Congress don’t like him. He is not compromising his beliefs, he is not playing the “establishments game”. And yet Trump uses the fact that Cruz does not get along, as a reason why people should vote for him, because he, Trump, will “negotiate” with everyone. From my conservative perspective, “negotiating” with moderates and liberals is the very problem we are dealing with.
So tell me, why are “anti-establishment” people rejecting Cruz, and going to Trump? Seems completely and totally backwards.
I think the reason is they have been so lied to and misrepresented by the rest of the House and Senate there is probably a feeling that perhaps Cruz is playing them just like McConnell and the others have for years. I don’t think this is the case, but I think the frustration with those in Washington bleeds over to the few (and it’s very few) who are legitimate.
Also, and again this is purely an opinion, is when Trump says negotiate people hear him saying he will get exactly what he demands. When people hear Washington Republicans say negotiate they hear full capitulation to the liberals. I’m not saying Trump would succeed in his negotiations, rather I’m saying people believe he would try. Republicans in Washington don’t try – they Lie.
If Trump ends up being the nominee, then those who do not vote for Hillary may as well vote for her. Perhaps I will be voting for the lesser of two evils, but my conscience will allow me to do that rather than put someone into the highest office in the land who proudly represents the wickedness that has driven this nation into the ground! Go ahead and throw a temper tantrum and don’t vote! That’s what a lot of christians did over the past decade and how’s that working for you? I appreciate so much of what you’ve written on here for a long time, but today I have to say that you are sounding like a angry middle schooler who didn’t get picked for the team!
Well, maybe I’m childish, but my convictions will not allow me to vote for a man I believe will destroy our nation.
Can you believe it? You and I agree on Trump.
Hey, STOP TRUMP, or NEVER TRUMP movement, it’s one thing to not vote for Trump, or to not like Trump; but it’s quite another when you cause a riot at a Trump rally, and vandalize police cars. It’s quite another when you’re sending envelopes containing white powder to the Trump campaign HQ. C’mon, at least be civil. This kind of behavior makes you look WORSE than all the bad things that you accuse Trump of.
BTW, I’m not promoting any candidate for President. In fact, I’m very disappointed and concerned about the choices we’ve got.
To be fair, there are two “wings” to the #nevertrump group (and never the two shall meet). One is the conservative group mostly comprised of people like here on this board; and the other is far left anarchists/communists. If Trump and his supporters want to place both people into the same camp, and blame both for the violent protests, then they are going to do more harm to their own cause than the protesters. All Trump and his supporters need to say is something like, “At least those conservative #nevertrump folk are peaceful.” Trump can then attack the anarchists in typical Trump faction, and bobs-your-uncle problem solved.
Nice try David, but I don’t think that holds water either. I could say Donald started it, in fact I will. Donald started it with his xenophobic, anti-women, anti everything rhetoric.
People realize how Trump will destroy America and are going to drastic measures. I think I would do the same thing, anything to stop this man from becoming President. It’s very serious that Trump may well be the next President of the United States David. Very serious. Untold damage is going to happen to our individual rights, our status with other nations and other untold serious consequences.
I believe a strong third party would be a political blessing to the United States. Both parties know they have the votes of various “lobbies” sewed up, regardless of what they do or say. However, with God giving us the likes of Trump and H. Clinton I can’t help but believe we have already passed the threshold of return.
Dave: “I don’t even know how to officially leave the Republican party. Is there a paper somewhere that I’m supposed to file?”
Don’t know how this works in Iowa. In Texas you basically just say you aren’t Republican and quit voting in the Republican Party. For example, this Spring I can vote in the Republican Primary. Next Spring if I want to be a Democrat (not!) I just show up and vote in the Democratic Primary.
Losers throw in the towel before the game is over. Many threw in the towel months ago. Guess no one has played sports and had a coach give a speech about losing attitudes deliver losing scores. Minds wandering, planning and thinking about the next game before the game you are in is over, pretty much guarantees you consistently lose.
35% of voting republican/independent primary voters, not voting the way I want is not going to drive me out of anything.
Less than 5% voting eligible Americans have voted for Trump.
Third party that’s a joke. As if there would be any agreement that would lead to less than 10 new third parties. Thus guaranteeing Republican and Democrat victories.
For those who do not like Trump.
Stop sounding like him!
Play the game by the rules. If you don’t like the rules and outcome in your state and nation then work to change them before the game starts.
If you think you did all you could do to favor your preffered outcome. Think again.
In a representative democracy we get what we deserve, based on the effort of We The People.
I read your article Dave and it perfectly describes why I am no longer a Republican as of this election. I too am walking and consider myself and will register Independent.
I’m not going to cross-post it here, but I’m re-registering as an independent and I’ve written about my reasons, if anyone is interested (and perhaps no one is.)
http://www.davemillerdaily.com/?p=188
Yep, I’m done as well.
Well hello Hillary then and the most liberal Supreme Court in history. As I have said countless times, Trump was not my first pick, but I do think that he would be a better president than Clinton. I don’t like his rhetoric about the wall, but there is always things I don’t like about candidates. I voted for Bush, as I am assuming you two did, and I didn’t like how he got thousands of people killed with an unwise invasion of Iraq. In my estimation that’s way worse than anything you have brought against the current presumptive nominee.
“Well hello Hillary then”
First I would say that is an argument that just doesn’t hold water. When I do not vote my vote is not counted. I do not vote for Hillary and it is not counted for Hillary, I do not vote for Donald, it is not counted for Donald. In all actuality, we do not have a final say in the long run, our vote is more a opinion than a actual deciding factor.(Electoral college)
Second: If it puts Hillary in office(which my non-vote counts for neither candidate) then so be it. Going against my conscience would be more of a detriment to me.
Debbie, when historic Republicans don’t vote Democrats win. It’s pretty simple.
John: That’s a old argument that just isn’t true. Think about this. If Hitler and Mussolini were running for President would you vote for either knowing what you know?
It’s an old argument that happens be a political fact.
John,
When people began voting for Trump out of anger, spite, frustration, and sometimes racism, sexism, and xenophobia, they laid the foundation for Hello Hillary. He has successfully pulled one of the biggest con-jobs in the history of American politics. I still can’t quite believe it, but I don’t have to be a part of it. I don’t believe Trump is the lesser of two evils, they are both just evil.
I don’t believe that anyone voted for Trump out of sexism, or racism. What you call xenophobia, many just call nationalism. You and Dave are both bad about thinking the worst about people who are voting for Trump. People who are voting for Trump aren’t evil, or stupid, or racist.
But here is my view. I almost exclusively choose a president based on what SCOTUS nominees he/she might pick.
For the record, I do not support his immigration policy.
John,
Certainly not everyone who votes for Trump exhibit these qualities, but I think he very deliberately has courted such people. I think he has deliberately appealed to the very worst in Americans and they have responded. Some people will vote for him for pragmatic reasons and I understand that, but I cannot. I do not consider him to be one whit less evil than his eventual opponent.
I understand that, Bill. And although I disagree, I do respect you.
Ditto
John: ” What you call xenophobia, many just call nationalism”
A rose by any other name is still a rose John.
What does registering as an independent go except make sure you have one less election to vote in. Pick one. You may decide not to vote but if you pick “independent” you are locking yourself out.
should have said “do” rather than “go.”
Bennett,
It’s more than that. It means we no longer want to have our name associated with a party that no longer (even before Trump) represents us.
Right, Bill. The GOP has been heading toward progressive populism for a long time and #immoralDonald is simply the fruits of the drift.
This primary race has shown us that we actually have 2 populist progressive parties in the US…neither one represents conservatives. Neither one (at least with regard to the presidential candidates) represents constitutional republicanism. (not the republican party – the governing philosophy).
“ImmoralDonald” – the bitter appellation of a “Lying Ted” supporter.
Did you see Donald’s statement? He doesn’t plan to make nice. If you didn’t support him, he doesn’t want you in the party. Go suck eggs. Come back in 7 years when he’s done with things.
There won’t BE a GOP then.
LOL. I have been calling him that for a long time.
Unlike the monikers #immoralDonald threw around at every single competitor – this one is true and has lots of concrete evidence to back it up.
Texas has “open” primaries. I actually don’t know how I would register if we required registration. Probably as a Republican, but not because I am particularly in agreement with them, but so I would be able to vote in a primary that might matter.
All the candidates lose except one from each party. It seems to me that you should organize your principles and then ask which candidate will support the ones that I hold most dear.
CT had an article about Kasich–one that any of us should find interesting. He was asked why he had supported the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio. His reply was along the line that when he got to heaven one of the items he would be judged on would be what he had done for the poor. We need to keep this in mind.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/may-web-only/kasich-conundrum.html?utm_source=ctdirect-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=9451092&utm_content=434712647&utm_campaign=email
The link to Christianity Today
Ben Sasse: U.S. deserves better than Trump or Clinton is an interesting read on the general topic of presidential candidates Trump and Clinton.