Nevada Republicans caucus Tuesday, 23 Feb 2016. So how would I advise my Nevada neighbors to vote? Trump is ahead in the polls and has a large permanent presence in Nevada - a big advantage.
I encourage Nevadan’s to not vote for a career politician. We want a candidate who will represent “we the people” and not Special-Interests. In this regard I think of Donald Trump, and Dr. Ben Carson. Senator Cruz, by definition a politician, has clearly stood up against the Washington establishment as a representative for the people and against Special-Interest, so I also consider him an outsider.
Next I ask which of these outsiders will fully support the Constitution of the United States? This will be even more critical if Obama succeeds in getting another liberal onto the Supreme Court to replace conservative Antonin Scalia - God rest his soul and comfort his family. For me the answer is Ted Cruz, followed by Dr. Ben Carson, followed by Donald Trump, followed by Marco Rubio. Marco made the mistake of siding with the establishment in the immigration debate, but otherwise he is fine.
Ted Cruz has clearly demonstrated both qualifications as a constitutional lawyer arguing cases before the Supreme Court, and as a Senator from Texas who defied the Washington establishment. No one questions this. It is well-established. It is well known. As Rush Limbaugh says, he is the only true conservative in the field. Cruz took a hit in South Carolina when more evangelical conservatives went for Trump than for him, but in my view he is the strongest Constitutionalist we have.
Dr. Cason had the greatest line in the last debate. He was invited to offer another politically incorrect observation. He obliged by saying that free college will not be free but will simply put us into much greater debt, and that the cause of our economic problems is not the rich but big Federal government interference in the economy.
Trump achieved his goal of knocking Jeb Bush out of the race in South Carolina. He successfully challenged our thinking about the Bush legacy. How could we say George Bush kept us safe when 9/11 occurred on his watch? Key intelligence pieces leading up to 9/11 were missed such as Saudi's learning to fly but not being interested in learning how to land aircraft. Trump is like a brash and angry construction worker off one of his many hotel projects - guys who have strong opinions and are totally frustrated with the political class and want you to know it! Trump convinced us that Jeb Bush was “a nice guy” but just one more of the same political elite that have screwed up the country.
Rubio is pumped up after South Carolina and with Jeb out he is expecting Jeb supporters to come his way. I recently sent an email to his campaign suggesting they not use the red Lower 48 symbol in their campaign imaging. It suggests that Marco is not campaigning for president of all of the United States. He is leaving out Hawaii, Alaska, and the territories. I suggested they make the "i" in Rubio the Statue of Liberty. This would portray his political views and his family history. I've had no response from them and Marco’s failure to recognize and correct this is astounding.
Other than Cruz, how do the other outsiders stand with respect to the Constitution?
Having completed Dr. Ben Carson’s book, A More Perfect Union, What we the People Can Do to Reclaim our Constitutional Liberties, it is clear that he is a Constitutionalist. A Neurosurgeon’s profession does not demonstrate a constitutional stand, but as a Presidential candidate, Dr. Carson clearly stands for the Constitution.
The candidate I've been concerned about is Donald Trump. Is the National Review correct that he's not a conservative and perhaps a liberal in sheep's clothing? Is Jimmy Carter correct that Trump is “… completely malleable (and) … he has (no) fixed opinions that he would really go to the White House and fight for”? As CNN reported, “By contrast, Mr. Carter said, ‘Ted Cruz is not malleable. He has far right-wing policies, in my opinion, that would be pursued aggressively if and when he would become president.’” - a great endorsement for Ted Cruz.
I read Donald Trump’s book Crippled America, How to Make America Great Again, and found it very interesting. He does talk about the importance of the Constitution and he identifies the problems of a dictator-in-chief who governs by Executive Orders, and the Judicial branch legislating from the bench.
I suspect many of you have not read Trump's book. I noted in an earlier blog that I consider his tax plan to be a great solution for us but also unconstitutional. I agree with Dr Carson that any tax plan that has different rates of taxation for different citizens is in violation of the 14th Amendment requirement for equality under the law. Apart from that objection are there other indications he will follow the Constitution? Here are some quotes from his book that may help you determine if he will uphold the Constitution and cripple Special-Interests.
1. His “Angry Trump” book cover reflects the mood of most Americans:
“I wanted a picture where I wasn't happy, a picture that reflected the anger and unhappiness that I feel … we are not in a joyous situation … we have to go back to work to make America great again. All of us.”
2. Trump teaches us how he plays the Media to his, and our, benefit. This explained a lot for me, and why I find myself laughing at how Trump plays the elitist mainstream media:
“I use the media the way the media uses me - to attract attention. Once I have that attention, it's up to me to use it to my advantage ... to inspire people to think that our country can get better and be great again and that we can turn things around ... I have a mutually profitable two-way relationship with the media - we give each other what we need. And now I am using that relationship to talk about the future of America.”
“Begging for attention really sums up the problem we face in this country with our media. There is such a competition that they're more interested in entertaining their audience then educating them. They like me because I help them attract more viewers. They hate me because they know I don't need them. (Is this the point he reinforced by dumping a Fox debate?) I learned a long time ago how to talk directly to the people who matter - to regular Americans who are fed up with the career politicians.”
"I always draw a large crowd of journalists who are like sharks, hoping I'll put some blood in the water.”
I try to oblige.”
In this regard I say “Go Trump - Go!” But how will he govern? We know he is a highly successful builder, so I can assume that he will run the country well. But will be be a Constitutionalist?
3. The Constitution. I don’t think Trump is a Constitutional expert like Cruz or that he has analyzed it like Carson has. He is more like a regular guy who knows it has worked for America and for him, and he supports it. The fact that his tax plan is contrary to the 14th Amendment’s requirement for equality under the law he probably has not considered - most candidates (except Cruz and Carson) have not. He is concerned about judicial and presidential dictatorship and the influence of Special-Interest:
“… our lawyers and judges … have been stepping all over the US Constitution, the bulwark of our democracy. They have recklessly appointed themselves to be policy makers, because our actual elected officials are paralyzed by partisanship.”
“I support a tight interpretation of the Constitution, which means judges should stick to precedent and not write social policy.”
“We need to appoint justices - not just on the Supreme Court, but throughout the entire federal system - who will leave lawmaking to the legislators, as specified in the Constitution.”
“The Supreme Court has decided in their infinite wisdom to fill a breach (of leadership) by making social policy rather than defending our most precious historic assets, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”
We have three branches of government, but the trunk of that tree is rotting away.”
“The free market works - it just needs leadership, not dictatorship. Our government needs to employ a strong adherence to the Constitution ….”
"We need leadership in the White House that will keep government functioning while getting the feds out of all the areas where they don't belong. If the government is properly sized and properly focused we won't need to go from crisis to crisis.”
It sounds to me like he loves the Constitution in general and will most likely honor it in specifics after he swears to defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
4. Political Corruption:
“For years I gave money - lots of money - to candidates from both parties who made personal pleas for my support for their campaigns. They promised to change things with new ideas and bring government back to its original, more limited purpose of protecting our country and putting our people first. Candidate after candidate made all kinds of pledges like this, and very little, if anything, was done.” Isn't that our experience - magnified even more by the little attention our small donations demand?
"To hear our left-wing critics tell it, we need socialism to make this country move forward, and we need a president who can make up the rules as he goes along. If he can't get Congress to do something, he needs to rule by executive order.”
I say that's complete nonsense.”
The free market works - it just needs leadership, not dictatorship. Our government needs to employ a strong adherence to the Constitution and maintain social programs that inspire and reward achievement and that are constantly accountable for their spending and outcomes ... I am concerned for the people who can't buy into the American dream because the financial programs of this country is so tilted in favor of the rich."
"Making America Great Again means taking our country back from the big-money interests. We have a country where the big problems can't be solved by consensus because the small-minded lobbyists and special interests are clogging the halls of Congress with their ‘special access.’”
Everyone talks about listening to the voice of the people. But how can you hear that voice when no one represents that voice? I am listening.”
“No one is paying me to say these things. I am paying my own way, and I'm not beholden to any special interests and lobbyists.”
I have not heard former Trump employees speak bad of him, so I presume we can expect the same kind of loyalty from him as President, as his employees do.
5. The Wall. Trump was laughed at for saying he would have Mexico pay for the Wall. Here’s how he envisions it:
“Let me repeat that, one way or another: Mexico will pay for (the Wall).
How? We could increase the various border fees we charge. We could increase the fees on temporary visas. We could even impound remittance payments derived from illegal wages ... “
If necessary we could pay for the wall through a tariff or cut foreign aid to Mexico or simply make it clear to the Mexican government that it is to the benefit of their very profitable - for them - relationship with the United States to pay for it.”
But one way or another, they are going to pay for it.”
I don't mind putting a big beautiful door in that wall so people can come in and out ... LEGALLY.”
Trump has also said that savings from Federal services to illegal aliens alone would be sufficient to pay for the Wall.
6. Our Schools. It is obvious to us all that Trump despises political correctness - and he sees it harming our children:
“The politically correct crowd has taken over our schools, and as a result we are failing out children. And out children will fail America if we don't do something about it.”
Competition is why I am very much in favor of school choice. Let schools compete for kids ... Those schools that weren't good enough to attract students would close, and that's a good thing.”
7. Health Care. Trump admits to supporting a single-payer system 15 years ago but now he talks of competition between private insurance companies:
"I'd like to see a private insurance system without artificial lines drawn between states. We need to get rid of those lines and let people and companies cross state lines to purchase the best plan for them. The government should get out of the way and let insurance companies compete for your business.”
In the free-enterprise system that Trump says he favors, doctors can also compete for our business.
8. Closing Quotes:
“You can believe what I say, because to see what I've accomplished, all you need to do is take a nice walk through the greatest cities of the world - and look up. Look up, and you'll see the Trump buildings rising skyward.”
“We are at a critical turning point in our history, not only for you and for me but for our children as well. America may be struggling, it may be crippled, but we can rise again. Our time has not passed, it is here, and the potential is amazing.”
So who do I support and who do I hope that you in Nevada will support in the Republican Caucus? If you feel to go out for Trump, who I think can be good for the country, then include in your assessment your feelings as to whether or not he will in fact uphold the Constitution. He says he will. Do you feel that he can be believed? That's your call for now and you have the opportunity to meet and greet the Donald in person along with the other candidates. My preference is Cruz, Carson, Trump, and Rubio (as a mainstream politician) in that order.
Kiwi
