I know a number of traditional conservatives who have been led to believe that until a few years ago Donald Trump was a Democrat, that he has advocated "numerous liberal positions" over the years, that he only recently started talking about conservative ideas, that he has mostly donated to Democrats and has given almost nothing to Republicans, etc., etc. I offer the following 16 facts in the hope of refuting such beliefs (supporting links are provided at the end of the list):
(1) Trump supported and donated to John McCain in 2008, and he strongly defended Sarah Palin.
(2) Trump supported and donated to Mitt Romney in 2012 (and, by the way, in 2012, Romney said Trump was a "great businessman" who had shown "extraordinary understanding" of the economy).
(3) In 1988, Trump endorsed George H. W. Bush and said he thought Dan Quayle had done "a great job."
(4) As of 2011, Trump had donated to 48 Republican candidates and 48 Democratic candidates. As of 2011, Trumpās donations to political groups had also been bipartisan, and just about 50-50, including the Republican Governors Association, the American Crossroads PAC, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. However, since 2011, Trump has heavily supported Republican candidates and has been a staunch critic of Obama.
(5) Trump has long supported conservative education reform, including charter schools, vouchers, school choice, reducing the power of the teachersā unions, etc., etc.
(6) Trump has been ardently pro-Israel for as long as anyone can determine. He has close family members who are Orthodox Jews, and he has received awards from American Jewish groups for his support of Israel.
(7) Trump's comment about being "neutral" between Israel and the Palestinians, which Ted Cruz has grossly distorted, was made only in reference to peace negotiations. Trump has explained that he would try to be a neutral arbitrator in peace negotiations to try to get a lasting peace deal done, although he has also said that he recognizes that it might not be possible to get such a deal. Trump has also specified that in terms of his overall foreign policy, he would be very pro-Israel.
(8) Trump has explained why be became pro-life. He has related the event that caused him to change his mind about abortion, and he has repeatedly vowed to support judges like Thomas and Scalia. Trump has explained that the main thing that caused him to become pro-life was an experience of a friend of his. His friendās wife was pregnant but he didnāt want her to have the baby. The wife had the baby and his friend ended up adoring the baby and said the baby was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. Trump said this story had a great impact on him when his friend told it to him.
(9) Although Trump initially supported the Iraq War, he did so very hesitantly, and he quickly turned against it and publicly opposed it long before other Republicans even dared voice doubts about it.
(10) Trump has explained that he would not expect the military to obey an unlawful order to waterboard but that he would try to get the law changed so that waterboarding would be legal again. He also called for targeting the families of terrorists. Many have condemned this proposal, but it should be noted that in many, many cases terroristsā family members have been helping them in various ways.
(11) Trump's support of protective tariffs and fair trade is in the finest tradition of the Republican Party. Abraham Lincoln and Republican leaders who came after him for decades strongly supported protective tariffs, and America flourished for decades behind the protective tariff walls that the Republicans established.
(12) Trump has not really "flip-flopped" on immigration: Even 16 years ago, Trump was calling for better border security. In 2011 he condemned the anchor baby policy and called for a triple-layered fence. And in 2013 he said it would be political suicide for the GOP to support citizenship for illegals. So, if nothing else, Trump has long been on record as supporting better border security and opposing the anchor baby policy.
(13) The furthest that Trump has ever strayed on gun control is to support an assault weapons ban, background checks, and a waiting period. In 2000, he wrote, āI generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With todayās Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record.ā But he has also said for a long time that taking guns away from good people makes it easier for bad people to commit crime. Also, he says he now opposes an assault weapons ban.
(14) By any rational analysis, Trump's tax plan is solidly right of center and would be a huge improvement over what we have now. Many conservative analysts have praised Trumpās tax plan, calling it strongly pro-growth and politically feasible because it raises some taxes on the rich while lowering others and extends tax breaks to more of the middle class/lower income groups.
(15) Trump strongly supports rebuilding the U.S. military. He has long, long been an advocate of a strong national defense. Impressively, Trump also understands that we need huge reform in how we bid for weapons systems. Such reform could save us tens of billions of defense dollars.
(16) Trumpās suggestion that we temporarily halt Muslim immigration and that āa lotā of Muslims harbor hatred for America should be considered in light of the numerous opinion surveys done among Muslims that show that disturbingly high percentages of Muslims sympathize with suicide bombers and jihad, reject Israelās right to exist, admire Osama Bin Laden, support sharia law, and view ISIS positively. And letās not forget what happened in Turkey shortly after the Paris terrorist attack: Thousands of Muslims at a soccer match booed and shouted the jihadist battle cry āAllah hu Akbarā during a moment of silence that was intended to honor of the victims of the Paris terrorist attack. This was at a very public event and obviously the thousands of Muslims who were disrespecting the moment of silence had no worries about consequences for their conduct.
Trump has repeatedly said that of course there are many good Muslims and that he would be glad to work with them. But, he has also noted that there are too many Muslims who hold dangerous views and too many Muslims who might turn radical and attack us, and that we need a timeout on Muslim immigration until we can figure out how to determine which Muslims pose a threat and which ones do not.
No, Donald Trump is not a pure conservative on every issue. But, on balance, when judged by any reasonable standard, he is certainly right of center and would be a huge improvement over Hillary or Bernie. So, if Trump gets the nomination, traditional conservatives should rally around him and support him.
Sources:
Donald Trump on the Issues
REVEALED: What Trump Said in THIS 1988 Interview Could Change the Race
Donald Trump on Abortion
Muslim soccer fans boo, scream āAllahu akbarā during moment of silence for Paris jihad victims
Muslims and Islam: Key findings in the U.S. and around the world
Poll of U.S. Muslims Reveals Ominous Levels Of Support For Islamic Supremacistsā Doctrine of Shariah, Jihad
Trump's Tax Plan Gets A Warm Reception From Grover Norquist
Exclusive ā Larry Kudlow On Donald Trumpās Corporate Tax Plan: He's āSpot On' - Breitbart
Donald Trump's Donations to Democrats, Club for Growth's Busy Day and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 17
Donald Trump on Education
(1) Trump supported and donated to John McCain in 2008, and he strongly defended Sarah Palin.
(2) Trump supported and donated to Mitt Romney in 2012 (and, by the way, in 2012, Romney said Trump was a "great businessman" who had shown "extraordinary understanding" of the economy).
(3) In 1988, Trump endorsed George H. W. Bush and said he thought Dan Quayle had done "a great job."
(4) As of 2011, Trump had donated to 48 Republican candidates and 48 Democratic candidates. As of 2011, Trumpās donations to political groups had also been bipartisan, and just about 50-50, including the Republican Governors Association, the American Crossroads PAC, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. However, since 2011, Trump has heavily supported Republican candidates and has been a staunch critic of Obama.
(5) Trump has long supported conservative education reform, including charter schools, vouchers, school choice, reducing the power of the teachersā unions, etc., etc.
(6) Trump has been ardently pro-Israel for as long as anyone can determine. He has close family members who are Orthodox Jews, and he has received awards from American Jewish groups for his support of Israel.
(7) Trump's comment about being "neutral" between Israel and the Palestinians, which Ted Cruz has grossly distorted, was made only in reference to peace negotiations. Trump has explained that he would try to be a neutral arbitrator in peace negotiations to try to get a lasting peace deal done, although he has also said that he recognizes that it might not be possible to get such a deal. Trump has also specified that in terms of his overall foreign policy, he would be very pro-Israel.
(8) Trump has explained why be became pro-life. He has related the event that caused him to change his mind about abortion, and he has repeatedly vowed to support judges like Thomas and Scalia. Trump has explained that the main thing that caused him to become pro-life was an experience of a friend of his. His friendās wife was pregnant but he didnāt want her to have the baby. The wife had the baby and his friend ended up adoring the baby and said the baby was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. Trump said this story had a great impact on him when his friend told it to him.
(9) Although Trump initially supported the Iraq War, he did so very hesitantly, and he quickly turned against it and publicly opposed it long before other Republicans even dared voice doubts about it.
(10) Trump has explained that he would not expect the military to obey an unlawful order to waterboard but that he would try to get the law changed so that waterboarding would be legal again. He also called for targeting the families of terrorists. Many have condemned this proposal, but it should be noted that in many, many cases terroristsā family members have been helping them in various ways.
(11) Trump's support of protective tariffs and fair trade is in the finest tradition of the Republican Party. Abraham Lincoln and Republican leaders who came after him for decades strongly supported protective tariffs, and America flourished for decades behind the protective tariff walls that the Republicans established.
(12) Trump has not really "flip-flopped" on immigration: Even 16 years ago, Trump was calling for better border security. In 2011 he condemned the anchor baby policy and called for a triple-layered fence. And in 2013 he said it would be political suicide for the GOP to support citizenship for illegals. So, if nothing else, Trump has long been on record as supporting better border security and opposing the anchor baby policy.
(13) The furthest that Trump has ever strayed on gun control is to support an assault weapons ban, background checks, and a waiting period. In 2000, he wrote, āI generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun. With todayās Internet technology we should be able to tell within 72-hours if a potential gun owner has a record.ā But he has also said for a long time that taking guns away from good people makes it easier for bad people to commit crime. Also, he says he now opposes an assault weapons ban.
(14) By any rational analysis, Trump's tax plan is solidly right of center and would be a huge improvement over what we have now. Many conservative analysts have praised Trumpās tax plan, calling it strongly pro-growth and politically feasible because it raises some taxes on the rich while lowering others and extends tax breaks to more of the middle class/lower income groups.
(15) Trump strongly supports rebuilding the U.S. military. He has long, long been an advocate of a strong national defense. Impressively, Trump also understands that we need huge reform in how we bid for weapons systems. Such reform could save us tens of billions of defense dollars.
(16) Trumpās suggestion that we temporarily halt Muslim immigration and that āa lotā of Muslims harbor hatred for America should be considered in light of the numerous opinion surveys done among Muslims that show that disturbingly high percentages of Muslims sympathize with suicide bombers and jihad, reject Israelās right to exist, admire Osama Bin Laden, support sharia law, and view ISIS positively. And letās not forget what happened in Turkey shortly after the Paris terrorist attack: Thousands of Muslims at a soccer match booed and shouted the jihadist battle cry āAllah hu Akbarā during a moment of silence that was intended to honor of the victims of the Paris terrorist attack. This was at a very public event and obviously the thousands of Muslims who were disrespecting the moment of silence had no worries about consequences for their conduct.
Trump has repeatedly said that of course there are many good Muslims and that he would be glad to work with them. But, he has also noted that there are too many Muslims who hold dangerous views and too many Muslims who might turn radical and attack us, and that we need a timeout on Muslim immigration until we can figure out how to determine which Muslims pose a threat and which ones do not.
No, Donald Trump is not a pure conservative on every issue. But, on balance, when judged by any reasonable standard, he is certainly right of center and would be a huge improvement over Hillary or Bernie. So, if Trump gets the nomination, traditional conservatives should rally around him and support him.
Sources:
Donald Trump on the Issues
REVEALED: What Trump Said in THIS 1988 Interview Could Change the Race
Donald Trump on Abortion
Muslim soccer fans boo, scream āAllahu akbarā during moment of silence for Paris jihad victims
Muslims and Islam: Key findings in the U.S. and around the world
Poll of U.S. Muslims Reveals Ominous Levels Of Support For Islamic Supremacistsā Doctrine of Shariah, Jihad
Trump's Tax Plan Gets A Warm Reception From Grover Norquist
Exclusive ā Larry Kudlow On Donald Trumpās Corporate Tax Plan: He's āSpot On' - Breitbart
Donald Trump's Donations to Democrats, Club for Growth's Busy Day and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 17
Donald Trump on Education
