The Surprisingly Strong Progressive Case For Donald Trump

[Socialist]

I don't support trump and never will, but this is surprising..
The Surprisingly Strong Progressive Case For Donald Trump ThinkProgress

Donald Trump has captured the attention of the media and the public with blustery rhetoric that is often racist (Mexican immigrants are “rapists”) or absurd (John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured). His hair is also ridiculous.

In response, the media, the GOP establishment, and progressives have dismissed Trump as a “distraction” and a “side show.” The Huffington Post has decided to move their Trump coverage to their entertainment section.

To be clear, the people who predict that Trump will flame out are probably right. There are 16 Republicans running for president. By this time next year, 15 of them will have flamed out.

But is Trump really a less “serious” candidate than his competitors? Certainly not from a policy perspective. In fact, the sum total of his positions line up with or are more mainstream than his competition.

Yes, his rhetoric on immigration is highly offensive. But his immigration policy positions — which emphasize border security and reject a path to citizenship — are in line with everyone else running. He does reject climate science. But so does the entire Republican field, except for Lindsay Graham.

Like the other candidates he opposes marriage equality, but hasn’t advocated for a constitutional amendment banning the practice, as many others do. He opposes increasing the minimum wage, but hasn’t proposed getting rid of it like Scott Walker.

On other issues, Trump’s view are significantly more progressive (and politically more popular) than others in the field:

Trump Opposes Cuts To Social Security, Medicare And Medicaid
Trump has strongly criticized the rest of the Republican field for advocating deep cuts to programs relied upon by the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. In April at the New Hampshire Republican Leadership Summit Trump said that he was “disappointed with a lot of the Republican politicians.”

“Every Republican wants to do a big number on Social Security, they want to do it on Medicare, they want to do it on Medicaid. And we can’t do that. And it’s not fair to the people that have been paying in for years and now all of the sudden they want to be cut,” Trump said.

Jeb Bush, a favorite of the Republican establishment, quietly proposed this week that Medicare — a program relied upon by millions of people — be “phased out.” Virtually the entire Republican field supports reducing entitlement programs through cuts, privatization, or both.

Trump Supports Universal Health Care
Trump would not be leading the Republican field if he didn’t support the repeal of Obamacare. But he has also talked for years about the need for universal health care.

Confronted last week about his position by conservative radio host John Fredericks, Trump stuck to his guns. “We have to help them out. And I would make deals with hospitals, and I’d make deals with people where they can get some care, John. I mean, you can’t have a guy that has no money, that’s sick, and he can’t go see a doctor, he can’t go see a hospital. You know, I just don’t think you can have that,” Trump said.

Trump told the host he didn’t care if his position cost him votes in the Republican primary, saying “you have to take care of poor people.”

Trump Opposed The Iraq War
Trump was an early and vocal opponent of the Iraq war.

“Look, the war is a disaster. The war should not have been entered into,” he told the Dallas Morning News in a July 2003 interview. “To lose all of those thousands and thousands of people, on our side and their side. I mean, you have Iraqi kids, not only our soldiers, walking around with no legs, no arms, no faces. All for no reason. It is a disgrace.”

Lindsay Graham said that, if elected president, he would start four wars. Jeb Bush is being advised by the architects of the Iraq War and refused to call the Iraq War a mistake earlier this year, before reversing course.

 

[pwjohn]

From what I can recall prior to Trump announcing for the repub primaries, and this is going back a few years, Trump is darn near a liberal.

Is he really running for office is the question. Or is he just promoting his brand ?

 

[ScreamingEagle]

So what Trump isn't a neocon like Bush....and who in their right mind would not help the elderly, the disabled, and the poor....?

i will wait until the debates to see what his ideas really are.....but so far he certainly is expressing what a whole lot of Americans are thinking.....Americans want a winner and someone who will actually stand up for them and do something....

 

[pwjohn]

He's doing all of that for sure, plus he's hitting on the one hot button issue repubs consider most important of all. Immigration.

 

[bendog]

Can anyone really tell his position on anything ... beyond being really really humongously and incomprehensibly ... rich?

 

[pwjohn]

Well that's why I'm pretty sure trump is out there promoting his brand and maybe hoping to throw a wrench in the works at the same time.

 

[gipper]

I don't support trump and never will, but this is surprising..
The Surprisingly Strong Progressive Case For Donald Trump ThinkProgress

Donald Trump has captured the attention of the media and the public with blustery rhetoric that is often racist (Mexican immigrants are “rapists”) or absurd (John McCain is not a war hero because he was captured). His hair is also ridiculous.

In response, the media, the GOP establishment, and progressives have dismissed Trump as a “distraction” and a “side show.” The Huffington Post has decided to move their Trump coverage to their entertainment section.

To be clear, the people who predict that Trump will flame out are probably right. There are 16 Republicans running for president. By this time next year, 15 of them will have flamed out.

But is Trump really a less “serious” candidate than his competitors? Certainly not from a policy perspective. In fact, the sum total of his positions line up with or are more mainstream than his competition.

Yes, his rhetoric on immigration is highly offensive. But his immigration policy positions — which emphasize border security and reject a path to citizenship — are in line with everyone else running. He does reject climate science. But so does the entire Republican field, except for Lindsay Graham.

Like the other candidates he opposes marriage equality, but hasn’t advocated for a constitutional amendment banning the practice, as many others do. He opposes increasing the minimum wage, but hasn’t proposed getting rid of it like Scott Walker.

On other issues, Trump’s view are significantly more progressive (and politically more popular) than others in the field:

Trump Opposes Cuts To Social Security, Medicare And Medicaid
Trump has strongly criticized the rest of the Republican field for advocating deep cuts to programs relied upon by the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. In April at the New Hampshire Republican Leadership Summit Trump said that he was “disappointed with a lot of the Republican politicians.”

“Every Republican wants to do a big number on Social Security, they want to do it on Medicare, they want to do it on Medicaid. And we can’t do that. And it’s not fair to the people that have been paying in for years and now all of the sudden they want to be cut,” Trump said.

Jeb Bush, a favorite of the Republican establishment, quietly proposed this week that Medicare — a program relied upon by millions of people — be “phased out.” Virtually the entire Republican field supports reducing entitlement programs through cuts, privatization, or both.

Trump Supports Universal Health Care
Trump would not be leading the Republican field if he didn’t support the repeal of Obamacare. But he has also talked for years about the need for universal health care.

Confronted last week about his position by conservative radio host John Fredericks, Trump stuck to his guns. “We have to help them out. And I would make deals with hospitals, and I’d make deals with people where they can get some care, John. I mean, you can’t have a guy that has no money, that’s sick, and he can’t go see a doctor, he can’t go see a hospital. You know, I just don’t think you can have that,” Trump said.

Trump told the host he didn’t care if his position cost him votes in the Republican primary, saying “you have to take care of poor people.”

Trump Opposed The Iraq War
Trump was an early and vocal opponent of the Iraq war.

“Look, the war is a disaster. The war should not have been entered into,” he told the Dallas Morning News in a July 2003 interview. “To lose all of those thousands and thousands of people, on our side and their side. I mean, you have Iraqi kids, not only our soldiers, walking around with no legs, no arms, no faces. All for no reason. It is a disgrace.”

Lindsay Graham said that, if elected president, he would start four wars. Jeb Bush is being advised by the architects of the Iraq War and refused to call the Iraq War a mistake earlier this year, before reversing course.

Not surprising at all to those of us familiar with Trump. He has made is views known you just did not pay attention.

You say you would not support him, but fail to say why. Why? Is it just a left wing knee jerk reaction?

 

[nuhuh]

I won't to support him because he is an obvious liar and a repulsive bloviator. Just out today, Bloomberg announced that after a financial examination of Trumps wealth he is only worth $2.9 billion not the $10+billion he alleged weeks ago. Here s Our Tally of Donald Trump s Wealth - Bloomberg Politics couple that with his previous positions on policy and his dubious history of contributions, I find it hard to understand how anyone can support him.

 

[BlindBoo]

Listening to the "Donald" is like having Archie Bunker running for president.

 

[Socialist]

I know he's a liar and a moron, I'm just showing how supporters of him are stupid.

 

[nuhuh]

Listening to the "Donald" is like having Archie Bunker running for president.

Or Boss Hog!

 

[gipper]

I won't to support him because he is an obvious liar and a repulsive bloviator. Just out today, Bloomberg announced that after a financial examination of Trumps wealth he is only worth $2.9 billion not the $10+billion he alleged weeks ago. Here s Our Tally of Donald Trump s Wealth - Bloomberg Politics couple that with his previous positions on policy and his dubious history of contributions, I find it hard to understand how anyone can support him.

Really? In case you don't know, nearly all those running for POTUS are obvious liars and repulsive bloviators....some much worse than others....Cankles is at the top of the list for those of us who objectively evaluate the scene...I can only assume you find her acceptable but Trump not...how does one reconcile that?