Ultra-conservative blogger Bob Ellis bangs out 6,750 words on why he can’t support Donald Trump and tells us his essay is “not even remotely exhaustive or all-inclusive” but “merely highlight[s] some of the most important and most tangible reasons.”
Let me try to summarize why Ellis says conservatives should not vote for Trump:
- Trump was pro-choice and still calls for abortion-ban exceptions for rape and incest.
- Trump has hired foreign workers and illegal aliens and donated to advocates of sanctuary cities.
- Trump has supported single-payer health care and the Affordable Care Act insurance mandate.
- Trump signed a letter supporting the Left’s “hoax of anthropogenic global warming as their Marxist vehicle” (Ellis’s words, not Trump’s).
- Trump includes pro-abortion, anti-religion judges on his Supreme Court nominee list.
- Trump opposed our invasion of Iraq in 2003.
- Trump likes tyrants (based on, for example, the debatable claim that Trump admires the Chinese Communist Party for putting down the Tiananmen Square “riot” with “strength” and that Mikhail Gorbachev was a terrible leader for not having “a firm enough hand“—Trump’s words!).
- Trump would attack the press and the First Amendment by “open[ing] up libel laws” (Trump).
- Trump supports the “homosexual agenda” (Ellis).
- Trump supports progressive taxation instead of the flat tax.
- Trump is a “serial adulterer” (Ellis) who objectifies women.
- Trump makes money on casinos and strip clubs that undermine families and public morality.
- Trump makes “gratuitous use of profanity” (Ellis).
- Trump has encouraged violence at his campaign rallies.
- Trump is maybe occasionally racist (Ellis can’t quite commit to affirming Trump’s racism, since “racism” is a “favored demonization tactic of the Left” used to win over the “weak-minded”).
- Trump calls people childish names out of pure spite (unlike Ellis, who calls people “socialists” and “RINOs” because that’s what they are!).
- Trump tells lies.
- Trump has contributed to Democrats (“the termites, the acid, the toxic sewage,” Ellis calls us, but again, that’s not childish, spiteful name-calling).
- Trump doesn’t think he needs to ask God for forgiveness.
- Trump believes in salvation by works, not grace.
- Trump doesn’t know his Bible.
I can only agree with Ellis on 10 of his 21 reasons (#2, 7, 8, 11–17) for voting against Donald Trump, and some of those only in part. On #2, I don’t have a problem with hiring foreign workers (nor do several Aberdeen businesses), but I recognize the hypocrisy of Donald Trump’s business practices and his opportunistic political stances. On #11, I hesitate to dig into candidates’ personal lives, but I appreciate Ellis’s willingness to point out his fellow Republicans’ hypocrisy in dragging Bill Clinton to impeachment over marital infidelity in the Oval Office but nominating a man who shows even weaker commitment to the sanctity of marriage. On #13, I cuss on various occasions, but even I can agree that Trump’s public word choice would cast the Presidency and the United States in an undignified light.
I cannot adopt the rest of Ellis’s complaints against Trump, but, as with #11, Ellis points out to his fellow conservatives their complete hypocrisy in accepting Donald Trump as their Presidential nominee. To avoid hypocrisy, Ellis says he will vote for Constitutionalist nominee Darrell Castle, who would undermine democracy, civil rights, and world peace. Castle will win no more than 2% of the national vote, but that’s fine: Ellis can keep his conscience intact… and enjoy four more years of calling a centrist Democratic President a Marxist tyrant (not because he’s being mean, but because he’s convinced that’s what she really is.)
[6750 words summarized and annotated in 581—that’s 91% savings!]
Does anybody besides Steve Sibson take this Ellis guy seriously?
“Darrell Castle, who would undermine democracy, civil rights, and world peace.”
Hillary also undermined democracy by not backing the vote of the British people to leave the EU. Hillary believes in special rights for special interests, but yes she is willing to destroy America’s sovereignty for a false sense of world peace.
Drumpf is in no way qualified to be the Potus or dog catcher. He has zero respect for opposing opinions and people who oppose him.
The only benefit to a Drumpf presidency is he would replace dumbass dubya as the biggest joke ever in the WH.
By Mr. Sibson’s own standard he undermined democracy by not backing the vote of the American people to elect Barack Obama President.
I’m not going to be dragged down your rabbit trails, Mr. Sibson. By all means go on spouting your nonsense for the other people who want to go there.
“hoax of anthropogenic global warming as their Marxist vehicle”
If Sibson and this guy were in the same room could they combine into a mega-powerful Fundamentalist Voltron?
Ellis points out the looking glass that we all have regarding how we see ourselves. Trump is not much different that the average man or woman, for that matter, in the street with his views. There is only one way to trump Trump and that is to provide a complete progressive platform that has teeth for solidarity. The DNC can do that if they get off their elitist high horse to see what the people want. Without that, voters will look at the 21 points, as an example, and say to themselves, what is the difference. The polling tells me that is what is going on right now. Clinton needs to be drug to the left and made to stay there so that not only she gets elected, but a congress that will deliver gets elected as well. Without the two, there is the same old crap.
Lately I heard Putin say that he likes trump. His reason is that trump told him that he wants to go back to where we agree with Russia on everything. That means that trump is ready to forget democracy in the Ukraine. Trump has now become a traitor to our democratic friends. When Clinton made an nuclear arms reduction with Russia the Russians decided to give up the nukes in Ukraine. So Clinton gave the Ukrainians his solemn vow that we would keep them safe. Now trump wants to dump that.
Moolah can change everything Mr. Elgersma, that is what we know for sure. Nothing that might be etched in stone is not gonna crack. http://www.progressivepress.net/hillary-clintons-ukraine-problem-2/
“That means that trump is ready to forget democracy in the Ukraine. ”
Sounds like the Democrats want to forget democracy in the UK.
“By Mr. Sibson’s own standard he undermined democracy”
You are right, I support a “Republic”. Democracy is a tyranny by the majority, or mob rule. Those who are able to control the mass minds wins.
This could also be 21 reasons a Democrat does not have to vote for Hillary.
Seriously, does anyone need 21 reasons why they can’t vote for Trump?
There is only one reason not to vote for Trump and that is because he is Trump.
Reason 22 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/29/trump-wants-marijuana-legalization-decided-at-the-state-level/
Reason 23, Alzheimer’s https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160629095609.htm Hey, wait just a minute. You mean that marijuana can actually make a dread disease like Alzheimer’s treatable? My my, what do the republicans say about this in South Dakota? Aren’t they all in lockstep with their leader, Trump?
So why is Trump ahead in this poll? http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2016/white_house_watch
Democrats better quit screwing around and get a more progressive platform that has teeth and will be backed up with action.
jerry, you said we were not supposed to rely on one single poll, remember that lecture? And here you are doing it?
Did you take a look at the Rasmussen reports website? It appears to be a hit piece against Democrats on every issue. They ask loaded questions and then report the skewed results as if they were “fair and balanced.” Watch the video that pops up and there is not one positive thing said about Obama, Democrats or liberals. It appears to be bogus journalism.
Darin, I rely on this poll linked. You and your twin point out one poll as your ticket to euphoria with Clinton ahead by 12! I point out one that shows the opposite. Here is the real deal Darin, it is called an average. That means that it takes all the polls and then does some arithmetic and comes up with an average. Simple stuff that can be done without taking off your shoes and socks to cipher. Here you can see what I mean http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html
As of day before yesterday, Clinton had an average lead over Trump by under 5 points. Indeed, there is a margin of error on these polls of about that amount. So Clinton is basically statistically tied with Trump with 5 months left for the big dance. Not exactly killing it is she?
hey jerry, if you look at the various polls in your link is there maybe one that doesn’t resemble the others. I’ll give you a hint: it is the only one with Trump ahead. Every other poll has Clinton ahead. In fact, of all the other polls, the Rasmussen one you cited the other day is 6 points from the other closest poll showing Clinton with a 2 point lead. They have an agenda as I mentioned yesterday.
And most of the polls have a margin of error of around 3 points, not five. And the margin of error means Clinton could be ahead by anywhere from 1.8 to 7.8 points (actually 2.2 to 8.2 if you take out the biased Rasmussen poll). It does not mean that they are in a statistical tie.
I do agree with you that Clinton should be kicking Trump by a lot more, say double digits. When the voters get more engaged and they come to grips with the specter of a Trump presidency, I’m confident in the ultimate outcome.
Now if Bernie would get his rear in gear, we could get the base engaged and try to take back the Senate. Warren is on the Clinton bus and Bernie better get a ticket or he will be left at the station. Warren can speak very well for the progressive left. The Repubs gerrymandered the House districts so badly that it will take a tidal wave to take back the House.
Here is a news flash for you Darin, the voters are already engaged and this is what they see. They see the same old song and dance with them holding the dance card. Trump is not even campaigning, he has little money. Clinton is on a rip though, bringing in millions of bucks (with no strings attached) and as you point out, considering a margin of error of 3 points, is a little over 1 point ahead! Clinton supporters should be getting off their rears and engaging her with adopting more and more progressive stances. Ban the God awful TPP, put a new enforcement and renegotiate the NAFTA. When voters see that the Democrats are serious about going back to their roots, the tide will turn. Until then, it is all quiet on the front.
Darin, maybe I will let Cenk explain why this is such a close race. https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UU1yBKRuGpC1tSM73A0ZjYjQ&v=6fSLDsfUNS8 We see the same old games being played at our expense.
Darin,
I just took a gander at Nate Silver’s 538.com and he posted 8 hours ago that Hillary has a 78% chance of beating Donald, while Donald has a 22% chance of beating Hillary.
Of course Jerry will find a way to disagree with the distinguished Mr. Silver.
Nate Silver used to have game, now he is much like you and Darin, a shill for Hill. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251601984 I would give him a 78% chance of being wrong again and a 22% chance of being wronger again. His platform seems outdated. I stick to the averages and the averages say that Clinton is basically tied with Trump with a margin of error lead of 1%. That could change overnight if she and the Democratic National would adopt more progressive directions to go. Then back them up with guarantees. Clinton could be the next FDR instead of possibly being the next Reagan. No more trickle down, time to move on up.
So when does that 50 state strategy kick in for South Dakota? Clinton is drawing in millions of dollars from all kinds of promises, so where is da moolah and the ground game for here?
Roger, 78% sounds about right, but it is pretty scary that we are even a 22% chance away from a Trump presidency. He is a menace.
Here is something for all Democrats who consider even a 22% chance of success for Trump, start forcing Democrats to be Democrats. What could be wrong with that? Make Democrats be what they claim they are, for working people, for the environment, for gender equality. You get mad at me for pointing out the obvious, that the Democrats are in trouble with this. The numbers speak for themselves. Take a look at what is going on http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/06/bill-black-the-terrible-cost-to-democrats-and-our-nation-of-ignoring-tom-franks-warnings.html If you fail to see the truth, then you fail to secure our future. Then we deserve who we shall get as the next president.
Brexit, the revote in Austria, the failed vote in Spain, the rise of Le Pen in France, Trump in the United States trailing by 1 point, WTF http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/upshot/brexit-is-a-reminder-of-how-populism-is-redrawing-us-political-lines.html?hpw&rref=upshot&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0
jerry says “Nate Silver used to have game”, jerry should have added “Nate Silver doesn’t have game because he disagrees with me”.
If Darin and I are “shills for Hillary”, jerry is obviously a shill for Bernie.