Trump’s image in Iowa has improved at the same time his flaws, shortcomings and liabilities have become more apparent.
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Trump’s present success derives from his cult of personality, his anti-establishment bravado that only being a billionaire can provide, and the unifying force of fear mongering. Now that he’s running for president, Trump has managed to give his most outlandish ideas and theories the imprimatur of hard-charging, politically incorrect but legitimate presidential politics.
Despite these outliers, Trump’s overall reputation of being someone who is willing to firmly stand by what they say, regardless of criticism and controversy, may be the dividing line between him and other GOP candidates.
After combing through the most recent surveys from the Iowa caucuses and talking with veteran Republican strategists, I can no longer say that with any certainty, though it remains the single most likely outcome. Because the options have no value at the time they are issued (you’re no richer for having the opportunity to pay $27 for an $18 stock), there is no tax liability at that point.
The clear target of many of his rivals.
Trump’s positioning improved in other ways, as well. Grover Norquist, an influential conservative activist who founded Americans for Tax Reform (which promotes the no-tax pledge), pressured Republicans into agreeing they would not support tax increases. Most of them, to be honest, have battled to be noticed against the din of “The Donald Show”, but former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen.
The Republican presidential front-runner made the comment after addressing high school students here at their homecoming Saturday night. One of the folks saying such things the loudest and the most frequently has, for some years now, been Donald Trump.
“They think someone needs to fundamentally change the political culture”. When he addressed them, he did so with his trademark decency and a smile. “Amazing”, he wrote.
So, I can no longer simply dismiss Trump (and the other “non-politicians”) as evidence of a Republican temper tantrum that will automatically fade into oblivion.
Carly Fiorina, who excels at debating and taking on Hillary Rodham Clinton? Ben Carson, adding to an already impressive list of daffy prescriptions, suggested last weekend that Muslims should be barred from the presidency despite the Constitution’s unambiguous decree that the office is not subject to a religious test. Marco Rubio, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker who dropped out of the race on Monday.
Jeb Bush, the man with the resources and stature? “It’s unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry”.
After all, according to RealClearPolitics.com, the average spread of all polling nationwide holds Trump at a positive 10.5 lead against his fellow Republicans. The work is now untitled and scheduled to come out October 27. These certainly rank among the very reasons that people must run for president in this country, why polls are taken and why elections exist. Remember, Ron Paul drew only 7 percent in a June 2011 Des Moines Register poll and 13% in a late October Register poll when the caucuses took place on January 3, 2012. Looking at the CNN debate, Winston says there were 41 questions, with just four of them – a grand total of 9.8 percent – related to jobs and the economy. He has the racial and sexual bias to be able to earn the vote of more radical Americans, while simultaneously netting him free publicity due to his controversy. They want to see a fight – and they pretty much got it.
Ted Cruz clearly has sidled up to Trump in an effort to inherit the businessman’s support when he collapses.
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“But”, a Trump supporter may ask, “what about the crime wave that is plaguing America as a result of these dirty immigrants?”
