The Hamilton Rule

[Ogre]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed on here or not.  The Hamilton Rule is an interesting take that I can't say I'm not considering.  I loathe Donald Trump for a number of reasons, and at best I'll sit on my hands if he's the Republican nominee. 

I'll Take Hillary Clinton Over Donald Trump
The future of the entire conservative movement is at stake, and a Hillary Clinton victory over Donald Trump might be the only hope of saving it.
by Tom Nichols

Donald Trump could end up being the Republican nominee, and the idea fills many conservatives (like me) with despair. By “conservatives,” I mean actual conservatives, the people who believe in limited government, a strong national defense, American federalism, and who reject the nanny state in all of its smothering incarnations. Put another way, I mean: people who are not liberals, like Donald Trump.

Star-struck, low-information celebrity cultists will vote for Trump under any circumstances because they do not know any better and do not care. For them, Trump is whatever they want him to be, and they will never change their minds. The rest of us, however, have a much more difficult choice to make. Will we really oppose Trump to the point of accepting any alternative, including Hillary Clinton?

The answer, at least for me, is: Yes. If forced into a choice between Clinton and Trump, I will prefer Hillary Clinton. The future of the entire conservative movement is at stake, and a Clinton victory over Trump might be the only hope of saving it.

The Hamilton Rule

A few years ago, The Federalist’s publisher, Ben Domenech, suggested that conservatives consider dumping the “Buckley Rule,” the late William F. Buckley’s admonition always to choose the most conservative candidate who can win. As Ben pointed out, things have changed since Buckley first issued this advice, including that the elite determination of “who can win” is often flawed. The Buckley Rule, for example, might have led to supporting Charlie Crist—you may shudder at will—instead of Marco Rubio in the 2010 Florida Senate race.

Better to lose to a true enemy whose policies you can fight and repudiate, rather than to a false friend whose schemes will drag you down with him.

In its place, Ben raised the possibility of a “Hamilton Rule,” named after Alexander Hamilton. Although both were Federalists, Hamilton despised John Adams and his coterie among his own party to the point where he was willing to lose the election of 1800. “If we must have an enemy at the head of government,” Hamilton said in exasperation, “let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible.”

In other words: Better to lose to a true enemy whose policies you can fight and repudiate, rather than to a false friend whose schemes will drag you down with him. This is a painful choice, but it also embraces realism while protecting the possibility of recovery in the future. The need to live to fight another day is why conservatives should adopt a Hamilton Rule if, God forbid, the choice comes down to Hillary and Trump.

Hillary Clinton Is Despicable, But Trump Is Worse

My hands almost could not type those words, because I think Hillary Clinton is one of the worst human beings in American politics. She has few principles that I can discern, other than her firm conviction that she deserves the Oval Office for enabling and then defending her sexually neurotic husband. She lies as easily as the rest of us breathe. She has compromised national security through sheer laziness at best, and corrupt intent at worst. If elected, she will enrich Wall Street and raid the public coffers while preaching hateful doctrines of identity politics to distract America’s poor and working classes.

But Trump will be worse. Morally unmoored, emotionally unstable, a crony capitalist of the worst kind, Trump will be every bit as liberal as Hillary—perhaps more so, given his statements over the years. He is by reflex and instinct a New York Democrat whose formal party affiliation is negotiable, as is everything about him. He has little commitment to anything but himself and his “deals,” none of which will work in favor of conservatives or their priorities.

His judicial appointments will likely be liberal friends from New York. His Great Wall of Mexico will never be built, and employers will go right on hiring cheap labor and outsourcing jobs, just as Trump does with his made-in-Mexico suits. His China Smoot-Hawley Tariff will never be implemented. His administration, led by a vulgar, aging man-child who is firmly pro-abortion, who jokes about having sex with his daughter, and brags about his wealth, will hurt the poorest and most vulnerable among us—including the unborn.

Trump Will Tar Conservatives Forever

Trump, of course, will dissemble and whine about all these eventual failures. His fans will excuse him, as they do now, but they have short attention spans and will vanish in later midterm elections and future presidential contests. His white nationalist supporters, clinging to him like lice in the fur of an angry chimp, will shake their fists along with him for a time, until they too eventually slink away. By 2020, his core constituency will be a tiny sliver of what’s left of the white working class, pathetically standing at the gates of empty factories they thought Trump would re-open.

More to the point, after four years of thrashing around in the Oval Office like the ignorant boor he is, voters will no longer be able distinguish between the words “Trump,” “Republican,” “conservative,” and “buffoon.” He will obliterate Republicans further down the ticket in 2016 and 2020, smear conservatism as nothing more than his own brand of narcissism, and destroy decades of hard work, including Ronald Reagan’s legacy.

Conservatives can recover from four, or even eight, years of Hillary Clinton. We might even flourish: remember, President Obama’s cult of personality—to which Trump’s mindless fan base bears more than a little resemblance—sacrificed more than 900 Democratic seats and a passel of governorships on its altar over the past seven years. President Obama won two elections and the Democratic Party lost hundreds. If Trump’s victory means this kind of “winning,” conservatives should want no part of it.

Our Long-Awaited Goal Was Right There for Us

In the end, a Trump administration will not only avert the first chance at unified Republican government in years, but will finish off the conservative movement itself. Indeed, it is a bitter irony that some of Trump’s blind followers are willing to declare defeat at the moment of impending victory, when a complete GOP takeover of all elected branches could finally overcome the obstruction of divided government. Trump’s voters are willing to “shake up the status quo”—whatever that means—by putting an ignoramus at the head of a party and a movement he’s actually trying to destroy.

And destroy it he will. If Trump is at the top of the ticket, Republicans will likely lose the Senate, but that pales in comparison to the overall discrediting of conservatism that will follow. In pulling down the GOP, Trump will take conservatism with it, and enshrine 30 or 40 more years of liberal dominance, beginning with his own liberal administration.

Again, cruel ironies will abound, as working-class whites in the Rust Belt and heartland who thought they were finally getting control of the government will find that a liberal coastal billionaire has actually frozen them out of it for the rest of their lifetimes, and maybe their children’s lifetimes, as well.

All of this will happen merely because Trump has chosen to identify himself as a Republican as a matter of egotistical convenience this time around. Conservatives and Republicans should be having none of it, which is why I intend to observe the Hamilton Rule should all this come to pass. It is time to think beyond Trump’s possible election and to take steps to protect conservatism as a movement capable of opposing liberalism long after Trump is gone.

It is precisely to protect the viability of the conservative movement that I will stand aside and accept that, if all else fails, Hillary must beat The Donald.

[Kaos]

Every bit of that is wrong.

The "intellectual" freakout over Trump is just going to push more and more people to him.  The more the media wrings its hands and seeks ways to discredit him, the more the "Republican Establishment" digs in, the more support he will get. 

People are sick of the media and don't trust it. The people are sick of the same old same old stuffed shirt do-nothings making promises they can't keep.  People are disgusted with political correctness. 

Trump is like a WWE wrestler.  And there are a lot of people -- perhaps even a majority -- who would rather have that than the wussy PC garbage the rest peddle.

I watched the debate last night.  Kasich scored the most points with me. 

His response on the gay cupcakes was perfect.  "If you ask a photographer to shoot your wedding and he declines because he doesn't agree with your choice, find another photographer. Don't sue.  What about his rights?" 

He was also on target with his declaration that the media wrote him off and isn't letting him get his message out. 

But Trump said the one thing that made the most sense to me.  After the debate, he said he was the only candidate who could win New York. The only one who could win Pennsylvania, Florida.  And he's right there. 

I don't care how big a buffoon Trump is, there is nothing worse than a Hillary Clinton presidency.  I'd vote for Chopper before I'd vote for her.  I'd vote for Nicholas Cage with Keenan Thompson as his running mate before I'd vote for her.  I'd vote for a chipmunk with rabies over Hillary Clinton. 

[Pell City Tiger]

I'd vote for Chopper before I'd vote for her.

Now that is damn funny!

[dallaswareagle]

People are sick of the media and don't trust it. The people are sick of the same old same old stuffed shirt do-nothings making promises they can't keep.  People are disgusted with political correctness. 

   FUCKIN A. 

[CCTAU]

Now that is damn funny!

Well. She must not be ALL bad. He never said he would vote for a tomato over her!

[bottomfeeder]

I wish the former GOP establishment would direct their efforts towards Hillary.

http://www.michaelsavage.wnd.com/2016/03/michael-savage-newsletter-the-hatred-is-like-nothing-i-have-ever-seen/
.

[War Eagle!!!]

Any article that is supposed to be a right leaning article that starts out by saying that they will take Hillary over Trump is a complete joke. The GOP can't have it both ways.

Trump was the ONLY person on stage the first debate to raise his hand when asked if he would run independently if he didn't get a fair shake at the GOP nod. Now they are trying to discredit what the voters in the party want by not nominating him? This is EXACTLY what Trump was talking about.

I am no Trump lover, but damn. Hillary over Trump? No freaking way. Every time a read an article like this, my like of Trump grows a little more. Every time a see a headline on the news that says "Washington Post calls for the GOP to do something about Trump", my like of Trump grows.

Washington hates both Cruz and Trump. But I honestly think that Trump would be able to get more things done than Cruz. Cruz can't see the forest for the trees. Cruz personal "Belief" makes him too hard headed to even budge on anything. I don't think Trump will be like that. You don't have companies worth BILLIONS if you can't get shit done...

[CCTAU]

Any article that is supposed to be a right leaning article that starts out by saying that they will take Hillary over Trump is a complete joke. The GOP can't have it both ways.

Trump was the ONLY person on stage the first debate to raise his hand when asked if he would run independently if he didn't get a fair shake at the GOP nod. Now they are trying to discredit what the voters in the party want by not nominating him? This is EXACTLY what Trump was talking about.

I am no Trump lover, but damn. Hillary over Trump? No freaking way. Every time a read an article like this, my like of Trump grows a little more. Every time a see a headline on the news that says "Washington Post calls for the GOP to do something about Trump", my like of Trump grows.

Washington hates both Cruz and Trump. But I honestly think that Trump would be able to get more things done than Cruz. Cruz can't see the forest for the trees. Cruz personal "Belief" makes him too hard headed to even budge on anything. I don't think Trump will be like that. You don't have companies worth BILLIONS if you can't get shit done...

OMG dude. Don't you know he had to "think" about disavowing David Duke and the KKK. He hates your black ass!

[WiregrassTiger]

I am no Trump lover, but damn. Hillary over Trump? No freaking way. Every time a read an article like this, my like of Trump grows a little more. Every time a see a headline on the news that says "Washington Post calls for the GOP to do something about Trump", my like of Trump grows.

This is exactly how I feel.

And I will add that if the dems were to send out a Joe Lieberman or a moderate, I would likely vote for them IF Trump were the republican nominee. I do not like much about the man personally but sometimes you just have to make tough choices.

[Ogre]

If Trump ends up the nominee I will sit on my hands.  I cannot in good conscious vote for him, nor could I vote for Hillary.  My allegiance is not to a party but rather to conservative principles.  Trump is no conservative.  He is a con man, and he's running the largest con this country has seen in my lifetime.  He has a media that is complicit and he's riding it for all it's worth. 

Have fun voting for your angry middle finger, but don't be surprised when you're the ones who get the shaft in the end.  I'll be preparing my exit strategy to New Zealand.

[Kaos]

If Trump ends up the nominee I will sit on my hands.  I cannot in good conscious vote for him, nor could I vote for Hillary.  My allegiance is not to a party but rather to conservative principles.  Trump is no conservative.  He is a con man, and he's running the largest con this country has seen in my lifetime.  He has a media that is complicit and he's riding it for all it's worth. 

Have fun voting for your angry middle finger, but don't be surprised when you're the ones who get the shaft in the end.  I'll be preparing my exit strategy to New Zealand.

You mean the media that's bashing him at every turn? The media that ridicules him?  The media that's openly asking how he can be stopped?  The media that's advocating that the party reject him as the nominee if he's selected by the voters? 

There's no complicit media.  They're smarter than we are and are freaking out because ordinary people are pissed off enough at the political process for his angry message to resonate.

[WiregrassTiger]

If Trump ends up the nominee I will sit on my hands.  I cannot in good conscious vote for him, nor could I vote for Hillary.  My allegiance is not to a party but rather to conservative principles.  Trump is no conservative.  He is a con man, and he's running the largest con this country has seen in my lifetime.  He has a media that is complicit and he's riding it for all it's worth. 

Have fun voting for your angry middle finger, but don't be surprised when you're the ones who get the shaft in the end.  I'll be preparing my exit strategy to New Zealand.

Good luck in New Zealand. You will be missed. By someone. I guess.

[Ogre]

You mean the media that's bashing him at every turn? The media that ridicules him?  The media that's openly asking how he can be stopped?  The media that's advocating that the party reject him as the nominee if he's selected by the voters? 

There's no complicit media.  They're smarter than we are and are freaking out because ordinary people are pissed off enough at the political process for his angry message to resonate.

I'm mainly talking about Fox News who have been bowing at the Trump Shrine that I can't stand to turn them on.  Sean Hannity especially.  However, if you can't see that the media is propping Trump up to win the GOP nomination so they can in-turn burn him down against Hillary in the general election I can't help you.  Look at this graph:



Obviously not all of that airtime is positive.  But what's the old saying?  No publicity is bad publicity?  Even so, given the disproportionate amount of news coverage Trump's been given it's amazing he's not further ahead than he is. 

[Kaos]

I'm mainly talking about Fox News who have been bowing at the Trump Shrine that I can't stand to turn them on.  Sean Hannity especially.  However, if you can't see that the media is propping Trump up to win the GOP nomination so they can in-turn burn him down against Hillary in the general election I can't help you.  Look at this graph:

Obviously not all of that airtime is positive.  But what's the old saying?  No publicity is bad publicity?  Even so, given the disproportionate amount of news coverage Trump's been given it's amazing he's not further ahead than he is.

I don't watch Fox News.  Or CNN. Or MSNBC.  Each have their own particular agendas and it all bothers me. 

From what I've seen, however, you'd be hard pressed to make the argument that the media is "propping up" Trump.  They are throwing everything they have at him, not realizing that the more they throw the more people are driven to him. 

Just today an article pops up on al.com that says "Christian voters are abandoning their values by voting for Trump."   

Crap like that comes up every day.  I don't see anybody in the "media" doing anything but lobbing grenades.

[CCTAU]

I don't watch Fox News.  Or CNN. Or MSNBC.  Each have their own particular agendas and it all bothers me. 

From what I've seen, however, you'd be hard pressed to make the argument that the media is "propping up" Trump.  They are throwing everything they have at him, not realizing that the more they throw the more people are driven to him. 

Just today an article pops up on al.com that says "Christian voters are abandoning their values by voting for Trump."   

Crap like that comes up every day.  I don't see anybody in the "media" doing anything but lobbing grenades.

Some have formed an opinion listening to MSM and get a little holier than thou when it comes to Trump. From a Christian perspective, Trump claims to be Christian and has openly expressed disdain at the way muslims are getting the "benefit of the doubt" from the current administration. He is not what I would call a devout or even pious Christian, but there are many in the same boat.
He does not have to be a staunch conservative to espouse the same beliefs as conservatives on the main topics.

Illegal immigration. (build a wall)
Corporate taxes.
JOBS.
Muslim takeover through immigration.
And money flowing to countries that hate us.

If he can address just a couple of these, he will have done more for conservatives than ANY damn conservative in the last 10 years.

So to say "I will sit home and not vote"...
Like WT said, don't let the door hit you...

Even if you vote against what I believe, VOTE.

[Ogre]

Even if you vote against what I believe, VOTE.

What if neither candidate holds a position which I believe in?  For instance, both Clinton and Trump love Planned Parenthood.  I think they are abhorrent.  If I'm staunchly pro life, how am I supposed to support either of these candidates?  Should I wait a few weeks until Trump changes his mind when the poll numbers suggest he needs to? 

I believe Trump is a fraud and I am certain I will be shown to be right.  Not to mention that if you're supporting Trump now you're the ones that are going to be electing Clinton in November.  He can not and will not win the general election against her.  Mark my words.  The media will unload every skeleton he has in his glamorous, luxurious closets.  He will be a pariah by the time November rolls around.   

[CCTAU]

What if neither candidate holds a position which I believe in?  For instance, both Clinton and Trump love Planned Parenthood.  I think they are abhorrent.  If I'm staunchly pro life, how am I supposed to support either of these candidates?  Should I wait a few weeks until Trump changes his mind when the poll numbers suggest he needs to? 

I believe Trump is a fraud and I am certain I will be shown to be right.  Not to mention that if you're supporting Trump now you're the ones that are going to be electing Clinton in November.  He can not and will not win the general election against her.  Mark my words.  The media will unload every skeleton he has in his glamorous, luxurious closets.  He will be a pariah by the time November rolls around.   

At least have the balls to vote. Apathetic Americans are a disgrace to our nation.

And Trump does support some aspects of PP, but never "funded abortions". (which is the issue, right?)

[Ogre]

At least have the balls to vote. Apathetic Americans are a disgrace to our nation.

And Trump does support some aspects of PP, but never "funded abortions". (which is the issue, right?)

I refuse to vote for a liberal democrat, and that knocks out both Hillary and Trump.  Maybe I'll write in a vote for the Kaos - CCTAU ticket.  Or would it be CCTAU - Kaos?  Who's the VP in that scenario? 

[Kaos]

What if neither candidate holds a position which I believe in?  For instance, both Clinton and Trump love Planned Parenthood.  I think they are abhorrent.  If I'm staunchly pro life, how am I supposed to support either of these candidates?  Should I wait a few weeks until Trump changes his mind when the poll numbers suggest he needs to? 

I believe Trump is a fraud and I am certain I will be shown to be right.  Not to mention that if you're supporting Trump now you're the ones that are going to be electing Clinton in November.  He can not and will not win the general election against her.  Mark my words.  The media will unload every skeleton he has in his glamorous, luxurious closets.  He will be a pariah by the time November rolls around.   

You'll never find a candidate with whom you wholly agree. 

If those two are the final choices, you have to look at which one comes closest to your own beliefs.  You think I was engaged to vote for Obama, whom I abhor at the very core of my being, or Romney, whom I detested at a base level?  Neither would have been my wish, but I when I looked at both I had to choose Romney.

I think you are grossly underestimating the loathing the American public has for the media and the political status quo.  They could come out tomorrow and say Trump gave cancer to newborn puppies and people won't care. They could say he runs naked hot oil rodeos with chinese babies the people won't bat an eye.  The more he's attacked the more support he's going to get. 

The political climate is such that he may be the ONLY person with any chance at all of knocking off the Queen Bitch. 

I hate her with a raging passion.  I'd vote for a red goat with black horns before I'd vote for her.  I'd vote for a tower of tomatoes before I'd vote for her.  She is the antichrist. 

I don't care who stops her.  Just don't think Cruz can and there's no way Rubio has a shot.  Trump will make her look like the Aunt Bee condescending whore she is in a debate. 

[WiregrassTiger]

What if neither candidate holds a position which I believe in?  For instance, both Clinton and Trump love Planned Parenthood.  I think they are abhorrent.  If I'm staunchly pro life, how am I supposed to support either of these candidates?  Should I wait a few weeks until Trump changes his mind when the poll numbers suggest he needs to? 

I believe Trump is a fraud and I am certain I will be shown to be right.  Not to mention that if you're supporting Trump now you're the ones that are going to be electing Clinton in November.  He can not and will not win the general election against her.  Mark my words.  The media will unload every skeleton he has in his glamorous, luxurious closets.  He will be a pariah by the time November rolls around.   

You and I are on the same page re: Trump being a fraud. And srsly, I can understand why someone would want to sit this one out.

I just can't. I'm going for what I consider the better of a bad choice, assuming Trump closes the deal. Too many men and women have died for me to not at least appreciate the opportunity and make the effort to hang Chad.

If Trump accomplishes at least some of his grandiose plans, it will be great. If he builds a wall, that's all he has to do for me. We need a wall. We need some signal that conveys the notion that we are tired of the bullshit we've been putting up with for years. Build a wall and protect our border. Bleeding hearts can climb over it to get to Mexico. This is about PROTECTING out interests by at least stemming the flow of drugs, guns and criminals.

If he doesn't, then at least he may do less harm than the alternative. So, I figure it's a no brainier. Even though I loathe the man. And wouldn't want to conduct business in any fashion with him. I don't trust him.

Weird. I know.