GOP establishment is out of touch, not Trump
Given the voter sentiment about politics-as-usual on both sides, Donald Trump probably would do just as well for himself by telling “establishment” Republicans to jump in the lake.
The more that old-guard Republicans such as Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush whine about Trump winning the nomination, the more it galvanizes support for The Donald. So let them complain. That’s one way of attracting support from the Democrats who can’t stand the sight, or voice, of Hillary Clinton.
This presidential election campaign, on both sides, has turned out to be a referendum on establishment politics — the ineffectiveness that has turned the United States into Gridlock Nation. The anger over do-nothing politics explains why Bernie Sanders continues to rack up primary victories weeks after Clinton essentially was declared the winner.
The fun thing about this year’s Republican convention will be seeing faces turning pale and lips turning blue as Trump delivers his acceptance speech. But that would be nothing compared to what we see if he wins the presidential election. The talking heads and pundits say that Trump makes too many outrageous statements and offends too many people to be president. But never discount what a master marketer such as Trump can accomplish — especially going against Clinton, who has hardly changed her stump speech in eight years.
It would not surprise me if Trump won convincingly. Why? Because conventional wisdom says otherwise, and there has been nothing “conventional” about this election campaign.
Idaho’s congressional delegation is supporting The Donald, but with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The warmest reception comes from Sen. Mike Crapo.
“He was not my first choice,” said Crapo, who declined to endorse anyone during the primaries. “I wanted a candidate who could give Republicans confidence, and he was the one who was able to achieve that — stronger than anybody else. From the very beginning, he struck a chord with millions of people who, up to now, have never been involved in the political process.”
Crapo isn’t likely to back building a wall, or deporting millions of illegal immigrants. But there are things he likes about Trump.
“He believes in controlling international debt, a free market, a strong defense and he already has put out a proposal to reform the tax code,” Crapo said. “I have long been a strong advocate for reforming the corporate and individual tax system. His proposals are not the same as mine, but it’s moving in the right direction.”
Congressman Raul Labrador, who endorsed Sen. Rand Paul initially and, later, Sen. Ted Cruz, thinks Trump is a better choice than Clinton.
“At least he’s saying the right things … he wants to change Washington,” Labrador said recently during an appearance with KBOI talk show host Nate Shelman. “I have a hard time believing it because guess who his texting buddy is? John Boehner.” Trump also has been friends with the Clintons.
“Yet millions of people believe he’s going to Washington and change it,” Labrador said. “I hope he does. I hope and pray that everything I have thought about Donald Trump is wrong. I think he’s part of the machine, and that’s why I didn’t support him.”
With “endorsements” like that, Hillary Clinton may become a fan of the Nate Shelman show.
But those are ringing words of support compared to what Sen. Jim Risch and Congressman Mike Simpson offer. Risch says he has “nothing to add” to the discussion. Simpson only says he will support the presumptive nominee.
Former Idaho Sen. Larry Craig says Republicans overall will have to do better — or face the prospect of forfeiting the White House, appointments to the Supreme Court and control of Congress. All can be lost if Republicans are not united.
“My reaction to the Republican Party is, wake up folks. Work with Donald Trump to build the party,” Craig said.
“Frankly, it excites me that the establishment is being shaken up because the establishment is not reflective of what the American people have been asking for at least the last four or five years,” Craig says. “We (Republicans) have been winning elections based on cutting costs, balancing the budget, controlling Obamacare … yet it never happened, nor have we seen an aggressive fight to try to make it happen.”
Craig makes a good point. Trump’s success is based on the business-as-usual approach that has ruled Washington for too long. Since the GOP establishment couldn’t beat Trump, it might as well join him.
•••
Chuck Malloy is a native Idahoan and longtime political reporter and editorial writer. He is a former political editor of the Post Register of Idaho Falls and a former editorial writer for the Idaho Statesman. He may be contacted at: ctmalloy@outlook.com.