patrick.net

More Trump supporters in IL:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/3039353/it-careers/sen-durbin-calls-abbott-labs-it-layoffs-harsh-and-insensitive.html

socal2 says

Seems like Trump's train wreck debates are starting to catch up with him.

Yep. A couple weeks ago, the money had Trump at over 80% chance of taking the nomination. Now he's at about 65 - 67%

Cruz is up to almost 20% and "rest of field" is at mid teens (that's the category that represents Romney or someone else stepping in at the convention).

This outcome gets more and more likely as Trump manages to be his own worst enemy with the things he says. The romance could easy cool way down by late summer, even if he seems to have a lock on the needed number of delegates.

marcus says

This outcome gets more and more likely as Trump manages to be his own worst enemy with the things he says.

Trump could coast when he was on stage with 15 other people or simply getting friendly interviews by the press - or the press giving free airtime to Trump's numerous rallies. When there is only 4 people on stage, all of Trump's manifest shortcomings comes through loud and clear.

This graph below pretty much tells us all we need to know about Trump's popularity in the current primary process. These same news groups will go negative on Trump once/if the Republicans are dumb enough to make him our nominee.

Several betting companies have already paid out.

If Trump continues to win according to the polls, by the same margin he has - mid 30% - It's over. He's the nominee by May with more than enough delegates. Even if Kasich wins Ohio, it'll just take another week or two.

So says the NYT of all places.

lostand confused says

So I read somewhere that FL is closed primary and only repubs can vote?

You heard right, that's why I am now registered as a Steal the Republican party from the Republicans party voter.

socal2 says

This graph below pretty much tells us all we need to know about Trump's popularity in the current primary process. These same news groups will go negative on Trump once/if the Republicans are dumb enough to make him our nominee.

They aren't negative now? They asked him about David Duke for days, after he disavowed in no uncertain terms multiple times in multiple media vehicles inc. Social media when it first came out. GOPe Establishment Bubble.

That David Duke thing was nasy, and the next time BLM comes up somebody is going to have to pay the piper. I'm going all in calling them a hate group now.
There's no other way to describe them.

You believe what you read in the funny papers?

thunderlips11 says

They aren't negative now? They asked him about David Duke for days, after he disavowed in no uncertain terms multiple times in multiple media vehicles inc. Social media when it first came out. GOPe Establishment Bubble.

They've started to go negative about 2 weeks ago. Fox has practically been part of the Trump campaign with all of the fawning press treatment and airtime.

Here are 2 more negative reports coming out today on Trump. Old mob connections and Trump giving rich Chinese investors Visas to invest in Trump Tower.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/trump-challenged-over-ties-to-mob-linked-gambler-100050602.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-03-07/trump-tower-financed-by-rich-chinese-who-invest-cash-for-visas

And WTF was Trump doing messing around with "Trump University" bilking middle class people out of $1,500 -$30,000? Seems pretty small-ball for such a big shot Billionaire to be nickle and diming people like this? Did he really need the money?

The Trump University is pure BS.
Anyone that thinks they can seminar their way to greatness needs every penny stolen from them, just to bring them back to reality.

Tenpoundbass says

I'm going all in calling them a hate group now.

There's no other way to describe them.

Only if you're a retarded racist.

They're a hate group in the sense that they see videos of police indiscriminately murdering blacks, and they hate that behavior.

This is just a natural consequence of everyone having a good camera in their pocket these days. So we've been seeing more recordings of police behavior.

Tenpoundbass says

That David Duke thing was nasy

Yeah, when they asked Trump 3 times if he wanted to repudiate David Duke and white supremacists for backing him, and he was like "ummmmmm, I'll have to look in to it, because I don't know what white supremacy means, and I've never met David Duke."

(he was obviously thinking - "damn - they represent a lot of votes - if I at least hem and haw first - they will have confirmation that I'm with them - but I have to disavow them - you know - because of that damn political correctness bs).

By the way, that transparent display by Trump on CNN was the sole reason why that SNL ad skit came in to being. They wouldn't have been so bold had Trump not made his perspective so obvious (that is that he is knowingly and very intentionally appealing to racists).

Tenpoundbass says

And you DON'T admire his resolve?

Do you bend over when you take up the can, or do you give a standing ovation?

FFS - you want to give a spoiled trust-fund baby like this one of the most powerful jobs on the planet?

Trump can sure dish it out, but when someone hits back, he threatens to sue or runs away like he did on the Fox debate and CPAC.

Even if Trump wasn't a big Crony Capitalist New York Liberal, his narcissism and temperament makes him totally unfit for this office.

Hacked Donald Trump voicemail reveals: Just some thank you messages for donating to Children's Charity. OOPS!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-elections/donald-trumps-voicemails-hacked-by-anonymous-a6913861.html

socal2 says

FFS - you want to give a spoiled trust-fund baby like this one of the most powerful jobs on the planet?

You mean a guy who rebuilt a huge chunk of West Side Manhattan, repaired and refurbished the Mar-a-lago, has resorts, casinos, Golf Coursesand Hotels from California to Florida to Scotland?

That's not going into his best-selling books or his 14-season Television Program. He was a household name long before the Apprentice.

Or one of three "Lifelong Public Servants" (barf)?

www.youtube.com/embed/XrvdyeD7NYs

thunderlips11 says

You mean a guy who rebuilt a huge chunk of West Side Manhattan, repaired and refurbished the Mar-a-lago, has resorts, casinos, Golf Coursesand Hotels from California to Florida to Scotland?

Yes - the guy that didn't manage to drive into the ground the real estate empire he inherited from his father.

But all of the other Trump enterprises: Trump Air? Trump Vodka? Trump Steaks? Trump University? Trump Mortgage?

socal2 says

Yes - the guy that didn't manage to drive into the ground the real estate empire he inherited from his father.

But all of the other Trump enterprises: Trump Air? Trump Vodka? Trump Steaks? Trump University? Trump Mortgage?

Trump's bankruptcies: 0.2% of all business Romney's bankruptcies: 22% of all business.

Sad!

In fact Romney's businesses declared bankruptcy at 3x the rate of similar enterprises.
http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/romney-s-bain-investment-record-three-times-the-bankruptcies-of-fed-investments

Of course, Romney was aiming for bankruptcy all along with his "takeover, pay myself big management fees, downsize the company, ruin the business, then bankruptcy. Rinse. Wash. Repeat."

The Porn Actress from Yanked Cruz Ad Just Endorsed Donald Trump

www.youtube.com/embed/H8gOwzT2PY0

Meanwhile, in Establishment Elite Cloud Cuckoo Land...

PARK CITY, Utah — The presentation is an 11th-hour rebuttal to the fatalism permeating the Republican establishment: Slide by slide, state by state, it calculates how Donald Trump could be denied the nomination.

Marco Rubio wins Florida. John Kasich wins Ohio. Ted Cruz notches victories in the Midwest and Mountain West. And the results in California and other states are jumbled enough to leave Trump three dozen delegates short of the 1,237 required — forcing a contested convention in Cleveland in July.

The slide show, shared with The Washington Post by two operatives advising one of a handful of anti-Trump super PACs, encapsulates the newly emboldened view of many GOP leaders and donors. They see a clearer path to stopping Trump following his two losses and two narrower-than-expected wins on Saturday.

...
But the slow-bleed strategy is risky and hinges on Trump losing Florida, Illinois and Ohio on March 15; wins in all three would set him on track to amass the majority of delegates. Even as some party figures see glimmers of hope that Trump could be overtaken, others believe any stop-Trump efforts could prove futile.

I wonder if the campaign hacks are peddling this BS story just to make some bucks off the big Elite Donors. "Keep paying us, we can still stop Trump - honest!" Rubio is not going to win Florida, and Kasich probably (though not definitely) won't win Ohio. Note their model requires BOTH states, as well as Illinois to be lost to Trump.

Trump is doing as good or better than Cruz and Rubio combined in Illinois.
Trump is stronger than Rubio and Cruz combined in Florida.
Trump leads Kasich by 4pts in Ohio.

Honestly, Rubio dropping out before Florida would at least save Ohio for Kasich in all probability.

Ironman - just so I am clear, is your support for Trump rooted in the goal to make the Republican party a more liberal and moderate party? Romney and McCain weren't liberal enough for you, so you are reaching even farther Left to support Trump? Or do you just think that a guy who turned his inherited real estate empire into celebrity will be a better manager to "get things done" in Washington DC?

Personally, I don't want Trump "getting things done" in Washington DC if he is just going to make government bigger and more liberal. That's the problem I (along with many other Conservatives) have with Trump. Go ahead and screech "establishment" - but I don't think you know what establishment means.

On any number of core issues that are important to me, Trump is way farther to the Left than Cruz, Rubio or even Kasich. And the stuff Trump pretends to be strong on (immigration/trade), Trump will flipflop the moment he secures the nomination. He is already walking back tons of promises just in the past week when pressed directly in the debates.

The dude has no core or history to prove that he won't be anything but a big government liberal train wreck the moment he takes office.

Curious as to how all these properties Trump built in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s were inherited from his father.

Also, Free Trade as it currently exists is a proven failure for the bottom 80%. You cannot sustain traditional American life on $10/hr non-unionized no benefit McJobs, while 2/3 of H1-Bs are going to entry level positions and a long-sustained (15+ year) dearth of jobs (inc. STEM) for college graduates. America is voting that this is unacceptable.

That's unacceptable, "Conservatism" be Damned, if Conservatism doesn't mean conserving the American Way of Life.

www.youtube.com/embed/uwLWZE7nCKM

Nope, you'll have to make a decision - buy this car which is priced normally and made in the USA, or pay a 35% premium for the luxury of choosing foreign economic gains over American jobs.

Companies will have to make a decision - manufacture in the US, or be priced out of most market segments.

Tariffs on most imports, an American Tradition from 1792-1994.

"Just Give it more time - 1 Billion New Customers for American Enterprise!"

thunderlips11 says

Nope, you'll have to make a decision - buy this car which is priced normally and made in the USA, or pay a 35% premium for the luxury of choosing foreign economic gains over American jobs.

Ha! Priced normally? You mean about 35% higher than I pay now for most of my major durable goods, electronics and cars?

socal2 says

Ha! Priced normally? You mean about 35% higher than I pay now for most of my major durable goods, electronics and cars?

Toyota makes cars in Tennessee. You'll have to shop wisely, and buy American. Not be a militant ideologue. But after a couple of years, Ford and Carrier and Apple will be manufacturing here and it won't be a problem.

This will help you:
http://www.cbsnews.com/media/made-in-the-usa-7-of-the-best-cars-made-here/

More important to recreate the huge middle class, where mom and dad had to plan to buy a fridge but owned their home and had no problem paying regular bills while saving a bit for retirement, than new laptops costing $500 instead of $350.

Of course, if China and Japan opens up to US Goods, there will be no 35% Tariff. But only if it's reciprocal. Non-reciprocal trade deals, despite CATO promises, have been in existence for decades without any sign of reciprocity.

thunderlips11 says

"Just Give it more time - 1 Billion New Customers for American Enterprise!"

China is still a massively poor country compared to America despite being the world's second largest economy. Don't we want more rich countries and people to trade with? Do you REALLY think we are going to bring back tons of labor intensive manufacturing jobs back to America in the 21st Century?

And when Trump slaps his tariff on China, I am sure the poor and lower middle class Americans that buy most of their "made in China" products in Walmart and Target will appreciate it. Maybe wages will trickle up just in time?

thunderlips11 says

Toyota makes cars in Tennessee. You'll have to shop wisely, and buy American. Not be a militant ideologue. But after a couple of years, Ford and Carrier and Apple will be manufacturing here and it won't be a problem.

This will help you:

http://www.cbsnews.com/media/made-in-the-usa-7-of-the-best-cars-made-here/

Noticed that none of those cars were built in California, Illinois, Washington or New York. Most of the non GM cars were built in lower cost-of-living Southern States with little to no unions.

Maybe we can tariff non-union States too!

socal2 says

China is still a massively poor country compared to America despite being the world's second largest economy. Don't we want more rich countries and people to trade with? Do you REALLY think we are going to bring back tons of labor intensive manufacturing jobs back to America in the 21st Century?

I think it would be wonderful to have true free trade with the EU. That would be trade between equally developed economies. The only way Americans can compete with China or Mexico is to degenerate into a third world lifestyle for at least half the working population.

socal2 says

Noticed that none of those cars were built in California, Illinois, Washington or New York. Most of the non GM cars were built in lower cost-of-living Southern States with little to no unions.

I'll take what I can get. Better a $13/hr non-unionized manufacturing job than the only jobs Free Trade creates, which are shitty service jobs. And yeah, Tom Sowell, a tiny minority of service jobs are high paid PR Executive or Accountant or whatever. But most aren't, they're mostly McJobs.

Have you see the Job Creation Mix in the US? We create the same kind of jobs a third word, tourist dependent country creates - Housekeeper, Dishwasher, Lettuce Picker - we don't create anywhere near enough jobs for college graduates, either. American Dream absolutely unsustainable with those jobs.

We need an answer - if the economy is better under Free Trade, why can't a married factory worker have a modest home, a car, all the appliances, and a wife who doesn't work like he did in the 50s, 60s, and even into the 70s?

Working 2-3 Part Time Jobs that pay single digits per hour is now the norm in the United States. Over 40% - 40%!!!! not just Teenagers and Bored Retirees - make less than $15/hr.

We must engage in protectionism to conserve the American Way of Life, and not become Belize or Gabon.

The choice is Tariff or Tenement.

Once again, the POINT of offshoring is NOT to give consumers cheaper products, but to reap greater profits for corporations! They price their goods at the price point precalculated to maximize profits. If the cost of the goods goes up suddenly, and the price point doesn't change due to economic factors like people being richer, the profit is sacrificed to bring the price back down to the price point of greatest sales. So instead of Apple making 150% profit per phone, they price it lower and make 50% profit per phone WITHOUT THE PRICE CHANGING!
This is a wash for consumers, but a disaster for wealthy owners. Why do you think they hate Trump so dang much? He threatens their profits!

thunderlips11 says

The choice is Tariff or Tenement

Most of the poor would consider a tenement a step up from their current living circumstances. In the land of the free you are free to start your own business or starve. Or both. Either way you're probably going to be homeless.

thunderlips11 says

I think it would be wonderful to have true free trade with the EU.

We are so far from that... You can't even send a present of any value without someone having to pay a "tariff." When we first moved to Ireland, my mother sent my kids a really neat train set for Christmas. I had to pay 125 Euro in VAT to collect the gift from the delivery man.

Ironman says

First, it's YOUR love to put your labels (conservative/liberal, Left/right) on certain people. I don't give a shit about political labels. Plus, you are are amazingly fixated on titles or parties instead of issues. I REFUSE to support do-nothing senators with ZERO accomplishments as President. Haven't you learned anything from the last 7 years?

I want a President with verifiable proof of getting something done, not a series of campaign "promises", but when you look to their past record, it's BLANK.

Got it - you have no interest in political or economic ideology, you just want a "man of action". Even if that action is to the Left of Obama, Hillary and Bernie?

So what ISSUES are most important to you where you can credibly say Trump is better than the remaining Republican field, let alone the Democrats?

I suppose you could have said immigration a few weeks ago, but after last week's debate and Trump's massive flip flop - most thinking people realize that Trump is full of bullshit and just spouting off rhetoric he thinks "the right-wing crazies" will like so he can win the nomination.

As a Conservative, I want our government doing as little as possible short of national security and maintaining a basic safety net. Trump has already said he will do nothing to reform entitlements (our biggest liability) - and demonstrated at last week's debate he hasn't a clue about the size and scope of government expenditures.

Ironman says

I guess that "man of action" should be Ted Cruz...

Ironman still seems to be confused about the different roles of legislators and the private sector.

Again, I don't want my government promising to "do" all sorts of shit. They already "do" too much and have fucked up this country with bigger and more bloated and inefficient government.

I will take Cruz with his 100% Conservative rating any fucking day. We need a guy like Cruz that will even go against the Liberals in his own party to stick with Constitutional principles of limited government.
http://www.heritageactionscorecard.com/members/member/C001098

Again, if you want our government bigger and more liberal "doing stuff" - Trump is your man.

I think we want a Nationalist President, not another "Conservative" Ideologue.

Cruz is absolutely unelectable in the general election - and the GOPe knows it. They prefer another Bush-Clinton neoliberal like Hillary. AKA The Pro-Choice Female Romney.

Time to get behind the front-runner.

By the way, how "Conservative" was Bush and the GOP when they bailed out the banks, after decades of claiming the market was at work and doing nothing when companies shut down and moved overseas?

thunderlips11 says

Cruz is absolutely unelectable in the general election - and the GOPe knows it.

Unlike Trump, Cruz is beating Hillary in the head to head polls. You do believe in polls don't you? Trump talks about them all the time.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/2016_presidential_race.html

Unlike Trump who can't talk his way out of a paper bag when pressed on policy specifics, Cruz will run circles around Hillary at the debates.

Ironman says

Why do you keep spewing such bullshit?? Trump is the only one running that has ANY clue what a budget is... If anyone knows how to control costs, it's him better that all the other clowns in the show.

Huh? Did you even watch last week's debate? Specifically on budgets, Trump was exposed as knowing fuck-all about the size and scope of the Federal Government. It was embarrassing.

Watch at the 6:00 minute mark.

Trump even campaigns that he won't reform our out of control entitlement system. This is the single biggest liability our government has and is growing more and more unsustainable.
http://www.donaldjtrump.com/media/why-donald-trump-wont-touch-your-entitlements

www.youtube.com/embed/XBG_w-tJB9E

socal2 says

Trump even campaigns that he won't reform our out of control entitlement system. This is the single biggest liability our government has and is growing more and more unsustainable.

That's a loser, if you're referring to the pre-paid annuity and pre-paid health insurance programs. Please, Cruz, touch that 3rd Rail and get utterly zapped.

What has Cruz proposed about Soc Sec and Medicare?

Also, your Miami Clubbing Bottom has won ONE state, and comes in 3rd and 4th everywhere. I know Rubio Math counts 1st place as one point, and "show" as 3 points, but you need to win games in order to get to the Championship.

Cruz' position on Abortion and his Dominionist 7 Mountains Father who thinks religion should be upfront and foremost in Sports, Media, Government, etc. and has hours and hours of speechifying on that, which makes him unelectable. Hillary will use it to scare the piss out of everyone.

Cruz is distant 3rd in Ohio and Florida both.

Kasich will probably win Ohio by a hair - his first victory.

Even send Catfish haul from Mississippi to China for processing. Not good, folks, not good.

www.youtube.com/embed/77SyQ2Qn7c8