#NeverTrump

by JASmius



"And in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king".

Which, so far as I know, does not physically describe Representative Scott Rigell (R-VA2), but his eyes are definitely wide open on a day when nearly half of the GOP electorate is in desperate need of figurative dark glasses and those white sticks with the red end-tips:

An Open Letter to Virginia Republicans: Trump Victory Catastrophic for our Republican Party

Never before have I grabbed a word like catastrophic to make a political point. It’s like pulling a fire alarm; if you do it, there had better be a fire. There is a fire and it’s raging within our Republican party. I am convinced that if Donald Trump becomes our nominee, the harm done to our party would be nothing short of catastrophic.

I reject Trump as our nominee based on his judgment, temperament and character, all of which point to a reckless, embarrassing and ultimately dangerous presidency. Just this past Sunday, Trump’s poor judgment was on display. He failed not once, not twice, but three times to denounce the KKK and its onetime leader, the infamous racist, David Duke. Looking a bit confused when asked about the KKK and Duke, Trump pleaded ignorance. What void must exist in the heart of a person who when asked about the KKK has to struggle for even a moment as to what his position is?

And what void must be present in the mind of a would-be president who is unapologetic in quoting Mussolini and states publicly that he admires Putin? Perhaps it is because Putin is a dictator. Trump’s pledge that he will build a wall and make Mexico pay for it certainly reflects a dictator’s mindset. Mexico will not pay for a wall, nor should it, and it’s reckless for Trump to make that claim.

Through these and other bizarre statements we have come to know Trump. We have seen how he draws from a putrid well in making his case for his candidacy. He rarely debates but chooses instead to belittle. On the trail he caricatured the physical challenges that a respected reporter has to overcome every day of his life. The terms he used in reference to a female news anchor cannot be printed here, nor are they uttered in my home.

So what kind of role model would Trump be to the next generation of Republicans? Short on ideas? Belittle your adversary! Need an edge on the disadvantaged? Mock them! Want others to think you’re a strong leader when running for a party leadership position? Just keeping jabbing your finger in your opponent’s face! Have differences with a veteran? Challenge his honor and service to our country!

It all leads to one clear, irrefutable conclusion: Trump is a bully, unworthy of our nomination. My love for our country eclipses my loyalty to our party, and to live with a clear conscience I will not support a nominee so lacking in the judgment, temperament and character needed to be our nation’s commander-in-chief.

Accordingly, if left with no alternative, I will not support Trump in the general election should he become our Republican nominee.

An impostor has slipped through the net. Trump is not a Republican. Unlike Trump, the true Republican Party is good, decent and fair. Unlike Trump, the true Republican Party believes we can love our neighbor while fighting for our country.

My fellow Republicans, how much more must we see to know that his heart does not reflect our values and creed? How much more must we hear of his flip-flops on issues fundamental to our party to know that his convictions run shallow?

Everything I have learned in life about leadership, about business, and about our incredible country tells me to pull every alarm in the house. A con man is among us. With great respect I implore you, my fellow Republicans, to vote for Marco Rubio, or any candidate but Donald Trump.

Yours in Freedom,

Scott Rigell

Well said, Congressman, well said.

And brother, has he got a lot of Capitol Hill company:

While many GOP insiders expected front-runner Donald Trump's campaign to fade as the race went on, Senate Republicans who are facing tough re-election races are now scrambling to come up with new game plans now that the real estate mogul is the likely Republican nominee, the Hill reports.

"We can't have a nominee be an albatross around the down-ballot races. That's a concern of mine," Senator John Cornyn, R-TX, told CNN on Monday.

The Hill notes that many vulnerable GOP incumbents have distanced themselves from the real estate mogul as he's been known to go on controversial tirades, with his latest being on Sunday where he refused to disavow Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

"I go to bed every night praying that our nominee is a person of integrity, intelligence, ideas and courage," Senator Ron Johnson, R-WI, told Charlie Sykes radio show Monday. "This nation hungers for someone who can lead this nation, not be divisive.

"That's all I can say, Charlie. I'm praying for such a leader," Johnson, who is currently trailing in the polls added....

"There's no question that the top of the ticket will impact races. What you're going to see is individual senators looking for opportunities to separate themselves from not just the top of the ticket but from the larger political environment and focus on issues in their State," said Brian Walsh, a GOP strategist and a former NRSC aide.

This is exactly what Senators Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, and Rob Portman, R-OH, are doing as they're set to take the Senate floor this week. [emphasis added]

Aside from Cornyn, all those GOP senators are dead people walking.  And they won't be alone.  I can easily see our party losing a dozen seats this fall, with corresponding House losses, if upwards of a quarter of the Republican base stays home in November.  I'd like to think that they would all turn out and simply not vote in the presidential race, or write in the TRUE conservatives of their choice; that's what I plan to do.  But that isn't how this dynamic typically unfolds, and in swing States and close races, it doesn't take many abstentions to spell defeat.

By the way, here is the latest nugget of Trumpian chickenshit "populist wisdom":

What were your other impressions of the Soviet Union?

I was very unimpressed. Their system is a disaster. What you will see there soon is a revolution; the signs are all there with the demonstrations and picketing. Russia is out of control and the leadership knows it. That’s my problem with Gorbachev. Not a firm enough hand.

You mean firm hand as in [Red] China?

When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the [Red] Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak … as being spit on by the rest of the world. [emphasis added]

"Strength," to Donald Trump and his mad followers, means driving tanks over people who disagree with him.  Kind of an upgrade over "punching them in the face," I imagine.  Boy, I can't wait to see THAT in a thousand Donk ads, and actual Republicans challenged by the media to defend it.

And, just as a reminder, Trump can't win but Rubio and Cruz can:

Both of the remaining Democrat candidates for president easily top Republican front-runner Donald Trump in hypothetical general election match-ups,according to a new CNN/ORC Poll....

But Hillary Clinton....would likely face a stronger challenge should Florida Senator Marco Rubio or Texas Senator Ted Cruz capture the Republican nomination for president.

In the scenario that appears most likely to emerge from the primary contests, [Mrs.] Clinton tops Trump 52% to 44% among registered voters. That result has tilted in [Mrs.] Clinton’s favor since the last CNN/ORC Poll on the match-up in January.

But when the former [commissar] of state faces off with either of the other two top Republicans, things are much tighter and roughly the same as they were in January. [Mrs.] Clinton trails against Rubio, with 50% choosing the Florida senator compared to 47% for [Mrs.] Clinton, identical to the results in January. Against Cruz, [Mrs.] Clinton holds 48% to his 49%, a slight tightening from a three-point race in January to a one-point match-up now.

Has anybody created #GOPKamikazes yet?