The Long Road Out

We all hate Donald Trump, with good reason.   We've always hated him--he's all the things we'd like NOT to be as a country (even though the rest of the world already knows the truth). But this hatred causes most people I talk to to use apocalyptic language: If Trump wins, the world will end. If Trump wins, I'm moving to Canada (these folks have said this prior to every election since McGovern lost the first time). If Trump wins, no one will respect the United States any longer (that boat sailed around the time of Reagan, dudes). Here are the many ways Trump is less destructive than George W, or Sarah Palin, or McCain, or any of the other Republicans who have come to national prominence in the silly era of the "new conservative." Trump hasn't yet lied about global threats--he has no war up his sleeve. Trump does not propose to cut taxes for the wealthy.   I am wealthy and the tax avoidance strategies available to me are obscene.   It's a...

We've turned our attention to the Republican nominating process.   One analysis of the situation from the Washington Post this morning summarizes the situation thusly: All of this should be very worrisome for Republicans still hoping to win the White House in November. If you follow the Trump logic, there are only two options: (1) He wins on the first ballot and is the party's nominee, or (2) he loses on the first ballot and does everything he can to cast the process as fixed and non-democratic. Option 1 is a problem because Trump runs badly behind Hillary Clinton not only in the head-to-head polling matchups but also among key subgroups such as married women. Option 2 may be an even bigger problem because it opens the door to some sort of third-party bid for Trump. Even if Trump doesn't or can't mount a serious independent bid, he would almost certainly be an unhelpful agitator against the Republican nominee (presumably Cruz). I don't disagree with the analysi...