[TheRealThing]

I gave Trump a chance. I cannot in good conscience vote for the man. Trump has nothing in common with Ronald Reagan. After decades of advocating conservative positions and two successful terms as a conservative governor of California, nobody doubted that Ronald Reagan was a conservative before he decided to run for president.

Trump is a political opportunist. There is no hard evidence that Trump is a conservative. In fact, there is no hard evidence that Trump is not the same liberal that he was at age 60+. I don't think Churchill or Reagan would have fallen for Trump's claim to be a conservative. Actions matter and all we have on which to judge Trump are words.

Reagan treated his political opponents with respect and never resorted to vicious personal attacks on people who dared to disagree with him. I remember how Reagan's most vocal critics acknowledged that he was a likable man who treated them with respect and good humor.

The comparisons of Reagan to Trump make no sense. Trump is used to using getting his way by using his wallet. When Trump's money does not get the results he wants, then he falls back on childish insults or lawsuits. Take Trump at his word. He equates political donations with bribes and boasts about how many politicians he has bought in the past. Trump's behavior will not change, given control over a $4 trillion/year budget. He will continue to spend money to wield influence but it will not be his own money that he will be spending.

I understand your points, but his unshrinking admonition to the rest of the GOP field about money controlling establishment candidates was made on the debate stage, and in front of the greatest live audience in history to ever witness a presidential debate. So, in making his charge he was also admitting to having been part of the problem as well. His challenge to Cruz was on the heels of a Democrat offer to sue on eligibility grounds, which I heard Alan Grayson repeat BTW. Now, maybe whoever initially made the threat would not have had standing and could not have followed through but, I say that was a favor because the issue has already begun to dissipate. And, not that the behavior of the others such as Jeb Bush should necessarily be emulated, but gentlemanly decorum has been out the window since the Clintons came on the scene.

I'm sure you realize that I made no Reagan comparisons. I made comparisons to the way Reagan and Trump were received by the establishment of the day, liberals, and those who despise candidates who in any way define their views as being shaped by a desire to honor the dictates of The Almighty. I did say that I think Trump's affinity for being truthful was reminiscent of Reagan and speculated that Trump may govern similarly. In no way can I back that up, I was just saying that is my take. I agree that you could be right. I however, have only my own thoughts and experience to go by and, to my own self I must be true. :biggrin: