For more than 7 years, from 2003 through 2010, three brothers operated a sex trafficking ring in which they lured young Mexican women – some only 14 years old – and forced them to work in the sex trade in Mexico, New York and other areas within the United States. The victims were required to turn over all of their earnings and threatened with violence against their families.The Fordam Law Review produced a scholarly paper on the subject. David Kyle and Rey Kosloski devote an entire Chapter to it in there Global Human Smuggling which one can read for free on Google books and yet when Donald Trump mentions Mexico is allowing drug dealer and pimps to enter our country he is pilloried not only by the press but also by members of his own party. Jeb Bush was personally offended. OMG!
Trump is smarter than we thought. He has articulated a very real problem in the worst possible way. He could clean up the controversy by saying that he did not mean all Mexican illegals were pimps and drug dealers and he probably will after the controversy has run its course but for now it's Get Off My Lawn defiance as his numbers grow in the polls. George Wallace exhorted the voters to "send them a message". Trump's words are more bombastic but the message is the same. And to whom is the message addressed? The Republican establishment. The Republican base is in the beginning of a full revolt and for the time being Trump is its leader just as the Democratic base is flipping off the Democratic establishment and Hillary Clinton by flocking to Bernie Sanders. The country hasn't seen this much bipartisan revulsion of the Washington establishment since the Whiskey Rebellion.
The easiest way for the Republicans to lose in 2016 is to run Jeb Bush. The easiest way for the Democrats to lose is to run Hillary Clinton.
The present state of politics reminds me of 1992 when Pat Buchanan revolted against H. W. Bush and the Washington establishment. At the time I was a disaffected Democrat, between construction jobs, and in a moment of outrage dialed a phone number mentioned on some talk radio show only to be honored with the responsibility of collecting the 500 signatures in my congressional district to get Pat Buchanan on the Indiana ballot. It wasn't stated that forthrightly. I would get assistance from so and so in Bloomington and so and so in Washington, IN and just be part of the team but my wife and I probably collected 350 of the 500 necessary signatures. I mention this only because while I was collecting those signatures I would ask people for their second choice not for the Republican nomination but for the presidency. Far and away former Governor Jerry Moonbeam Brown was the second choice and I was polling mostly angry Republicans! Granted Jerry Brown may be the best retail politician of our lifetimes but in 1992 he was seen as an iconoclastic New Age prophet of sorts and he could be brutal in his criticism of fellow Democrats and the Washington establishment in general.
I would guess that Marco Rubio maybe the secret second choice of plenty of anti Hillary Democrats but there is real danger for the Republicans with him. Yes, he would run well among Democrats but he is anathema to many Republicans. It goes beyond his "gang of 8" misadventure which he would like to forget. He was happy to co-sponsor with Kirsten Gillibrand the The Campus Accountability & Safety Act and was on the wrong side of the Protect IP act until he caved after the Internet blackout. Although elected with Tea Party support he has quickly become the consummate Washington insider. The fact that both he and Chris Christie were guests at Mitt Romney's Fourth of July sleep over indicates where his money will be coming from and it ain't the base.
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are more of a symptom than a solution for what ails their respective parties. The Republicans need Donald Trump at the top of their ticket like Syria needs ISIS but he has an important role to play. If he can save the party from Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio he at the very least deserves to have John Kasich as a permanent guest on The Apprentice.
If Jeb Bush wins the election or even just the primary, there truly is a silent majority because I don't know anyone cheering him on.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Florida primary, which is fourth, either Bush or Rubio folds. If I were a Republican candidate I think I would skip that race. It's a big media market and it will be extremely expensive and too expensive just to finish third. Rubio can probably win somewhere outside of Florida, Nevada perhaps, but I doubt if Bush can win anywhere with a big state loss on his record. For all practical purposes I believe the loser goes home. Yes, Bush will have enough money to last the distance and probably only humiliation will drive him out Rubio on the other hand would have to sell his fishing boat just get plane fare to Vegas.
ReplyDeleteWho has the money for a protracted campaign? Right now it's a pretty short list but a Sheldon Adelson could drop out of the sky for some lucky Republican but most wealthy donors didn't get wealthy by backing losers. Here Romney and his connections become important for Rubio and Christie but they are going have to win early and big. I would guess that right now only Bush, Perry, and Trump have the money to go the distance. Scott Walker probably can raise it if he wins early but Ben Carson? Never. Paul with his network may have more staying power than most but poor Ted Cruz needs to win early and often. I wish to God the primary was as open as people think.