As Donald Trump deflects blows to his populist demagoguery, we can feel the panic setting in on the Republican Party.
For the true believer in the “conservative” cause, it’s the recognition that the Donald’s anything but consistent in his ideological framework.
For the pragmatic problem-solver, it’s the recognition that the Donald’s business dealings have been idiosyncratic, piecemeal, erratic, flamboyant, egotistical – anything but a steady, reliable hand on the helm.
For the party leaders, it’s the recognition they can’t trust him, especially when it comes to their side of the operation. Just where does he stand, anyway? And what about all those out-and-out lies?
It’s the rogue elephant running through the circus, indeed.
Discussion of a brokered convention is percolating in the background. Keep any single candidate from winning on the first round of voting, and the delegates are free to wheel and deal. That’s the key, of course, thwarting a first-round victory.
The crux of this approach, in the minds of some strategists, is to start over – prevent any of the current candidates from clinching the nomination and then rally around a fresh face. But who?
The name of Paul Ryan, the new Speaker of the House, has surfaced. It’s a fascinating twist, especially if he can find a way to hold his own members of Congress in sway.
It’s a long shot, of course. And it would come at the end of what’s shaping up as a long, ugly primary campaign.
Jnana's Red Barn 
With a few notable exceptions, in recent years the Republicans have been no more conservative than Democrats have been progressive.
An interesting perspective. But what happened to the middle ground, which seems to have washed away?
In my opinion, the ability to choose your news sources from literally thousands, and get just the one that fits your world view, has killed compromise. No one hears anything remotely good about the other side anymore.
It’s certainly one element. Another is the decline of face-to-face encounters. It’s a lot easier to be nasty when the target isn’t present.
The surest tactic in beating the opposition may be Humiliation, Demonization, Name-calling… I would never vote for one of “them” for President, but I am putting out my prediction that Marco Rubio may be in our future cards…once he grows up and stops trying to bully-bullies!
What a mess as it is!