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.

The red lawn sign – three of them, actually, in a pile of snow in front of a suburban store for lease – caught our attention:

JEB!

It’s that exclamation point, actually. Ever since one turned a pioneering Rodgers and Hammerstein musical into a 1943 Broadway hit, advertisers have looked to that imperative period to jazz up an otherwise flat word or concept. In the case of Oklahoma, the bright touch suggested the backyard of Texas or Arkansas might actually have something romantic or charming. And so it was Oklahoma! in a time of World War II, with a story and music to match. Back when the genre was often labeled American musical comedy, in fact. And think, one of the main characters was Jud – sounds like Jeb? – in a rivalry with Curly. Could that be the Donald?

Back to those lawn signs, though, where I keep seeing something else happening. The strong stroke on those exclamation points keep bending, and what I read is this:

JEB?
JEB?
JEB?

Any answer seems to get lost in the sound of traffic.

By the way, does anyone else see Ted Cruz and think of Patrick Buchanan? Even before he opens his mouth?

Keep seeing more reactions to the Ted Cruz charge that Donald Trump embodies “New York values.”

Yes, the Donald had an emotionally charged retort in the debate, but the sound bite keeps echoing.

Is anybody asking just what values the junior senator from Texas embodies?

Are they “Texas values” like those we saw in LBJ or, gasp, the Bushes? Or the Koch Brothers, behind the scenes?

And if they’re not, just whose values is he advancing? Let us start articulating the Texas stereotype in its many negative connotations. He’s damned if he is and damned if he isn’t.

Well, he did raise the issue. Let’s see what it’s worth.

Opening a large manila envelope the came in the mail the other day, I half expected the contents to be some kind of political pitch. The presidential candidates are stepping in their direct-mail advertising and looking for ways to get a second look at their message.

What jumped out at me did cause a second take. A smiling older couple, meaning somewhere around my age, was looking at me. The demographic, I thought. And then the banner headline:

IS IT HEARING LOSS
OR JUST
EARWAX?

Something about free “Video Otoscope assessments” and a proposal “to actually see inside your ear canal – it would be fascinating, wouldn’t it?” had me thinking about the candidates and what might actually exist within their heads. But then there was something about “turning the TV louder than normal” and I realized, with all the political ads filling the airwaves these days, I’d be more likely to turn the sound off altogether.

Let me admit that I’d anticipated the current field of Republican presidential hopefuls to run along the lines of the last one – a new front-runner every week while the previous one fell from view. Not so this time. Not yet.

David Frum’s provocative and well-reasoned article, “The Great Republican Revolt,” in the Atlantic magazine argues, among other points, that Trump’s base, fueled by anger and a sense of despair, has no use for the brand of conservatism demanded by the ideological purists. Rather, they may have much in common with emerging right-wing movements in Europe that are not hostile to public services. As Frum explains, “These populists seek to defend what the French call ‘acquired rights’—health care, pensions, and other programs that benefit older people—against bankers and technocrats who endlessly demand austerity; against migrants who make new claims and challenge accustomed ways; against a globalized market that depresses wages and benefits. In the United States, they lean Republican because they fear the Democrats want to take from them and redistribute to Americans who are newer, poorer, and in their view less deserving—to ‘spread the wealth around,’ in candidate Barack Obama’s words to ‘Joe the Plumber’ back in 2008. Yet they have come to fear more and more strongly that their party does not have their best interests at heart.”

As part of Frum’s subtitle asks – “Can the party reconcile the demands of its donors with the demands of its rank and file?” – a fundamental conflict between the party’s big-money establishment and its voter base centers on immigration and other global economics, the forces that have been eroding America’s middle class. While the investors and corporate executives have been enriched by these policies, many native-born Americans have seen themselves sliding downward. Pointedly, few Trump supporters have more than a high school education, and few earn more than $100,000 a year. Cutting public support to education, health services, and the like are not in their interest – especially when the cuts benefit the super rich.

In that regard, the Trump message (who knows about his actual platform, if any?) has many parallels with Bernie Sanders’ so-called socialist stands. That, alone, should have the GOP establishment shaking.

While the Republican Party establishment’s anticipated royal road to the presidential nomination for Jeb Bush has evaporated in front of their eyes, it’s only part of their nightmare.

For one thing, the usual stay-in-line pathway from one national presidential round to the next – finish second in the primaries and you’re likely to be the nominee next time – is falling apart. Just who’s in the pipeline now?

If Jeb was supposed to be rewarded for staying put while brother W took the stage, what we’re seeing a sibling with far less campaign savvy when put to the test. W, at least, could affect a public touch, unlike the stiffness we’re now seeing in mingling with the common classes. On top of that, what had been hailed Bush Dynasty is being found empty of any treasured accomplishment among the public. Why continue with mediocrity and failure?

Just what was the big-money donors seeing, anyway?

As Donald Trump surged out of, uh, left field to take the lead – and keep gaining – Jeb had one task if he’s serious about the nomination: cut into the front-runner’s lead. That means standing up to Trump at every turn. Show some strength and courage. Throw a few effective punches.

But that’s not what we’ve seen.

With the monetary resources of Right to Rise USA, the super PAC supporting his drive – it had $102.5 million back in August – Jeb could be relentlessly targeting the man in front of him.

Instead, our postal carrier has been delivering daily attacks printed on oversize card stock – full-color posters, 8.5-by-11 to -14 inches – deriding Chris Christie’s record as New Jersey governor and now Ohio Governor John Kasich, too. Jeb’s attacks on Marco Rubio have already taken on a tone of personal animosity.

In effect, Jeb is shooting at the other members of the posse that should all be in pursuit of, well, the guy who’s stealing their party. Or taking it back, depending.

These are not inexpensive flyers, either, but their “issues” are feeling sadly out of touch with potential voters, especially in a state where independents can weigh in with primary votes. He keeps touting “conservative” versus “liberal” labels, especially the TAX word, rather than coming up with anything that would directly benefit the typical American.

Aren’t any of his staff listening to Trump? Say what we will about the front-runner, he seems to know his audience. Maybe he also senses there’s no threat from the candidates running behind him.

It’s enough to make me wonder: Is Jeb intentionally working for Trump in keeping the pack at bay?

Anyone else amused that Ted Cruz is sticking a “New York values” label on Donald Trump?

Or should we say trying to stick a label?

After all, Cruz’ wife, Heidi, is an investment manager at Goldman Sachs – and you don’t get much more “New York values” than that. By the way, should we ask who’s paying the bills in the Cruz household?

Yes, we know how New Yorkers are often stereotyped in much of the rest of the country – and as someone who twice lived Upstate, I could add stories about how much the rest of New York state can differ from what was often called The City – but I have to acknowledge Cruz’ courage in writing off a big state in a bid for support elsewhere.

Maybe he just figured Trump has The City and Empire State all wrapped up anyway.

A flash the other morning has me wondering. Donald Trump as a … Jezebel?

Yes, Jez was a woman married to a spineless king. And in her excesses she led Ahab’s kingdom astray. Or more accurately, God’s.

It was all glitzy seduction and court intrigue, of course, and she was the outsider taking over. Most of the prophets went silent, somewhat like the criticism we’re not hearing today. For those who saw clearly, this initiated a time of terror.

As for the gender thing, we might ask if any previous presidential candidate paid so much attention to the rivals’ hairstyles or dress. Aren’t there more serious issues? And the bitchy tone? Is everyone else really that cowed?

Don’t know how far to take the comparison, other than throw it in play for discussion. Your turn!