The Trump Double-Standard

Reagan_1976You may recall that last week during the 2016 Republican Convention, Senator Ted Cruz spoke at the convention. He congratulated Donald Trump on his primary victory, encouraged voters to get out and vote in November, and encouraged people to vote up and down the ticket for candidates they could trust according to conscience to support the constitution.

This wasn’t good enough for demigod Donald Trump and his followers. Cruz was expected to kneel before Zod to pledge his life and sacred honor to the pursuit of Trump’s general election victory, or something to that effect.

When Cruz did not do that, he was branded as a selfish jerk for having appealed to things like conscience and integrity. Remember all the booing done by convention-goers at the mention of voting according to conscience, if not all the nasty comments about Cruz after his speech? RINO establishment figures and other Trump acolytes said Cruz had committed political suicide and that his political career was over for not having worshiped Zod.

Well, it seems (surprise, surprise) there’s a bit of a double standard going here. I know that’s hard to believe that RINOs would apply a double standard, but it’s true.

After all, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said yesterday, at the open of the 2016 Democrat Convention, that Democrats should “vote their conscience” with regard to Hillary Clinton.

I wonder why Republicans should expect Democrats (a voting block not known for conscience for many decades) to “vote their conscience” when Republicans booed the prospect of Republicans (or any voter, for that matter) voting their conscience.

Woodrow Wilcox

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Is Reince Priebus’ political career now over?

Another double standard from the Trump RINOs has been brought to my attention. Reagan biographer Craig Shirley, writing at Conservative Review, points out that in 1976, Ronald Reagan spoke at the convention and did not endorse Gerald Ford.

Was Ronald Reagan a selfish jerk for not explicitly endorsing RINO Ford? Did Ronald Reagan commit political suicide in not endorsing Gerald Ford?  Was Reagan’s political career over in 1976? Funny, I’ve never heard a single, solitary Republican boo, complain about, or otherwise condemn Reagan for not endorsing a RINO.

So why was one of the best representatives of Republican principles in congress today viciously condemned for a positive speech that did not explicitly endorse a Democrat with an “R” after his name?

I know consistency is not big in the Trump Cheering Section (how can it be, with people who expect a man who hired illegal aliens to deal with illegal immigration, expect a proponent of government health care to somehow bring back free market health care, expects someone who embraces the homosexual agenda to restore morality and religious liberty to our nation, etc.), so I don’t expect these inconsistencies to make a lot of impact among Trump disciples even after they’re pointed out.

But for average, thinking Americans who are concerned about integrity, what do you think?  Why the double standard?

Reince Priebus Says Democrats Should Vote Their Conscience

Ronald Reagan’s 1976 Speech


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Bob Ellis has been the owner of media company Dakota Voice, LLC since 2005. He is a 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran, a political reporter and commentator for the past decade, and has been involved in numerous election and public policy campaigns for over 20 years. He was a founding member and board member of the Tea Party groups Citizens for Liberty and the South Dakota Tea Party Alliance. He lives in Rapid City, South Dakota with his wife and two children.
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  • Kevin

    I have read that Reagan did campaign for Ford in 76. Reagan came within a hairs breath of winning the nomination that year. Oh How different the world would have been if he had! The country had to endure 4 years of Jimmy Carter. In those days, a really bad president only got one term! The American people would see there mistake and correct it as soon as they were offered a alternative. If I remember right Reagan carried all but 6 states in that election!
    We will see Ted again. When Trump disappoints his followers; many will eat humble pie and he will win in 2020. By then the name calling will have worn off and the Thought of someone who will actually DO what they say they will do will be very attractive. The only question is; Will it be TO LATE!
    God Help US!

    • I hope you’re right. In my experience, most of the STrumpets are digging their heels in so deep in (a) defending their god, and (b) vilifying Ted Cruz for having dared contrast Trump for the RINO he is, that they may never even consider raising a slice of humble pie to their lips, even if they are completely and utterly humiliated by Trump. To my great sadness, most of the Trump supporters (not the ones who are resigned to holding their nose against a greater evil, but the ones who give him full-throated adulation) are little more than Obama Zombies who somehow ended up on the Right side of the aisle.