Super Saturday Primary Updates

Is the GOP on the way to a brokered convention?

CNBC

UPDATE (10:56 p.m.): Trump will almost certainly in in Kentucky as well, picking up 13 of the state's delegates.  

UPDATE (10:37 p.m.): Cruz is surging in Louisiana, and is now within about four points of Trump. Trump may well still pull out a win, but it will be a lot closer than expected. Cruz's surge appears to come from voters who voted at the polls today, while Trump's early big lead came from voters who cast their votes earlier, suggesting that, in a bastion of Trump support, voters recently turned away from Trump and towards Cruz. 

UPDATE (9:09 p.m.): Looks like Trump will win by a big margin in the Louisiana primary, as expected. 

UPDATE (8:53 p.m.): Ted Cruz just won the Maine caucus too, taking 12 of the state's 23 delegates. Donald Trump came in second, winning nine delegates, followed by Ohio governor John Kasich, who won two elegates, and Marco Rubio in last place, taking no delegates. 

*

Ted Cruz is the first winner in today's presidential voting: The Texas senator is projected to win the Republican party's presidential caucus in Kansas today. And it looks like he'll win in a landslide.

With a little more than 60 percent of the vote counted, he currently has more than 51 percent of the vote so far, with his nearest competitor, Donald Trump, trailing far behind with just 24 percent of the vote. 

Cruz's victory margin is bigger than some expected, but it's not that surprising given the heavy evangelical population in the state, which gave Rick Santorum a win in 2012. 

This is Cruz's fifth state win so far: He previously topped primary contests in Iowa, Oklahoma, Alaska, and his home state of Texas. Overall, Cruz has garnered 248 electoral delegates, putting him second in delegate count behind Donald Trump's 335. A candidate needs 1,237 delegates to win the nomination outright.

But going forward, Cruz may have a tougher time scoring victories, because the state contest that remain aren't nearly as favorable to his campaign. 

Still, it's clear that Cruz aims to stay competitive: At the Conservative Political Action Conference outside of Washington, D.C., yesterday, he said he opposed a brokered convention, saying that it would lead to a "voter revolt."

He also announced this week that he's opening 10 campaign offices in Florida, a state where Marco Rubio, who currently trails Donald Trump, has pinned his hopes on winning. The goal is to knock Rubio out of the race, but the complex delegate dynamics mean that overall effect of Cruz's decision to fight in the state may be to either pave the way for Donald Trump to win outright, or to push the party into the brokered convention that Cruz says he hopes to avoid. 

Comments

[coloraDOOM]

His best bet might be to offer Rubio the VP.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

Wouldn't surprise me at all if that happened, especially if he's angling to win Florida. Rubio can deliver whatever remains of the Republican establishment and they can run on being the first Hispanic Pres and VP (which also blunts Trump's immigration rhetoric) against Hillary and whatever other vagina she chooses for her running mate.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

That other vagina will be token Democratic Hispanic San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

Actually, he's apparently Secretary of HUD now

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I honestly expect her to draft Warren. That would help soothe over any butthurt feelings from Bernie supporters who might have stayed home otherwise.

[Social Contractor]

If the voters were attempting to troll the democrats and were organized enough this is what it would look like.

I remember coming into this a election 6 months ago thinking Cruz was unelectable because he was considered the most "extreme" and disliked by many in his own party. Once the campaign started I figured he would get the Hitler media treatment and the Republicans would end up putting forth another nobody like Romney or Rubio or whatever.

If Cruz gets the nomination watching the media for from swearing Trump is so extreme compared to everyone to declaring Cruz is also Hitler will be funny. The media has sold Cruz as a moderate to villianize Trump.

[mfckr]

Hillary will stomp Cruz in a general. He has no appeal outside the core base. And he's a religious crazy.

[Social Contractor]

There ya go, but you forgot to say that he's also Hitler.

[Sanjuro Tsubaki]

He'd look silly with a mustache. So that means he must be Hitler.

[OneOut]

The same was said about about Reagan.

Cruz is a strict believer in the Constitution. He is for eliminating the IRS.

All Reasonoids should vote for him on that basis alone.

I know it doesn't social signal as well as voting for the Libertarian Party but he actually has a chance to win and BABY STEPS.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Fuck no. Cruz is the most hawkish. He wants to carpet bomb Syria. Any spending cuts in the social programs would go straight into increasing military spending. The government would not get any smaller under Cruz. Then there are his socon views, which are anathema to libertarians.

The libertarian stool has three legs: economic freedom, social freedom, and peace. Cruz is only good on economic freedom.

[Eman]

pretty much anything any republican says about cutting any spending is meaningless while voluntary wars eat so much of the budget. same goes for Mrs. Clinton obvioiusly, but cutting spending isnt one of her talking points.

[OneOut]

And all the others are good on none.

Vote Libertarian then and show that you prefer Trump or Hillary.

If spending simply shifts from social programs to military are a wash as you say, then the savings from cutting the IRS would be pure gold and a huge step for Freedom.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Vote Libertarian then and show that you prefer Trump or Hillary.

This "a vote for ____ is really a vote for _____" gets no less retarded no matter how many times its repeated. Also, you can not vote.

[OneOut]

Yeah.

Like every vote not cast for an underdog candidate doesn't hurt their chances of overtaking the leader.

Cruz is clearly the best of the worst choices for someone with Libertarians leanings.

Not voting for him and throwing one's vote away on a fringe candidate simply helps the people running against him but it gives one Reason bragging rights.

HEY ! I VOTED FOR WAYNE ROOT !!!11!11

Good, maybe he'll make you ambassador to Shitsalvania then.

[Apatheist ?_??]

You might as well just go ahead and scream ROOOOOOOOOOADDDDDDSSS and SOMALIA! because that's where your retarded cliches are heading.

[Cytotoxic]

"Like every vote not cast for an underdog candidate doesn't hurt their chances of overtaking the leader."

Sigh...you really don't understand how numbers work.

[MSimon]

1 +1 = undetermined. I learned that in political SCIENCE.

[Agammamon]

So - when best of the worst is still only marginally more horrible than the others, why would I even bother to play that game.

May as well lodge my protest vote.

Its always 'you need to vote for this evil Republican or else the slightly more evil Democrat will win'. There's no difference between the parties so a vote for a straight R *is* a vote for the Democrats (and vice-versa).

Trump, Clinton, and Sanders have absolutely no chance of ever accomplishing anything in office. Well, except starting another war - which Cruz wants to do anyway. Add in that Cruz 'is someone we can work with' among the current Republican *majority* in Congress and you have the recipe for disaster. Nothing goes well when Congress is able to get shit done.

[OneOut]

"Nothing goes well when Congress is able to get shit done"

Yeah I couldn't agree more.

However I will add that Cruz is a different kind of cat. McCain called him a wacko bird. Cruz gave a hour long speech on the Senate floor exposing McConnell's lies about the omnibudsman budget bill. It's on youttube and it's worth one's time to listen .

When the GOP establishment hates someone as much as they hate Cruz that says something positive to me.

He is not a neocon nor a socon.

He's a brilliant man who is a true believer in the Constitution.

Got any better options ? Someone is going to be President. They aren't going to leave the office unfilled just because people don't all agree on who should sit behind the desk.

[Apatheist ?_??]

He's a brilliant man who is a true believer in the Constitution.

Holy shit, a Cruz cultist.

[OneOut]

Yes I am a Cruz cultist.

He is the only politician in my lifetime who's post election actions matched his pre election rhetoric .

Invest a little time reading about the reviews he got from both Reps and Dems from his tenure at the FTC.

Now if you claim to be a Libertarian of even a libertarian I ask you to find fault with him here.

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....m-geraghty

And this is icing on the cake.

http://thefederalist.com/2016/.....-fairness/

Regulars on this comment bard who find major fault with Cruz ( shriek and buttplug excepted) are either dishonest or haven't looked past the media's portrayal of Cruz.

[Robert]

No, Congress has done many good things in the past 50 yrs. cooperating w a prez. They abolished the draft. They legalized ownership of gold. Deregulated airlines & trucking. Passed a Communications Act that was deregulatory from the one from the 1930s. Made dietary supplements clearly OTC. Cut personal & corporate income tax rates.

[OneOut]

Even though it has been rolled back under Obama even Clinton signed Welfare to Workfare reform.

I'm kind of always a gridlock is better kind of guy but occasionally they do something right.

[Robert]

Thought experiment: If you could trade the present gov't for a fiat that froze all current federal laws in place forever, nothing allowed to be added or subtracted, but spending deemed to be renewed in the same nominal amounts, would you go for that?

[OneOut]

Wow. That's tough Robert. What a great question.

I can't answer that question this quick.

I want to say it depends on this or that but I know that oversteps the bounds of the question.

My quickest answer would be that if Cruz is elected NO. If anyone else is elected then YES.

I retain the right to chance my mind.

I'm testing a new sipping rum and so far it is passing the test.

[Robert]

It's my standard question for those who want to hobble legislation at any level anywhere in the world, on the assumption that the less things are allowed to change, the better. Theoretically it's what conservatives should want, i.e. maintain status quo forever. It's a very pessimistic world view, the idea that the potential is always greater for adverse change than for good change, and it is widely expressed in libertarian discussion forums. However, it also seems to be contradicted by the view, seeming to be expressed by the same people in many cases, that voting for lesser amounts of disimprovement is not worthwhile. Weird that stasis is the best that can be hoped for, yet things getting somewhat worse is not better than things getting much worse.

[Robert]

It's like, if you were sick, would you trade away the chance for improvement iin return for immortality?

[Cytotoxic]

"Cruz 'is someone we can work with' among the current Republican *majority"

That's wrong. Cruz is despised by much of the GOP. He's also no more pro-war than Clinton or Rubio or Trump.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Cruz is only good on economic freedom.

Only good on paper maybe. Lots of Republicans talk the talk on economic freedom and almost none of them walk the walk.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

True that. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[Robert]

Cruz more hawkish than Rubio?

[Cytotoxic]

No. The guy you are responding to is not being remotely sensible or objective.

[Cytotoxic]

"He wants to carpet bomb Syria."

Citation needed.

[DenverJ]

Yeah, it's Cytotoxic who wants to carpet bomb Syria!
(I kid, I kid)

[Agammamon]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12......html?_r=0

"We will carpet-bomb them into oblivion,"

I mean, this was covered *here*.

[Cytotoxic]

He's talking about ISIS, and he's damn right to call for carpet bombing them to oblivion. Anyone who opposes that is an enemy of peace.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

Which means... carpet-bombing Syria. And Iraq.

[MSimon]

Let us not leave out the Saudis.

Trump is no fan of the Saudis.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Sorry but economic freedom means a lot more than open borders. Libertarians are just as bad as any when it comes to that. Remember the fight over gay marriage was a fight over CRA and government benefits with the fig leaf of 'equality' hiding the dangliest of parts. And there's sure plenty of soak the rich populism coming from the site editor.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Yeah libertarians only refuse to vote for non-libertarians because of social signaling. I mean, I get so much social signaling out of my secret ballot vote.

[Eman]

people do like libertarians though

[Apatheist ?_??]

Yes, libertarian ideas are very popular. There is ALOT of of social value in being libertarians.

[OneOut]

Probably not as much as posting about it on the internet though ?

[__Warren__]

*touches nose*

[Cytotoxic]

I want to agree with you but Cruz has really shitted himself up lately. His awful Expatriate Act idea, electing judges, increasing the Border Patrol, backstabbing Lee on sentencing reform, etc

I will say that I feel better about him with Rand in the senate.

Unfortunately, I have a difficult time seeing him beating Clinton. His chances are obviously better than Trump's, but that isn't saying much. Too Goddy and his face is funny looking.

[OneOut]

Well if you have a difficult time seeing him beat Hillary who do you see as having a better chance ?

Rubio ? Fuck he didn't even beat Kasich in the last debate according to Drudge readers? Trump has a 60 to 70 percent disapproval rating ?

McCain and Romney are both said to have lost because they couldn't excite the base.

People said the same things about Regan as they are saying about Cruz now.

[MSimon]

People said the same things about Regan as they are saying about Trump now.

[Jerryskids]

When the campaign first started Cruz looked like the lesser of many evils (after Rand, of course) but his campaign pandering proved to me he was just another pol like all the rest. Calling Snowden a traitor and advocating for a strong NSA was just a deal-breaker after he had previously criticized the security-state crap. And watch Cruz get suddenly a lot less Goddy when the campaign goes into the less-Goddy states. There's no good option in the bunch, there's no not-terrible option in the bunch. At this point I'm thinking the best bet is vote for whoever has the worst health and is most likely to drop dead.

[Cytotoxic]

Cruz stood against EtOH subsidies and he is still better on civil rights. Cred it where due. He is easily the best of the bunch. OneOut is just completely unobjective over him.

"People said the same things about Regan as they are saying about Cruz now."

Weak.

[Robert]

Worst health would be Hillary, from what I read here. However, you do know that if POTUS dies, it's not like you get to start over w new candidates, right? You think VP's going to not be terrible?

[DenverJ]

The main reason Cruz would be good, INHO, would be on getting rid of this monstrosity known as Obamacare. That alone is reason enough to vote for him.

[OneOut]

The Republican establishment hates and fears Cruz.

That's a good reason by itself.

[Jickerson]

Cruz is a strict believer in the Constitution.

No, he isn't. He thinks Edward Snowden is a traitor and apparently wants to strip people of their citizenship without even so much as due process (though it wouldn't be right either way). There are many other examples. If you think he's an enemy of the military and surveillance state, you are a fool.

All Reasonoids should vote for him on that basis alone.

I'm not a single issue voter.

And there are no baby steps here; it would be zero steps forward (since he probably wouldn't do any of the good things he claims to want to do) and countless steps back, like any other candidate. This is just the same old nonsensical call to vote for the 'lesser evil'. Which always works out, as we all know.

[OneOut]

So you are for Hillary then ?

Cruz's pre election rhetoric matched his post election action to a Tee after he ran for US Senate in Texas

That's all I have to go on. His past promises versus his performance after he was elected .

That's Rubio's biggest problem. He campaigned as a Tea Party candidate. As soon as he was elected he said fuck you to the people who elected him and sided with the establishment Republicans who obviously don't represent the base.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

So you are for Hillary then ?

Mmm, there it is. Perfectly executed.

[Jickerson]

So you are for Hillary then ?

I'm not for either, you fool. Not helping someone is not the same as helping someone else. Not voting for Cruz is not the same as voting for Hillary. If both receive zero support from me, then I have supported neither. Why do I even need to explain something so simple?

Cruz's pre election rhetoric matched his post election action to a Tee after he ran for US Senate in Texas

And now he is calling Edward Snowden a traitor, saying he wants to strip people of their citizenship, warmongering, and in general buys into the terrorism fearmongering. Am I supposed to be happy that he will probably go through with his pre-election rhetoric?

The other candidates are not better, which is why I will not be voting for any of them.

[Cytotoxic]

"And there are no baby steps here; it would be zero steps forward "

You don't know that and Cruz's performance to date does not support that. You're just saying stuff to be edgy. Your other criticisms stick you should just stick with what is supported by evidence.

"So you are for Hillary then ?"

DERP MUH TEAM HERP

[Jickerson]

You're just saying stuff to be edgy.

Why use meaningless buzzwords like "edgy"? Is saying anything that you perceive as being even slightly negative "edgy"? Then, since you appear to disagree with me, you must be edgy. It's like how people on the Internet accuse others of being "autistic" all the time; pure nonsense. And how do you know what someone else's intentions are? Only I know that.

I said what I did because Cruz has shown himself to be an authoritarian scumbag. You can't take a step forward when you're too busy racing backwards.

[HazelMeade]

The way I think of it, in the midst of all Cruz's crazy religious nutjobbery and Republitard pandering, at least a tiny part of his craziness is aimed at issues that libertarians can get behind.

And since it seems like America is determined to elect a lunatic this year, he might as well be a lunatic who promises to do a couple of things we can support.

[MSimon]

This is just the same old nonsensical call to vote for the 'lesser evil'.

I'm voting for the greater evil.

Trump.

[HazelMeade]

Cruz is a strict believer in the Constitution. He is for eliminating the IRS.

All Reasonoids should vote for him on that basis alone.

Fair enough.
If Cruz is crazy enough to say he wants to eliminate the IRS, maybe he's crazy enough for this election cycle.

Trump wants to build a giant wall to keep out immigrants, Cruz wants to eliminate the IRS. I'll take eliminating the IRS for $1000, Bob.

[Atanarjuat]

has no appeal outside the core base

And Hillary does?

---Standard libertarian voting disclaimer---

[Cytotoxic]

Um. The Dems aren't the ones getting trolled. The GOP is the party with a troll candidate that might win and wreck whatever credibility it has left. Clinton is probably going to be the next US president.

[MSimon]

The GOP is the party with a troll candidate that might win and wreck whatever credibility it has left.

A vote for Trump is a vote to wreck the GOP.

Damn. I wish I had thought of that.

Even so. I'm voting Trump. I'll get my chance in Illinois. Soon.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

It may be funny, but they'll do it and the progderps will believe it.

Also, fuck Ted Cruz in his smarmy authoritarian face.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Help us, Theodore Wan Cruznobi. You're our only hope.

[__Warren__]

Not only do I want a brokered convention I want fisticuffs and shankings on the floor and riots on the outside. Make America Great again!

[Crusty Juggler]

Conventions that matter would be interesting.

[OneOut]

The host city just placed an order for 2,00 riot gear packages for different LE officers.

[Libertarian]

Agreed. Until punches are actually thrown, then these guys aren't serious; they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Brian]

Tard fight!

[Reactionary Moment]

Cruz is a horrible candidate. Much more extreme than Trump. ideologues are always dangerous. No appeal to independents and Dems unlike Trump.

[mfckr]

This.

He's basically a Democrat's dream opponent.

[Cytotoxic]

No that's Trump, but Cruz is still difficult to get into the WH.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

No, i 100% believe Trump would crush Clinton. Not so sure about Cruz.

[lap83]

The republican establishment agrees with you

[Social Contractor]

Can't you say the same for Hillary? The hardcore progs wanted Sanders. African Americans aren't excited about her.

[Reactionary Moment]

Hillary is horrible too but has the entire media behind her

[Thomas O.]

"African Americans aren't excited about her."

So how do you explain the 80-90% of the black vote going to Hillary?

[Social Contractor]

Yes, voter turnout is down from Obama an estimated 40%. When people don't care about a candidate they don't go out and vote for the other guy, they just don't vote.

[Social Contractor]

I like how ideologues are dangerous on a site for libertarian ideologues.

[jarflax]

The State is dangerous no matter who has its reins.

[Social Contractor]

Nobody is not an option for president and I don't really believe that anyone thinks all candidates are equally bad because all could have power.

[Agammamon]

Why not? Why is nobody not an option? Are we not a free people?

[F. Insufficiently Urbane, Jr.]

Nobody is indeed an option, one I have taken many times. But if just one somebody gets a vote, even in the unlikely event of every other voter staying home, everyone voting for nobody gets overruled by the voter who voted for somebody.

I'm not going to vote in November, as was the case in 2014, 2012, 2010, etc. But I'm going to be governed regardless.

[Social Contractor]

Is this some sort of philosophical question? Nobody is not an option because regardless of how you or anyone else votes somebody will be the next president.

If anyone in power is bad regardless of what they believe than everyone is bad and there is no point in looking at a site that discusses politics.

[Robert]

As RAW wrote, "Convictions make convicts."

[Chipper Morning Wood]

"Belief is the death of intelligence." - RAW

[Notorious UGCC]

Incidentally, what are Trump's beliefs?

[jarflax]

He believes he kind of maybe wants to be Prez. He also believes he is having fun trolling the media.

[Robert]

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions

[Social Contractor]

Don't worry about his beliefs, he's not an ideologue.

[Robert]

True, but isn't it interesting that whoever's writing his position statements for him is, on net, libertarian? Significantly more pro- than anti-liberty positions.

[Derp-o-Matic 5000]

He believes in greatness and #winning and that Trump is awesome

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Ideologues in and of themselves are not dangerous. Ideologues with power are.

[OneOut]

I don't consider him a horrible candidate. Putting someone who isn't as distinctive as he is in his positions hasn't worked out so well in the past has it ?

Do you think the GOP should force another McCain or Romney on it's voters ? They tried that with Jeb! and then switched to Rubio. Cruz still has a chance to win.

How did that work out ?

People should read about Cruz's time at the FTC. He got rave reviews about how he conducted business there from Rs and Ds alike. There is a youtube video of Cruz's speech on the Senate floor when he exposed McConnell and the other Rs for their lies and backstabbing, it is worth the time spent watching it.

Cruz is the only politician in my lifetime who's post election actions match his pre election promises to a T.

Libertarians or libertarians here who find fault with Cruz are letting perfect get in the way of good. Cruz is the most Libertarianish candidate ever with a realistic chance to win.

[Cytotoxic]

"Do you think the GOP should force another McCain or Romney on it's voters ?"

Ah the false dichotomy 'argument'. As obvious as it is inevitable.

[DenverJ]

How is it a false dichotomy? The Republicans will nominate someone. If that someone is similar to Romney, that candidate will lose. Cruz has a chance to win, and would be better than the other choices from either of the two major parties.

[OneOut]

Thank You.

[Cytotoxic]

Just because someone doesn't like Cruz doesn't mean that they want a Romney or McCain or Hillary. I should not have to spoon this out.

[HazelMeade]

Probably.
They are both horrible candidates.

Trump might stand a better chance of winning, but if he did, he would win on an explicitly anti-libertarian platform, which would be even worse than having a libertarianish candidate lose to Hillary.

[MSimon]

I dunno. Is it anti-Libertarian to publicly express a distaste for the Saudis?

[cavalier973]

Cruz only appeals to religious wacko types. He couldn't win, or even be competitive, in more northerly places, like Maine, for example.

[OneOut]

Really ?

He currently is ahead of Trump by 13% in Maine.

[lap83]

I think that was sarcasm

[OneOut]

"I think that was sarcasm"

* kicks his Ghintow " Farting Cow" model 3000 series sarcasm detector across the room*

Fucking cheap Chinese shit. We need some trade wars to stop this shit and force us to Make America Great Again.

[cavalier973]

Yes, it was sarcasm. I voted for Cruz already, and hope he does well the remaining primary season.

I do get annoyed at confident statements like, "Tedder Cruz will have trouble in the General because he only appeals to Evangelicals."

Except that, of course, based on the Super Tuesday results, he doesn't really appeal to Evangelicals. At least, he doesn't appeal to them as much as Trump does.

[Cytotoxic]

Maybe the Evangelical voting block is more myth than reality?

[Mazakon]

Seems like it, especially when the block is reportedly going for someone like Trump.

[lap83]

I think this could be the most perceptive thing you've ever said

[Cytotoxic]

Oh that's just a taste. You should tune in for Question and Comment Time. That's all perceptive, all the time.

[DenverJ]

I think the Moral Majority, whom the Evangelicals are part of, was once a true monolithic force in the Republican party, during the 80s especially. I think that over the years their influence and monolithicity (?) have both waned.

[DenverJ]

Monolithicism?

[cavalier973]

"...so then I asked him, 'Are you Reformed Orthodox Monolithicist of '89, or Orthodox Reformed Monolithicist of '96?' He replied 'Well, I'm a Reformed Orthodox Monolithicist of '89!' So I said, 'Die, you heretic!' and I shoved him off the bridge."

[OneOut]

where is Swiss when we need him?

*offers underwhelming narrowed gaze in imitation of the master*

[Thomas O.]

Splitter!

[Tom Bombadil]

"Monolithicism?"

Nobody needs more than one lithic.

[Robert]

For a while they had concentrated leadership in the form of a few televangelists. Once they were gone or discredited, nobody led them as a bloc any more.

[lap83]

I know Reason writers don't like Cruz, but the comparison to Santorum is low

[Crusty Juggler]

It is not polite, but neither was Cruz when he attacked the sentencing reform bill that he once supported.

[lap83]

Don't you hate when people promise something only to not deliver it? Reforms, links..

[Lady Bertrum]

..other things.

[Crusty Juggler]

Republicans Try to Torpedo Sentencing Reform

[Mr Drew]

Amen Crusty. I'm having a hard time getting past that and the whole Snowden is a traitor thing. I dream of a brokered convention where they draft Ron Paul. 😀

[Crusty Juggler]

He seems like another insincere, pandering politician, which is why I cannot why he is disliked by the "establishment," because he is exactly like they are.

[Crusty Juggler]

Cannot understand! I was distracted by the thought of prog rock from the 70s.

[Thomas O.]

Wasn't too thrilled about those justice reform flip-flops either. But he appears to still support federalism for legal weed, though I'm wary he's gonna flim-flam on that any day now.

But I agree that comparing Cruz to Santorum is so ludicrous it's rapping about area codes. Cruz certainly doesn't seem like the nanny-stater type, unlike Rick who explicitly opposes libertarianism.

[MSimon]

Weed federalism will not work until cannabis is rescheduled.

Think of Christy as Att'ny General with weed still Federally scheduled..

[Crusty Juggler]

What's the matter with Kansas?

LOL @ me.

[Hyperion]

This is the same state that tried to sue CO for legalizing weed. I'm sure there's lots more things wrong with Kansas, top of the list of which is that Kansas is in Kansas.

[Libertarian]

Thanks to this filter, I was able to read the entire Internet today and still had time for a cup of coffee.

Google Chrome Filter Blocks Donald Trump From Your Internet

http://variety.com/2015/tv/new.....201670370/

[Eman]

I think this is actually kinda great. if you feel Triggered by Trump (TM) this keeps him off your internet without affecting anyone else. the people who would use this are the same kind of people who would jump at the chance to criminalize speech they found offensive, methinks.

[Robert]

What if you're trumpeted by Trigger?

[MSimon]

I worry about the Trumpen proletariat. Of which I am a member.

"I would never join a club that would have me as a member" - Marx

[Lady Bertrum]

There are no good choices at this point.

Hillary 2016: What difference, at this point, does it make?

Trump 2016: The President we deserve.

Cruz 2016: WTF?

[Eman]

spot on

[Lady Bertrum]

I forgot:

Sanders 2016: Free shit for cry-bullies!

[Libertarian]

I think Hillary beats Trump. His candidacy would fire up the lefties.

[Reactionary Moment]

Many Sanders voters will not support Hillary and many of them like Trump. Trump also brings lots of new voters also as he is doing in the primaries and changes the game in many states.

[Libertarian]

But a lot of GOPers will stay home. And I think Sanders's supporters will hold their nose and vote for Hillary if Sanders is out of the race.

[Cytotoxic]

Nope. Bernie supporters will absolutely trudge to the polls and pull for Clinton. The GOP vote will possibly split. Trump's 'new voters' don't make him any less politically radioactive. The only states he changes the game in are the ones he can turn from red to blue. He'll make America look like an ocean.

[Robert]

I think a lot of Bern backers were erstwhile non-voters who'll go back to that role once he's out. Another segment of voters is choosing between Sanders & Trump, & they'll go for the Donald once the Bern is out. Only the Bernites who hoped to have influence on the Democrats will vote for Hillary.

[Tom Bombadil]

Bern voters want free shit and hate the 1%.

Hillary will promise more free shit than Trump.
Trump is the 1%

HIllary gets the Bern voters.

[Notorious UGCC]

Cruz, to me, has won the coveted title of "the other people suck worse than him" candidate.

[Cytotoxic]

Pretty much.

[OneOut]

Good enough for me.

GO VOTE YOUR CONVICTIONS THEN !1!!!!!

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

About time to dig up George Carlin and run him on the Weekend at Bernie's ticket.

[MSimon]

Heh.

[Hyperion]

Cruz isn't going to get the nomination, but he's going to come in 2nd. Then he can go away.

[Sanjuro Tsubaki]

...the bastard!!!!!

[Sanjuro Tsubaki]

All for not, though. It's all dust in the wind.

[Crusty Juggler]

How long to the point of no return?

[Rhywun]

It's time to fight fire with fire.

[GILMORE?]

We need to take it to the limit

[Jerryskids]

Tell me some crazy stories, let me know who runs the show.

[OneOut]

You guys should tow the lion and let the chips fall where the sun shines on every dogs ass on one day since every dog has it's day.

[Thomas O.]

Carry on, my wayward son.

[Tom Bombadil]

This is the craziest party that could ever be.
Don't turn on the lights......

[cavalier973]

I believe the correct phrase is "Awl for Knot".

[Libertarian]

It's a mute point now.

[0x90]

I wouldn't of said that.

[Robert]

Teh clich?s, they burn!

[MSimon]

Tell it to your mooter.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Maybe Americans should elect someone who could match Justin Zoolander's good looks?

I'm just saying.

[Cytotoxic]

Between him and President Clinton, the NA country with the best head of state in 2017 will probably be fucking Mexico.

[Cytotoxic]

...Phrasing

[OneOut]

Yeah but if Trump wins he's going to have to buy Merica a wall.

[Ken Shultz]

I imagine a brokered convention looks something like this:

Cruz: "What do we do with the libertarians?"

Trump: "How 'bout FEMA camps?"

Trump's a deal maker. I'm not sure he wants to be Vice President, but if he does and Cruz beats him out on the delegate count, he could be Cruz's Vice President on a unity ticket.

Cruz might do badly to be Trump's Vice President on a unity ticket either. It's just that the way that calculation usually works (like it did with Obama and Hillary), the loser takes a less position because the winner wants to move to the middle and stop having to out radical his opponent to stir up the party base. All that stuff gets used against you in the general election.

The problem is, I doubt Trump is interested in moving to the center. He just doesn't give a shit. Why would he offer Cruz a spot on the ticket when the establishment is a joke?

On a related topic, what public figure in their right mind wants to work for the Trump Administration? It's career suicide. Trump would throw his own puppy under the bus rather than take the blame for something. I think he's going to have trouble finding anybody decent that wants to work for him.

[DenverJ]

He'll have a reality show to pick his cabinet.

[Robert]

So who would Trump pick as running mate? His delegates might not be so solid on giving him his choice; I could see him leaving it open to them rather than take the chance on being embarrassed when they deny him his pick. But if Trump does have his choice, who? Howard A. Stern? I think they both have big enough egos that one of them would take up residence in another state to have a shot at both getting NY's electoral votes. How about if Trump picks a well-known yet non-Establishment Democrat? Like maybe Tim Penny if he wanted someone with political experience. Or maybe that leaker who's in Russia, forgot his name. Or Bruce Springsteen. Penn Jilette? Someone from professional team sports known as a leader?

[Ken Shultz]

Like I said, if we're talking about a brokered convention (where Trump doesn't have enough delegates to win), he'll likely pick Cruz. Cruz's delegates will support him if he announces he's excited about being The Donald's apprentice.

I think Cruz is the most likely pick for Vice President. We're just waiting to see if either one of them gets enough votes to win outright. If Trump wins or there's a brokered convention, I'd bet on Cruz to be the Vice.

If Cruz wins, I bet he accidentally loses Trump's number.

[GILMORE?]

""Cruz is the most likely pick for Vice President.""

No way. The "intellectuals" dislike Trump, but people in the Republican professional-establishment circles - lobbyists, fundraisers, regional party leaders - loathe Cruz.

Cruz brings nothing special to Trump to help him win. His track record in D.C. is a "my way or the highway" approach, which wouldn't be an aide to Trump being able to wrassle the party in line.

He would pick someone that would soften his image with independent voters, someone seen as an "experienced insider". my guess would be someone like Kelly Ayotte, if she was interested (i'm pretty sure she's not) I've seen a few names floated in the past (scott brown, jeff sessions) but never thought they were serious... I actually think if he got Newt on his team, it would probably work as per the above.

[Robert]

Cruz brings nothing special to Trump to help him win.

Except delegates, if his + Trump's are a controlling share of the convention. Then they don't need no stinkin' pros. Of course they won't have their help in the gen'l election, but it's better than getting KO in the semifinals.

[Ken Shultz]

"No way. The "intellectuals" dislike Trump, but people in the Republican professional-establishment circles - lobbyists, fundraisers, regional party leaders - loathe Cruz."

It isn't up to lobbyists and fundraisers. It isn't up to establishment circles.

The establishment candidate is Kasich at this point, and who gives a shit about Kasich?

If they don't get behind the Republican, they're out of it for four years.

AND . . . they would like to see the Republican Party survive. And with a unity Trump/Cruz ticket, it will survive. . . to die the death of a thousand embarrassing cuts during a Trump presidency, maybe.

[Robert]

True, my specul'n was predicated on Trump's having enough delegates to win outright. In a brokered convention, your scenario looks very likely.

Of course there are other possibilities. I'm glad I left LP before 2004; at that convention the delegates favoring the 2 leading candidates for the prez nomination were so embittered at each other, they knocked each other's choices off & wound up nominating a kook. But that's probably because they knew they weren't serious about politics anyway, so they could afford to say "fuck you" to everyone, knowing their nominee wasn't going to be elected anyway. Things would have to get really bad in the GOP convention for them to abandon hope of the White House & nominate a fuck-you-all candidate in place of Trump or Cruz, or just adjourn without a nomination. There'd be some informal negotiations after such a convention, and the state Republcan parties would find some somewhat credible candidates to put on their ballots for prez & VP.

[Jerryskids]

What's Peyton Manning doing next year?

[DenverJ]

Who was the one decent Democratic candidate? Was that Wesley Clark? How about him?

[cavalier973]

Webb, I think his name was.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

Wesley Clark is the guy who almost started WWIII.

[Robert]

what public figure in their right mind wants to work for the Trump Administration? It's career suicide. Trump would throw his own puppy under the bus rather than take the blame for something. I think he's going to have trouble finding anybody decent that wants to work for him.

No, he just needs people w big enough egos that they want to take charge & ensure nothing goes wrong, so there'll be no blame for anything?in other words, most of them.

[JeremyR]

I don't see how Trump picking Cruz would move him to the center. Cruz is on the right to him on everything.

Trump is a liberal on everything except immigration and even that is "flexible". He's not a conservative, he's a populist and will almost certainly betray his promises once he's in office.

[Ken Shultz]

"I don't see how Trump picking Cruz would move him to the center."

I didn't say picking Cruz would move him to the center. I said candidates generally prefer to move to the center as quickly as possible, so they'll often horse trade with their biggest competitors so they can move to the center sooner.

If winning the nomination is about rallying your more radical base than your competitors, the other party will use what you say doing that against you in the general election. (Ask Romney how he feels about the 40%).

Obama struck a deal with Hillary so he could stop saying scary shit to swing voters and start saying things like "Marriage is between a man and a woman".

Trump will want to do that, too. The sooner he does it, the sooner he can stop playing the radical and start playing for the middle. He can't do that now, or he won't win the nomination.

[MSimon]

He's not a conservative, he's a populist and will almost certainly betray his promises once he's in office.

Excellent.

[Cytotoxic]

Trump as VP would be poison for Cruz in the general. He's going to have enough problems as is.

[Robert]

But wouldn't Cruz prefer to be on the ticket w Trump rather than take the chance on Rubio or Kasich making a deal w Trump?

[Ken Shultz]

I agree.

Like I said, if Cruz wins outright, he'll lose Trump's number.

[Thomas O.]

Besides, Trump seems like an "I'm nobody's bitch" type of guy.

[cavalier973]

The LBGTETC are angry with Jenner for supporting Ted Cruz.

[Rhywun]

That is the bravest thing Jenner has done.

[Notorious UGCC]

Wow, I knew Jenner was a little bit eccentric, but supporting Cruz?

[__Warren__]

If she had any balls she would support Trump like a real American.

[Jerryskids]

So Cruz and Sanders both won in Kansas - does this mean the Evangelical Socialist vote is just as strong as the Evangelical Jesus vote? Or do the Evangelicals only vote GOP?

[DenverJ]

Real evangelicals know that Jesus is a Republican.

[Pat (PM)]

What's the matter with Kansas, anyway?

[AlmightyJB]

They hate Hitlery

[MSimon]

The best reason to vote for Trump:

He's not a conservative, he's a populist and will almost certainly betray his promises once he's in office.

For a minute I was worried he would keep his promises.

[MSimon]

Do I want a policy wonk or an entertainer?

I'm voting Reagan.

[AlmightyJB]

Cruz would have won KY too if not for Kasich who has no business still being in the race.

[DRM]

I'm happy enough.

Cruz is the clear best of the major party candidates still standing (I basically agree with Justin Amash on him), and also fits the pattern of what makes a Republican candidate win a majority of the popular vote -- being denounced early on as a conservative extremist by the mainstream media. (See Reagan '80, Reagan '84, "No New Taxes Reagan-"Bush '88, Iraq War Bush '04. Compare Ford '76, tax-raiser Bush in '92, Dole '96, "Compassionate Conservative" Bush '00, McCain '08, Romney '12.)

On the other hand, Trump, the other plausible Republican nominee by delegate count, is toxic enough that a Libertarian ticket might actually get serious traction -- imagine running Johnson/Barr '16 backed by Koch money.

Imagine if we're lucky enough to have Clinton get indicted after she gets the nomination.

[__Warren__]

Cruz won big but Trump won small. Portents of things to come?

Cruz doesn't need to be the official winner of these states he just needs to stay close in the delegate count and if he does that then Delirium Tremors only has a small margin of error to get to the auto-win delegate count.

[straffinrun]

I bet 1237 is Trump's PIN number.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Cruz is a slimy piece of so-con pandering shit. I don't think of candidates as being "least awful" since that's like saying Cruz is the pill with the least amount of cyanide in it. Everything about his career and the way he has run his campaign suggests a narcissistic douchebag unlikely to trouble himself with something as inconvenient as principles.

I wouldn't trust him to wash my car, let alone faithfully adhere to the Constitution as president.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

What if...

...he picked Rand as his running mate?

Would you hold your nose and vote for him?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

No.

Because unless Cruz has terminal rectal cancer that would be a demotion for Rand, taking him out of the Senate and putting him in the politically neutered position of Vice President. I'd hope Rand would turn down such an offer and stay where he is.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

But, a libertarian would be one cardiac arrest away from the throne and, more importantly, much more likely to get the nomination in 24.

I'd consider it. One of these shitbags is going to be the POTUS. Cruz is the least offensive of the 6. If he threw some candy at the libertarians, I might go there.

I do agree that Rand would do more good as a Senator in the short term, but it could be a good long term play.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

If I had to some something positive about a Cruz presidency it would be staffing the judiciary with tolerable judges. Otherwise I don't trust him on foreign policy and civil liberties because he has flip-flopped hardcore on things like Snowden and interventionism.

Domestically he's a lot like Obama in being an arrogant prick impossible to work with so I can't imagine him having much success getting things passed. He stabbed his own ally Mike Lee in the back on criminal justice reform. If that's how he treats his friends what more can you say?

I'd prefer a Cruz presidency to a Hillary one but, with the understanding that my Arizona vote is meaningless anyway, I'll have no part voting for him.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

I was asking myself if there was anything that could happen to get me to vote for any of these idiots.

That was all I could come up with.

[Tom Bombadil]

Terminal Rectal Cancer

It's high time I learned to play bass guitar.

[straffinrun]

One of these 5 will be followed around for the next four years by a lackey carrying the football. Sweet dreams, everyone.

[CPRM]

Before this election cycle began I had said, that outside of Rand Paul, Ted Cruz was the only Republican I would vote for. The way his campaign has been going has lowered my interest, but if he is the Rep nominee I may vote for him. But this is still funny as hell

https://youtu.be/v75wCTMZoSY

[cavalier973]

Cruz (so far) has garnered 64 more delegates, Trump got 49 more.

I'm actual votes cast (based on the latest totals that I saw) Cruz also barely won more actual votes than Trump, taking today's four contests together.

[Dariush]

Wow, I think Cruz is going to actually pull this off. When all he gets is mild contempt and no voters from Reason regulars you know something's changing.

I guess Donald Drumpf smashing the Overton Window and placing it upside down doesn't hurt either.

[XM]

The story of this year's primaries is the angry and disillusioned voting bloc that's coming out in force to vote. They want to try something new but can't quite go full on third party, so they flocked to emerging outsiders who are trying to hijack the establishment. These votes will decide the election. If Cruz gets the usual GOP base AND the pissed off white people in poor areas of the country (who might not be republicans) he has a chance.

I'm looking at the turnout numbers and Trump alone crushes Romney is every state so far. Cruz Looking back at it now, Romney was a remarkably weak, white bread candidate. You might hate Trump, but you sort of understand why his brash, unapologetic style excites people who felt let down.

I fully expect Cruz to go after Trump voters. Arguing against a brokered convention was a smart move on his part. That would have enrage Trump fans and endear them to thoughts of supporting Trump's third party candidacy. You can hate on Trump, but his supporters can do a lot of good. Yeah, they might be crooked red necks, but when your family faces on uncertain future in Baton Rouge and the whole country talks about refugees and immigrants in LA, you understand their rage.

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