Making Sense by Michael Reagan
Donald Trump is the first talk radio candidate.
Everything he says on the primary trail sounds just like what you can hear on conservative talk radio every day.
When he’s riffing about the failures of the political class in Washington, calling for an end to birthright citizenship or handling a media heckler like Jorge Ramos at a press conference, Trump is talking straight to the hearts and minds of the talk radio demographic.
He’s not much of a conservative, or much of a Republican, for that matter.
But as Trump forces many of the other timid GOP candidates to address subjects they’re otherwise too scared to address, he’s echoing what millions of conservative talk-show listeners have been yelling about for decades.
I know. I used to be one of those talk show guys. I’ve heard what the silent majority yells and bitches at their radios about.
Trump is an entertaining showman. Though he’d hate to admit it, he’s also a natural-born politician.
He might not be likable. But he knows how to relate to and communicate with his constituents. All he needs are catchy slogans, half-finished sentences, quips and shrugs.
The Donald is authentic all right — to a fault. But because he’s immune to criticism from the media or other politicians, as a candidate he has it easy.
Like any conservative talk show host, he can say any wild-and-crazy thing about immigration or the Iran nuclear deal he likes without paying a political penalty or having to explain his sketchy policy ideas.
For example, he can promise us over and over that the first thing he’ll do as President Trump is build a 1,900-mile wall to stop the illegals coming in from Mexico.
But the wall is the simple part. Every conservative talk radio guy in North American has been calling for a strong southern border wall for years.
But what would President Trump do about the 12 million illegal immigrants already living in the U.S.? And what about the millions of illegals who didn’t wade across the Rio Grande to get here?
Studies say as many as 50 percent of them came here legally but then overstayed their tourist or student visas and never left. More than 10 percent came from Asia.
That “Great Trump Wall†he’ll build on the Mexican border won’t stop those kinds of “unauthorized†guests, no matter how tall it is.
It’d be nice if Trump — or any of the genuine conservative Republican candidates — had a few smart ideas about fixing our horrible legal immigration system.
With its long wait times, Soviet-style paperwork, high legal costs and politicized selection process, it’s the epitome of a Big Government bureaucracy.
Last I heard, conservatives were supposed to be against such things.
Meanwhile, a one-man party like Trump will not be able to fix immigration, legal or illegal.
It’s going to take a “boring†career politician like John Kasich, Rick Perry, Chris Christie or Jeb Bush to accomplish that and everything else Trump is talking about doing in Washington to “make America great again.â€
As Republican governors, Perry, Kasich, Christie and Bush have proven track records. Perry and Kasich have done all the right conservative things in Texas and Ohio.
They’ve cut taxes, cut back government and created new jobs by encouraging economic growth. Poor Perry did all three, plus he dealt with the border and hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.
Trump has many accomplishments. He’s a fabulous negotiator and builder. He’s also stirring up Republican primary politics-as-usual in a beneficial way.
It’s really great that he’s not afraid to say what a lot of conservatives in the country want to hear him say.
But as any talk radio guy can tell you, saying something and getting something done are two different things.
What Perry and the other governors actually have accomplished in their states is what Trump can only espouse and promise if, by some miracle, he gets to Washington.
It’s true.
Talk show host Rush Limbaugh (obese, drug addict, no family in spite of four marriages) likes to say everything. But “saying something and getting something done are two different things.” Rush sells radio ads. THAT is what he does. Otherwise, in spite of talking Presidential politics for what, 25 years, he has helped elect only George W. Bush, arguably, the worst President in the history of the United States. (Starting a war on mistake ranks you right in the top five worst immediately. Indeed, after finishing with a catastrophic destruction of the US economy, “W” might be number #1. The GOP (and Rush Limbaugh) still have to defend that guy every single day.)
You’re obviously a Rush listener to know so much about him, so, I guess his shtick is working, eh?
“Schtick” is the right, operative, word. You are dead on correct disaffected.
He’s a radio guy, like Howard Stern, another radio host. (Difference is Stern doesn’t pretend he should be taken seriously.) And citing R.L.’s commentary (like you, and some others here who are no longer around, often do) is like eating your own, however. And arguably even more, Rush L. Is a primary reason for the success of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. (Same is true for the 65+ aged Tea Party people – but then they are Rush’s primary listening constituency.)
Michael. what are Kasich, Perry, Christie, and Jeb Bush’s “solutions” for the invasion of illegals we have witnessed in the USA? They have none. In fact, all the talk of amnesty encourages more illegals to break our laws and come here illegally.
“Invasion of illegals.” That talking point is directly from Rush Limbaugh’s show. A line that is helping to guarantee the upcoming highest recorded turnout of American-Hispanics in the history of elections. This guy. He is like Trump, the best thing to ever come along for Democrats.
That tree. It’s in a forest, commonsense.
Just sayin’…..
Don. What do YOU call 10-30 million people entering and living in your country illegally? Do you really believe anyone using the term invasion (which is accurate) is incapable of thinking for themselves? Talking points? Dems use them. I’m no dem.
Finally, why should “American-Hispanics” who came here legally not vote for Trump, who only wants to enforce the law against those who came here ILLEGALLY? Your Solution? Just askin’.
Ok. This is pedantic, but your words are outrageous.
“invasion” : an act or instance of invading or entering as an enemy, especially by an army
C-S, it sounds like a word a talk radio host, dependent on creating fear among his listeners because it drives his ratings up….sounds like a word that obese, drug addict radio host would use.
Jeb Bush is advocating several more reasonable solutions than “rounding them all up into camps – entire families – to decide what to do next.” Your idea sounds more like being one step away from putting yellow badges on their clothes to make your final solution so much more effective and efficient. Fear and paranoia among the crazies is what is making Trump get traction with these Sarah-Palin simplistic, but wholly farcical, ideas. Keep it up. It’s like you are on Hillary’s team.
It’s not pedantic, it’s flat out wrong. Surely you noticed, to invade also means “To trespass or intrude on. To overrun or infest. To enter and permeate.” American Heritage Dictionary).
The true crazies are those who buy into the notion we (USA) can remain a sovereign nation while allowing anyone to illegally enter our country from anywhere at any time.
Sorry, but unlike you I don’t qualify for Hillary’s team. I have the ability to think for myself, and possess another trait unknown to those on the Hillary team; common sense.
Trump is talking my kind of language tho
OMG. Really. We didn’t know that. This is the most fun I have ever seen a Republican primary race be. James Carville says every day, “I love Donald Trump. Love him!”
Lemmings of a feather flock together. James Carville. Now there’s a stand up guy.
…you’re ignoring the issue. Of course. Why does James Carville love Trump commonsense?
James Carville has never told the truth in his life. I suspect his real thoughts right now are: Hillary is toast.
….well, with your ideas and support for Trump, you’re heading straight to another loss to the Dems in the 2016 Presidential election. I can hear you now.: “Blah, blah, blah…(repeat Obama cliches), I hope she fails.”
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