Let the Republican Divorce Begin

[Stallion]

Donors ask GOP consulting firm to research independent presidential bid

A group of Republicans is moving quickly to research ballot-access requirements for independent candidates in case Trump wraps up the GOP nomination next month.

By Scott Bland
| 02/26/16 12:44 PM EST


Conservative donors have engaged a major GOP consulting firm in Florida to research the feasibility of mounting a late, independent run for president amid growing fears that Donald Trump could win the Republican nomination.

A memo prepared for the group zeroes in on ballot access as a looming obstacle for any independent candidate, along with actually identifying a viable, widely known contender and coalescing financial support for that person. The two states with the earliest deadlines for independent candidates, Texas and North Carolina, also have some of the highest hurdles for independents to get on the ballot, according to the research.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/doors-gop-consulting-independent-219859#ixzz41KmBHsrQ

[Chemisse]

1. That would be pretty funny actually,

If Republicans were chased out of their own party and had to run an independent candidate.

With Trump as a candidate and the party in shambles, it looks pretty good for our Dem candidate.

[Stallion]

2. Consider From the Perspective of Financial Interests Against Trump's Protectionist Rhetoric

Basically the segment of the party that is concerned about business rather than the Tea Party or the Religious Right-they've got to be very concerned that trade wars will hurt International business-and most business is international these days. I could see them raising substantial funds to protect their business interests if they thought Trump might win. Of course, they may decide that they can control Congress instead and destroy Trump's initiatives-which means a failed Presidency

[Chemisse]

4. I don't know much about the business world

But wouldn't Trump act in a way that was helpful to business and trade, just for his own self interest as a businessman?

[Stallion]

6. Generally Businesses with International Trade Abhor Tariffs and Protectionism

the most obvious example is Trump's rhetoric toward China-if he raises tariffs to restrain cheap Chinese goods then China will respond will similar tariffs on American trade or other economic policies and you got a trade war. They'd prefer Clinton over chaos in international trade. So a 3rd party run would be an investment to insure that Trump didn't win. Its questionable though whether Trump could get protectionist bills through Congress

[pampango]

11. Trump is more like Coolidge and Hoover who raised tariffs to keep their corporate donors happy.

Back then corporations largely wanted protection from foreign competition in the US market so republicans repeatedly raised tariffs to keep them happy. And, you are right, what we got was "you raise your tariff and I'll raise my tariff" and a historically high level of income inequality (even worse than today).

That scenario was what FDR first dealt with through a bunch of bilateral trade deals (with kind of the ultimate 'fast track authority' from congress - he signed the trade agreement and it was law). In 1944 he came up with his International Trade Organization (of which GATT was a small, transitional part) that would govern world trade multilaterally. Unfortunately by the time negotiations on it were completed, republicans controlled congress and refused to ratify the ITO, Truman authorized GATT by executive order since he thought congressional republicans would reject that too.

Now as history repeats itself a 21st century Herbert Hoover shows up with the same solution. Some things never change.

[Volaris]

5. This is their attempt to kill their own Frankenstien Monster

It won't work this time, either.
If they run an indy, the indy candidate AND the Republican Party will get slaughtered like lambs in the General Election, and finally, FINALLY, the GOP as it exists post-regan will be dead, relegated to a regional party at best.

[Stallion]

8. True but They have a Reasonably Palatable Democratic Candidate in Clinton

so they bite the bullet and reorganize their party around traditional business principles and drop the Tea Party and Religious crazies-the Republican Party of the 1950s-1970s.

[Volaris]

12. If that's possible,

They're still gonna get their taxes raised and social programs expanded.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. The first half of the 1824 election begins

The second possible is 1852... a lovely, may you live in interesting times.

We might actually see the end of a major American party, maybe even two...

[Katashi_itto]

7. I am hoping both buy it.

Maybe we would end up with something not completely corrupt.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. It is the chinese curse that scares me

and the Jacksonian era comes to mind... on the bright side. he did expand the franchise,

Of course, there is that civil war thing... but I digress.

[Skittles]

10. they really don't get it, do they?

they CREATED this monster, and now he CONTROLS them

[socialist_n_TN]

13. We shall see............

But I would consider this a progressive move in that it would allow the leftish forces to form their own party too, hopefully based around workers and their needs and NOT the bourgeoisie.