BIG NAME REPUBLICANS SAY “NO” TO DONALD TRUMP

…Texas Senator Ted Cruz, jut one of many that will not be voting for Donald Trump 

 

Republicans are still searching for an alternative to Donald Trump

 

Someone asked the question “OK, just which Republicans, pundits, politicians, celebrities, donors, and any people of influence are not supporting Donald Trump?”

 

Well, we already know that the former Bush presidents, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush and Lindsay Graham, John Kasich, Ted Cruz, Bob Dole, Mitt Romney, John Boehner, the Koch brothers and finally Susan Collins, George Will and Bill Kristol have gotten off the Trump band wagon.

 

In fact, there is a web site that you can Google where it tells you all the important political people that have said for sure they will NOT be voting or supporting Donald Trump.  But the site also shows those that are voting and supporting The Donald, and it shows the long list of “undecided”.

 

Of these prominent individuals, as of early August, another 52 Republicans of note are NOT supporting or voting for Donald Trump.

 

Of the undecided, as of now, there were 9 still listed as “undecided”.

 

As to supporting Trump there were ~30 of those, but many were listed as “soft support”.

 

That was supposed to mean that these individuals could possibly change by labor day or just before the election in November.

 

There is still some conscientious Republicans searching for an alternative to Donald Trump, but so far, no big-name Republican has stepped forward.

 

An independent Republican, Evan McMullin, a veteran of the CIA, has recently stepped forward. But who is he and will he have any influence on the election?

 

“With the stakes so high for our nation and at this late stage in the process, I can no longer stand on the sidelines,” McMullin said in a statement. “Our country needs leaders who are in it for the right reasons and who actually understand what makes this country the greatest on earth. Leaders who will unite us and guide us to a prosperous, secure future, beyond the dysfunction of a broken political system.” . . .

 

McMullin, has resigned as the chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, and he is planning to incorporate an election committee.  He then needs to set up a bank account and start raising and spending money in a manner consistent with all applicable Federal Election Commission rules and Internal Revenue Service requirements.  According to the operatives launching his campaign, they plan to file FEC candidacy forms by Aug. 15.

 

The serious political pundits have been totally dismissive of Mr. McMullin.  Perhaps if he had shown up months ago, there would have been some serious support. 

 

However, if McMullin is a serious voice on national security, one more voice lambasting Trump will always be welcomed.

 

In his letter on a new website, McMullin told voters, “Given his obvious personal instability, putting Trump in command of our military and nuclear arsenal would be deeply irresponsible. Trump’s infatuation with strongmen and demagogues like Vladimir Putin is anathema to American values. We cannot and must not elect him.”

 

More significant than McMullin, however, is the stream of foreign policy gurus who continually warn that Trump is a threat to National Security.

 

A letter signed by another 50 foreign policy gurus, who have served in a multiple GOP administrations and include various perspectives, including former CIA chief Michael Hayden, former homeland security secretary Tom Ridge, former deputy secretary of state and trade representative Robert Zoellick, they make it clear: “From a foreign policy perspective, Donald Trump is not qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief. Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a dangerous President and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being.”  Most fundamentally, “Mr. Trump lacks the character, values, and experience to be President. . . .”

 

One of the most important and prominent anti-Trump individuals is the retired four-star Army General, Barry McCaffrey.  The general blasted Donald Trump as unqualified to lead the nation's armed forces, noting that the former reality TV star "sounds like a 12-year-old — a willful and abusive braggart."

McCaffrey, who received three Purple Heart medals and two Distinguished Service Crosses, attacked Trump's comments about Gold Star parents, including a father who criticized him at the Democratic National Convention, calling the candidate's statements "shameful" and his words about Mr. Khan in particular "cruel."

Donald Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has little understanding of America’s national interests, of its diplomatic challenges and important alliances.  Especially the democratic values on which US foreign policy must be based. At the same time, he compliments our enemies and threatens our allies and friends.

 

Unlike previous Presidents who had limited experience in foreign affairs, such as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Mr. Trump has shown no interest in educating himself.  He continues to display a total ignorance of basic facts of today’s international politics. Despite this lack of knowledge, Mr. Trump claims that he understands foreign affairs and “knows more about ISIS than the generals do.”

 

As Hillary Clinton has responded: “No you don’t Mr. Trump.”

 

With or without someone like Mr. McMullin, more Republicans are realizing that Donald Trump is a nonstarter.

 

And yes, even Hillary Clinton, with all her issues, is better than Donald Trump.

 

 

Better by far.

 

Copyright G.Ater  2016