When Donald Trump proposed a simple border wall and tighter immigration enforcement, a gobsmacked “conservative” electorate were stunned to see the entire political universe of people, who most thought would align with such basic tenets, flip 180° and begin stating: “walls don’t work”, “we need open borders”, and “deportations are unfair”….

In July 2015 it was weird to see the “conservative” pundits and professional class expose their true intents so quickly.

Many couldn’t fathom what they were witnessing.  We called this the “Trump Effect”.

In essence Trump exposes the hypocritical nature of the deceivers simply by affirming an intent to give them what they’ve advocated for.  In doing so Trump puts sunlight on their hidden ideology, and forces them out of the shadows.

Remarkably, Trump is doing it again with comments about NATO, Turkey, the EU and a reconsideration of the U.S. role in Europe.

It’s simply an incredible thing to witness.

If we follow the current Democrat arguments to their logical conclusion, we now see liberals shifted to demanding a war against Russia, because Turkey via Erdogan has gone full Islamist and is also a NATO “ally”.

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Say what you will about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, but he carries a political sense that is highly accurate and in tune with the sense of the electorate.

Immediately following Ted Cruz’s epic convention speech implosion, Christie was questioned by CNN’s Dana Bash.  Christie succinctly summarizes the event, the audience reaction, and more importantly the reasoning therein.  He is 100% spot on.  Watch:

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This series has been previously published. It seems a good time to bring it back again. Originally Sharon worked with Cetera to publish these posts, and all work is done by both of them. I am just copying these posts to give us all a chance to review them again, and some of our newer readers may not have seen them.

Our friend, Cetera, left this comment in a thread earlier this week and I think it serves well as an introduction to his spirit and concern that we find ways to stand fast and encourage one another:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

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The natural…

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Before Ted Cruz walked onto the convention stage in Cleveland, Donald Trump had a very good idea what was about to happen.  Without pre-planning, or staged set-ups, Trump knew what to expect because Donald Trump has an exceptional political sense; he knows how to read his adversaries.

Throughout his life, Ted Cruz has exhibited a character of division; entirely tone-deaf to the people he encounters and leaves in his wake.  Those who knew Cruz in grade school and college have talked about how Cruz’s abrasive personality made him a lonely person despite his intellect.

Toxic abrasiveness is the same reason why President George W Bush would not elevate Ted Cruz in the White House 2001-2005.  Attorney Cruz was 30-years-old and arrogantly thought he should have been a candidate for Attorney General; unfortunately, no-one else did.

Years later it was toxic abrasiveness that drove candidate Ted Cruz to run for Senate in 2011 – to show those same political voices he carried a stronger political tool box than he was ever given credit for. (more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “2016 Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Presidential Race and/or any of the candidates therein.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Day three of the convention provided some exceptional speeches:

Eric Trump

Laura Ingraham:

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It’s called self immolation.  July 20th 2016 will go down in Cruz family history as that moment when Ted Cruz detonated his career suicide belt and created the #NeverCruz movement.

Forget the non endorsement, that’s not the issue.  Senator Cruz had a remarkable opportunity, he blew it.  Cruz accepted an invitation to speak to the GOP convention then insulted the audience.  Cruz couldn’t rise above his own brutal ego and petty selfishness.  The arrogance simply went too far, he humiliated himself in front of millions.

Watch and see for yourself:

It happened just like we predicted it would.  Donald Trump gave Senator Ted Cruz the rope, and Ted hung himself -diminished himself- on national TV.

Don’t be too angry…  The backlash Cruz is going to get from his prideful and arrogant display will be written in the annals of political history and shared with political science classes for generations.

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