By Sal Bommarito

The current state of the Republican Party is the talk of the town. In short, Donald Trump is leading and needs to obtain about 55% of the remaining delegates to lock up the nomination.

But, Trump’s march to the presidency is not going to be without peril. Acquiring the requisite delegates is not a sure thing as his popularity is waning. Ted Cruz and John Kasich have increased in the polls dramatically since Bush, Rubio and Carson suspended their campaigns.

In particular, Kaisch is expected to do well in midwest and western states while Cruz will hold his own among his conservative base of support. Jointly, they need to acquire about 45% of the remaining delegates to force a contested convention.

Republicans should be thoughtful about supporting Trump and giving into their desire to change the status quo in Washington. Disappointment and disgust among the populace has taken Trump to this point. The problem is that recent polls suggest that Trump will lose big time to Hillary Clinton in the general election. Clinton has been pounding away on Trump’s demeanor, outrageous statements, wild promises and vicious attacks on women, immigrants and his competitors. This strategy is gaining traction.

Unhappy Trump supporters may enjoy a temporary rush if the Donald wins the nomination but will be unfulfilled when Clinton trounces him in November. A derivative impact of this likelihood is the possibility that either or both houses of Congress could be lost.  Democrat congressional candidates will ride the coattails of a Clinton landslide victory.

Exacerbating the situation further is the impending appointment of a new Supreme Court justice. The new member of the court nominated by President Hillary Clinton will certainly be more liberal than Obama’s nominee. This eventuality would dramatically effect every aspect of our lives for decades as the court’s decisions would be dominated by a newly formed liberal bloc. Keep in mind that there are a few other elderly justices who might opt to retire, or pass away during an eight year Clinton presidency giving her opportunities to fill the court with more liberal justices.

There’s a lot on the table that Trump supporters may not be taking into consideration. I would add that a Trump presidency, if he somehow pulls it off, could be equally as terrible as a Clinton administration. It’s just a bad idea to elect an unpredictable, inexperienced egomaniac to be president.

All this can be avoided if the voters in the remaining Republican primaries, who currently favor Trump, consider the potential ramifications of supporting him. He will lose to Clinton by a large margin (current polls indicate that Cruz and Kasich would defeat Clinton), the House and Senate could flip to the Democrats in a Clinton landslide victory and Clinton will surely select an ultra-liberal justice to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Republican voters in the upcoming primaries should cast their ballots for Cruz or Kasich. The only thing that matters is that Trump not obtain 1,237 delegates before the convention. If he does not, the convention will be contested opening the possibility of a more desirable candidate who can beat Clinton.

Beyond the first round at the convention, most delegates can vote for whomever they wish. Obvious choices besides Trump are Kasich, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney. Regarding Cruz, Republicans need to consider whether they really want an ultra-conservative, inexperienced senator who is derided by most of his colleagues in the Senate.

This is it. Time is running short. The next few primaries will be critical to the growing effort to waylay Trump’s candidacy. Do the right thing voters. Don’t cast your ballots for Trump.

By Sal Bommarito

Many people are saying that the Republican primary contest is all but over. Not so fast, a new poll by Fox shows Trump in the lead against Cruz and Kasich, but the trend lines are not favorable for him.

Fox asked Republican voters, “Who would you like to see as the Republican presidential candidate?” The result of the poll was:

Trump     41%

Cruz         38%

Kasich     17%

It should be noted that Cruz and Kasich’s percentages have doubled since February, while Trump is up a mere 5 points. Bush, Carson and Rubio dropped out of the race during this period of time.

In general election head to head match-ups against Clinton, the polls were very revealing. They were:

Trump     38%

Clinton    49%

 

Cruz         47%

Clinton   44%

 

Kasich    51%*

Clinton   40%

*Kasich has a 36-point advantage among independents. He was selected by 17% of Democrats, the largest among the Republican contenders.

This data indicates that Kasich would be the best candidate, by far, to face Clinton. And, he is the most likely candidate to find support from outside the Republican Party.

Before anyone gets too worked up about these poll results, there are a few things you should keep in mind. The first issue is that Kasich cannot get 1,237 delegates before the convention. The only way he can become the nominee is if the Republican convention is contested, meaning that none of the three candidates reach 1,237 delegates. Given that Kasich runs the best against Clinton, he should receive a lot of attention if the convention goes beyond the first round ballot.

Another fact is that both Trump and Cruz could still get to 1,237 (Cruz is a very long shot) before the convention. If neither man reaches the magic number, logic would have you believe that one of them would be the odds on favorite to win in subsequent ballots, and not Kasich. Ironically, if Kasich drops out of the race after the first ballot and endorses one of the two others, they would likely win the nomination. This is a very powerful position to occupy.

And finally, another cloud hangs over the convention. If Trump feels that he is being treated unfairly, he could elect to run as an independent drawing general election votes from the Republican nominee. This would surely give the election to Clinton.

Frankly, the thought of any of these contingencies, and not a Trump victory on the first ballot, is very enticing. A victory by Kasich as a unity candidate would be a windfall. It would be beneficial for Republicans to have a president that is an experienced statesman and well versed in the economy and foreign affairs. And, it would be terrific to have a  nominee who can beat Clinton.

 

By Sal Bommarito

The most interesting question floating around the media is, who’s responsible for the evolution of Donald Trump?

The revulsion to Trump‘s ideas, tactics, demeanor and belligerence by the press, many politicians from both sides of the aisle, 100% of liberals and more than 50% of Republicans is stunning. Yet, he continues to rack up more delegates each week in the primaries. It makes one wonder how this guy is going to win the election with such poor approval ratings.

Probably the greatest issue that helps Trump is the continuing paralysis of government. For most of Obama’s tenure, the two parties have been fighting tooth and nail. The result has been a government that has been unable to deal with domestic problems. Immigration, defense, health care, income inequality and so many more issues have not been addressed. In the meantime, crazy religious fanatics are threatening us on our own soil.

Along comes Trump to save the day. He’s a can-do kind of businessman. He does deals and builds skyscrapers and golf courses. He even starred in a reality TV program that showcased his ability to operate at a conference table while everyone fawns over him.

Trump screams that all politicians, including the establishment of his own party, are incompetent and generally stupid. By consistently asserting that those who govern us need to be replaced with a real man , he’s caught the loving attention of about 40% (my number) of Republicans and won a lot of primaries.

If you think about who was originally competing in the aforementioned primaries, you will note that every well-known candidate who was deemed part of the establishment, except for John Kasich, was ousted. Jeb Bush was the hands down favorite when all this insanity began a year ago. He was one of the first tossed out on his ear because he represented the past (and was too sleepy to compete with Trump on stage).

Now, political correctness and comity have been discarded. The worst of both conservatives and liberals is preparing for hand-to-hand combat at rallies, primaries and the Republican convention. Mudslinging, denigrating insults and false accusations are winning the day.

Donald Trump is making hay because both political parties lost their way. Liberals want more leniency for illegal aliens and more money for welfare. Conservatives alienate most minorities, people of color and women. Both parties created a toxic atmosphere that has made it impossible for our government to do business.

The president, from day one of his tenure, denigrated the opposition, lost his majorities in Congress, led from behind in the Middle East and spectacularly did nothing to improve America.

Why is Donald Trump doing so well? It’s because all the current politicians have done such a lousy job for at least the last eight years.

By Sal Bommarito

Surprise! Donald Trump and his minions are adamantly opposed to a contested convention because they say it will be unfair to the leading primary candidate (who will probably be Trump).

Too bad for the Trump people, the current rules of the Republican Convention require the winner to garner 1,237 delegates in the first ballot. If no candidate can reach this level, most delegates will probably be free to vote for whomever they wish in subsequent ballots.

Trump advocates are claiming that the GOP will collapse if the ultimate nominee is not someone currently competing in the primaries. This is clearly nonsense. Abraham Lincoln won the Republican nomination in 1860 at a contested convention. That worked out pretty well for America, and didn’t hurt the Republican Party. Hubert Humphrey was nominated in a contested convention in 1968. He lost the election, but the Democratic Party survived.

Trump has been saying there would be a backlash at a contested convention. Say what? Is Trump threatening to sabotage the GOP by running as an independent, if he is denied ? Or, will he encourage his loyal delegates to riot at the convention and threaten delegates who vote for others?

This is precisely the reason why Trump is unfit to be our president. He can’t deal with anyone who disagrees with his perspectives, and anyone who refuses to kiss his you know what. What’s going to happen when a head of state tells Trump to take a hike? Will Trump put our military on high alert and threaten an invasion?

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. In case you haven’t read the newspaper for the past ten months, there are many organizations and important individuals that are freaking out at the thought of a Trump administration. Some are speaking out publicly and supporting efforts to denigrate Trump.

Wealthy people of all political persuasions are donating millions trying to stymie Trump as he continues to round up more delegates across the country. It could be too little, too late. Some of the conservative PACs include Our Principles PAC and Veterans Against the Deal. Liberal groups that protested in Chicago include the Illinois Coalition of Immigrants and Refugee Rights and La Raza.

Prominent conservatives, such as Erik Erickson, are calling for a Unity Ticket that might include Cruz and Kasich .

Marco Rubio, after suspending his campaign, said that Trump’s nomination “would fracture the party and be damaging to the conservative movement.”

Paul Singer, hedge fund manager, and the Ricketts family said “the real Donald Trump had not been unmasked to the American public.”

Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard said “[Trump] was driving an agenda of hate and intolerance.”

And, of course, there is Mitt Romney who said, “Trump belongs on 3 a.m. infomercials, not here (image of the White House).” He also accused Trump of being a fraud.

For anyone who gives a crap about what celebrities say, the list of those that are offended by Trump’s tactics and comments is exhaustive, not surprising because most are ultra-liberals. It includes  Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Bob Schieffer (CBS News), Robert DeNiro and Whoopi Goldberg. Corporations that have reacted to Trump include: Univision, Macy*s, NBC and the City of New York.

Donald Trump’s rise to power is a result of a perfect storm. The U.S. economy collapsed. Huge deficits resulted from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The Tea Party arose in 2009-2010. Americans have grown to hate Congress more each year. Terrorist activity has accelerated. Generally, Americans feel like they have lost control of their lives.

Along comes Donald Trump, and he plays upon America’s vulnerability. He declares that he alone can make America great again. But, what’s this based upon? His experience? No. His diplomacy? No. His demeanor and ability to relate to others? No. You just gotta believe him without reservation. How many suckers have believed Trump in the past? Plenty, I’ll bet.

The situation has reached DEFCON 1. Trump is going to get the Republican nomination unless Americans voting in the upcoming primaries stand up and fight back. If this does not happen, the best we can hope for is that Trump loses in November. The worst outcome is that he becomes president for four years.

 

By Sal Bommarito

The impending Supreme Court battle between Senate Republicans and President Obama is too juicy of an issue to ignore. It could have a huge impact on the 2016 elections and the direction of the Supreme Court for many years.

The controversy is based upon Obama’s latest attempt to stick it to his opponents and use all measures, regardless of the damage it may cause to our country and our political system, to cement his reputation as the smartest person on Earth.

Frankly, there’s ample risk for both sides to move forward or wait and allow the new president to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by the death of Antonin Scalia.

For Republicans, if they move ahead and approve the nomination of Judge Merrick B. Garland, the court will surely be more liberal as he would replace a staunch conservative. If they refuse to consider the nomination until after the new president takes office, the risk is that a Clinton victory could result in a much more liberal nomination.

For Democrats, pushing forward now even after Republican leaders have said they would not consider the nomination, would deny them the opportunity to add a more liberal judge in a Clinton presidency. But, Obama and senators like Chuck Schumer believe there are great political gains that could be accrued from this ploy. They think that by continually saying Senate Republicans are not meeting their constitutional responsibilities (considering Garland’s nomination), it could result in an election windfall. Democrats aim to regain control of the Senate along with winning the presidency. As an aside, the Constitution doesn’t impose any time constraints on a Supreme Court appointment for the president or the Senate.

Unfortunately, all this additional craziness is going to divert voters from the most important issue at hand, selecting a new president. The discourse between the candidates has been unnerving to this point to say the least, so another thing for voters to consider will only make their decisions more complicated.

There is one other important sideshow relating to Garland’s nomination. Obama is clearly using him as a political football, especially if the president believes that the current Senate will not approve him. What happens to this judge’s reputation if Republican senators never interview him? And, if his nomination is tabled until after a Clinton victory, the new president will surely want to make her own more liberal choice. Garland will be cast aside, further damaging his career. Either Obama is setting up Garland up, or Garland has not thought this through. Both of these contingencies are pathetic.

So, what’s going to happen? Obama has already been successful diverting attention from the election to himself. Yet, it’s not clear how this helps Hillary Clinton. Therefore, I can only conclude that Obama is most concerned about his damned legacy, again. He obviously wanted to get back into the news, and he was successful. Moving forward, it’s a game of chicken. Who’s going to relent first? Already some Senate Republicans are saying that perhaps Garland should be kept on ice until the presidential election results are in. If a Republican wins, Garland would be discarded. If Clinton wins, Garland could be approved to avoid and even more liberal nomination by the new president.

The plot thickens.

By Sal Bommarito

Today is a big day for Republican primaries. Florida (99 delegates), Illinois (182), Missouri (84) North Carolina (121) and Ohio (159) voters will be going to the polls. Florida and Ohio are most important for the candidates because they are winner take all contests, while the others allot delegates proportionately in line with the percent of voters won by each candidate.

Florida is the home state of Marco Rubio. Most people believe he will suspend his campaign if he is unsuccessful. Current polls have Rubio about 17-25 percentage points behind Donald Trump. Yet, many talking heads are saying the polls are not reflective of the sentiment in Florida and the support of Rubio (could just be wishful thinking).

Ohio is the home state of John Kasich. He  has announced that he will drop out of the race if he does not win the primary. Current polls have Kasich 0-6 percentage points ahead of Trump.

Because the other states will award delegates proportionately, the candidates will not increase or decrease their relative position significantly. However, if Trump continues to collect delegates (as either a first or second place finisher), he will soon reach the 1,237 delegates necessary to lock up the nomination. The winner take all states have a much more dramatic impact on the race.

Rubio and Kasich know that victories today will not enable them to attain the delegates needed to win the nomination. Instead, they are hoping to prevent Trump from achieving a majority. As has been widely reported, this will result in a brokered convention, meaning that most delegates will be able to vote for anyone they wish after the first ballot.

Many are saying that the current backlash against Donald Trump might cause a meaningful number of delegates to support other candidates in subsequent ballots. Similarly, Cruz’s position would be weak because he is not a favorite of the party establishment, many of whom are delegates or would be influencing them.

The hope of an increasing group of Republicans is that Kasich will be selected in a brokered convention over Trump and Cruz. Other possibilities include Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney.

The situation will become very complicated if the convention is brokered. For one thing, Donald Trump may feel that the Republican establishment is stealing the nomination away from him. For sure, he will think he is deserving of it because he will likely have the most delegates in the first ballot. If this comes to pass, Trump could run as an independent. This would thwart the Republican nominee because Trump will draw Republican voters in the probable matchup with Hillary Clinton.

Kasich would be a logical choice, but Ryan and Romney could also have a lot of support. Frankly, being Speaker of the House is not the ideal position to be in if you have presidential aspirations; one makes a lot of enemies in this role. Therefore, Ryan may be interested if the convention solicits him.

Romney could be a sentimental choice. Perhaps Republicans can be convinced that he learned from his unsuccessful and disappointing campaign in 2012. Romney certainly has done his part to discourage Republicans away from Trump during this election cycle.

Before any of you anti-Trump fans get too excited, the odds of this all happening are not great. In fact, if Trump wins Florida and Ohio, we should wheel in the fat lady to sing; it will be over. If Kasich wins in Ohio and Rubio loses to Trump in Florida, there would still be a glimmer of hope that Trump would not reach the 1,237 number.

The important thing to remember is that Trump’s demeanor and aggressive behavior appears to be coming home to roost. He cannot even conduct a rally without violence perpetrated by radical right and left wing provocateurs. Some are beginning to understand that Trump’s version of politics is too extreme for America.

By Sal Bommarito

I don’t know about you, but I’m becoming quite distressed about the presidential campaign. It’s hard to believe that the current pacesetters have such poor character and are so divisive.

Today, the topic is once again Donald Trump’s unimaginable march towards the White House. We’ve been listening to the man make promises he won’t be able to keep for many months, and the press have yet to call him on it. He continues to blather about issues he knows nothing about like tax reform and Social Security. And, he denigrates Muslims, Mexicans, women and all establishment politicians. None of his rhetoric is good for the country.

Every day, I scratch my head in amazement thinking about him representing America in conversations with world leaders. Does he know how to be polite with people who disagree with him? Or will he call them losers and stupid.

Take Mexico. Only two countries border the U.S., and Trump has already managed to piss off one of them. The current and former presidents of Mexico have indicated there is no way Mexico will pay for his wall.

Wake up America. The man is unqualified intellectually and emotionally to be president. Trump has an uncanny ability to stir up the most negative and xenophobic fervor in America. These kind of people are turning up regularly at his pep rallies.

Trump brings out the worst in some of us. He hasn’t even won the nomination and had to cancel a speech in Chicago. It was deemed to be too dangerous. Crazy Trump supporters and outraged protesters looking for trouble made the assembly explosive. What’s going to happen when Trump’s groupies clash with Hillary’s followers? Sensitivities and tension should be high.

A violent and uninformed man is threatening our nation and our way of life. Many are standing by and allowing it to happen. A vote for Trump is not a vote for prosperity and peace. He will drive us all bonkers with inane and ill-conceived proposals that will supposedly make America great again. But, this won’t happen. America will be the laughing stock of the international community with Trump at the helm.

I dread the day that President Trump addresses the General Assembly at the United Nations for the first time. President Obama has already angered the rest of the world with his indecisiveness and arrogance. Just imagine the response to a Trump speech on any topic.

America is at a crossroads. Trump must not win in Florida or Ohio, if he is to be stopped at all. America is depending on Rubio and Kasich to be victorious in their home states. Currently, Rubio is behind by single digits and Kasich is leading in his state. Good luck fellows!

 

By Sal Bommarito

Hillary Clinton is running for president, again. She’s on a mission to extend the Clinton dynasty.

As Clinton changed jobs over the years, attorney, to First Lady of Arkansas, to First Lady of America, to senator, to secretary of state and now to president, she and her husband have been tied to many scandals and even more allegations. Yet, Democrat diehards are indefatigable in their support of Hillary.

The story of Hillary and Bill’s exploits go way back. Many new voters are were not born or were too young to appreciate some of the things the Clintons were accused of, suspected of and investigated for over the years. In all fairness, prosecutors often fell on their faces, and some were encouraged by the powers that be to drop charges. But, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Last May, the magazine Whistleblower published an article that listed “Hillary’s 22 Biggest Scandals Ever.” I pared the list down and condensed each explanation greatly in the interests of brevity. Additionally, I stipulate upfront that the magazine appears to be very anti-Clinton.

The resultant list should cause a prudent voter to step back and reconsider her or his support of Hillary in the 2016 election.

This election cycle has proven that voters can turn a blind eye to even the most egregious behavior, when you consider the backgrounds and commentary of Hillary and her likely opponent in 2016. In any case, I think voters should not ignore history that for Hillary includes a lot of shady dealing and distortion of the truth.

And so, here are the abridged scandals for your perusal. If you want the full narrative, bring up the article using the link provided earlier.

• Clinton’s use of IRS for personal vendettas- IRS files were used to “harass and exact revenge on political enemies.”
• Covering up Bill’s dirty deeds- The Clinton’s pattern was to “stalk, scare and threaten . . . women such as Genifer Flowers, Kathleen Wiley and Paula Jones.”
• Looting the White House- In 2001, the Clintons reportedly “vandalized” the White House of furniture and gifts worth $190,000. Additionally, the Clintons “auctioned off and sold taxpayer-financed goods and services in exchange for political campaign contributions and personal profit.”
• Filegate- The Clintons obtained FBI files on personal adversaries.
• Emailgate- Hillary kept her official correspondence as secretary of state on a private mail server located in her home. An investigation has proven that top-secret information was communicated in unsecured emails. These actions could result in felony indictments of Hillary and her aides.
• Travelgate- The White House travel staff was fired and replaced by Clinton cronies.
• Whitewater- A failed Arkansas land deal involving the Clintons resulted in the failure of Madison County Savings and Loan. This financial fraud caused several Clinton friends to go to jail including a former Arkansas governor and two municipal judges. The Clinton’s dodged prosecution.
• Landing under sniper fire in Bosnia- Hillary lied about visiting Bosnia and encountering sniper fire. It was proven to be untrue by news footage.
• Pardongate- Prior to leaving the White House, Bill granted many pardons, including the convicted tax evader Marc Rich, whose wife was a major contributor to Hillary’s senatorial campaign.
• Hillary had a 9787% profit from a cattle futures transaction. Tyson Foods, a large Clinton donor, helped Hillary earn over $97,000 from the transaction.
• Hillary Iran fundraising- Hillary’s Foundation received more than $50,000 from a foundation liked to the Iran government.
• The Clinton Foundation- Allegedly, funds have been misused.
• Benghazi- Four Americans including the ambassador to Libya were killed by terrorists. Hillary has been accused of “dereliction of duty.”

I’m amazed by the resilience of certain candidates. They seem to be immune to the stigma of bad behavior and inappropriate comments made. These should be part of a voter’s assessment of a candidate’s character and ability to lead.

By Sal Bommarito

There are only two contingencies that may prevent Donald Trump from being nominated by the Republican Party.

One scenario is that Ted Cruz wins a high percentage of the remaining delegates and defeats Trump. The other is if neither Trump nor Cruz can win a majority of delegates, and it results in a brokered convention.

Cruz isn’t expected to do well in the northern and western states unless a few recent wins creates greater momentum for him. So, the chances of him winning a majority of delegates in the primaries are slim to none.

If Trump doesn’t win a majority of the delegates, many believe he will not be elected in a brokered convention. For a brokered convention to be a possible, Rubio must win Florida, and Kasich must win Ohio. Both are home states to these candidates, and both are winner-take-all.

Trump and Cruz are dreading the eventuality of a brokered convention. This will occur if no candidate is able to amass 1,237 delegates before the first ballot. The delegates must vote based on the results of the primaries and the caucuses in the first round. Thereafter, they may vote for anyone they choose.

Given that Trump’s star is waning as the Republican establishment and wealthy donors attack him, a brokered convention would not be ideal for his candidacy. Many delegates committed to Trump currently will likely abandon him in the inevitable back room negotiations.

Cruz has too many enemies to be successful in a brokered convention. Many believe he has the lowest odds of being drafted in a later ballot.

The big question is how will Trump react? Well, there’s no reason for us to expect that the man will be loyal to the party and support another drafted candidate . Trump might opt to take the low road feeling mistreated by the party and run as an independent. This would likely give the election to Clinton, as Trump will draw many votes from the brokered nominee.

Cruz is already saying that a brokered convention is patently unfair, and that it would enable the “establishment” to usurp the will of primary voters. This is a bogus argument and self-serving given that all the delegates will be voting in a democratic forum to select a candidate. Frankly, the winner cannot be “ordained” by the party bigwigs.

So what does a brokered convention mean to the candidates? It means that neither Trump nor Cruz is going to be the Republican nominee. It’s possible that Rubio could rise from the ashes with a big win in Florida, but unlikely.

Delegates will have to find another more suitable candidate. The possibilities include John Kasich, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney along with a plethora of other rarely mentioned names. In any case, none of the politicians that were formerly in the race would have much appeal at this point.

Ironically, the success of a brokered candidate in the general election is very dependent upon Trump. Many believe he will be the one who decides who wins. If he runs as an independent, Hillary will probably win. If he supports the brokered candidate, a Republican will be in the White House in January.

One final note. I experienced the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. V.P. Hubert Humphrey, who had not entered any of the primaries, won in a brokered convention defeating peace activist Eugene McCarthy. The Vietnam War and huge demonstrations outside the convention center, the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and the decision of Lyndon Johnson not to run greatly impacted the political landscape.

I believe a brokered convention would generate great interest throughout the country. Unlike some, I predict that it will unify the Republican Party. The only wild card will be Donald Trump and whether he lives up to his promise to support the ultimate Republican candidate.

 

 

 

By Sal Bommarito

About nine months ago, Republicans had a good option- Jeb Bush. He was a successful governor and is a cerebral politician. Unfortunately, Jeb was unable to excite the conservative electorate even though he was backed by large financial supporters. Republicans have been left in a lurch with a motley group of unqualified candidates.

For about nine months, Donald Trump has stoked voter disenchantment against “the establishment.” He convinced Republicans that all politicians were stupid and incompetent, literally. Trump said he was qualified to be the leader of the free world because he amassed a ten billion net worth, and he’s a seasoned deal maker after negotiating numerous real estate and golf course transactions.

What were Trump’s supporters thinking? What are they still thinking? Republicans should not abandon the party establishment. They need its political savvy and experience to beat down the Clinton scourge of distortions, lies and radical liberalism. And most important, the establishment is the repository of really great candidates.

Since the 1960s, young people relished the opportunity to stick it to the man. The issues of those days were much different than today. Many young men were being drafted into the military, killed and maimed in an inane war. And, African Americans were courageously fighting for equality. In the 21^st Century, it is different.

Social inequities still exist. Racism continues to plague us. But, our lives have improved greatly over the past half-century. It was made possible because America bestowed upon us several great leaders. We continue to have great men and women ready to serve the country, but we must seek them out and not settle for fast-talking grifters who try to dazzle us with deception and false hope.

Experimenting with real estate developers and first term senators who have not yet made their bones is a recipe for disaster. Electing a woman who has pivoted to the extreme left and consistently twists the truth is insane. Yet, our next president could come from this group.

It appears that Republican may have finally come to their senses and recognized that electing an amateur, with so many issues threatening our way of life and our freedom, is not a good idea. Romney has spoken out and exposed Trump for what he really is. Many other conservative leaders are stepping up and suggesting that the current slate of candidates falls short of what America deserves.

But, it may be too late. What are the odds that Trump doesn’t gain a majority of delegates before the convention? If he doesn’t, what are the odds that a really qualified candidate can emerge during the convention? If spurned at the convention, will Trump run as an independent ensuring a Democratic victory in the general election?

The movement against the establishment by Republicans and Democrats is ill conceived. We are trying to elect the next president of the United States. America needs a strong experienced leader who can deal with the perils that confront us.

Our economy is fragile. Our security is being threatened. Our health care is in shambles and slowly bankrupting the country. We better look to the establishment for a qualified leader before we elect another disappointing president.