General Discussion

kpete

(72,060 posts) Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:39 PM Jul 2016

Daniel Pipes: Why I just quit the Republican Party

Daniel Pipes:

The Republican Party nominated Donald Trump as its candidate for president of the United States - and I responded by ending my 44-year GOP membership.

Here's why I bailed, quit, and jumped ship:

.............

Fourth, the conservative movement, to which I belong, has developed since the 1950s into a major intellectual force. It did so by building on several key ideas (limited government, a moral order, and a foreign policy reflecting American interests and values). But the cultural abyss and constitutional nightmare of a Trump presidency will likely destroy this delicate creation. Ironically, although a Hillary Clinton presidency threatens bad Supreme Court justices, it would leave the conservative movement intact.

Finally, Trump is "an ignorant, amoral, dishonest and manipulative, misogynistic, philandering, hyper-litigious, isolationist, protectionist blowhard" in the words of Republican donor Michael K. Vlock. That charming list of qualities means supporting Trump translates into never again being able to criticize a Democrat on the basis of character. Or, in personal terms: How can one look at oneself in the mirror?

And so, with Trump's formal nomination, I bailed.

For the Republican Party to recover its soul, Trump needs to be thumped in November. Purged of his influence, the party of Lincoln and Reagan can rebuild.

In the meantime, I shall support other Republican candidates, notably Pennsylvania's excellent Sen. Pat Toomey. As for president? Either the libertarian Gary Johnson, a write-in candidate, or no one at all.

Daniel Pipes has served in five presidential administrations

MORE:
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160722_Daniel_Pipes__With_Trump_as_nominee__time_to_quit_the_GOP.html

17 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Daniel Pipes: Why I just quit the Republican Party (Original Post) kpete Jul 2016 OP

Let's hope many others follow. n/t Chemisse Jul 2016 #1

I am sure there are a lot of people PatSeg Jul 2016 #4

Wasn't Pipes a co-conspirator with Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld in the PNAC ? Trajan Jul 2016 #2

He's a bit of a piece of work himself. MH1 Jul 2016 #8

You betcha he was. Also, the very first person to talk about hitting Iraq the week of 9/11. hedda_foil Jul 2016 #10

His four keys are all BS, that's his problem. He wasted his life on BS and Trump IS THE PARTY Johonny Jul 2016 #3

Not sure about him and PNAC, but elleng Jul 2016 #5

Not impressed. Daniel Pipes is a dirtbag. tenderfoot Jul 2016 #6

piss on Daniel Pipes anyway. KG Jul 2016 #7

Gary Johnson's numbers should really start to climb in the next week or two. roamer65 Jul 2016 #9

I think that Johnson..... chillfactor Jul 2016 #11

Exodus - to Hillary? Ruby the Liberal Jul 2016 #13

The fact that our party -DWS excluded, of course- is showing some sanity on cannabis policy Warren DeMontague Jul 2016 #14

Wow! A shitbag shitting on a shitbag Stinky The Clown Jul 2016 #12

"major intellectual fArce" awoke_in_2003 Jul 2016 #15

thank you for fixing that rather glaring typo. niyad Jul 2016 #16

... awoke_in_2003 Jul 2016 #17

Chemisse

(30,825 posts)

1. Let's hope many others follow. n/t

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:44 PM

Jul 2016

PatSeg

(47,773 posts)

4. I am sure there are a lot of people

Reply to Chemisse (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:45 PM

Jul 2016

who feel the same way, but are less vocal.

Trajan

(19,089 posts)

2. Wasn't Pipes a co-conspirator with Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld in the PNAC ?

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:44 PM

Jul 2016

I could swear I've heard that name before ...

MH1

(17,635 posts)

8. He's a bit of a piece of work himself.

Reply to Trajan (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:51 PM

Jul 2016

That statement about Toomey should make it clear enough.

And yes he's made the rounds of neocon activities, although I couldn't say exactly which ones, I sure know the name Daniel Pipes.

The great thing about this is that it is one less vote for Trump and potentially more lost votes for Don the Con, as Pipes is a well-known winger that probably has a following. The not so great thing about it is that it isn't some epiphany that it might be nice to join the side of decency, oh no. He's still a wingnut, just a wingnut not voting for Trump.

hedda_foil

(16,379 posts)

10. You betcha he was. Also, the very first person to talk about hitting Iraq the week of 9/11.

Reply to Trajan (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:53 PM

Jul 2016

I saw it myself on CNN at most 5 days after the attack, and thought what the hell is going on with this nutjob.

Johonny

(20,974 posts)

3. His four keys are all BS, that's his problem. He wasted his life on BS and Trump IS THE PARTY

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:45 PM

Jul 2016

a boo and hoo to this man.

elleng

(131,442 posts)

5. Not sure about him and PNAC, but

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:48 PM

Jul 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Pipes

tenderfoot

(8,443 posts)

6. Not impressed. Daniel Pipes is a dirtbag.

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:49 PM

Jul 2016

eom

KG

(28,753 posts)

7. piss on Daniel Pipes anyway.

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:50 PM

Jul 2016

roamer65

(36,748 posts)

9. Gary Johnson's numbers should really start to climb in the next week or two.

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:52 PM

Jul 2016

There's going to be an exodus out of the Rethug party.

chillfactor

(7,595 posts)

11. I think that Johnson.....

Reply to roamer65 (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 08:59 PM

Jul 2016

is getting close to the percentage needed to be included in the presidential debates.

Ruby the Liberal

(26,219 posts)

13. Exodus - to Hillary?

Reply to roamer65 (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 09:10 PM

Jul 2016

From that link:

Ironically, although a Hillary Clinton presidency threatens bad Supreme Court justices, it would leave the conservative movement intact.

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

14. The fact that our party -DWS excluded, of course- is showing some sanity on cannabis policy

Reply to roamer65 (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 21, 2016, 09:12 PM

Jul 2016

cuts into basically the ONLY argument the Libertarians have with sane non Ayn Rand types, namely that the government has no business continuing to put millions of people in prison for shit like smoking weed.

As long as liberal is synonymous in the public mind with the freedom of people to make their own life choices, read or watch what they want, or do what they want with their own bodies, the (L) Party will primarily be a threat to the Republicans, not us.