Whatever happens on November 8, Donald Trump can claim this achievement: His candidacy exposed the fact that the two-party system of Democrats and Republicans is an illusion.
What we have in the U.S. instead is a corrupt polity where Democrat and Republican élites form a single ruling party, as Professor Emeritus Angelo M. Codevilla stunningly asserted in 2010. (See “America’s Bipartisan Ruling Class vs. the People“)
The evidence?
The following list of Republican bigwigs who, by publicly declaring their support for Hillary Clinton — the pathological liar who had accomplished nothing as secretary of state, but violated U.S. laws and jeopardized national security with her unsecured private email server; lied about and left four Americans to die in Benghazi; and supports the absolute “right” of women to kill their unborn — instead of Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump, have peeled away their masks, revealing their true faces.
Here’s a list of the Republican élites who have declared they’ll vote for Hillary:
- Dan Akerson, former chairman and chief executive of General Motors: ‘‘Serving as the leader of the free world requires effective leadership, sound judgment, a steady hand and, most importantly, the temperament to deal with crises large and small. Donald Trump lacks each of these characteristics.’’
- Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist: ‘‘[Silicon] Valley wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be doing any of this if we didn’t have the amazing flow of immigrants that we’ve had in the last 80 years. And the idea of choking that off just makes me sick to my stomach.’’
- Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state and adviser to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush: Trump ‘‘doesn’t appear to be a Republican, he doesn’t appear to want to learn about issues. So I’m going to vote for Mrs. Clinton.’’
- Max Boot, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and adviser to GOP presidential candidates: ‘‘I’m literally losing sleep over Donald Trump. She would be vastly preferable to Trump.’’
- Sally Bradshaw, former top Jeb Bush adviser, who told CNN that she left the GOP and became an independent because of Trump: “As much as I don’t want another four years of Obama’s policies, I can’t look my children in the eye and tell them I voted for Donald Trump.’’
- Arne Carlson, a former two-term Republican governor of Minnesota who supported Obama.
- Jim Cicconi, former Reagan and George H.W. Bush aide: ‘‘Hillary Clinton is experienced, qualified and will make a fine president. The alternative, I fear, would set our nation on a very dark path.’’
- Eliot Cohen, former Bush administration official who has been called “the most influential neocon in academe,” declared Clinton “the lesser evil, by a large margin.”
- Maria Comella, former spokeswoman for governors Chris Christie and Rudy Giuliani: ‘‘Instead of speaking out against instances of bigotry, racism and inflammatory rhetoric whether it’s been against women, immigrants, or Muslims, we made a calculus that it was better to say nothing at all in the interest of politics and winning elections.’’
- Doug Elmets, former Reagan spokesman: ‘‘I could live with four years of Hillary Clinton before I could ever live with one day of Donald Trump as president.’’ Elmets spoke at the Democratic National Convention, along with other Republicans now backing Clinton.
- Mike Fernandez, $4 million to GOP candidates in recent years: ‘‘If I have a choice — and you can put it in bold — if I have a choice between Trump and Hillary Clinton, I’m choosing Hillary. She’s the lesser of two evils.’’
- Charles Fried, US solicitor general under Reagan and current Harvard Law School professor: ‘‘Though long a registered Republican, this will be the third consecutive presidential election in which my party forces the choice between party and, in John McCain’s words, putting America first. . . . It is to [Mitt] Romney’s credit that this year, like John Paulson and George Will, he is standing up against the brutal, substantively incoherent, and authoritarian tendencies of Donald Trump.”
- Richard Hanna, a “moderate” Republican Congressman (NY) who is retiring this year, told The Syracuse Post Standard he will support Hillary because Trump is unfit to lead: “I think Trump is a national embarrassment. Is he really the guy you want to have the nuclear codes?”
- Ben Howe, contributing editor at RedState.com.
- Robert Kagan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; former Reagan State Department aide and adviser to the campaigns of John McCain and Mitt Romney; will vote for Hillary.
- Peter Mansoor, retired Army colonel and former aide to disgraced general David Petraeus: ‘‘It will be the first Democratic presidential candidate I’ve voted for in my adult life.’’
- Hamid Moghadam, chairman and chief executive of Prologis: ‘‘Our country is about tolerance and inclusion and that’s why, as a lifelong Republican supporter, I endorse Hillary Clinton for president in this election.’’
- William Oberndorf, $3 million to GOP candidates since 2012: ‘‘If it is Trump vs. Clinton, and there is no viable third-party candidate, I will be voting for Hillary Clinton.’’
- Henry Paulson, treasury secretary to George W. Bush. Paulson wrote: “When it comes to the presidency, I will not vote for Donald Trump. ‘I will not cast a write-in vote. I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton, with the hope that she can bring Americans together to do the things necessary to strengthen our economy, our environment and our place in the world. To my Republican friends: I know I’m not alone.’’
- Larry Pressler, former three-term Republican senator from South Dakota: ‘‘I can’t believe I’m endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, but I am. If someone had told me 10 years ago I would do this, I wouldn’t have believed them.’’
- Chuck Robbins, chief executive of Cisco.
- Mark Salter, former top adviser to John McCain: ‘‘Whatever Hillary Clinton’s faults, she’s not ignorant or hateful or a nut. She acts like an adult and understands the responsibilities of an American president. That might not be a ringing endorsement. But in 2016, the year of Trump’s s campaign, it’s more than enough.’’
- Kori Schake, National Security Council and State Department aide.
- Robert Smith, former judge on New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals: ‘‘This year, I’m going to vote for a Democrat for president — the first time I’ve done it in 36 years — and I think the decision is easy. Hillary Clinton is the only responsible choice, and I don’t understand why so few of my fellow conservatives see it that way.’’
- Brent Scowcroft, chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and adviser to three previous GOP presidents: ‘‘The presidency requires the judgment and knowledge to make tough calls under pressure . . . [Clinton] has the wisdom and experience to lead our country at this critical time.’’
- Craig Snyder, former chief of staff to then-Republican former senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and also an ex-colleague of former top Trump adviser Roger Stone and current top Trump adviser Paul Manafort.
- Alan Steinberg, regional EPA administrator.
- Mike Treiser, former Mitt Romney aide: ‘‘In the face of bigotry, hatred, violence, and small-mindedness, this time, I’m with her.’’
- Meg Whitman, Hewlett Packard executive; former California gubernatorial contender.
Add to the above list Glenn Beck, the billionaire Koch brothers, Bill Kristol (National Review), Mitt Romney, Karl Rove, and Ben Shapiro (National Review), who, although not declaring they’ll vote for Hillary, are reported to be adamantly opposed to Trump.
Here are the Republicans who will vote for the Libertarian Party’s Johnson-Weld ticket and so effectively assure a Hillary win:
- Martin Avila, CEO of Terra Eclipse, former Digital Campaign Director to former Rep. Ron Paul, member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld’s steering committee.
- Julie Germany, Interim Executive Director of the White Coat Waste Project, former COO of Generation Opportunity, member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Mason Harrison, head of communications for Crowdpac, former strategist for the campaigns of Gov. Mitt Romney and ex-Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Jon Henke, former adviser to US Sen. Fred Thompson, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and former Sen. George Allen; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Dawson Hodgson, former member, RI State Senate; former Rhode Island State Prosecutor; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Cyrus Krohn, former Republican National Committee e-Campaign Director; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Ed Lopez, former national vice chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus; former member of the national campaign at Young Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry; co-chair of Republicans for Johnson-Weld initiative.
- Liz Mair, longtime GOP operative whose group is behind the Facebook ad buy in Utah featuring a racy photo of Melania Trump; the RNC’s first and only online communications director, and has advised US Senator Rand Paul, Governors Scott Walker and Rick Perry, and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina on communications; co-chair of Republicans for Johnson-Weld initiative.
- Kevin Martin, former chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Massachusetts; small business owner; co-chair of Republicans for Johnson-Weld initiative.
- Michael Melendez, former leader of Young Americans for Liberty in Utah and Utah State Central Committee member; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Marco Nunez, Jr., Republican strategist who served on the George W. Bush and John McCain presidential campaigns, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial campaign, and at the Republican National Committee; co-chair of Republicans for Johnson-Weld initiative.
- Moira Bagley Smith, former communications director to Sen. Rand Paul and multiple members of House GOP leadership; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Lyle Stamps, attorney; former White House staffer; leader of Latter-day Saints for Bush during the 2004 election cycle; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Michael Turk, President of Opinion Mover Strategies; former Republican National Committee e-campaign director; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Luke Williams, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author; Vice President at AECOM; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Dan Winslow, former Chief Legal Counsel to MA Gov. Mitt Romney; former member, MA House of Representatives; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
- Keith Velia, finance industry leader; Republican Liberty Caucus of Connecticut Treasurer; Ridgefield Republican Town Committee Associate; member of Republicans for Johnson-Weld steering committee.
Sources: Boston Globe, New York Times, In These Times, Townhall, Republicans for Johnson/Weld 2016.
As The Daily Bell observes:
There is only one party: pro-war and pro-technocratic (corporatist).
The fundamental mythology of US politics is that the Democrats are socialist-oriented and Republicans believe in freedom and individual human rights.
But Hillary is corporatist, not socialist….
Important Republicans call Trump’s stances “brutal, substantively incoherent, and authoritarian.”
Strangely, Hillary’s actions and statements provide evidence of the very authoritarianism and brutality that Trump is being accused of.
When she and her husband entered the White House, one of the very first things Hillary did was fire the staff of the travel office in order to put her own people in place.
She didn’t just fire the staff however, she also tried to get the head of the office, Director Billy Dale, put in jail for embezzlement. He was subsequently found not guilty and Hillary herself was investigated for initiating the firings and making false accusations.
Her intimidation and blackmailing of her husband’s lovers is well known by this point- and thus her campaign’s emphasis on “women’s rights” is ironic to say the least.
Her voting record and statements reveal an individual who is most comfortable with US serial wars abroad, no matter the reason (or lack of reasons).
Additional accusations against Hillary and her husband include violence and even murder of individuals whose interests diverged from theirs.
Most notably, Hillary has been accused of orchestrating the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster.
None of this seems to register with Republicans who are “crossing over”….
Conclusion: Whatever else takes place during this federal election, the disintegration of the credibility of the two-party system is perhaps the most important development of all.
See also:
- Billionaires at that secret ‘Stop Trump’ Sea Island meeting
- GOP’s fear of Trump exposes the party’s abject corruption
- David Stockman: Wall St.-Washington establishment petrified by Donald Trump
- WND‘s “What conservatives are facing now is a Waterloo,” on the GOP establishment’s revenge.
- Trump’s acceptance speech pivots on America & Americans first
- President Trump would purge federal government of Obama appointees
- 5 reasons why Democrat docu-maker Michael Moore thinks Trump will win
~Eowyn
