An Alternative to Donald Trump - Independent Conservative Candidate - Evan McMullin

Authoritarians like @realDonaldTrump use promises of law & order to justify infringing on civil rights as they consolidate control by force.

First Morrel. now McMullin. Do CIA employees believe that the American people don't know what they do? I grant that maybe a lot of voters don't know that the CIA used to (and probably still does) smuggle drugs into the US, but anyone of voting age should remember the CIA spying on Congressmen. And anyone who knows just a little about the CIA should know that they help overthrow democratically elected governments as a matter of course, replacing them with brutal dictatorships. That's just the tip of the iceberg for the illegal and immoral actions committed by the CIA. Why anyone would trust anything a CIA agent has to say is beyond me.

That being said, it would be nice to see viable alternatives for both Trump and Clinton. I wonder if the Democrats are considering dumping Clinton?

originally posted by: yeahright
McMullin doesn't stand a prayer and will serve to do noting more than siphon votes away from Trump. Enough to make a difference? I doubt it.

Doesn't stand a prayer to become president? I agree. But if it comes down to a close contest between Trump and Hillary, a third party conservative candidate could siphon enough conservative votes from Trump to award a couple states to Hillary that she otherwise wouldn't get.

The GOP is in panic mode because Trump's not going to play ball. Everyone wants someone to come in and turn it all upside-down until that prospect is a reality, now they're freaking out.

I also agree that the GOP is in panic mode (as they should be) and this is a 'hail Mary' that probably won't have any effect at all. But what's a hail Mary, if you don't play it through to the end?

Two choices: Business as usual, or flip the cart.

If Trump had come out pushing election reform from the beginning, I may just be willing to take the chance too.

See, we don't need to take up pitchforks and storm the Capitol with throat slitting knives to effect some major change. We just have to have the stones to vote for the equivalent. You think the vested interests want to see that tree shaken?

How can we have a debate here if I agree with all your points? LOL! I would LOVE to see the the cart turned upside down, but I'm not willing to take a chance on Trump's temperament. I do think he and Bernie have made great strides in paving the way for another 'outsider' candidate in the future. This election has opened a lot of eyes. The PEOPLE should be running this country, not political parties.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: MrSpad

Sorry, but Johnson has a better chance of getting that vote than this guy no one knows or will ever hear of does. People at least know of Johnson and the names who have endorsed him already from the GOP.

This guy will have serious money behind him. They will make him known overnight. His appeal going to be driected at GOP voters who hate Trump but, do not want to vote for Clinton. They want a real Republican.

If they can get a few more GOP voters out to try and save the house and senate this is a better plane then running ads saying Clinton is going to win so you have to keep the house and senate in the GOP so go out and vote.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

If you REALLY thought Hillary had this election, you wouldn't obsess with Trump's candidacy.....frankly, you've reached the point of near desperation from what I can see....sad.

originally posted by: carewemust
OMG..I thought the title said Evan McMuffin.

Hahaha....That's a moniker with real sticking power.

THAT'S gonna leave a mark!

a reply to: VictorVonDoom

Voting for a candidate who backs sending funds to terrorist organizations, who lies, cheats, steals and is just plain unethical (not to mention murderous) doesn't seem to bother a good deal of the population now (just ask the Hillary supporters). So why would anyone blink at a former CIA operative running for POTUS?

The bottom of the barrel has been scraped, and the (rotten, decayed) "cream" rises to the top.

Yay for 'Murica.....

a reply to: MrSpad

Jeb! had serious money behind him.

People this cycle are done with that.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
We finally get a candidate who isn't a life-long politician and isn't owned by special interests and big banks in Trump. Why would you want an alternative??

I couldn't help thinking:

"OK, so now they just KNOW we're idiots and don't even pretend to come up with someone with a better back story."

CIA...Goldman Sachs. TPTB just don't even care to be sneaky about it. Is there really a large enough group out there ready to fall for this? Or does everyone really just give zero you-know-what's anymore?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: MrSpad

Jeb! had serious money behind him.

People this cycle are done with that.

Your missing the point. This guy is the GOPs way of getting out the many GOP voters who are staying home because the hate Trump and refuse to vote for Clinton. That is a disaster for the party in the house and the senate. This guy will give them the option to get more GOP voters out, and while voting for this guy they also vote the rest of the party line.

Granted it is a desperate move on what the GOP thinks is going to be a disaster of an election but, they have to try and save what you can. They can not let Trump bring down the entire ticket and other than warning people Clinton is going to win so the have to at least come out and save Congress is the only other option they are working on now.

originally posted by: nwtrucker
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

If you REALLY thought Hillary had this election, you wouldn't obsess with Trump's candidacy.....

I did say, "barring an extraordinary event", which I fully acknowledge could happen, on either side. Sorry if my interest in this election bothers you. I've always been pretty heavily involved in politics. That's why I came to ATS.

I cop to being somewhat obsessed with Trump's run. It's a spectacle and I just can't seem to stop watching. Kind of like a bad car accident...

So, if you want to continue to talk about me because I posted some political news of the day, we can, but I'd rather talk about the topic of the thread.

originally posted by: MrSpad
This guy will give them the option to get more GOP voters out, and while voting for this guy they also vote the rest of the party line.

I think you're right and I think it will probably be pretty successful.

I saw McMullin give a short interview this morning and he's absolutely a politician already and his positions are straight down the establishment republican path. So, this gives all those people on the right who DON'T want a wild card, a presidential candidate to vote for.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Yeah, I saw that interview as well... this guy will probably be paraded out by the GOP establishment as the next savior that will fix everything, but he's nothing special or new, he's pushing the same tired GOP policies that have worked ever so well so far (that would be your sarcasm, there). Hopefully the mainstream Republicans will still stay home.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

It makes me wonder, where the hell was this guy a year ago?

Republicans just KNEW (and count me among them) Trump was a circus act and would go nowhere. I'd pretty much resigned myself to accept Jeb as the candidate, although I was Team Kasich. Now look where we are.

It's a lot tougher to control the message now than it was 30 years ago. Too many outlets and opportunities for a real grassroots candidate to get some traction, especially when there's built-in name recognition. Which is scary when you look around and see what name recognition could bring us down the road.

I've been wrong so many times this cycle I'm not sure why I still bother, but it seems like the more the entrenched powers push for an alternative to Trump, the stronger he gets. You can't blunt force Trump, you've got to use some sort of Zen judo, wax on/wax off deal.

originally posted by: yeahright
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

It makes me wonder, where the hell was this guy a year ago?

I know! I think the GOP was sure they'd get the perfect candidate out of the 17, and I thought they would, too. Kasich was my GOP choice, as well.

The only way we're going to break the stranglehold the parties have on our government is grassroots candidates. This year showed some real hope in that area, with Trump and Sanders. It's a first step, IMO. I'd love to see independent candidates run without the parties. If only Bernie had run as an Independent... He apparently thought he needed the party. And they screwed him.

... it seems like the more the entrenched powers push for an alternative to Trump, the stronger he gets.

Really? I don't see that. He's looking pretty weak to me right now. He's buckling under to the party, acting like they tell him to act, reading speeches from teleprompters, with the occasional glance to the audience to say, "Believe me!" I expect to see him push the party platform, even though some of his stated positions differ from it. If he should be elected, he will be a puppet of the party - Paul Ryan's mouthpiece.

But, like you, I have been wrong a lot this time. And here's another prediction I'm probably wrong about. I think Trump will quit before the election because his numbers will be so low, and blame the rigged system and crooked Hillary, instead of taking responsibility for his antics.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
[And here's another prediction I'm probably wrong about. I think Trump will quit before the election because his numbers will be so low, and blame the rigged system and crooked Hillary, instead of taking responsibility for his antics.

And were that to happen (and I'm not saying it won't) the most common thing you'll hear will be his candidacy was a scam from the beginning to ensure Hillary's election.

That ought to drive a stake into the heart of the next upstart's candidacy, right out of the gate.

Maybe.

I don't think this will help the GOP gain back any credibility. Trump managed to trash the Republican party for generations.
At least he has that to his credit and a solid place in political history as the man that produced a one party system in America!!!

I wonder if the Republicans can take responsibility for fielding a candidate the ultimately brought the Grand Ole Party down.

Now the conservatives are beginning to comprehend what has transpired.

I still think that was Trumps motive all along. But why.....