Was Donald Trump’s party affiliation simply a business decision?
Changing platforms to conform to the lobbying ideals of the then president was possibly an explanation to explain Trump’s party jumping, but upon review didn’t really match up.
He’s not the only one who has changed political parties. Hillary Clinton was a righteous Republican supporting Nixon and Barry Goldwater once upon a time. In the 1970’s she became an avid supporter of McCarthy and changed her affiliation to Democrat. Pat Buchanan was a Republican turned ‘Reformed Party’ candidate, turned Independent, turned Republican. Rick Perry was a Democrat who supported – Al Gore. He switched to the Republican side when Bush was President.
But the most interesting switcheroo was from the potentially new contender, Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg was a staunch liberal Democrat until he decided to run for office as NY mayor in 2001. Switching to a Republican affiliation, he won the election. However, as a Republican he supported abortion, gun control, same sex marriage and stem cell research, all very Liberal views. Later, he switched again and registered as an Independent before attempting and failing at a presidential run in 2008.
Other switchers include Joe Lieberman – a one time Democrat who became a McCain style NeoRepublican, Elizabeth Warren – a one time Republican, Arianna Huffington – a once Republican who switched to Democrat leaning Independent in order to make a run as governor, and Kerry’s wife who switched to Democrat when Kerry made a presidential bid.
For most, the switch was a political mission to win an election. Trump was a businessman, his affiliations and support of both parties financially was probably more ‘business’ motivated. But his eye on the Presidency has long roots. In 1999, the same year Trump changed his party affiliation to Independent, he announced his intention of running for President. In 2004, Trump again claimed he would be running, after he had changed parties to that of Democrat. In 2008, he lambasted Bush and intimated he might run as an Independent but instead changed party affiliation to that of Republican. Two years later he registered as having ‘no party affiliation’ and made a ‘sortof’ bid against Obama. In 2012, he switched back to Republican and made his White House bid known in 2015.
In politics it would seem that the sway is to be what the perceived position is of the Americn people at the time. Become the person they think the people want and capitalize on the whim – a chameleon. Use the polls to determine what the people want, and become that person – as in poof! Unfortunately, such a person doesn’t really have any true grounded ideals, and create instead confusion and distrust from those who do. Rubio is a great example of “let me wait to respond to that question when the polls tell me what side I’m on” type of political rhetoric.
And while Trump is playing up on the anti-Socialist views of Hillary and Sanders, it is hard to find anything discounting to say about Cruz – so instead he attempts a Canadian birth frenzy which is of course, leaving everyone yawning.
What is the Trump stance? In a nutshell:
- Defund Planned Parenthood – pro-life.
- Cut the defense budget and eliminate the EPA and Department of Education
- Address corporate inversion – bring corporations back to US with incentives
- Family values
- Animal rights
- Diplomacy vs demonizing of other countries
- TPP a bad deal – restrict free trade with China
- Get rid of Super Pacs funding of candidates
- No gun control
- Address mental health problems
- Replace Obamacare with Health Savings Account
- Fix VA Hospitals by using private doctors
- Defeat ISIS at all costs
- Stop illegal immigration and put a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants
- Enforced Border between US and Mexico
- Leave minimum wage where it stands
- Cut taxes and repeal estate tax
- Raise taxes on Hedge Fund Managers
- Rebuild infrastructure
- Junk our nuclear arsenal – it is outdated
Do these align with Republican views? I would venture everything is on par – with the exception of his proposal to cut the Defense Budget. A major overhaul of fraud and corruption within the defense budget would be more productive.
And while we have watched as Trump has taken a few large financial hits as a result of his opinions and stances, Dubai golf course and Scotland wind farm, it could prove just as easy for him to sway again to the business model of whatever works to make him more wealthy.