The Next Steps in the Political Fight for Freedom and Virtue

In what was a phenomenal night for those who loathe freedom and virtue, Hillary Clinton put further bows around her gift-wrapped Democratic party nomination, and she put additional bows around the gift-wrapped Republican nomination, meaning, Hillary Clinton's dream, Donald Trump, added to his delegate count. My preferred candidate, Marco Rubio, ended his candidacy. John Kasich gave himself reason to stay in the race by winning his own state. And Ted Cruz captured a few delegates, but was unable to pull off any upsets in North Carolina (and apparently not in Missouri either, though that remains in question). What I want to do in this piece is (a) Address the loss of Marco Rubio, (b) Address the likelihood of a non-Trump candidacy out of the GOP, and (c) Address the posture I will be taking in this next phase of this twilight zone race.My advocacy for Marco Rubio as a man, and as a future political leader in this country, is not remotely affected by his inability to capture this year's nomination. He is 44 years old, meaning there will be seven Presidential races before he is Hillary Clinton's age. My advocacy was based on one thing, and that is that Marco Rubio is a political talent unlike any the country has had in a generation. If he is so talented, why did he just lose his home state? Because his political talent - his strengths - his appeal - are all completely counter-attractive to what 35-40% of voters are looking for this cycle. Period. I have spent tens of hours with Marco Rubio over the years, never discussing anything but policy. Donald Trump has spent tens of hours on TV today and yesterday alone, and has never uttered a word about policy. Marco Rubio is a deeply aspirational candidate, with serious plans for re-shaping the Republican party and renewing hope and vision for the core things America is. This cycle, a large and mostly either (a) unprincipled, and/or (b) uninformed, group of the electorate has built significant momentum around grievances and entitlements. Some grievances are warranted (political correctness is absurd), and some are immoral (I want to stop free markets from working so that my job can be protected). But nevertheless, the politics of grievance, of envy, of entitlement, and of rage have now become a bipartisan affair, and this landscape was tailor-made for a Fifth Avenue billionaire trust fund kid. Wait. That doesn't make any sense. Okay, let's just say this landscape was not tailor made for the middle class son of a bartender and maid immigrant. What would he know about overcoming obstacles and finding the American dream. Dear Lord. What am I saying? The reality is that the voters have spoken, and Marco Rubio delivered the most inspirational, spirit-filled concession speech I have ever heard last night. Those afraid (or hopeful) that his political career is over do not know of what they speak. Frankly, in four years now I strongly suspect many Americans will be weeping and praying for Jim Gilmore to come back from this field, let alone this field's best candidate, but whether it be 2020, 2024, or whatever, I am of the opinion that Marco Rubio will be President one day. I will make that wager with any would like, and I will put up as collateral on that bet my stock in Trump University, Trump Vodka, Trump Casino, and Trump Mortgage.And speaking of Trump Vodka, I quit drinking a long time ago, which is why this morning I was able to breathe and function as opposed to what would have been the case had last night taken place in a past phase of my life. The reality is that Trump very likely does not have the path to 1,237 delegates pre-convention, but he almost for sure has the path to being so close that it will not matter. I can't see Kasich dropping out, and obviously the second place delegate holder (Cruz) won't be dropping out either. Should Kasich drop out, and I like Kasich plenty, I think the party and the true conservative coalition of this country would coalesce around Cruz and stop a Trump nomination. A one-on-one Trump/Cruz race would at least make it close enough to allow a convention fight to be plausible. But right now we are headed to a convention fight that will be the most divisive and scary thing we can imagine.So what is the plan to stop Trump? There isn't one. There just isn't. The plan needs to be to see other candidates win delegates and Trump not win delegates. As voters keep voting we will continue on a day by day basis to see the time value of Trump's call option expire, and the odds increase day by day of him finally committing that sin which will disqualify him with the highly undiscerning group of disgruntleds who support him. That is heralding hope as a strategy, but it beats surrender. Do I believe we are headed to a convention fight? Hopefully. Because it is likely the last play we have to run. Do I think it will work? Not really. Do I think that regardless of what happens Hillary will be our President? Yes, I do. But will I fight for all of this anyways? Yes, I will. Because that is what a patriot does.I am amused by the smarty pants who ask me "when are you going to give up?" Do you think I will give up even after Hillary is inaugurated? You know nothing of the Trojan spirit, my friends (and others). If Cruz can stop Trump and secure the delegates we need, that is plan A. If Trump can be beaten at the convention fair and square, that is plan B. If backroom brokering and ugly convention fighting stops Trump, that is plan C. Could a VIABLE third party situation come together? Perhaps - that would be plan D. And ultimately, if the 2017-2020 years of my life are spent fighting the corrosive effects of either a Trump or Clinton Presidency, that will be plan E. Surrender? Please. You know not of what you speak.I realize there are some who say, "look, Hillary is worse than Trump; just accept Trump has it and at least work to see him get elected so as to keep her out". First of all, you need to understand that there is no way - none - that this is going to happen. Trump will not beat Hillary. You're being played for suckers. You are a sucker to think this content-less, policy-less, substance-less, character-less, virtue-less, grammar-less charlatan is going to make America great again, but you are a bigger sucker if you think we will ever find out. He is not going to beat the Clinton machine (one he has been funding for decades) with the highest unfavorables in the history of politics. But apart from that, there is a certain logic to the #NeverTrump crowd. Clinton is a despicable blight upon our country, but Trump is a despicable blight upon our party, our movement, and our principles. Whether it be plan A, B, C, or D, there is a fight worth fighting here to keep our movement alive. If Trump succeeds in hijacking it, I have something on my side that gives me all the optimism in the world my side will prevail:The truth.The ideas I have dedicated my life to are rooted in truth. Trump is a bully, an authoritarian, and an advocate for the idea that centralized powerful government is best as long as it is he at the center of power. He has no core. He has no guiding light. He has no true north. He is a public spectacle in a society where most of our public spectacles have previously been reserved to the realm of reality TV. Oh wait, he is that too. The people who claim to be on the conservative side of the conflict of visions that lingers over our society who have jumped on the Trump bandwagon are a disgrace. Many Trump fans just do not know any better, and Trump is hardly the first politician to create a following by promising things he cannot deliver. I have no contempt for those Trumpkins, just pity. But those in our movement who have sold their souls for a night at the Mar-a-lago, or worse, the bubbly feeling of saying you were with the winner (before he loses to Hillary) are committing an unpardonable sin. It may be rank opportunism (Christie, Carson), and it may be mental deficiency (Hannity, Bolling, Ingraham), but they are on a list I am keeping in blood. What we have in front of us now is a code red. And the action plan is as follows: Get Cruz the delegates and keep them from Trump, and if that doesn't work, fight like hell in the convention. I hate this uncertainty, and I hate the fact that it is highly unlikely to work.But to those whom much is given, much is required. This fight is a righteous one. And if we wake up November 2016 with a Hillary Clinton success, we will have elected the most corrupt, ridiculous President in American history. And then we'll have more of a fight, and more of a righteous cause. First things first. Stop Trump, now. And in doing so, stop Hillary Clinton.P.S. - You smug Dems snickering at the Trump nomination journey need to be aware of one thing: Your candidate is having a field day with you. She is making a mockery of your integrity, your intelligence, and your character. You have a pretty big problem on your hands too. The only difference is that over here in conservatism, we actually care about our problem. Your souls were already sold.