I get the distinct sense that the reason the Republicans are lining up behind Trump has more to do with themselves than it does the country. The calculation goes this way:
(A) If Trump is the nominee, he either wins or loses, and probably loses.
(1) If he loses, it's business as usual for the RINOs--the party (the cushy life, not the organization) goes on for the ruling class uninterrupted.
(2) If he wins, not only can he be bought, he also purchases politicians as he has already said himself in the first or second debate. The party goes on, with the money flowing even more freely.
(B) If Cruz is the candidate, the RINO party is simply over, because Cruz will very likely win. Cruz will not line up behind the Republican moderates/establishment, because he is ideologically opposed to what they stand for. Fiscal discipline, small government, an overhaul of the IRS and the regulatory regime means less power and influence for politicians. It amounts to a return to the citizen legislator, and a diminuition of the ruling elite, the American Aristocracy.
At the end of the day, the RNC, the Republican leadership, the RINOs are all about preserving status as a ruling elite. Their support of Trump is a survival instinct, not a choice for the future of the nation. Shame.
