Donlad Trump and the future of the Republican Party

[CapnAwesome]

For all the American atheists/forum users out there, what are your thoughts on Trump and his policies? Does he scare you guys?

He very much resembles Ronald Reagan, albeit more corrupt and a lot more xenophobic.  
It really surprises me how in other Western democracies, almost all their traditional conservative parties have liberalized socially in order to tap into the millennials and progressives who are fiscally conservative. Why can't the Republican party do the same?

1. Do you really think Trump has a chance? 
2. If he loses the nomination and runs as a third candidate how will things change?
3. If he does become president do you think he will be able to bring about his radical changes?
4. Do you think Hillary is our best bet for the Democratic party?
5. Will hate crime against atheists go up?

Actually I will answer, because I think they are interesting questions.

1. No. He's only popular with a certain segment of the Republican party. I can't see him being president and there is such strong conservative opposition to him, I think once the other candidates start dropping out, people will rally around whoever isn't Trump.

2. Very little, the US have laws that prohibit people from getting on the ballot when they switch parties to run. The so called 'sore loser' laws. This means that he can't really pull a Ross Perot after running as a Republican. Also he has said that he won't.

3. I don't think Trump is suggesting radical changes. Radical, by definition is someone who's belief is only shared by a small percentage of the population. I don't see which of Trump's policies are radical. This isn't to be confused as support for his policies at all. I don't. But to call them radical is kind of silly when a high percentage of the US supports stuff like building a wall with Mexico.

4. I'm not a Democrat, so she's not 'our' anything. I think the assumption that all Atheists are obligated to vote democratic is an offensive one. As to Hillary, if by best bet you mean 'best chance to win' then yes, Hillary obviously has the best chance to win. If by best bet you mean 'would do good things for the world' then the answer is a resounding no. Hillary is a war hawk and I would say complacent is decades of war crimes by her husbands administration and Obama's. The Democrats lose all moral high ground by supporting a known war criminal over someone like Bernie Sanders.

5. What?? Maybe you could make the argument that hate crimes against Latinos would go up, maybe. Donald Trump isn't particularly religious and I've never heard him say anything to suggest that hate crimes against Atheists would go up. That doesn't make any sense at all.