Ya, it's really funny how the "Democrat parody of a Republican" has about double the support of any other candidate in the Republican primary. It's almost like the Democrat parody of a Republican is ... accurate.
The problems which Trump is exposing are problems within the GOP voting base, not problems with others' views of the GOP voting base.
Don't you generally think that Republicans are stupid? Then why are you giving them credit for in-depth policy analysis of the candidates?
Trump's appeal is much simpler than that.
First of all, he can be bought by neither Soros nor Koch. Second, he doesn't talk like the the other candidates (in either party). Third, he definitely fits the description of step 9 on the Road to Serfdom. The Central Planners (in both parties) can't agree (even with their own party allies) until the frustration reaches a point where people say "look, just give me someone who can get things done." That's a nasty step, which shows how far down the road we actually are. He is presenting himself as "these fools only argue, I get stuff done."
I do think that Republicans are generally stupid and I'm not giving them any credit at all for an in-depth policy analysis of the candidates. That's kind of the point. The Democratic parody of a Republican looks more like an actual Republican than the Republicans' image of theirselves does.