It's been just under a month since Donald Trump was inaugurated, and already it's clear that he is in over his head, that he is, in fact, incompetent. What's worse, he has appointed a Cabinet that is as unprepared, as incompetent as he is. Traditionally, the Cabinet is supposed to advise the president. It is supposed to be made up of experienced people who are experts in their particular area of expertise. These people are supposed to be able to hit the ground running. More important, they are supposed to be able guide the president, especially when the incoming president has no federal government experience. Appointing these kinds of people worked well for Ronald Reagan. It worked well for Bush the Younger. So now we have Trump, who has turned conventional wisdom on its head. Instead of appointing knowledgeable people to help him, he has appointed people who either know nothing about the department they're supposed to lead, or who are philosophically opposed to those departments. Consider:
Betsy Devos: Our new education secretary has never taught in a public school. She has never had children in a public school. She is totally unfamiliar with the issues facing public education. In fact, she has spent her adult life trying to destroy public education in the name of "school choice." Which makes her the perfect choice for her new job, right?
Rex Tillerson: Our new secretary of state spent the last 40 years working for ExxonMobil. For the last several, he has been CEO of the oil giant. Tillerson has no government experience at any level. He has no diplomatic experience. Like Trump, he has questionable ties to Russia. So, of course, we make him our nation's top diplomat. Perfect.
Dr. Ben Carson: Once a top neurosurgeon, then a presidential candidate, now, the designate to run Housing and Urban Development. With all due respect, what in the world does he know about either housing or urban development? Oh, nothing? Well, then, he's the perfect choice to lead such an important department.
Rick Perry: Trump's choice to lead the Department of Energy. When he ran in 2012, Perry named this department as one of the three he would eliminate if he were elected. Once he was tapped to be Energy Secretary, he showed his ignorance by thinking that he would be traveling the world touting the benefits of oil. Yep. First he wants to eliminate the department, then he proves he has NO IDEA what his new job even entails. This, of course, makes him the perfect person to lead the department.
Is anyone else seeing the pattern here? These are the people who are supposed to actually run the government. More important, these are the people who are supposed to advise Trump, to show the political outsider the ropes. And yet, they're just as inexperienced as he is.
We're in trouble, folks. I don't know how to put it any plainer than that. Far from appointing the "best and brightest," Trump has assembled possibly the most incompetent Cabinet ever seen in American history. What's worse, the Senate is utterly failing in its role of "advise and consent." Instead of challenging his nominees and rejecting the ones who are clearly unqualified (read, all of them), they are blithely rubber stamping them. This is dereliction of duty, and Congressional Republicans should be held accountable in 2018. That is, if we even make it that long.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Trump's Muslim ban will make us less safe
Donald Trump continues to show why he is the least qualified person ever to occupy the White House. On Friday, he signed an executive order banning residents of seven Middle Eastern countries from entering the United States. Those countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Predictably, the order created chaos worldwide, as people found themselves either turned back before the could board planes headed for the U.S. or detained once they reached American soil. In at least a dozen cases, people who had legally been granted entry to our country found that access denied. Among those was a man who had risked his own life acting as an interpreter for U.S. troops in Iraq. Another man was detained after he came here trying to rejoin his wife and young child who are already here. And this doesn't even take into account those who have lived here peacefully for years who were denied reentry after they left the United States to go visit family living in other countries. Trump, of course, defended his order by saying it was necessary to protect Americans and keep terrorists out of our country. But he is wrong on every count.
To begin with, the United States already has a stringent process in place for vetting potential immigarants. On average, it can take up to two years before someone who has applied for a visa can obtain one, sometimes longer. During this time, the potential immigrant is subject to all manner of background check, from criminal to financial. And if you want to talk citizenship, there are several lengthy steps that must be taken, from obtaining a green card, to becoming a permanent resident alien to finally obtaining full citizenship. During this process, they continue to be vetted. They must learn the basics of our history and how our government works. They must pass a test. Then, and only then, are they granted full citizenship. So Trump's action is unnecessary
Another problem with Trump's action is that it is blatantly unconstitutional. Why? Because it singles out people based solely on their religion. It is illegal under federal law to discriminate against people based on their religion. And this action goes against both the spirit and intent of this law. Trump's action also fails to take into account that it's not only the Muslim extremists who are our enemies. Anyone remember Timothy McVeigh? He was a homegrown terrorist who killed 168 men, women and children. How about Eric Rudolph, the Olympic bomber? The point is, we have enemies everywhere. And not every enemy we face is a Muslim.
Finally, there's the inconvenient fact that Trump's action will do nothing to keep us safe. Consider the fact that the 19 hijackers on 9/11 hailed from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others. None of these countries is on the "banned" list, and yet their citizens perpetrated the greatest act of terror ever seen in this country. So why aren't they on the list, along with the seven "banned" countries?"
Some might say that Trump is simply fulfilling one of his campaign promises. That might be true, but the truth is, his action is nothing more than window dressing. It will do nothing to keep us safe, as there are many countries that sponsor terror that remain unaffected. And let's not mention the fact that this move will only further anger the governments in the Middle East, many of whom already don't like us or trust us. Add the fact that this ban will likely end up being used as a recruitment tool for future terrorists, and it becomes obvious that instead of making us safer, Trump has actually made us less safe. And it is our country and its citizens who will ultimately pay the price.
To begin with, the United States already has a stringent process in place for vetting potential immigarants. On average, it can take up to two years before someone who has applied for a visa can obtain one, sometimes longer. During this time, the potential immigrant is subject to all manner of background check, from criminal to financial. And if you want to talk citizenship, there are several lengthy steps that must be taken, from obtaining a green card, to becoming a permanent resident alien to finally obtaining full citizenship. During this process, they continue to be vetted. They must learn the basics of our history and how our government works. They must pass a test. Then, and only then, are they granted full citizenship. So Trump's action is unnecessary
Another problem with Trump's action is that it is blatantly unconstitutional. Why? Because it singles out people based solely on their religion. It is illegal under federal law to discriminate against people based on their religion. And this action goes against both the spirit and intent of this law. Trump's action also fails to take into account that it's not only the Muslim extremists who are our enemies. Anyone remember Timothy McVeigh? He was a homegrown terrorist who killed 168 men, women and children. How about Eric Rudolph, the Olympic bomber? The point is, we have enemies everywhere. And not every enemy we face is a Muslim.
Finally, there's the inconvenient fact that Trump's action will do nothing to keep us safe. Consider the fact that the 19 hijackers on 9/11 hailed from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others. None of these countries is on the "banned" list, and yet their citizens perpetrated the greatest act of terror ever seen in this country. So why aren't they on the list, along with the seven "banned" countries?"
Some might say that Trump is simply fulfilling one of his campaign promises. That might be true, but the truth is, his action is nothing more than window dressing. It will do nothing to keep us safe, as there are many countries that sponsor terror that remain unaffected. And let's not mention the fact that this move will only further anger the governments in the Middle East, many of whom already don't like us or trust us. Add the fact that this ban will likely end up being used as a recruitment tool for future terrorists, and it becomes obvious that instead of making us safer, Trump has actually made us less safe. And it is our country and its citizens who will ultimately pay the price.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Early days of Trump administration hardly encouraging
It hasn't been quite a week yet since Donald Trump was inaugurated, and already there are signs that we're in deep, deep trouble. Since taking office, Trump has signed executive orders restarting both the Keystone and Dakota pipelines, endangering women's health by banning federal funding to international organizations that perform abortions, or even provide information about the procedure, and ordering the construction of a wall on our southern border. To top it all off, on Wednesday, Trump announced that he would launch an investigation into alleged voter fraud in last fall's elections, in which he claims three to five million people voted illegally.
All of these actions are troubling. They show a man who is so afraid to put his ideas to a vote before Congress that he would rather govern by executive fiat. And isn't it interesting that we have yet to hear one peep from Republicans about executive overreach? But the action that is most troubling to date is his call for an investigation into alleged voter fraud
There are several problems with the proposed investigation. First, there is absolutely no proof that any kind of voter fraud ever took place. None. So, we're going to ask the Justice Department to divert time and resources (not to mention taxpayer money) investigating something for which there is no proof that it ever took place. Talk about your government waste.
Second, this investigation will only serve to undermine the legitimacy of our entire electoral system, as well as the legitimacy of Trump's own victory. Trump believes that the three to five illegal voters all voted for Hillary Clinton. And what if the investigation proves him right? That would mean that Trunp lost the popular vote, not by three million votes, but by six to eight million votes. And what would that mean for the number of electoral votes he supposedly won? You see where this leads? It could destabilize the entire system.
Trump doesn't care about that, though. The only reason he's concerned at all about voter fraud is because he (and his massive ego) can't tolerate the FACT that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. He can't tolerate the fact that more people preferred her to him, that she was the real people's choice. And so we're going to waste government time and money chasing after one of Trump's fantasies.
This is the problem with Trump. He is a malignant narcissist who lives in his own, parallel reality. He can't stand the thought of losing or of being proven wrong. He can't even tolerate a whit of criticism. And now he holds the job where everything he does is going to be criticized from one quarter or another? Geez. It's going to be a long four years.
People keep telling me that I need to sit back and give him a chance. And I'm trying. I really am. But his actions so far give me little hope that the next four years will be anything but a complete disaster.
All of these actions are troubling. They show a man who is so afraid to put his ideas to a vote before Congress that he would rather govern by executive fiat. And isn't it interesting that we have yet to hear one peep from Republicans about executive overreach? But the action that is most troubling to date is his call for an investigation into alleged voter fraud
There are several problems with the proposed investigation. First, there is absolutely no proof that any kind of voter fraud ever took place. None. So, we're going to ask the Justice Department to divert time and resources (not to mention taxpayer money) investigating something for which there is no proof that it ever took place. Talk about your government waste.
Second, this investigation will only serve to undermine the legitimacy of our entire electoral system, as well as the legitimacy of Trump's own victory. Trump believes that the three to five illegal voters all voted for Hillary Clinton. And what if the investigation proves him right? That would mean that Trunp lost the popular vote, not by three million votes, but by six to eight million votes. And what would that mean for the number of electoral votes he supposedly won? You see where this leads? It could destabilize the entire system.
Trump doesn't care about that, though. The only reason he's concerned at all about voter fraud is because he (and his massive ego) can't tolerate the FACT that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. He can't tolerate the fact that more people preferred her to him, that she was the real people's choice. And so we're going to waste government time and money chasing after one of Trump's fantasies.
This is the problem with Trump. He is a malignant narcissist who lives in his own, parallel reality. He can't stand the thought of losing or of being proven wrong. He can't even tolerate a whit of criticism. And now he holds the job where everything he does is going to be criticized from one quarter or another? Geez. It's going to be a long four years.
People keep telling me that I need to sit back and give him a chance. And I'm trying. I really am. But his actions so far give me little hope that the next four years will be anything but a complete disaster.
Friday, January 20, 2017
It's the end of the world as we know it
Normally, Inauguration Day is a day for celebration in America. It is is a day for feeling patriotic, for feeling proud that we are able to have a peaceful transition of power, no matter how contentious the election was before it. Today, I am able to feel none of those things. Today, I only feel sad and apprehensive. I'm sad that Americans got it so wrong in selecting Donald J. Trump to be our next president. And I am truly apprehensive about what the future holds for America with Trump in charge.
There's so much wrong with Trump that it's hard to list it all here. The man is an incurable narcissist and a liar. He's a man with no core beliefs of his own. He's willing to tell Americans whatever they want to hear, with no intention of ever keeping any of his promises. In short, he's a con man. And we were so desperate for change that we actually bought into his spiel.
But it's worse than that. Trump is ignorant. He's the least educated president in the history of the nation. Trump has no working knowledge of domestic issues or economics. He has no knowledge of foreign affairs. And worst of all, he apparently has no knowledge of or respect for our Constitution. This, of course, raises the question: How can he be expected to support and defend the Constitution when he obviously has never read it?
Trump's defenders point out that all he needs to do is surround himself with good people to help guide him. It worked for Reagan, they say, and it can work for Trump. Here's the key difference: Ronald Reagan was a man of deep principle. He actually took his job seriously and strove to find the right people to advise him. Apparently, not so with Trump. Look at his Cabinet picks so far. They either know nothing about the departments they've been tapped to lead (hello, Ben Carson), or tthey're philosophically opposed to those departments (here's looking at you, Rick Perry). This is utter madness.
I suppose it's true that we can survive Trump, just as we survived George W. Bush before him. The problem is that Trump himself is such an X-factor. You're never quite sure what he's going to do. Hell, I'm not sure HE even knows what he's going to do. And his tendency to follow his gut instead of listening to his advisers means that he might get us into a sticky situation with no plan for getting us out of it. One thing is for sure. Trump has changed the political landscape forever. Let's just pray that our country is capable of surviving that change. As of this moment, I have my doubts.
There's so much wrong with Trump that it's hard to list it all here. The man is an incurable narcissist and a liar. He's a man with no core beliefs of his own. He's willing to tell Americans whatever they want to hear, with no intention of ever keeping any of his promises. In short, he's a con man. And we were so desperate for change that we actually bought into his spiel.
But it's worse than that. Trump is ignorant. He's the least educated president in the history of the nation. Trump has no working knowledge of domestic issues or economics. He has no knowledge of foreign affairs. And worst of all, he apparently has no knowledge of or respect for our Constitution. This, of course, raises the question: How can he be expected to support and defend the Constitution when he obviously has never read it?
Trump's defenders point out that all he needs to do is surround himself with good people to help guide him. It worked for Reagan, they say, and it can work for Trump. Here's the key difference: Ronald Reagan was a man of deep principle. He actually took his job seriously and strove to find the right people to advise him. Apparently, not so with Trump. Look at his Cabinet picks so far. They either know nothing about the departments they've been tapped to lead (hello, Ben Carson), or tthey're philosophically opposed to those departments (here's looking at you, Rick Perry). This is utter madness.
I suppose it's true that we can survive Trump, just as we survived George W. Bush before him. The problem is that Trump himself is such an X-factor. You're never quite sure what he's going to do. Hell, I'm not sure HE even knows what he's going to do. And his tendency to follow his gut instead of listening to his advisers means that he might get us into a sticky situation with no plan for getting us out of it. One thing is for sure. Trump has changed the political landscape forever. Let's just pray that our country is capable of surviving that change. As of this moment, I have my doubts.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Similarities between Hitler, Trump are striking
This might sound a bit extreme, but the more I watch the continued success of Donald Trump, the more I'm reminded of the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1930s Germany. Now, before you dismiss me as just another frustrated Trump opponent, consider the ways in which the men are undeniably similar:
1.Both men are racists and fearmongers who have singled out specific groups: Hitler had the Jews. For Trump, it's Mexicans and Muslims. Trump has accused Mexico of sending "rapists and murderers" to our country. He has called for a ban on Muslims coming to this country and supports the creation of a Muslim registry. Hitler forced Jews to wear the Star of David. The creation of such a registry would only be a high-tech version of the same thing.
2. Hitler promised to make Germany great again after the humiliation of World War I. Trump, too, is promising to "Make America Great Again:" Now, granted, unlike postwar Germany, our economy isn't in shambles and our currency isn't worthless. But like Hitler, Trump is playing on the anger and frustration of the electorate. He is appealing strictly to people's emotions and counting on those emotions to override their logic. He is encouraging the idea that America has somehow grown weaker and lost the world's respect. And like Hitler, he has positioned himself as the savior, the only one capable of restoring that strength and giving us back that respect, at the point of a gun, if need be.
3. Trump believes in torture: Trump has said repeatedly that he would bring back water boarding and other forms of torture because "torture works." Hitler had his concentration camps where unspeakable acts of torture and human degradation were committed. Enough said.
4. Like Hitler, Trump can't stand any kind of criticism and wants to silence any opposing voices: Hitler had Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda ministry, who controlled every piece of information fed to the German people. Trump said recently that if elected, he would rewrite the libel laws to make it easier for politicians to sue the media. This, of course, goes against decades of U.S. Supreme Court precedent protecting the media and insults both the spirit and intent of the First Amendment, which guarantees a free press, something vital to a healthy democracy. There can be only one reason for such a move: To intimidate the press and attempt to silence opposing voices, in fact, any voice but his own. This is the move of a dictator.
5. Hitler had his soldiers swear loyalty to him. Trump is asking the same thing of his supporters: It was reported recently that at one of his rallies, Trump had those in attendance swear to turn out, rain or shine, to vote for him. Does this not sound eerily similar to those oaths required of Nazi soldiers?
Now, I'm not saying that Trump is Hitler, or that he will bring about a second Holocaust. But it's clear that both men share similar ideologies and that he has borrowed heavily from Hitler's playbook when it comes to gaining power. It's important that we're aware what he's doing. If we simply ignore what's right in front of us, history might very well repeat itself.
1.Both men are racists and fearmongers who have singled out specific groups: Hitler had the Jews. For Trump, it's Mexicans and Muslims. Trump has accused Mexico of sending "rapists and murderers" to our country. He has called for a ban on Muslims coming to this country and supports the creation of a Muslim registry. Hitler forced Jews to wear the Star of David. The creation of such a registry would only be a high-tech version of the same thing.
2. Hitler promised to make Germany great again after the humiliation of World War I. Trump, too, is promising to "Make America Great Again:" Now, granted, unlike postwar Germany, our economy isn't in shambles and our currency isn't worthless. But like Hitler, Trump is playing on the anger and frustration of the electorate. He is appealing strictly to people's emotions and counting on those emotions to override their logic. He is encouraging the idea that America has somehow grown weaker and lost the world's respect. And like Hitler, he has positioned himself as the savior, the only one capable of restoring that strength and giving us back that respect, at the point of a gun, if need be.
3. Trump believes in torture: Trump has said repeatedly that he would bring back water boarding and other forms of torture because "torture works." Hitler had his concentration camps where unspeakable acts of torture and human degradation were committed. Enough said.
4. Like Hitler, Trump can't stand any kind of criticism and wants to silence any opposing voices: Hitler had Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda ministry, who controlled every piece of information fed to the German people. Trump said recently that if elected, he would rewrite the libel laws to make it easier for politicians to sue the media. This, of course, goes against decades of U.S. Supreme Court precedent protecting the media and insults both the spirit and intent of the First Amendment, which guarantees a free press, something vital to a healthy democracy. There can be only one reason for such a move: To intimidate the press and attempt to silence opposing voices, in fact, any voice but his own. This is the move of a dictator.
5. Hitler had his soldiers swear loyalty to him. Trump is asking the same thing of his supporters: It was reported recently that at one of his rallies, Trump had those in attendance swear to turn out, rain or shine, to vote for him. Does this not sound eerily similar to those oaths required of Nazi soldiers?
Now, I'm not saying that Trump is Hitler, or that he will bring about a second Holocaust. But it's clear that both men share similar ideologies and that he has borrowed heavily from Hitler's playbook when it comes to gaining power. It's important that we're aware what he's doing. If we simply ignore what's right in front of us, history might very well repeat itself.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Why Trump doesn't really want to be president
I don't believe Donald Trump really wants to be our next president. I've said before that Trunp doesn't really believe the garbage he's spouting. So why does he persist in running for the nation's top job? In this, I agree with my wife: I think he's trying to make some twisted point that our electoral system is irreparably broken. He's trying to prove to us that our votes no longer count, that the presidency is bought, not elected.
Trunp is an incurable egomaniac, and perhaps part of him does believe that he does have the answers for fixing our country's problems. But in his heart of hearts, I don't believe he really wants the job. And why would he? Consider: Trump is a billionaire, worth at least $4 billion. The presidency only pays $435,000 a year. Not bad, but Trump has more than that in his couch cushions. Why would he willingly take such a huge pay cut? If Trump wins, he will have to divest himself of all his massive holdings and give up control of his empire, at least for the next four years. I just can't really see him doing that. And really, why would he?
Trump is a control freak. He's used to getting his way, to having people ask "how high?" When he says, "jump." If he becomes president, he's going to learn quickly that he can't run the country the same way he does one of his businesses. He's going to have to learn to work with Congress. He's going to have to learn that he won't be able to do everything he wants. He's going to have to learn to compromise. And given his "my way or the highway" personality, I just can't see that happening.
Trump is making a mockery of our electoral system, and if he wins the nomination, he'll make a mockery of the general election, and maybe even the presidency. To Trump, this whole thing is some kind of game, some sort of twisted reality show. To borrow a term I heard recently from some comedian, it's "Celebrity Select-A-President." To Trump, winning the presidency is some kind of challenge. This whole fiasco is the ultimate feather in his cap. It's designed to stroke his already massive ego.
The best case scenario I can see if Trump wins is that he will soon tire of the job, the constant scrutiny and the criticism. In that case, let's pray that he selects well when it comes to picking a Vice President. Another possibility is that his candidacy will be the mirror the GOP needs to realize that they have drifted too far to the right and it will cause them to pull the party back toward where it truly belongs: in the political middle. If that happens, perhaps this misguided exercise in ego won't have been a complete waste after all.
Trunp is an incurable egomaniac, and perhaps part of him does believe that he does have the answers for fixing our country's problems. But in his heart of hearts, I don't believe he really wants the job. And why would he? Consider: Trump is a billionaire, worth at least $4 billion. The presidency only pays $435,000 a year. Not bad, but Trump has more than that in his couch cushions. Why would he willingly take such a huge pay cut? If Trump wins, he will have to divest himself of all his massive holdings and give up control of his empire, at least for the next four years. I just can't really see him doing that. And really, why would he?
Trump is a control freak. He's used to getting his way, to having people ask "how high?" When he says, "jump." If he becomes president, he's going to learn quickly that he can't run the country the same way he does one of his businesses. He's going to have to learn to work with Congress. He's going to have to learn that he won't be able to do everything he wants. He's going to have to learn to compromise. And given his "my way or the highway" personality, I just can't see that happening.
Trump is making a mockery of our electoral system, and if he wins the nomination, he'll make a mockery of the general election, and maybe even the presidency. To Trump, this whole thing is some kind of game, some sort of twisted reality show. To borrow a term I heard recently from some comedian, it's "Celebrity Select-A-President." To Trump, winning the presidency is some kind of challenge. This whole fiasco is the ultimate feather in his cap. It's designed to stroke his already massive ego.
The best case scenario I can see if Trump wins is that he will soon tire of the job, the constant scrutiny and the criticism. In that case, let's pray that he selects well when it comes to picking a Vice President. Another possibility is that his candidacy will be the mirror the GOP needs to realize that they have drifted too far to the right and it will cause them to pull the party back toward where it truly belongs: in the political middle. If that happens, perhaps this misguided exercise in ego won't have been a complete waste after all.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Rise of Donald Trump should be no surprise to GOP
I've been following politics for most of my adult life. Still, I've found myself more than a little surprised by the meteoric rise of Donald Trump, the politician. When he first announced, I thought it was novel. I thought that, while he would inject some spice into what promised to be a dull campaign season, he was no one to be taken seriously. I figured his extreme views on immigration, and his embrace of the nutty "birther" movement would drive him from the race before the Iowa caucuses. How wrong I was. Not only is he still in the race, he's now the leading contender for the GOP nomination and has a very real shot at becoming the Republican standard bearer for 2016. What was once unthinkable a short six months ago is now a very scary reality. Upon further reflection, though, Trump's success should come as no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention for the last 20 years.
What has made Trump so successful? Easy. He's playing into the fears that have been pushed by the Republican Party for the last two decades: fear of Muslims, fear of illegal immigrants "taking over" our country and fear of being the victim of another terrorist attack like we were on 9/11. Above all, Trump is a fearmonger, and he's taken advantage of our fear to drive his own success. But fear isn't the only tool Trump has used to propel his campaign. Trump has also tapped into a very real anger in the American electorate, the feeling that no matter who we elect, nothing will ever change for the better. Trump has successfully positioned himself as a political outsider, someone with new and different answers. This sounds good, right? After all, who wouldn't want to "make America great again?"
Here's the problem with all that. Trump is the embodiment of everything wrong with today's Republican Party. He's a bigot and a xenophobe. He says the things out loud that have been whispered among Republicans for years, but that they would never have dared express. His ideas might seem to make a certain kind of sense, but the truth is, he has very little chance of ever making them a reality. With his bombastic, take-no-prisoners personality, the more likely scenario is that he'll anger leaders in Congress to the point that they will refuse to consider any of his proposals, thus rendering him an ineffective figurehead. Worse, his massive ego and "my way or the highway" approach to everything is likely to alienate our international allies and worsen our standing in the world. The end result of a Trump presidency could very well be the permanent marginalization of the Republican Party as a party of extremists, bigots and xenophobes.
The GOP, to its credit, has been horrified by Trumps's success and has done everything it can to derail his campaign. But if they're honest with themselves, and with the American people, they really have no right to be surprised. The sad truth is, they are solely responsible for creating the Trump phenomenon. He is the end result of the party's decades of fear-mongering and illicit bigotry. That he is now saying out loud what they have been saying secretly among themselves is no one's fault but theirs.
If one good thing might come out of the Trump candidacy, I hope it is this: I hope that the party will realize just how far to the right they have drifted and start to move itself back toward the political middle. I hope that after almost three decades, the party will finally divorce itself from the poisonous pact it forged with the Religious Right and recommit itself to the core principles that made it great and that were embodied by past GOP presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Bush the Elder: smaller government, less taxes and staying out of people's personal lives. If that happens, then the Trump experiment will not have been in vain, and the entire country will be better for having survived this surreal nightmare.
What has made Trump so successful? Easy. He's playing into the fears that have been pushed by the Republican Party for the last two decades: fear of Muslims, fear of illegal immigrants "taking over" our country and fear of being the victim of another terrorist attack like we were on 9/11. Above all, Trump is a fearmonger, and he's taken advantage of our fear to drive his own success. But fear isn't the only tool Trump has used to propel his campaign. Trump has also tapped into a very real anger in the American electorate, the feeling that no matter who we elect, nothing will ever change for the better. Trump has successfully positioned himself as a political outsider, someone with new and different answers. This sounds good, right? After all, who wouldn't want to "make America great again?"
Here's the problem with all that. Trump is the embodiment of everything wrong with today's Republican Party. He's a bigot and a xenophobe. He says the things out loud that have been whispered among Republicans for years, but that they would never have dared express. His ideas might seem to make a certain kind of sense, but the truth is, he has very little chance of ever making them a reality. With his bombastic, take-no-prisoners personality, the more likely scenario is that he'll anger leaders in Congress to the point that they will refuse to consider any of his proposals, thus rendering him an ineffective figurehead. Worse, his massive ego and "my way or the highway" approach to everything is likely to alienate our international allies and worsen our standing in the world. The end result of a Trump presidency could very well be the permanent marginalization of the Republican Party as a party of extremists, bigots and xenophobes.
The GOP, to its credit, has been horrified by Trumps's success and has done everything it can to derail his campaign. But if they're honest with themselves, and with the American people, they really have no right to be surprised. The sad truth is, they are solely responsible for creating the Trump phenomenon. He is the end result of the party's decades of fear-mongering and illicit bigotry. That he is now saying out loud what they have been saying secretly among themselves is no one's fault but theirs.
If one good thing might come out of the Trump candidacy, I hope it is this: I hope that the party will realize just how far to the right they have drifted and start to move itself back toward the political middle. I hope that after almost three decades, the party will finally divorce itself from the poisonous pact it forged with the Religious Right and recommit itself to the core principles that made it great and that were embodied by past GOP presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Bush the Elder: smaller government, less taxes and staying out of people's personal lives. If that happens, then the Trump experiment will not have been in vain, and the entire country will be better for having survived this surreal nightmare.
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