It’s somewhat unbelievable that with all Donald Trump has said and done, he is still supported by evangelical Christians, Mormons, and “family values” conservative Republicans. There is no excusing his conduct and actions over the years, but in politics, hypocrisy reigns, with his supporters ignoring his language and his behavior to continue to back him, even as new revelations are unearthed.
Many Republicans will vote for him simply because he is heading their ticket, and for them and many GOP politicians, the party is more important than the country. They are also afraid of Hillary and whom she might appoint to the Supreme Court and at least Trump seems to be thinking the right way now. But is he?
Remember, it was not too long ago that Trump favored abortion rights and same sex marriage, and donated to a number of Democratic candidates for office. He changed his tune when he realized he might have a chance to gain the Republican nomination for the presidency. But who can be certain he will not change his mind again in the future as he has done in the past. Trump does whatever is expedient and whatever benefits him, with no abiding principles that direct his actions. He is really not looking to make America great again as much as trying to make Trump great.
Trump is a braggart, serial philanderer, predator of women, inveterate liar, self-aggrandizing narcissist, irreligious blowhard, and a danger to America and the world if he should ever reach the presidency, having an explosive temperament and lack of control. He listens to no one because he knows more about everything than anyone else. The recent release of his comments that described his assaults on women where he was often successful, but never suffered any consequences because he was a star, should have his supporters running away from him. He feels a need to kiss attractive women and grab “pussy” when he has the urge. And this was said by him after only three months of marriage to his third wife. (Must make her feel pretty good, though she should have known what she was getting herself into.)
Do Republicans, evangelicals, and Mormons really want this man representing the nation in international forums and serving as a role model for their children? Does anyone in his or her right mind want him as president? His utterances, past and present behavior should immediately disqualify him for the presidency, independent of his lies, outbursts, and lack of emotional control.
This doesn’t even take into account his questionable success as a businessman where his taxes show that he lost nearly a billion dollars in one year and in all likelihood paid no taxes for years afterwards. Is that being a “smart businessman” as Trump says, or is it being a loser who was able to take advantage of the tax laws? Analyzing his business ventures over the years, it certainly appears that he has had many more failures than successes, stiffing small businessmen, contractors, and his investors if he felt it was necessary.
Instead of a blanket apology by Trump for the recent revelation of his sexual comments and predations, he remarked that it was locker room banter and that Bill Clinton has said even worse things on the golf course. Then he brought four women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault to the debate, to try and unnerve Hillary. This was typical Trump, trying to shift the blame and lacking understanding of the appalling nature of his statements. How do Melania and Trump’s children feel about The Donald since his past comments have become general knowledge? (Trump could do America a big favor by actually apologizing and dropping out of the presidential race, though it’s not likely to happen.)
It may be understandable that some uneducated poor white men idolize Trump, seeing his success with beautiful women, his apparent wealth, his jet plane, and fantasize about being in his shoes and having what he has, no matter how he got it. Just as there are women who are called “star f—kers,” there are men who are star worshippers. But can any American with a six grade education or more, religious individual, ethical or moral person rationalize their support of this unreconstructed braggart, liar, narcissist, sexual predator and philanderer?
Resurrecting Democracy
www.robertlevinebooks.com
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Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020