Originally posted at “Dave Miller Daily.”
There are a lot of words you could use to describe Donald Trump.
Narcissist – his focus and concern isn’t America, it’s all about Donald Trump. He judges people, press, and everyone by “how they treat me.” “It’s all about ME,” according to Trump.- Misogynist – his treatment of women is despicable. No more need be said.
- Racist – it is not too much of a stretch to use this word to describe his border policy and his treatment of Muslims.
- Bully – he is mean-spirited, vindictive, and nasty.
- Bizarre – he says and does some of the most unbelievable things, and still manages to stay ahead in the polls. Most candidates who said a tithe of the wild, crazy things this man has said would have faded into obscurity long ago, but his poll numbers hold strong, and may even be increasing.
How is he doing it? Is it that he is scratching where Americans itch? Has he sold his soul to the devil? I predicted back in the early fall that by now he’d be an afterthought. I was sure that his act would have grown stale and Americans would have turned away in droves. But no, his poll numbers remain steady in the low to mid 30s nationally.
What is driving the Trump bump? Simply put, it is the same hero-worship, messianic, blind loyalty that drove the Barack Obama campaign in 2008. What put Obama in the White House? Was it his firm grasp of policy? His experience? No, America went ga-ga over him. He was going to align the planets and bring balance to the force. He was not a candidate, he was a phenomenon, a movement.
I saw several “man on the street” interview segments back in 2008, in which people were asked to describe their fervor for Obama. Seldom could they give any specific policy or belief of his. They were enamored with the man. “He’s going to solve our problems and make the world a better place.”
Ask a Trump supporter to tell you why they like him.
- He’s not going to let us get pushed around.
- He will stand up to other nations and not apologize for America.
- He knows the art of the deal and can run the country like a business.
- He is not politically correct and says what he thinks.
- He is a strong leader and will get things done.
It’s all nebulous, tough-guy, “art-of-the-neal” stuff. What you will not hear is a single specific, reasonable policy initiative. Trump doesn’t have them. Have you watched the debates? Trump blusters and bashes, but when the debate becomes about policy specifics, he goes quiet. Why? He has no idea. His campaign isn’t about tax policy, or fiscal policy, or social policy, or even immigration policy. He’s not put forward any real policy plans. When asked, he simply says,
“I’ll get the best people on it and we will solve it. I will make America great again.”
Look at his most famous specific idea. “I’ll build a wall and make the Mexicans pay for it.” Does anyone anywhere think he can do that? Build a wall? Perhaps. I want the next president to secure the southern border. But make the Mexicans pay for it? How is he going to do that? You can’t bully foreign governments. He’s running for president not king of the world. What is he selling there? Donald Trump.
Barack Obama sold himself. “I’m going to bring hope and change.” He created a mystic sense of awe – people thought he was going to change the world. For crying out loud, they gave him the Nobel Peace Prize for pretty much doing nothing! America went bonkers over him, fell in love. Then, when reality hit, many realized he wasn’t up to the task.
Donald Trump is Barack Obama. No, they have different policies, as far as that goes. But no one is voting for Donald Trump’s policies. They are ga-ga over his perceived strength, his self-confidence, his politically-incorrect bluster. Republicans are fawning over Trump as Democrats first, and then America in general fawned over Obama.
It didn’t work out for us that well these last few years, America. Trump would likely be a worse President than Obama has been – and we didn’t think it possible. Please wake up, Republicans. Don’t fall prey to the kind of hype that the other side of the aisle did in 2008. America has real problems and we need real solutions, not empty promises and self-important bluster from someone with messianic delusions.
Please, Iowa, let’s start a national trend toward sanity next week. When we go to the caucuses, vote for character, for competence, for integrity. But for the love of all that is holy, good, and for the love of this land that I love, DO NOT vote for Donald Trump!
Pretty please?
