There’s a part of me that is getting worried by Donald Trump’s persistence in the GOP primary race. That same part of me wonders, if he wins, whether this blog entry will be used against me in some dark future.
Then I think back to races past when other candidates were leading in polls (and even in primaries a bit later) around this time in past election years. Newt Gingrich was certain that his lead was insurmountable for a time in 2011. Pat Buchanan won the New Hampshire primary back in 1996. Hillary Clinton won that same primary in 2008 and looked unstoppable. Ron Paul was getting more attention than ever in 2011-early 2012. None of those candidates won the presidency, or even became their party’s nominee.
Politics can be scary, but often times it does actually select for mature, level-headed leaders in the highest offices – seemingly in spite of the process that gets them there. But loud-mouthed, bellicose bullies do have their draw. Palin rode the wave of jingoism all the way to her Party’s vice presidential nomination, for instance, with little more than volume and a message so simplistic it left extra space on a bumper sticker: ‘Drill baby, drill.’
Lately, Trump has let the dogs out by suggesting policies such as mass deportations of ~11 million illegal immigrants, closing our border to Mexico with a massive wall and to Muslims at every port of entry. He’s proposed shutting the internet down because it’s used by terrorists (I wonder if any of them use cell phones?)
In an interview with ‘Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos, Trump was asked: “You’re increasingly being compared to Hitler…Does that give you any pause at all?”
“No, because what I am doing is no different than what FDR — FDR’s solution for Germans, Italians, Japanese, you know, many years ago…This is a president who is highly respected by all…He did the same thing.”
I shouldn’t get myself into this, but I can’t help it…
I could be wrong, but I didn’t think it was internment that made FDR a highly respected president, I thought that had more to do with giving people jobs and building infrastructure.
“I will be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.”
how?
“I’ll bring back our jobs, and I’ll bring back our money.”
Oh.
What about healthcare?
Don’t worry, he’s got health. “I consider my health, stamina and strength one of my greatest assets.” and on Twitter: “As a presidential candidate, I have instructed my long-time doctor to issue, within two weeks, a full medical report-it will show perfection”
What about everyone else. Those of us who weren’t so blessed with perfection?
“We have to repeal Obamacare … it can be replaced with something much better for everybody… much better and much less expensive for people and for the government. “
Any ideas on how to make that happen?
“[W]e can do it.”
Ok.
This presidency thing is looking easier all the time. It’s amazing no one has managed to do it well before now.
DownHouseSoftware 