I already crossed Trump off of my list – I find so much about his bombastic, rambling blather repulsive and disingenuous, that it’s an onerous chore for me to listen to him. Sure, don’t all conservatives long to make America great again! One man spouting on and on about illegal immigration, as if he’s the only GOP candidate to be aware of that problem makes me wonder if he’s been paying attention for the past 30 years. I bought a Trump book this past week at an antique/junk store for $2, because I figured perhaps I am missing something about him. So before I go on too long with a let-me-count-the-reasons-why “I think Trump is a phony!”, I thought it might be more interesting to post another view. Of course, I am curious why many smart people like him and since Minta sent me an email with her favorable view of Trump, along with her insights on the rest of the GOP field, without further comment, I’ll just post her views:
I’ve been very impressed with Dr. Carson going to Harlem and talking about the real problems in inner city life, and then down to the border to find out the truth of the situation from the people fighting it. Fiorina, even though she has different takes on her business experience—you can’t tell anything by corporate politics—I love the way she answers questions and makes sense.
I’ve been carefully watching Trump’s speeches and interviews, so I can get a good handle on what he is and what he wants, and I think there are some interesting aspects that people aren’t talking about.
The following is not an endorsement or commercial, but an analysis. There is a lot I like about Trump, and a lot that worries me. So, purely as my momentary judgment, here goes:
My guesses about Trump:
He is probably a-political, in the sense of being basically involved with business and dealing with politicians only when he wanted something or wanted to stay in good favor with them. He probably considered himself vaguely as a Democrat, as that is basically the default position in the world in which he maneuvered, not as an ideology.
He called Clinton the day before his announcement as a Republican candidate the way you might call a friend to give him a heads-up—note that Trump has mentioned Juanita Broderick, the emails, etc., and gone after HRC and the corruption.
He sees that America is in crisis, and that everything he’s done might be destroyed in a Detroit-like depression, and that his children’s lives might be spent in a much more tyrannical USA. Despite having a lot of money, if you are living in a country where you can’t be an entrepreneur or speak your mind, and where companies can be nationalized at the whim of a truly corrupt system—which will come if something is not done—you have a life that is not what “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” preaches.
We live in a country that is no longer honored and loved by freedom-loving people, and is laughed at by our enemies. The inner cities are Hellholes, because the Left needs victims. And we are looking at the making of a “Black Spring” being deliberately whipped-up, and the new illegal aliens getting so many privileges and social services adding to the antagonisms in the streets—the next year could be horrible.
Trump is a pragmatic businessman—it’s in his blood. He decided to do something to bring the USA back to where it is what it used to be: Great. He looks around, like he would at a failing business, and he sees where it needs change: economically, in personnel, in corporate divisions, in rules and regulations, in security, etc. These changes are Conservative ideas. So he announces he is a Conservative—and this is the key: the only way America can be re-established as a great country is through Conservative ideas.
So Trump starts talking about the problems we face, and because he is not a politician, he is doing what a businessman would do: he’s proposing solutions, seeking out experts, selecting and rejecting ideas, etc. Unlike a politician, he says a lot of what he believes, and his views are undergoing changes as he learns more. But because he is a pragmatist, and used to creating enterprises, and actually solving problems to get them done, he is set on rebuilding the military to a great power, getting rid of a lot of regulations, re-invigorating the entrepreneurial spirit, re-enforcing capitalism, and dealing with a lot of other obvious problems.
Whatever he believes in his heart-of-hearts, he knows that only a great, free America will insure his and his children’s future, and he is going after it. The most interesting thing about a problem-solver like Trump is that he wants what works and not what sounds or looks good. Even if what works is against something he otherwise wishes.
I believe Trump loves America. His ego and the greatness of America are joined, and he has the ability to get things done in a practical way: he is on a mission, a crusade. It is this joining of ego and the country that is so intriguing. The One, because he loathes America, has joined his ego to destroying our country; Trump, because he identifies with the ideas that make the American Ideal great, wants America to be a rip-roaring, great, powerful, dynamic country again.
Trump will seek out the pragmatic experts who have a track-record of positive, American-type achievement. The key to Trump is that he views the situation as, if he can make America great again—capitalistic, entrepreneur-friendly, militarily dominant, outspoken, the American as the bringer of freedom and the Shining City on the Hill—then his ego will be served.
Is he a clown, who will become more fragmented? Is he a proto-Patton, who will learn quickly and become more focused on workable solutions? I don’t know. There are elements of both in him.
My conclusion:
I’m keeping my options open. All of our candidates will be tested over the next year by events that will absolutely necessitate them being either shattered or tempered by the power of the Left to cause trouble.
So, who knows? The people who are actually taking heavily pragmatic, pro-America stands are Cruz, Carly, Dr. Carson, Trump, and to a lesser, but still powerful extent, Rubio and Jindal. The rest, even Walker lately, damn him!, are mostly political, even where they are or seem Conservative. Trump sounds foolish on a lot of what he says, but then he narrows or broadens those views and it gets more interesting. Unlike the Left, he will not try to do something that can’t be done. His ideas will tighten as he focuses more. What will they become?
How will his outspoken manner affect the other candidates? Already, some words have been reborn.
Right now, because of Trump, issues and ideas and even words are being discussed openly that would never have been spoken about or discussed before. People who ignore politics are becoming interested. I can’t guess where it will go, because the situation has never happened before.
I always listen to the interviews and speeches, etc., of the candidates, so I am curious to see how things change with time.
The Establishment—on both sides—is horrified and antagonistic to the point of almost foaming at the mouth. Their corruption in politics is so entrenched and so dependent upon playing political games while growing their own power and wealth that they view the Trump phenomena with the anger of an aristocracy against an upstart no-one—i.e., a non-politician, a non-intellectual—who has hit them out of nowhere—they NEVER counted on this.
We are in the most dangerous position the world has ever seen, because the enemies of America may choose to strike us because of our obvious weakness, and because we have leaders who are corrupt and hate America, and want to punish everyone who disagrees with them. Will they wait to see if the One keeps his power even through the next election—after all, the time period between the election and the handover of power will give them a striking moment, which they might use if it looks like the “wrong” candidate was elected, etc., etc. There are so many possibilities and windows of opportunity against us, the next year and a half is scarier than any I’ve been through.
The Left will try to deflect, change, or destroy Trump. As long as Trump is The Great American Hope, this is going to be a huge challenge. No matter what, more people will hear more ideas actually spoken about than ever before.
Remember that The One probably has plans to continue in power no matter what.
This is going to be fascinating, as well as scary.
I never expected this kind of campaign.
