Even If Trump Wins, GOP Loses.
This is yet another occasion where I hope I am completely wrong about Donald Trump. The evidence suggests I am not.
Yesterday, I asserted Trump was doing the right thing by bringing up Hillary’s hateful treatment of the women her husband used on a routine basis. More than anything, with the possible exception of the illegal server compromising national security, her orchestration and participation in the destruction of these women demonstrates her lack of decency and total disregard for the rule of law.
Saying so, however, doesn’t get Trump out of the line of fire. As he has from the outset of the campaign, Trump has based every remark and every poorly worded “policy” statement on one of two things. One is to determine what a conservative might sound like answering questions. Then in an attempt to sound conservative, as in the abortion disaster with Chris Matthews, he blurts out poorly constructed thoughts. His attack on Hillary is one of a few times he’s gotten something right in that regard.
The other is to attack anyone who he perceives to not like him, or as he has stated even more sadly, to have treated him “unfairly”. This week was possibly the low-water mark for an already dismal record.
When grownups among political allies disagree, there is an altogether reasonable expectation that the disagreement will not be made a wedge issue, dividing the party. Public pronouncements asserting each person’s own opinion are fine; even healthy. But only a political idiot would raise the infighting to the point of embarrassing both individuals and thus damaging the wider party. Trump, once again, proved he is just that idiot.
Governor Susana Martinez R-New Mexico is a popular figure, especially in the Western United States. She chairs the Governor’s Association, a position highly instrumental in national elections of presidents and congressmen. She is popular in all demographics in her state. Martinez has been repeatedly been mentioned as a possible VP. More than a few would have been happy to see her make a run for the top of the ticket this year. Overall she is seen to be a very effective governor.
But in Trump’s eyes, she’s a terrible governor and worthy of loud and immature, underdeveloped attacks from a podium at a large rally. Why? Because she didn’t endorse him. And to add imaginary insult to imaginary injury, Martinez, having to make strategic considerations Trump doesn’t, didn’t attend the Trump rally.
Trump’s reaction? “We have to get your governor to get going. She’s got to do a better job, ok? Your governor has got to do a better job. She’s not doing the job. Hey, maybe I’ll run for governor of New Mexico, I’ll get this place going. She’s not doing the job. We’ve got to get her moving. Come on, let’s go governor.” Note the classic Trump style; in the absence of a real point, make up a point and repeat it two or three times to fill space. Then say something self-promoting. It ain’t Churchillian prose, but his cult followers always love it.
The blatant immaturity on display not withstanding, the attack represents a much more serious problem. Trump is destroying the GOP down-ticket. This means he really is irretrievably stupid and doesn’t realize that he might win the presidency and, by his own hand, install a Democrat congress. OR it means he really is a shill for the left and will happily go into office with his Democrat friends in control of both houses.
Either way, Trump is still making it impossible for thinking voters to get behind him.
But Trump is just a real estate financier who got carried through the primaries by the press and a credulous electorate. So in a sense, he doesn’t carry all the blame. It’s been obvious since the 80s that we weren’t dealing with Solomon here.
I pulled a few lines from IMDB and posted them below to demonstrate my point. The sad fact is that the quotes, though fictional, are an accurate depiction of modern politics. The people, ignorant as they are of the American Experiment created in 1787, actually are searching for leadership. They shouldn’t be, but I’ll save that for another post. Or you can read my book. Put that search for “leadership” together with the damage done to our economy and society, and you see how someone as incompetent as Donald J. Trump can win the GOP Nomination.
Lewis Rothschild: They don't have a choice! Bob Rumson is the only one doing the talking! People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand. President Andrew Shepherd: Lewis, we've had presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference.
Chew on that, dear reader. And hate me if you want to.
Matt Jordan is a travel writer, political commentator and author of 16 20 24. Get your SIGNED copy here!
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