La Raza on the Bench

Typical Trump at Work: Handling La Raza

Here's how an intelligent man handles things: Faced with a judge who is a member of a racist movement, the intelligent client has his lawyers bury the court in objections regarding the judge's fitness to preside over a case involving a political lightning rod. This especially, when the lightning drawn is from the race the racist judge hails from. Then the intelligent man lets the court of public opinion create the firestorm surrounding such a judge. If nothing else, such an approach creates an environment favorable to an appeal.

But what did Trump do? He accused the judge presiding over his case of being "unfair" (the favored word of crybabies everywhere) because he is a Mexican. What can the Donald do before people realize he lacks the capacity for reason and considered action? He mentioned the judge's affiliation with La Raza, an organization that refers to white Americans as "the enemy", as an indirect aside. He didn't name the organization. Trump has said something stupid every day of this election cycle. But this one, coming on the heels of his peevish press conference, will pretty much screw the pooch where normal, thinking voters are concerned.

The Donald Does Have a Point

Still, despite Trumps complete inability to communicate on an adult level, he is right about one thing. Imagine, if you will, a staunchly protestant merchant who is being sued for poor services or shady dealing. He learns that the judge provides legal advise and pro bono representation to Sinn Fein and the IRA. While the man would be smart not to complain about the judge's religion or where he was born, a plaintiff would be fully justified in questioning the judge's objectivity based on the judges own actions. The judge's actions are his alone, they weren't foisted on him by his parents and they aren't a geographic accident of birth. The actions show how the judge thinks.

Such is the case with Gonzalo Curiel. Anyone who represents controversy where the Hispanic community is concerned would be smart object to a presiding judge who actively supports La Raza no matter what the jurist's race might be.

Is He REALLY This Incompetent?

I am forced to wonder, as I have in the past, if Trump isn't being stupid on purpose. Clearly, he never heard the word "no" as a child. He was never required by his parents to treat anyone with the least respect. He grew up to be an ill-mannered hot head with a penchant for circus. But is that all that is at work here? Could anyone be this repeatedly ham-handed in comporting himself in the public eye?

It should come as a surprise to no one that within days of each announced pledge to be more presidential - there have been three - he would set a new low in rhetorical ineptitude. The result, by his own ignorance or design, will be four more years of Democrat control of DC. Looking at the state of the economy and our social fabric now, it isn't a stretch to say the American Experiment cannot withstand four such years.

And so, once again, the elements are coming together to create another loss for the Republicans in an election they should have won in a walk.

I'll say this, I give the Trump kids' nannies or mothers a lot of credit. Those offspring didn't acquire their poise and erudition from their father. If anything, he made their upbringing more difficult.

Hope Springs Eternal

Fortunately, we do have an alternative. He isn't the prefect alternative. But he is a far more superior choice than Trump or Clinton. He has as much a chance of swaying thinking people (almost 60% of the electorate) to his side as the other two.

I am of course referring to Gary Johnson. Oh, I know! I know! He's wouldn't have been my first choice either. But compared to the other two wing nuts, he's the best choice.

I am certain he will do things in office that will piss me off. And yes, he can come off as a bit geeky. Fortunately, unlike the millions of rubes presently singing the praises of Clinton and Trump, I am not a single issue voter. Nor am I the type of voter who puts faith in people no matter how crooked or inept they are.

Johnson is a successful two-term governor, backed up by a governor (Weld) as his running mate. He intends to take a wrecking ball to the federal budget. He isn't my cup of tea on military issues, but there is no way congress will let him pull back in the way he would like us to. He will fight a war, declared by congress, if the US is attacked or our interests endangered (Now there's a refreshing change. For more on this see my book.)

The most important qualities I see in Johnson are his apparent integrity and normal ego. There is no evidence he's committed serial felonies, as BJ Bill's wife has. We know he doesn't base his decisions on who likes him and is "fair" to him, as does Trump. And as a bonus, Johnson can form a coherent sentence and present an argument that goes beyond "believe me" or "big time folks, big time".

To be certain, Johnson wouldn't have said a judge was no good because he was Mexican.

I'll talk more about Johnson soon.

Matt Jordan is a travel writer, political commentator and author of 16 20 24. Get your SIGNED copy here!

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