From day one of Donald J. Trump’s campaign the real
estate mogul has been manipulating political news cycles. His bombastic shocking rhetoric still leads
the headlines daily and often from hour to hour. Because of all the media attention Trump has
overshadowed not only his Republican competitors but the Democratic candidates
as well. As he continues to get the most
coverage, he mocks, insults and accuses the media of lying about him, drilling
the Trump mantra into his followers that the media isn’t to be trusted when
they criticize the self proclaimed “greatest deal maker” on earth. The media and the political “establishment”
are complicit in using the people and making America weak and no longer great.
In the beginning of this ludicrous 2016 Presidential
campaign no one, not one pundit, not one reporter, not one sitting or retired
Senator or House member believed this crude, loud, insulting style would appeal
to many people across the country.
They’ve acquiesced apparently and are starting to believe that this
narcissistic egotist has a shot at being the most powerful man in the world.
Various political shows interrupt their programming and
show entire Trump press conferences and a good portion of his rallies. At one point earlier in his campaign Bernie
Sanders compared Trump’s coverage of 81 minutes to 20 seconds for Sanders. So then, is the media not aiding Mr. Trump in
his quest for the White House? Are they
treating him as a celebrity and giving him preferential treatment for his
ability to boost their ratings? His
extemporaneous speeches are filled with mean spirited yelling and rudeness
about others. His diatribe against Mexicans, his proposals about building a beautiful
wall, his proclamation about refusing entry to the United States for a whole
religious faith and just bombing the hell out of ISIS as a cure for terrorism
has mesmerized a portion of the Republican electorate. Many pundits call Trump brilliant due to his
mastery of reading the crowds and apparently skipping the learning curve on the
art of “the campaign” while he often spends the most time on nothing but
selective poll numbers that always show him leading even when he isn’t, never
talking about substance, issues and few even mention in passing that most of
time what he shouts to his fans isn’t possible or even true.
He gets credit for using social media as well as tv and
radio to his advantage. His xenophobic
inflammatory language doesn’t seem to bother his supporters and, in fact, it’s
a media magnet so no wonder then that it seems to raise his voter numbers. That
certainly begs the question of exactly who are these people who believe in him
so strongly.
Trumpians aren’t just
angry, they’re damned mad at the party that’s lied to them for 35 years,
beginning with Reagan and his trickle-down theory. They’ve been promised jobs, repeal of Roe v.
Wade and the Affordable Care Act.
They’re terrified that the government is going to take their guns. They’re angry because they’re mostly white
and Christian and feel a threat from “the others.” It’s the fault of the Mexicans, the Muslims,
the Chinese and on and on for the sad weak state of the country. After all, the Republican Party still today
tells them all these things.
Analysts are now saying
that people who support Trump have authoritarian personalities meaning they
want someone them what to do, a strong father figure. Others tell us that a
majority of Trumpians are blue collar non-college educated hard working
people. That seems to be code for lower
income less educated and less informed voters.
The two characteristics couple nicely and are a lethal combination when
choosing leaders. It might very well
explain Bush’s second term. In 2016 it’s
magnified. They want prosperity, the
world to be in fear of our military and they want the country to adhere to
their Christian values forgetting that America is the melting pot of the world
and forgetting the welcoming beauty of the Statue of Liberty. It’s threatening to them to think that the
country is changing, becoming more liberal and view equality stealing their
rights. They’re free to live as they
like, worship as they please, legally buy all the guns that give them peace of
mind but aren’t others who disagree with their ideology also free to live as
they like and worship or not worship as they please and to feel safe not with a
personal arsenal but because we have people working to keep us safe.
In this politically
frenzied frantic time one can only hope that people find information themselves
rather than believing in slogans, blame throwing and bloviated promises from
any candidate. If an issue is that
important to someone then it’s important enough to find the truth using many
non-partisan sources. No one has to tell
you what’s true. It’s just a Google
away.
