I know, according to supporters of Donald Trump, I am not supposed to talk about him, because after all, he hasn’t even been sworn in yet. We are to ignore the fact he has appointed a man, Stephen Brannon, as his chief strategist, a man with some very troubling connections to white supremacy, or what is now being called the Alt-Right.
We are to ignore the fact he released a YouTube video laying out his goals and agenda for his first one-hundred days, in which, there was no mention of building the wall, or repealing Obama Care. Two of the corner stones, of his campaign, used to gin the angry mob.
We are to ignore the fact he has said through his spokespeople, he will not be pushing for an investigation and the prosecution of Hillary Clinton, another favorite among his most ardent supporters.
Let us ignore Reince Prebius, his soon to be Chief of Staff, said they are not ruling out the possibility of a Muslim Registry.
Let us also ignore that just today, Trump said, the president of the United States, cannot have a conflict of interest, that he can run his company, and the country at the same time.
So, I have been told time and again, as I point these things out, “just wait, he isn’t the president yet, he hasn’t been sworn in yet”. Does this mean, once he is sworn in, he will again reverse his stated position on these important issues? So when was he lying? During the campaign? Now? Later? When his F-ing lips are moving?
I was asked today, not for the first time, the last was James DeMartino when I asked about his residency eligibility, I was asked which party I identify with. Really? Why? Because I dare to hold the next president of the USA to his words during a campaign? I dare to question his ability to run the nation? Because if I am a registered Republican, how dare I point at the poop stains in the underwear of the party?
My answer was, I am first and fore most, and American citizen when it comes to political choices. I am neither Republican, Democrat, conservative, or liberal, I am only a citizen who cares deeply for this country which has given me so much. I have never, nor will I ever, give my loyalty to a political party over the well-being of my country. I will not look the other way as a carny huckster, is elected to the highest office of this nation, and then allow his lies to go unchallenged simply because he has fooled some of my fellow citizens into thinking he is something he is not.
I will, while I am still free to do so, speak in opposition of a man I feel is a real and present danger to the Representative Republic which has survived even a civil war. And I will not wait until he is sworn in officially, since every move he makes leading up to that day, every person he appoints, every statement he makes is official, and has ramifications upon foreign affairs, stock markets and the day-to-day lives of people everywhere.
Am I a Republican? Yes. But do I support my party right now? No. How can I support something I no longer recognize? How can I support a party which has no foundation? A party full of people who have no idea of where we as a nation should be headed, beyond their childish joy at having won the presidential election. But all should remember, winning doesn’t make you right, history makes you right.
It amazes me, the diversity of those who are celebrating the Trump victory. You have people who never had voted or followed politics prior to this campaign. You have the TEA movement types, the fringe right, who are mostly interested in gun issues and social issues. But them you have the so-called “establishment” types, the people who are the insiders, the so-called “lords of the backrooms” .
Why have these people circled their wagons around such a flawed candidate? Well most likely, the new comers are under informed and are running on pure, high-octane emotions of fear and hatred of things and people they don’t understand. The TEA movement types are simply completing the journey they began back in 2010, with candidates like Christine O’Donnell here in Delaware, and others around the nation. Then you have the establishment types, who miss being in control, who miss being the movers and shakers, and who are just overjoyed to have a Republican win.
Some might see this loosely connected coalition as a good thing, and I might agree, had it resulted in a better candidate, with a better chance of being at least an average president. Instead the establishment made a calculation that Trump couldn’t win the nomination, and when he did, they simply hitched their boxcar to the Trump Train. Which is odd considering that in 2010 here in Delaware, the establishment chose to stay home and give the election to the Democrat Chris Coons.
The TEA types are willing to ignore the fact that Trump has made, and continues to make statements which should cause them great concern about his respect for the Constitution. He has now said after the election, he is in consultation with attorneys about what he can do through Executive orders. This is another thing many of his supporters were outraged about the use of by President Obama.
The GOP has no foundation, it is set upon the shifting sands of an electorate who care more about single issues, rather than about the overall good of the nation. Sands blown about by the winds of fear and hate.
No, I will not give Trump a grace period, I will not wait until he is sworn in, I will not turn a blind eye towards that which I feel is wrong. Anymore than I did when President Obama was elected, nor did many of the people now making excuses for Trump.
The GOP has no foundation, it is set upon the shifting sands of an electorate who care more about single issues, rather than about the overall good of the nation. Sands blown about by the winds of fear and hate.
The GOP holds thirty-three governorships, and more state legislative seats than at any time since the 20;s.
The GOP holds the US House and Senate. And in ’18, the Dems must defend 25 Senate seats. Good luck.
That seems like a pretty solid foundation to me, and it had nothing to do with Trump.
Rick please go back and read above, “winning doesn’t make you right, history makes you right.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. ?????
Only history with its gift of looking backwards with 20/20 vision will answer your questions.
Yeah,shifting sands and the political pendulum. I must admit that if trump didn’t win, I most likely would have switched to “unaffiliated”.
The balance of power in government and the future of the Republican Party was teetering, and it could have been a disaster, but Trump has won, and we also have the Senate and House of Representatives. Now, it’s the Democrats who are where the Republicans were eight years ago.
Trump is reaching out to the nay sayers, and it seems that he wants to include them in the decision making processes of the new administration…. Now if he can just ditch the mom and pop shop, family affair mentality of doing business, I think things will run smoothly.
… “winning doesn’t make you right, history makes you right.
Then you should have written this post in twenty years from now, Nostradamus.
Today- which is when we live- the GOP is dominating. If you predict gloom-and-doom, that is your business. But it has no basis in today’s objective reality.
Again Rick when you say the GOP is dominating, all you are saying is that they have won elections, that doesn’t mean their policies are correct for the majority of our citizens. Only history will judge that.
Today’s news that Trump has picked Niki Haley as US Ambassador to the UN is baffling. I’m betting that she knows where India is on the map but not much else about the world? Heck, she’s lived her whole life in South Carolina. I like her, but she is way out of her league. Terrible fit.
And why on earth would Trump name the US Ambassador to the UN before naming her boss, the Secretary of State? Completely ass backwards.
I believe that history will confirm what we already know to be true:
A president who was born into a wealthy family after his father made tons of money in shady deals, the stock market, and real estate business; who was such a jerk to people who were not Americans that he threatened to go to war with our neighboring country, putting us closer to nuclear war than any president in history; who is obviously a sexist and a racist with every single cabinet member he appointed being a white male; who even had a family member appointed to a cabinet position; who enjoyed a playboy lifestyle with endless rumors of womanizing; and who foolishly who called for large tax decreases at a time when people were calling for government to do more.
Yes, History will show us that John F. Kennedy was all of the above and therefore must have been one of the worst presidents of all time…
And here’s another baffling appointment: Ben Carson to head up HUD? This agency has a budget of $48 billion and has 8,000+ on staff. What experience does Carson have in heading up an organization? Zippo.
And the band played on. I am not a supporter nor a detractor, however I voted for Trump. Every elected president has made wild claims and made promises that could not be kept. Trump is no different. How this all will turn out is anybody’s guess. Wining or trumpeting appointments or campaign promises is a fools errand at this point. What we know for a fact is that Clinton lost and Trump won. Nothing else.
Honi Soit, if you want to know why Trump may have appointed Haley? Look at the Lt. Governor who gets to move up now, HUUUUUUUUUGE! Trump supporter. And Trump can always remove Haley after she resigns from her governorship position. Remember, she endorsed Rubio. Is it hard to believe such a childish man would go to such lengths to settle a score?
Which brings me to Bob Mitchell’s comment.
And Bob Mitchell again takes the partisan shot. And I would ask all here to notice that in my original post, I made no reference to any of Trump’s personal issues like his “locker-room” talk, it has been about his actual campaign promises, and his current lack of consistency. Bob Mitchell takes the low road and attempts to distract from facts, by making some chicken head comparison to JFK, a Democrat.
So like his own failed campaign, which he ran because of some perceived slight to his good friend Cindy Green, to settle the score for her, all Bob Mitchell has is some weak kneed party hack response, no wonder he was defeated by 70+%.
Happy Thanksgiving, Frank… but you probably don’t celebrate this “alt-right”, racist, Native-American-displacing holiday…
I think the comparisons to JFK give pause to actually consider the fact that History will be the judge of his decisions and his success or failure as a President (once he actually becomes President) – not the talking heads at CNN or the clicking fingers of Frank Knotts…
And as for my campaign- as I said numerous times during the campaign- if more people become more informed, more involved, and hold their elected officials more accountable, then it was successful- regardless of the vote count. And that is exactly what happened. No regrets.
@Waterpirate: “What we know for a fact is that Clinton lost and Trump won. Nothing else.”
Oh, we know a great deal more than that. We know that there will be drama at every turn. Daily spectacles. Cheap theatrics. All Trump specialties–with Kelly Ann as his warm-up act.
And it will go on and on. Of that, I’m sure.
Not so different from the Obama channel. If you choose to harp and squeal about everything, it really does not matter who is the POTUS? I am going to wait and see how it all plays out, the same as my Obama strategy. Many said that Obama would ruin the country and not survive in office. Now the other side is saying the same of Trump.
One thing I know for sure is that after the first of the year Highmark is raising rates by 30% across the board! No other free market business could do that and survive. The cost of health care and its associated costs must be addressed.
Hoping for better times, not more of the same.
Again Rick when you say the GOP is dominating, all you are saying is that they have won elections, that doesn’t mean their policies are correct for the majority of our citizens. Only history will judge that.
You can say that about any human activity.
Since the majority of states chose Trump, the inference is that they chose Trumps’s policies over Hillary’s policies.
I believe that capitalism is preferable to socialism. I prefer Hayak over Alinsky, Smith over Keynes.
The Socialist-Democrats- the left- promote socialism. And compromising with the left- the socialists- incrementally leads the nation as a whole toward the left, and assured mediocrity.
Thus, I would have supported any Republican over the leftist Hillary Clinton. Merely depriving her of power is a victory for America.
What experience does Carson have in heading up an organization? Zippo.
But it was okay to elect a rookie senator and community organizer to the presidency?
We know that there will be drama at every turn.
At least the “drama” won’t include pay-to-play with Arab oligarchs, congenital lying and obfuscation, classified information on private (and hacked) devices and a predatory “first gentleman” in the Oral Office.
@Rick: “But it was okay to elect a rookie senator and community organizer to the presidency?”
No, it wasn’t. There were better choices in 2008 and 2012, but we’re talking here about 2016. It’s Trump, not Obama. And Trump will most definitely employ congenital lying and obfuscation. He has all his life.
All that lying and obfuscating goes with the job, and goes with the election process. There are screaming blatant examples throughout history. Everyone wants to tout Reagan, the absolute king of the ” I do not recall ” answer when pressed on anything. My absolute favorite ” our boys will never fight on foreign soil “. Lets have a contest and see how many more we can come up with from both sides? More low hanging fruit, ” I am not a criminal” .
” I did not have sexual relations with that woman”
” we must strike first to avoid weapons of mass destruction”
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