Tomorrow is Super Tuesday with many delegates at stake and the direction of our country in the balance. According to pundits Trump has double digit leads in most of the states and has continued to further erode a constitutional movement that has grown in many areas of this country.
When Donald Trump first appeared on this scene as a candidate he sounded convincing and irreverent to the rules of the Progressives. Some even appreciated his constant demonizing of the conservative base. The public has been frustrated with the economy national security and have deep resentment for an administration that does not work for them. But there is a segment of the society that wants a political focus that doesnt stand on blaming others or condemning others that may disagree with you. The United States should be a country of we" and not I. We have had seven years of that and Trump will continue on the path of Obama in that respect.
On immigration Trump has some good ideas. He has the solid backing of most of Americans to block radical Islamists from entering this country until we have a policy in place to actually vet these refugees. In the beginning Trump touted his conservative positions. His support of the Second Amendment and his support for Israel was there for all to see. He fought the good fight of independent conservatives and embraced Tea Party positions. Trump has repeated the points that showed he was an outsider not beholden to progressive policies. Trump has been moving up behind a force of personality that would rival the ascendancy of Obama.
When Trump first came on the scene what exactly was known about Trump. Yes we watched the Apprentice we heard of him on the news the force of Trumps personality was well known before Trump ever decided to become a candidate. He was thought to be the answer to the past seven years of Obama and the many years of progressive denigration of the country we hold so dear.
It now appears that Trump until he decided to run for the Presidency for the Republicans was mostly progressives and not well attuned to become the leader that the Republican party needs. Trump has changed political parties not based on any beliefs that he can say to hold he has no fixed principles but will change his politics based on his business policies. He has admitted to donating to both parties in 2006 he donated enough to assist the Democrats to retake Congress from Republican control. His political policies were and will be controlled by profit over principle.
Healthcare is another area where Trump does not adhere to what the conservative position is. Conservatives are not looking for rationed healthcare believe in marketplace economic to lower prices knowing that the best way to assure the customer receives the best healthcare possible is through competition in the marketplace. In this area Trump policies are not very different from those set forth by Bernie Sanders an admitted socialist. When Sean Hannity called Trump on healthcare his answer was to insurance companies for getting to Obama and then launched into how he doesnt take any money from corporations and the he is self funding. There was response on how to fix it.
Israel is in a position of great peril. When Hannity asked if Trump would back Israel Trump talked about how he was Grand Marshall of the Israeli Day Parade 10 years ago. Not a glowing response that will leave Israel alone once again.
Trump professes to be pro-life but is against the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Trump will say that he is against abortion but that Planned Parenthood does many wonderful things. Planned Parenthood aborted over 330000 babies in 2011 alone with the numbers going up since then. The federal government supplies 45 of the Planned Parenthood funding. What would Donald Trump think of that money going to womens health clinics that dont provide abortions.
The progressive past of Trump has sown itself in an interview where Trump called Hillary a terrific woman. I like her and her husband She works hard and does a good job. Has anyone heard Trump say anything against Hillary. Is he just a place marker until Hillary gets the nomination or will he use the same tactics to shred Hillary as he uses on those in his own party? Even after Benghazi Trump was found talking to Larry King about how much he liked the Clintons. Now he has changed his mind on Hillary as he has changed his mind on many other subjects. Is he just saying what he does to give the populist side of the conservative party what they want to hear.
Shipping jobs overseas is something that Trump has remarked on without giving a good reason why the clothing line with his name on it has been long been manufactured overseas.
The attacks on those running against Trump or those who disagree with him is legendary as well as mean and puerile. His attacks on Megyn Kelly by both Trump and his followers have reached a stage that is beyond the bounds of those who claim to be evangelical and seem to not be able to have a serious discussion about differences of opinion. It was Trump who brought the tone of nastiness and obscene attacks on the other challengers in the race. A sexual insult that was leveled by Trump on Ted Cruz was not warranted and lowered the level of Trump as candidate to the level of a high school argument. Cruz is not liked in Washington because he fights for what he believes in and his willingness to fight the good fight. Trump is all over the media on television of Facebook on Twitter launching more and more unwarranted insults to those who disagree with him. This leads to his followers becoming even more insulting and dismissive of those who may disagree.
Trump was shattered in the last debate as both Rubio and Cruz forced Trump and those paying attention in the American public to take a closer look at just what we can expect. Many have since noticed that there are great similarities between Trump and Obama. Many questions have still been left unanswered. What is it that Trump stands for? What can we expect from a President Trump. What are the specifics of his avowed policies? Short simple answers do not get it done. Build a Wall" Make American Great again" are fine but we need answers as far as how? Where will the money come from what will be cut to pay for the policies?
We do know that Trump wants to expand libel laws so that he can sue those with whom he disagrees. A violation of the First Amendment so what? Trump fans dont care. They dont have to follow the law or even common decency they just have to follow the Donald". In the last debate Cruz and Rubio did an excellent job of showing that Trump does not have the ability to explain what he would do as President in any formative way. Bumper sticker promises may work with his followers but those who want to take the White House need to make clear that there must be substance.
The media is falling all over themselves to follow every word from Trump. They allow Trump to call in and denigrate anyone he wishes as long as it is not a progressive. The media refuses to cover Trump hiding his tax returns or hiring illegals over Americans supposedly because he couldnt find Americans to do the work. The push forward the idea that Trump is self-funding his campaign not True and that Trump supposedly talks for all Republicans also not true. But it will be possible to get whiplash on how fast the media will turn on Trump during the general election. The war on women will be rekindled because of statements that Trump has made in the past and the way he treats women who oppose him.
And what of the followers in politics and the social world that Trump has insulted? From the Pope to US Senators former President Bush former Governor and even pundits like Charles Krauthammer. Does Trump really think these people will become a part of his following because he insults them? Some will looking for a position in the possible Trump administration.
Will things change in the future? I honestly can not support Trump for President. I would vote for him if he was the nominee but with the media turning against him and the majority of conservatives who will not vote for him we may be led by a felon who put our country at risk. Not something I would look forward to.
John Velisek USN (Ret.)
