American voters are fed up with politicians. Seemingly, they do not trust and will oppose anyone who is a professional politician. Why?
Thank you, GOP for shutting down Congress these past eight years. Of course, if Congress doesn't work, the public faults its occupants, all of them, "politicians" of both political stripes regardless of party affiliation or accountability.
Then again, it's not just the legislative branch you have given a bad name. You've thrown so much mud (Obamacare, IRS, Benghazi) against our democracy's wall that, despite your failure to prove any executive branch improprieties, much of that mud has stuck, at least in the minds of your stalwarts. All the while, you've ceaselessly chanted your mantra: "government isn't the solution, it's the problem." And you've set out to make it so, to fulfill your prophecy by cutting taxes, particularly for the rich, while defunding programs and agencies you don't like - like EPA and IRS, to name just two - making it difficult for them to do their jobs properly and then pointing the finger at them when they stumble for lack of funding.
You've damaged our economy by failing to fund the rebuilding of our infrastructure and provide support for public education and research which would have cost practically nothing given rock-bottom interest rates in recent years.
No wonder Joe Q Public is looking to Trump, an outsider, anyone who is not a seasoned politician, to hand the reins of government. You're just lucky that Trump happened to declare himself a Republican. Now look what you've done. Are you proud of yourselves? Deep down, while a tad nervous, you probably are happy because what you are all about has little to do with promoting the welfare of our nation; rather it's about little more than gaining and controlling the reins of power. Even though Trump is an unbroken, wild colt, in the end, you figure you'll be able to break him. Shame on you!!
Arthur Fox, a Washingon, DC, public interest litigator, has devoted his career to working within the union movement to assist democratic-minded union leaders, members and dissident organizations.