There are less than 100 days until the Presidential election, and voters will have to choose between Hillary Clinton, a former first lady, two-term US Senator, and Secretary of State or Donald J. Trump, a self-glorifying "businessman," reality television personality, and prior beauty contest promoter. All things considered, I find the title "Madam President" to be preferable over "Madman President."
Every day there appears a new controversy involving Trump. He is a toxic mix of ignorance and arrogance never before seen in our presidential politics. He has defamed and threatened minorities, advocated war crimes, denigrated war heroes, degraded women, mocked the handicapped, and disparaged the parents of a fallen soldier who sacrificed his life to save his comrades. We are numb to the daily barrage of Trumpisms, and none of his handlers seem to be able to control him.
Trump's "beliefs" are an ever-changing kaleidoscope, and at the end of the day all he holds sacred is himself. The terrible Trump truth is that the would-be emperor not only has no clothes-- he has no character.
He is a serial name caller with the wit and charm of a school-yard bully-- hurling such monikers as "Hillary 'Rotten' Clinton," "Crooked Hillary," "Crazy Bernie" [Sanders]," "Little Michael Bloomberg," "Corrupt [Tim] Kaine," "Pocahontas" and "Goofy" [Elizabeth Warren], "Liddle Marco" [Rubio], "Lyin' Ted" [Cruz], "Low Energy Jeb" [Bush]. He labels other who would dare to challenge his authority "losers," "lightweights," and "dummies." And women who disagree with him are often called "pigs," "dogs," and "bimbos."
I have one name for him, "Delusional Donald." He has movies playing is his head that no one else has seen, such as thousands and thousands of people cheering on 9/11 from rooftops in New Jersey-- or an Iranian propaganda video showing $400 million cash paid by the US being unloaded from an airplane (a claim he later recanted). And yet he calls Hillary "unstable."
What is around the corner for Trump? The debates present a dilemma for the Delusional Donald. I am sure that part of him wants to weasel out of a face-to-face showdown with her. He has already been whining that two of the three debates conflict with NFL games. Hillary is scary to him. She has an unfair advantage over Trump--she actually knows "stuff." On the other hand, he has done poorly in organization and fund raising as compared to her-- she can outspend the "very rich" Trump in campaign advertising and other venues. And she is beating him badly in the polls, which he now has ceased citing. His last chance to turn the tide may be the debates.
And if it becomes clear to him that he can't win the election, I predict he will simply quit-- blaming the media, the GOP, the Democrats, and his most recent scapegoat, the "rigged system." He would rather save face than to suffer a humiliating defeat in November.
Trump really could end the United States of America as we know it. He has called for the rounding up and deporting of 11 million undocumented people. Do you think when his storm-troopers knock on the doors of these families, they will go peacefully into the night with his enforcers?
And his wall? What utter nonsense. The US/Mexican border spans nearly 2000 miles. How high is Trump's fantasy fence going to be? Can anyone make a taller step ladder? He once said they may name the wall after him. I wonder who they will name the tunnels after. And how deep must it be to avoid such tunneling? How do you acquire the land and easements from adjacent property owners to get equipment and supplies in for this fool's folly? But don't forget the baloney that Trump will get Mexico to pay for it. I wonder if they will also pay any delinquent taxes he may owe after his alleged IRS audits.
He has advocated the banning of Muslims from entering the country. He has called for torture and worse for suspected terrorists, and said we need to "take out" their families. I am not sure how far he would extend this-- are spouses, children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins all on the hit list? And I have a hunch that anyone who challenges or opposing him will become a "suspected terrorist" and subject to the wrath of the Donald.
There are likely only two options for the CIA or the military when presented with orders to commit illegal acts or war crimes, both of which are doomsday scenarios:
1) If they obey the orders, we will become a fascist nation, or
2) If they disobey the orders, there is a real chance of a military coup.
Trump is a bully, a braggart, and a bigot-- unfit for any political office and unworthy of public trust. He is a fast-talking con man better suited to run a jam-auction on a carnival midway. Every loyal American needs to reject Trump. A number of GOP leaders and donors have put their country above party affiliation and done just that, refusing to endorse or donate to him, with some admitting Hillary would be a better choice. Just today 50 patriotic Republican senior security experts, many former cabinet members and top aides, signed an unprecedented open letter to the New York Times disavowing Trump and encouraging us not to vote for him. This should give cover to others who want to jump off this unstable bandwagon.
Those who both condemn and endorse him are the epitome of hypocrisy. The Republican Party would be better off to repudiate Trump and take their loss on the Presidency while trying to salvage the down-ticket candidates. Four years from now they can try to recapture the Presidency with a credible candidate.
Having a two-party system has been of great benefit to this country, and there are intelligent people of goodwill in both parties. Sadly, Trump is not one of them. Of all the Trump bankruptcies, the most disturbing is his moral one.