The Trumping of Real Over Unreal

Donald Trump is producing an endless field day of a political season for any psychologically-inclined media looky loo.

The outrage and shock waves following Trump's every word are so extreme that the noise pours into the streets and rocks the political media theatre daily.

This stunning showing in the polls that Trump is achieving, which seemingly grows as we go along, is a matter of great meaning.

I think there is something even deeper and stronger in Trump's appeal beyond the important issue of immigration.

In spite of the tsunami of opinion pieces which are either heart-felt expressions of disdain for Trump, or manipulated attempts to erase the so-called "clown" from the political arena, Trump is currently trumping them all.

Why is Trump so popular, and at the moment, so potentially viable as a candidate for president of the United States? Opinion columns are choked with theories, ranging from summer media ennui to the great numbers of closet immigrant haters who secretly align with the overtly prejudiced to Trump's financial acumen and success in a time of American middle class erosion.

The answer, I believe, is not blowing in the wind. It is, instead, the very humid unstirred American air we breathe in 2015.

In short, Americans stand, a la the movie, Network, in greater numbers than have been recently imagined, at their metaphorical windows, yelling, "We've had enough and we are not going to take it anymore!"

We have had enough transparently phony political non-speak from candidates with corporate money who remove our trust in government.

Perhaps anyone running for president who would have dared to speak spontaneously without a script would have stopped us in our tracks.

We are starving for anything real; to be said, considered, declared, and enacted.

I say, "starving", because the impoverishment of truth has been on a steep incline for all to see for a vast amount of time. Surely the outpouring of government lies has soared into infinity since 9/11.

You can see the responses to the lack of political and media truth in the anger, impatience, and growing hysteria of the populace. Shootings, crashes, word wars in the news. Hate seems heavily on display, maybe even more than usual.

People are hurting financially and the upbeat economic nightly news does nothing to change that.
Too many issues, inconsistencies, bad financial conditions, wars, and confused reporting on it all has led to a growing unease, puncturing even our hearty American habits of denial, overwhelm, and intellectual laziness.

Every thinking person knows the media news is airbrushed, if not reeking with lies, and the American response has been to silently simmer and retreat, until now.

Trump's media presence is a blood red blooming patch upstaging a field of plastic artificial flowers.

Trump's greatest challenge is, of course, whether he can pull the ego mania back and present his material with specific substance, factual footnotes, and a much more quiet confidence.

That is more than an iffy proposition.

But really, is it any wonder that a rich, powerful man who dares and delights in blasting forth his unvarnished truths has a following?

This, in spite of his brash style, infamous scowl, bellicose posture, controversial immigration position, and made-for-comedy hair.

The question remains. In the middle of a crisis, who would you rely on for truth?

As much as I want to believe her, Hillary Clinton?