A story surfaced today that trump called a Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper woman reporter a 'c###' in an interview. Not a rarity for this presidential candidate, he's called women a variety of derogatory that no one uses who want's to be liked, much less consider for office. Nothing he seems to do or say, that anyone of conscience would advocate, he says and his supporters, and worse, others, shrug. He gets a 'by' on everything. He insults women, minorities, anyone....
Makes no difference.
Recently he's said on national media that a contest winner was fat. Then he doubled down on it, just in case someone had misunderstood him. The woman is Hispanic, he suggested she could be a maid at a hotel.
Makes no difference.
He said he'd consider first use of nuclear weapons.
Makes no difference.
He does not disavow white supremacists organizations that support him. He has made racist comments in many of his public comments.
Makes absolutely no difference. In any other candidate in US history, this would have assigned him to the dustbin of politics. Not Trump.
He has a following. A group we'd not realized was there: a white, racist, oddly ignorant large percentage of our neighbors I had no idea existed. The ones who, hearing his demagogue, nod approvingly while I'm shaking mine in disbelief. Many are disguising their prejudices with a mask of 'here's why we hate, with a virulent, seething hate' of Ms. Clinton. There are columns, blogs, etc out there that spew hate about her, very little with substance, and in the same breath pronounce that they do not necessarily 'support Trump'. Yeah, sure.
There is precedent.....and it's becoming more and more relevant: Germany, 1933. The economic differences are profound. We're not floundering, we have no inflation, it's not the same. But, we have the same population, mainly white and male, who are seemingly eager to don the brown shirts and hit the streets.
What do you make of this? I expect there are a couple of you, you who never comment on my blog, who are all for this. You learn we white people ain't gonna be the majority in a few years. That you are unprepared for a change like this, and want someone to hate.
The fact that at the moment, almost an equal number of registered US voters might vote for this imbecile, astounds me.
If it were not for the fact I have children, and they have children, I'd be all for it. Yeah, Trump as president of the US. Yeah, you deserve it. But the fact I have kids, and don't want them to go through that social jump off the cliff, restrains me.
Cheers,
Mike
Thanks for this. I too have seen similarities Germany in 32 and 33.
ReplyDeleteI heard a woman interviewed by NPR yesterday who said she didn’t care about the things in Trumps past, only what he says he is going to do in the future! I fear this nation is about the reap the seeds of poor education, low readership, materialism over reason and what some scholars have been warning of-the “dumbing down of America.”
Marx referred to religion as the opium of the people. Ed Murrow said television might be the opiate of the masses. There are fewer religious people (though the evangelical right wingers have grown in proportion) so I think Murrow nailed it. I think TV has contributed to a general decline in intellect. Shortness of attention span, simple plot drama-little nuance or diversion-broadcast journalism changed when news needed to become a profit center instead of a loss leader. Bingo—a real opiate. I’d like to believe there are enough reasoning boomers, Gen Xers and Millenials to make a difference, but I really worry the mouth breathers and low information voter who respond to emotion. They may be too daunting.
Yeah, I heard the same interview. "I don't care about what he did in the past...." Holy fucking christ above. Imagine saying that about Kennedy regarding the incident with the car accident. Or, shockingly, Hillary and emails!!! Oh wait, that's different.
DeleteTom, we're dealing with a different thing here. It's unprecedented. We have a significant percentage of our voting population who are doing a worship/god-seeking thing like the Germans of 1932, and we have none of their excuses.
I am in real fear of what this country is becoming, and what we have the capacity to become, under a person like Trump.
I don't think we are an 'exceptional' people, I don't think we stand above any group in history. I think we can easily become, given acceptance of a person like Trump, a danger to the world.
I hope you, and people like you and Bruce, can influence the media to be a source of real information for those that can still read and make judgments.
Cheers,
Mike
I see my brother and my brother-in-law. Both white, racist, followers. Both Vietnam veterans, one Air Force, one Army. Both made good livings as civilians, both had their guns locked away and hidden from Obama. Neither would participate in a discussion. My brother-in-law long ago told me every thing I said was to trap or trick him. My brother passed away two years ago, so now my sister's and my votes will be a net one for Hillary.
ReplyDeleteI do hope they are not the rarity, Joanne. God help us if they are.
DeleteSWMBO and I are both "For Her"!
ReplyDeleteYou know, Bruce. In travelling from here over to Seattle and around there, I saw not one single Hillary sign. Eastern WA, plenty of Trump signs. I worry about that.
DeleteInteresting photo --It's like stereographic card. If I cross my eyes just right, it makes a 3-d face of somebody I wouldn't sit near on a bus.
ReplyDeleteGeo, I'm curious. Who exactly do you support? I see your posts on other blogs, and they seem supportive of things 180 degrees from what I espouse. I know you don't need nor perhaps want to take any stance, but I do wonder. Your comments are seemingly carefully crafted to agree somewhat with what is posted, sort of. Well written, actually.
DeleteI can understand not baring my political soul to others, and I respect that.
cheers,
Mike
Mike, I'm not happy with either candidate but my only objection to Ms. Clinton is a few points of senatorial voting record. She is by far the lesser of 2 evils here, but more than that she is the only candidate that favors government by discussion, the fundamental premise of our country. She has my vote. What you see on other blogs is respect for other peoples' opinions.
Deleteyou know what? I could benefit from having an attitude like that. You're a better man than I, amigo.
DeleteI'm so frightened at the thought of Trump winning. I can't understand how so many people have sunk to the level of supporting him. It's terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI think of major shifts in attitude like what we're seeing with the nativism/nationalism/trumpism as happening gradually, with plenty of warning. This one just seemingly appeared out of nowhere. One minute we're approving gay marriage, the next we're shouting 'sieg heil' to a despicable racist who spouts hate.
Deletekind of weird.
If he loses we will have to listen to him go on about all the free publicity that will make more money for him. It is time for a modern day Robin Hood to get into the act.
ReplyDeleteYou've said what I've wished I could articulate.
ReplyDeleteThe 40+ son of a dear friend spewed forth on FB last night supporting the Monster. His father is still reeling. And the hate of Hillary ( he cited all the lies) was mind numbing. So yeah. I get you.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
The 40+ son of a dear friend spewed forth on FB last night supporting the Monster. His father is still reeling. And the hate of Hillary ( he cited all the lies) was mind numbing. So yeah. I get you.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
It is truly amazing...
ReplyDeleteMy granny used to say to us, "you are who you hang around with." She was right. I recently updated that to, "you are who you vote for." If a person votes for Trump, then they are also voting for all the things Trump says, does, and stands for. Idiots! The optimist in me thinks that many of these idiots who follow Trump, won't actually vote for him, and Ms. Clinton will win by a landslide of historical proportions. I'm hoping...
So much "projecting" going on with his surrogates as well as himself. Psychiatrists have researched this for decades.
ReplyDelete