A few days ago I addressed the question of whether Trump is like Hitler (he isn't). Just as I urge Democrats to understand Trump's appeal when framing their policies and strategies, it is just as important for Republicans to see how Trump is seen by Democrats. The lens through which he is viewed is quite different for those who approve and disapprove of him.
I have my share of liberal and Democratic friends. The essence of what I hear from them, and read, is that Trump is not FIT to be president. Republicans see Trump as a poorly behaved, plain-spoken truth teller, a man who addresses reality as it is. Liberals see him as grossly unsuitable in moral terms. His policies do not matter in this discussion, although they are commonly seen as extensions and expressions of his unfitness. There is a letter from the National Cathedral which addresses this issue in part. The difference in frame (moral vs practical) means our two political wings are speaking past each other.
Trump's unsuitability begins with his lack of experience in diplomacy and international affairs. He has no governmental or military experience, and is accustomed to operating in a zero-sum, competitive environment where his decisions are final. None of this applies to international governmental work, where everyone can be a winner through compromise, and no one wants to resort to force or threats. The continuing relationship is every bit as or more important than the individual outcome.
For some, his multiple wives and affairs disqualify him, especially regarding women's issues and rights. This element was cemented in place by the Stormy Daniels affair and his intemperate comments about grabbing women. Even though he never said he DID grab anyone, the comment was enough to show that he sees women as grabbable, and that is unforgivable in a national political leader.
His comments on immigration spurred outrage from the very start. He has referred to Hispanic illegal immigrants as criminals, rapists, drug dealers. His policy of limiting immigration from multiple Muslim nations was seen as overtly racist. The fact that the president has the unilateral power to make such declarations was irrelevant for liberals, for what is seen by them not as protecting the US but as a fundamentally racist, prejudicial act. Trump has further referred to some countries as 'shitholes', not a way to appear even-handed about immigration.
Besides his moral unsuitability and lack of experience, there has never been a more publicly uncouth man as president. Let us forget archetypes of presidents in white shirts and dark suits; Trump by far exceeds even the most informal and profane of presidents. Johnson used to pull out his genitalia and pee over his porch railing in full view of company. He planked his secretary over her desk top. He used foul language. And even he did not come close to the casual, nearly daily bad language, bad grammar and tone deafness of Trump. His tweets are so bad that I think he would offend fewer people if he pulled his junk out at Mar a Lago.
Trump's attacks on Democrats have been an increasing confirmation of his unsuitability temperamentally and ethically. No one, NO ONE, should speak about any American in such derogatory terms. Trump has casually trashed multiple representatives, senators, former presidents, the entire Democratic Party. It has not helped anything that many of his targets have been women or Black/Muslim/Hispanic. This only confirms his racist and sexist values.
For many Democrats, these behaviors are enough to impeach Trump immediately. He was unfit to run, unfit to be elected, and is clearly, prima facie, unsuited to lead and govern. Unfortunately, he holds the majority in the Senate, and absent some horrible, overt crime, Republicans are not going to vote to convict. For liberals this only confirms the fundamental racism of Republicans, and this is certainly reflected in the multiple nasty, insulting things said about Trump supporters. Those who see Trump in moral fitness terms consider anyone who supports him as being morally corrupt by extension.
Democrats have tried multiple approaches to block Trump's actions or bring enough charges that impeachment will be politically possible. The failure of the Mueller Report to provide the desired ammunition is a great disappointment. Democrats continue to see Trump's attacks as fundamentally racist and sexist, and they attack him on that basis. They have filed an extraordinary number of lawsuits in attempts to block Trump or find his actions unconstitutional/illegal. Here is a list of such legal actions.
For liberals who feel this way, anything at all is a legitimate tactic to block or depose a man who is morally unfit for office. His practical accomplishments are as irrelevant in this construct as Hitler's achievements with the German economy and army are to his assessment. It is out of this moral outrage that the hyperbolic comparisons have traction and appeal.
I listen to Republicans sneer at Democratic campaign ideas- universal healthcare, free college, decriminalization of border crossings. I listen to Democrats use epithets for Trump that show the creativity that got Man to the Moon. Neither side is listening to the other because it is not their agendas that differ. It is their very starting principles. Each side thinks the other is wrong- one in the head, the other in the heart.
Republicans, and specifically Trump, need to think carefully about the impact of words spoken in anger or off-the-cuff. If I could get Trump to do one thing, it would be to close his Twitter account. Republican partisans talk about how they will crush their opponents in 2020. They would do well to remember that Trump won the midwest states he needed by less than 150,000 votes. All the Democrats need to do to win is persuade the younger voters not to sit it out in petulance over Sanders, and pick up 0.2% of the vote, and they will win big. Their ongoing efforts to impeach will not be successful at impeachment, but they may very well persuade the voters they need to win in 2020. Trump should be very mindful of that.
Democrats are motivated not just by a disagreement with Trump's ideas. They are motivated by outrage, by a moral zeal that should not be under-estimated. They are not going to be giving up on their attacks, and those efforts may very well pay off in an election win next year.
Ted
I have my share of liberal and Democratic friends. The essence of what I hear from them, and read, is that Trump is not FIT to be president. Republicans see Trump as a poorly behaved, plain-spoken truth teller, a man who addresses reality as it is. Liberals see him as grossly unsuitable in moral terms. His policies do not matter in this discussion, although they are commonly seen as extensions and expressions of his unfitness. There is a letter from the National Cathedral which addresses this issue in part. The difference in frame (moral vs practical) means our two political wings are speaking past each other.
Trump's unsuitability begins with his lack of experience in diplomacy and international affairs. He has no governmental or military experience, and is accustomed to operating in a zero-sum, competitive environment where his decisions are final. None of this applies to international governmental work, where everyone can be a winner through compromise, and no one wants to resort to force or threats. The continuing relationship is every bit as or more important than the individual outcome.
For some, his multiple wives and affairs disqualify him, especially regarding women's issues and rights. This element was cemented in place by the Stormy Daniels affair and his intemperate comments about grabbing women. Even though he never said he DID grab anyone, the comment was enough to show that he sees women as grabbable, and that is unforgivable in a national political leader.
His comments on immigration spurred outrage from the very start. He has referred to Hispanic illegal immigrants as criminals, rapists, drug dealers. His policy of limiting immigration from multiple Muslim nations was seen as overtly racist. The fact that the president has the unilateral power to make such declarations was irrelevant for liberals, for what is seen by them not as protecting the US but as a fundamentally racist, prejudicial act. Trump has further referred to some countries as 'shitholes', not a way to appear even-handed about immigration.
Besides his moral unsuitability and lack of experience, there has never been a more publicly uncouth man as president. Let us forget archetypes of presidents in white shirts and dark suits; Trump by far exceeds even the most informal and profane of presidents. Johnson used to pull out his genitalia and pee over his porch railing in full view of company. He planked his secretary over her desk top. He used foul language. And even he did not come close to the casual, nearly daily bad language, bad grammar and tone deafness of Trump. His tweets are so bad that I think he would offend fewer people if he pulled his junk out at Mar a Lago.
Trump's attacks on Democrats have been an increasing confirmation of his unsuitability temperamentally and ethically. No one, NO ONE, should speak about any American in such derogatory terms. Trump has casually trashed multiple representatives, senators, former presidents, the entire Democratic Party. It has not helped anything that many of his targets have been women or Black/Muslim/Hispanic. This only confirms his racist and sexist values.
For many Democrats, these behaviors are enough to impeach Trump immediately. He was unfit to run, unfit to be elected, and is clearly, prima facie, unsuited to lead and govern. Unfortunately, he holds the majority in the Senate, and absent some horrible, overt crime, Republicans are not going to vote to convict. For liberals this only confirms the fundamental racism of Republicans, and this is certainly reflected in the multiple nasty, insulting things said about Trump supporters. Those who see Trump in moral fitness terms consider anyone who supports him as being morally corrupt by extension.
Democrats have tried multiple approaches to block Trump's actions or bring enough charges that impeachment will be politically possible. The failure of the Mueller Report to provide the desired ammunition is a great disappointment. Democrats continue to see Trump's attacks as fundamentally racist and sexist, and they attack him on that basis. They have filed an extraordinary number of lawsuits in attempts to block Trump or find his actions unconstitutional/illegal. Here is a list of such legal actions.
For liberals who feel this way, anything at all is a legitimate tactic to block or depose a man who is morally unfit for office. His practical accomplishments are as irrelevant in this construct as Hitler's achievements with the German economy and army are to his assessment. It is out of this moral outrage that the hyperbolic comparisons have traction and appeal.
I listen to Republicans sneer at Democratic campaign ideas- universal healthcare, free college, decriminalization of border crossings. I listen to Democrats use epithets for Trump that show the creativity that got Man to the Moon. Neither side is listening to the other because it is not their agendas that differ. It is their very starting principles. Each side thinks the other is wrong- one in the head, the other in the heart.
Republicans, and specifically Trump, need to think carefully about the impact of words spoken in anger or off-the-cuff. If I could get Trump to do one thing, it would be to close his Twitter account. Republican partisans talk about how they will crush their opponents in 2020. They would do well to remember that Trump won the midwest states he needed by less than 150,000 votes. All the Democrats need to do to win is persuade the younger voters not to sit it out in petulance over Sanders, and pick up 0.2% of the vote, and they will win big. Their ongoing efforts to impeach will not be successful at impeachment, but they may very well persuade the voters they need to win in 2020. Trump should be very mindful of that.
Democrats are motivated not just by a disagreement with Trump's ideas. They are motivated by outrage, by a moral zeal that should not be under-estimated. They are not going to be giving up on their attacks, and those efforts may very well pay off in an election win next year.
Ted
It’s too bad our govt. is all about power and control. Both parties have great ideas that if only a balance could be found.....power and control begone. Maybe just maybe our national issues could be correctly and appropriately addressed and remedied. The “free stuff” that has been discussed is going to come with a high price tag and the higher wage earners will eventually stop earning so that they aren’t penalized. Twitter seems to be our current national downfall and I totally agree that a Trump should turn his account off. In doing so, however, he loses that edge over the media “scoop” for any given issue. Trump hasn’t caused these problems we face. They have been problems for years. That’s why laws have been enacted in the past to address the then current problems. Today’s world and national view of said problems is different than say 25 years ago and as such our laws require modification to meet the needs of today. That is why, for instance, Trump has often said that immigration laws need to be addressed by congress. THEY need to make the modifications that can alter current law not the president. Trump is addressing economic issues as a businessman. His diplomatic efforts are on occasion raw and solid however unlike Obama he speaks the unbridled truth (as he sees it) and that is often not diplomatic, balanced, nor an acceptable form of communication. Calling ones baby ugly does not make for strong friendships and strains even the best of historically amicable international alliances. Remember though how the country was in an uproar when Obama bowed to other leaders, apologized for transgressions years in the past, and generally alienated many long term allies by his cowtowing to countries who were not allies and in fact were probably threats to the USA and its allies. Nobody gets it right but a Trump is only one cog in the machine. Members of both parties want THEIR WAY to be heard and be the chosen path. It boggles my mind to hear people of both parties actively debate our national issues and in the end they all agree on some level of compromise to get things done. Our legislative branch of govt is only interested in who can stomp the loudest. Trump is certainly no angel and is not the best at diplomacy. But have you seen the rap sheets on the members of the Congress and the Senate? That group of legislators are some of the most self centered, narcissistic, egotistical, and law breaking people around. We couldn’t get away with 1/4 of what gets slid under the carpet for them. That being said......congress get to work, forget investigations, forget impeachment, help our poor, our ill, our homeless. Don’t just create jobs create lives and livelihoods that are sustainable financially and through self respect.
ReplyDeleteTed I always love your blogposts. Thx!
What too many people fail to acknowledge, or to understand, is that gov't has no source of income other than taxes, fees, licenses, etc., which all amount to the same thing. It's like the dilemma faced by a counterfeiter. You might be able to pass off a few phony bills, but if you start putting them out in great numbers, they are easily discovered and so are you. So, each individual's hope of bettering their own life long term is to get a job. Full employment provides strength to the gov't and to society. Therefore, as Bill Clinton famously said, "It's the economy, stupid." It is also noteworthy to acknowledge that after the Republicans swept into power, two years into Clinton's first term, he essentially became a Republican, by adopting every program they had. So here we are. Trump has enabled this fantastic economic boom, laying groundwork for the solutions to other problems and the Dems are scrambling around like chickens with a snake in the chicken lot. Unfortunately, they can't tell the difference between a snake and a juicy frankfurter.
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