First of all, I have to say, "I'm jealous." Long ago in considering how to be a successful entrepreneur I convinced myself that all it took was to psychologically control consumers. Apparently, I have preferred taking unpopular roads that didn't lead me astray from my beliefs.....
Along comes Donald Trump. Trump recently said he loves the poorly educated. Of course, he does. Apparently, they are loving him back in droves. While my ambition both as a teacher and then as a journalist has been to try to educate people...not to any particular point of view but to understand what it takes to think critically, many, including Trump, have seized the opportunity to take advantage of all the ignorance that exists in this country.
A Nation of Sheep written almost 55 years ago by William J. Lederer maligned the media, accusing them of manipulating attitudes and beliefs in order to shape government policy. Then over eight years ago Judge Andrew P. Napolitano's took a turn to inform Americans how their basic freedoms were being eroded by circumventing the Constitution. Who was listening? Did no one create a comic book or Cliff Notes on the topic? Reading is not a popular pastime. Who has time, even do you say?
Wow, just now after the contentious debate last night Trump has announced that he is holding a news conference. He gets cable news channels to wait with abated breath for what he has to say as if he were already the President or similar man of importance. Who can't be jealous over someone's ability to achieve that?
I'm thinking, why can't Trump be hoist by his own royal blue petard? His ego appears to be overwhelming. I, I, I is a prevalent word in his speeches. He gets away with being the bad boy...even is lauded for it--because our culture doesn't seem to value meritorious conduct. Hey, don't forget to equate rival Rubio with sweat. Can't you see how Trump's supporters easily relate to that description?
Why is that? Republican voters were snookered into believing that the previous administration were the good guys. What a coup it was to have convinced them to become "social conservatives," even though they were voting against their own best interests. Republican lawmakers mask the legislation that benefits big business. They throw up a smokescreen blaming the opposition for supporting abortion, denigrating Christian values, etc, etc, ad nauseum, ad infinitum.
Trump says we will make America great again. We need to build a wall that he says now has to be 10 feet taller due to Mexican opposition to paying for it. America, I say, must be somewhat great already if we need to build a wall to keep immigrants out. Keep out terrorists, you say. How many terrorists actually came into our country over the border from Mexico anyway? Why not take the cost of that wall and repair America's crumbling infrastructure? (Maybe, that's what Trump would really plan to do--get contracts for his business cronies...a la Cheney and Halliburton.)
I swear I heard Trump say "the money will roll in" in reference to his securing the Republican nomination. Many people think he is the one to be President because he is a successful businessman. Do they know what that probably means: that he does what is necessary to secure his own further success. As President, Huffington Post has suggested that he would not have to divest himself of his business empire. How scary is that? And everyone is calling attention to the Koch Brothers for the success they achieved. Why are they putting such trust in Trump? Isn't he really the "con artist" that Sen. Rubio recently called him? Will Americans wake up to reality before it's too late...again?
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