Although I have witnessed horrible things in my nearly 70 years on this planet, I am proud that I grew up in a country which was once rightfully named the greatest nation in the world. Although that is not true today, I continue to believe that most Americans are compassionate, generous, love their fellow man, and deny hatred as their guiding emotion. It has become difficult in the last year when the leader of one of the major parties has proven to be a racist, bigot, a faux-Christian, and a misogynist. Sadly, as vile as his rhetoric may be, he remains the leader in the polls.

This week he declared himself to be as powerful as Hitler in 1930’s Germany. He claimed that he could commit any horrendous crime and remain the leader for the Republican nomination.

“U.S. Republican front-runner Donald Trump expressed confidence on Saturday that he could push back attempts by his rivals to knock him off his top perch, saying he could stand on New York’s Fifth Avenue ‘and shoot somebody,’ and still not lose voters.”

Trump has been called many things; I have frequently used ‘buffoon.’ That term fails to encompass the entire person. Trump is a megalomaniac. His ego is far larger than his intellect.

Regardless of the outcome of his campaign you can be assured that Trump is in his glory. Attention from the media is his true intent, and they have made his dreams come true. He has received five-times the coverage of any other candidate.

The leader of the free world must be representative of our nation and that means its people. Fortunately, I don’t know anyone like Donald Trump; probably because I do not like boastful and self-absorbed people.

Our president must be all that Trump is not; intelligent, compassionate, charismatic, and display qualities such as leadership and sophistication. America is not composed of brash, braggadocio, prejudiced, and ignorant people; and I do not want the rest of the world to believe that’s who we are.

The United States has some serious problems; and most of them or on the domestic front. “I’m gonna build a wall” is not our biggest problem by far. Trump has never offered a resolution to income inequality, campaign finance reform, corruption in law enforcement, equal pay for women, or a practical resolution to nearly 12 million people who remain in limbo. Trump says that ‘he can fix them.’ I doubt that he could fix a leaky faucet.

I beg Trump supporters to get serious. If they actually believe that Trump is the answer, I pity them and am embarrassed for their parents; I’m sure they were raised better than the way they are acting today.

But on some level I do understand. Who is the alternative in the GOP? It certainly isn’t the extremist Ted Cruz. Marco Rubio lacks a work ethic and has no experience having accomplished nothing in the Senate. Jeb Bush is George W. Bush jr., and we know how that would work out. Chris Christie is simply a ‘quieter’ Trump.

If Trump supporters want to vote for a candidate who is anti-establishment they might consider Bernie Sanders. He is real.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

Link https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8917057039117122386#editor/target=post;postID=8698542396418420233

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