Is Character No Longer a Practical Requirement for Public Office?

Elections in the United States have always been fraught with much emotion. And in the early days of the country there were plenty of shenanigans on the part of politicians running for office.  

But when it came to higher office, especially the president, people expected candidates to be men of character.  Regardless of the policies that the candidate favored, they were expected to promote themselves and their policies with honesty and to have a morality that was above reproach.

In today’s US, for many of Trump supporters, his breaches of good character are of no concern.  Many are blind to his shortcomings.  He is their leader, their almost-savior, and they feel he can do no wrong.  

There are, however, about as many who are well aware of all of Trump’s moral and character failings, but for them it makes no difference to their support and vote.  They like his policies and that’s all that’s important to them.  They don’t seem to understand what a person of his nature could do to this country, the damage he could inflict on our institutions and our democracy.

A large part of the problem I think stems from the attitude of the “Me” generation that has spread to most of the younger populace, their children.  That would be everybody 60 or under.  If all you care about is how something impacts you, what is in your best interest, and you have no concern about how the rest of society, or the common good, is impacted, then you would indeed have no concern about a president’s character or moral, so long as you see his policies as benefiting you.

If this nation does not have leadership that encourages people to think about the common good and not just their own immediate interests, if children are not taught in civics class in school (many states no longer have a civics requirement) the importance of being aware of the common good, not just your own interest, then we will have a further deterioration of the fabric of America, of the American social contract.  And that will mean a deterioration of the quality of life in the US and of our influence in the world.

Trump or Harris for Lower Prices?

Recently, I have seen lawn signs go up saying, “Trump - low prices, Harris - high prices.”  Is that a reasonable prediction for the next 4 years?

Many people think that Trump will handle the economy better and have lower prices because prices were lower during his term as President than they are now.  Whereas prices have risen dramatically during the Biden administration and so they think electing Harris will result in higher prices.  This is what Trump has told them.

This thinking is faulty.  Trump was president in the years before COVID.  That was a different world, economically as well as in other ways.  Prices were lower, but it had nothing to do with Trump and his policies.  As a matter of fact, his tariff war with China created a price spike for many products that came from China.

The Biden Administration, on the other hand, was impacted by the effects of COVID, which included dramatically increased prices for a number of reasons all stemming from the effects of COVID on the economy.  It had nothing to do with action taken by Biden and there was no way for Biden to control prices since we do not live in a Communist country where the government controls prices and wages.

So you can’t base your prediction on the economy and prices for the next 4 years based on the experiences of these two persons in office because they were dealing with different contexts.  Admittedly, there is no question that BIden’s infrastructure plan probably added some pressure on prices, but it also had a major impact on creating jobs which decreased unemployment.  So on balance, it was a good thing.

The question each voter must ask is what are the candidates’ economic program for the future.  Trump has no plan, only slogans, which sound good, but if there is no plan, they are only words.  Like when he wanted to repeal and replace Obamacare, but he and the Republicans never came up with a plan to replace Obamacare.  Harris, by comparison, has offered a somewhat detailed plan on what she plans to do to bring prices down for housing and food, among other things.

Beware political slogans.  Look for plans, facts. 

Why Blacks and Hispanics Should Not Vote for Trump - The Racial Divide between Democrats and Republicans

If you are Black or Hispanic and you think Trump will fight for you, think again.  Read on.

Historically, there has been a sharp difference in the racial makeup of those voting for the two parties.  During the last 4 federal elections (presidential and midterm) this was again the pattern.  On average during these 4 elections,  62% of Democratic voters were White, 18% Black, and 23% Hispanic ; 87% of Republican voters were White, 1% Black, and 6% Hispanic.

As a point of reference, the national demographic is 62% White, 12% Black, and 19% Hispanic.   So Whites are proportionately represented in the Democratic party, with Blacks and Hispanics overrepresented.  Conversely, Whites are overrepresented in the Republican party, with Blacks and Hispanics underrepresented.

This will be no surprise to most observers.  Pundits note this difference all the time.  But they only talk about it in terms of whether the numbers are changing in a particular election and how this disparity impacts whether a candidate wins election.

The more critical question is what this racial divide indicates in terms of the parties’ reason for  being, their mission, their emphasis.  

As background to answering this question, a little history is necessary.  Prior to 1964 and the passage of civil rights legislation by the Democratic controlled Congress under President Lyndon Johnson, every Congressmen from the southern states was a Democrat.  This was a holdover from Reconstruction days when the Democratic President Andrew Johnson supported Whites in the South and stopped the integration of Blacks into the political and social structure of the South after the Civil War.  These “Dixiecrats” stayed with the Democrats even as the party moved towards more support for Blacks, but they blocked any move for broader civil rights.  

The passage of the CIvil RIghts Act of 1964 was the straw that  broke the camel’s back.  The Dixiecrats defected to the Republican party, thus creating the current dynamic of the clash between the two parties on all racially-related matters (this includes support for the poor who are disproportionately Black).  Prior to the inclusion of the Dixiecrats, the Republican Party was not ideologically against support for Blacks; for example, most of the northern Republicans in Congress (House and Senate) voted for the Civil RIghts Act.

With that as background, it is not surprising that there is not just a racial divide in terms of who votes for the two parties, but there is a real difference in the focus of the two parties, their view of the role of government, and the legislative measures they support.  Even pre-Trump, the Republican party was opposed to any government action to improve the lives of Blacks and the poor in general.  When it came to White “rights” v Black “rights,” their focus was on White rights regardless the impact on Black rights and the greater common good.  

The current Republican stance under the leadership of Donald Trump has taken that perspective and applied it to broader matters such as immigration.  He has also turned this perspective into a battle cry.  

However, with regard to working men, Trump has seen the advantage of taking a vigorous public stance in support of righting their grievances, which would involve government intervention.  But he did nothing while in office to follow through with those promises.  In terms of action, the Republican Party remains the party of business and the rich.  

His public stance is so vigorous, however, his rage in support of the working man so powerful that he has convinced not just White working-class men, but also increasing numbers of Blacks and Hispanics to vote for him.  Interestingly, this despite the fact that he rarely mentions Black or Hispanic causes and just addresses the general fears of the working class.  He has made himself into a populist figure who can do no wrong.

The point of this post is to make Blacks and Hispanics, and even poor and working class Whites, aware that the Republican Party and Donald Trump are not the answer to your problems.  Your best hope of improving your opportunities and status in life is to vote Democratic not just for President but for Congress (Senate and House) and local races as well.  If you elect a Democratic President, but the Senate or House is in Republican control, any effort by the President to pass legislation to improve your lives will be stopped by Republicans in Congress. 

The Hitler - Trump Analogy

Before you say this is over the top, read on.

Germans were very dispirited in the 1920s.  They had lost WWI, the reparations demanded by the victors crippled the economy, inflation was so massive that money was literally worthless.

Then along came Hitler who preached that Germany was great and he wanted to make it great again.  That they only lost the war because Germany was stabbed in the back by the German Jews.  They were the enemy and had to be cleansed from the country.  

He spoke as a person of towering strength and force.  And Germans were ready for a strong leader to lift up Germany and make them feel good about themselves again.  

The conservative leaders of Germany thought that Hitler was a maniac but that he could be controlled and wouldn't last long, so they supported him to advance their cause.

Hitler did make Germany powerful again, but only for a short time.  Ultimately, he deceived the German people and plunged them into a nightmare (the physical destruction of Germany by bombing) that they could not have imagined.   And those who thought they could control him found that they could not because he had the devoted support of the people.

Many Americans, mainly white middle-class workers, were dispirited as the 21st century began.  Their lives had been turned upside down by globalization, the loss of jobs, and if they had one, stagnant wages; prices were rising.  They saw the government paying attention to and drafting programs to help the poor and people of color, but nothing was being done to help them; they felt neglected.

Then along came Donald Trump.    He wanted to make America great again and restore the middle class to what was rightfully their's.  He blamed illegal immigration for taking away their jobs and bringing crime into their communities, ruining America.  And so he planned to deport millions of them.  He said that if he lost the 2024 election, the Jews would be to blame.  

Trump spoke as a person of towering strength and force.  He sounded outraged by what had happened to the middle-class worker and gave powerful voice to their grievances.  The middle-class worker had lost all trust in the government and were ready to follow a powerful leader who would restore their rights.  And he made then feel good about themselves again.

And so Trump could do no wrong.  Whatever he said, they believed.

Other Republican leaders and officials realized his instability and failings, but they thought they could ride to power on Trump's coattails.  Or they were scared of him.  And upper class conservatives didn't care whether he had no character and was an inveterate liar because he espoused policies that they favored.

And so we are once again in an election season where the country and the world waits with breathless anticipation of the results, with either dread or hope.  If Trump wins, there is no question in my mind that he will destroy the fabric of America and do great damage to our institutions of government.  And that all those who supported him will come to realize what a mistake they made.

If and when that happens, they will say what Pastor Niemöller said about his enabling of the Nazi's in Germany: "First they came to get the Communists and I said nothing.  Then they came to get the Jews and I said nothing.  Now they have come to get me and there is no one left to speak out for me."

I hope Americans planning on voting for Trump see the truth before it's too late and vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. 

Middle-Class/Working-Class Trump Voters - Beware!

I feel your pain.  I understand your anger.  And that anger is justified because your life has changed as your wages have not risen much over the past 40-50 years while prices have risen astronomically. I know that you feel that the government and the Democratic party have let you down by not doing something about this; you feel they neglected you, took you for granted..  And they did.

And so you have turned to Donald Trump because he voices your anger and frustration and promises to take measures that will improve your lives.  Indeed, the strength of his rage empowers you; you feel stronger, vindicated.

But beware!  Donald Trump is not your savior.  He is instead the devil; he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Donald Trump talks the talk, but he does not walk the walk.  He has promised you many things, both during his first presidential campaign and term of office, as well as more recently.  But in every instance, he has not done anything that has made a difference in your financial situation.

Trump promised you a tax cut.  Well, you got a tax cut but it was very small. The main benefit of the tax cut went to the super rich who saved millions of dollars.

Trump promised that his trade war with China would bring back jobs and lower the price of products you buy.  Instead, jobs did not come back and there was a spike in the price of Chinese products which increased your costs.

And as a result of Trump’s mismanagement of COVID, COVID became a pandemic and was a drain on the economy.  As a result, working class Americans suffered economically and were worse off.

Finally, Trump proposed massive cuts to basic assistance that millions of families struggling to get by needed to help pay the rent, put food on the table, and get health care. The cuts would have affected both people of color and white, both urban and rural. These cuts were not enacted because of the Democratic majorities in Congress.

What Trump did do during his term of office benefited the rich and big business.  His tax cut provided the super rich with millions of dollars while providing you with small change.  His rolling back of environmental regulations meant to protect the public - you - benefited big business and corporate agriculture.  These are just two examples of things Trump did to benefit the traditional Republican base - the rich and big business.

You have every right to say, “OK, but why should I go back to the Democrats given the way I was treated?”  The answer is that there has been a change in the Party, in the politicians who are leading it.  They too feel your pain and understand your anger.  They may not speak with the rage of Trump, but they have every intention to do specific things that will improve your life.  

Listen to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and I’m sure you will like what you hear.  They understand you because they come from the same stock as you.  And they will follow through on their commitments to you - that is unless the Republicans in Congress block progress, as they have always done in the past.  Whether it was Medicare, Social Security, or more recently the AGENCY, Republicans have tried to block legislation that was meant to help the average American.

Republicans have never done anything to help the working men or women of this country.  Neither has Trump.  When Republicans say they are the party of the people, of the working man, their noses should grow as long as Pinocchio’s.  They are hypocrites - now exposed.

Reject Trump, not just because he has not done and will not do anything to help you, but because he is destroying the fabric of America.  “Make America Great Again” is a great slogan.  Unfortunately, everything Trump does and stands for makes America small and weakens America.  Most importantly, America will not be great again unless its people are united - not of one mind - but united as Americans.  We are further from that goal now than ever before, except for the Civil War, because of Trump’s hateful disdain of many Americans.

Protect your and your family’s future by voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as well as the rest of the Democratic ticket this November.\

Attention Veterans!

I've read several articles noting the support that Trump continues to have among veterans, despite his spoken disrespect of veterans and his not having ended the "forever wars" as promised by the end of his term as President.  He apparently gets your/their support because he voices support for peace through strength and for bringing many troops home.

But is his approach likely to bring peace?   Trump's basic approach to foreign conflicts is either to say, "it's your problem; you fight," or to flatter autocrats and, because he thinks they like him, the U.S. will then have nothing to fear from them and can let them do what they will.

That approach may in the short-term bring peace and bring many soldiers home, but in the long-term it is more likely to lead to escalating problems abroad with the resulting deployment of troops.  Let's examine this with two specific examples.

Trump thinks that by flattering autocrats, who he amazingly admires (I guess because he would like to be one), he feels that he is developing a personal relationship with them that will result in their not doing anything against American interests, at least while he is in office.  But when looking at his relationships with Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Xi Jinping, they have just played him for the fool that he is.  Putin invaded the Ukraine, not because Trump was not in office, but because he felt that the US was no longer an implacable adversary given Trump's actions while in office.  Kim Jong Un did not follow through on any potential agreements with Trump.  And US relationships with China were bad during the Trump presidency, largely due to Trump's tariffs.

In Afghanistan, Trump's attitude of "it's your problem," led him to make an agreement with the Taliban that the US would pull out by a date certain.  And Biden was forced to follow through on that commitment, resulting in a disaster which Trump is now blaming Biden for.  For the people of Afghanistan, the actions of Trump throughout his presidency were not good.  And while his agreement did result in bringing the troops home, it was not a positive mark on our international record.

As with all things, Trump will spin any situation to say that he did great, that he is brilliant.  Even regarding his debate performance against Vice President Harris.  He never takes any responsibility, never says he made a mistake (granted, this is true of many politicians).  He is an inveterate liar.  

If you're a veteran and thinking of voting for Trump, please check out the real truth about his record.  You can't believe anything he says.  During his term, he made the world more dangerous for the US, not safer. 

Trump and Vance Aren’t Weird, They’re Mendacious, Deceitful

Yesterday’s comments by JD Vance show without any question that he and Trump don’t care what the truth is, what the facts are, they will say what they think “the people need to know,” or perhaps what they think will keep their base enraged and so totally committed to them.

First, they continued to say that the Haitians in Springfield, OH eat their neighbors pets.  This despite the Republican mayor of Springfield and the Republican governor of Ohio saying their statement was basekess.

Second, he continued to say that the Haitians were illegals despite being told that they were here legally.  His response was that the fact that the Biden administration (his words were “Kamala Harris”) had granted them permission to come here to work does not make them legal.

Third, they continued to generally disparage the Haitians.  This despite both the Republican mayor and governor again saying very explicitly that the Haitians were critical to the revival of Springfield’s manufacturing economy the past few years.  That they were hard working, etc.

Finally, they continue their anti-Haitian rants despite the fact that their words have created a security problem in Springfield, with bomb scares closing schools and hospitals, and the community being very scared.

Vance said quite bluntly that if he has to make up stories to tell people what they need to know, he will do that.  That’s pretty irresponsible even for a politician.  But the truth is probably worse.  He doesn’t really think people need to know this garbage, but he does think that if people hear this and believe it, it will inflame people’s anti-immigrant feelings, which will increase their commitment to Trump.

Unfortunately, even if Trump supporters knew the truth, it probably wouldn’t sway their vote.  Witness Governor Dewine writing an impassioned opinion piece in the New York Times stating the truth about Haitians and Springfield and saying how sad it is that Trump and Vance keep making these statements despite being told that it’s not the truth.  But he indicated very clearly that he will nonetheless vote for Trump in November.

Governor Dewine apparently does not take this instance as a warning that Trump does this routinely on every subject.  He likes Trump’s positions on policy matters, and what he says to get there Governor Dewine doesn’t seem to care.  He will vote for Trump.  This is an abdication of his ethical responsibility as an elected official.