Donald Trump is Rude and Obnoxious, Why Do People Still Support Him?

Characterizing Donald Trump’s political philosophy is mind-blowing.  To be sure, Trump is brash, discourteous, and narrow minded.  He doesn’t hesitate to hurtle personal insults at people he doesn’t like (e. g. comments about Miss Universe’s weight).  He talks much more about personalities than policies.  His signature idea is to build a wall to separate Mexico (an idea tried by China three thousand years ago).  He doesn’t know a thing about US foreign policy, (e. g. see Trump’s comments on Syria and Aleppo) or international law (e.g. his proposal to kill the families of terrorists ) but he won’t hesitate to tell you how smart he is, after all he doesn’t pay any taxes, although the rest of us do.  He’s suggested that the voting process is rigged and if he loses the election, he might not support the voter’s choice, unless he wins.  In fact, Trump’s belligerent attitude has effectively increased activity in white supremacy groups within the U. S. 

 

Despite Trump’s stinking characteristics, many Americans support him.  There is always the “Rock Republicans” and “Devoted Democracies” who will support a ham sandwich rather than vote for a candidate from the opposite party.  But there are other, more enlightened voters, who actually try to select the candidate who they think represents their ideals best.  However, most people make these decisions based on their “gut feelings”, their preconceived beliefs, not on a logical application of facts.  They make their decision based on emotion and then use facts to prove the decision is the correct one; it is actually the backwards of what you might think (see Jonathan Haidt, “The Righteous Mind, Why Good People are Divided by Religious and Politics”).   For example, many people are just feed up with a congress that has done nothing and their preconceived idea is that a change would be good.  Voters are sick and tired of Washington being controlled by insiders, epitomized by Hillary Clinton.  In fact, a seat in congress is the only job I can think of where experience is a detriment.  The voters want someone from outside the beltway who can make meaningful changes and they think Donald Trump fits the bill. 

 

The facts however are different.  Those policies which could help the struggling middle class are being crushed by Republicans.  Raising the minimum wage for example would help increase the standard of living of many working folks, whose inflation adjusted income has stagnated, and would also stimulate the economy creating more and better paying jobs.  Making college education more affordable, would allow smart but poor students to gain better jobs, higher pay and help stop the drain of American jobs to other countries.  Republicans, who control both the House and Senate, will not support these ideas.  The fact is that in 2007-2008, the House of Representatives lead by Eric Cantor from Virginia, started the “Young Guns” to assure that only conservative Republicans were elected to Congress and to assure NO progressive agenda sponsored by the Democrats would get passed.  When middle class Americans vote for Republican candidates to initiate a change, they are voting for people who are against programs that would help the middle class.  They are voting against themselves!

 

Because of the Tea Party, “Young Guns” and other conservative groups, compromise and negotiation in congress is almost extinct.  Republicans now operate by the mantra “my way or the highway”.  But compromise is the key ingredient for developing legislation, without it there is no legislation and no progress.  Had Republicans been more conciliatory toward compromise in 2007 and following years, they could have created a more reasonable political agenda, and they would have avoided a candidate like Donald Trump who has been disavowed by many prominent Republicans. 

 

Another reason why Republicans like Trump is their preconceived idea that a smart businessman would make a good government leader.  But consider this.  The overriding purpose of business is to make a profit, the bigger the profit and better.  In fact, some businesses will knowingly do harm to their customers in order to make more profit.  History is full of examples, tobacco and asbestos businesses claimed that their product does not harm people, medical insurance companies refused to insure people with pre-existing diseases, Volkswagon falsified automobile emissions, pharmaceutical companies charged exorbitant prices for life-saving drugs and thousands of other examples.  This is NOT how a democratic government should work.  A democratic government’s purpose is to do good for the people.  In fact, if a president ran the government with the same purpose as a business, he/she would be impeached.  As for Donald Trump, he is not even a good businessman.  His businesses has declared bankruptcy six times (according to PolitiFact).  This does not make him qualified to be president.  Bankrupcies do not make you a better businessman, ask Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg.  

 

Another preconceived idea that some people have is that businesses are run more efficiently then government.  Yes, cutting inefficiency is a maxim in business; cutting inefficiency saves money and therefore increases profit.  But, look at the US post office.  The post office ships literally millions of letters and packages each day.  Yet a person can track the delivery progress of a letter or package from it point of origin to its final destination, for any items they wish.  Or consider Social Security.  Millions of Americans receive their Social Security checks each month, delivered on time and to the right bank account, without any errors.  The same can be said for Medicare which delivers health care to millions almost flawlessly.  The government has far more customers then any business, everybody in the US, and by and large it is pretty efficient.  We know how efficient our government is because it is funded by the tax payer but we really don’t know how efficient businesses are, they keep it secret, we just assume they’re efficient.

 

So in a few days you will go to the polls and vote.  Before you pull the level or mark an “X” on the ballot, go to a reputable source (e.g. Politifact) and look up the facts about the candidate’s stand on the issues.  Compare these facts with your beliefs and pick the candidate whose political position best meets you beliefs.  Even if you chose the same candidate, you’ll make a better and wiser choice.

 

Terry A. AmRhein

Terry AmRhein is author of the acclaimed book, “Democracy on the Edge, A Discussion of Political Issues in America”, voted Best Political Book of 2016 by Pacific Book Review