It’s not what you think…
I want to start off by saying I did not vote for Donald J. Trump in 2016 or 2020. I will not be voting for Donald J. Trump in 2024. There are many reasons for this, which most readers here would nod their heads in agreement.
But the problem I have with the Left is they do not talk about disagreements with Trump’s policies. They make it personal. Which in my opinion is not a smart move.
What the Left claims about Trump
My frustration, in reading any article on this platform, watching any left-leaning news program, and even reading headlines in my news feed, is that the Left just doesn’t get why Trump IS the favorite Presidential Candidate for almost half this country.
The most common reasons I see Leftists theorizing about Trump’s red flag flaws, include the following:
1. White Supremacy. Trump is an unabashed white supremacist, and this is beyond obvious from his statements and MAGA fanatics. I mean, just look at them.
2. Democracy. Trump is trying to overthrow our Democratic government. Evidence for this includes January 6th, calling himself a dictator, and promising a “bloodbath” if he loses. When will we start accepting that he means what he says, and stop pretending he doesn’t?
3. Cognitive Decline. Trump clearly shows signs of cognitive decline, including slurring his speeches, forgetting what he said before, and reducing his public exposure. Do we really want a person like this running the country?
4. He’s a Criminal. Trump is has 93 charges against him, both civil and criminal. It is likely that at least one of these will result in a guilty verdict, and Trump will have to go to jail! That is a victory image every sane and rational person should savor and look forward to, so why even consider making him President again.
Based on these narratives, it is amazing that anybody on earth would even support such a man.
Where the Left is wrong
Unfortunately, the Left is misguided about each of these issues. Or at least their significance.
1. Donald Trump has 28% favorability from nonwhite voters. While not a majority, it is better than George W. Bush ever did, and GWB was the most race-inclusive Republican President in my lifetime. How is Trump’s strong support from nonwhites possible, if he is the KKK Grand Wizard?
2. Trump did not incite January 6th. He gave a typical speech that morning, and asked them to back off that evening. He did not spend months planning tactical maneuvers and dispatching orders to group leaders on what to do. QAnon was a fringe group, well outside any mainstream or staunch conservative wing of the GOP.
3. YES, Trump is not at his peak mental facility. I was saying this in early 2016, during the GOP primary. And since 2016, Trump has gotten worse. But the same is true with Joe Biden. WHY does the Left never acknowledge this. Jon Stewart did, and got absolutely skewered from the Democratic Establishment. For telling the truth. My point is cognitive decline is NOT a reason to vote for Joe Biden over Donald Trump.
4. The fact that 4 Attorneys General had 3.5 years to file charges against Trump, then all filed within a week of each other, suggests these are political charges and not legal crimes. Interviews with Fani Willis and Leticia James indicate their mission is to get Trump who is the enemy. Not to be fair and dispassionate representatives of blind justice. A $450 million bond required to appeal, or his properties will be seized, is a Stalin-era tactic. I agree with Trump’s lawyers, that amount is unreasonable. Republicans, and many independents, are more inclined to support Trump because of these, pardon the pun, trumped-up charges.
Trump’s Virtues
You may not like Trump. But his supporters do. I know some die-hard Trump supporters. Below are several arguments that I have heard, which the Left fails to acknowledge:
· Trump is a fighter. He is the first Republican to fight for Conservative principals since Reagan. There is respect for DeSantis in this regard, but we all know who is the real OG. Every time there is a story about Critical Race Theory being forced onto elementary schools, rapes of girls in locker rooms by male psychopaths who call themselves trans women, heinous crimes committed by illegal immigrants, or official plans for slavery reparations to pay black citizens in San Francisco (which was never slave territory) $5 million apiece, the one person people think can stop this madness is Trump.
· Trump is a Troll. He pisses off the Left, and the left falls for Trump’s troll statements, like “bloodbath,” every…single…time. Why is the Left so gullible? Can’t you tell he is just pushing your buttons? This delights the Right.
· Trump kept World Peace. How many major wars started under Trump? Now how about Biden. Putin has flat-out said he invaded Ukraine because Biden is weak. While Hamas has not said the same, I could not see them daring to pull an October 7th while Trump was President. Finally, Biden’s withdrawal of Afghanistan was an absolute disaster, and puts our nation at risk for future terrorist acts.
· Trump was right about illegal immigration. Today, Kathy Hochul and Eric Adams basically sound like Trump. As well as Democratic leaders in many other cities. Yes, Trump sabotaged the bipartisan Immigration Reform bill. But the mantra, “The border with Mexico,” is solid reinforcement that Trump’s immigration policies were better than Biden’s.
· Trump’s economy was strong. Admittedly, so is Biden’s, and conservatives have had to acknowledge this. But both workers and investors did incredibly well under Trump. The job market was certainly better in early 2020 than it is now.
· Trump is not Biden. I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but Biden is not popular with the American people. Kamala Harris polls much, much worse. There are reasons for this: one is a few decades beyond his mental peak, and the other is a hollow caricature.
· Trump is an Alpha. Biden is a Beta. Trump dictates what happens with the GOP. Biden has absolutely no control over the Democratic Party. Biden follows today’s Democratic agenda like a good old dog. Americans expect a leader for President, not a follower.
Where there’s hope
I do believe there is significant systemic risk in us enduring another Trump presidency.
The sheer volume of conservatives and former Trump associates who have publicly come out against him, is a big warning. Phrases have been used against him from senior military officials, such as “clear and present danger.” I do not take this lightly.
For this reason, I am happy to share that I think the Left would have much better luck going after the Right’s policies, and not Trump as a person. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was the biggest boon to Democrats in the 2022 elections. There are other examples of policies, where a strong majority of Americans side with the Left more than the Right. Messaging should prioritize these topics.
The Democrats should also run on their successful track record, instead of fear-mongering the Right. Joe Biden’s administration has legitimate accomplishments. But the pro-Biden propaganda, is less than 10% focused on his successes. This is a big mistake.
Don’t make this election a protest against a cult of personality. That strategy is exactly what got George W. Bush re-elected in 2004. It worked in 2020, only because independents and even conservatives felt Joe Biden was a reasonable and pragmatic moderate Democrat, who would restore bipartisan cooperation to the White House. It is a grave mistake to think this will work again in 2024. Even Progressives who enthusiastically voted Biden in 2020, are planning to stay home. Meanwhile, Trump’s support among his base has never been stronger. A motivated base will always beat an apathetic base, and that’s exactly what 2024 is shaping up to be.
“Don’t boo, vote.” - President Barack Obama
