With the election for the 58th president of the United States coming up in a little over a year (Nov. 8, 2016, to be exact), one cannot ignore the media frenzy surrounding the race. Most of the attention has focused on the multitude of Republicans who have thrown their hat in the ring. When I think of this herd of candidates one often comes to mind, Donald Trump. And each time I think of him, I am utterly baffled that Donald Trump is running for president.
When I heard Trump was running for president, I though it was a joke. I really thought it was another in the long line of Trump publicity stunts, a cry for attention. Because we all know he loves any type of attention – good or bad it doesn’t matter. He is infamous for using media outlets, and his own social media, mostly his Twitter, to grab the spotlight. When I came to the realization that Trump really was running for President of the United States, I was slightly amused but not particularly concerned as I assumed his flaws are so apparent that his would be a short candidacy.
When Trump was treated as a serious candidate for the office my concerns grew. When he became a front runner for the GOP I became afraid – very afraid. It is baffling and in fact troubling that this guy could be frontrunner. That means there are actually people – living, breathing, but probably not thinking – out there supporting him! Astounding.
Full disclosure: my dislike for Donald Trump has nothing to do with my political views. He claims he is a Republican, but little of his campaigning has to do with actual political issues. It is his personal qualities which are offensive and so, well, un-presidential.
He is a loose cannon and that is not an admirable trait in anyone; it is an especially unappealing trait in the leader of the free world. He is famous for relying on inaccurate facts and resorting to sweeping generalizations which cannot withstand scrutiny. In short, Trump is not a trustworthy source for anything. Even his trademarked campaign tagline, “Make America Great Again,” which Trump claims to have crafted in 2012, looks like a rip-off of Reagan’s 1980 campaign slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again.”
There are many reasons why Trump should not elected president. Here are just five of them:
1. He acts like a young child who says inappropriate things to get a reaction. He craves attention and does not mind if it is negative. “Part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich." We need a leader who wants lead the country; not a leader who cannot step away from the mirror.
2. Trump is simply not a nice person. The adjectives that come to mind are pretentious, greedy, arrogant, self-serving. "Sorry losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest — and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure; it's not your fault." — Twitter, 2013 . Grow up please. Sorry Trump but you are really not that important. Do parents across America want this guy as a role model for their children?
3. His hair: what is going on with that comb over? That bird’s nest needs its own zip code. He should at least be able to afford a good hairstylist with his fortune.
4. He is extremely sexist. In his 2006 book "Trump 101: The Way to Success," Trump wrote: "Beauty and elegance, whether in a woman, a building, or a work of art, is not just superficial or something pretty to see." This quote is just one of many instances in which he objectifies women.
5. He has no governing experience. For some voters, this is a good thing and it could be a positive if the candidate has the right personality. Trump does not have that personality. He is a self-centered, self-important rich guy. He was born wealthy and become wealthier. Being an overly-aggressive business man do not translate into running a country. He has to govern, not dictate. And he has to govern with partners – remember the three branches of government. Trump does not play well with others. Even though he is super rich he doesn’t have enough money to bail us out of debt. What are some of his policies? That’s right, no one really knows because they don’t actually exist. He spends most of his time bashing other candidates during the debates and via Twitter.
Trump does not possess the personal qualities to be President of the United States. He should stick to real estate, beauty pageants and reality TV.
