Forget democracy, America is fascinated by fascist rulers and governments that entertain. Over the years, politics have turned into a form of reality TV, and Donald Trump is putting on the show of a century. There is no need for a federal republic when you have a dictator or tyrant for president. Whether Democrat, Republican, black, white, gay, straight, a natural born citizen, or an immigrant, here's why no American citizen should support Donald Trump.
If he wins the election in 2016, we might as well start referring to the United States as Trump Incorporated as for him, presidency is a business deal, a mere effort to gain power and proclaim himself king. The constitutional foundations of the United States may have been based upon the example of the Republic of Rome, which ended up turning into an empire but, hey, at least America has transformed itself into an elected monarchy. At least there is democracy in choosing the next dictator to lead for the next four to eight years, giving citizens the opportunity to “pick their own poison.” So, now, let’s evaluate the poison in question: Donald Trump.
You may be thinking to yourself, how can Donald Trump possibly be a contender for the next POTUS? It’s simple. Trump tells people what they want to hear and attacks other nominees with brutality and incivility in the process. The “Trump Show” plays off emotional responses from Americans, with most of his retort focused on bashing other candidates instead of coming up with his own functional policies. Want immigration issues resolved? Trump promises to close the borders. Need to please Democrats in an effort to gain the left vote? Trump is pro-choice. Want to “make America great again?” Trump claims he will reduce taxes and bring back jobs to the United States. All of Trump’s policies target specific audiences with vague promises just to get an emotionally compromised vote. Citizens are dealt rhetorical manipulation, and that is why Trump is succeeding in the manner he is.
What’s ironic is that Trump has openly admired and supported political tyrants. Now, he is running for President of the United States. Obviously Vladimir Putin, who has constricted and shut down media and who has imprisoned political opposition, seems like a really great guy. Similar to Putin, Trump is afraid of what journalists might say in deadly news articles. He intends to alter laws to make it easier to sue newspapers, constricting freedom of speech and giving the government authoritative power to do so. As put by the conservative Trump himself during a rally in Fort Worth, Texas, “When they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money.” This statement opposes both American ideals and principles held by both the Democratic and Republican parties.
There is much to say about Trump’s questionable character, but let’s go back to his perverse, inadequate policies. Trump’s policy to build a wall on the southern border has resounded with American citizens. He says what his supporters want to hear, then claims that, “When Mexico sends its people, they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists.” Other immigration policies of his involve temporarily banning all Muslims from entering the United States. However, it is supposed to be the government’s job to protect the rights of the minority. Trump’s foreign strategies involve “quickly and decisively bomb[ing] the hell out of ISIS” and he used to, for months, vow to force military personnel into torturing and killing terrorists and their families. Trump uses people and their emotions as political pawns to give praise to himself, and to his empire. Trump Incorporated will consume the United States and all that it stands for.
There are other options for leadership besides a poisonous tycoon that our nation needs to recognize. Instead of surrendering convictions and morals, both the GOP and Democratic party need to prove to citizens that America can stand up against tyranny. If we can see that there is still heart and dignity in politics, then maybe, just maybe, we can have faith in this upcoming election.
