Before I start analyzing Donald Trump's positions and telling you why I think Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee, I feel as though I must give my full disclosure. I am absolutely not a supporter of Donald Trump. Yet I still believe that Donald Trump will win the primary election. People who are against Donald Trump because of his positions and statements against immigration and the Muslim community, often cannot figure out why anyone would vote for someone who shows blatant racism and bigotry. People against Trump explain this by saying that all of his supporters must also be racist, however this isn't always the case. Though I cannot say that none of his supporters are racist, I'm sure his statements do give him the "racist vote."
The main reason Mr. Trump is popular is because the entire country is tired of establishment politics and smooth talking politicians. The American people want an actual human being to be their President, not someone who just repeats talking points, flip-flops on issues, and takes cooperate money. He is his own man with his own opinions that cannot be swayed just because it is not politically correct or would hurt the establishment. Donald Trump is the Republican version of Bernie Sanders, though other than that they are polar opposites.
Donald Trump has gained so much momentum now in the primary election, he is leading in the polls in Nevada and South Carolina. He has already won New Hampshire and landed second in Iowa. The explanation of all of his supporters being racist would mean that a lot of the country is racist, which is very disheartening. In a lot of ways, Donald Trump is not given enough credit, mostly because the thought of him being the President is terrifying.
In the beginning of his campaign he was given so much attention because of his radical and offensive statements that no one, not even the media, took his campaign seriously ; however it was these very statements that gave him his popularity. One of the reasons Donald Trump is so popular is because he is the result of the rise in "PC (Politically correct) culture." Politicians are always extremely careful about what they say and most of the time plan everything they are going to say days in advanced. In this day and age, it's as if people go out of their way to find something that offends them, to the point that even comedians who's job it is to make jokes are criticized for offending people.
Donald Trump's statements seem to the average person not as racist but as honest, because Trump says things like “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bring crime. They’re rapists… And some, I assume, are good people.” and refuses to apologize for it, his supporters see him as someone who is genuine and believes that this is an issue and does not hesitate to say something just because it hurts people's feelings. When he speaks it's clear that he did not have talking points ready, he simply speaks off the top of his head and in politics it is extremely refreshing to hear.
Another reason his supporters see him as honest because like Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump refuses to take money from super PACs and has openly criticized his fellow Republicans for taking cooperate money saying "Those PACs control the candidates. They totally control. (Ben) Carson is controlled by his PAC. (Jeb) Bush is controlled by his PAC. (Marco) Rubio is controlled by his PAC.."
By furthering themselves from establishment politics both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have distinguished themselves from the other members of their Parties. They are both quickly rising in the polls and hijacking the election from the establishment politicians. The establishment is backing Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side and on the Republican side they first supported Jeb Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush, and now back Ted Cruz. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are a real threat to the establishment because both refuse to play ball and aim to change the way the game is played.
With all that said I still do not support Donald Trump and am truly terrified at what America would become if we had a President Trump. But his rise in popularity is not because of racism, though partly because of it, it is because Americans want someone who does not try to mislead his voters, who is honest about his positions and is in general, his own person. The political climate in America is changing Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, extremes on opposite sides of the spectrum, are proof of that.
