The problem with Trump’s endorsers: An endorsement of selfishness
By Mwangala Simataa ’19
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once said that in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, just interests. Where else but the current American political landscape does this saying come alive in its full force?
We woke up a couple of weeks ago to the news that Governor Chris Christie had eaten his humble pie and endorsed the candidacy of his former nemesis Donald J. Trump. Yes, THAT Trump, the man Christie rabidly attacked for his inexperience and hate-mongering. Not to be outdone, the boring and ever sleepy Dr. Ben Carson also endorsed the man who had called him a psychopath. In endorsing him, Carson claimed Trump has a nasty side we see on the campaign trail and a more presidential and cerebral one he works so hard to hide lest it make him unelectable. While there is a lot to be said about a man who thinks intelligence on the campaign trail is a liability, let’s cast our eyes on the serious issues of honesty and sincerity in the Republican Party.
The important thing to ask is on what basis do Trump’s former rivals endorse him? It could be on principle, for personal expedience or an undying loyalty to the Republican Party. Given the behavior of all the Republican candidates so far, let’s just rule out principle. As for party loyalty, even the dimmest Republicans have to worry that a Trump presidency could run the reputation and well-being of these United States badly to seed. So if endorsements are not based on principles, or undying loyalty to the country via the Republican Party, then they must surely only be out of personal convenience.
Carson and Christie, joined by former candidates Huckabee and Santorum, did not suddenly have an epiphany that Trump was the best candidate. Their endorsements for him are all for selfish personal gain. Perhaps they could secure a cabinet position here, an agency to run there or a fancy ambassadorship elsewhere based on patronage, not qualifications. And remember, Trump does not yet have a running mate.
Still more, it could be out of that human need to be associated to with the winner, and boast about having the ear of those in the higher echelons of power, while giving lucrative paid speeches and punditry on conservative television stations. Whatever the reasons, the more Trump’s former rivals continue endorsing him, the more I wonder whether any of the greedy men that put their names up for the presidency of this country deserved the job.
gary2278 • Apr 11, 2016 at 6:06 am
If you think Trump is a racist who sees any color other than green, you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. Take a look at his life and career; he has always hired and worked with people of all walks of life.
If you think Megyn Kelly isn’t an exploiter (establishment) tool who tried to take down Trump, and you think Trump is a misogynist because of the bloodlust comments he made regarding her (while making bloodlust comments about Chris Wallace at the same time) then you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. Just like any true capitalist, Trump states “I’m just oblivious to a person’s gender” when dealing with people.
If you think Trump is an isolationist because he wants fair trade, you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. “Free-trade” comes at a huge cost to workers in developed countries! The end result is that America will produce nothing and will provide no services outside our borders because services and products will always be cheaper from poorer countries. Anyone who says anything else concerning free-trade is either lying through their teeth, or is completely clueless!
90% of the cocaine here comes through our southern border; 80% of the meth and heroin here comes through our southern border! If you think Trump, who continually says “I love Mexican people,” is a xenophobe because he wants to secure our southern border, you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. Trump’s negative comments were targeted at a subset of illegal immigrants; NOT Mexicans! Illegal immigration is destroying our society (illegal immigrant children are almost always below grade level so teachers have to spend most of their time teaching at that level which hurts our children; illegal immigration keeps wages low; and the drugs from south of our border are ruining our children’s lives).
If you think Trump wants to punish women for having abortions, you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. Trump said he made a gaffe during convoluted conversations about hypothetical situations. He has clarified that in the real world he would like to see abortion regulations left up to each state.
If you think Trump is ignorant because he thinks it might be more pragmatic for Japan to have a nuke rather than having 54,000 U.S. troops stationed there at our expense, you are a gullible fool subject to exploiter-funded media influence. The simple fact is that nothing ensures sovereignty like having a nuke. No country with a nuke has been or ever will be invaded. We would have never invaded Iraq if they had a nuke; in fact, the best evidence that we knew they didn’t really have any WMDs was the fact we invaded them. The 54,000 troops we have in Japan are absolutely no deterrent for North Korea, China, or anyone else; what deters them is the fact we have nukes. Furthermore, what would happen to Japan if they can’t defend themselves and we go bankrupt over the next decade or so?
gary2278 • Apr 11, 2016 at 6:05 am
Trump has benefited from a corrupt system and understands what must be done to fix it. It would be far easier for him to just continue buying politicians if he wanted to keep taking advantage rather than running for POTUS. As such, I have to believe he actually wants to help America more than he wants to continue taking advantage. He made his riches and now I think he wants to focus on his legacy, and wants to be remembered for righting America’s ship (who cares if that’s ego driven; I would happily help build him a statue if he succeeds). Consequently, those who want to continue exploiting are scared and doing everything they can to stop him; they are even hiring thugs through craigslist to disrupt his rallies.
gary2278 • Apr 11, 2016 at 6:04 am
Super-PACs MUST be banned! They give a few wealthy exploiters the ability to shape our entire political system; they allow for absurdly unequal representation! The people and corporations funding these PACs have acquired their wealth from selling out America through political favors, endless wars, unfair trade deals, exploiting foreign labor, exploiting illegal labor within our borders, creating insurmountable debt for our children, and maintaining a rigged election process that ensures nothing will change. Super-PACs are a direct conflict of interest and an absolute corrupting force!
In my opinion, any candidate who doesn’t demand their super-PACs disband in the name of democracy and the people is a flat out TRAITOR to America! Exploiter puppets Clinton and Cruz will never do this like Trump and Sanders have; instead, they will continue feigning powerlessness and ignorance regarding super-PACs. Anyone who votes for these conniving two-faced lawyers is voting to continue selling out America!
If someone with Trump’s resources can’t run without being shredded by exploiter-funded super-PACs and media pundits, how does someone like me or you have a chance? The answer is that, unless we are lackeys like Clinton and Cruz, whom those same exploiters also fund, we don’t! The process is rigged; you can watch a great example of how the media takes things out of context and falsely demonizes non-controlled candidates like Trump by searching for and viewing “The Untruth about Donald Trump” video.