Getting Trumped

I believe everyone has a right to come to their own political conclusions, even if that means they don’t agree with mine. This is, after all, America.

Typically I stay away from blogging about politics. Mainly this is for two reasons. One, is that I believe politics, the legislative process and the politicians who practice them are a rich and complex system; one that I try to stay moderately informed about, but can never claim to have enough understanding and knowledge to shape a concrete opinion I would want to share publicly. Two, is to be frank, I’m a people pleaser and I hate the idea of “offending anyone.” I have seen too often a heated debate or sharing of beliefs that can damage an otherwise fine relationship and I avoid that situation as often as I can.

I’m breaking away from my usual protocol because I see the real possibility of Donald Trump becoming a presidential candidate—possibly the President of the United States, and I am both repulsed and intrigued. Alarmed and saddened.

Because what I see is not the rise of a cutting-edge political star, nor a national statement demanding change, but the fall of our collective ability to understand issues and make informed choices. That we are getting trumped by disillusionment and the allure of false idols and we don’t even know it. We are choosing sensationalism over ability, sound bites over content, and anger over intelligence.

Some people are gifted with strong skills and talents, but that does not necessarily make them legitimate in said skills. Let’s take me as an example. I am and have always been very particular about labeling myself as a blogger—not a free-lance writer, even though that’s what I do. I may be good with words and have the ability to influence, but that doesn’t make my words true. One could argue I am nothing more than a literary manipulator, a digital storyteller.

What I am most definitely not is: a journalist, a novelist, or a reporter. I’m just an Average Jane living in the suburb of Fridley, Minnesota, who likes to write and is lucky to have a public medium to do so, and even luckier to have a few readers who might care what I have to say. To me, blogger proclaims I am an amateur and makes the clear distinction from those I have great respect for in the field — legitimate journalists and writers.

Donald Trump is a talented man. Clearly, he does well in business, TV ratings, and apparently gaining the confidence of the American people to be considered as a Presidential candidate. As the saying goes, It Takes Two to Tango and his current climb would not be possible without — well — us. This confounds me to no end because I passionately believe what Donald Trump is not, is a legitimate politician. He is a public personality.

I won’t waste this space examining his political views and solutions; they are all the same — ridiculous in merit, thought, and execution. And his statements about women downright disgust me. All this is perfectly his right to hold dear and shout from the rooftops as an American man, but not as our Presidential Candidate. Our President should represent, as well as any human can, our best ideals, capabilities, and intentions possible. Not hate filled, preposterous and entertaining buzzwords.

So how in the world does he keep climbing? Because he understands people long for two things in a presidential race: blame and hope. Mr. Trump has no qualms to extort our fears shamelessly, and we seem to have no shame in submitting to them in exchange for a false sense of being revolutionary.

I am lucky to know and work with many local politicians in Minnesota. Some of whom I agree with politically, but not with their tactics. Others I may I respect their tactics, but disagree with politically. What they all have in common is the heart to serve their community in the best ways they know how, with the best intentions. They take the responsibility of leading — and perhaps failing — for the chance to get it right. Even once. They toil over countless decisions, and paperwork, and ridicule, to give someone else the hope that they might be, and have, better. To be a public servant, not a public figure. They are no Donald Trumps.

The price they pay is becoming a public personality, having their lives and those of their loved ones vulnerable to hostile examination in order to be a politician. None of them are public personalities trying to play politician.

As the 2016 Presidential Election develops and the real possibility of seeing Donald Trump on the GOP ticket becomes more likely, I can’t help but blog about this in hopes to shake enough of us awake to scrutinize the direction and the reality of what getting Trumped would mean. Call me a hopeless optimistic, but I believe there is still time, and desire, and ability to collectively say we want the most capable leader, not the most sensational.

This is, after all, America.

This blog does not represent the opinions of any politician, community non-profit, or civic organization I work with and is my own personal opinions.

*Photo courtesy of the Trump Make America Great Again campaign website.