The Case Against Trump Is Not Just About Trump!

The Case Against Trump Is Not Just About Trump!

The Obama election revealed numerous flaws in the American mindset.  By refusing to see that Barack Obama had more in common with the other candidates elected to the White House, it suggested that America was becoming a post-racial nation where anything was possible.  The hints of racism that were expressed towards Obama were minimized to further a liberal agenda to promote that Americans were accepting of a wider range of diversity.

However, a backlash had already started during the Bush administration. It was overtly racist and class oriented. Throughout Obama’s two terms the frustration over America's growing diversity and decreasing social mobility increased national tensions.

Leading the charge was Donald Trump, billionaire citizen politician. It was not the first time that Trump had been critical of an elected official, but this was going to be his most persistent case.  It was Trump who pushed the birther movement which largely made the president a Muslim born outside of the United States.  It was Trump that demanded to see the president’s college grades, and argued that Obama was not very smart.  And it was Trump that posited that the nation’s foreign policy was wrong and the economy was in disarray.

Despite the fact that Obama transferred to and graduated from Columbia University and then Harvard Law School, Trump’s challenges persisted. And even when the press disputed the Muslim claims reminding readers and viewers that candidate Obama had been forced out of his Southside Chicago church because his pastor, Rev. Wright, had been critical of the federal government, Trump’s comments furthered the claim that Obama was not a Christian.

Trump never apologized for the birther movement even after the president produced his birth certificate. And no one demanded that he do so! Trump made it socially acceptable for a white man to insult a black man who just happened to be the President of the United States. And as a result, despite the growing portrayal of interracial harmony on television shows and commercials, whites could socially insult and even assault whites who stood up for social justice and equality, white or black parents of biracial children, inter-racial couples, as well as black men, women. and children, regardless of their stature in American society. Directly and indirectly, Trump played a major role in denouncing equality for people of color. And throughout the campaign season into the beginnings of his presidency, his tolerance of bigotry has led to countless acts of violence and even murder.

Never once did the American public or press seek the reasons why Mr. Trump was so against Obama.  Hadn't Obama, like him, fulfilled the American dream? Hadn't Trump, claimed a similar educational prestige by transferring from Fordham University to the University of Pennsylvania? Yet, Trump continued and continues to berate Obama over things that he did not do to further validate that he is better than Obama.

The confrontation became personal in 2015 as a fed-up Obama ridiculed Trump during the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. And maybe this is where the case against Trump should begin.  He ran for president solely to get a sense of revenge. He hoped he could win so that he could eradicate everything that Obama did during his eight years in office,

In 2016, Trump ran against two people, Obama and Hillary Clinton.  He argued that there was no difference between the two in a manner that was both racist and sexist. Trump employed a similar technique attacking Hillary Clinton, like he did with Obama. During the presidential campaign, not only did he attack Ms. Clinton’s education, abilities, and values, he also attacked her marriage.

Trump attacked Clinton for staying with her husband and he promoted the idea that the former president was a sexual predator. And he charged that Mrs. Clinton enabled President Clinton’s habits.  Once again, Trump’s own past matched his accusations.  The candidate was on his third marriage. His past as a swinger and an affair with his mistress and future daughter’s mother was well documented and then an “Access Hollywood” videotape surfaced with Trump describing groping incidents.

Trump built a case that Clinton was reckless, supported terrible trade deals, and lacked energy. He accused her of supporting America’s enemies in Libya and the mishandling of classified emails. At his rallies, Trump chanted "lock her up" suggesting she was a criminal and a traitor.  Trump's surrogates went so far as urging people to shoot Clinton. His constant denouncing of her actions weakened the resolve of those who might have supported her, but equally affected the general population. In a systematic manner Trump's comments about a "rigged system" raised doubts in the operation of the government and its leaders. Hence, the campaign used the involvement of the FBI in publicly discussing Mrs. Clinton’s emails and the alleged Russian involvement in the election to convince many Americans to distrust institutions and politicians.

In winning the presidency Donald Trump proclaimed a mandate and suggested that his election was part of a revolutionary experience. Differing from other president-elects, Trump was not silent during the transition.  He openly attacked the Obama administration and Mrs. Clinton. And the barrage continued up to, on the day of the inauguration, and it continues as you read this essay. As a result, his campaign never ended and it intensified the animosity between the political parties when the president needed to unify the nation. Trump’s behavior did not bring the nation together, and the first 100 days of his administration have produced visceral reactions to his agenda. Executive actions have led to almost weekly protests and marches. Mayors of major cities and some governors have refused to recognize the executive orders and policies. Legislation and proposed legislation has met with strong resistance especially as the president’s agenda seems to back away from supporting the working classes and favors the wealthy.

And while the Trump presidency has been one of the most controversial ones in American history, most of us are caught up in what’s happening on stage instead of what’s going on behind the curtain. The public view is executive orders destroying the Obama legacy and promoting an economy driven without regulatory controls. While promising jobs, better healthcare, infrastructure development, and less global involvement, Trump is actually promoting the privatization of public education, healthcare, and infrastructure development. He is allowing the Republican Party to destroy the work of the New Deal and the Great Society. Despite public sentiments and campaign promises, he is still engaged in Bush’s and Obama’s Middle Eastern conflicts.  And, Trump is pushing the nation closer to conflicts with Syria, Iran, and North Korea. (There is little doubt that America will be in another war before he leaves office.) Trump will get immigration reform that favors (white) Western Europeans over all others and may deport millions of illegals in the process. Clean air and water will give way to the demands of big business, and climate change will be regarded as a myth.

These actions have produced lots of questions but few answers. While sometimes this is painful to see, this, allegedly, is the will of the electorate and our democratic system. But it is the second time in sixteen years that the Electoral College gave the victory to a person who lost the popular vote. So is the system unfair, and are we mad at the system but blaming the victor? And should the public have buyer’s remorse? Are we headed in the right direction? About 9% of those that comprised Trump’s victory are not happy with his leadership. Does that mean something is wrong or is that natural after an election?

So far things are not getting better. Part of the nation is involved in open resistance. Comedians and actors have "joked" about killing the president. On the nightly news President Trump is ridiculed and called a liar by wide range of voices including celebrities, politicians, governmental authorities, academics, and social critics. Should Americans openly criticize their president to the point where international leaders and communities equally embrace such negative sentiments?

However, there is the other side. Trump has a loyal base and more than a third of the nation openly support this Republican led direction. What is missing in this equation?  Are we witnessing the tyranny of the voter minority or the tyranny of the elected majority? Or is this simply a linguistic turn of our national agenda?

I think the “Russia” hacking scandal has placed a cloud over the election, the outcome, and what it means to be an American.  It has placed America, Americans, and its presidency on trial.

Behind the scenes, it appears that a powerful but secretive agenda is destroying our contemporary concepts of democracy. And the role of the press in protecting and preserving democracy will be the first victim of these plans. The nation has been divided by these acts because it has chosen not to acknowledge them. But if forced, most of us will acknowledge that we are in the initial stages of a series of wars: a race war, a religious war, a gender war, an ethnic war, and massive degrees of class struggle. Political ideologies divide us on issues like health care, court nominees, gender identity, immigration, crime, drug addiction, gun control, tax reform, and religious freedom. There are numerous cracks in our political and social foundation.

Trump’s victory has unleashed the real American. He/she is unhappy with the nation’s liberal turns and seeks to restore America to its 1950s imagery without crime, communism, and civil rights struggles. And ignored in this restoration are: part one-the incompetence displayed by the president and key members of his administration, and part two-acknowledgement of foreign hacking of democratic practices and presidential election and the idea of collision with a foreign nation to secure the presidency.

While it appears that many of key figures in the campaign had contacts with Russian officials, this does not provide sufficient evidence of collusion.  Without providing a money trail, it will be difficult to show that the president is involved in a criminal act.  And, there is a chance that the president is not involved even if some members of his campaign are tied to acts of collusion. Unfortunately, the administration has done little to stop the endless chatter. President Trump wavers in his belief that the Russians hacked the Democratic party or tried to help him win. And he has taken no steps to prevent another incident. Instead he cries out about voter fraud and illegal aliens voting for Clinton.  

The constant misdirection of Twitter intent, the lies about meeting with Russian officials, having Russian dignitaries in the Oval Office, imposed limitations of White House press coverage, and the firing of federal prosecutors and two senior members of the Justice System are more than circumstantial. If not criminal, they are clearly unethical. However, we have been down this road with less information. Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were not above the law. In fact, they were investigated and found guilty of wrong doings by Congress. Why then, should Donald Trump be immune to a full investigation?

In essence, "making America great" is a lie!  Sadly, America was never great nor exceptional.  To the contrary, Americans fooled themselves into believing that they were different. And, now, thanks to our president, the world sees us for what we really are!  We have become cowards running from the truth, and 2016 is a national nightmare that we all hope will end. But it cannot end because neither side in this escalating conflict sees the views of the other side. Perhaps we cannot defeat our greatest enemy, because the enemy is ourselves!

The Truth and Reconciliation Council was started by Nelson Mandela to heal a bitterly divided South Africa.  In many respects, the United States requires a comparable process.  America needs this national "investigation" to accept what it was, what it is, and what it is going to be!  All Americans should openly support a full investigation and the administration should provide complete transparency. Only then can Mr. Trump claim vindication and the title of president. Otherwise, he should be forced to relinquish what would be called a tarnished and hollow victory.

Only then, when this mess is resolved, can America try to be America again!