2024 is a time for choosing well
Former President Donald Trump should bow out, endorse another candidate
President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice has turned the nation into a banana republic.
In banana republics the two-bit dictator has their political opponents indicted and arrested.
The spectacle of three indictments and a fourth one coming this week that has unfolded with former President Donald Trump is one of the most shameful chapters in recent times, and arguably our nation’s history.
Trump’s done some really foolish things with women, classified documents, and the outcome of election 2020. He is his own worst enemy with unforced errors and a barrage of childish name calling.
However, one can believe the nation has a rogue DOJ, but also believe Donald Trump should quit the race for President and endorse someone else.
Someone putting the nation first would see we don’t need the ugly scenes that are about to unfold with Trump in courtrooms during an election.
Someone putting the nation first would realize Americans are tired of the daily drama.
Someone putting the nation first would have the self-awareness to see he brings too much baggage and has lost to Democrats in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
Donald Trump is incapable of that.
He’s even used social media to level threats at those bringing cases against him. After the third indictment Aug. 4, Trump went to Truth Social and wrote: “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU.” He wrote other things that could be interpreted as witness tampering. Trump acts like he wants to be thrown in jail. Is that because he’s grifting Republicans to pay for his legal bills?
He also has joked, “Every time they file an indictment, we go way up in the polls. We need one more indictment and this election is closed out—no one even has a chance.”
Team Biden is making Donald Trump a political martyr. They’ve calculated that’s the best route to re-election in 2024.
Do you see the cycle? Indictment, Trump grifts money for lawyers, and poll numbers rise, or so Trump says. Rinse and repeat.
The universe of all things Trump has created vocal and vicious tribes on the right and left. The extreme tribes on the right are QAnon truthers or those who simply love all things MAGA, and will take to social media acting just like Dear Leader. These people worship Donald Trump.
On the left, this is everyone who can’t define what a woman is and believe men can menstruate, have babies, and “chestfeed” those babies. These radical leftists cry “racism” at the drop of a hat and they have no problem censoring opposing ideas. Throw in climate change and these are Biden’s core beliefs in the 21st century. They also have their hair on fire at the mere mention of MAGA.
These tribes are not reality. There are not just two simple positions–love or hate– with Trump.
I am one of the people–and I believe one of many people right of center–who applauds Trump for several things he accomplished.
However . . .
The man was only a “conservative Republican” the moment he rode down that Trump Tower escalator in 2015. That doesn’t touch his repugnant narcissistic personality on daily display.
“But he’s been very generous with people!” Trump loyalists respond.
So, would the real Donald Trump please stand up?
An ABC/Ipsos poll Aug. 2-3 reveals Trump and Biden have high unfavorability ratings. That’s not the base for which to win an election. That’s Politics 101.
Trump has other problems. Independents abhor him. Independents make up a third of the electorate. You don’t get elected President without them. Barring some significant change, it’s hard to see their mood on Trump changing. Additionally, suburban women can’t stand Trump for multiple reasons. How many groups can one be in such disfavor and win the Presidency? These two factors, and others, have caused some political observers to argue that Trump has a ceiling on his support.
But Trump loves bragging about his poll numbers. At this point in 2016, Jeb Bush was the frontrunner for Republicans. Trump isn’t entitled to anything.
Trump’s own campaign disclosures reveal he’s spent $40 million on lawyers. “Money is the mother’s milk of politics,” said former California Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh. If you’re bleeding money on lawyers, you are killing yourself on the political playing field.
At what point do long-time Trump loyalists wake up to the grifting for his legal bills? It’s hard to imagine some of them aren’t asking that question. That, the timing of the presidential election and the distraction of legal issues create questions for Republicans, questions that demand answers.
Most Americans don’t want the second version of Biden v. Trump. For me, I don’t want Round 2 of that because we have way too many older politicians in the Oval Office and Congress. No more Baby Boomers. Why would we want another octogenarian?
Additionally, I regard Trump’s handling of covid to be disqualifying. Lockdowns, masking, and Operation Warp Speed harmed the nation. It happened on Trump’s watch. And he has yet to demonstrate any reflection and apologize for poor decisions.
Covid policies harmed achievement in schools. It has harmed the development of young children who were compelled to mask up. It also has harmed the mental health of countless people. And that’s just younger people.
That’s before we talk about adverse health reactions and events for millions of people. Lockdowns were a massive policy failure and did not stop covid-19.
The greater long-term issue for the GOP is how they put Trump in the rear-view mirror and just move on. He never leaves quietly. The events on January 6, 2021 should have been the final straw. But he’s still here. And he’s refusing to pledge loyalty to any GOP nominee.
Good grief! Please, just go away!