Michael Bresciani
Six reasons to honestly doubt the Donald - - let's not do 2008 again
By Michael Bresciani
Long before Barack Obama swept into office as a pop-culture icon in 2008 I had serious doubts about his record, his honesty and his intentions about many issues including "gay marriage' and abortion. I tabled many of my doubts naively believing that the American people would see through his inexperience, dishonesty and hidden motives and leave him behind.
How wrong can a man be?
I will not make that mistake again. As a writer I will speak up loud and early with my doubts before we repeat the horrible errors of 2008 and 2012.
The power of the American people to place their favorite sons or celebrated and heralded favorite candidates in office remains unquestioned. The decisions are ours to make.
It is the long range wisdom of our choices that must be examined now – America is on the threshold of its own demise if we repeat the mistakes of the past.
This alone, is my motive for offering my six reasons why I believe that giving the republican nomination to Donald Trump would be a mistake on the level of giving Barack Obama a third term.
I will borrow the phrase used as a slogan for the website called Godfather Politics, "It's Not Personal...It's Politics"
It will take more than an aversion to political correctness to determine if someone is prime material for the presidency of this nation.
Millions of Americans also hate the ridiculous worming out that liberals have accomplished by hiding behind the use of preferred words and phrases. It is the very will to resist the popular word-speak garbage of this decade that is the impetus for this assessment of the Donald.
Can we ask the Donald to take a dose of his own medicine? Let's see.
1. Where's the record?
When Trump was firing people, putting American beauties on parade and putting money in the Clinton Foundation, others were fighting for the nation. Where was Trump when Ted Cruz battled on the Senate floor for twenty one hours in 2013 to stop Obamacare? Where was trump when Scott Walker took on the unions against all odds in Wisconsin? Where was the Donald when Jeb Bush lifted his state to become one of the greatest fiscal success stories of the decade?
Is it safe to say that loudmouths are only loud, they are not necessarily good fighters standing on the front lines and taking the blows?
Bluster, braggadocio and business successes are the product of ambition and self-assertion; they will never be the litmus test for character, resiliency and statesmanship.
2. Can you call a man a fool with impunity?
In the famous 'Sermon on the Mount' Christ said:
"But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Mt 5: 22)
Seriously, if calling a man a fool can put us at the front door to hell, where will calling women dogs, fat pigs, slobs, and disgusting animals leave a man?
If all this does is get Megyn Kelley a little hot under the collar the question is moot, but in the larger picture, this is the antithesis of diplomacy, philanthropy and common decency. Agree or not, the one thing it can never be is – presidential!
American women deserve better than this and since there are 158.6 million women in the U.S. according to the Census Bureau as of 2009; isn't that a lot of votes to risk. Women make up over half of the population of the U.S.; as it pertains to "a woman's scorn" that leaves very few places where Mr. Trump can find a place to hide.
3. Is respect for the rich an American idiosyncrasy we should be proud of?
Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and a host of other rich men all have one thing in common; they all get the respect of most people in our nation. To some degree they represent the very fulfillment of the American dream.
But is it always a respect that is deserved?
In fact, it is often the least common denominator to use when we choose the icons of our nation that we want the rest of the world to see. It is always men and women who have sacrificed rather than gained that fill our history books with glowing accounts. Which of our history books gives a list of the net worth of our founding fathers? Oh, how times have changed.
The Apostle James gave strict warning to the believers in his day not to become respecters of persons, especially if it was only because they were rich. To wit:
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (James 2: 5-9)
If James says respecting persons, especially because they are rich is a "sin" then why are we willing to use this as a criterion for choosing a president. In fact, in doing this we are saying more about our own character flaws than those of Donald Trump.
4. How Much Trust Does Trump Place in Riches?
Only a cursory examination of Mr. Trump's speeches and replies to questions produces a curiosity that few may have noticed. He uses the personal pronoun "I" to excess and it is often conjoined to the declaration that his "I" is worth about ten billion dollars.
The word trust and faith are interchangeable in the English language for good reason. We have faith in what we trust or more succinctly we put our weight on what we trust.
We never hear Trump declare his faith in God, or even that he trusts the American system of democracy. Is it not reasonable to think that the Donald stands on his money and nothing else? While he alone can answer this question, what can be gleaned from his public rhetoric seems to support the idea that his ten billion is the ground on which stands – alone.
Again Christ said "...how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" (Mt 10: 23)
If you can't use riches as a springboard to get into heaven, then why should it be thought of as a good place from which to bounce into national politics? America is in crisis, money did not get us into this crisis, money will not of itself, get us out of it. We had better look to a better foundation.
5. Is 'greasing the palm' a Trumpian philosophy? Isn't that exactly what is wrong with today's politics?
When asked why he had given money to the Clinton's for their foundation trump explained that it was so when he asked for something in return (coming to his wedding) he would be sure to get what he wanted.
The nation has long been hijacked, diverted and bought out by special interest groups and lobbyists for as long as can be remembered. Trump seems to be a master at greasing the palm; will he also be a victim of this practice if given the highest office in the land.
Votes and influence are never for sale in good government – does Mr. Trump understand this?
6. Are belligerence bellicosity and braggadocio considered good qualities to Mr. Trump?
Fiery speech, hot headedness and lack of self-control are the last qualities we should be looking for in a potential president in today's nuclear world.
We need a president who has something to say, not one who has simply got the urge to say something.
We do not expect Mr. Trump to pass his words through the three golden gates before he speaks, is it true, is it needful, is it kind, but we may want to feel assured that he would choose better speech if it was as critical as life and death – today, it often is.
"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Proverbs 16: 32)
What do our children make of our political uncertainty?
In summary, we give our children the very best opportunities and encourage them to get the finest education they can, yet year after year, they show less interest in politics than ever in our entire history.
Why would they be interested when after viewing the recent debates, they see we have been offered the greatest bevy of statesmen (17) in the history of politics?
What choices do we make, if the polls are any indicator of our inclinations?
We want to replace a former community organizer who thinks he has become the emperor, with a man who all but perfectly resembles a loud mouth used car salesman with the people skills of an angry teen ager.
The next generation sees us as the kind of people that never seem to learn from our mistakes. They see how quickly we have forgotten that whether it is Obama or Trump, when things start to go bad, we cannot send someone to the door of the oval office with a pink slip and the words – you're fired!
We show our children that it is not our candidates that are the problem – it is us!
© Michael Bresciani
August 12, 2015
Long before Barack Obama swept into office as a pop-culture icon in 2008 I had serious doubts about his record, his honesty and his intentions about many issues including "gay marriage' and abortion. I tabled many of my doubts naively believing that the American people would see through his inexperience, dishonesty and hidden motives and leave him behind.
How wrong can a man be?
I will not make that mistake again. As a writer I will speak up loud and early with my doubts before we repeat the horrible errors of 2008 and 2012.
The power of the American people to place their favorite sons or celebrated and heralded favorite candidates in office remains unquestioned. The decisions are ours to make.
It is the long range wisdom of our choices that must be examined now – America is on the threshold of its own demise if we repeat the mistakes of the past.
This alone, is my motive for offering my six reasons why I believe that giving the republican nomination to Donald Trump would be a mistake on the level of giving Barack Obama a third term.
I will borrow the phrase used as a slogan for the website called Godfather Politics, "It's Not Personal...It's Politics"
It will take more than an aversion to political correctness to determine if someone is prime material for the presidency of this nation.
Millions of Americans also hate the ridiculous worming out that liberals have accomplished by hiding behind the use of preferred words and phrases. It is the very will to resist the popular word-speak garbage of this decade that is the impetus for this assessment of the Donald.
Can we ask the Donald to take a dose of his own medicine? Let's see.
1. Where's the record?
When Trump was firing people, putting American beauties on parade and putting money in the Clinton Foundation, others were fighting for the nation. Where was Trump when Ted Cruz battled on the Senate floor for twenty one hours in 2013 to stop Obamacare? Where was trump when Scott Walker took on the unions against all odds in Wisconsin? Where was the Donald when Jeb Bush lifted his state to become one of the greatest fiscal success stories of the decade?
Is it safe to say that loudmouths are only loud, they are not necessarily good fighters standing on the front lines and taking the blows?
Bluster, braggadocio and business successes are the product of ambition and self-assertion; they will never be the litmus test for character, resiliency and statesmanship.
2. Can you call a man a fool with impunity?
In the famous 'Sermon on the Mount' Christ said:
"But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Mt 5: 22)
Seriously, if calling a man a fool can put us at the front door to hell, where will calling women dogs, fat pigs, slobs, and disgusting animals leave a man?
If all this does is get Megyn Kelley a little hot under the collar the question is moot, but in the larger picture, this is the antithesis of diplomacy, philanthropy and common decency. Agree or not, the one thing it can never be is – presidential!
American women deserve better than this and since there are 158.6 million women in the U.S. according to the Census Bureau as of 2009; isn't that a lot of votes to risk. Women make up over half of the population of the U.S.; as it pertains to "a woman's scorn" that leaves very few places where Mr. Trump can find a place to hide.
3. Is respect for the rich an American idiosyncrasy we should be proud of?
Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and a host of other rich men all have one thing in common; they all get the respect of most people in our nation. To some degree they represent the very fulfillment of the American dream.
But is it always a respect that is deserved?
In fact, it is often the least common denominator to use when we choose the icons of our nation that we want the rest of the world to see. It is always men and women who have sacrificed rather than gained that fill our history books with glowing accounts. Which of our history books gives a list of the net worth of our founding fathers? Oh, how times have changed.
The Apostle James gave strict warning to the believers in his day not to become respecters of persons, especially if it was only because they were rich. To wit:
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." (James 2: 5-9)
If James says respecting persons, especially because they are rich is a "sin" then why are we willing to use this as a criterion for choosing a president. In fact, in doing this we are saying more about our own character flaws than those of Donald Trump.
4. How Much Trust Does Trump Place in Riches?
Only a cursory examination of Mr. Trump's speeches and replies to questions produces a curiosity that few may have noticed. He uses the personal pronoun "I" to excess and it is often conjoined to the declaration that his "I" is worth about ten billion dollars.
The word trust and faith are interchangeable in the English language for good reason. We have faith in what we trust or more succinctly we put our weight on what we trust.
We never hear Trump declare his faith in God, or even that he trusts the American system of democracy. Is it not reasonable to think that the Donald stands on his money and nothing else? While he alone can answer this question, what can be gleaned from his public rhetoric seems to support the idea that his ten billion is the ground on which stands – alone.
Again Christ said "...how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" (Mt 10: 23)
If you can't use riches as a springboard to get into heaven, then why should it be thought of as a good place from which to bounce into national politics? America is in crisis, money did not get us into this crisis, money will not of itself, get us out of it. We had better look to a better foundation.
5. Is 'greasing the palm' a Trumpian philosophy? Isn't that exactly what is wrong with today's politics?
When asked why he had given money to the Clinton's for their foundation trump explained that it was so when he asked for something in return (coming to his wedding) he would be sure to get what he wanted.
The nation has long been hijacked, diverted and bought out by special interest groups and lobbyists for as long as can be remembered. Trump seems to be a master at greasing the palm; will he also be a victim of this practice if given the highest office in the land.
Votes and influence are never for sale in good government – does Mr. Trump understand this?
6. Are belligerence bellicosity and braggadocio considered good qualities to Mr. Trump?
Fiery speech, hot headedness and lack of self-control are the last qualities we should be looking for in a potential president in today's nuclear world.
We need a president who has something to say, not one who has simply got the urge to say something.
We do not expect Mr. Trump to pass his words through the three golden gates before he speaks, is it true, is it needful, is it kind, but we may want to feel assured that he would choose better speech if it was as critical as life and death – today, it often is.
"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Proverbs 16: 32)
What do our children make of our political uncertainty?
In summary, we give our children the very best opportunities and encourage them to get the finest education they can, yet year after year, they show less interest in politics than ever in our entire history.
Why would they be interested when after viewing the recent debates, they see we have been offered the greatest bevy of statesmen (17) in the history of politics?
What choices do we make, if the polls are any indicator of our inclinations?
We want to replace a former community organizer who thinks he has become the emperor, with a man who all but perfectly resembles a loud mouth used car salesman with the people skills of an angry teen ager.
The next generation sees us as the kind of people that never seem to learn from our mistakes. They see how quickly we have forgotten that whether it is Obama or Trump, when things start to go bad, we cannot send someone to the door of the oval office with a pink slip and the words – you're fired!
We show our children that it is not our candidates that are the problem – it is us!
© Michael Bresciani
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