Trump revives the silent majority

By Kevin Price

GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump is dominating the headlines this week in a way most people typically do not want to be seen. Three major sources of income for the multi-billionaire – Macy's, NBC, and Univision – are parting ways with him over his controversial remarks about illegal immigrants from Mexico. Although the obscure network, Reelz will air Trump's Miss USA pageant, he is hardly out of the woods.

Those controversial statements came from prepared remarks in which he went on a verbal tirade against undocumented Americans. He said: "When do we beat Mexico at the border? They're laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me. But they're killing us economically.

"The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems... It's true, and these are the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best... They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.

"But I speak to border guards and they tell us what we're getting. And it only makes common sense. It only makes common sense. They're sending us not the right people.

"It's coming from more than Mexico. It's coming from all over South and Latin America, and it's coming probably – probably – from the Middle East. But we don't know. Because we have no protection and we have no competence, we don't know what's happening. And it's got to stop and it's got to stop fast."

Shortly after these remarks there was an immediate uproar in social media, and it was largely negative. At least that is what the media projected. The reality is, among many conservative voters, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The fact that he wouldn't retract them made him a hero to those who now believe that political correctness has become heavy handed and even oppressive in regards to free speech. Many are tired of politicians that continually "temper their words" and "weigh their comments," and are looking for people to speak what is true to them.

For those who thought that Trump's remarks made him "dead in the water" politically had to be shocked over what has happened in the days since. He has catapulted in the polls and seems to be taping into the "Silent Majority" that Richard Nixon use to refer to in his presidential campaigns. These are people who are tired of a media that practices arm twisting, and politicians committed to posturing and ambition. Trump isn't shrinking in the polls, he has actually skyrocketed.

Business Insider, summarizes well the concern among the GOP that comes with a Trump surge with an article entitled "Donald Trump is quickly becoming the GOP establishment's worst nightmare." How much has he surged? According to CNN, Trump is dominating several major polls, finding himself consistently in second place in early primary states and in national polls.

Americans understand the First Amendment was designed to protect offensive speech (after all, it is the only type that needs protected), yet people are facing horrible consequences trying to exercise that right. They are offended by PC "bullies" forcing people to march in lockstep. That is the only way one can explain the dramatic rising of a man with zero political experience, an awkward (f not "clown like" persona), and a tone deafness when it comes to being media savvy.

I believe political correctness is in trouble. When very liberal comedians like Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld say that colleges and universities are too narrow minded, that indicates that something has gone too far. I personally believe that future comedians will find themselves as libertarians, because of their passion for free speech and the need to make a living.

People can (and likely, will) dismiss Trump as a buffoon, but if the GOP establishment does that, they might find such a person on the presidential ticket. This seems unlikely, especially on the top. However, in the old days, VP candidates were often chosen for the ability to be a flamethrower. That was the exact role of Richard Nixon's first Vice President, Spiro Agnew. When it comes to verbal combat, Agnew had nothing on Trump.

The whole political correctness movement might be at a crossroads as millions of Americans seem to believe it has simply gone too far. Donald Trump might be the very odd poster child of that reality.

© Kevin Price