Sylvia Thompson
Donald Trump will choose his Vice President
By Sylvia Thompson
I am encouraged by the fact that Donald Trump, the presumptive 2016 nominee of the Republican Party, will decide for himself who his running mate will be. And if he is true to form, he is not listening to the chattering classes telling him who is best for the ticket.
Some of the people being put forth would advance the practice of political identity politics, which is detrimental to the well-being of the nation. Many lists include an array of names clearly submitted to appease special-interest groups, primarily among women and minorities. Someone even offered that a Spanish-speaker is a necessity. That choice would be crass sucking-up, and would alienate many of Trump's current supporters, some of whom themselves speak Spanish. Given that they are Americans, they also speak English in this English-speaking nation.
America does not need a woman as Vice President nor do we need an ethnic minority in that position. A female or a person of color brings nothing extra to a presidential ticket, other than being a tool for pandering to specific segments of society. I suspect that most Americans, of all stripes, are sick and tired of that practice.
Newt Gingrich made a prescient observation regarding what Trump needs in a partner. First, the person must be eligible to be President, second that person must be compatible with Donald Trump, and third, able to give something of value such as facilitating the carrying of a state in the general election. All, in that order of importance.
Regarding the first requirement, a suggestion of Ted Cruz on the ticket reveals a level of contempt for the many Americans who do not, with good reason, think Senator Cruz is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States, even though he may be quite capable of doing so. If he cannot be President, he cannot be Vice President. This fact may tick off a lot of people who snugly believe that the constitutional issue has been resolved, but it most definitely has not been resolved.
Donald Trump rightfully brought up the issue of Senator Cruz's eligibility because it's of importance to maintaining the integrity of the Constitution. People who think Trump was "playing political games" fail to grasp the measure of Donald Trump. If he says he thinks Senator Cruz is ineligible, he means it. Why then would he accept Senator Cruz as a running mate? Such an action would be ridiculous, and possibly illegal.
On the second requirement, compatibility with Trump, here too, many are thinking through the prism of politics as usual, viewing him as a typical politician. Donald Trump means what he says when he characterizes an opponent. His words may seem brutal and offensive to the faint of heart (or to hypocrites), but the words describe his assessment of an opponent. He may put aside, as he indicates he will, the meme "ly'ing Ted," but he really does not trust Ted Cruz. He doesn't trust anyone whom he perceives will lie, in business or elsewhere.
Trump responds candidly when asked by media types if he will consider bringing on board any of the 16 people who shared the campaign stage with him. He says, some he will but others he will not. He obviously neither respects nor trusts those he will not accept. This is very astute reasoning. You do not allow people whom you cannot trust at your back, because you are likely to be stabbed in the back.
His attitude is even more apparent in the amazement he shows when he repeats the incident of someone who virulently attacked him during the campaign, but has now come forward to "join up." His closing statement in each incidence of recounting that event is, "That's politicians." In other words, politicians can be very disingenuous and untruthful. Trump has made it very clear that he is not a politician, which is why he's so overwhelmingly supported by the American people.
And finally, the third and least important of the three, that of bringing something extra to the table. Gender and ethnicity should have nothing to do with this aspect of Trump's decision. A large swath of Americans (of all ethnicities) are thoroughly fed-up with the rank ethnic and gender pandering that is currently suffocating our society. We want decisions made regarding leaders based on something more substantial than ones DNA.
Over the past several decades, our society has been poisoned by leftist, godless assumptions about human nature. Political correctness clouds perception and rational thought. Now is the time that we begin the long haul back to sanity. Donald Trump is as popular as he is because he has offered to begin that long haul back to national sanity.
I sincerely hope his advisors are on board with his plans and will not encourage pandering, or will discourage him if he leans toward pandering. The focus should be solely on what is best for this nation as a whole. We are first Americans, and whatever else we are is academic.
I think another White Anglo-Saxon Protestant male (WASP) on the ticket will do just fine.
© Sylvia Thompson
May 9, 2016
I am encouraged by the fact that Donald Trump, the presumptive 2016 nominee of the Republican Party, will decide for himself who his running mate will be. And if he is true to form, he is not listening to the chattering classes telling him who is best for the ticket.
Some of the people being put forth would advance the practice of political identity politics, which is detrimental to the well-being of the nation. Many lists include an array of names clearly submitted to appease special-interest groups, primarily among women and minorities. Someone even offered that a Spanish-speaker is a necessity. That choice would be crass sucking-up, and would alienate many of Trump's current supporters, some of whom themselves speak Spanish. Given that they are Americans, they also speak English in this English-speaking nation.
America does not need a woman as Vice President nor do we need an ethnic minority in that position. A female or a person of color brings nothing extra to a presidential ticket, other than being a tool for pandering to specific segments of society. I suspect that most Americans, of all stripes, are sick and tired of that practice.
Newt Gingrich made a prescient observation regarding what Trump needs in a partner. First, the person must be eligible to be President, second that person must be compatible with Donald Trump, and third, able to give something of value such as facilitating the carrying of a state in the general election. All, in that order of importance.
Regarding the first requirement, a suggestion of Ted Cruz on the ticket reveals a level of contempt for the many Americans who do not, with good reason, think Senator Cruz is constitutionally eligible to be President of the United States, even though he may be quite capable of doing so. If he cannot be President, he cannot be Vice President. This fact may tick off a lot of people who snugly believe that the constitutional issue has been resolved, but it most definitely has not been resolved.
Donald Trump rightfully brought up the issue of Senator Cruz's eligibility because it's of importance to maintaining the integrity of the Constitution. People who think Trump was "playing political games" fail to grasp the measure of Donald Trump. If he says he thinks Senator Cruz is ineligible, he means it. Why then would he accept Senator Cruz as a running mate? Such an action would be ridiculous, and possibly illegal.
On the second requirement, compatibility with Trump, here too, many are thinking through the prism of politics as usual, viewing him as a typical politician. Donald Trump means what he says when he characterizes an opponent. His words may seem brutal and offensive to the faint of heart (or to hypocrites), but the words describe his assessment of an opponent. He may put aside, as he indicates he will, the meme "ly'ing Ted," but he really does not trust Ted Cruz. He doesn't trust anyone whom he perceives will lie, in business or elsewhere.
Trump responds candidly when asked by media types if he will consider bringing on board any of the 16 people who shared the campaign stage with him. He says, some he will but others he will not. He obviously neither respects nor trusts those he will not accept. This is very astute reasoning. You do not allow people whom you cannot trust at your back, because you are likely to be stabbed in the back.
His attitude is even more apparent in the amazement he shows when he repeats the incident of someone who virulently attacked him during the campaign, but has now come forward to "join up." His closing statement in each incidence of recounting that event is, "That's politicians." In other words, politicians can be very disingenuous and untruthful. Trump has made it very clear that he is not a politician, which is why he's so overwhelmingly supported by the American people.
And finally, the third and least important of the three, that of bringing something extra to the table. Gender and ethnicity should have nothing to do with this aspect of Trump's decision. A large swath of Americans (of all ethnicities) are thoroughly fed-up with the rank ethnic and gender pandering that is currently suffocating our society. We want decisions made regarding leaders based on something more substantial than ones DNA.
Over the past several decades, our society has been poisoned by leftist, godless assumptions about human nature. Political correctness clouds perception and rational thought. Now is the time that we begin the long haul back to sanity. Donald Trump is as popular as he is because he has offered to begin that long haul back to national sanity.
I sincerely hope his advisors are on board with his plans and will not encourage pandering, or will discourage him if he leans toward pandering. The focus should be solely on what is best for this nation as a whole. We are first Americans, and whatever else we are is academic.
I think another White Anglo-Saxon Protestant male (WASP) on the ticket will do just fine.
© Sylvia Thompson
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