The Conspiratorial and Reckless Trump
To add to our list of 5 Reasons and 6th Reason No One Should Vote for Trump.
7th Reason: He has a Conspiratorial Mind
Do I even need to prove it to you? Trump constantly talks about conspiracies. He began his political career pushing a conspiracy. I counted at least two in the 1st debate.
How bad this is, depends on what we don't know. Does he believes these conspiracies, or does he just think they make good politics. I see evidence to both sides. During the debate, he constantly denied his conspiratorial statements of the past, so at least he knows what the rest of us think. That suggests that on some level he is aware and does not believe.
However, if you pay attention to how he speaks, you can see a conspiratorial mindset. For example, instead of saying "illegal immigrants come from Mexico", he says "Mexico is intentionally sending illegal immigrants". Also, there is his reflective responses to use conspiracies as excuses for his failures. Needless to say, if he's taking these conspiracies at all seriously, that shows dangerous lack of judgment. The biggest foreign policy failure in my lifetime, the Iraq War, happened because the president could not tell a conspiracy theory from the truth.
But his judgment does not come off better if these are all just ploys. Conspiracies are horrible political investments. As I showed in the "6th Reason", they're likely to be disproven and label you as a nut bag. They have little political benefit. You can lose more votes than you gain.
We are tempted to laugh this off, but this is scary stuff folks. I mean hitlerish scary.
In Trump is Not Hitler Yet, I kept from declaring Trump a threat to our democracy, for only one reason, I don't believe his followers are fanatics. However, if he wins that means a large part of the electorate accepts his fictional universe. That can be the 'Yet'. With such a large number accepting anything he makes up, Trump could excuse any behavior or push any agenda. Here are examples of what can happen, when a politician can sell any story: Internment Camps, the Red Scare, the Gulf of Tonkin, and, yes even, the Iraq War.
Normally, I can give some leeway here. George W. Bush made a lot of gaffs, but he knew that what he said could have weight. Do you really think, President Trump can maintain even that amount of discipline for four years. He's not been able to go two weeks, without causing a controversy.
Now, I know that many like how he speaks from the cuff. I can appreciate that too. Heck, I even speak recklessly sometimes, but that's a reason (one of many) I shouldn't be president. When you're President, everyone hears what you say and takes it seriously. Always.
Here's a likely scenario. Trump casually makes an ultimatum like"I'll blow the crap out of them" or something like that. At first, a ripple of tension goes throughout the world. Depending on when he spoke an international crisis could develop. Now, we know Trump refuses to apologize or admit he's wrong, so there's a real danger of escalation here. However, maybe people around him are able to calm everyone down, and we move on. The world has learned not to take President Trump's threat seriously.
Then North Korean detonates another nuclear test. Iranians start building a new reactor. Putin invades another country. Each time, President Trump makes a threat. Everyone just laughs in response.
You tell me what happens next.
How bad this is, depends on what we don't know. Does he believes these conspiracies, or does he just think they make good politics. I see evidence to both sides. During the debate, he constantly denied his conspiratorial statements of the past, so at least he knows what the rest of us think. That suggests that on some level he is aware and does not believe.
However, if you pay attention to how he speaks, you can see a conspiratorial mindset. For example, instead of saying "illegal immigrants come from Mexico", he says "Mexico is intentionally sending illegal immigrants". Also, there is his reflective responses to use conspiracies as excuses for his failures. Needless to say, if he's taking these conspiracies at all seriously, that shows dangerous lack of judgment. The biggest foreign policy failure in my lifetime, the Iraq War, happened because the president could not tell a conspiracy theory from the truth.
But his judgment does not come off better if these are all just ploys. Conspiracies are horrible political investments. As I showed in the "6th Reason", they're likely to be disproven and label you as a nut bag. They have little political benefit. You can lose more votes than you gain.
We are tempted to laugh this off, but this is scary stuff folks. I mean hitlerish scary.
In Trump is Not Hitler Yet, I kept from declaring Trump a threat to our democracy, for only one reason, I don't believe his followers are fanatics. However, if he wins that means a large part of the electorate accepts his fictional universe. That can be the 'Yet'. With such a large number accepting anything he makes up, Trump could excuse any behavior or push any agenda. Here are examples of what can happen, when a politician can sell any story: Internment Camps, the Red Scare, the Gulf of Tonkin, and, yes even, the Iraq War.
8th Reason: He Speaks Recklessly
Again, do I need to show that he speak recklessly? But, have you thought about what that means. There are those that blame all the problems in the Middle East because Obama said "red line". If you think that's at all accurate, imagine what would Trump could do?Normally, I can give some leeway here. George W. Bush made a lot of gaffs, but he knew that what he said could have weight. Do you really think, President Trump can maintain even that amount of discipline for four years. He's not been able to go two weeks, without causing a controversy.
Now, I know that many like how he speaks from the cuff. I can appreciate that too. Heck, I even speak recklessly sometimes, but that's a reason (one of many) I shouldn't be president. When you're President, everyone hears what you say and takes it seriously. Always.
Here's a likely scenario. Trump casually makes an ultimatum like"I'll blow the crap out of them" or something like that. At first, a ripple of tension goes throughout the world. Depending on when he spoke an international crisis could develop. Now, we know Trump refuses to apologize or admit he's wrong, so there's a real danger of escalation here. However, maybe people around him are able to calm everyone down, and we move on. The world has learned not to take President Trump's threat seriously.
Then North Korean detonates another nuclear test. Iranians start building a new reactor. Putin invades another country. Each time, President Trump makes a threat. Everyone just laughs in response.
You tell me what happens next.
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