Closing Arguments

Last Chance to Stop the Trump Meteor

We have less than week, and Trump still has a chance to win. Maybe not the best chance, but still too much for me to get to sleep without drinking. So, my job is not done. I've given a lot of reasons no one should vote for him. 10 to be exact.

1. Historic Lack of Experience
2. Sows Distrust in Our Democracy
3. Not Committed to the Job
4. Does Not Learn from History
5. Lacks Moral Courage
6. He is a Bad Investor
7. He has a Conspiratorial Mind
8. He Speaks Recklessly
9. He Can't Hire Good People
10. Violence is Acceptable to Him

Disturbingly I have more. I just ran out of time, and to be honest, 10 is already too many. 10 is confusing and overwhelming. In truth, I would make a better argument by picking about 3. But, that's where you come in. If I've convinced you that Trump is a uniquely bad choice for president (or you had already come to that decision), I hope that I have armed you better to convince others.

So here, I would like to consolidate them to what you could say to those that have not followed me. However, first I'm going to explained what reasons I have not said.

I really mean it when I say "no one should vote for Trump". I believe I have shown that he should not be president beyond our traditional partisan argument, and wherever I could, I pointed out how no other candidates before him had these flaws. You could say Trump really is "temperamentally unfit". That's not just a campaign line.

I've avoided psychoanalyzing him. That is tough, because by Occam's Razor that is the simplest answer. All reasons I give above could be explained by a personality disorder. (Narcissism seems to the most popular one). But, this is a bad approach in politics. First, I am not equipped to make such judgments. Second, the way people campaign is often different than the way they are in private, just as you would say with an actor. However, the way politicians campaign is often how they would govern. Most importantly, that approach underestimates him. It also underestimates his campaign and his supporters. Instead, I've looked at the outcome of his behavior.

And finally, I really have not gone after his inflammatory statements. We like to say that actions matter than words, and that is true. However, politicians do little more than talk, especially during a campaign. So, where I could, I focused on his actions (or more accurately his lack of action). You can see this, in reasons 1, 3, 4, 5, and 10, which also reflect his character. Reasons 6, 7 and 9 are about his judgment and management. The rest, 2 and 8, while being about what he says, is not about the words he uses, but the harm they can cause, and how his choice to use them are irresponsible.

Again, this is a lot to take in so, let me bottom line it for you:

• You should not vote for Trump whether you're a republican or agree with what he says. He's just a bad choice for president, period.
• It does not matter if this is all an act. Even his act shows he should not be president.
• No, it has nothing about him being "politically incorrect" or not being part of the "establishment".

Got all that? Good, because when that Trumpy says you're just part of the establishment and blinded by liberal media, that's what you say.

Now here's what those not convinced need to hear.

I know Trump is a bad choice, but I just can't vote for Clinton
When did you give up on the Reagan Revolution?  Because the conservative movement can survive four years of Clinton. Trump will destroy it. He'll start an international incident or war (8), cause domestic violence and riots (10), and overreach possibly causing a constitutional crisis (2). When he eventually fails he'll try to cover it up with conspiracy theories (7), and we better hope his supporters don't back him. Then every republican politician has to deal with an insurgency, if that hasn't happen already.

With Clinton, there'll be enough republicans in the Senate and House to keep her in check, and in 2 years they'll be more republicans to cover whatever loses. What happens if Trump ends up fighting with the Senate and House, which given past history is likely. What happens to the Republican Party then? If Clinton is such a failure, she'll be beaten in 2020. Trump's failures will be attached to the party and the conservative movement. That means the democrats get to redraw the district lines. Republicans might not be able to have any control in government control for a decades. They'll be a generations where Trump has defined what conservatism and the Republican Party is.

I really care who gets nominated to the Supreme Court
Forget that. Because of the filibuster, there either won't be another Supreme Court justice, or he'll be a moderate. For that false hope, the Republican Party and conservatism is destroyed. (See above).

It's OK. He'll have good people around him
Forget that. Good people won't work for him (9). So, where are the "good people" working for him now? And that should worry you. He will go into office with no understanding how government works (1) and no interest in learning it (3,4). He'll be in the control of whatever Svengali is able to manipulate him.

He's a good business man. He'll figure it out
Hah. Have you looked at his business record. Oh don't get me wrong, he's a good salesman. But that's about it. If you just look at the decisions he's made through the campaign (6), and he won't get better. He's not willing to do the work (3) or do the research (4).

All politicians are the same. There's no difference between Trump and Clinton
In any other election, I might agree with you, but Trump is different, and not in a good way (1,2,3,4,5, and 10). I know politics is discouraging, and none seem to be willing to stand to their principles, but they've all shown some respect for our democracy (2). That's what you have to ask yourself. Do you believe in democracy? This is one time in history you either show it or you don't.

The system is rigged. We need Trump to tear it all down
Honestly. It's really not that bad. It's been a lot worse. Before you ignore me, please just take a breath. You have the time to think it through and should. History is not on your side.

But, I'm willing to consider what you say. Are you ready to do the work? Because for that to happen you'll have do more than vote. After Nov 9th, Trump will be all alone (9). You think the rest of the Republican Party will help him? That means you'll have to do more than just go to a rally. You'll have to be a really dedicated activist. Because Trump is not up to it (1,3,4). As for me, I would not put myself in that situation. Yeah, he's all tough when he has a crowd cheering him on, but when he's really had to stand for something, he's failed every time (5).

We have some serious problems: immigration, trade, bad foreign policy. Only Trump is saying he'll do something.
OK. I get that. Good thing we live in a democracy. If Clinton wins, you can write your congressman and get involved in congressional primaries. Note how well it worked for the Tea Party. That's why it's good that Clinton is a panderer. If you make enough noise and good arguments, you can get what you want.

But, you need government to work, even if not that well. I know you don't see it, but Trump is going to be a monumental failure (see first answer). When that happens, you know what those craven politicians do? They don't just blame the man, they blame his idea. Just ask an evangelical conservative. Suddenly the Iraq War and Financial Collapse was their fault.

With Clinton, you can push her to do what you need, and even if you don't, there will be another, better candidate now that politicians knows what you want. With Trump, well, you better not have a single doubt about him, because if he fails it will be big, and you'll never get what you want.

In Summary
Now of course, you'll have to make all this your own. Figure out how to say them in your own words, thoughts and belief. For me, this was easy. These aren't just arguments I came up with to trick someone to my point of view. I believe every word.