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Uncle Dave Unpacks Trump
In today’s NYTimes, opinion columnist David Brooks dissects the Donald Trump political phenomenon of the moment. He’s just a kooky success says Uncle Dave, who pledges never to vote for The Donald. Unlike Brooks, I don’t think the whole sideshow is harmless. My view is that characters like Trump reveal more in the support they draw from citizens who want what they are selling. Trump is nobody if the consumers (civic or commercial) turn away. The fact that he is not being laughed off stage immediately for the “birther” nonsense says a lot about where certain parts of USA society are these days. The “birther” stuff is code for something nasty, and Trump is toying with it. Read Brooks here, and get the NYT if you want more.
One of the things “The Donald” is doing is giving the less fringe Republicans a chance to declare, one way or another, that they are not interested in where President Obama was born. It may even lead to a Constitutional Amendment, allowing Arnold to run, after Jerry and the Golden State crater. I, for one, go the Rhett Butler route on this birth location issue.
I did like the fact that columnist David Brooks said he liked the fact that there was space in this great Nation for the likes of a Donald Trump. Not that he is my choice—but it is also still very early days and like Samuel, I am waiting for some ruddy faced lad to show.
Regards — Cliff