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Trump turns to the teleprompter

Trump's hypocrisy is "nothing" to you. It's not "nothing" to me. You seem to think this is just about a teleprompter. It's about the flagrant dishonesty of the hypocrite Trump.

It's not nothing, but not as significant as what Hillary has done.
 
Yup, this is just one of the many things that show that Trump is unfit to be President. The "outsider" is nothing more than a liar, hypocrite, phony.

We fully agree. Unfortunately, it appears that the Republican delegates probably won't have the strength or courage to deny Trump the nomination. The Party's brand will be badly damaged by Trump and it may take multiple election cycles for the damage to be repaired.

A popular but misguided argument currently circulating is that the "people" chose Trump and the delegates should respect that choice. I disagree. There are exceptional cases where bad judgment needs to be set aside. This is one such case.

What one is dealing with in terms of Trump's becoming the presumptive nominee is a classic example of information-driven market failure. The choice of Trump is no more rational than the extremes to which real estate prices were bid up by frenzied buyers just prior to the financial crisis of 2008. People, even large groups, can err and badly. Trump mania is an unsustainable political bubble that poses exceptionally dangerous risks for the nation's economy, national security, and system of governance were he ever to win the Presidency.

Trump, who is an exceptionally skilled demagogue, has built a narrative that the nation's leaders and institutions have failed, that he has an incredible record of business success and, therefore, is the only person who can "make America great again." All three aspects of that narrative are flawed.

The risk presented by such demagogues was one of the reasons the nation's Founders chose to devise a republican form of government rather than a pure democracy. With reasonable understanding, the delegates should see that they have a higher duty to their Party and nation and, in this case, it means setting aside Trump's bid to become the nominee.
 
You continuously miss the point. AT this point we have to accept that it is deliberate.

It is not about the use of teleprompters...its the utter dependence on teleprompters and his exposure as being a stumbling fool without someone else's words spoon fed to him. People have to think on their feet all the time. When Obama is forced into that situation...it is disastrous.



Its not 'one time'...its all the time.


Someone stutters? In this country? Has someone notified Homeland Security?
 
Someone stutters? In this country? Has someone notified Homeland Security?
Its not a question of homeland security, any more so than it is a question of using teleprompters to deliver speeches. Its looking like a complete and total moron without someone spoon feeding you someone else's words.
 
Its not a question of homeland security, any more so than it is a question of using teleprompters to deliver speeches. Its looking like a complete and total moron without someone spoon feeding you someone else's words.

It is called a speech. Don't major politicians have speechwriters?
 
It is called a speech. Don't major politicians have speechwriters?
Yes. And no one would critique him if it were speech delivery (though lets be honest...being black and being able to read a speech was a pretty sad reason to vote for the guy, right?). The problem is not giving a speech. The problem is what happens when someone else stops making his lips move.
 
In a letter to George Washington in 1795, John Jay wrote, “Demagogues will constantly flatter the passions and prejudices of the multitude; and will never cease to employ improper arts against those who will not be their instruments.” He added, “I have known many demagogues, but I have never known one honest man among them.”

In his attacks on Mexicans, Muslims, Judge Curiel, and his indirectly linking Senator Cruz’s father to JFK’s assassin and President Obama to the ISIS terrorist organization that inspired the massacre in Orlando, one has seen unmistakable examples of what Jay had described. During the course of his campaign, Trump has repeatedly exploited fear, prejudice, and tragedy in his naked pursuit of power. He has also shown a total disregard for the costs, consequences, and fallout that might result from his reckless rhetoric, extensive deployment of Identity Politics, and other deplorable conduct.

A presentation by SUNY Plattsburgh Communications Professor J. Justin Gustainis on the academic literature pertaining to demagogues reveals that what one is witnessing today from Donald Trump is, in fact, what one would expect from a demagogue. In his presentation, Gustainis observed, “The…demagogue cannot function in an atmosphere of social harmony and tolerance. Historically, demagogues have only been successful in periods of turmoil, division, and anxiety.”

Trump describes the nation as weak, poor, and no longer capable of winning. He argues that the nation’s political leaders are weak, ineffective, and incapable of addressing the nation’s challenges. He portrays a threatening world outside the U.S. and threats from within (from the ethnic, religious, and other groups he targets in his intolerant rhetoric). He is literally pitting American against American, breeding anxiety, division, and at least some risk of violence.

Gustainis continued, “In order to gain broad popular support, the…demagogue will attempt to create a crisis mentality in his audience… It is this irrational behavior the demagogue will try to encourage and channel… The ‘drastic action’ which the demagogue talks about usually involves the audience giving him political power… The demagogue…proposes himself as the audience’s savior. Once the audience is convinced of the existence of crisis, the demagogue promises to restore order… The salvation is provided (at least rhetorically) by the demagogue himself.”

Trump’s response in the wake of the Orlando massacre fits that description. His crude attempt to claim credit for warning about such attacks is aimed at bolstering his credibility to provide the solution. His trying to pin the attack on bad policies from President Obama is aimed at disqualifying Hillary Clinton, Obama's former Secretary of State, as a leader capable of addressing the problem. Thus, he’s trying to position himself as the only person who can address the threat of terrorism and the only candidate worthy of support.

Gustainis added, “Simplicity is a hallmark of much political rhetoric… But the demagogue takes this prudent idea one step further—he oversimplifies the solutions to complex problems. This has the double advantage of making the demagogue’s oversimplified solution understandable to the mass audience, and making that solution seem preferable to the more complex, realistic solutions offered by mainstream politicians… the demagogue…focuses much of his rhetoric at the ‘non-thinking side of human nature…’”

It’s no accident that Trump has argued that a trade war can make manufacturing jobs return to the U.S. It's no coincidence that he has blamed Muslims in general, not the extremely tiny slice of the religious group, for terrorism. It’s no accident he has called for the oversimplified approach of creating a national Muslim database, banning Muslims from traveling or immigrating to the U.S. That such a course is unethical in its imposing collective guilt on all Muslims, not to mention unconstitutional, is completely irrelevant. This oversimplification to the point of extremes is what demagogues do.

Later, Gustainis explained, “…demagogues tend not to be interested in serious discussion of issues. Instead, they are inclined to offer personal appeals and emotion. These are often provided at mass meetings, which are an attempt to take an advantage of crowd psychology.”

Trump has already stated that he is his own “primary consultant” on foreign policy. He has shown little willingness to listen to various Republican officials. He failed to develop substantive policy proposals, even as he has made big and bold promises of restoring national greatness. It’s also no accident that he favors large rallies over other types of campaign events.

Trump is a classic demagogue. He arguably is the first one who has been empowered by the 21st century's instruments of mass communication and Social Media.
 
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