Re: Is the GOP Commiting Political Suicide?
First off all, I would agree that Trump doesn't choose his words very carefully. The man is unscripted and speaks whatever comes to his mind. I find that refreshing, frankly, especially in contrast to everyone else who wont say a word that hasn't been poll tested and reviewed by a multitude of handlers. As for him being racist or appealing to racists, it should first be pointed out that neither Mexicans nor Muslims are a race, so wanting to keep them out of the country isn't racist by definition. Trumps appeal is that of a guy who will fix the nations problems: If China is ripping us off, make better deals; if ISIS is killing Americans, wipe them out, if Mexicans are crossing the boarder illegally in droves, build a wall; if companies are leaving America to build their products elsewhere, tax the hell out of them; if Muslims are sneaking in to harm Americans, ban muslims from entering. His solutions might be silly and/or unworkable but they aren't racist in my view.
We have a problem in this country, not so much with race, but with everything being labeled racist, That is how the left here operates. Disagree with them on abortion, you hate women. Disagree with them on welfare programs, you hate the old or the poor. Disagree with them on issues of race an you are a racist. Disagree on marriage and you are a homophobe. It is impossible to have an honest discussion with a liberal. They are intolerant of dissent.
Trump is a populist and a nationalist who just so happen to be carrying the republican banner. But the guy has been a democrat and a democrat supporter his entire life. There is nothing ideological about him whatsoever. If he gets in office he will champion the growth of state power every bit as much as Obama does, which is why people like me--who truly want smaller, limited government--see Trump as just another collectivist stooge. Albeit an entertaining one.
Very reasonable and articulate reply, however, I'm afraid I will have to disagree with you on a couple of things.
Although first, I should are right in correcting me about my use of the word racist. Indeed neither Mexicans nor Muslims are a race. The irony is, and I know I'm opening myself up here by saying this, as a black person I should know better. Now on to my disagreements with your reply.
I do have a huge issue with banning an entire group of people. Sure, Muslims are the ones which are committing many many of these terrorist acts around the world, but it is an extremely small minority of them who do it. To ban on such a huge number of perfectly innocent people because a portion of the group they share do harm is, to say the least, unjust. It seems to be the same kind of logic which actual racists use for justifying the extra scrutiny and suspicion of black people. Sure on the face of it, the numbers show a higher proportion of black people to commit crime, but there are many reasons for this and doesn't it actually mean black people are actually more likely to do bad things. I think Muslims are now facing the same issue.
So I think it might be better to think a little more in terms targeting specific people more, rather than entire groups. To discriminant against a group of people simply because of their nature and not their actions is the very definition of being prejudice - a key tenant of a racist. However, I repeat for the x-th time, I don't think that Republicans, the GOP leadership or Trump are racist, but some of the things which Trump are saying are at least prejudice. And it really makes me sad that good people (including you) are willing to excuse such comments as off the cuff, unscripted or speaking his mind, as an actual reasons to explain away the word which he is saying, instead of denouncing at least the clearly prejudice things he says.
Sure I agree with Trump when it comes to China ripping the US off, their ripping the whole world off! Of course a country should have control of it's boarders, so if he wants to build the Great Wall of Trump, I have nothing against that. Taxing the hell out of companies to stop flight from the US, sounds great to me!
However, the problem is the rhetoric he says. He does have some good policies, but when he says Muslims should wear identification or that all 11 plus million people should be round up and deported, I can help compare those policies to those of Fascists.
