Disclaimer: I am not related to any political campaign and/or party in any way, shape or form; I am not associated with any Super Pac I am not in contact with the candidates, their campaigns or their Super Pacs. I am not a supporter of any political party or candidate either. This article is to help you filter through the noise produced by the chatters in the media.
Can Donald Trump Become President?
The short answer is YES. Not maybe, not possibly. Simply Yes!
But ironically, that is the least scary part of such scenario. A few weeks ago, it was widely believed that those who support Trump were blue collar, uneducated, ill-educated and modestly educated individuals who are angry at Washington, uncivilized and racist. Today, it is widely rumored (notice I didn’t say BELIEVED) that the people who support Donald Trump are angry at the current political system, tired of the politicians’ lies and deceptions and disgusted at the lack of representation (they have in Washington) despite the fact that both Houses are supposed to be the voices of the People in the nation Capital.
But as I am sure most Americans already know, the lobbyists and special interest groups in Washington (representing large corporations, some of which are not even American owned; wealthy individuals, some of whom are not even Americans) have more influence in the country than The People who elected the Representatives. And one election after another, the candidates make the promise that – if elected – they will go to Washington to change the status quo. And one candidate after another, no promise is ever kept; The People grow old and tired switching between the two major Partys in search of someone, anyone who is really willing and able to change the status quo. Half a century of politicians’ promises to change but instead go to Washington to pursue their own selfish interests (please forgive the redundancy) is enough to shake the very foundation of anyone’s patience and generate enough frustration to warrant an armed and bloody revolution. There is not a single shred of belief amidst the electorate that any politician is honest and works on behalf of The People (Senator Elizabeth Warren of MA is likely the only exception today). It is a miracle an all-out war (on politicians of both Partys) had not yet happened.
Enter Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump is not a politician; I’m sure you already know that but it warrants to be repeated here. Mr. Trump is a businessman who translates most (if not all) activities to business transactions; he thus uses words just like in a business negotiation and makes each and every move just like in a business deal. Despite some (past) failures, Mr. Trump will be remembered and studied probably as one of the most shrewd business individuals who has ever lived. But what does Trump business savvy have to do with politics?
Glad you asked!
For starter, Trump is seeking the office of the presidency of the United States; that’s as politics as it gets (for anyone). In the politics domain, it is expected of anyone who aspires to public office to take a primer on “what to say and how to behave in front of the camera.” The (primer)refresher course usually comes in the form of “making a run for” a local (less visible, lesser importance) public office position which may explain the reason most business individuals without political background (who aspire to a public post in Washington) “dip their feet in the politics water” by bidding for mayor (such as Mike Bloomberg in NY), for governor (such as millionaire businessman Bruce Lunsford for Governor in KY in 2007) or for senator before launching a national bid for the office of the presidency (just like Mike Bloomberg was exploring earlier this year).
Interestingly, Donald Trump is (well, was) not immune; he briefly considered going the prescribed route of “shooting for the star (I mean bidding for the presidency)” by dipping his toes into local politics and implementing the lesson in the primer. Briefly! In 2013, Mr. Trump contemplated challenging Andrew M. Cuomo, the incumbent Democrat Governor since January 2011, for the governorship in the 2014 race. According to sources familiar with the matter, for the first time Mr. Trump gave serious consideration to the idea of entering politics; he put a lot of effort towards exploring the possibility. He discussed it at length with the GOP leaders, but as much as Trump wanted to run for governor he quickly realized that the state of New York is much too small for the Donald. Mr. Trump had to choose between getting the backing of the GOP establishment if he ran for Governor or go it alone if he didn’t. “The hell with local politics! The hell with primer! The hell with politically correct way of doing things! I am Donald J. Trump; I do not have to obey any rules.” Rules must be bent, broken if necessary reasoned Mr. Trump.
So, from the onset, Mr. Trump did away with everything one knows about politics in America. A real estate mogul known for his “gold looking buildings”, a TV celebrity (who wants to be) recognized as the first who coined “you’re fired!” expression and with plenty of money to spend, Donald Trump could easily bypass all the rules of politics, and he did. But Mr. Trump’s unorthodox approach to politics didn’t stop at defying the process and challenging the norms; he continues to ignore all the rules by introducing his own method of how things should be done; his presidential bid has become just another extension of how he runs his business. In the beginning, he was resisted (by the GOP establishment) then later challenged; when it became obvious he would not bend to any rule, he was ridiculed, derided, chastised, quipped, mocked and finally ignored. Trump has refused to submit to the norms of politics, to be politically correct so to speak.
Despite having committed one political sin after another – he made outrageous statements which would have cost any politician his/her career – Mr. Trump continues to thrive as a presidential candidate; one would say it’s because of his political sins he is admired by his supporters. The more he ventures away from “being politically correct” the more he got his supporters’ approval. And it’s not just a few “blue collar workers” as the media initially suggested; across the country, Mr. Trump receives support from electorate of all social classes and backgrounds. That is the scary part; that’s the scariest of it all. It is proven over and over that Trump’s supporters are not at all swayed by his outrageous statements; “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters” Mr. Trump declared at a rally in Sioux Center, Iowa on January 23, 2016. I am beginning to believe that may probably be true. That is indeed the scary part.
So far, Mr. Trump has done away with every norm in the book (of politics). It’s not at all an exaggeration to conclude he could easily slide into the Oval Office (chair) without being challenged. And even if he were to be challenged, one would not be surprised that he’d win without a hitch. After all, “we are going to win, win, win; you will be tired of winning” is one of the most famous expressions he used in his victory speech after each primary.
Yes America, Donald Trump Could Become President. Get used to it.
Follow me here, subscribe to this blog today and invite your family, friends and acquaintances to do the same. Be the first to know who the next president is.
Apps Downloads
Email me at: mducheiney@gmail.com
Visit blog at http://peoplebranch.org
Use: #peoplebranch
The People Branch 