This is an update and revision of my last blog post “A New Presidential Challenger” for recent news along with new thoughts and perspectives.
In my last blog post “The Presidential Debates”, I threw out a request to the democrats to “bring forward a Presidential candidate that is young, smart, honest, charismatic and a visionary leader, for this upcoming election”.
Vice President Harris does offer some of these characteristics. It will be up to her, her newly announced running mate Gov. Tim Walz and the democratic party to share a convincing future vision for our country. Politicians need to stop with their polarizing hatred and start to offer solutions (show leadership) for some of the serious issues facing our country. It is our country, one that all of us share, regardless of our chosen political identity. A country that is great because of our difference of ideas and opinions and our ability to mold these different thoughts into a better future.
Presidential candidate Harris and her running mate Walz will need to address what has taken place at the border (judged by most all to be a major failure) and offer solutions other than the building of a wall, give guidance on what positions they will take on crime, address our huge federal debt (printing money like we are doing will not end well), learn to work better with big business, and provide a convincing future vision. In addition, this team will need to somehow bring Americans back together.
Former President Trump did have accomplishments during his 4 years in office including progress on deregulation, criminal justice reform (oddly, reducing mandatory minimum sentences), facilitating the Abraham Accords, and leading a resurgence in US energy independence. I believe though, the potential damage former President Trump can inflict on America, with another term as president, far outweighs any potential 2nd term benefit.
The Former President’s Threat to Democracy
First and foremost, former President Trump is a threat to our democracy. His continued denial of the 2020 election results (without offering any proof, simply saying something is so one thousand times does not make it so) should not be allowed. A vote of the people gave President Biden 7 million more votes than former President Trump and the final electoral college vote count was 306 electoral votes for Biden and 232 electoral college votes for Trump.
The 2024 Republican Party Platform states “fixing our once very corrupt Elections”. How are they corrupt? Where is the evidence to support this claim? Without evidence, unsubstantiated claims used to be considered lying, fabrication, falsehood, and disinformation.
On January 6th, the former President waited hours to address the country while an angry mob (some say incited by the former President) broke into our Capitol. When the former President finally did address America, he repeated the election was fraudulent and stolen. He went on in this video to tell this angry mob, some who had broken into the Capitol and hurt 140 police officers, he loved them, and they were very special. The former President has spoken of pardoning this angry, assaulting, lawbreaking mob. Is this the type of hard on crime leadership we want in a President?
What has followed, since the 2020 election, is the real threat to democracy, that the legitimate vote of the American people does not matter. If there was voting fraud, that is different. No major credible evidence of voting fraud (evidence that would have changed the outcome of the election) has been offered. This denial without evidence undermines our voting processes and ultimately our democracy.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas reportedly stated “Decent losers are more important for the functioning of a democracy than radiant winners”. “America is more than a one-man show.” “Anyone who continues to pour oil on the fire in a situation like this is acting irresponsibly.” “The world needs the USA as a force for order, not as a factor of chaos.”
What happens if this upcoming Presidential election is close? Will the former President again incite chaos with false election challenges? He has had plenty of time to create strategies for election challenges even if there is not fraud. This threatens our democracy.
Tax Cuts and Financial Leadership
Former President Trump’s recommendations for tax cuts are reckless. These proposed tax cuts are also apparently broadening in their swath. In addition to reinstating his former administration’s expiring tax cuts, the former President is now apparently proposing no federal income tax on waitstaff tips and no federal income tax on Social Security. Yikes! Vote seeking?
The former President’s businesses and related bankruptcies should be a major concern for all Americans. Not the leadership experience we want in our elected President.
There have been a number of major federal income tax cuts over the years. A constant going forward, from any income tax reduction law, is rapidly growing US debt.
Our taxes must pay for our expenditures. We have been able to fund annual trillion-dollar deficits by simply printing more money and selling more bonds. Our debt and on-going budget deficits simply threaten our economic well-being, our accumulated wealth, and our standard of living.
If interest rates on government debt were to simply increase to a little over 6%, our interest payments on our debt would be nearly half our country’s annual receipts. Double Yikes!
Issues of Law
Former President Trump is the only president ever to have been impeached twice, once in 2019 for pressuring Ukraine to investigate Biden’s son and in 2021 for incitement of insurrection. Both times acquitted by very close votes largely along party lines.
He was indicted and convicted on 34 felony charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election and included falsifying business records. These charges centered around payments to two women who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with the former President. (It seems there would also be federal tax fraud in connection with these payments.)
He faces multiple state and federal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
He has been indicted on federal charges related to mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. The charges include obstruction of justice.
The former President is currently appealing a civil fraud ruling and large fine that he lied about his wealth through financial statements to make deals and secure loans.
The opening section of a disclaimer appearing in the TMTG (Trump Media & Technology Group, a public company the former President has a significant interest in) prospectus: “Donald J. Trump is the subject of numerous legal proceedings, the scope and scale of which are unprecedented for a former President of the United States and current candidate for that office.”
His way of resolving his criminal activity appears to be two-pronged. Request immunity from the Supreme Court on any charges that are even remotely close to his Presidential powers and then win the election so he can pardon himself from all other matters.
Issues of Character & Other Thoughts
The former President is not held accountable to half-truths and downright lying. Hypocrisy would seem to apply to former President Trump. He claims many, including President Biden and some of the judges in his criminal trials, are crooked yet he is the convicted felon.
There were 28 Cabinet-level changes during former President Trump’s 4 years in office. More changes than any other president in history. For a supposedly good businessman, he is not very good at hiring. It seems he turned his cabinet into The Apprentice II. I will vote no for Apprentice III.
It is interesting to me that the former President, who brags about being worth billions, would sell bibles.
The Lancet Journal of Medicine shares about 40% of the 450,000 COVID-19 deaths, as of early February 2021, could have been avoided had the US death rate mirrored the weighted average of other G7 nations. Former President Trump publicly dismissed COVID-19’s threat and politicized the wearing of masks up to this time.
There is a study from IHME at the University of Washington that projected more than 100,000 lives could have been saved between September 2020 and the end of February 2021, if 95% of Americans would have worn masks.
The former President talks about completing the border wall quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. This is unlikely. It is further implied that building this wall will halt the flow of illegal drugs and immigrants. Even if completed, a wall will not be able to stop the flow of drugs into the US by existing high weight capacity long-range drones. Passenger drones will follow in the near future. Construction of this wall will likely be a boondoggle.
Former President Trump is the King of Finger Pointers. He rants and rages through his speeches and with his tweets, criticizing and blaming others. A minister once told me when you point your finger at someone, three of your fingers are pointed at you.
I have read hundreds of articles and documents regarding former President Trump and believe he truly is a threat to our country. If you have not studied the former President, I encourage you to do so before you vote. Please also read some of his hatred-driven libelous social media posts and consider some of the outrageous statements our former President has made.
Here are quotes from two former Presidents, judged as being great during their terms in office. (Former President Eisenhower had an average approval rating during his term in office of around 64% and former President Kennedy had an average approval rating of around 70%, during his term in office. Former President Trump had an average approval rating during his term in office of around 41%, yet he states there was massive fraud in the 2020 election.)
“By mutual respect, understanding and with good will we can find acceptable solutions to any problems which exist or may arise between us.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
“We must seek, above all, a world of peace; a world in which peoples dwell together in mutual respect and work together in mutual regard.” John F. Kennedy
Both great Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower have the words “mutual respect” in their quotes. This is something, based upon former President Trump’s social media posts, speaking and actions he appears incapable of.
I wish Presidential candidate Harris, success in this election. I am very concerned about former President Trump throwing our country in chaos by his lies, hatred, poor financial leadership, rules of law not applying to him, and his proven refusal to accept legitimate election results.
