By Morris Dean
Mitt Romney’s denunciation of Donald Trump on Thursday has provoked outrage among the candidate’s supporters. Yesterday Michael Barbaro, Ashley Parker, and Jonathan Martin, in their NY Times article “Rank and File Republicans Tell Party Elites: We’re Sticking With Donald Trump,” quoted Lola Butler, 71, a retiree from Mandeville, La., who voted for Mr. Romney in 2012:
I personally am disgusted by it — I think it’s disgraceful. You’re telling me who to vote for and who not to vote for? Please.Sounds rather, uh, religious, doesn’t it – as though Ms. Butler’s commitment to Trump, her fervor for him, were a matter of religious faith. “Nothing and nobody is going to dissuade me….”
There’s nothing short of Trump shooting my daughter in the street and my grandchildren — there is nothing and nobody that’s going to dissuade me from voting for Trump. [read more]
Well, imagine that Mr. Romney had gone before the podium on Thursday to warn Christians:
Jesus is a phony and a fraud. The people who started the rumor that he rose from the dead were con artists.What true-believing Christian wouldn’t have been outraged by that?
Jesus a big success? No he isn’t. The Bible’s promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University.
People who perpetuate the Jesus myth today are playing the American public for suckers: They get your tithes and all you get is a lousy brass cross to hang around your neck.
The analogy sticks. Even Charles M. Blow, in his op-ed piece in the Times on Thursday (“Demagogue for President”), stated of Trump:
…The candidate has now risen….
…He has risen and continues to rise…. [read more]
| Copyright © 2016 by Morris Dean |
Ed Rogers tried unsuccessfully to leave a comment. He emailed me:
ReplyDeleteI couldn't leave a comment. It better wake people up or the world is in deep shit.
Read Amanda Taub's study, "The rise of American authoritarianism." It is long but really scary.
Supporting the religious aspect of certain political affiliations, Maureen Dowd, in her op-ed column "Chickens, Home to Roost," in today's NY Times, says that Maria Konnikova, the author of The Confidence Game, "notes that con men are created by the yearning of their marks 'to believe in something that gives life meaning.…Their genius lies in figuring out what, precisely, it is we want, and how they can present themselves as the perfect vehicle for delivering on that desire'.”
ReplyDeleteAnd Ms. Dowd has a wry comment about Mitt Romney's denunciation: "Even though he made some good points, especially about the Trump Steaks shame spiral, it’s pretty rich to have Mitt Romney, the man who called on 11 million people to 'self-deport,' talking about Trump’s bigotry.
"Trump was right about Romney. When you lose a race that you should have won by being an inept phony, you can’t call this year’s front-runner an inept phony."
Really, is any sane person voting for Trump?
ReplyDeleteA man who has run 5 businesses into bankruptcy, seriously? The position is not a dictator, or king/queen. Congress will not let Trump run amuck! I, for one, will be to embarrassed to say I'm an American! Canada is looking really good right now.
Exit Polls are currently demonstrating that "religious" people are Trump's smallest basis of support. There's a good read available here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2016/03/the-myth-of-the-evangelical-trump-voters
Kyle, I think you may have missed my point, which was that Trump "believers" are essentially religious - taking on faith that his empty assurances are true and trustworthy. Their need to believe his assurances blind them to the realities of their situation.
DeleteI see your point. Mankind's natural attempt to "make a god/savior" doesn't surprise me much though when we ignore what is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. If it's not a political candidate, we often make ourselves our own "god of the universe"--as if "we" are all we really need.
ReplyDeleteVery good; you have it now.
DeleteNote: I just this minute changed the original subtitle, "By analogy," to "Not just an analogy." It's more accurate.
ReplyDeleteEvery news service in Australia has a daily report on how Trump has stuck his foot in his mouth again. It's become an outrageous segment that makes a mockery of the presidential race. And I agree - an embarrassment. Have we really lost the plot?
ReplyDeleteWhen Trump becomes president it will be the reverse of Marx's prediction: Trump will begin as farce and end as a tragedy for the US. Ha ha. Serves us right!
DeleteFrom recent correspondence:
ReplyDeleteAN AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT TO CRASH; THERE WERE 5 PASSENGERS ON BOARD, BUT ONLY 4 PARACHUTES.
THE FIRST PASSENGER, HOLLY MADISON SAID, "I HAVE MY OWN REALITY SHOW AND I AM THE SMARTEST AND PRETTIEST WOMAN AT PLAYBOY, SO AMERICANS DON'T WANT ME TO DIE."SHE TOOK THE FIRST PACK AND JUMPED OUT OF THE PLANE.
THE SECOND PASSENGER, JOHN MCCAIN, SAID, "I'M A SENATOR, AND A DECORATED WAR HERO FROM AN ELITE NAVY UNIT FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." SO HE GRABBED THE SECOND PACK AND JUMPED.
THE THIRD PASSENGER, DONALD TRUMP SAID, "I AM GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I AM THE SMARTEST MAN IN OUR COUNTRY, AND I WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" .
SO HE GRABBED THE PACK NEXT TO HIM AND JUMPED OUT.
THE FOURTH PASSENGER, BILLY GRAHAM, SAID TO THE FIFTH PASSENGER, A 10-YEAR-OLD SCHOOLGIRL, "I HAVE LIVED A FULL LIFE AND SERVED MY GOD THE BEST I COULD. I WILL SACRIFICE MY LIFE AND LET YOU HAVE THE LAST PARACHUTE. "
THE LITTLE GIRL SAID, "THAT'S OKAY, MR. GRAHAM. THERE'S A PARACHUTE LEFT FOR YOU. THE SMARTEST MAN IN AMERICA TOOK MY SCHOOLBAG ."