[Benjamin F. Alexander]

Why do so many Americans want Donald Trump to be their president? What do they think is going on, and what do they think he has to offer for it? In other words, as we say in social science circles, what is their narrative? I welcome your thoughts.

[ewatson]

Many Americans want Donald Trump to be their next president because he stands out more than any politician simply because he is a billionaire. His supporters believe that he will treat them better as in cater to their financial needs other than solving the more important issues at hand such as social injustices, raising the minimum wage, healthcare for all Americans, and a list of other problems that affect Americans daily. Due to Donald Trump’s business stature, supporters believe he can be able to “make America great again” by solving all economic problems which is untrue.

[Special K]

While many Americans would like Donald Trump to be their next president, there are obvious signs that he is not qualified and his record in business and diplomacy may very well result in disaster for this country. His business ventures are questionable and mediocre at best. If any other high profile businessman had declared bankruptcy four times, he would be ridiculed as financially inept. The fact that he is able to use the bankruptcy laws is one thing but FOUR times is abuse of the system. Name one other high profile billionaire who has done the same? Which leads me to Mitt Romney’s assertion that Trump is delaying the release of his tax returns because he may be hiding the fact that he is not as wealthy as he says he is. I have been saying that for years now. He is real estate rich and cash poor. If that is the case then he is not independently wealthy enough to afford a sustained campaign to the White House without outside campaign contributions. In previous years where he has contemplated running for president, he was holding press conferences baiting the public while simultaneously drumming up publicity for his Celebrity Apprentice reality show. He was depending on that revenue as well as his clothing line from Macy’s and the beauty pageants. He talks a good game but the pieces don’t add up. I believe he is receiving funding from group and it won’t be until he is probably elected into office that anyone will care to dig any deeper and find out. Then it will be too late. I for one would not like to see Trump sitting next to Vladimir Putin. How embarrassing for this country because he doesn’t know much about anything!! And why in the heck doesn’t anyone demand to see his transcript from Wharton?!!

[Special K]

I LOVE IT!!! The Republican Party is imploding and it’s just desserts!! They have been obstructionists from DAY 1 of Obama’s presidency and now they have to swallow Karma’s bitter pill! I don’t know who is going to win the presidency because as divisive as Trump claims to be, he has considerable support among Hispanics and African Americans. Hillary has too much baggage and her husband domestic polices have been detrimental to the African American community and some of us haven’t forgotten therefore it’s hard to predict. It sure is interesting!!!

[Benjamin F. Alexander]

Are you sure about “considerable support among Hispanics and African Americans”? Might that be an exaggeration? That isn’t the impression I have, especially not African Americans. (Hispanics, I find, is more of a broad supercategory than a real affinity group with any sense of common interests.)

–BFA

[Special K]

Do not underestimate people’s resentment about illegal immigration and high unemployment, especially in African American areas. And where do these immigrants usually reside, in minority areas. If you are relying on mainstream media for your information then I suggest that you might search elsewhere because mainstream media is biased against Trump. All you have to do is read the headlines of The Daily News and other such periodicals. Considering that Trump is a New Yorker, it’s pretty surprising that he is getting such negative coverage. The more negative press he gets, the more some people will rally to support him because it perpetuates his image as an outsider taking on the system. We’ve all heard that the system is rigged. When he says that he is getting support from many areas, he not lying about that. It is what it is.

[Special K]

According to the New York Times, Donald Trump met with Karl Rove at billionaire Steve Wynn’s home two weeks ago. How does Donald Trump expect anyone to believe that he is an outsider, who will create change in Washington, when he is courting support from the elite of insiders?
Paul Ryan, after much deliberation, endorses Trump as Republican nominee for POTUS. Who is surprised by this? All of the supposed deliberation was a thinly veiled dramatic attempt to elevate his public image by not immediately jumping on the vulgar Donald Trump bandwagon. Therefore when he finally decides to run for POTUS then he can say that he reluctantly, and with great deliberation, endorsed Trump.

[Benjamin F. Alexander]

When it comes to believing he’s an outsider, I don’t think rationality played a part in the thinking of his supporters–I’m not even sure I can call it “thinking”–from the very start. Of course, one kind outsider that he is, is he’s an outsider to knowing anything about governance, international relations, economics (beyond how to get rich), etc. But I did expect better from the Republicans. (Some are holding firm.)

[Special K]

Donald Trump is adamant about the his assertion that Mexican American Judge Curiel would lack the ability to be impartial when presiding over The Trump University case. This lack of impartiality is due to the fact that Trump wants to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. When the story first broke, Majority Leader Paul Ryan refused to say that Trump’s statement was racist but conceded that it was inappropriate for Trump to make such statements. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to state whether Trump’s statements were racists and repeatedly answered that he disagreed with Trump’s views.
Now Paul Ryan has come out with the statement that Trump’s remarks were “sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment…” Although Ryan has said that he has had to repeatedly clean up after Trump, he continues to stick by the Republican nominee. What lead to Paul Ryan calling Trump’s attack on the judge racist? Maybe it is the ever-growing dissension among Republicans to Trump’s comments and outrageous behavior. Senator Mark Kirk, Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Ben Sasse, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Susan Collins, Gov. Rick Scott, Senator Jeff Flake, Gov. John Kasich, Sen. Rob Portman, Sen. John Thune, Sen. Jeff Sessions, Sen. Bob Corker, etc. have voiced some opposition for the statements made by Trump. Some of these senators have outright proclaimed that they will NOT be supporting Trump as Republican nominee for POTUS.
It’s not that Paul Ryan wanted to call Trump’s comments racist but political pressure has dictated that he AT LEAST label Trump’s comments as racist. What the Republicans don’t understand is that their brand is tainted. Whereas in the past their thinly veiled racism could be denied BUT NOW Trump is overt racism gives them no wiggle room. The more the political bigwigs continue to support Trump the more flack the party will have to cope with. No doubt that when Paul Ryan decides to run for POTUS this will come back to haunt him.
What confidence can young people have in the political system when the party heads REFUSE to make a clear distinction between right and wrong. It’s a sad state of affairs for this country. We’re crumbling for within due to moral decay.

[Special K]

Donald Trump bans the press credentials for the Washington Post ,and of course, Univision. The public shouldn’t worry because he has assured them that when he becomes POTUS, he will not ban the media. Considering his abusive tone with individual reporters and now banning of press credentials, are we really supposed to believe him? He’s hasn’t even been voted into office and he’s proven himself to be incredibly reckless. Does anyone expect that things will change?!

[Special K]

What is the motivation for a multi- millionaire to become POTUS, or hold any public office for that matter? Given Trump’s past history as a inept businessman, why would he really be motivated to become commander-in-chief. I have observed that millionaires who become public servants only enrich their own bottom lines more than they actually contribute to the public good.
Case in point: Michael Bloomberg. He became a three term mayor of NYC. He was worth one billion dollars when he took office. When he left office, he was worth 3 billion dollars. What did NYC get out of his administration. Increased parking fines, the near destruction of the public schools system, the near decimation of the city unions and pension benefits, city contracts to NGOs expanding exponentially, devastating reduction to Summer Youth Employment Program for Underprivileged children, etc. The list of deficits is too long to mention but his financial bottom line increased TREMENDOUSLY!!!
The same deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger in California. His financial bottom line increased drastically when he left his two term stint as governor of Cali but he caused a lot financial instability there with his fiscal conservatism schtick.
Now enters Trump, stage left. He is not as financially astute as Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger. His track record PROVES IT!! Does anyone believe that he can negotiate any deals that would be of any benefit to the U.S.? The citizens of the U.S. may be naive to think Trump is a good businessman but the businessmen of China, Russia, and other countries are NOT STUPID!!! We, as a country have the potential to have our economic clocks cleaned by allowing this guy to negotiate anything for us. He’s so incompetent, he’ll probably lose more of his own money in the process. And does anyone understand that three bankruptcies means that he doesn’t pay his bills?!! He stiffs people out of their money!!! Is that a great businessman?!!! Seriously!!!

[Benjamin F. Alexander]

You know what, Special K? All of this is precisely why I,personally, hope that not too many of the people who don’t want Trump for a president will feel that they need to agree with Hillary Clinton every fine point, or even like her at all, to vote for her. I think Trump has total contempt for the country, for the Constitution, for everybody who isn’t on board with his “Make America Great Again” vision. And, while we all know that the powers of the president are theoretically limited, I think people make a huge mistake when they assume that the normal checks and balances mechanisms will put a whole lot of limits on the damage that madman can do if he gets put into a position of power.

[Special K]

Last night, I tried to watch the RNC on PBS. I had difficulty hearing the commentators because of the shouting on the convention floor. I skipped several segments of the convention such as Scott Baio’s speech which I found baffling. Governor Rick Perry , so I heard, failed to mention Trump by name. I did catch part of Melania’s speech but I hadn’t tuned in very long. Imagine my shock this morning when listening to Democracy Now play Michelle Obama’s 2008 DNC speech alongside Melania Trump’s 2016 RNC speech. PLAGARISM 101!!! I mean, the gall!!! Do these people have ANY SHAME!!! Come on, now. I am laughing, this is so funny. Trump is the gift that keeps on giving!!! You just can’t make this stuff up if you tried. And this is supposed to be the kinder, more gentler and thoughtful Trump. Can you imagine what the presidential debates will bring?! Holy crap, this is crazy!!!

[Benjamin F. Alexander]

In the debates, I can easily see Hillary Clinton keeping totally cool while Trump has a complete narcissistic meltdown.

Then again, I’m also not 100% sure that there will be debates this year. I can picture Trump refusing to have any, claiming that the biased media would never give him a fair chance. Trouble is, his fans would applaud him on that.

[Duhtwin]

Many Americans want Donald Trump to be their President because they share his views. He saying out loud what many of them are thinking. They believe he can make their fantasy of making America great again come true, the problem though is the fact that Mr. Trump and his followers are a huge part of what is wrong with America!!!