Donald Trump’s dark and frightening RNC speech now weighs heavily upon America almost like a form of paralysis. Although the convention center mightily cheered for their Republican nominee — and Trump certainly has captured millions upon millions of votes — a vast swath of audience reactions shows that the outcome is overwhelmingly negative. Trump painted a portrait of the apocalypse, and he’s been described as a dictator rather than someone seeking the U.S. presidency.
The internet is already full of think pieces to this effect, and the Washington Post has taken an unprecedented approach and printed a column directly from its editorial board. They’re ringing the alarm, big time. The paper details how Trump was once simply an issue for the Republican party to sort out, which is true. Many people thought Trump would burn himself out during primary season. Soon, it became clear that he would continue to pursue his election bid. By that time, his momentum was too great for the GOP to stop him. The people had already spoken, and — one by one — his competitors left the game. Trump became invincible, and it’s not unfathomable to believe that he could win the presidency.
During Trump’s RNC speech, he painted a terrifying portrait designed to scare stragglers into joining his crusade. He promised to protect be the “voice” of the public. The paper believes that Trump will stomp all over the constitution (he’s not even aware of the accurate number of articles) and completely ignore checks and balances. The column is a blistering one, which glides though a discussion of Trump’s lack of experience that wouldn’t be 100 percent debilitating on its own, but Trump sees no need for education or advice. That equates to “unbridled arrogance” and not only contempt for other people’s opinions but also being “contemptuous of fact.” The paper picks through his lies, his illusory promises, and goals that are never outlined with processes:
What the candidate does offer is a series of prejudices and gut feelings, most of them erroneous. Allies are taking advantage of the United States. Immigrants are committing crimes and stealing jobs. Muslims hate America. In fact, Japan and South Korea are major contributors to an alliance that has preserved a peace of enormous benefit to Americans. Immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans and take jobs that no one else will. Muslims are the primary victims of Islamist terrorism, and Muslim Americans, including thousands who have served in the military, are as patriotic as anyone else.
The Trump litany of victimization has resonated with many Americans whose economic prospects have stagnated. They deserve a serious champion, and the challenges of inequality and slow wage growth deserve a serious response. But Mr. Trump has nothing positive to offer, only scapegoats and dark conspiracy theories. He launched his campaign by accusing Mexico of sending rapists across the border, and similar hatefulness has surfaced numerous times in the year since.
The paper also addresses Trump’s dismissive attitude towards NATO, which he confirmed on stage even as his manager, Paul Manafort, tried to deny everything. This would lead to “disastrous” global security consequences such as unchecked nuclear weapons. WaPo calls out the party who propped up a candidate that they fear and know is going off the rails, but they’ve “lost the courage to speak out” and have now placed the country in peril:
The party’s failure of judgment leaves the nation’s future where it belongs, in the hands of voters. Many Americans do not like either candidate this year. We have criticized the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, in the past and will do so again when warranted. But we do not believe that she (or the Libertarian and Green party candidates, for that matter) represents a threat to the Constitution. Mr. Trump is a unique and present danger.
The last line says everything, doesn’t it? America has never met a candidate like Trump, and the paper warns the public that he’s a direct threat to democracy. The full column warns how the time to act is now.
(Via Washington Post)