I remember sitting in front of my family’s TV in the Summer of 1980. Although I was a young boy, I knew that something incredible was happening in front of me. I saw my father watching the broadcast and marveling at what he saw. He was gape-mouthed at the sight of Ronald Reagan sharing his vision of a resurgent America, one based on individual excellence, cultural confidence, and global leadership. (Just watch a clip of his acceptance speech and notice the difference in tone and substance compared to today’s Republican nominee.)
My father was inspired by then-candidate Reagan’s message of hope and opportunity. And, in fact, my father decided to start his own business and did quite well for himself. Perhaps you could say that Reagan’s message helped, eventually, put me through college.
Fast forward thirty-six years to this current election cycle. Although I haven’t watched all the rallies and debates, I’ve watched a many of them. I distinctly remember one day my daughter asking me why Donald Trump was acting so mean to Mexican people and women. I had no real answer for her, other than “he’s a very angry man.”
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Part of the reason I didn’t have a good answer for her is that I can’t figure out how Donald Trump is even a legitimate candidate for the presidency. It horrifies me to consider his foul-mouthed, arrogant persona representing America.
And rather than inspiring people to start businesses and pick themselves up by their bootstraps — as Reagan did for so many people — I see candidate Trump inspiring people to belittle minorities, attack protesters, and call for the physical destruction of Hillary Clinton.
This is quite a stark contrast.
I’m not sure I could’ve said it better than Colin Powell. Although he raised some serious concerns about Hillary Clinton’s hubris, he saved his strongest words for his own party’s candidate. He said that Trump is “a national disgrace” and “an international pariah.”
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We’re at a crossroads in America.
Many of the challenges that Donald Trump points out are valid. It is important to consider those Americans left behind by globalization. It is important to thoughtfully manage our immigration system. It is vital to strike the right balance between freedom and order.
But I can’t support rhetoric that demonizes minority groups, immigration policies that make no sense, and economic programs that could, according to several experts, cost the American economy over one TRILLION dollars.
Colin Powell has seen many of the best and worst aspects of America. He has lived through racial discrimination, been distinguished for his military service, and dutifully served President Bush as Secretary of State. I trust his judgment.
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Photo Credit: Associated Press/FILE
Join our #StopTrump task force today.
(Weekly conference calls with like-minded people who want to stop a candidate who is racist, sexist, bigoted, incites violence and is demonstrating no competence for the job at hand.)
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“I distinctly remember one day my daughter asking me why Donald Trump was acting so mean to Mexican people and women. I had no real answer for her, other than “he’s a very angry man.” How was he acting mean? My wife is Mexican and she didn’t see anything mean in what he said. But then again she is a daughter of a “legal” immigrant.
Fine. Don’t support Trump. This is what you said: But I can’t support rhetoric that demonizes minority groups, immigration policies that make no sense, and economic programs that could, according to several experts, cost the American economy over one TRILLION dollars. Seriously David. He did not demonize minority groups, at least he has an immigration plan, let’s see if it works or not, and his economic policies could not be worse than the at least 6 trillion in debt the Democrats gave us in 8 short years. You keep quoting, actually re quoting, a simple lie endlessly repeated by the… Read more »
You keep suggesting that I’m advocating for Hillary Clinton. I’m not. I don’t like her. And you keep equivocating between politics as usual and Donald Trump. It’s not true. Politics as usual is filled with exaggerations and embellishments. It is. But Trump and the alt-right community don’t even appear to think about the difference between fact and fiction. These groups simply make up their own reality — that Obama founded ISIS and Hillary started the birther movement — and the accuse other people of being crooked. And, somehow, no one on that side of the argument seems to acknowledge it.… Read more »
Actually David, I didn’t really think your post needed further comment. Powell is a great man, who detests trump there is no disagreement. Where I find fault is that to use that premise as a way to say see here, that’s why trump shouldn’t be president. . Personally I had always hoped Powell would have run for president. And I never even insinuated that I thought you were a die hard Clinton supporter. You got that out of a reading of either or in my response. I’ll be glad when this whole mess is done. I haven’t liked at all… Read more »
Yes, Powell is a great man and statesman.
However, I lost a lot of respect for him when he endorsed Barack Obama for President on 2008 solely because he was Black.
I still respect him. Much of what he has said also contradicts what Hillary Clinton has said about what he told her regarding the use of private email servers. Here again is a case where she just flat out lies.
Lied and isn’t called out on it.
Well said, Mark. I’m so extremely frustrated by the whole thing.
There ARE alternatives.
“I haven’t liked at all where we’ve been going these last 8 years at all.” Rest assurred, that with Hillary Clinton we will get more of the same. So, if they are all liars, then why don’t you challenge David to go on the attack against Hillary Clinton. Just yesterday, a poll came out that said over 50% of voters viewed Hillary Clinton as corrupt. So, not only is she a liar. But, she is a liar AND corrupt. But, these high-minded jokers like Shechman would have us believe they really don’t have a horse in this race. I WAS… Read more »
You are just a big a liar as Hillary Clinton.
If you don’t like her, then why don’t you start a StopHillary Task Force?
This is the second time I’ve experienced a writer that slams Trump and appears defensive when asked about their supporting Hillary. Appears they have concerns with Hillary but are willing to ignore those concerns.
Yes, because it is back door, de facto, support for Hillary Clinton. In my book, I call that cowardice. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I detest more in a man than being a coward.