If I were asked to assess Donald Trump's character -- in other words, the
mental and moral qualities distinctive to his personality -- I would not be able
to find a single positive adjective that I could apply to any aspect of said character.
But the guy became President of the country, surely he must posses some positive qualities? Well, no. At least not in the sense that the quality being considered can be said to be a "good" one, or at least used in a manner that promotes a moral virtue.
I can't deny that he's audacious -- he's certainly willing to take surprisingly bold risks. But his audaciousness springs from an impudent lack of respect for just about any person or social norm -- regardless of whether any decent person would approve of these people or norms.
Many people would credit him for being smart. He's a billionaire, after all. Trump himself says he's "like a really smart person." But this assessment is in stark contradiction to the sheer number of profoundly stupid things he's said and done.
Here's just a small fraction:
Global warming is a hoax invented by the Chinese.
I know more about ISIS than the generals.
Obama is the founder of ISIS.
"You're going to have such great healthcare, at a tiny fraction of the cost
-- and it's going to be so easy."
Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated.
"Bing bing bong bong bing bing bing"
The Mexico border wall must be see-through to stop sacks of drugs landing
on people's heads. "they hit you with 60 pounds of stuff? It's over." (not fake
news. I checked. Read this very funny article)
Well, what about ambition, motivating people and communication skills.
Again, these are good qualities but only if they are used in a manner that
promotes a moral virtue. Adolf Hitler had those qualities in abundance and look
what he did.
There I go with the Hitler comparison.
I'm not saying Trump wants to invade Poland or exterminate the Jews. But he
has used those qualities in much the same way as Hitler.
His ambition comes from his egomania. Here's the definition, and tell me this doesn't fit The Donald to a T: an obsessive preoccupation with one's self ... applies to someone who follows their own ungoverned impulses and is possessed by delusions of personal greatness and feels a lack of appreciation. (Wikipedia)
As far as motivating people and communication skills? Just like Adolf, he has appealed to people's worst instincts. Trump and Adolf both used demagoguery.
Here's the definition of demagogue, and again, it fits The Donald to a T:
a leader in a democracy who gains popularity by exploiting
prejudice and ignorance among the common people, whipping up the passions of the
crowd and shutting down reasoned deliberation. Demagogues overturn established
customs of political conduct, or promise or threaten to do so.
They exploit a fundamental weakness in democracy: because ultimate
power is held by the people, it is possible for the people to give that power to
someone who appeals to the lowest common denominator of a large segment of the
population. Demagogues have usually advocated immediate, forceful action to
address a national crises while accusing moderate and thoughtful opponents of
weakness or disloyalty. (Wikipedia)
Terrorism, illegal immigration and crime are legitimate issues. Every politician should be addressing them. What Trump has done that is so reprehensible is that he has addressed these issues with fake news that is outrageously false and inflammatory so he can then manipulate his audience by provoking their emotions.
Let's be clear, as I reported in a previous post, Trump doesn't make up most of the fake stuff he says, himself. He get's that stuff from the right-wing hate media.
The Birther stuff. The drug bringing Mexican criminal rapists. The "thousands and thousands" of 9/11 celebrating Muslims. The outrageously false black on white murder statistics. Obama is the founder of ISIS. The crime rate is the highest it's been in 47 years. Hillary got a child rapist off and laughed about it. etc, etc, etc.
All of this fake news has been going around the right-wing media/blogosphere for years. Trump reads/hears it, likes it and then uses it. Trump hasn't met a fake right-wing news story that he hasn't bought lock, stock, barrel and promoted like it had his name on it.
The fake stuff he makes up himself are the things about himself.
The size of his inauguration crowd.
The height of his buildings.
His net worth.
He knows more about ISIS than the generals.
He invented the economic term "prime the pump."
His electoral win was the biggest landslide in American history. (when
he was corrected about that he then said it was the biggest
since Reagan. When he was corrected about that he then said it
was the biggest Republican win since Reagan. When he was corrected about
that he then said it was still a very big win. It is ranked 46
out of 58 elections. He said he won 306 electoral votes. That was fake too. He
won 304. Two electors refused to vote for him.)
I heard Trump say recently that he coined the term "fake news" (which he uses against the media).
He only started using that term after it had already been widely used in
the media concerning the kinds of fake news he was promoting.
As I pointed out in a previous post, he has been the leading purveyor of fake news for years now.
And that is the main point of this post. The man who constantly calls any
negative news about himself "fake news" and has convinced his supporters that he
is the only source that can be trusted -- is the King of fake news.
What I want to do in my next post is explain how the media has failed
so miserably in forcing Trump to account for the mountain of falsehoods he has
perpetrated on the American people and the world.
