Ronald Reagan famously posited that the nine most frightening words in the English language are, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” That may well be true. However, it has become increasingly clear over the past year that the eight scariest words would be, “I’m from the government and I’m Donald Trump.” This potentiality is the frightening reality in which we now find ourselves.
I have already written two articles dedicated to the subject of Donald Trump’s utter lack of conservative credentials, how impervious to facts he is, and his overall ill-preparedness for any office, let alone the presidency. Anyone who still believes at this point in the 2016 cycle that Trump is even remotely conservative is simply immune to logic, and I do not intend to write yet another article repeating once again the details of Trump’s liberalism, ignorance and incompetence. This article is not written for those who supported Trump in the primary. It’s written for real, informed conservatives who see Trump for the liberal con man that he is but who also cannot stomach the possibility of voting for Hillary in November.
Certainly, the conservative movement is right now wedged tightly between a rock and a hard place. Hillary would make an awful president; there is little doubt about that. However, Trump would make a far more dangerous president, for several reasons. Firstly, a Trump presidency would fracture the party of Lincoln and Reagan possibly beyond repair, while another Clinton presidency would actually help the GOP find some much-needed unity. Second of all, Trump’s foreign policy platform, to the extent that it’s even coherent, tells us just how dangerous he would be not only for our nation, but also for the world at large. And perhaps worst of all, a Trump presidency could divide America against herself in ways not seen since the end of the Jim Crow Era.
It’s no secret that Trump’s extreme rhetoric against Mexicans, immigrants, Muslims, and women has hurt him among these demographics. Four in five Hispanics view him negatively, and three in four women feel the same. He has called Mexican immigrants drug dealers and murderers, promises to ban Muslims from coming to America, and vows to deport eleven million people (which is not actually possible). If Americans elect Trump, we will be choosing a misogynistic, borderline white supremacist to run our country. It will pit Hispanics against white people, immigrants against the children of immigrants, Muslims against Christians and Jews. And it will damage the fabric of America to an unimaginable degree. Even if Trump was conservative, which he is not, or competent, which he is definitely not, this alone would be reason enough to oppose him. The essence of our Union is unity, and that is more important than whether the top tax rate will be 28% or 39%.
Another reason that we absolutely cannot elect Trump is his utter cluelessness about foreign policy and that cluelessness’s potential implications for the world. Trump has called NATO, one of the most important military alliances in history, “obsolete.” He has encouraged South Korea and Japan to pursue nuclear weapons, a situation which would without question destabilize the region and create a constant state of crisis on par with the Cuban Missile Crisis. The GOP’s presumptive nominee is simply unhinged. A Florida Republican insider recently anonymously commented to Politico that “had Trump been in office [during the Cuban Missile Crisis] in October 1962, we wouldn’t be here…” A prominent Libertarian writer recently remarked about Trump, “They’ve got this button, you know, in the briefcase. He’s going to find it.”
Trump has called for renewed ties with Russia, which is simply a foolish suggestion in the aftermath of the Obama administration’s attempted “Russian Reset,” which failed spectacularly. He has also vowed to use the U.S. military to commit international war crimes such as murdering the families of suspected terrorists. Of particular concern to the Jewish community, he has promised to remain “neutral” between Israel and the sponsors of terrorism. It is quite likely that with regard to Israel Trump is the very worst of all twenty-two candidates who started out running for both parties’ nominations in the last year. He is certainly less pro-Israel than Hillary.
For certain, Trump’s nomination has divided the Republican Party in an unprecedented manner. Many conservative leaders, ranging from House Speaker Paul Ryan, the most conservative speaker in history, to Sens. Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz, have yet to offer their support to the presumptive nominee. In retribution, Trump’s campaign has called into question Ryan’s qualifications to lead the GOP in Congress if he can’t get behind the party’s nominee. “I’m thinking maybe we need a new speaker,” Trump-supporter Sean Hannity said Thursday. Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson went even further when asked if Ryan is fit for his current role, saying, “No, because this is about the party.” According to the thinking of these so-called “conservatives,” party unity is apparently paramount above all else. Never mind whether the Republican candidate represents our Republican values. By the Trump campaign’s logic, we should whole-heartedly endorse the GOP nominee even if it was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For the sake of party unity. Or something.
If Trump is elected president, the things he does in office will likely drive pro-Trump and anti-Trump forces within the GOP even farther apart. When Trump inevitably expands abortion rights or preserves Obamacare or bans assault weapons (all ideas he has supported), there will be the Hannity’s of the world who defend him and the real conservatives who jump ship and abandon the Republican Party. A Hillary presidency, on the other hand, would serve to unify all factions of the GOP against her. Hopefully this unity would lead to a real conservative nominee who could take her out in 2020. This is yet another reason not to support Trump under any circumstance: the survival of the party is at stake.
Readers are free to draw their own conclusions from this article. I am not necessarily advocating voting for “Crooked Hillary.” I am simply pointing out that a Trump presidency would be much worse for the party, the country and the world than a Clinton presidency would be. As Democrats go, Hillary is not so bad. And after eight years of surviving the far more ideological President Obama, four years of Hillary would seem like paradise on earth. That said, I am ultimately more likely to vote for a third-party candidate such as former two-term New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who will probably be the Libertarian nominee. But if the race was between Hillary and Trump and my vote was going to determine the outcome, I would hold my nose and vote for Hillary, knowing that the alternative is far too dangerous to consider.
Republicans like Speaker Ryan and Senator Cruz who have the courage to stand up to Trump are not sore losers or RINO’s (Republicans In Name Only). However, conservatives who stand by Trump at this crucial time because they’re scared to abandon the party’s nominee are no better than the Soviet Communists who said, “You have to do what’s good for the party.” In the words of former Mitt Romney strategist Stuart Stevens, “If the party stands for nothing but election, it stands for nothing.”
I absolutely agree a Hillary presidency is a much safer bet than a trump presidency .
Just think about it how in the past few days he already got into a fight with the PM of england.
But he says he will get along with Putin
And won’t take sides in the fight between the Palestinians and the Israelis .
I’m not sure that if 7+ years of Obama have not united the GOP that 4 more of Clinton will. That being said, besides the many stated reasons to avoid a Trump presidency, there are certainly political advantages to being in the opposition for another term.
Trump clearly said he would replace obamaha care
The irony is that, politically speaking, Trump = Obama. Both were nominated based on personality cults without regard for the issues or for their fitness for the office. (Although, at least Obama was a good ideological fit for his party.) The clearest sign of this is how Trump supporters, when pushed to the wall about any of his particularly inane or offensive comments and proposals, will say that he doesn’t really mean that. Pro-Israel Trump supporters, in particular, are living in a fantasy world of their own creation. We can learn from Obama and many leaders that have preceded him that it is wise to take a man at his word when he threatens extreme action.
To Safe Driver: Trump is on record as desiring completely government-run socialized medicine, so I guess it’s true that he opposes ObamaCare.
What’s your point? Do you think your article will make a dent of a difference on which one of them will get elected?? We are in golus and we need to use sechel in dealing with politics, not just repeat the talking points of talk radio. I don’t think it wise to spew your negative opinion of a specific candidate on the web, especially when there is a good chance he will become president.
Setting aside your pompous attitude, you make several assumptions that is not based on fact.
1. Trump would fracture the party of Lincoln and Reagan etc…. The part of Lincoln? Really? Secondly, if the establishment would come down from their high horse it may actually unite the party.
2. Trump’s foreign policy etc… Do you know what the role of Secretary of State is? Foreign Policy and Relations. The US is the laughingstock of the world. Relations with Cuba and Iran?? Hillary was Secretary of State 2009-2013
3. Divide America? You have a great flair for dramatics, but unfortunately not based in reality. The country has been more divided in the past 8 years than under the previous 5 presidents and the race issue in this country is gotten out of control. We have a black president and all you hear is America is racist.
Lets set some facts straight. Trumps comment on Mexicans was that many of them coming in to this country are criminals. Look up some of the crime stats of States on the southern border and you will see that a disproportionate percentage of inmates are illegals.
Regarding the Muslim issue, the head of the FBI has said we are unable to properly screen the Syrian refugees. ISIS is infiltrating the refugees.
“Trump has divided the Republican Party in an unprecedented manner etc.” Because the Liberal in Republican clothes Graham as not endorsed him? Because Paul Ryan has YET to endorse him??
Your approach- and I admit the approach of many – is that Hillary is a terrible candidate and will continue to lead this country in the wrong direction, but who knows what Trump will do, so Id rather choose the known evil than the unknown.
Trump is an egotist, but you dont become a billionaire by ignoring the advise of those around you. A smart businessman, which undoubtedly he is, surrounds himself with smart and level headed people and presumably Trump would do the same.
Anon well said.
While I agree with the basic premise of your article, I think the hyperbole used detracts from the overall message. Equating Trump with a white supremist and saying that a Clinton presidency would seem like Paradise after Obama undercuts your otherwise valid points. Tone down the redric.
I beg to differ, out of the 22 candidates who started out, the worst for Israel would have been, very sorry to say, our Jewish brother, Sanders.
I would agree with 6, and 7. Firstly, even if what you stated was true, it would be of no benefit to publish a hit piece on the person who is likely the next president.
Second of all, most of your “facts” are wrong. You are calling NATO one of the most important alliances in History, this may be true, when the primary threat on Democracy was an expanding Soviet Union.
While Russia still needs to be watched carefully, the alliance members in Europe, who we are supposed to be protecting, don’t share those concerns. It was the Europeans who did not want to impose sanctions on Russia when they invaded Ukraine.
Aside for that, Trumps main point was that the U.S. should not have to pay for the defense of wealthy European Countries. The U.S. has HUNDREDS of bases in Europe and Japan costing billions of dollars annually. All this while the U.S. military is being degraded, with less troops, and ships than any time since before WW2
The U.S. needs to refocus it’s military spending on items that are integral to the U.S. and let Europe finance their own defense.
You make personal attacks calling Trump a misogynist and border line white supremacist, these are just patently false claims.
Trump has had good relations with minority communities his whole life, and has many minorities working for him in executive positions. He has given free office space to minority advocacy groups in Trump Towers and spoken at events for minorities, amazing how he was never accused of being racist until he decided to run as the Republican Candidate.
Unlike many other people who own large companies, Trump has never been accused of discriminating against women, or of improper conduct with them at work. Has he insulted people who happen to be women, yes, but not because they were women.
You seem to mix legal and illegal immigrants in one group. Trump has never made a single statement against legal immigration. Is being against illegal immigration a problem? There are laws for a reason, the U.S. cannot afford to absorb unlimited amount of immigrants (we legally accept 2 million per year).
Trump rightfully claimed that criminals are coming through the border. He is right and the statistics are there to verify it. Just using common sense, if someone is wanted for violent crime in Mexico, why wouldn’t they come to the U.S.?
Then the claim that Trump is really liberal. Is he liberal compared to Romney who was the originator of Obamacare with Romneycare? Or who marched in Toeva parades?
How about dividing the party? Would the person who has received over 10 million votes, the most ever in a Republican Primary be a divider for not bowing to Paul Ryan, a congressman who was elected to represent a small district with 180,000 votes? It is not Trumps job to acquiesce to Ryan’s wishes. Trump represents the voters, and Ryan, by withholding his support is the one causing division.
Then there is this word “conservative” that people like throwing around. So Ryan, who has done nothing so far, other then approve Obama’s massive deficit breaking budget, and supports illegal immigration, is some how, the most conservative speaker in History, whereas Trump, who supports the rule of law, and balancing the budget, is not “conservative”?
You state Trump has called for “renewed ties” with Russia. Well that would be a strange thing for Trump to do, had he said that, considering we already have full ties with Russia. What he did said, was that there can be nothing wrong with having a better relationship with Russia.
This shouldn’t be a novel idea. George W. Bush had an extremely good personal relationship with Russia, unlike the current administration. Putin respects strength. Mutual respect is a good thing in a relationship, even for political adversaries.
Then you seem to promote Hillary over Trump. the same Hillary who’s husband has been paid millions by Arab countries. The person from the same party that loudly booed Israel at their last convention, the same party and person who openly and actively advocate for every Toevah, part of the same administration that oversaw the collapse of the most of the Middle East.
People who have other sources of information will not be swayed by your article. The reason for my long response, is that I am afraid that some people rely on this site for all their information, and needed to know the true facts.
Clear and decisive as usual.
Any comments on potential running mates and how they could effect the process?
Bravo Yosef Stein. Very well said!
I understand some of your detractors squeamishness, however, the truth must be told.
@Joe
Sorry for bursting your bubble!
Joe, just because the facts hurt, it is not Mr. Stein’s “pompous attitude” that is the issue.
No, not at all.
To the contrary, I applaud Yosef!
Not only Yosef is correct.
IMHO Trump is much worse.
He doesn’t deserve the GOP nomination.
I, have voted for the Republican Presidential nominee my entire life.
But. I. Cannot. Vote. For. Trump.
Trump, IMHO has no human decency. He is narcissistic and egoistic. He has no dignity,
No moral compass.
And it is a shanda that Republican party did not push him out of the party, when he was just a gadfly.
Now the GOP unfortunately has a monster on their hands.
How are they going to control this loose cannon?
I don’t understand how people can
keep their heads so deeply in the sand.
Ask yourself, is this a person that you would trust to run your company? Can He Run Our Country Without getting us nuked or killed?
Say what you want about President Obama (which I voted against twice) He has kept America out of War.
Will Trump?
Ask yourself one question:
Do you want Trump with access to the button???
I shudder!!!!
Hashem Yishmor
@Just Wondering-
Your opening line invalidates your whole premise. Every single poll shows Hillary ahead, so how can you base an argument on the fact that Trump is most likely our next President, Hashem Yishmor.
To Lakewooder, my opening line is not my whole premise. Aside for that, Trump is within the margin of error, or ahead in all the swing States, and has momentum.