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Now that I am safely back in front of my desk, I thought I'd share a conversation I had this weekend with a Trump supporter. This was not just any ordinary Trumpling, this was someone that routinely voices respect towards me whenever the issue of the Constitution and politics arises. You see, he bought my book a few years ago and he seems to think I am the "Answer Man" when it comes to American history and politics. SO you can imagine my impression when he came out and asked me what I thought of our president.
Knowing that asking such questions can inevitably lead to argument, I simply replied that Mr. Trump is a far cry from the president I grew up to respect. I simply said I believed Trump was not "fit to be president" and reminded him that respecting the individual in the office can be different than respecting the institution of the office. So I then clarified that I don't "hate" Trump, but seriously dislike what he is doing to the institution. When asked to clarify, I told him I never imagined we would ever have a president that routinely lied openly and notoriously on virtually every matter. Amazingly, this did not faze the other guy. In fact, he chuckled and said he supported Trump because he was "going to turn everything on its head!" But lying? Being genuinely dishonest? And then the rebuttal began in earnest - "but look at all Trump has accomplished!" Okay, I give - tell me. His response was glaring and perhaps straight out of the Fox news playbook.
According to this Trumpling, Trump has single handedly accomplished the following; "Reformed the Tax Code and in doing so lowered everyone's taxes"; "Eliminated wasteful and unnecessary regulations"; "Raised interest rates to help those on fixed incomes"; "Reformed a broken immigration system"; "Created thousands of new jobs"; and "He got a new Supreme Court Justice onto the Court." You can bet it took me less than a minute to begin my rebuttal to such nonsense.
Congress passed the Tax Cuts. According to experts (I do consult CPA's and Tax Attorneys in my "other line of work"), changes to the tax code are contradictory and are still considered too "muddled to model after." The tax cuts come no where close to being justified considering the hole it blew in the deficit. When I reminded my friend that the Republicans blocked any similar deficit spending under Obama because a "Balanced Budget" was required and Obama "skyrocketed" the deficit, all he could do was shrug. Spending by the GOP-led Congress is nothing more than a shiny example of hypocrisy.
Many of the regulations tossed aside by Trump via Executive Order have been successfully challenged in federal courts - often on the grounds they can not be overturned by Executive Order but require action by Congress. I reminded him of the days when the environment was fraught with dirty air and water - seemingly a time before he was born. Protecting Americans from inherently unsafe working and living conditions makes sense for everyone.
Giving Trump credit for raising interest rates illustrates the vast ignorance of Trumplings. The Federal Reserve determines prime lending rates. The "Fed" is independent of the Executive and cannot be controlled by the president. I then added that Trump and members of his Cabinet calling for Congress to give the president the ability to "line item veto" spending bills also illustrates their glaring ignorance. Line item vetos are available to governors, but not to presidents as the Supreme Court ruled years ago that only Congress under Article I has the sole authority to create and pass spending bills. The president can either allow it to go into law without his signature, sign the legislation or veto it in its entirety. There is no option for a line item veto. (See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/03/25/mnuchin-pitches-line-item-veto-congress-could-pass-a-rule/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c0c7f7a58e20). Obviously, facts don't seem to matter to Trumplings.
Only Congress can reform immigration laws. My friend then gloated about the DREAMERS being shut down by Trump. When I asked him should there be exceptions for those DREAMERS that serve in our military, he said "certainly!' Perhaps he should let Trump know that even his supporters think there should be a road for amnesty.
Although new jobs have been created while Trump has been president, employment outside of the Federal government is not actually tied to anything a president does. When my friend responded that the stock market has soared under Trump, I reminded him that too has little to do with the president. When he claimed that it really does, I then asked him if Trump is then responsible when the markets tumble too? Before he could respond, I asked him when I could expect my losses to be recovered since Trump's trade war has already created significant losses in my portfolio. He then admitted, he can't afford to own shares on the stock market. Oy!
Last but not least, getting Gorsuch on the Supreme Court should not be viewed as an "accomplishment." Why? Because after the Obama-Garland fiasco in the Senate, anyone with an "R" after their name could get virtually any nominee confirmed to the High Court. What would have been a real accomplishment? Getting a nominee from a Democratic president to the High Court confirmed by the GOP-led Senate would be a real accomplishment!
Was anything settled by this discussion with a Trumpling? Could it be possible their thinking about Trump might change after every one of their claims of "accomplishments" are debunked? Nah, Trumplings have ceded their ability to think in favor of following anything that seems to to appeal to their emotions. How do I know this? Because the guy I spoke with is struggling to make ends meet. He does not have a profession. He does not have a career job paying a decent wage. He has no money invested because he can't afford to invest, let alone save. He cannot travel abroad because his job does not require it and he cannot afford personal travel. Virtually everything he feels needs to be corrected by Trump are matters that have no impact on his life - yet he feels compelled to argue in support of Trump come "hell or high water!" And folks like him number in the millions! Regardless, they are factually wrong and it's past time those that know better do something about taking our government back from shysters and the gullible that support them!
As Abraham Lincoln once wrote; "How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg." We can only hope (one day soon) Trumplings realize just saying Trump is a successful president doesn't just make it so. Have a great week!
Knowing that asking such questions can inevitably lead to argument, I simply replied that Mr. Trump is a far cry from the president I grew up to respect. I simply said I believed Trump was not "fit to be president" and reminded him that respecting the individual in the office can be different than respecting the institution of the office. So I then clarified that I don't "hate" Trump, but seriously dislike what he is doing to the institution. When asked to clarify, I told him I never imagined we would ever have a president that routinely lied openly and notoriously on virtually every matter. Amazingly, this did not faze the other guy. In fact, he chuckled and said he supported Trump because he was "going to turn everything on its head!" But lying? Being genuinely dishonest? And then the rebuttal began in earnest - "but look at all Trump has accomplished!" Okay, I give - tell me. His response was glaring and perhaps straight out of the Fox news playbook.
According to this Trumpling, Trump has single handedly accomplished the following; "Reformed the Tax Code and in doing so lowered everyone's taxes"; "Eliminated wasteful and unnecessary regulations"; "Raised interest rates to help those on fixed incomes"; "Reformed a broken immigration system"; "Created thousands of new jobs"; and "He got a new Supreme Court Justice onto the Court." You can bet it took me less than a minute to begin my rebuttal to such nonsense.
Congress passed the Tax Cuts. According to experts (I do consult CPA's and Tax Attorneys in my "other line of work"), changes to the tax code are contradictory and are still considered too "muddled to model after." The tax cuts come no where close to being justified considering the hole it blew in the deficit. When I reminded my friend that the Republicans blocked any similar deficit spending under Obama because a "Balanced Budget" was required and Obama "skyrocketed" the deficit, all he could do was shrug. Spending by the GOP-led Congress is nothing more than a shiny example of hypocrisy.
Many of the regulations tossed aside by Trump via Executive Order have been successfully challenged in federal courts - often on the grounds they can not be overturned by Executive Order but require action by Congress. I reminded him of the days when the environment was fraught with dirty air and water - seemingly a time before he was born. Protecting Americans from inherently unsafe working and living conditions makes sense for everyone.
Giving Trump credit for raising interest rates illustrates the vast ignorance of Trumplings. The Federal Reserve determines prime lending rates. The "Fed" is independent of the Executive and cannot be controlled by the president. I then added that Trump and members of his Cabinet calling for Congress to give the president the ability to "line item veto" spending bills also illustrates their glaring ignorance. Line item vetos are available to governors, but not to presidents as the Supreme Court ruled years ago that only Congress under Article I has the sole authority to create and pass spending bills. The president can either allow it to go into law without his signature, sign the legislation or veto it in its entirety. There is no option for a line item veto. (See: www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/03/25/mnuchin-pitches-line-item-veto-congress-could-pass-a-rule/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c0c7f7a58e20). Obviously, facts don't seem to matter to Trumplings.
Only Congress can reform immigration laws. My friend then gloated about the DREAMERS being shut down by Trump. When I asked him should there be exceptions for those DREAMERS that serve in our military, he said "certainly!' Perhaps he should let Trump know that even his supporters think there should be a road for amnesty.
Although new jobs have been created while Trump has been president, employment outside of the Federal government is not actually tied to anything a president does. When my friend responded that the stock market has soared under Trump, I reminded him that too has little to do with the president. When he claimed that it really does, I then asked him if Trump is then responsible when the markets tumble too? Before he could respond, I asked him when I could expect my losses to be recovered since Trump's trade war has already created significant losses in my portfolio. He then admitted, he can't afford to own shares on the stock market. Oy!
Last but not least, getting Gorsuch on the Supreme Court should not be viewed as an "accomplishment." Why? Because after the Obama-Garland fiasco in the Senate, anyone with an "R" after their name could get virtually any nominee confirmed to the High Court. What would have been a real accomplishment? Getting a nominee from a Democratic president to the High Court confirmed by the GOP-led Senate would be a real accomplishment!
Was anything settled by this discussion with a Trumpling? Could it be possible their thinking about Trump might change after every one of their claims of "accomplishments" are debunked? Nah, Trumplings have ceded their ability to think in favor of following anything that seems to to appeal to their emotions. How do I know this? Because the guy I spoke with is struggling to make ends meet. He does not have a profession. He does not have a career job paying a decent wage. He has no money invested because he can't afford to invest, let alone save. He cannot travel abroad because his job does not require it and he cannot afford personal travel. Virtually everything he feels needs to be corrected by Trump are matters that have no impact on his life - yet he feels compelled to argue in support of Trump come "hell or high water!" And folks like him number in the millions! Regardless, they are factually wrong and it's past time those that know better do something about taking our government back from shysters and the gullible that support them!
As Abraham Lincoln once wrote; "How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg." We can only hope (one day soon) Trumplings realize just saying Trump is a successful president doesn't just make it so. Have a great week!
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