Hating the President

It should have been obvious from the start that this was going to happen. But that did not stop Democrats from trying. They were determined to rid this country of the ‘worst President in American History’.  When they finally realized this was not going to happen - after the Senate turned down the Democrats demand for witnesses - they went apoplectic. You could see their rage in their faces! 

They could not believe that Republicans did not see what they saw… a President that abused his office so egregiously that he deserved to be ‘fired’! They believed that his ‘crime’ was so ‘high’ that even an imbecile should realize it was impeachable - explaining themselves six ways from Sunday that this was so obviously the case. They simply do not understand why only Senate Democrats see it that way. Or they believe that all the Senate Republicans are unscrupulous politicians that don’t care about the constitution and instead are determined to keep their man is in office!

Democrats say that a trial without witnesses is no trial at all. I would normally agree with that. But as Republican Senator Lamar Alexander said - Democrats have actually made their case. The President did what they say he did.  Prolonging the trial with more corroborating witnesses will not add anything. 

What the President did was NOT ‘perfect’. It was inappropriate. His goal was to smear a likely opponent in the general election. A common practice among political opponents running against each other in an election. 

That he asked a foreign government to do that while withholding aid already promised them was political. A move, Democrats say,  that would have hurt an ally (the Ukraine) and thereby our own country! 

Yes it was wrong. But whether that was impeachable is a matter of debate. If you are a Democrat OF COURSE it was: ‘What are you?‘ ‘Nuts?’ ‘If that is not an impeachable offense, what is?’ (That last one is the most common refrain I keep hearing.)

Not a single Republican in the Senate (with the possible exception of Romney and Collins) believes that it is. They say (rightly, in my view) that removing a democratically elected President by impeachment should be bipartisan. When a single party does that, it’s political. It should also involve a more drastic ‘high crime‘ than what the President did. In a Democracy, you don’t subvert the will of the people with anything less! 

So why did Democrats do this? I think they actually believe their talking points. But that alone is not what motivates them. They are afraid he will be re-elected. They would prefer their candidate run against the much weaker candidate in Vice-President Mike Pence. Pence would succeed Trump if he were to be removed from office.

They are right to be afraid. Because the Trump Presidency has strengthened the economy in a variety of ways. Not just by increasing the value of the stock market. Which about half the country is invested in. Much of it in retirement accounts. But also by improving trade agreements with foreign countries; by reducing corporate taxes, which incentivised more hiring. Thereby lowering the unemployment figures to near unprecedented levels including among minorities. 

People vote their pocket book. That is certainly true with Trump’s base. And it is true even beyond his base. His character will not be the deciding factor. The economy will.

Why do Democrats hate him so much? I don‘t think its really about his character. Or the way he embarrasses the Oval Office. They don’t like his policies. That is what they mean by the ‘worst President in American history’. The cold hard fact is that their mainstream candidates have swung so far to the left, that they embrace socialism. Albeit preceding it wit the word ‘democratic’. The more socialist you are, the more you hate the conservative policies of the President. Bernie Sanders, the most socialist candidate running is leading the polls in the Iowa caucuses. 

What about the Republican conservatives that hate Trump as much as Democrats? There are plenty of those. I think it's because they see character as more important than policies. They believe his behavior in office has taken a moral toll on this country. It has coarsened the language; incited violence; and divided the country.

Yes, the country is divided. It has not been this divided since perhaps the Civil War. I have never seen anything like it. Half the population hates Trump so much that they see him as evil incarnate. And half the country sees him as the greatest thing since sliced bread! Or at least see his policies that way

That is plain to see at political rallies on both sides. The animus against the President by the news media is obvious. As it is among the hosts of late night TV. Animus expressed to the cheers of the audience. 

Watching these shows - you would think the entire country hates the President.  Makes you wonder who could have possibly voted for him? And that his defeat in the 2020 election is a foregone conclusion. 

What about the Trump rallies that cheer his every word? The Trump haters probably think those people are bunch of morons who barely have a 3rd grade education.  Or that they are just plain evil. Same as the President.

Stupid or evil. That is what about what the left half the country must now think about the right half. The media doesn’t mind perpetuating that image – even as they feign objectivity. I don’t recall the media partisanship ever being so blatant – while at the same time pretending to be objective.

It would be nice if we could go back to a time where the left and the right respected each other’s views even while disagreeing.  But hate is a great motivator.  The hate is so strong that each side is in disbelief about the other. Trump haters don’t get Trump lovers. And Trump lovers think Trump haters are anti American.

It will be interesting to see who wins the Democratic nomination for President. It will be even more interesting to see who will win the election regardless of who the Democrat is. My guess is that the President will be re-elected. Voters will ignore the person and vote for policy.

I am a firm believer in the Clinton philosophy of ‘It’s the economy stupid’. They will vote to keep the increased wealth they’ve achieved under his conservative policies - instead of letting the Democrats take it all away in the increased taxes they have promised to implement for all their pet projects (like universal health care coverage, free college, and forgiveness of student loan debt.) My only question is:  If he does get re-elected as I expect he will - what will all the Trump haters (shocked in disbelief that he was reelected) do with all that hate? I guess they can always continue to watch Colbert and Kimmel if it makes them feel any better.