Donald Trump has been riding a hot streak lately. Maybe you noticed.
Last week, just when it looked like the first ray of sunshine was about to peak through the clouds on tax reform (remember, Paul Ryan announced that something was coming on taxes way back on September 13), and on the heels of a debt ceiling deal that seemed to open the door for bipartisanship, Trump decided that enough was enough with the whole “let’s turn the Titanic around” thing.
So what did he do to restore America’s faith in the idea that he’s still a lunatic? Well, I’ll tell you what he did.
First, he put on his burnt orange face paint, went in front of the U.N. General Assembly, and after calling the leader of another country “Rocket Man”, he threatened to murder 26 million people with a nuclear weapon. Then, about four days later, he went down to Alabama and called NFL players “sons of b*&%^es” before accusing referees of “ruining the game” of football by enforcing rules designed to protect those same “sons of b*&%^es” from brain damage. Less than 24 hours after that, he uninvited the Golden State Warriors to the White House and topped it all off by musing that North Korea “won’t be around much longer” in a tweet that Twitter itself has been asked to remove.
Right. Well all of that has raised fresh questions about whether Trump is mentally fit to be the President and according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University (and I really don’t care much about your assertions of bias re: Quinnipiac, so you can save them for someone who does), the majority of Americans answered “no” when asked. Here’s the breakdown:
President Donald Trump is not “fit to serve as president,” American voters say 56 – 42 percent, and voters disapprove 57 – 36 percent of the job he is doing as president, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.
There are deep party, gender and racial divisions on whether President Trump is fit to serve, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll finds:
- Trump is not fit, Democrats say 94 – 5 percent and independent voters say 57 – 40 percent. Republicans say 84 – 14 percent that he is fit.
- Men are divided 49 – 49 percent, as women say 63 – 35 percent he is not fit.
- White voters are divided as 50 percent say he is fit and 48 percent say he is not fit. Trump is not fit, black voters say 94 – 4 percent and Hispanic voters say 60 – 40 percent.
And here’s the fun visual:
Do note the other yellow highlighted count there. 42% of white voters with no college degree think Trump is not fit to serve. That would be what one might call “the Bannon base.”
Of course maybe that’s not a reflection of what that particular constituency thinks about Trump’s mental capacity – maybe they, like Steve Bannon himself, think Trump isn’t “fit” to serve because he’s no longer advancing Breitbart’s agenda.
As the survey shows – Trump’s lack of competency – mental, legal, and professional – is painfully obvious to most critical thinkers. Reality show TV fans, unfortunately – clearly not so much. At this point given both Mueller’s and Congress’s lack of appropriate and timely legal action to remove Trump as a national embarrassment (#MAGA – LOL), threat to national security and world peace – we should move on and consider not the symptom (Trump and other unqualified and incompetent Presidents) of our greatest problem, but rather their causes.
1. We have totally corrupted political parties whose representation is not of US voters, not of our national interests, but representative of private financial interests capable of buying (one way or another through cash, traded favors and or influence) the support both of our political parties elected representatives. Political parties which then strategically place weak minded (generally incompetent) candidates as their puppets in the Office of President and or Congress to do the respective political party’s self-interest and their financial interest clients bidding. This may not be as apparent since both parties have many factions in them. It isn’t always clear which faction(s) is manipulating these puppets. While Republican factions may be more visible in this practice – or just less skilled in concealing this practice than Democrats – both Parties are equally guilty of putting their self-interests ahead of their voters and national interest in general – all the while putting the nation at risk in many ways for their benefit.
2. We have a completely monetized 24/7 election/campaign/marketing/media multi-billion dollar industry (2016 elections cost over 6.8 billion dollars [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/election-2016s-price-tag-6-8-billion/]) in place that has totally corrupted the US election process and system. Additionally, we have several generations of voters who have minimal – and still declining critical thinking skill development. This thanks to a dysfunctional/ineffective education system and a bought and sold, click bait, paid content, biased – advertisement driven media. Until we can redesign our election system away from a monetized/for profit economics driven political election industry, we have zero chance of achieving effective, professional, voter representative, national interests driven political leadership in Congress or the Presidency.
We don’t have a “do nothing Congress” as media often claims. Quite the opposite. They are all “doing” what is in their best personal interests financially and strategically to stay in office, and to grow their careers by acquiring ever greater personal political power and financial influence. More accurately, what we do have is a “do nothing” – for the nation and its citizens’ best interests – Congress.
We voters can end this by insisting on better candidates from our Republican and Democratic Party leaderships – and or forcing replacement of those Party leaderships – or even the parties – with those who will be accountable to represent voter interests. Or, we can continue be the “do nothing” voters accepting incompetent, unqualified, and corrupted political party candidate offerings – and let growing internal fascist national interests, and or outside foreign fascist interests (or both as allies) take our nation from us. Taking away at least the nation of American freedom ideals we used to know. It takes no special analytical powers to see the swing toward fascism under Trump. It has been blatantly obvious in his support of white supremacist and foreign fascist leaders. That this tragedy exists – it is equally obvious that we are already well along the path toward fascism under the Trump Administration’s fascist leanings. Trump’s support of the Charlotte neo-nazi rally was clear, unequivocal and undeniable.
The US is at a cross-roads in its history as a nation for responsible freedom. The direction we select will be decided in our 2018 and 2020 election candidates and their choices will be critical in the continuation of American freedom responsibilities, ideals and values – or complicit (like Trump) in the complete loss of them.
“NOT FIT” appears to be the preferred candidate these days. I assume you read about Roger Moore, Republican Alabama, who was chosen by the Alabama voters – not that either of the contenders were really desirable! You could not find a more Not Fit candidate than this one. Good job all you Republicans in Alabama. Looks like the voters came out from under their slimy rocks and put this disgusting man in the already fucked up mix of Republicans.
Did you see/hear the recorded conversation of him responding to a question about his opinion of The Dreamers? He was clueless, no idea what that was or what it was about and had a really arrogant attitude for even being asked. He lamely supported whatever trump thought was ok with him, kinda sorta. Perhaps trump will counter that and also support Moore and his attitudes toward homosexuals, even claiming the terrorist attack 9/11 was God’s revenge for homosexuality! Also refused to issue same sex marriage licenses. He is Steve Bannon’s preferred candidate… and so much more! Yep, he can run around beating his alleged Christianity drum but this man is certainly NOT FIT as a Christian!
If this is what is now acceptable, it will set us back a couple of decades. And this jerk will now face his Democrat opponent, Doug Jones, December election in a Red state! So Ryan and the gang can get ready for his arrival to the Senate 2018. At this rate, he will FIT RIGHT IN.
And the scam goes on, and on, and on.