The Displaced Plainsman Leo Kallis makes welcome return to the South Dakota Blogosphere to critique the language Troy Jones and I have been using to describe Donald Trump.
Contra Jones, the Plainsman contends that Trump is no moderate, as evidenced by Trump’s immoderately angry tone and desire (“plan” would be an immoderate exaggeration) to expand government power to deport eleven million people.
Contra me, the Plainsman says calling Trump a fascist gives fascists a bad name:
To call Trump a fascist implies he has a coherent political philosophy. It’s not clear that Trump has any philosophy other than a belief that he should selfishly satisfy his ego, bask in puffery, and frequently issue 140 character insults. These qualities indicate he is a truculent demagogue, but while nearly every fascist leader is a truculent demagogue not all truculent demagogues are fascists [Leo Kallis, “Trump: Fascist Moderate or Moderate Fascist, Part 2,” The Displaced Plainsman, 2016.06.06].
The Plainsman agrees that Trump threatens a dictatorial attack on civil liberties, but he pokes at mainstream Republicans and Democrats alike by noting that “his distaste for civil liberties means a Trump administration would differ from the Obama and George W. Bush administrations in degree not in kind.” (Hint: I think the Plainsman is referring to the Patriot Act and other abuses of the Constitution.)
The Plainsman seems to settle on the notion that Trump is neither fascist nor moderate but simply a dangerous egotist (Ayn Rand without dogma or literary pretense?). I know the Plainsman is no fascist. I’m not sure he’s a moderate, either; he may be more of a Goldwater extremist in the defense of liberty and the pursuit of justice.
Related Viewing (Update 10:47 CDT):
Meanwhile, Speaker Paul Ryan says Trump’s false attack on his “university” fraud case judge satisfy the textbook definition of racism, but Speaker Ryan is clinging to his endorsement. Evidently textbooks don’t matter. So why philosophize over Donald Trump when we can just dismiss him as a total jerk? Hillary Clinton super-PAC Priorities USA goes to town on Trump’s mockery of people with disabilities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QUYQUd0Qh8
Trump is an egomaniac. That is a dangerous type of person to have in any government position of authority…from traffic cop to president.
http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LeftOutFeaturedImage.jpg
Finally someone brave enough to stand up to Drumpf#$k’s demagoguery.
Trump is a horrible person. As President he would be unpredictable and dangerous. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska is one Republican brave enough to call it like it is. Too bad there are not more bold leaders in the Republican Party willing to put the country first ahead of party loyalty.
His former female employee describes him as such:
Q) It sounds like he was kind of a bully.
A) Eh, not so much a bully — more of a loudmouth.
Q) Did you feel he treated you differently than your male colleagues?
A) No, he did not treat me differently. He was tough on everybody. He was either the best or the worst, like he is today. I mean, everything is either the best or the worst, and sometimes he was really good and sometimes he was really bad, but he was tough on everybody. He didn’t treat women any differently from men, not back then.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ex-trump-employee-speaks-out-on-his-treatment-of-women-20160329#ixzz4Aun5I7zo
The German Nazi Party (fascist) had a 25-point program that largely carried through from the 1920s until the end of WWII. About half of the planks in that program are moderate and reformist, while about half were racial/ethnic xenophobia and rampant nationalism. Having some moderate positions combined with xenophobia and nationalism perfectly fits the modern Trumpists.
http://tinyurl.com/zwfvbpv
Texas Hispanic Dem congressman tells Drumpf#$k where to stick his Messican wall.
“where to stick his Messican wall”
I suppose that would be where the Canadian border is.
I’d rather take the opinion of his ex-wife considering she spent a lot more time with him and thus has a better understanding of how he treats women. She went so far as to say he raped her… but it’s ok – she “clarified” her statements when she was informed her divorce agreement precluded her from making such remarks. Thankfully Trump’s people also informed us that men can’t rape their wives so obviously this was a non-issue (sarcasm intended).
He has also been accused (several times) of groping women and beauty pageant contestants including one of the people who organized the American Dream beauty pageant (Jill Hearth). A lawsuit from the organizers was settled for an “undisclosed sum”… which is amazing considering he claims he doesn’t settle lawsuits.
Then he called a lawyer who asked for a break during a deposition so that she could pump breast milk for her infant “disgusting”.
Or when he called Megan Kelly a bimbo or called women fat pigs or disgusting. Or the dozens of other examples of his questionable behavior and attitude towards women.
I suspect Trump doesn’t really hate women as some might suggest. Instead he just feels women exist for the benefit of men, and he treats them as such. He feels they are beneath him, and when he does compliment a women it is generally not for her accomplishments but rather based upon her physical appearance.
I guess the guy is just that shallow, but his track record does show a pattern of behavior which should result in him earning very few female votes. Then again, history doesn’t seem to matter if people don’t pay attention.
Trump is a complex and dangerous person (note: I did not say man).
He is a fascist, an egomaniac, truculent and more, the point being when someone is so complex and exhibits such negative labels they are a bomb ready to go off.
The big Trump news in the past couple of days are his racist comments about the Mexican-American judge involved in the Trump U. case.
Republicans are quickly lining up to chastise Trump on his deliberate racists comments directed at the Latino community. Lindsey Graham, Paul Ryan and many more are separating themselves the from the party of Trump.
The only support I could find for Trump was from Governor Christie who said, “Donald Trump is not a racist”. How many times in this past year have heard a republican justify or explain Trump’s racism.
The biggest question about this truculent ass, is whether or not the GOP will make presentable by the time of their August convention.0
Simple vote Hillary. There are some liberals not enthralled with her who want to vote Trump as a way to bring down the Republican party. That’s dangerous. Her mother taught her to know her own mind, that’s cool, but these people are not like you and I. They only think about their ambitions night and day. You’re not voting for your best friend, you’re voting for a temporary leader of this country. Most are psychopaths thankfully we have checks and balances. I used to think Bill was a great man (I feel your pain) until I saw him cry on demand after the Brown funeral and that very weird relationship he had with Jeffrey Epstein (and all the young women) and realized then how naive I was. They’re just politicians who want your vote. Even Cory has moderated himself a bit. We all have to compromise just don’t be a contortionist with no center. Former Repub!!!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/06/07/donald-trump-paul-ryan-mitch-mcconnell/85559392/
Drumpf#$k now says his comments about judge have been misconstrued. Can you believe the audacity of this POS?
Drumpf#$k also claims he broke the glass ceiling because he hired woman as construction workers back in the 80s.
Trump is a fascist, neoliberal elitist. The definition of fascist does not necessarily mean a solid political policy is in place.
Linda, I agree. And Hillary is cut from the same cloth.