
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Photo: AP/Carolyn Kaster)
He Loves Us... Unless We Don't Love Him
On watching Donald Trump's acceptance speech
I watched the Republican convention last night.
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka was light-hearted, loves her father, and gave a good introduction to a man whom few know well.
Watching Trump give his speech was an out of body experience.
I suddenly felt fearful. I felt fearful for myself, my community, my family, my country. Only he has the strength to save and protect us. Only he knows how to fix everything that is broken. Only he can bring back the happiness and prosperity that was once there for everyone. Remember the Good Old Days? Only he has the tenacity and courage to restore the American dream. Everyone else is too weak, too politically correct, too timid. He can do it. He said so.
I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me.
"I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me."
He will make America great again. He will be the voice for working people. He will defeat ISIS. He will bring back jobs. He will protect law enforcement officers. He will end the violence in America's streets. In the future, everyone will be safe, protected in his strong arms, and prosperous.
That is one heck of a big promise.
Very alluring.
Later, after seeing and hearing him, I can understand why so many people adore him and believe his promises. Then I thought about what he didn't say.
While he made clear that he would be the voice of the average working person, he didn't say anything about raising the minimum wage.
He didn't say anything about reducing the crushing debt that college students accrue.
He didn't say how he would defeat ISIS.
Lots more unanswered questions.
What will he do about health care after he kills Obamacare?
Why does he think that education will be great for everyone if only there is a free market? We know the evidence runs the other way.
After he finishes building the Great Southern Wall, will he have money left to repair our infrastructure of roads, bridges, and tunnels?
Then, this morning, I heard him talk to his volunteers, without a script. He talked about himself nonstop for an hour. He talked about how great he is. He mocked Ted Cruz and said he would reject his support. He brought up the episode where he said Ted Cruz's father was implicated in JFK's assassination, and Trump didn't back down or apologize. Off script, he is the same old Donald.
But the basic appeal, which we will hear until November, is the invitation to be protected by a strong man who never apologizes, never explains, never backs down.
He loves us. He loves working people. He loves us unless we don't love him.
Get used to it.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
I watched the Republican convention last night.
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka was light-hearted, loves her father, and gave a good introduction to a man whom few know well.
Watching Trump give his speech was an out of body experience.
I suddenly felt fearful. I felt fearful for myself, my community, my family, my country. Only he has the strength to save and protect us. Only he knows how to fix everything that is broken. Only he can bring back the happiness and prosperity that was once there for everyone. Remember the Good Old Days? Only he has the tenacity and courage to restore the American dream. Everyone else is too weak, too politically correct, too timid. He can do it. He said so.
I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me.
"I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me."
He will make America great again. He will be the voice for working people. He will defeat ISIS. He will bring back jobs. He will protect law enforcement officers. He will end the violence in America's streets. In the future, everyone will be safe, protected in his strong arms, and prosperous.
That is one heck of a big promise.
Very alluring.
Later, after seeing and hearing him, I can understand why so many people adore him and believe his promises. Then I thought about what he didn't say.
While he made clear that he would be the voice of the average working person, he didn't say anything about raising the minimum wage.
He didn't say anything about reducing the crushing debt that college students accrue.
He didn't say how he would defeat ISIS.
Lots more unanswered questions.
What will he do about health care after he kills Obamacare?
Why does he think that education will be great for everyone if only there is a free market? We know the evidence runs the other way.
After he finishes building the Great Southern Wall, will he have money left to repair our infrastructure of roads, bridges, and tunnels?
Then, this morning, I heard him talk to his volunteers, without a script. He talked about himself nonstop for an hour. He talked about how great he is. He mocked Ted Cruz and said he would reject his support. He brought up the episode where he said Ted Cruz's father was implicated in JFK's assassination, and Trump didn't back down or apologize. Off script, he is the same old Donald.
But the basic appeal, which we will hear until November, is the invitation to be protected by a strong man who never apologizes, never explains, never backs down.
He loves us. He loves working people. He loves us unless we don't love him.
Get used to it.
I watched the Republican convention last night.
Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka was light-hearted, loves her father, and gave a good introduction to a man whom few know well.
Watching Trump give his speech was an out of body experience.
I suddenly felt fearful. I felt fearful for myself, my community, my family, my country. Only he has the strength to save and protect us. Only he knows how to fix everything that is broken. Only he can bring back the happiness and prosperity that was once there for everyone. Remember the Good Old Days? Only he has the tenacity and courage to restore the American dream. Everyone else is too weak, too politically correct, too timid. He can do it. He said so.
I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me.
"I am not saying this mockingly. I felt in my bones the appeal of a strong man who could solve every problem. He frightened me, then reassured me that he would protect me."
He will make America great again. He will be the voice for working people. He will defeat ISIS. He will bring back jobs. He will protect law enforcement officers. He will end the violence in America's streets. In the future, everyone will be safe, protected in his strong arms, and prosperous.
That is one heck of a big promise.
Very alluring.
Later, after seeing and hearing him, I can understand why so many people adore him and believe his promises. Then I thought about what he didn't say.
While he made clear that he would be the voice of the average working person, he didn't say anything about raising the minimum wage.
He didn't say anything about reducing the crushing debt that college students accrue.
He didn't say how he would defeat ISIS.
Lots more unanswered questions.
What will he do about health care after he kills Obamacare?
Why does he think that education will be great for everyone if only there is a free market? We know the evidence runs the other way.
After he finishes building the Great Southern Wall, will he have money left to repair our infrastructure of roads, bridges, and tunnels?
Then, this morning, I heard him talk to his volunteers, without a script. He talked about himself nonstop for an hour. He talked about how great he is. He mocked Ted Cruz and said he would reject his support. He brought up the episode where he said Ted Cruz's father was implicated in JFK's assassination, and Trump didn't back down or apologize. Off script, he is the same old Donald.
But the basic appeal, which we will hear until November, is the invitation to be protected by a strong man who never apologizes, never explains, never backs down.
He loves us. He loves working people. He loves us unless we don't love him.
Get used to it.