Spot on essay.

Frankly, who Mr. Kagan intends to vote for is of less interest to me than is the content of his essay. His argument is strong.

I concur with his observation. Mr. Trump's rise to prominence is not due to his policy ideas. They are simplistic, vague, lack an ideological coherence, and are subject to change like the wind.
Where his proposals are specific and enduring, like the wall, they are completely impractical.

Trump's rise is due to his projecting a strong man personna, villifying the Other, and in casting politics and cooperation as "weak".

Last edited by Goose (5/19/2016 8:41 am)

The rise of pseudo politicians whose main objective is to garner power is made easier when the people, that will be subject to the resulting authoritarian figure and that figure's ruling class, have a feeling of helplessness. That feeling of helplessness is due to apathy on behalf of the people. That feeling of apathy is due to a ruling class that is deemed unresponsive to the needs of the people. When this feeling is pervasive, the political field is ripe for snake oil salesmen who concentrate on the emotional issues that cause the people to react to rise to prominence. No real solutions or viable plans need be detailed nor put forth by this megalomaniac. Pure emotion drives their campaign.

In this presidential election, the voting public has seen its choices reduced to two less than desirable candidates. It will truly be an election based on the lesser of two evils. Hopefully, but I'm very pessimistic on this point, the major parties in the U.S. will realize and understand this point. It is time to change our political direction towards a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" rather than a government that serves only the major political parties and the government they fashion. The divisiveness and vitriol that exists in the power struggle between the two major parties has ensnared the candidates, stifled the operation of our government, and now seeped down to the voters. I hope this changes. Otherwise, I fear that government that Lincoln spoke of in his Gettysburg Address will "perish from the earth".

We need change . . . But definitely not the non-descript, purely emotional change offered up by Trump.

Last edited by Rongone (5/19/2016 2:14 pm)

The notion of facism per se does not really bother me with Trump BUT his economic and world view policies are disastrous and IF he is able to actually become POTUS we are in for rough sledding both economically as well as on the world stage (not to mention here at home with his grandiose notion that he is a "uniter").