“We are going to make America great again.”
Surrounded by eager supporters and observed by thousands across the nation, a man famous for his reality TV show and his surreal brashness announced his candidacy for the White House.
In the crown jewel of his vast Real Estate empire, Trump Tower, Donald Trump made a series of remarks, striving to get the eyes of his supporters to contract the same patriotic swell that runs through his body.
From stereotyping Mexican immigrants to calling out Secretary of State John Kerry for breaking his leg in a bike race, Trump’s speech was a confusing combination of vibrant nationalism, blatant rudeness and unnecessary fear mongering.
At the end of his 45-minute rant (the longest of major party candidates to date!), the world had no clue what to expect from the wild card candidate. Which minority group would he offend next? Which politicians would he attack next? How many more times would he name-drop China?
Jeb Bush and the tribe of Republic nominees trailing behind him forecasted the political firecracker would brighten up TV prime time news for his 15 minutes of fame, then quickly fizzle from the stage in an unthreatening, humorous way. The idea of Trump winning the nomination is as ridiculous as the mogul’s unending defense of his toupée.
Yet, everything changed in the heat of July. As flags flew on Independence Day, poll after poll indicated that the perceived buffoon had become the front-runner. The former champions of the Republican platform were left dumbfounded.
In the last three months, Trump has been bouncing from well-attended rally to well-attended rally, stirring endless controversy that somehow doesn’t seem to affect his ever growing appeal.
“Donald Trump stands at a 20% approval rating, leading by wide margins,” polling experts from Politico said.
Meanwhile, he has attacked Megyn Kelly on Twitter, forced a respected Latino journalist out of his press conference and even boasted that he would “deport every single immigrant,” not excluding infants or the elderly.
Most moderates and liberals cannot comprehend how a man that offends so many groups of people can be untouchable in his political standing. His success seems completely out of tune with the political correctness that has dominated Washington for the last few decades.
His success seems even tougher to understand then why candidate Ben Carson blamed AP US History for making “high school students want to join ISIS.”
However, when his persona is juxtaposed with the big picture of our current social state, Donald Trump’s winning streak seems almost inevitable.
Say whatever you want about the self-proclaimed “smart guy,” but one thing that is hard to deny is his rawness and authenticity. Not dependent on the crutch of a teleprompter or campaign manager following his every step, Trump has achieved a connection with his base that his opponents are struggling to match.
With a tasteless, crass demeanor, he tells things how he sees them. While this may turn heads and ears back to the lighter side of political correctness, many key demographics are desperate to hear the voice of someone they perceive to be the alternative to the constant cycle of inefficient, incompetent politicians.
Last year, the Gallup Poll reported that only 16% of Americans approved of Congress. Citing gridlock and lack of any visible progress, many Americans feel that the federal government is broken and can’t be fixed by somebody who is a part of the mess.
AP US Government and Politics teacher Brandon Burmeister associates part of Donald Trump’s success to his ability to market himself as a “Washington outsider,” one who has been unspoiled by the inefficiency that has plagued our nation’s capital.
“He presents himself as a businessman who is good at what he does,” Burmeister said. “He portrays himself as the person to go into the job and fix the existing problems like he would do with a company.”
While his image may not be reflective of his genuine self (he is responsible for the bankruptcy of four companies, losing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs), in the political stage, appearance is what counts. He appears forceful and effective, even when it is to the point of ridiculousness (cough…Great Wall of Trump…cough).
We may all laugh about Donald Trump and all those who follow him. But when should a joke start being taken seriously?
Well, when the joke is leading the pack on route to becoming the GOP nominee and one election from becoming the Chief Executive of the most powerful country in the world, then the joke should be taken seriously.
Pointing to a rubric that he uses to teach his AP European History students about the authoritarian system of Fascism, Social Science Chair Samuel Stewart believes Trump exhibits some “fascist overtones.”
“Extreme nationalism is a key component of fascism,” Stewart said. “He plays to this idea of nationalism and promises to make this country great again. He appeals to Americans that have been uprooted by globalization and promises to protect them from interior and exterior forces that are threatening their lives and sense of nation. In many ways it is an appeal to emotions, not to reason. That is another key aspect of fascism.”
With an uncompromising ego, Trump translates his ability to make billions in the private sector to delivering the best leadership our nation has seen in decades. Blending capitalist virtues with fears of China and Iran, the businessman urges voters to see that his negotiation skills are what this country needs.
Since he has no track record in politics, we need to judge his track record in business. While he has made billions of dollars, he had a pretty good start. According to the Washington Post, his father, Fred C. Trump, built a Real Estate empire and was worth $300 million at the time of his death.
Obviously, with his family connections, Trump started far from the bottom. Not forgetting the bankruptcy of four companies and the billions of dollars lost, we should not judge Trump by his net worth, but by his actual business history.
I am not taking a trip on the Trump train any time soon. Regardless, it makes sense why he is ahead in the polls. He is pointing out the flaws and problems with our current political system. However, just because he is different from the status quo, does not mean that a Trump administration would be a better standard than what we have now.
We don’t know what a Trump administration would bring. Honestly, I don’t think it’s worth the risk of finding out.