Confusion on Trump’s political party
President Donald Trump’s political allegiance has been called into question dating back to the days of the primaries and all the way through to the general election. Aside from the political ideology that he claims to represent, there are records indicating exactly when he has gone back and forth in his political views as a citizen.
President Trump initially registered himself as a Republican in 1987, an Independent in 1999, a Democrat in 2001, a Republican in 2009, Unaffiliated in 2011, and once again as a Republican in 2012. Now, changing your mind is a right that every American has and every citizen should have. In fact, it is encouraged to keep an open mind when it comes to politics rather than be consumed by a party for the sake of remaining loyal. That being said, it is strange to see someone travel through the political spectrum in a matter of 13 years. All of this political meandering is suspicious, but I think it would be unfair to jump to any conclusions. That is, until he decided to run for president.
Part of what makes politicians appealing to voters is their voting record and a solid foundation of core values. President Trump, however, was essentially given a clean slate, as he has never held public office before his presidency; therefore, he has no voting record to be critiqued. While many Republican politicians stood firmly against President Trump throughout 2016, such as former GOP candidate, Mitt Romney, who called Trump a “phony” and a “fraud,” these voices of opposition have cowardly disappeared since Inauguration Day.
Moreover, his promises to “drain the swamp” and fight against those who represent the corrupt establishment in Washington D.C. have quickly faded and been forgotten. While deciding on who to nominate for his cabinet, President Trump seemed to have a certain fondness for the rich and white. Some headliners of Trump’s nominations for cabinet include Rex Tillerson, the former CEO and chairman of ExxonMobil, with a net worth estimated around $150 million.
President Trump has also nominated Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Senator with a history of tolerating the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) while dishing criticism toward the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). President Trump’s decisions made thus far should not be associated with feelings of the Republican Party, nor the Democrats or Independents, as they are nothing short of Oligarchic and Fascist.
From the start of his campaign, President Trump has put a serious emphasis on nationalism more than anything else. This ideology was etched into his legacy on the day of his inauguration when his speech was highlighted by his “America first” comments and attitude. President Trump put this mindset into action when announcing official plans to build a wall on our southern border and implement “extreme vetting” for people traveling to our country from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
The Commander in Chief has claimed, these are merely acts of national security and meant to keep Americans safe from the brutal violence that awaits us outside of our nation’s coasts. If the term Fascist seems too harsh for you, I’ll break it down. In the U.S. Holocaust Museum, there is an area where people are able to read some “Early Warning Signs of Fascism.” I’ll share some of them, and we can see how accurate of a term “fascist” is for President Trump.
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism and Obsession with National Security: As stated earlier, Trump has emphasized relentlessly the importance of keeping our country safe from the imposing threats of the rest of the world. While national security is important, it has never been such a predominant aspect of a presidential campaign.
2. Disdain for Human Rights: On the campaign trail in Columbus, Ohio, President Trump spoke to the crowd on waterboarding. “Would I approve waterboarding? You bet your ass I would,” Trump professed. Since taking office he has noted that he “absolutely” feels torture is effective.
3. Rampant Sexism: “I did try to fuck her. She was married,. “I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn’t get there. And she was married,” “You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful [women]— I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.” Said the President of the United States of America
4. Controlled Mass Media: From the start of his campaign, President Trump was persistent in his rhetoric about the “dishonest media” treating him unfairly. Additionally, Trump has made personal attacks on accredited news organizations such as The New York Times and CNN, citing them as “fake news” simply because of their criticism directed towards him and his platform.
These are just some of the early warning signs listed in the museum. Although the aforementioned generate the strongest response, each one has a frightening resemblance to the president’s agenda. For these reasons, among others, I strongly suggest all people to step outside of their political allegiance, and take a look at what exactly is going on in our country. This is a time where people are living in fear of our government more than ever, and we must ensure that our leaders are not exploiting these fears for personal benefit at the expense of the entire population.