Let's overlook the fact that Trump has:
- been convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records
- mocked a disabled reporter
- diminished sacrifices made by military veterans
- been found liable for sexual assault
- had multiple extramarital affairs
- admitted in the Access Hollywood tapes to being a serial sexual predator
- despite his intention to run the country like a business, had numerous business failings such as Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka, Trump University, Trump Airlines, and four business bankruptcies
- lied about where he was and what he saw on September 11th
- been indicted on numerous other charges including withholding national security files, trying to overturn the 2020 election, and inciting the Capitol riots on January 6th
- routinely lied about almost every topic imaginable; of Politifact's over 1000 ratings, only 22% were half-true or better
Let's ignore all those for the moment and focus on the issues. I would like someone to help me understand why people voted for a man who--from what I can tell--holds views in stark contrast with most Americans.
Health Care
Health Care
Since 2015, Donald Trump has been promising to repeal the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and replace it with something better. In the almost decade since, he has never given any hint of what that something better will be. As a candidate, as a president, and as a candidate again, he has not once put forward anything resembling a plan to replace and improve on the ACA.
Trump initially campaigned on the promise of overturning Roe vs. Wade, a promise he was able to keep. Once the decision was overturned, even Republican-leaning states such as Kansas and Kentucky had voters decide to protect abortion rights. Once this began happening, Trump tried to change his position, saying the issue belongs to the states, and that's all he intended. Even if this is true (my research says it's not), health care is not a topic that should vary from state to state. Other issues, such as minimum wage (New York has a higher cost of living than North Carolina, so, yes, NY's minimum wage should be higher), can vary from state to state, but need for medical treatment is not something that changes based on state lines. Just because a person crosses from Wyoming to Colorado doesn't mean a person's medical issues stop at the state line.
Foreign Affairs
Trump's repeated attempts at isolationism has left much of the world shaking its head. Trump removed the US from the Paris Climate Accords and the Iran nuclear deal, leaving many US allies concerned and abandoned. Trump has also criticized nations for not paying enough to NATO, saying they have to pay their fair share, but should that diminish the US's role or push the US to leave entirely?
He has also said that he will end the Russia war in Ukraine, but given that he said Putin can "do whatever the hell he wants," will that mean Trump will encourage Ukraine to accept Russian annexation of parts of their country? Trump also has a history of being friendly with national leaders at odds with the US (Putin and Kim, most notoriously) while alienating longtime allies. The US has had a longstanding role of helping throughout the world, but Trump's isolationist policies put that at risk and in doing so, gives nations such as China an opening to gain what Trump willingly gives up on the global stage.
Economics
Foreign Affairs
Trump's repeated attempts at isolationism has left much of the world shaking its head. Trump removed the US from the Paris Climate Accords and the Iran nuclear deal, leaving many US allies concerned and abandoned. Trump has also criticized nations for not paying enough to NATO, saying they have to pay their fair share, but should that diminish the US's role or push the US to leave entirely?
He has also said that he will end the Russia war in Ukraine, but given that he said Putin can "do whatever the hell he wants," will that mean Trump will encourage Ukraine to accept Russian annexation of parts of their country? Trump also has a history of being friendly with national leaders at odds with the US (Putin and Kim, most notoriously) while alienating longtime allies. The US has had a longstanding role of helping throughout the world, but Trump's isolationist policies put that at risk and in doing so, gives nations such as China an opening to gain what Trump willingly gives up on the global stage.
Economics
From what I can tell, this is the issue that drove many away from the Democrats this year. That said, I don't understand how Trump plans to make it better. I know that inflation, unemployment, and stock market numbers don't show the entire picture, but the numbers seem comparable under both Trump and Biden. Many of Trump's policies seem geared toward the wealthy, though, and don't impact the lower and middle classes. For example, his 2017 tax cuts benefitted major corporations and wealthy individuals much more than lower income earners. His plan to exempt overtime, tips, and social security benefits from taxes would drive up the deficit, speed up social security's path to insolvency, and--again--benefit the wealthy.
Then there's tariffs. Trump has promised to increase tariffs on seemingly every country, but pretty much every economic report I've heard finds that tariffs only serve to impact American consumers with higher prices. In addition, the countries we trade with apply their own tariffs and once again, consumers pay the price. On top of that, the relationships with those nations suffer accordingly.
Then there's tariffs. Trump has promised to increase tariffs on seemingly every country, but pretty much every economic report I've heard finds that tariffs only serve to impact American consumers with higher prices. In addition, the countries we trade with apply their own tariffs and once again, consumers pay the price. On top of that, the relationships with those nations suffer accordingly.
Immigration
The influx of undocumented immigrants is an issue, but Trump, since declaring his candidacy in 2015, has repeatedly described them as rapists, drug dealers, and terrorists. Trump claims that drugs such as Fentanyl are flowing in through all border crossings, but the reality is it's still primarily being smuggled in through legal checkpoints. His travel ban is also blatantly anti-Muslim. Trump is conflating the issues. Muslim does not mean terrorist; Latino does not mean drug dealer. Trump is again playing to the fears of his base.
I'm sure more issues exist, but I don't see how they're any different from ones I addressed here. From my point of view, Trump is unqualified for this office solely for his positions. I mean, feel free to factor in those issues I told you to set aside at the start, and we can address the morality of the president, too, but right now I'm more focused on qualifications.
So please, if you voted for Trump, either actively for him or as a vote against Harris, leave a comment explaining why. Help me understand your thought process, because I've been wracking my brain and I cannot come up with anything that would explain why people would vote for him. And, of course, keep it polite. Hate has no place on this blog.
So please, if you voted for Trump, either actively for him or as a vote against Harris, leave a comment explaining why. Help me understand your thought process, because I've been wracking my brain and I cannot come up with anything that would explain why people would vote for him. And, of course, keep it polite. Hate has no place on this blog.
