Trump 2.0

What have we done?

I know that my readers are a diverse group. Some are not unhappy with the recent election results. Many are stunned and dispirited. On Facebook they have been hanging crepe and talk about sitting in sackcloth and ashes. Comparisons to Germany in the 1930’s abound.

If you are afraid that electing Trump was the first step towards fascism for America, you may be right. Trump may be a nascent Hitler. We can’t be sure. You may be right. History is written looking backwards. As that great philosopher, Yoda, once said, “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” Maybe after the president rounds up all those illegal aliens, he will start to round up LGBTQ+ individuals and trans-activists. Maybe.

One thing for sure, Trump is going to be as surprised as the rest of us with whatever happens in the next 4 years. Unexpected events will surely shape his legacy. (Maybe aliens will invade from outer space next week. Is he ready?)

In thinking about what just happened, let’s not make the same mistake that Kamala made. Let’s not just base our arguments on Trump and his pathology. Let’s think of the people who voted for him. What did they want? What do they expect?

A majority of Americans voted for the man, over 70 million. Let us take note! Those voters do not expect to spend their lives in concentration camps or to lose their individual liberties as a result of the election.

Maybe the American electorate is ignorant and easily fooled. Maybe they don’t understand who they just voted for. Maybe they were all fooled by misinformation and conspiracy theories. Maybe all that is true, but let’s try giving the American people some credit. Maybe some of those 70 million knew what they were doing when they elected Trump. If so, what does it tell us?

Here are some of my thoughts:

American Trump voters are really afraid that they are losing their country to alien others and out-of-touch “woke” elites. Trump played to those fears.

You have to admit that the hordes of immigrants at the Southern border grew tremendously right after Biden’s election, and Biden initially DID NOTHING to stem the flow of illegal migration. What was up with that? I never understood it. The administration finally got their act together but it was too little, too late, and Trump outmaneuvered them to keep fears alive.

Those people who voted for Trump? They are afraid that they are losing control of their children and their schools. Trump and his followers would joke: “I sent my son to school and he came back a girl.” That is no joke to them. It is a real fear and Kamala never spoke about it because she was afraid of alienating the progressive Democrats; those progressives who reluctantly supported her as she drifted to the center and especially the TRANS-ACTIVE COMMUNITY!! God forbid. Trump spoke about it, “I see the problem and I feel your pain.” Kamala did not.

Even liberal Democrats are not ready to accept trans-girls, that is boys transitioning to become girls, participating in girls sports. Even liberal Democrats are not ready for trans-women, that is men transitioning to women, in women’s locker rooms. The country is not ready yet for the advancement of trans rights - just not ready. It was years before America accepted gay people as mainstream. The day may come for trans individuals, but America is just not ready, and Trump played on their fears.

Those Trump voters also see the wars in Europe and Israel and they worry. Kamala said almost nothing about the world situation. She never said, “We live in a dangerous world, and I am going to help make it better.” Trump did. She never took a strong stand on Gaza because she was afraid of alienating that same progressive wing of the party - the ones who believe that Israel is a colonial enterprise practicing genocide on the poor Palestinians. Trump could care less about those activists.

He told his supporters that those wars never would have started on his watch. He told them that he would end those wars - even before he was anointed, I mean, inaugurated. Without giving any detail as to how he would do these things, he talked as if he could do it. Many people believed him. They voted to give him a chance.

Kamala failed to speak truth to the public on these and other issues. Biden hardly spoke at all. They were trying to walk the fine line as pragmatic centrists without alienating progressives. As a result, they failed to address real issues directly. They let Trump, with all his crazy ideas, speak the truth every once in a while, between the lies and exaggerations - and it was enough.

And, yes, finally, America just may not ready for a woman of color, or any woman for that matter, in the White House. Too bad that Democrats couldn’t have had a real primary. Kamala’s weakness might have been obvious, and someone else might have been chosen.

I don’t think we have a Hitler here. Trump is not competent enough or evil enough to be Hitler. Instead, TRUMP IS A DISRUPTER!

Just like all those Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, he doesn’t care what he disrupts as he achieves his goals.

Remember record stores? Now, the ones that are left only sell old vinyl. New vinyl is too expensive to buy and besides, music is free on the internet, isn’t it?

Remember taxis? Now we have Uber and Lyft. Those entrepreneurs didn’t care if thousands of cabbies lost their livelihood. They had a better idea, and it worked.

Remember book stores? Amazon made short work of them.

Remember looking for a phone booth to make an urgent call? When is the last time you even saw a phone booth? 

Trump is going to disrupt many things. He is going to disrupt public schools and universities big time. He is going to disrupt international affairs. Europe look out! However, if I was the Ayatollah, or Mahmoud Abbas I would also be very afraid. The next time Iran sends misses into Israel, I expect Trump to want to attack Iran along with Israel in response.

Watch out Hamas and all their apologists! Those jerks at Harvard and Columbia, and all those “uncommitted” Arab voters in Michigan think that Biden was too supportive of Israel? Wait until Trump has a chance to make sure that Israel wins in Gaza and Lebanon.

I wonder about Ukraine and Trumps’ claim that he can end the war. It seems that there are two choice here. He could call his friend Vladimir and tell him to back off. He could tell Vlad, “Look, you have a weak and disorganized army, so give it up. Get out of Ukraine or I go all in to push you out.” Conversely, he could call Zelensky and tell him, “The game is up. Time to negotiate.” We don’t know what he will do. That is what scares everyone from liberal Americans to autocratic world leaders. He is unpredictable. He is not afraid to upend the order of things that we have come to expect. You could be his favorite one day and find yourself under the bus the next day. Take note, Vlad.

I don’t expect Xi to challenge him. China does not want a real war over Taiwan. They just want to bluff their way onto the Island so that they can sell microchips back to us. I know that Trump just likes to play the strong man, but he does have the power of our military to back him up.

I do not think that American voters are stupid, misled or confused. When millions of people send a message, we should listen. They all knew that Trump was a liar, but they also knew that he sometimes would call it like they saw it. Sometimes he called a spade a spade.

I can rephrase from Billy Joel, “You may be right, he may be crazy. Oh, but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for.” Maybe Trump is the lunatic American needs. He is certainly the lunatic we elected.

I understand why the people I know are in shock, depressed and anxious. We don’t know what to expect and disruption has not been our goal. But, disruption is what we are about to get. So, we should get our seatbelts on tight and hold that roll bar. The ride is about to get bumpy!

I would really like to hear some other points of view. What do you think was the take away message from the election? Use the comment button to respond so that other readers can read your opinion or email me directly.

You May Be Right (Lyrics)

From: Glass Houses

Release Date: March 12, 1980

Friday night I crashed your party
Saturday I said I'm sorry
Sunday came and trashed me out again
I was only having fun
Wasn't hurting anyone
And we all enjoyed the weekend for a change

I've been stranded in the combat zone
I walked through Bedford Stuy alone
Even rode my motorcycle in the rain
And you told me not to drive
But I made it home alive
So you said that only proves that I'm insane

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
Turn out the light
Don't try to save me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right

Remember how I found you there
Alone in your electric chair
I told you dirty jokes until you smiled
You were lonely for a man
I said take me as I am
'Cause you might enjoy some madness for a while

Now think of all the years you tried to
Find someone to satisfy you
I might be as crazy as you say
If I'm crazy then it's true
That it's all because of you
And you wouldn't want me any other way

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
It's too late to fight
It's too late to change me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
Turn out the light
Don't try to save me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right

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Jef Sneider

November, 2024

Syracuse, NY