Berl Falbaum
This column is addressed to Trump supporters.
For eight years now and with hundred of thousands of words, I have tried to fathom your allegiance to Donald Trump.
I finally concluded you were prepared to abandon your entire moral foundation in exchange for Trump and his political philosophy (that assumes he has one). While I understood that devil’s bargain, I found it indefensible.
Then I was shocked — which is not easy for a cynic like me — when I read in a recent poll that 79 percent of Republicans support his moral values — his moral values — “a great deal” or “somewhat.”
That told me you approve of mimicking the disabled; assaulting/raping women; pathological lying; overturning a democratic election; inciting an insurrection; hiring pornographic actors; calling those who died in wars defending the U.S. “losers and suckers” among other insults; stoking racism; and antisemitism; and so, so, so much more.
Let’s dig into that a little more deeply.
Suppose that you have an acquaintance to whom you tell the most outrageous lies because you know he/she will believe them. Nothing is rejected, even when you offer that the Earth is flat.
How would you react? My guess is that you would consider that individual a fool and even ridicule him/her to friends and relatives.
I believe it is perfectly safe to assume that if any of your relatives, friends, co-workers or boss lied to you consistently, you would end relationships wherever possible.
Enter Trump. He certainly is grateful for your support, but you can bet that privately he considers Trumpites easy to manipulate and a useful tool.
When on January 23, 2016, Trump said, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK? It's, like, incredible,” he recognized Trumpites’ uncompromising allegiance. (He could substitute, “The more I get indicted.”)
But it should not be interpreted as a compliment.
Consider the implications: He can lead you around like sheep; you don’t have any morals; you don’t care about truth; you don’t think for yourself; you’ll support anything he does even when it is illegal; you’re like marionettes on strings.
Even Trump considered that incredible. Indeed, he did not always understand your fidelity. When the Access Hollywood tape was made public one month before the 2016 election, he was prepared to drop out, but his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, convinced him not to because “they don’t care.”
You do realize that he knows perfectly well that he is lying to you? And you can be confident that he will turn on you with lies when it is to his benefit. (Think Trump on Pence.)
Further proof of undiluted Trumpism comes from various polls that show that a substantial number of Republicans would still vote for Trump even if he is convicted of a felony. Values!
Here is some recent evidence of the unshakeable faithfulness to Trump from when he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) just before the primary in South Carolina, and supporters in his victory speech the night of Super Tuesday.
The CPAC speech was so fraught with lies that even Fox News cut away and fact-checked Trump’s speech while he was still speaking. A few “highlights” from the two speeches:
• The price of gas is “sitting at five, six, seven and even eight dollars…” The national average is roughly $3.40.
• He said he opposed the war in Iraq when in fact he supported it both in a book he wrote and in an interview with radio host Howard Stern.
• The 2020 election was rigged and stolen. (Enough said about that already.)
• Biden indicted him. Fact: Grand juries indicted him.
• He deployed the National Guard in Minneapolis after the murder of George Floyd. The Guard was activated by the state’s governor, Tim Walz.
• Trump claimed the U.S. trade deficit sits at $2 trillion. The deficit was roughly $773 billion in 2023, down from the record high of $951 billion the previous year.
• Trump alleged the U.S. left $85 billion worth of military equipment in the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The total is about $7.1 billion.
• He said he built 571 miles of wall at the border. He built 47 miles of new walls.
• He claimed the U.S. was energy independent during his presidency but now relies on others. Fact: The U.S. is producing more oil than at any time in its history — almost 14 million barrels a day — more than any other country in the world.
On and on it went; the lies above are only a few samples. The reaction: standing ovations.
To call this blind loyalty, of course, is an understatement. It is also difficult to comprehend. Somewhere along the line, one would expect Trumpites to stand up, protesting, “Politics aside, I will not be used. I do have standards and I will not be party to such blatant dishonesty. I
will not support him if he shoots someone on Fifth Avenue or on any other avenue.”
I know this column probably angers Trumpites and I would ask them to temper their outrage. Instead, I would urge them to examine their self-worth and the standards they set for their children and grandchildren (who aren’t stupid).
Is it really worth it to sacrifice your character for conservative policies (his so-called conservatism is highly questionable) that can be pursued with other politicians — yes, Republicans?
A final point: If you or one of your loved ones fell victim to Trump’s lying, corruption, or a sexual assault/rape, would you still honor the Fifth Avenue Doctrine? Didn’t think so.
To emphasize, this is not about conservative or liberal politics. Along with policies we support, we must demand from all our public officials, down to alderman, integrity, good character, and a moral foundation.
Somewhere along the line Trumpites have forgotten the one thing you can’t get back once it’s lost is self-respect.
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Berl Falbaum is a veteran journalist and author of 12 books.
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