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We Should Have Avoided the Trump Disaster
This piece was originally published in my hometown Daily Hampshire Gazette.
I recently asked a friend of
mine at work who voted for Donald Trump, "Any regrets?"
He looked at the floor and muttered,
"Trump isn't what I expected." As he retreated down the hallway, he
called back, "But Hillary would have been worse." His shaky voice confirmed
that even he doesn't believe those words.
Before the election, my
friend always gave me the same two reasons for supporting Trump: Trump knows
what he's doing, and Hillary would be worse. He definitely regrets the first
reason, and he's reconsidering the second as well.
Let's look at our current
Trump debacle and imagine a Clinton presidency instead.
Trump has set new records
for delusional bragging, being a sore winner, and embarrassing the country. He
lies about voter fraud being the reason he lost the popular vote. He lies about
the size of his inauguration crowd. He lies about Obama spying on him. He
bad-mouths the millions of protestors who question his policies and character.
He holds campaign rallies only in states he won while embracing policies that
he admits will harm his supporters. He insults anyone who questions him every
chance he gets.
Had Clinton won, she would
have based her policies on values that bring us together. She would have looked
for common ground with any Republicans interested in serving the nation rather
than playing partisan politics. She would have listened to the voters who
didn't choose her and worked for policies to help them, even as they slander
her.
Trump's administrative picks
have been a weird array of family members, extremists,
incompetents, saboteurs, and corporate cronies. He appointed a paid
agent of foreign dictators as his National Security Advisor and the head of a
White Supremacist website as his Chief Strategist. Instead of "draining
the swamp," as he promised, Trump made himself King of the Swamp.
Clinton would have selected
accomplished specialists with a rich history of public service for her
administration. And they would have represented America's diversity instead of
reflecting a percentage of white males that rivals Duck Dynasty's regular viewers.
Trump has repeatedly denied
Russia's attack on our election--even as members of his inner circle are
implicated, and Trump's compromising business ties to Russia are revealed.
Trump refuses to condemn Vladimir Putin as he murders his political opponents,
oppresses his people, and leads a criminal Kleptocracy.
Clinton would have called
for independent investigations into Russia's subversion of our election to
prevent future attacks. She would have led the free world's opposition to
Putin's dictatorial reign, just as she helped Obama do as his Secretary of
State.
Without sufficient
intelligence, Trump approved a misguided military raid in Yemen that led to
multiple civilian casualties, little useful information recovery, and the death
of an American Navy Seal. Benghazi pales by comparison.
Clinton would have shown
restraint, resolve, and respect for our military and intelligence communities.
She would have personally overseen missions in the Situation Room instead
tweeting, as Trump did during his tragic Yemen raid.
Trump repeatedly embarrasses
our country with obnoxious tweets, interviews, press conferences, and meetings
with world leaders. Clinton would have represented us with strength, class, and
dignity--just as she always has.
Trump signed Republican
bills damaging our online privacy, allowing coal-mining waste to be dumped into
rivers, and making it easier for mentally ill people to get guns. Clinton would
have vetoed such nonsense.
Trump keeps pushing for
misguided mass deportations and a wall that Mexico will not pay for. Clinton
would have pushed for comprehensive, common-sense immigration reform.
Trump issued illegal,
offensive travel bans for majority-Muslim countries, making America less safe
by advancing the false narrative that we hate Muslims. Clinton would have made
it clear, as Obama and even George W. Bush did, that our nation is not at war
with Islam.
Trump's budget attacks the
poor, education, diplomacy, and every aspect of American culture not related to
defense contractors and corporations. Clinton would have budgeted with true
American values and progressive initiatives to fund real efforts to keep
America great.
Trump nominated a Supreme
Court pick with a record of attacking the rights of women, workers, and
disabled people. Clinton would have renominated Obama's well-respected pick,
Merrick Garland, who was unconstitutionally blocked by cynical Republicans, or
she would have nominated someone even better--perhaps Obama himself.
Trump tried to rush through
a senseless Obamacare repeal. Clinton would have studied the issues, brought
all sides into the discussion, deliberated with care, and championed real
reforms to improve Obamacare and lay the groundwork for an eventual
single-payer system.
In retrospect, how could we
have predicted Trump's complete incompetence? If only we had some clue during
the campaign that Clinton would have been a far better president than Trump.
Oh, wait. We did. The entire campaign showed that glaring contrast. Some people
just refused to see the obvious. But at least my formerly pro-Trump work friend
is beginning to realize his mistake. Baby steps.
Anyone who still believes
that Clinton would have been as bad as Trump is profoundly confused. His
holdout followers are either hapless victims of Trump's propaganda operation or
willing participants in that machine. Either way, as the world suffers under
Trump, we all suffer together.
John Sheirer is an author
and teacher who lives in Florence. His most recent book is, "Donald
Trump's Top Secret Concession Speech." Find him at JohnSheirer.com.
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