Matt Dragonette
No title can do justice to the horrific phenomenon that “presidential” candidate Donald Trump has already wrought upon the United States. From his sexist attacks on journalists to tyrannical policy statements, Trump has come to represent everything that would be wrong in a presidency. Not only is he unfit to be president, we should question his sanity — or at least his ideology and true motivations for entering the presidential primary.
I say this, not as your typical college student, but one who identifies as mostly “conservative.” I love the Bill of Rights, small constitutional government, low taxes, strong defense and free-market principles. My social views are more like those of my peers, but there’s no Bernie Sanders shrine in my home. So the thought of a Trump presidency — or even candidacy — makes me recoil.
He might be temporarily leading a splintered Republican primary, but Donald Trump is no conservative. He wants to be as controlling as a two-bit dictator, and his latest comments on Muslims and Internet access confirm that.
Trump’s “openness” to a special government database to specifically track Muslim-Americans reflects his priority of absolutist government power disguised as “safety” over the individual rights of Americans. There is no constitutional basis for keeping tabs on a population of citizens merely united by their religious identification, whether Muslim or Christian. This arbitrary tracking of Muslims would resemble an Orwellian “utopia” or Hitler’s early restrictions on German Jews more than the free, open society that America is supposed to be. He later called for a temporary ban on Muslim travel to the United States — which though not necessarily violating the Constitution, definitely runs counter to the American ideal, a “nation of immigrants.”
His most errant statement was saved for last, in which he defended President Franklin Roosevelt’s mass imprisonment of 110,000 Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. This action, for which Ronald Reagan issued a national apology in 1988, was certainly a totalitarian decision by the government. His defense of FDR’s actions opens up the possibility of interning Muslim-Americans during the “war on terror.” This idea — like FDR’s action — would violate the very due process and liberty that the United States is founded upon. It runs counter to conservative ideology and American ideals in general.
To further combat terrorism, Trump has suggested “closing that Internet up in some way” as a response to the radicalization of “homegrown” terrorists. In the very next sentence, he attacks potential critics’ free speech claims as being from “foolish people.” Only “foolish” Americans defend liberty, says a would-be president. Forget the near impossibility of blocking Americans’ Internet access, Trump’s comments reveal a disdain for the fundamental right of free speech. The Internet is a significant avenue for the exercise of free speech, yet Trump would try to shut it down in some vain attempt to keep Americans safe. As an example of tyranny at its finest, North Korea’s two-bit dictator extremely limits Internet access for its people. China blocks certain sites — helping the government’s stifling dissent in a pseudo-Communist dictatorship.
These are utterly autocratic beliefs. Severely restricting the freedoms of religion and speech makes America look more like a Middle Eastern dictatorship than the “land of the free.”
Statements and beliefs like these make Trump unsuited to be president. If he is willing to ignore constitutional rights and founding principles for the sake of popularity or some notion of safety, then he should not be in the White House. His outrageous quotes — which come in by the hour — sound more like drunken slurs than the competent, coherent policy statements expected of a president. A dozen more Republican candidates exist who can be more presidential, conservative and competent. Reagan could unite a country by focusing on its greatness — Trump thinks he can unite one by bullying people he hates. He wants to destroy the very principles of the country he wishes to rule.
One can hope that Trump’s entry into the race was a satirical ploy. Or the latest in his lifelong quest to satisfy his ego. Or a desire to stay relevant and advertise his businesses. Or even at the behest of Bill Clinton, who reportedly encouraged Trump to run in the weeks prior to his entry into the race.
Regardless of whether ideology, ego or Clinton caused Trump to run, he needs to be soundly defeated. He’s bad for Republicans, but more importantly, he would be terrible for the country. His honesty and candid speech is refreshing in a campaign, but the actual words and beliefs are vile and tyrannical. He threatens the very sanctity of the Constitution and fundamental rights of all Americans. He seeks to restrict significant freedoms with massive increases in government power.
Trump will almost certainly be defeated in the primary, with other candidates consolidating support as more establishment candidates withdrawal — and his inability to build on his current lead is telling of his limited base of support. But Trump’s increasingly tyrannical proclivities make his (minuscule) chance of reaching the Oval Office all the more dangerous.
