Trump and Trumpism; Some Reflections

February 3, 2021

1. Introduction.

1.1. President Trump has retired, at least for now, from public office but his impact on American politics is not yet complete. Also, Trumpism itself is disjointed and inconsistent. e.g. a strenuous defense of American freedom is countered by a persistent attack on the mainstream media. This makes analysis difficult.

1.2. Throughout Trump's presidency the extent of false presidential statements and his general unorthodoxy has caused puzzlement, disbelief and consternation throughout the world.

1.3. It must be acknowledged that often the mainstream media do not treat President Trump fairly. Partly because most have an inherent leftist bent, partly because Trump humiliates mainstream media by his tirades against "fake news", and partly because he gives the media abundant reasons for being critical, he often fails to be credited for notable achievements.

1.4. An author's bias is acknowledged. If I were an American I would be a moderate Republican.

2. Some roots of Trumpism.

2.1. Racism.

*The fact of the matter is that for several centuries US development and especially its economic surge was built partly on slavery. Granted, some other countries have had the same legacy but seemingly, as in Jamaica and Latin America generally and also in some other lands, the subsequent racial integration has been much more successful.

*Although the 1776 American Declaration of Independence proclaims that "all men are created equal" it was, in reality, a flawed if not hypocritical political document. In the first place, many of the writers including the first president George Washington, owned numerous slaves. In the second place, the 1781 US constitution states that in the census count of population by which House of Representatives seats shall be allocated, all slaves shall be counted as "three-fifths" of a person. Article I, Section 2. This racist policy was not changed until the 14th Amendment was approved in 1868.

*Even in present times the likelihood of black men being stopped by police officers is much greater than for white men. Mistreatment, often brutally by police officers, persists to this day. Also, on average black people are punished more severely than white people for the same crime. Other examples of persistent racism abound.

2.2. Excessive individualism.

Rooted in and perhaps required in pioneer living, the excessive belief in individualism has persisted longer and stronger in the US than in other democracies. One consequence has been a strong antipathy, for most Americans, against a collective response to needs. Collective or societal responses to societal problems and needs are widely rejected as socialism and communism.

2.3. The tendency to fuse politics and religion.

*“In the United States, religion is...mingled with all the habits of the nation and all the feelings of patriotism, whence it derives a peculiar force.” Alexis de Tocqueville, 1831

*This tendency is not unique to the US; it was common throughout medieval and early modern Europe but it has persisted longer in the US than in other democracies, except for some

predominantly Catholic countries, especially in Latin America.

* A phenomenon generally known as Christian-Americanism deserves special attention.

The 1620 Mayflower Compact, drawn up by the first settlers in what became the United States, asserted that the intention of these pioneers was “to advance the cause of Christ” and “to serve God”. For some Christian folk, this should still be a purpose for government.

In 1848, prominent American William A. Scott wrote that “God has a great design for this

continent – for our generation. As the Jews of old...as our fathers of 1776 – so are we, as a race and as a nation, a peculiar people and called to a high and glorious destiny.” Shades of such Christian nativism linger, at least subconsciously.

Historian Albert Beveridge, a U.S. senator from 1899 until 1911, was a widely revered and much quoted national leader. In one of his famous speeches he said the following: “He [God] has marked the American people as His chosen nation to finally lead in the regeneration of the world. This is the divine mission of America, and it holds for us all the profit, all the glory, all the happiness possible to man. We are trustees of the world's progress, guardians of its righteous peace. The judgment of the Master is upon us. 'Ye have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things'.” He spoke this to justify the attack on The Philippines.

Although such reasoning is no longer a dominant theme, shades of it persist in a more subtle forms in much of US society. I don't want to overstate the case but I also don't want to under- rate its significance. Many Americans, including some leaders, still see the US as an agency through which God works, not only works but works uniquely. I believe that sometimes God does carry out his plan through political agencies but that acknowledgment is not synonymous with the notion that the U.S. is God's favourite country, his new Israel. Subtle and sometimes not so subtle appeals to that orientation and mindset persist. It is ironic that a president who in his private life largely rejects Christian ethics has evoked massive support among Christians by speaking desired words and supporting certain Christian values in legislation and executive orders. This history and these values were fertile ground for "Make America Great Again".

2.4. A belief in American exceptionalism.

The concept of political exceptionalism is related to Christian-Americanism but is basically secular. It holds that the US is different from, implying better than, all other countries. It has great staying power. Even in recent presidential and other elections questioners frequently asked candidates if they believe in American exceptionalism. For electoral reasons, if not out of conviction, candidates generally reply that they do.

2.5. The tendency to define virtue as pre-eminence, as being first, as being biggest.

Most Americans have been raised on a steady diet of US greatness and pre-eminence. Something is wrong if the US does not come out on top. The fact that in many undertakings and areas of achievement the US does come out on top feeds this mindset. In many pursuits the US does best. This reality also was fertile ground for the call to " Make America Great Again".

2.6. The dominant ethics of American society have changed.

In recent decades, perhaps generations, many Americans, especially white evangelicals, have come to believe that the American Christian past was rapidly fading. They are largely right. They believe that something must be done to counteract large-scale abortion, the affirmation of same-sex marriage, the secularization of education, and other so-called progressive social developments. Tens of millions were ready for a leader to express their grievances.

2.7. American democracy has moved away from elitist elections. Elitism emphasized electing

not the ordinary but the truly great, the elite, not weaker candidates. Note this prophecy. The time will come when "the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and completely narcissistic moron." H. L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

3. Trump the man.

3.1. Trump delights in being abrasive. 2

This trait was frequently evident in his television shows when he shouted to some studio guest,

"You're fired!” Instead of diplomatic or kind words of conciliation we often hear abrasive assertions against those with whom he disagrees - "Crooked Hilary" Trump is usually in a combative mode. In democratic politics leaders need to be conciliatory.

3.2. Trump needlessly alienates people.

He very much needs the media to treat him fairly yet he relentlessly calls almost all of them "fake news". He needed his fellow Republicans in Congress to support his initiatives yet he constantly ridiculed many of them and others with demeaning and disparaging, often even crude, nicknames as about "Little Marco" Rubio or about Hilary as "Liar, liar, pantsuits on fire".

3.3. Trump's ego is breathtaking.

Some time ago, in a briefing to reporters, Trump stated that he is respected in China due to his “very, very large brain”.

”Sorry, losers and haters, but my IQ is one of the highest and you all know it. Please don't feel so stupid and insecure, it's not your fault.” May 9, 2013

*Trump tends to believe anyone who flatters him.

Because of this exalted self-image Trump sees himself not as a servant of the people in a democracy but, rather, he sees the people as spectators and beneficiaries of his greatness.

3.4. Trump defines himself as never being a loser.

This is why he cannot accept his 2020 election loss. By definition he did not lose. For him this assertion may require adjusting the facts to fit the conclusion so he readily does that. This means that almost anything is ethically justifiable if it enables him to avoid being seen as a loser. It means denying truth, even if truth is affirmed by his appointees and is obvious to all.

3.4. Trump, on principle, rejects the idea of apologizing.

When a reporter pressed him on this issue, President Trump stated that he avoided apology by

not doing anything wrong.

3.5. Trump has a proclivity to make stupid statements.

"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I would not lose voters.”

January 23, 2016 Maybe this is true but it is none the less very inappropriate for a president.

”I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that. Mark my words.” June 15, 2015 Even in 2021 he kept on repeating this totally false mantra. ”We had a massive landslide victory in the Electoral College.” False. Trump's 2016 Electoral College numbers rank in the bottom quarter of all successful presidential candidates.

3.6. Trump sees much activity in terms of duality.

Why? In business there is a buyer and a seller. Each wants to drive a beneficial deal. With a zero-sum mindset, this means that what one gains the other will lose. A compromise agreement which can be a mutually beneficial outcome for both makes no sense to Trump. Thus he leaves very little space for political consensus building or accommodation. He expects antithesis because, as he sees the situation, two different interests are competing. For him, thus, a compromise is an agreement to accept an outcome that both sides consider to be wrong.

4. Trump and falsity. (This is noted separately because of its centrality in Trump's public life.)

4.1. Never before has there been a US president who has so blatantly and repeatedly lied, even in the face of compelling contrary evidence. A pun based on the title of a famous novel is apt:

President Trump has been called Lord of the Lies.

4.2. Never before has it been considered significant to count the specific lies uttered by a US president. At the close of Trump's presidency The Washington Post reported that during his time as president, Donald Trump had spoken 30,373 identifiable and demonstrable lies. Without doubt, he will go down in history as the consummate political liar of all times.

4.3. Some examples of Trump's lies illustrate the depth and brazenness of his lying.

*Even though pictures showed that President Obama's inaugural outside audience was much

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larger than Trump's, Trump still insisted his was larger. Often, for him, evidence is denied.

*Concerning immigration cases, “we have thousands of judges.” May 30, 2018 The actual number was fewer than 400.

*Americans are the “only ones to have birthright citizenship.” A statement repeated many times. False. At least 32 other countries, including Canada, grant citizenship to children born in that country.

*“Wow, our highest poll numbers in the history of the Republican Party. That includes Honest Abe Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.” July 30, 2018 Trump is wrong about Reagan who had much higher numbers and, of course, there were no poll numbers in Lincoln's time.

*"U.S. Steel just announced that they are building six new steel mills.” August 2, 2018 There was no such announcement and no new steel mills have been built.

*"John McCain [is] not a war hero. I like people that weren't captured." July 18, 2015 The fact of the matter is that when the North Vietnamese captors realized that McCain was an officer, they offered to release him. He courageously declined because they would not also release other American captives. He then spent three more years in captivity and endured much torture.

*Trump has clearly bought into the well-known Communist axiom that "Truth is whatever advances the cause of the Party".

*Concerning China Trump said, "tariffs - they paid us tens of billions". July 27, 2020 The fact of the matter, of course, is that China pays no tariff costs. Tariff costs are paid entirely by importers, in this case American companies and individuals.

*After an excellent and fair analysis of Trump's record, reporter Gillian Shaw concluded that "US President Donald Trump has taken lying to a new level. He lies knowingly, unhesitatingly

gratuitously and deliberately." Vancouver Sun, October 17, 2018

5. Positive elements and achievements. (The economic achievements were basically pre-pandemic.)

5.1. President Trump's team negotiated three peace treaties between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

5.2. The New York stock markets reached all-time highs. This was very beneficial for the wealthy.

5.3. The US unemployment rates for racial minorities were reduced to an all-time low.

5.4. Many government rules and regulations were eliminated. Businesses benefited greatly.

5.5. Energy self-sufficiency has been achieved, provided we consider the huge Canadian petroleum imports as a domestic source. This presumption is rather demeaning for Canada but it is financially beneficial for Canada..

5.6. Some of Trump's renegotiation of treaties and trade agreements advanced US interests.

5.7. The Warp Speed vaccine development program produced amazingly fast results.

5.8. Most Americans applauded Trump in his opposition to abortion and withdrawal of public funding for abortions.

6. Axioms which help us understand Trump.

6.1. Trump fails to make the fundamental political distinction between his personal and the public interest. He tends to personalize politics and diplomacy. e.g. "Am I supposed to dislike Saudi Arabia? They buy property from me. 40 million. 50 million. I like them very much."

"I get along very well with the president of North Korea. He is my lover."

6.2. Generally speaking, Trump fails to differentiate between campaigning and governing. This is very consequential because it means that quite often Trump is preoccupied with appealing to his base more than with appealing to all Americans and governing the entire country.

6.3. By and large, Trump defines politics in financial terms. Much of governing deals with values.

6.4. Because Trump generally sees political activity to be a zero sum game, he has no place for the phenomenon of a loyal opposition. There is only opposition. Hence the emphasis must be on winning. "The Democrats have become an angry left-wing mob." October 15, 2018

6.5. Generally speaking, Trump fails to distinguish between loyalty to him and loyalty to the country.

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6.6. Trump fails to understand that it is not in his interest to treat the media as his enemies.

6.7. Generally speaking, Trump does not differentiate between reasonable differences and enmity.

Consequently he often fails to differentiate between appropriate political rivalry and enmity.

6.8. Generally speaking, Trump values loyalty more than competence.

6.9. Becoming president and moving into the White House was for Trump a combination of changes he had great difficulty processing. Moving into the White House meant moving into a residence of lower quality than what the Trumps were used to. Also, all preceding presidents were either experienced politicians or military men. They all understood organizations and the centrality of accountability. Trump had neither background. He knew only organizations where he, as CEO, virtually dictated what should be done. He never really changed his style.

7. Why do about 80 percent of white evangelical Christians support Trump? (9% of Black)

7.1. President Trump is a "dream president" said Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell Jr., on the occasion of Liberty University awarding President Trump an honorary doctorate. This university granted Donald Trump two honorary doctorates, in 2012 and 2020.

7.2. "I am grateful to God that for the past four years He gave us a president who protected our religious freedoms, grateful for a president who defended the lives of the unborn, standing publicly against abortion and the bloody smear it has made on our nation; grateful for a president who nominated conservative judges to the Supreme Court...grateful for a president who built the strongest economy with the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years before the pandemic,...for a president who strengthened and supported our military,...who stood against 'the swamp' and the corruption in Washington,...who supported law and order and defended our police. I'm grateful for a president and vice-president who recognized the importance of prayer and were not ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ." Franklin Graham, in Franklin Graham Posts, December 16, 2020. (This blog was followed by very many supportive posts.)

7.4. There have been many critics of the strong evangelical support of Trump.

"It is the silence of evangelicals concerning the egregious character and conduct of the president of the United States [that is so puzzling]. It is as if evangelicals have suddenly lost their capacity for moral courage, lost touch with their purported allegiance to biblical values and virtues. But Donald Trump's compulsive lying, his apparent incapacity for contrition, his narcissism, his incivility and bullying tactics, his unvarnished hatred for those who thwart his aspirations, his glorying in excesses....all these are spiritually alarming qualities...and the antithesis of what Jesus modeled and taught....It is impossible for any serious evangelical ever to commend such deeply flawed character traits." Glen G. Scorgie in the Glen G. Scorgie Newsletter, June 29, 2017

Author Glen Scorgie goes on to say that "Over time the outrageous and deeply-concerning behaviors and values of such a president are subtly normalized in the evangelical subconscious.....Once conscience dies, it is hard to resuscitate...." "Failure to speak out against Trump's behavior and character...will eventually come back to bite them." "When there will be a reaction against Trump politics...evangelicals will be held accountable for their collusion."

Eventually, "The evangelical community in that day will be damned by association, and will have lost the moral right to speak prophetically to the nation."

8. Assessments by some evangelical Christians.

8.1. Mega-church pastor Robert Jeffries, one of Trump's close confidantes, states that Trump is

"on the right side of God" and that "evangelicals know they are not compromising their beliefs in order to support this great president." Stephanie McCrimmen, Vancouver Sun, July 28, 2018

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8.2. In 2018 Franklin Graham stated that the only explanation for Trump being in the White

House was that "God put him there". Stephanie McCrimmen, Vancouver Sun, July 28, 2018

8.2. During the 2016 election campaign Mike Pence told an Arizona audience that "Character matters to the presidency and Donald Trump will bring the highest level of integrity to the highest office in the land. You can count on it." Politico Newsletter, September 9, 2016.

What is especially puzzling about this statement is that at the time evangelical Christian Mike Pence and many others already knew of Trump's rather loose morality.

9. Assessments by non-Christians.

9.1. Comparing President Trump with Vice-President Pence columnist Kevin Matthews wrote, "'I'd much rather deal with a leader [Pence] whose ideas I oppose than a leader [Trump] whose ideas I oppose and is unpredictable, irrational and despotic." February 5, 2017

9.2. Here is another critical view: He "falls short of the most minimal expectations of a functioning adult, let alone the president of the United States - the damaged, childlike psyche, the insecurity, the constant need for affirmation, the compulsive lying, the bottomless ignorance, the coarseness, the lack of elemental judgment or self-control, the refusal to be bound by any norms of behaviour, personal, political, ethical or even legal...the indulgence of, if not open appeals to, racism - and having formed a judgment, [to conclude] that this incontinent simpleton should never have been allowed anywhere near the office of the presidency." Andrew Coyne, Vancouver Sun, August 17, 2017

10. Trump and the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.

10.1. Trump's Big Lie, begun even before the November 3 election, was that if he lost it would be only because of fraud. Millions believed him. He perpetuated the Big Lie after the election and went to incredible lengths, usual and unusual, legal and illegal, to try to overturn the results of the most secure presidential election in US history. Trump is thus mainly responsible for what happened on January 6. This event revealed the depth of Trump's moral depravity.

10.2. Would the riotous crowd that chanted "Hang Pence" and "Execute Nancy" really have carried out such brutal intentions if they had actually caught Vice President Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi? No one can say for certain but my guess is that they would have done so in the knowledge that President Trump could, and they doubtless believed would, pardon them. All evidence indicates that these rioters were prepared to sacrifice democracy in order to keep Trump as president. Watching the insurrection Trump called that crowd "special people".

10.3. The January 6 Riot will go down in history as a very black mark on the US, the so-called leader of the free, democratic world. It revealed that a significant sector of the US population could be swayed by a ruthless demagogue. The situation, though less consequential, reminds one of the French Revolution of 1789. Then, in the name of freedom and reason, the extremists beheaded those who in the past had not supported their views. They even beheaded those who did support them but were unwilling to go to the extreme of using the guillotine.

10.4. I believe that Trump who reportedly was "delighted" when he saw the rioters invading the Capitol, would actually have approved the hanging of Vice President Pence because in the matter of illegally trying to overturn the Electoral College results, Trump's most loyal supporter over more than four years did not support the President. For Trump that was evil.

11. President Trump's impact on the USA.

11.1. With the help of his massive, seemingly cultic, following Trump has transformed US political differences into deep-seated and emotion-filled ideological antagonisms This change has massive implications for politics because true believers are not inclined to make compromises

with an adversary. Any midpoint is deemed to be a bad concession for both parties. Cultic ideologues tend to see others as enemies. They claim a monopoly on understanding and facts.

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This makes it very difficult for them to accept opponents as legitimate rulers. This creates a huge problem for President Biden. In a democracy laws can be effective and a free society preserved only if the vast majority of the public accepts the legitimacy of the rulers and accepts as lawful the laws enacted by them. Democratic politics not only requires trust in the legitimacy of rulers but also requires the acceptance of electoral loss as legitimate. The present deep animosity, largely fueled by Trump's Big Lie, may take a generation to heal. In the meantime President Biden must try to govern this bifurcated country.

11.2. The Trump era has again demonstrated in powerful ways that the character of rulers matters. It impacts policies. It impacts the behavior of the masses by shifting the norms. It shapes expectations of rulers. It influences the moral trajectory of a country. For four years Trump used the world's most important megaphone to denigrate traditional American virtues and values.

11.3. American society is deeply polarized, probably more so than at any other time since the Civil War of the 1860s. A democracy requires free elections and elections can work well only if there is a significant cohort of voters who are not polarized, who are ready to become informed and perhaps change their opinions. The greater the polarization, the more difficult it is for elections to function well. Now about 70% of Republican voters, 30% of Independent voters and even 10% of Democratic voters believe the 2020 presidential election was rigged by the Democrats and that Trump won. Trump's Big Lie has been amazingly convincing! Equally lamentable is the fact that 81% of Republicans now believe that the Democratic Party has been taken over by socialists and 78% of Democrats now believe that the Republican Party has been taken over by racists. There has been distrust of American elections in the past but only by a minority and not by any significant numbers of party leaders and never by major presidential candidates. Never before has there been such deep animosity between the two main parties. It is fair, given President Trump's months-long proclamation of his Big Lie, to hold him largely responsible for this massive and ominous undermining of American democracy.

11.4. To call the free press "the enemy of the people" is an assault on both freedom and democracy which will have a lingering effect in undermining trust in free institutions, however flawed they may be. A democracy requires a free press and free media generally. In the US, as a result of Trump, acceptance of this pillar, essential in a stable democracy, has been seriously weakened.

11.5. To a large extent, at least for people on the right half of the political spectrum, Trump has

succeeded in the "religification" of politics. This is a very consequential reality. People committed to a religion have great difficulty seeing a competing belief as legitimate. They also are more ready to set aside reason and simply believe what leaders tell them. Further, they are not easily swayed by contradictory evidence which they tend to dismiss.

11.6 In a healthy democracy there is agreement concerning an over-arching, non-ideological, non- religious encompassing sphere within which all private organizations, including religions, function. There is agreement on fundamental freedom and for mutual respect among differing groups. When a private religious, racial, or ideological movement rejects that encompassing sphere, then democracy is sabotaged. It is this encompassing framework of affirmation that Trump has, at least for now, destroyed. Such a collapse of the encompassing sphere of common basic values has not happened since the end of the Civil War in 1865. It is not the record stock market, it is his negative impact on encompassing American values and his late assault on democratic pillars to the point of political violence and killing, that is President Trump's largest legacy.

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11.7. Evidence is mounting that because current Republican Congressional leadership is unwilling

to break free from Trump, the Republican Party will decline seriously in public support. This

will be very problematic. Democracy requires electoral competition with viable options. If

the Republicans keep on revering Donald Trump as their leader, they may spend considerable time as the losing party in American national elections.

11.8. During his four years in power, and especially in recent months, Trump's malevolent tendencies brought out the latent worst in a fallen society as Christian people tend to describe it. The animosity and even vitriol and violence he has generated is truly tragic. That is the polar opposite of what a good leader does and achieves. I believe that for this and other reasons, as described above, he may eventually be rated, despite his impressive economic achievements and major diplomatic successes in the Middle East, as average or lower in his policy achievements and political leadership. Unfortunately, because of his false election claims and deliberate undermining of national elections, his negative impact on the Republican Party, and his negative impact on the political health of a great country, he may be rated, on balance, as perhaps the least successful president the US has ever had.