Trump World

America's first post-truth president will be sworn in as the Nation's 45th chief executive at noon eastern time on January 20.  Just exactly what will happen after that seems so far to be unclear, including to his inner circle and supporters.  Trump marches to his own tune. One thing for sure, though, is that the man who has pledged to "Make America Great Again" will be making the Trump brand even greater.

While Trump lost to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes in November's election, he did win the votes necessary to secure the electoral delegates needed to become president.  He was propelled by a large group of Americans who are fed up with Washington politics because for decades they have been left behind. They had listened and believed all the past promises from red and blue politicians, only to be pushed back into the dark background when the contest was completed.   They were taken for granted again and again.

Many Trump voters came from aggrieved members of the working class who have seen technology and globalization rip their livelihood and self-respect from their soul.  Politicians who busily courted special interests to perpetuate their positions in government regularly ignored their plaintive cries.  For some, Bernie Sanders seemed to be an authentic alternative to the status quo.  But when he was pushed aside by the Democratic political establishment, many of his supporters found Trump appealing.

To many Americans Washington needed a wake up call.  Washington needed to be shaken up.  It was time for a new reality, even if it was a post-truth reality.  The aggrieved turned to a loud, boisterous, politically incorrect, mendacious, prevaricating entertainer-real estate mogul.  Trump appealed to their emotions rather than their minds.  They heard what they wanted to hear, and Trump was their champion.  

A recent PPP national poll found that 67% of Trump voters believe unemployment increased during the Obama presidency, when in fact it sharply declined.  Only 41% of Trump voters say the stock market went up during the Obama administration, meaning most don't know that the market has almost tripled over the past eight years.  And 60% of Trump voters believe Hillary Clinton received millions illegal votes, a lie that Trump has repeated several times since the election.

But does the truth really matter to these aggrieved voters?  Many don't believe that Trump will build a huge wall from one end of the Mexican-U.S. border to the other.  Many don't believe that Mexico will pay for the wall.   They certainly don't believe that Trump will deport all 11 million people who are living in this country illegally.  They certainly don't believe he will ban all Muslims from entering the U.S.  They certainly don't believe Trump saw thousands of Muslims cheering in New Jersey when New York's World Trade Center was attacked.  They know it was a  lie. They certainly don't believe that Trump will bring back millions of manufacturing jobs as he has promised.  

What do they believe?  They believe Trump will "drain the swamp" of politicians and bring an end to business as usual.  They believe Trump has their backs, that he hears their voices, that he will make their lives better.   They have given the president-elect a pass on releasing his federal tax returns. They have given him a pass on eliminating his many conflicts of interest.  They don't care if he produces a reality television show while in office.  They don't care that he attacks the press, evades serious questions, and regularly communicates via Twitter at all hours of the night.

Some have noted that Trump has appointed wealthy bankers, experienced politicians and retired generals to serve in his administration.  While this seems to contradict his promise to drain the swamp, so far they are giving him the benefit of a doubt.  The fact that Trump and some of his appointees are close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a ruthless and corrupt leader who views America as the enemy, seems not to have resonated with the president elect's supporters.  So much for Ronald Reagan's evil empire!   

Soon Trump will be confronted with the full weight of the responsibilities that fall upon the shoulders of America's president. He will actually have to make decisions.  Will he gradually replace the existing Medicare program, as the Republican platform proposes, with a defined contribution program where seniors will be provided a fixed amount of money to purchase private health insurance of their own?  Will he repeal Obamacare and leave millions of Americans without healthcare?   Will he push to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion?  Will he go ahead with the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline?  He said he would make a decision soon after taking office.

How will President-elect Trump deal with President Putin?  Will he move to ease sanctions on Russia for its occupation of Crimea? Will he impose import tariffs on Chinese products, even if it means higher prices in the U.S., and leads to the cancellation of contracts for Boeing aircraft and other U.S. products?  Will he send U.S. troops into Syria?  Will he implement his secret plan to eliminate ISIS?

According to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, a majority of Americans are either uncertain or pessimistic about his presidency. The country that he has vowed to unify remains deeply divided.  For sure, Trump's presidential campaign was unconventional, but he made many enemies, including within the Republican Party. So Trump make think all the world's a stage, and that he can bully and bluster his way through his daily challenges.  However, he will soon find out that the presidency is not just a television show.   

Thomas Jefferson once said, "No man will ever carry out of the Presidency the reputation which carried him into it."  Let's hope so, because America’s future is at stake, and all the world will be watching. 

Trump and Putin

President elect Donald Trump is a loggerheads with the U.S. intelligence community just weeks before he is to be sworn into office. The Washington Post reported that the C.I.A. had determined that Russia had interfered with last month’s presidential election in an effort to undermine the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. The Russians broke into Democratic National Committee computer networks and released embarrassing documents and emails in the weeks prior to the election. The New York Times reported the Russians had also hacked Republican National Committee computers but did not release any of those documents.

The Post quoted a senior U.S. official as saying, “It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia’s goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help get Trump elected.” The Trump transition team responded with a snarky statement, “These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.” In an interview released Wednesday, Trump told Timemagazine, “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe (Russia) interfered.” But President Obama has now ordered a full review “of what happened during the 2016 election process” to be completed before he leaves office.

While there is no evidence yet that the Russians or President Vladimir Putin did anything that would alter the outcome of the election, Trump supporters are concerned that these reports may be an effort to delegitimize his presidency. Trump praised Putin as a strong leader during the presidential campaign. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Twitter Saturday, “I’m not challenging the outcome of the election, but very concerned about Russian interference/actions at home & throughout the world.”

President Putin has been waging a multi-front campaign for years to destabilize Western democracies and undermine NATO. Trump was critical of NATO during his campaign. Russia has endured tough sanctions as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions have added to the severe economic problems the country is facing. While Russia has been a partner of the U.S. in the Iranian nuclear deal, it has been at odds with the West over its military support of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, which has only intensified that country’s civil war and compounded the human tragedy currently taking place.

Putin is a master manipulator, and he may be betting that businessman Donald Trump would be easier to deal with on several fronts. Trump’s imminent announcement of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as his Secretary of State nominee is an added plus for Putin. Tillerson and Putin are friends and have done business together. The ExxonMobil website claims that the company “has had a continuous business presence in Russia for more than 20 years.” No project is more important than a joint venture between Exxon and the Russian state owned company Rosneft to drill oil in the Arctic’s Kara Sea. That project had been halted due to the

sanctions, but Tillerson has said he does not believe the Russian sanctions work. This week it was announced that Russia sold a 20% stake in Rosneft for $11.7 billion based on expectations that sanctions would be eased under a Trump presidency.

Putin is a trained KGB officer and he runs his country with a ruthless hand. He has cracked down on civil society, the media, he has intensified persecution of his critics, and he has fanned anti-Western sentiment in Russia. Two weeks ago Republican Senator John McCain warned Trump against another reset with Putin. “At the very least, the price of another “reset” would be complicity in Putin and Assad’s butchery of the Syrian people,” he said. “When America has been at its greatest, it is when we have stood on the side of those fighting tyranny. That is where we must stand again.”

A Russian friend of mine recently asked me if I heard the latest joke from his homeland. “President Putin has appointed Donald Trump as the head of America,” he said with a chuckle. This may be funny to Russians, but it is a scary thought to any American. President elect Trump should be treating all U.S. national security agencies with the highest respect. To attack them will only weaken and discourage their efforts at a critical time. Further, he must treat Putin as a serious threat to this nation. The future of freedom and democracy is at stake.

Verizon Incompetence

Verizon has awful customer service.  After more than a month, my long telephonic nightmare may be close to being solved!

Problems with Verizon not come as a surprise to many Verizon customers, but for 25 years I have had no problems with my two residential lines.  That ended October 21, when Verizon experienced a cable failure that has left many residents on New York's Upper East Side without landline phone service.  

This past June a Verizon representative called offering me their FIOS fiber service.  He indicated that because a new neighbor was requesting it they would have to run fibers through our house.  He pointed out I could get internet, television and phone service all in one.   I said, since I was happy with my Time Warner Cable TV service and my current Verizon phone service, I did not more lines running through my house. 

Several weeks later. on Friday, October 21, both of my landlines failed, they are on copper lines that have been in place for decades.  We called in the problem, giving both phone numbers, but did not see a repairman until the following Wednesday.   The repairman sad he had a ticket for only one phone line suggesting I call the other line in separately.  After less than a half-hour the repairman left to find the box in the apartment building at the corner.  We never saw him again.  

A couple days later a second repairman showed up with a ticket for only one number.  He explained he could not work on both lines.  He disappeared next door after revealing there may have been a cable failure somewhere, and many phone lines were out.  We never saw him again.  

For the next couple weeks, repairmen occasionally came by our townhouse to fix one line or the other, but none had answers.  One day a repairman actually got one of our lines to work.  But a day later it failed.  It had been three weeks since our phone system failed, and Verizon service representatives still could not explain what was going on, but they assured me it would be repaired as soon as possible.  "We apologize for any inconvenience," I heard time and again.

I followed along with one of the repairmen to see what the local area set was like.  There's a box filled with copper wires in and apartment building which is connected to a box outside, behind a fence, with more copper wires.  The repairman explained to me that Verizon wants to replace all the copper boxes with FIOS fiber.   It finally occurred to me that Verizon was slow walking repairs on its old system to force customers to FIOS.

On November 22, one month after our phones failed, I called Verizon again in pursuit of an answer.  I spent more than 30 minutes going through their system, speaking to different service people.  I was forwarded to someone described as a "dispatcher."  (He was located in New Jersey.)  The dispatcher made several attempts to get information for me about what was going on with phones in my tony neighborhood.  

Brace yourself--the dispatcher told me my landline phone service will not be restored until mid January.  That's six more weeks!  On the other hand, they could install FIOS fiber in my house almost immediately.   What!

Here's what's wrong with Verizon:

-Verizon does not communicate well with the customer, unless it is a sales opportunity.
-They do not tell their employees what's going on, leaving them to suffer the wrath of unhappy customers.
-The company has incredibly inefficient repair processes that do not allow them any flexibility in solving problems.  Two people can be at the same site working on a related problem--and no one knows.  No central organization.
-Technicians should not be upselling Verizon FIOS when they appear for repairs.
-The automated phone system is not designed to handle some problems.
-Receiving automated phone calls from a computerized voice is a pain, and a waste of time for customers who have to navigate through the system.  
-Verizon should contact all of its customers and inform them they are moving to fiber and will have to replace their old copper systems.  They can explain that the copper wire system is failing and must be replaced.  BE TRANSPARENT!  It's the best policy.

President Elect Trump

President Elect Donald Trump is using Twitter to reassure all Americans that good things are in store for them.  "This will prove to be a great time in the lives of ALL Americans.  We will unite and we will win, win, win," he wrote Saturday.  But it will take actions not tweets to begin to address the anxiety most Americans feel about Trump as president.

Hillary Clinton received the most votes in last Tuesday's presidential election, a higher percentage than Richard Nixon in 1968, and Bill Clinton in 1992.  But in the country where Democracy was founded, getting the most votes does not mean victory.  Trump was able to carry enough states to win the delegate count.   He was helped by a depressed voter turnout, which always helps Republicans.  Last Tuesday 57 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots, compared to 58.6 percent in 2012, and 61.6 percent in 2008.

The depressed turnout may have been due to several key factors.  FBI director James Comey sent a letter to members of Congress in October advising them that he was looking into Emails on former Congressman Anthony Weiner's laptop that may be pertinent to the Clinton investigation.  Republicans seized on the ambiguous statement as if it was an indictment.  Then two days before the election Comey advised members of Congress that investigations found nothing after going through the additional Emails.  

This last minute reminder of Clinton's Email problems could have helped depress turnout on election day, especially considering the fact that early voting was up over 2012.  Clinton has mishandled her use of a private Email server, which Comey called reckless, and she played into perceptions that she cannot be trusted.  It is worth noting that Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani told Fox News viewers something big was going to happen that would affect the election two days before Comey's first letter to Congress.  Giuliani, a former United States Attorney from New York, later said that he never talked to anyone in the FBI about the matter.  He now is the leading candidate to be U.S. Attorney General under Trump.

Prices for Obamacare increased substantially in some key states, including Arizona, just weeks before the election.  The sticker shock eclipsed the good deeds the ACA is doing for millions of previously uninsured Americans.  Obamacare has been the target of Republicans, and Trump has promised to repeal and replace it.

Hillary Clinton is not a strong campaigner; she is no Bill Clinton or Barack Obama.  While she put together a strong campaign team and a powerful ground game, Trump leveraged free media and kept driving the campaign conversation through extensive use of Twitter.  Trump is a good entertainer and a well-known personality, while Clinton is a long time member of the political establishment.

A number of states have added stricter voter identification standards, and have reduced polling places and the hours that they would be open.  These changes discouraged the elderly, students and African Americans from voting.  Republicans had made much of voter fraud in enacting these measures, even though there were only 31 cases of in-person voting fraud out of 1 billion votes since 2000 in all elections, national and local.  

National polls before the election showed Clinton ahead in many key state races, even after the latest Comey kerfuffle.  Perhaps the Clinton campaign was too overconfident.   But many of those who were polled may have misled pollsters about their intention to support Trump.  On the other hand, most of the media failed to grasp the magnitude of Trump's support in sections of the country, especially rural.  These supporters were not fair weather fans; rather they were devoted Trump loyalists.

President-elect Trump has been focusing on policy briefings, phone conversations with world leaders, and on deciding whom he will appoint to his cabinet.  In order to win the presidency he overcame many controversial statements and actions that would have sunk any other candidate.   He insulted his opponents in the harshest terms.  He spoke and allegedly acted in a sexually offensive manner to several women, and he was even caught on videotape speaking in an inappropriate way.  He called Mexican rapists and drug dealers, he threatened to ban Muslims from entering the country,  he said women who have abortions should be punished, and he demeaned war heroes and veterans.  Throughout the campaign he displayed ignorance on many key issues, national and foreign, and he lied early and often about himself, at times denying that he had said something earlier in the same interview.   In short, he often looked like a schoolyard bully, and conducted himself foolishly.  

The news media has been bashed by Clinton supporters for not challenging Trump earlier enough in his campaign.  Trump received the equivalent of $2 billion in free airtime on cable and network news channels leading up to his election.  The media should continue to pursue Trump's income tax returns that he alleges are under audit by the IRS.  Further, new organizations should investigate how America's First Lady to be, Melania Trump, entered the United States.  She was supposed to have a press conference last summer to show proof she did not enter the U.S. illegally.  Further, the media ought to investigate the truth behind Trumps shoddy business practices and his many conflicts of interest with foreigners and governments he has borrowed money from to maintain his empire.  His generous use of the EB-5 program, where foreigners who invest in U.S. capital investments like real estate are granted U.S. visas, would be a good place to examine. 

The Electoral College will cast its vote for President-elect Trump in December, and he will be sworn into office in January.  He will then be president, but many Americans are having trouble accepting that fact.  

Trump's rocky path to success calls to mind a quote written in 1926 by H.L. Mencken.  "As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people," he wrote.  "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 adorned by a downright moron."  

The State of American Politics

Election Day will be the culmination of a long painful presidential campaign that has pitted two unpopular candidates against each other in one the most offensive races in this nation's history.   The beacon of democracy has been soiled by scurrilous rhetoric that has blemished the character and stature of the United States.   No matter the outcome, the healing process is sure to be long and difficult.

Republican Donald Trump fought like a pit bull to win his party's nomination.  He insulted all of his primary opponents, using demeaning language and derogatory terms to describe his foes.  He succeeded to play on the anger of many citizens who feel left behind, who believe the government is not functioning properly, who are frustrated with illegal immigrants, who fear a terrorist attack, who are worried their guns will be taken away, and who are fed up with foreign wars.  

Trump is a severely flawed candidate.  He has been recorded on video making offensive remarks about women, even saying he would be sexually abusive to them.  Now a dozen women have come forward to claim Trump made unwanted sexual advances to them, claims he has denied.  This follows his long history of using demeaning and slanderous insults against women.

Trump began his campaign insulting Mexicans immigrants as rapists and drug dealers, and promised to build a wall along the southern border that Mexico would pay for.  He announced a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and called for monitors to watch over mosques.  He insulted Senator John McCain, saying the former POW was not a war hero.  He insulted a disabled reporter, and has consistently attacked reporters covering his campaign as dishonest, which created an unsafe environment for journalists assigned to his events.   

Recent news reports have revealed that Trump cut corners and used shady tax provisions for decades to keep his companies afloat. Trump used bankruptcy laws to leave several contractors and their employees high and dry, as well a would-be homeowners.  Trump brags that he gives money to charities, but recent news reports have revealed he often promises and then later reneges on his promise.  Trump University is being investigated, and the biggest lesson its students learned is not to trust Trump.   Trump claims he cannot release his tax returns because he says he is being audited.  There is no proof he is being audited, but that is not a reason to withhold his returns from the American public.  He knows if he did so he would be exposed, but he has gotten away with his lack of transparency. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed Trump, and Trump has said kind words about Putin.  Since Trump has questioned the role of NATO, a vital national security organization for the U.S., of course Putin supports Trump because he wants a weakened NATO too.  Putin is doing all he can to fan the rise of Right-Wing movements throughout Europe in an effort to undermine that region's stability.   So it should be no surprise that Right-Wing factions in this country, and even the Ku Klux Klan, are supporting Trump.  

Trump has no military or foreign policy experience, yet we are at a time when the world is in tremendous transition, and American forces are engaged in several conflicts.  For decades efforts have been made to limit existing nuclear stockpiles and stop the spread of these massively destructive weapons to other countries, as well as to terrorists.  But Trump has said he would not be opposed to using these weapons, and suggested that Japan and Saudi Arabia should be allowed to have them.  His lack of understanding on this issue is scary--and may have profound consequences should he be elected.  The president doesn't need Congressional approval to launch a nuclear war.     

On the campaign trail Trump has been the consummate showman and entertainer.  He makes outrageous comments to fire up his supporters.  He has dubbed his opponent "crooked" Hillary Clinton, yet he has lied hundreds of times according to every fact-checker.   This man actually had the chutzpah to announce in a debate he would launch an investigation into Clinton if he were elected president, and even said she should be in jail.  

Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has a serious trust issue with the American electorate dating back to he time as Arkansas First Lady.  There have been many investigations into both Hillary and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.   She has never been charged on convicted with a crime.  Yet her use of a private Email server while U.S. Secretary of State has been the scandal that simply won't go away.  While she apologized, the fact that she had thousands of personal Emails destroyed that may have been relevant to an investigation into her handling of classified material has further undermined her credibility.  

Clinton has enemies within the FBI.  Last July, FBI chief James Comey cleared her of wrong doing but declared her handling of Emails as reckless.  Republican members of Congress were sharply critical of Comey's decision.  Ten days ago former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is also a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, appeared on Fox News and predicted something big was about to come out that would hurt Clinton.  Two days later Comey sent a letter to members of Congress informing them that the FBI would expand its investigation into Emails found on the laptop of former Congressman Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of Clinton's right-hand aide, Huma Abedin.  Did disgruntled FBI agents tip off Giuliani?  He says no.  Even worse, Fox News anchor Brett Baier, quoting FBI sources, reported that an indictment was likely against the Clinton Foundation.  Later he had to retract his story and apologize, but the damage was done.  

The Comey letter roiled the presidential race, and now Trump is within striking distance of being elected.   The stock market suffered losses Friday, and many world leaders are on edge.  Despite her problems, Clinton is considered one of the most experienced, knowledgeable, and hard working candidates to ever run for president.   Her time as First Lady of the United States, as a U.S. Senator from New York, and as U.S. Secretary of State, have given her a deep background and extensive connections to draw upon if she is elected president.

On late Sunday,  James Comey sent a new letter to members of Congress saying, "based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton," apparently ruling out a renewed investigation for now, according to The New York Times.  His latest letter comes at a time when Clinton appears to be holding on to a slim lead over Trump in the final hours before Election Day.  Not surprisingly, Clinton has the support of most women, as well as Latinos, African Americans, Asians and younger Americans.   If they turnout in big numbers she make history and become the first woman to serve as president.    

No matter the final outcome, most Americans will be glad the presidential election is finally over.  However, the country will remain deeply divided, and political parties, the presidential campaigns, the FBI, and the media, have all played a role the current state of politics.   

America deserves far better.  

Comey Again?

James Comey's decision to inform Congress that the FBI had discovered emails on a laptop belonging to disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner that may be relevant to the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private server has roiled the presidential campaign with days to go before the election.   His letter provided little details about the emails, leaving the ambiguous discloser subject to interpretation and wild speculation by Trump supporters.  

At a Friday rally, Donald Trump hailed the news as "bigger than Watergate," even though all of the emails may be just copies of those released earlier to the FBI.  Trump has fallen behind Clinton in the polls but now he has an issue to exploit to take attention away from charges of sexual assault that have hurt his campaign in recent weeks.

The Clinton campaign has criticized Comey for breaking with Justice Department protocol by commenting on an ongoing investigation, and doing anything that could be viewed as influencing the election.  A Justice Department official confirmed to the Washington Post that they advised Comey.   "It was conveyed to the FBI, and Comey made an independent decision to alert the Hill," the official said, "He is operating independently of the Justice Department.  And he knows it."  Comey had received sharp criticism last July from Republicans when he announced last July that he recommended that criminal charges not be made against Clinton for her use of a private email server.   Comey is a Republican.  In his letter to Congress, Comey said he feared that word of the newly found emails would leak and suggest a cover-up.

Clinton spoke of the revelations at a Saturday appearance in Daytona, Florida.  "Of course Donald Trump is already making up lies about this," she said.  "He is doing his best to confuse, mislead and discourage the American people."   Clinton campaign manager Robby Mock called on the FBI to release the emails.  "Just get it all out there and the voters can judge for themselves," he said on Fox News Sunday.

Before the disclosers, polls showed the race between Clinton and Trump had been tightening.  Trump has enjoyed the ardent support of his loyalists despite his many gaffes and recent charges of sexual abuse from 12 women.  He was recorded on an NBC's Access Hollywood video talking about sexual abuse.  He later described it as "locker room" talk, and has threatened to sue the women and NBC.  During his campaign, Trump has humiliated his opponents, he has disparaged war heroes, and he has consistently insulted women, Mexicans and Muslims.  Trump has refused to release his tax returns, which is standard practice for recent presidential candidates, and many of his business dealings have faced serious scrutiny.   Trump has fought back by blaming the "dishonest media" for his transgressions.  

Trump has consistently display a lack of understanding of foreign policy.  He has advocated the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the possible dissolution of NATO.  He has often praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong leader, he has invited Russian hackers to go after Clinton's emails, and he has claimed he has a secret plan to eliminate ISIS.  He has also attacked fellow Republicans, like House Speaker Paul Ryan, and he has caused a huge rift within the Republican Party.  Recently, he has supported efforts to suppress votes, especially in urban areas that are heavily populated by traditional Democratic voters, like African Americans and Hispanics.  

Both Clinton and Trump have low favorability ratings among a majority of likely American voters.  But, despite her trust issues, and the fact that she should not have used a private email server, Clinton is one of the most experienced candidates to seek the presidency.  Yet the winds of change are blowing heavily in favor of Trump, as they often do after one party holds the White House for two terms.  So even the hint of an additional problem with Clinton's emails can drive independents voters, as well has some soft Clinton supporters, away from the voting booth, while firming up Trump's support with doubtful Republicans.  As Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta observed, "There's no evidence of wrongdoing, no charge of wrongdoing, no indication that this is even about Hillary."  But there may be enough misinterpretation to confuse voters on Election Day.  

As a result, America may elect the least qualified and most unpredictable presidential candidate ever in its history to the White House.   

Trump's Collapse

"I alone can fix it," Donald Trump bragged at the Republican National Convention last July with swagger, confidence and certitude.   But Trump has since shown no sign he can even run an effective campaign, and he is now on the verge of an historic defeat.  

Many Americans were ready for a change this election, and all of the polls revealed a nation filled with concern that the country was headed in the wrong direction. Meanwhile, Democrats nominated Hillary Clinton, a flawed candidate dogged by an email controversy and a foreign policy record that has come under continuous scrutiny.  Yet Republicans selected as their nominee a brash man who had no political experience, little knowledge of the key issues, an impulsive nature, and a man who bullies those who stand in his way.   They thought they could control him, shape his campaign, and get him "on message."  They failed.  As a result, Republicans are fighting to retain control of the Senate.

Trump did not properly prepare for any of the three debates he had with Clinton.  Consequently, he could not speak articulately about any of the issues that were discussed.  Clinton won all three debates, and her third debate performance was her best.  She set traps for the thin-skinned Trump, and he took the bait.  At the end of the first debate she mentioned how Trump had mocked a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, because she had gained weight.  The result was an overnight Twitter storm from Trump that raised serious questions about his temperament.  

In the second debate, Trump was on the defensive from the very beginning because a videotape had been released of him talking in an inappropriate way about women.  Moderator Anderson Cooper, of CNN, asked Trump, "You described kissing women without consent, grabbing their genitals.  That is sexual assault.  You bragged that you sexually assaulted women.  Do you understand that?"  Trump responded that he was embarrassed by his comments, and scrambled to answer the question.  "No, I didn't say that at all.  I don't think you understood what was--this was locker room talk.  I am not proud of it.  I apologize to my family.  I apologize to the American people."  This incident and the exchange raised serious questions about Trump's character.  

For weeks Trump has been saying that the election will be rigged, and asked that his supporters monitor polling places.  In their final debate, moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, asked Trump that, if he loses, would he accept the outcome as is the tradition in presidential elections.  Trump responded, "I will look at it at the time.  I'm not looking at anything now.  I'll look at it at the time."  He then added, "If you look at your voter rolls, you will see millions of people that are registered to vote...millions of people that are registered to vote that shouldn't be registered to vote."   Wallace followed up, "Are you saying you will not commit to that principle?"  Trump replied, "What I am saying is that I will tell you at the time.  I'll keep you in suspense. OK?"   This exchange dominated the news cycle and received criticism from his fellow Republicans.

On Saturday, Trump appeared at a rally in Gettysburg, the site of an historic Civil War battle, and the place President Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg address.  Trump gave his closing argument and outlined what he would do during his first 100 days in office if elected.   But he began by attacking the "dishonest mainstream media" and a rigged election.  He then spoke of the 10 women (now 11) who had come forward to accuse him of unwanted sexual advances.  "Every women lied when they came forward to hurt my campaign -- total fabrication," he said as he gestured from the podium for emphasis.  "The events never happened.  Never.  All of these liars will be sued after the election is over."  Of course, if he actually sues, and if he is elected, a President Trump, will spend an enormous amount of time in depositions, and so will members of his family.  This is another empty threat, but it overshadowed his closing argument.   

No one believes more in Donald Trump than Trump himself.  But his candidacy has roiled and divided the Republican Party, and it has repulsed millions of women, Hispanics, Muslims, and independent voters.  Trump has said he read the bible.  Perhaps he should have carefully considered these words from Luke, "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."