We\u2019re going to have Donald Trump around for a while, which prompts the question: What is the Trump Phenomenon? Or, to put it more critically, what do his candidacy and his success so far tell us about the state of the nation?<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s campaign has stunned America\u2019s political establishment. It is no longer unimaginable that Trump could win the GOP nomination \u2014 doubtful, but not unimaginable.<\/p>\n
Trump is in a commanding position. He won South Carolina’s Republican primary without difficulty Saturday, capturing one-third of the total votes. This win puts him at a great advantage over his competitors.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s appeal is simple \u2014 he speaks his mind. The \u201cworse\u201d he gets, it seems, the more well liked he becomes. Watching Trump is ultimately cringe worthy, yet Americans can\u2019t help but wonder: what will he say next? Along the campaign trail, Trump has said many things that have raised more than a few eyebrows. A few that stand out are his comments on immigration and Muslims.<\/p>\n
First, Trump sparked outrage among Mexicans and Latinos. \u201cWhen Mexico sends its people, they\u2019re not sending their best,\u201d Trump said during his presidential announcement, \u201cThey\u2019re not sending you. They\u2019re sending people that have lots of problems, and they\u2019re bringing those problems with us. They\u2019re bringing drugs. They\u2019re bringing crime. They\u2019re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,\u201d he added with some uncertainty. Following the recent shootings in San Bernardino, Trump stated in a press release that he \u201cis calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”<\/p>\n
Obviously, Trump will never be accused of being P.C. While avoiding offensive behavior is what brings people and communities together, modeling our behavior after Trump\u2019s would only lead to tearing communities apart. Trump doesn\u2019t try to hide what he truly thinks. How he gets away with it is the real mystery. Though some commentators have suggested that he\u2019s tapping into people\u2019s anger and frustration. People feel that ordinary politics from Washington D.C. has bypassed them; the jobs have gone, the hope has gone, and now along comes Donald Trump, whose strong message resonates with them.<\/p>\n
Trump is funny and maybe worth a twitter follow for the pure entertainment value. However, if Trump were really elected it would not be a laughing matter. Donald Trump, in my opinion, appeals to fear and anger, but not hope. I have confidence and faith that America can do better than Donald Trump. The last thing America needs is to hand the podium over to a bully and a fear monger, especially one who is so truly feeble. It is not beyond me to state that Donald Trump would be a political disaster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"