Donald Trump may not be the best candidate for President of the United States, but he may win the Republican nomination. Unfortunately, Washington is currently a total failure and there is significant dissatisfaction with the governing class throughout the nation. This reminds me of the “silent majority” when Richard Nixon was elected President. Trump may never be President; however, he has touched the angst that has been festering for years and years, election after election.
This early in the presidential campaign, some polls now have Trump only six points behind Hillary Clinton. This may well demonstrate Trump’s appeal and Hillary’s vulnerability. Trump makes points that resonate with Republican voters and appears to be gaining strength with independents and even some Democrats.
Of course, Trump has yet to acknowledge that it will be impossible to implement his proposals without the support of the U.S. Congress. He will need a Republican Senate and House in order to be successful. And his continual bashing of Congress will not help him achieve his objectives.
Trump, a born salesman and showman, is selling numerous ideas that may be thin on details, but appeal to many Americans’ instincts. The current administration and its former Secretary of State have disappointed and disaffected many American voters.
The Republican Party needs to understand the Trump surge and its message…the desire for change and a strong leader…the willingness to listen to straight talk…the hankering for a strong military…the urgency to take measures to deal with the nation’s immigration dilemma. These and the availability of good paying jobs are all issues that affect most Americans. Apparently, many voters see the need for a change and Trump offers promises, if not specifics.
The GOP race for the nomination for President has numerous candidates vying for the top spot. They are competent candidates with interesting positions on the issues. There are some candidates whose appeal is mainly directed at specific segments of the Republican Party, but certainly do not have the broad appeal to win the White House in 2016.
In politics, you run to win and win to govern. Perhaps the foremost challenge for the GOP in the next election will be choosing a nominee who can win the presidency.
It is painfully clear, after eight years of the current administration, that the U.S. has many major challenges, both foreign and domestic. The challenges in foreign policy are tremendous. The Iran deal, the threats from an aggressive Russia, the continued threat of ISIS, the implosion of Iraq, the need for support of freedom in Ukraine, and the economic rise of China are only a few of the challenges facing the next President of the United States.
It will take a strong, informed, and thoughtful leader to handle these challenges and threats, let alone the many domestic issues plaguing the United States.
The voters of the nation chose for the last eight years to elect a President whose programs and directions have not settled well with many Americans; therefore, it becomes imperative for the Republican Party to select as the nominee a candidate with views that differ from the current group of Democratic candidates.
The possibility of moving even further to the left or perpetuating the liberal dogma of the past are the only options these candidates appear to offer.
The Republican Party and its message must appeal to the center of the American electorate.
Donald Trump…really?!
Richard Skinner says
No doubt there is public frustration with government and that is expressed by popular interest in BOTH Messrs. Trump and Sanders at either ends of the political spectrum. But comparing the waning days of the Second Bush with those of Mr Obama suggests that more national unity, a slightly less partisan Congress, and eight years of nearly constant military engagement are not necessarily the ingredients for making more Americans happier.
And the fault, paraphrasing Shakespeare, may not lie in our leaders so much as in an America where few of us are willing to sacrifice and instead turn to a professional army to fight our near-incessant wars, to a banking system that remains unable to police itself – Adam Smith’s moral principles notwithstanding – or to a regressive tax system to improve our infrastructure. It is always easier to find solace in simplistic and just plain silly phrases – “I will build a beautiful wall” – to deal with complicated problems; but it is dangerous to repose our faith in leaders with more than just feet of clay.
The Republican Party’s dilemma is quite exquisite: Abandoning all pretense to a centrist philosophy and any idea of bipartisanship, the GOP finds itself with candidates who compete with one another to grab headlines with the more extreme positions. One will surely gain the nomination, but whether or not the American people will vote for someone able to meet the “standards” of the GOP’s far right remains, of course, to be seen. Where the stakes not so high, the scene would almost be laughable. But the stakes are high.