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What Trump and I Have in Common
In reflecting on the past year, I’ve been trying to figure out the reasons for my lessening frustration and growing appreciation—that may be too strong a word—for Trump. I’m a person who doesn’t like to make excuses, who prefers to be responsible and accountable for my decisions, and I’ve struggled with how to frame my support of Trump. I finally realized that my real struggle was less about Trump and more about what I thought was a conflict of values. Surprisingly (for me) the values clarity I reached was reassuring in explaining my present attitude about Trump and his first year in office.
The clarity has come from a careful examination of my personal values. My top three values are integrity, honesty, and persistence. To expand on those, integrity is simply doing what I say I will do; honesty is telling the truth; and persistence is striving to do my best even when the journey is difficult. I also prefer to be with people who feel the same way, because these values are important to me and when others feel the same way, we build strong and loving relationships.
So for the moment, let’s put values aside, and talk about the kinds of people I like. I like people who not only share those same values but are thoughtful, sincere, friendly, helpful—yep, just like boy scouts and girl scouts. The close friends in my life share these attributes, but I do have other friends and acquaintances with whom I am less close and who are less likely to meet my hopes and expectations for friendship. But I enjoy being with them in smaller doses.
So what does this all have to do with Trump?
I finally realized that in a strange way—can I say this?—Trump and I may actually share similar high priority values. The ways in which we actualize them are, at times, very different. But take a look at my high-level values: integrity, honesty, and persistence. Does Trump do what he says he will do? Yes. In fact, he would do more if the Congress would cooperate. Does he tell the truth? For the most part this past year, he has. He does tend toward hyperbole and exaggeration, but that is a temperament issue, not a values issue. Is he persistent? I don’t think anyone would question that value. Although Twitter does not allow for detail, it forces him to be very direct—bluntly direct—in asking for what he wants and expects. And I believe he expects that from others. His doggedness in getting laws passed is apparent.
I still don’t personally like Trump—he’s arrogant, tends to exaggerate, and works hard to be a master salesman. These aren’t attributes I personally embrace. We also know that his past actions and behavior in some cases have been less than admirable; I’m judging him based on his behavior this past year. But there is one value that we both hold dearly: the resilience and success of this country, not just financially, but in its ability to express and exemplify its historic greatness and values.
On this, we can agree.
Published in General
Well put. I should have added above that I don’t see Trump as being the cause of the coarsening of the public sphere – he is merely a symptom. And you’re right – he won’t change. Unfortunately, some of his stupid crassness does affect the implementation of his policies (or at least of his ability to keep in place a GOP majority which will effect the implementation of those policies), so I don’t buy the idea that his nuttiness doesn’t matter. I have no doubt that if he could just restrain himself from stupid outbursts, his popularity would rise and with it the possibility that he can achieve what he wants to achieve. If only he could just get out of his own way.
Precisely, Chris. Thanks.
Exactly right, Hank!
You are correct, Jean. He doesn’t see it or doesn’t care.
I’ve separated the man from his policies. On his policies I think he is a rock solid conservative and I can’t off the top of my head disagree with anything he’s promoting. This is the non-RINO with guts that we’ve always wanted in office. He is unafraid and speaks his mind without political calculation. On the man, there are two parts to that. I’m actually comfortable with his brash demeanor. He’s a New Yorker, and I’m a New Yorker, and that’s us! Rudy Giuliani was similar. But some of his personal idiosyncrasies are hard to take. He’s vengeful and hits low blows and brings up personal attacks and gets distracted with insignificant taunts and flubs.
But God bless Donald Trump. This past year has been great from a conservative perspective. I just hope he continues and can get re-elected.
It isn’t that we think you must. It’s that at this moment in history, when the country was about to be driven over a cliff, it’s more important than ever before that we unite. It just seems to me that so many (I don’t mean you or @susanquinn, but many) Republicans can’t seem to say anything in support of what he’s doing without adding “but remember, I’m a refined and superior person so I still find him to be odious.” In case none of them knew it, we who voted enthusiastically for him once he was our nominee aren’t blind. We see him the same way you do. We aren’t idiots. We know he’s an uncouth oaf. We know he speaks with a Queens accent. I mean duh. Get over yourself, Nil Kristol and the rest of ya.
I have trouble agreeing about the honesty part. The President seems truthful about important matters, generally speaking, but has a bad habit of making false statements on minor issues.
An example last week is the President’s tweet that “the highest number in history” watched his SOTU address. It might even be true, if he included those watching online, but he cited the Nielsen number (45.6 million), which was lower than the initial SOTU ratings for Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama. Aaaargh!
I reluctantly supported Trump in the election, and am now a solid supporter based on his first year of accomplishment. It drives me a bit batty when he makes silly, false statements like this one.
@rightangles and @painterjean, for some reason it doesn’t bother me when people tell me how to feel and act. Especially how to feel. We are all entitled to our feelings, and it’s a free country where I can say what I wish–just like on this post. Just like I have the right to dislike Trump, people have the right to dislike me for that reason. I don’t march to their drummer. So if I bother people, sorry.
I took pains to say I’m not trying to tell anyone how to feel.
Oh, RA, that comment wasn’t directed to you at all! I hope you didn’t think that. I also don’t want to tell you how to feel. I understand that there are people (maybe not you) who get annoyed with me for adding a comment about him personally. I’m saying to everyone, on any side of this issue, whether you support Trump or don’t, like him or don’t, you are welcome to say however you feel. And if someone doesn’t like my comments, that’s also okay. You are even welcome to criticize me. It just likely won’t change my behavior. If you can live with that, so can I! ;-)
Gosh, I just can’t count how many times someone has said to me, or I have said, “But remember, I’m a refined and superior person so I still find him to be odious”!
People who say stuff like this make it sound as if we who object to Trump’s crudity and vulgarity are working ourselves into a snit because the man doesn’t extend his pinkie while sipping tea. No, it’s not a question of degrees of refinement — this is basic human decency stuff, like honesty and respect. It’s hard to have high regard for a guy who dodged military service but says that he had his own Vietnam by avoiding STDs. I could go on with examples of his bad behavior, but I won’t — it’s ground that has been covered before. He is our president and I actually like what his administration is doing — isn’t that enough? I’ll give him credit when credit is due. But please don’t expect me to extol his honesty and integrity, because the man is lacking both.
The GOP had eight years to get ready for the right moment to fix the ACA.
@painterjean, it sounds like you’re saying that I’m expecting you to experience Trump the way I do. I didn’t say that anywhere in the OP. I didn’t even say you should stop speaking about your dislike of the man, which is precisely what I did. As I said in my earlier comment, I disregard what others say about my position, or about my speaking out about it. I highly recommend taking that approach.
No, actually I wasn’t even thinking of you when I wrote that, but what was on my mind was a conversation I had this past weekend with a lovely woman friend. She was telling me how she thought Trump had developed humility, and that she admired him for his honesty! Because of my regard for her, I didn’t challenge that, but still it was a jaw-dropping moment for me. This same woman was appalled by Clinton and Obama’s dishonesty. Good grief – at least I’m consistent: I despise bad character no matter what letter is behind a politician’s name.
I will echo what Kent said in the first comment: I appreciate that Trump talks and acts like a guy who loves his country. I think he’s ignorant about exactly what makes it great, but am relieved nonetheless. I never felt that Obama loved our country — he seemed instead to believe that America was a country that had committed far too many sins for us to be proud of her, and needed to be taken down a peg or two. And that he was just the man who could radically drag her, rednecks and all, into something that looked more like progressive Europe.
Many people have asked how the evangelical community can support Trump given his low morals (freely admitted affairs, divorces, etc.), support of gay marriage, lack of real conviction on life, etc.
I think the evangelical community doesn’t ignore these things about Trump, but what they recognize is that Trump doesn’t look down on them for believing in these things. Not only that, despite his not following or completely agreeing with their beliefs, Trump is willing to fight the culture war on their side rather than on the left’s.
I think the same is being realized across the conservative coalition.
Trump is sleazy politician, but he is a sleazy politician that will fight for conservatism and against leftism – and not cynically.
The remaining NeverTrump right are those on the right that may fight for conservative policy, but at the same time look down on large parts of their coalition.
Obama wanted to ruin this country . There’s no question about that in my mind, Jean.
I think your assessment of the evangelical community is spot on, @zinmt. They recognize his support and sincerity.
Allow me to present my take on this.
I am master cabinet maker and a detail guy. The company I work for has project managers. Their job is take architectural blue prints and work with the architect or designer, contractor, customer and produce shop blue prints to build from. Marvin was one of our project managers. He was not a detail guy . Marvin was a concept guy. He had two gifts. The first one was to see wonderful concepts in his mind. The second one was, he could then sell those concepts to the customer. Trouble was, since he was not a detail guy, his blue prints sucked. They looked wonderful but lacked information necessary to build from. It used to frustrate me to no end. I wrongfully thought Marvin was just being lazy and passing things off. For a time I had an adversarial attitude toward Marvin. One day( I believe it was the Lord ) showed me that Marvin can’t do detail. However, you can. Woops! My attitude changed and a wonderful working relationship developed. I would consult Marvin over the details then implement them as he approved or altered with another fabulous concept. I loved working with him. He brought in the coolest of work and he in return loved working with me. He has since retired and I so miss him. He also brought in loads of work and the owners miss him too.
Jean, a detail conservative could articulate why they love the country so. Maybe quote the constitution and the Federalist Papers. This is not Trump. On the other hand. The concept of America is in Trumps heart. He knows it, it’s who he is, it’s evident in his policies. However, the articulation comes out in MAGA. And his detractors think him sophomoric.
To sum up. Trump is that concept guy who employ’s detail guys to give you policies that are in keeping with the America we all love.
Hope that helps.
I know people like Trump. Loud, active, abrasive. More than one. They are movers and shakers, they steamroll petty bureaucrats. They have a goal and reach them regularly, on time and on budget. They have people who hate them and never will work with them, but they also have people who love working with them.
Trump worked in an industry where 3/4 of the Washington crowd would not survive longer than a week. I know this industry, I stay away from it because I know I don’t have the resources or skills to thrive. But Trump did just fine.
All politicians are scum, but somehow the worst of them all, the most brash and abrasive has taken upon himself to represent the american people who he has worked with all his life. He happens to be disgusted that someone would wiretap a political opponent. He despises two faced bureaucrats with a passion, and has set in motion policies whose salient characteristic is getting large numbers of them off the payroll and out of the lives of the citizenry.
He has managed to take the media out of policy discussions and deliberation. The cheers from Republicans are the result, as well as the glum Democrats who are seeing one of their levers of power disappear.
The longest serving Prime Minister of Canada maintained support for that long by giving his long suffering supporters regular doses of Liberal humiliation. He gave no quarter since he had never been given any. Trump poking the eye of some pompous twit results in cheers in many US households, people who have had nothing to cheer about for almost a generation.
You’re being generous here. Excellent comment.