Fortunately, a group of twenty-some medical professionals came together and published a book assessing the personality of Donald Trump. Most of the assessment is not new to those who follow American Politics. One of the professionals, a Dr. Reiss observed the following aspects of Trumps behavior.
Trumps rhetoric is extreme and cruel. His childish personal attacks traumatize friend and foe alike. It leaves one astounded that a public individual would continue the incessant attacks on individuals without remorse. The radicalization of the Republican Party centers on the right to abuse any member of the party that disagrees with Trump. Trump’s behavior sets the tone for this tactic and one sees the results on a statewide level on a regular basis. The Oklahoma Republican Party has called for the resignation of both U.S. senators, Inhofe and Lankford, for failure to delay the certification of Biden on January 6. In Ohio, Republican candidates for Congress are trying to out Trump each other to gain his favor.
Trumps previous nefarious actions as president continue to be revealed on a weekly basis. His denial and lies of events to overturn the election set the tone for his persona as a victim of assignation by accusation. The opposite side of a victim, which Trump is in denial about, is the victimizer that he is. His efforts at changing the Georgia election outcome victimized the voting process and those who administer it. He, however, claims that he has been victimized by the press and legal system, thus ignoring the facts and blurring the truth. Where there is a victim, there is a victimizer. Trump creates the problem, becomes victimized by it and then, shifts blame to others. Sadly, the Party is held together by intimidation, threats and a core of voters who feel victimized.
As of this writing, the Republican Party only exists on paper. It truly is the party of Trump. As time progresses the Trumpers are becoming more radicalized. Arizona, Idaho and Texas are three states that exemplify the insanity of pro Trump government. In the name of freedom, these states are curbing the vote, denying residents funds from the Federal Government, controlling educational content and killing their own by cancelling vaccination outreach. Tennessee has just announced that there will be no outreach in the state to children for any vaccinations whatsoever. That includes Covid, measles, rubella and many other proven lifesavers. The politicization of national government assistance in any form leaves those in need without monetary assistance, informed education, and protection from disease.
The question at hand is whether the Trumpers have become radicalized to the point that the party is shrinking. Is the American populace imbued with enough common sense to reject the politicization of essential services and government support for whites and minorities? Are there enough victims who identify with Trumps victimization to alter the course of American Democracy? Is it really just about racism and power, cloaked in a multitude of divisive political actions? There is no single answer to this issue as to why so many Republicans believe that the election was stolen. It is astounding that the complete disregard for the facts and testimony as well as the video of January 6 insurrection do not register with Trumpers.
Donald Trump is truly a dictator- in- waiting. Very few leaders other than Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and an assortment of Latin American autocrats have the combination of the inability to feel remorse or compassion. True to megalomaniacs, they will sacrifice the well-being of a country and their citizens for perpetual power and control. Trump’s victim/victimizer is the perfect example of how it is done. The previous Trump presidential term illustrated the countless ways used to ignore the law, standard protocols, and politicize federal offices for his own political benefit. Additionally his ruthless separation of immigrant families at the border attracted the attention of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. As of today, hundreds of children, separated from their families, do not know where their parents are located. Trump abruptly withdrew U.S. forces from Syria’s front line, allowing the Turks and Russians to attack Syrian rebels, kill many civilians, and cause untold hardship for innocent Syrians. In America, how many unnecessary deaths have occurred under Trumps presidency from Covid due to Trumps denial and delay as well as his politicization of mask mandates?
Trump is unable to feel remorse, shame or take accountability for his actions. They arise purely from the obsession with power and control. If Trump is re-elected, revenge will be meted out to all who opposed him in the past. Previous efforts at subversion will pale in comparison to the effort to permanently secure power. Trumpers unfortunately see his actions and the party only in the context of a democratic government, fighting the overreach of big government. They are seemingly blind to or even supportive of Trumps effort at subverting democracy completely.
Regardless of a victory or loss in 2024, Trump will always have a base of people who identify with his role as victim. Imprisoning him for illegal acts will make him the martyr of a cause that would encourage violence. Losing the election could easily bring on clashes in the streets. The surface issues these victims relate to include pro-life, racism, immigration, government overreach or just plain hate. Underneath the façade are voters who feel cheated, denied their right to succeed, or victimized by some other incident in their lives. Rural Georgia voters vote Republican. Democratic government laws providing assistance and support would help them, but they vote against their own best interests. It seemingly is more important to blame someone or something instead of accepting help and lifting one’s self upward.
None of these issues will change perceptibly with any new administration. The far left and far right of each party have the same issues. They have been radicalized and see much of the world populace as a victim of some type of injustice. Centrists are criticized for not doing enough. America has lost much in the way of gratitude just for living in a country that observes the rule of law; that there is a modicum of peace and prosperity; that education is available for all; that one can practice any religion; that one can still improve their own lot by making an effort. A level of gratitude would enhance compassion for those in need and allow for toleration of others in this large multi- racial and multi- cultural country. Unfortunately, history has given us no example of a country that holds these platitudes as a priority, but investing in the effort is a step up from doing nothing.
The antithesis, of course, is Trump.
FW 7/ 21/21
American Commentary 