RoR: Forum

Whether you're a fan of The Donald or not...

No one who regards himself (or herself) as an Objectivist (or libertarian) should be a fan of Donald Trump. Trump is an (eminent domain) thief who has a very nasty (and anti-Objectivist) of engaging government authorities to seize people's homes and other property so that he can acquire it for his development projects, whether or not the rightful owner wishes to sell.

In a well-documented 1990s case, Trump engaged Atlantic City authorities to condemn the home of an elderly widow (Vera Coking) whose property Trump sought for a casino parking lot (for limousines). With help from the Institute for Justice, Mrs. Coking was able to thwart Trump's theft of her home.

Trump's gang is also said to be closing in the property of Michael Forbes, a Scottish farmer whose home and 22-acre farm Trump covets for a golf course. Forbes stands to be evicted from his home, along with his family.

Doubtless, many others have relinquished their property to Trump in the same way because they didn't feel they'd win or the legal cost was unbearable.

Never mind the obfuscation of the issue via claims that the owner of the seized property receives 'fair market value' or 'just compensation'. Ascertaining the value of real estate is largely subjective, especially when the property is a home from which the owner is evicted, requiring significant upheaval in his or her family's life. I know of a couple in their 60s who lost their home which they had lived in for decades when it was taken for a highway. They were so distraught, they both died within months. Some victims of eminent domain 'only' lose their front yard when a road is widened so they receive just a pittance, even though their home is devalued and less liveable.

Eminent domain is bad enough when property is taken for 'public' use. When someone, perceived to be a 'businessman' instigates it for business use, it undermines support for capitalism and freedom. So Objectivists, please get the word out on Trump. He's a thief.

Post 1

Monday, August 24, 2015 - 5:32pm

As Objectivists we recognize the importance of knowing (as best we determine) a candidates basic political and moral principles. The first step away from that was when sound-bite politics and memorized talking-points let candidates just mouth a principle as if it was really theirs and as if they really understood it. The second step away from understanding a politicians actual principles was the shift from principles, even in unverified, sound-bite form, to "issues" and "stances" and "positions." This just gives ever more room for a candidate to wiggle around till they have poll-tested issue sound-bite talking points and don't have to mention any principle. (I should also mention that many politicans don't even know what a political principle is... they mistake jingoistic exclamations made with proper emotional expression to be 'principles' - besides, they don't want to say anything that might turn away a single vote, so they restrict what they say to the poll-tested sound-bites)

The third step away from understanding a candidate's principles is when the rhetoric is purposefully used to confuse or hide even a "stance" - Trump is a master of this. He will say he is for lower taxes, then he is for getting rid of the loopholes, then he is for taxing the hedgefund managers or the ultra rich. He throws them all out there as if he were just speaking of the top of his mind - being spontaneous - being The Donald. Then the next day, he says something else. I think each statement is intended as emotional "red meat" so some segment of the potential voters, and then contradicted the next day to ease the mind of other segments of the voting public that were upset with the first statement. It is a kind of intellectual Identity Politics, handed out under the cover of "Speaking from the Heart" or whatever. He doesn't get accused of "flip-flopping" on his short-term statements, or need to apologize like the others - he just has to speak in that strange world-salad fashion that is his.

A president should be intelligent, honest, open, articulate (and consistent in what they say), have a strong personality and be able to induce large numbers of people to follow them (leadership), put the constitution and individual rights above all else, and prioritize the goals he or she intends to achieve given that a president has a limited amount of political capital (and the priorities should follow our understanding of the importance of small government from the perspective of economic vitality and individual rights).

Trump doesn't measure up to several of those requirments - and even if he did measure up better, we'd still have to find a way to guage his trustworthiness since his track record doesn't help at all. (I do like how he is modeling what it looks like to have a spine in the face of political correctness.)

Post 2

Tuesday, August 25, 2015 - 1:00pm

Excellent post, Steve! Very thoughtful and well crafted.

I'll just add my own "off the top" impressions of Mr. Trump. "Warrior male extraordinaire?" How about "megalomaniac extraordinaire" or "xenophobic protectionist extraodinaire," or "crony capitalist extraordinaire," or "swaggering blowhard extraodinaire." Do we really want a used-care salesman on steroids for president?

In another respect, Donald Trump reminds me of a cartoon character -- an unscrupulous business magnate straight out of Batman's Gotham City, like a Lex Luther. I mean, to look at him with his squinty eyes, weird hair and pompous mannerisms, one realizes that he's absolutely perfect! Central casting needs to hire him for a cameo role! Just think of the box office appeal -- real life imitating art!

Here is another apt characterization:

"In both disposition and physiognomy, Donald Trump resembles the Honey Badger, which is apparently what a growing portion of the electorate wants:

[The Honey Badger: A weasel-like animal with "few natural predators because of its thick skin and ferocious defensive abilities."]

"...the more he exposes himself as ill-tempered, ignorant about public policy, bigotedly protectionist, viewing international relations as zero-sum games in which we must "win" while other losers lose, and with an over-the-map view of governing philosophy that seems as genuinely close to strongman-y nationalistic fascism as we've seen gain any apparent traction in a while (complete with being slow to condemn brownshirt violence by his fans), the more people seem to like the idea of his being president.

"See two unsettling surveys of the reasoning behind supporting Trump for president from GQ and The Atlantic and find stews of rabid nationalism, mania, sheer fanboyishness, comedy, and a confused desire to see some kind of big change that they think will help them that they for some reason believe Trump will bring about."

Can you imagine the election if Trump and Biden become the nominees? Two clowns vying for the oval office. If that happens, it's a true post-mortem for the country. (I really do think Biden will be the nominee, although I don't think that Trump will. But if Trump runs as a third-party candidate, which I think he will, he could hand the election to the Democrats. Will that discourage him? I doubt it.)

Post 3

Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - 8:48am

Personality cult is not sexy or masculine.

Post 4

Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 10:09pm

Trump's success just goes to show how much people crave a leader who seems decisive and confident, and who NEVER makes apologies. W had this going for him too. It creates the illusion of principle.

Post 5

Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 10:43pm

Some people are so angry that they will fasten on anyone who is a strong demogogue on their issues. We've always had people on both sides of the political spectrum that get emotionally attached to a politician in a way that isn't reversible - that is nothing the candidate says or does can change that support. In other countries this has been the precursor to the rise of a dictator. I worry that this could happen in our country and maybe this is the time.

On the other hand, to the degree that this is a product of the silent majority's overflowing hatred of politicians, it can't be all bad. Those crooks in Washington have been getting away with their fake do-gooder act for far too long.

But, as far as the election season goes, it is still early and nothing is much more unpredictable than early predictions of primary nominations.

Post 6

Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 5:14pm

Speaking of anger ...

Hillary for Prison 2016

... though 2015 would prove more acceptable.

Post 7

Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 5:44pm

"Hillary for Prison" - now that's a campaign I can get behind!

Apart from the simple justice of it, it might be an eye-opener for the higher levels of the political class.

(Edited by Steve Wolfer on 8/30, 5:46pm)

Post 8

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 - 5:13pm

Donald Trump's popularity is being credited to his "honesty" and to his not being a politician. In fact, the Donald is no more honest than Hillary Clinton is. Nor is he any less of a politician.

At a recent Christian music venue, he told the crowd, "I love the Tea Party!" This from a man who supported the $700 billion bank bailout, the $80 billion auto-bailout, the economic stimulus package, an increase in marginal tax rates, and single-payer, universal health care -- all of which which the Tea Party vehemently opposed. This from a man who in 2004 said that the economy does better under the Democrats than under the Republicans.

Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign is thought to be resonating with voters and to be responsible for his support. But in his case that hot-button slogan is understood in a way that makes a mockery of its true meaning. What is great about America is not the protectionist policies that Trump favors, which would deprive Americans of less expensive goods and services, not his nativist xenophobia and not his anti-immigrationist policies preventing productive outsiders from contributing to the U.S. economy. For Trump, free trade is a zero-sum game in which for Americans to win, foreigners must lose.

This is not the America the founding fathers envisioned. What is great about America are its revolutionary political principles of freedom as embodied in the Constitution. That is the true American exceptionalism, not the nativist nonsense that Trump is spouting.

Post 9

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - 10:00pm