I was happy to receive this question from a family member who offered it in a good spirit: along with a congratulations on our victory, in genuine curiosity, and (I think) with real grief. He, along with most of my family of origin, is deeply troubled by realities like the plight of immigrants, global warming, and the violence of January 6. I share these concerns. But they are not my top priorities.
My deepest concern with Trump is one, but has three aspects. It deals not with policy or governance so much as morals and culture, the deeper dimension of politics. It is what made me as a "never-Trump-conservative" and a "double-hater" abstain for the previous two elections. These views have not changed, but have been overwhelmed by the stronger negatives of Biden/Harris.
1. Decadent moral example: for all of us, but specifically my grandchildren. EVERYONE is a moral exemplar; and especially those in positions of leadership, status and power. No one more than our President! I passionately rejected the public/private distinction that allowed many to accept Bill Clinton after his scandalizing dalliance. The private and the public are not separate; they influence one another. Above all, I despise Trump's shameless disrespect for people: women, immigrants, his political enemies. Secondly, his almost absolute disregard for Truth. Thirdly, his uncamouflaged, all-pervading narcissism makes him largely unfit for this position.
2. Along similar lines: the ongoing Trump Performance has badly damaged, not our democratic political institutions, but our culture and morals. Since the 1960s our society has been in catastrophic moral decline. Trump rides that wave and has intensified it: scandalous disrespect for people, disregard for truth, sexual license, crude and insulting language. He makes our society morally worse by his example and behavior.
3. Polarization of the left/right: Again, he did not invent this, but he has benefited from it and intensified it. The mutual suspicion, fear, resentment, and contempt across the divide is becoming worse. Trump deliberately inflames this. There is a real demonic quality to this mutuality and it is effective on both sides of the aisle. That is why I welcomed the question, offered in respect.
Regarding his egotism and potential for abuse of Presidential power I am not greatly concerned for three reasons.
1. Ross Douthat is right: he is not a power broker; he is a vain, self-centered man, desperate for attention. My daughter said "He is not a fascist; he is a big baby." He has little interest in policy, ideology and power. He wants everyone's attention. He is an entertainer; he is performing for the crowd. What he says is not to be taken literally; it is entirely histrionic, performative, attention-seeking. In his four years of power, he did not maximize it. For example, a real tyrant would have used the covid emergency as an opportunity to monopolize power: he let the states do their thing and deferred to Fauci.
2. He surrounds himself with good people, he delegates to them, he defers to them as he himself lacks strong inner convictions. This is what has made him successful on such a grand scale. Paradoxically, he has a certain humility in that he does not claim expertise but defers to others with specific competence. For example, unlike the arrogant Biden who was sure of his competence about Afghanistan, he would not have overruled his generals and pulled out of there with such devastation.
3. Lastly, our basic institutions are resilient, rooted, stable and resistant to someone so unfocused, unhinged, and infantile. He was restrained by his own advisors but also by establishment Republicans, the courts, the Democratic opposition, and the durability of our institutions. His election denial was rejected by all kinds of courts and most Republicans (notably Bill Barr). The alleged "insurrection" was overcome in a few hours and the actual election validated immediately, by both parties, with his own Vice President presiding.
With regard to policy, I am not Trumpian but have a number of concerns.
1. In foreign policy, I am myself a strong internationalist, not an isolationist. But it is undeniable that the world enjoyed four years of peace in his term. That was, in my view, mostly good luck. But his contribution to it was not nothing. His unpredictability, I do believe, gave pause to bad actors like Iran and Russia. He showed a strong hand that they feared. The Abrahamic Accords are historic accomplishments and will hopefully be strengthened. His policy on Iran was correct. He correctly forced our NATO allies to pay more of a fair share. Going forward he does well to mute his "America First" chant and build strong alliances in all arenas: Europe, but even more in the Middle East and the Pacific. His infatuation with strong man dictators is troubling and distracting. But I hope that that is more of a personal hobby and does not set real policy. I share his pro-Israel position on Gaza and Lebanon. I strongly support the Ukraine and find that Biden did too little too late; but I think the time is right now for him to force both sides to the table.
2. Economically he talks populism, but his tax policy favored the rich and increased the debt and therefore inflation. He won the election because of inflation (along with other factors); but in my view he contributed to it as much as the Biden over-spending. He was rewarded; Harris was punished. Such is politics. My hope is that the new Catholic-friendly populism of Vance will have influence and help the lower working class.
3. He is absolutely right about the need for a controlled border. But I do despise his negative rhetoric about immigrants. It is inconceivable, impossible, that he would deport millions of law abiding illegals. What he will do, correctly, is deport the criminal element.
With regard to energy, tariffs, guns and many issues I am somewhere between the parties and satisfied that neither side is able to entirely prevail.
Almost all of my children voted for neither candidate as "double haters." I am proud of them for that. I am greatly relieved at the defeat of Kamala Harris. But that does not eliminate my moral contempt for the performative person of Trump; my sorrow at the sadness of so many dear friends and family; and especially my regret at the divide that has come between us.
So again I am grateful for the question and the spirit in which it was offered.
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