The Donald Trump phenomenon surging through the ranks of many conservative Americans isn't difficult to comprehend. I'd bet at least 60 percent of us are fed up with the deceit, political agendas and the wholesale loss of trust in our elected government and the cash-corrupted system we've allowed to assume control over our nation's leadership.
Credibility also has evaporated. We listen today to carefully parsed words of candidates after they've been massaged by their "handlers" and roll our eyes at the resulting "political correctness" designed not to offend anyone. Few conservative candidates express what they really mean for fear of being smeared and ridiculed over one misplaced syllable and victimized by the spin of a national press hostile to their beliefs.
So we wind up with the kind of process we've allowed. Big money in the form of campaign contributions and lucrative gratitudes for official "kindnesses" overshadow everything. What's the first thing we hear from news pundits about candidates? How much money they've raised. There's no discussion of their character, integrity or beliefs--just how much others have given them in laughable support of "good government!"
Love or hate him, Trump speaks unfiltered English. He doesn't mind if his handlers or the GOP hierarchy cringe. I doubt he has handlers. As a result, this unlikely candidate for president has tapped deep in to the national anger and frustration to gain favor with a lot of honesty-starved Americans beyond fed up with the dishonest gruel they've been spoon-fed for years.
When it comes to this billionaire, I imagine a telephone discussion about Trump between two people of opposing political persuasions could go something like this:
What do you think about Donald Trump running for president?
"That clown with poofy hair! Ha, ha ha, ha ha ha!"
Did you hear Trump say he doesn't need to peddle his honor and integrity to the lobbyists and big political contributors waiting to yank his chain of influence? His empire of 9 billion dollars generated through many free-enterprise projects means he doesn't want their corruptive money.
"Yeah, and he tells everyone how much money he has! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"
Did you know Trump said he'd make returning jobs and overtaxed U.S. industries from other countries to America a top priority? He even predicted he'd become justifiably known as the jobs president.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha!"
Did you hear Trump say as president he'd also build a wall along our ridiculously porous Southern border with Mexico and have Mexico pay to erect it?
"Ha, ha ha!!"
Did you hear Trump say he'd have zero tolerance for the savages known as ISIS and would use whatever means necessary as the U.S. president to erase their threat?
"He's never served in the military! Ha, ha!"
Did you know Trump said our elected leaders have failed the American people and no longer put the needs of citizens above their own political party's agendas and self interests? He claims he'd make America great again.
"Ha!"
Did you see that Trump doesn't kowtow to the bully-boy national media types intent on ridiculing him as they so transparently promote and protect one party's agenda at the expense of objectivity and truth?
(Inaudible mumble.)
And, oh yeah, did you hear Trump is leading GOP polls by a wide margin?
Hello? Still there?
No flies on that!
I appreciate it when readers respond to my opinions. It matters not to me should they agree or disagree (poetic, eh?). I'm always pleased they took their valuable time to read and reflect upon their feelings.
Following a recent column in which I enjoyed speculating on what a day in the life of a roomful of D.C. bureaucratic regulators might be like, I received some complimentary, along with less-than-favorable, email messages.
Here was one reactive letter about that column from reader Ben Novak of Monticello published on the Voices page.
"Mike Masterson has on many occasions written about the pig farm in Northwest Arkansas, trying to get it regulated out of business, but in a recent column he ridiculed the very government that would pass such regulation. You can't have it both ways, Mike. Or do you think that you are the only one who knows what should or should not be regulated?"
Well, by golly, Ben, after lengthy consideration, I believe I might just be the one.
Mike's regulations would be simple. Ignore special, competing business and personal interests who try to use my mandates to their advantage. Regulate only what is demonstrably necessary to maintain a level playing field for everyone and prevent our citizens from being harmed by obviously unscrupulous, wrongheaded or unsafe practices created out of ignorance, stupidity or political favoritism.
I'd classify the hog factory our state Department of Environmental Quality (cough) allowed to operate in the watershed of our precious Buffalo National River, at the very least, as a remarkably wrongheaded decision.
Beyond that, I'd be satisfied letting taxpaying adult citizens in a representative governmental process decide their own personal risks to take. I do believe one of my favorite Ozark armchair philosophers, the Durable Ralph Guynn of Harrison, might proclaim of my regulatory plan: "Ain't no flies on that!"
Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 08/08/2015