My American Friends: A Question

I hold no brief for any side in American politics, as I generally consider the Republicans and Democrats to be as bad as each other when it comes to looking out for the interests of big business over the welfare of the average American. But the recent behaviour of President Trump has me confused as to how he has been allowed to remain in office, without being removed by anyone with an iota of commonsense.

However, I know that almost 50 % of Americans still support him, and many even consider that his handling of the Covid-19 crisis has ‘gone well’.

This is a man who has suggested using anti-malarial drugs, because he has financial connections to the company that makes them. He has gone so far as to suggest that ingesting or injecting bleach or disinfectant might help to kill the virus, or that inserting a light inside your body might work too.

These are not the actions of a statesman, and definitely not of a president. They are not even the actions of a madman, as a madman might actually believe that what he was saying was true. They are incomprehensible, and are not only dangerous, but potentially fatal. To my mind, those statements should warrant criminal charges of wilfully endangering life.

Like our own ‘hideaway leader’, Mr Trump seems to consider the significant loss of life is a fair price to pay for business continuing to profit at all costs.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, he has appeared to be cynical, heartless, flippant, and uncaring. He has offered support to armed demonstrators intimidating politicians, and even nurses. If I hadn’t seen and heard all this with my own eyes, I would have considered it to be the stuff of a tragic comedy.

So my question is this.

Given all this, are you still intending to support him, and vote for him at the next election? And if so, why?

I would genuinely like to know.

53 comments

  1. Brendan Birth

    I never really supported Trump and don’t plan to vote for Trump. So I’m not one to speak on this. But, there does seem to be quite a bit of authoritarianism and nationalism in many parts of the globe, so I don’t think Trump exists in a bubble.

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  3. Heyjude

    No help from me obviously. But words fail me when seeing and hearing Trump speak, as all words fail him. The man cannot string a coherent sentence together and then seemingly forgets what he said the day before. I seriously think he has dementia. And I really don’t know how anyone can vote for him. But we don’t see the news that Americans do, and of course Trump’s theory is that all media news is fake except that from Fox News of course. “There’s nowt so queer as folk”

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    • beetleypete

      I am beginning to realise that Trump’s fanbase doesn’t watch any news that criticises him, so what they do watch reinforces their own opinions. It’s a lost cause, I’m afraid.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. toritto

    Heehee. Nobody who would vote for Tan Don would read a blog entitled Red Flag Flying and certainly won’t answer you. That is if they read at all. So only those opposed to him would answer and then only be able to give their interpretation as to what motivates such voters. I gave up understanding American voters a long time ago. Why would a person on social security vote for someone who would abolish it? Why would someone on Obamacare vote for Trump? Beats me. Besties.

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    • beetleypete

      We have similar things here, Frank. Unemployed people voted for Boris, even when he had said he would cut benefits. But nobody here has ever gone quite so patently insane as your current president. The government members here may be devious and slimy slugs, but they have all their faculties.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      • Doug

        hahaha.. cool. 🙂 Would have made for good souvenirs. Twenty years from now when your grandkids ask what it was like during The Great Covid-19 Pandemic you can take them into the attic, open up the family trunk.. and pull out those signs… “This is a scary story, kids… but don’t be afraid as this was long ago.. in a galaxy far, far away…”

        Liked by 2 people

      • Doug

        On the other hand.. maybe 20 years from now we can petition the future government that we want “war reparations” from Trump’s descendants. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

  7. Klausbernd

    Dear Pete,
    congratulations for your outspoken text. It’s unbelievable that a lot of Trump’s followers are proud to be ignorant. They outsource their thinking and feelings to FOX news and Trump. But what about the UK and Boris Johnson? Okay, it’s not that drastic as in the US but nevertheless a populism of a political leader that is known as a liar.
    Thanks for initiating this necessary discourse here
    Klausbernd 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

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    • beetleypete

      Yes, Boris and his cronies are cowardly and disgusting too. But they have not been completely full-on mad, in the same way as Mr Trump. I know so many still believe in him, and I would truly like to hear a sensible reason why that is.
      Best wishes, Pete and Ollie.

      Liked by 1 person

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  9. lssattitudeofgratitude

    Sorry, not sorry, but here I am, another person who detests the maniac in office. He did not win the popular vote. He won the outdated electoral vote. I have some friends who stand by his insanity to the point that I had to block them on my Facebook. I cannot understand any sane person agreeing with his stupidity. The thread they seemed to hold on to was their attachment to someone “different” than the usual politician. In any case, a lunatic is a lunatic and just because he is different is no reason to allow him in public office destroying what was once a great nation.

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  10. Maggie

    I was going to attempt to formulate an answer for you by looking at some of my own family’s comments on social media. I cannot make sense of it. I did not vote for him and would never. For me it is not only about the loud decisions he makes, but the quiet decisions about the environment that are troubling. I do believe much of the dividing lines are racially motivated. I also think the gun lobby draws a line as well as big splash religion. Add in conspiracy theorists and you have a big number. Of course, he did not win the popular vote the last time so he was not the people’s choice making him the fifth president in our country to lose the popular vote and still gain the presidency. He paints an illusion of monetary and economic gain which entices people to believe they are better off. It is perplexing to me that seemingly intelligent people will discount the blatant lies, mistruths and conjecture. I will be curious to see if anyone responds with their reasoning for supporting him.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. democratizemoney

    Your question presupposes the Trump base has the same access to information that you have and uses that access. The Trump base largely watches FOX News. FOX news supports everything that Trump does and sometimes suggests things to Trump. There is virtually no criticism of Trump on FOX news. For example, when Trump was touting the anti-malaria drug FOX news was touting it right along with him. Trump’s idiotic and stupid statements and policies go unnoticed by FOX news and hence his base unless they play into their anti-immigrant, anti-black, or other biases. JHis base also uses social media to reinforce their view of the world that Trump is great and magnifies the false narrative and spread conspiracy theories. Some of your other commentators have given you their take on the kine of folks who are in the base. I will say only that they are people who would rather have their preferences parroted than hear the facts. Then there is the quote I published by Issac Asimov awhile ago, “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” I rather suspect the base loves that Trump’s ignorance wins over all established knowledge.

    You may get a response from a Trump supporter here to your question. However, given that you post posits a negative portrait of Trump that his base refuses to see or admit that they see, his supporters are more than likely not abundant among your followers on this post and if there are some, the negative portrait is likely to put them off as you are clearly in the enemy’s camp. You may have better luck if you were to go on Facebook and find a supporter’s post and ask them directly. It took me one minute to find this supporter: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2866944480042087&set=a.477005109036048&type=3&theater

    Warmest regards, Theo

    Liked by 3 people

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    • beetleypete

      Thanks for the link, Theo. It will only let me see the first image, as I don’t have an account. Intersting about the news. Did Fox not show the ‘inject disinfectant’ remark? Or perhaps his supporters prefer to believe that his later retraction that it was ‘ironic’ is true?
      I am at a complete loss to understand how anyone, whatever their extreme beliefs or xenophobic views, can actually take this man seriously for one moment longer.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 2 people

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  12. Dina

    What a bliss to read your outspoken words, Pete.
    It beats us (not being American) all why he stays a president. I was shocked when got elected, this way or that way and find it appalling the way he acts. Most of all, I will simply not comprehend why the citizens of the USA will elect him a second time, they will, I am sure.

    “Every nation gets the government it deserves.”
    Joseph de Maistre (1 April 1753 – 26 February 1821) lawyer, diplomat, writer, and philosopher.

    Best wishes,
    Dina

    Liked by 3 people

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  13. theshammuramat

    I believe that we’re at the apex of the Fermi Paradox. We’re in the process of destroying our civilization. I would give us about 100 years more and then we’re gone. Just think of us as a failed experiment and Trump as hastening our demise. Full steam ahead now on moving towards an earth which will warm to 4 or 5 degrees celsius by 2075. The good news is the Universe is big and I believe others who are watching us have succeeded where we have failed. You and I Pete won’t be around to see it thank goodness!

    4. Intelligent life self-destructs. Whether via weapons of mass destruction (perhaps known as Donald Trump), planetary pollution, or manufactured virulent disease, it may be the nature of intelligent species to commit suicide, existing for only a short time before winking out of existence. (This would include I believe voting for leaders like Bojo and Trump who are greedy, nihilistic fools.)
    11. Earth is deliberately not being contacted. On Earth, we have policies about contacting indigenous peoples; it’s possible that the same thing could be happening with us. Just like in Star Trek, advanced alien societies may enforce rules that limit contact only to species that attain a lofty degree of technological or cultural evolution. (Yes they’re here even the US Navy says so, and they’re watching us like we would fish dying in an aquarium tank without oxygen. Thank goodness we’re merely one tiny blip on the vast cosmic screen of energy and knowledge).

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  14. Doug

    As I continue to ponder your question, Pete… the impetus to tolerate Trump by nearly half (recent numbers suggest something like 45%) is not dissimilar from yourselves and the rest of Europe.. there’s white folks who are tired of hearing and reading foreign languages being imposed on them (from decades of poor immigration policies, refugees from other countries.. you name it.) the influx of foreigners (allegedly) sucking up social programs and jobs, and economic globalism that results in great national GNP but no “prosperity” filtering down to rural folks and manufacturing… that in many cases had been the bedrock of American economic success for generations of families and for the last hundred years.
    From the average Trump supporter over here you will ALWAYS get this… “Yes, he’s rough around the edges but look at all the good he has done!” No.. he’s not done “good”. He blathers to a base that wants the white America of the 50’s and 60’s.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • beetleypete

      Yes, we have an almost equal split over Brexit. But even with someone as useless as Boris, we don’t have any European leaders so patently deranged as Mr Trump. It really intrests me how people cannot see what we see when he speaks.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  15. Constitutional Insurgent

    As much of an assclown as he is, when we’re speaking of removal options, their rather limited. Impeachment was tried, but was doomed to fail due to the GOP majority in the Senate. The 25th Amendment could be invoked if there were enough brave souls, but any premise would be thin. There is no national recall/referendum in our Constitution.

    The only remains option is the election in November. As a militant Libertarian, I’d like to think that Trump could engender a brushfire movement towards actual classical liberalism……but there are simply too many emotion-based serfs who desire an authoritarian in power, for that to occur.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • beetleypete

      Thanks very much for your opinion. I remember when there was a similar idea about Margaret Thatcher, that her harsh policies would cause a working-class backlash against her. There were worker’s protests, but she was eventually re-elected.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 2 people

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  16. Doug

    Good probing question, Pete. It’s during times like these that I personally admire the British government’s form of democracy in the ability to do “no confidence” votes to get rid of the guy.
    But as you know.. strong nationalistic forms of government are in vogue around the world these days… and here in the good ole U.S. of A. you have a looney-toones right wing loving this guy. Regardless what you might have thought of the old man’s politics, I’d give anything right now for a Winston Churchill.
    To answer your question directly.. which you likely already know… Trump gets no vote outta me. My passion extends to the “I don’t give a damn who replaces him” category. I’d even accept Pence had Trump gotten impeached. I’d still accept Pence if Trump ever succumbs to the virus given now it’s made its way across the White House lawn. I am having any sort of impure thoughts about Herr Trump… which disturbs me to no end. If by some fluke of electoral nonsense yet again and he wins… he likely will loose the the current GOP Senate and hence get impeached within 6 months anyway.
    I’m reminded of the Revolution back in 1776. While there were no official pollsters back in the day it is widely accepted that at best the split between Loyalists and Revolutionaries was about 50/50. Sometimes change in the absence of a majority is a matter of chance, fate, and/or the Almighty.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • beetleypete

      Thanks for your on-the-spot thoughts, Doug. I knew you didn’t support him, but I am genuinely trying to get an answer from someone who does.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  18. lobotero

    My answer is NO way would I ever vote for this Orange person….but then I am not too thrilled with the choices I have this time around…..even the Green Party has crapped in the chili as far as I am concerned…..all I can say is we can thank social media for a good portion of his approval ratings. Sorry I could not be more help…..chuq

    Liked by 1 person

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