Trumpism- A Panacea or A Pain and Global Aphasia ?

As per Real Clear Politics (Hereinafter referred as RCP), the results of various opinion polls on ground/on-line show a trend in favor of Hillary Clinton. The following table indicates this fact.

Thursday, August 25 Race/Topic (Click to Sort)

PollResultsSpread

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Quinnipiac Clinton 45, Trump 38, Johnson 10, Stein 4 Clinton +7

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Clinton 51, Trump 41 Clinton +10

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Rasmussen Reports Clinton 42, Trump 38, Johnson 9, Stein 2 Clinton +4

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Reuters/Ipsos Clinton 39, Trump 36, Johnson 7, Stein 3 Clinton +3

General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Reuters/Ipsos Clinton 42, Trump 35 Clinton +7

Michigan: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Suffolk University Clinton 44, Trump 37, Johnson 5, Stein 3 Clinton +7

President Obama Job Approval Quinnipiac Approve 54, Disapprove 44 Approve +10

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

I have been closely following the various poll results with interest. Much has not changed in the Clinton lead nor on the support bases of both the candidates. A study by Isos/Reuters released on 22nd August, 2016 confirms this interesting data on voter preferences.

• Among minority registered voters, Clinton leads by 36 percentage points (56% Clinton to 20% Trump), however she trails Trump by 4 points among white registered voters (35% Clinton to 39% Trump).
• In the 4-way ballot including Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Jill Stein, Johnson draws the majority of his support from registered voters with a college education or more (12%), followed by women (10%).
  • Stein’s support comes mostly from registered voters with some college (5%).
• Trump’s unfavorable scores are steepest among registered voters who are minorities and women (72% minorities, 65% women). Men and white registered voters rate him with the highest favorability (42% men, 43% whites).
  • Clinton’s highest favorability scores come from registered voters with a college education or more and minorities (51% college or more, 61% minorities).

Other Trends

• Men and college educated registered voters declare the economy is their top concern (21% men, 24% college or more). Registered voters with no college are more concerned with terrorism, with white registered voters trailing closely behind (20% no college, 19% whites).

As I mentioned earlier, voters driven by the emotional appeal of Donald Trump and voters who are vexed with the status quo and want something new, the political gourmets, prefer Trump. Those who are satisfied with the Obama dispensation like continuity and prefer Hillary Clinton. But, as per many polls both candidates have poor approval ratings among the registered voters, while Clinton is again more favorable than Trump, the lesser evil they say. And as per one assessment there are 20% undecided voters and they tilt the scales in the final run. And the TV debates starting 26th September, 2016 may be the harbinger for the final push and one by one these undecided voters take firm view. Undecided voters either abstain or vote this way or that way. Even those voters who already decided may change opinion. Nothing is final.

A poll by http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster throws up a similar result as above.

48% Hillary Clinton

40% Donald Trump

Updated 2 hours ago

So, let us keep fingers crossed as far as the opinion polls are concerned and go ahead of what is happening on ground for both camps.

It is like WORD WAR 2, after the Primaries.. The weapon used is "RHETORIC" by both sides. At times the rhetoric is turning poignant. Diabolic double talk is harming both sides. Issues have taken a back seat. Personality clash has become the order of the day. The war of words is vitiating the election climate. I will give a few examples of the vicious propaganda from both sides after my previous Hub.

Who is more patriotic between the two? Who will, as President represent all classes of people, sans discrimination? Polls about acceptability of both the candidates among the registered voters show that both are not loved by the majority. But, as a minor solace to her, Hillary Clinton is liked more both among all the voters and particularly among the Democratic voters. As I stated earlier here, Clinton is liked more among women Republican voters. Reason for both failing the "acceptability" test is their stress more on personalities than on issues. Issues raised by both do not have an impact on majority of the populace. For example, the rhetoric of Donald Trump that he would ban the whole lot of Muslims and deport millions of immigrants living here for decades does not sound sensible to the majority. Yes! It certainly appeals to a minor sections of the voters who see both these as hindrance to the economic growth of USA or their individual growth.

A Statesman Vs a Politician

There is a subtle difference between a Statesman and a Politician. Both are leaders. A politician is defined "A person who gives much time to political affairs; a person who is experienced in politics." A statesman is defined as "A person who is skilled in the management of public or national affairs."

A politician goes with a mission to win and then think of doing the utmost good he can to his constituents A statesman on the other hand has ideas, a vision to see the welfare of people of the next two generations. Congressman David Crockett, who lived by one rule:said, "Be sure you are right & then go ahead " Statesmen earn votes. They do not buy them with loose rhetoric and creating a sense of paranoia in voters" (http://mike_north.tripod.com/id20.htm)

Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump failed to be statesmen. While Hillary Clinton is, at least a Politician, Donald Trump is neither. That is one reason, the well informed American voters are not trusting both the candidates.

Dr. Samuel Johnson, the first Lithographer, has an interesting take on Patriotism and assumed Patriotism. He says,

Patriotism; Politics; Subversion
"A man sometimes starts up a patriot, only by disseminating discontent, and propagating reports of secret influence, of dangerous counsels, of violated rights, and encroaching usurpation. This practice is no certain note of patriotism. To instigate the populace with rage beyond the provocation, is to suspend public happiness, if not to destroy it. He is no lover of his country, that unnecessarily disturbs its peace. Few errors and few faults of government, can justify an appeal to the rabble; who ought not to judge of what they cannot understand, and whose opinions are not propagated by reason, but caught by contagion."

Trump falls under this category. He started with rousing the rabble against the Establishment, unfortunately the Republican establishment too, with his ill-conceived, ill-timed and rabble-rousing statements like building a wall bordering Mexico etc., That is not patriotism. As I said, it is buying votes from specific vote banks, that fall to such emotional outbursts.At least, Hillary Clinton stopped short of this kind of emotional outbursts.

And Dr. Johnson continues

Fear; Patriotism
"It is the quality of patriotism to be jealous and watchful, to observe all secret machinations, and to see public dangers at a distance. The true lover of his country is ready to communicate his fears, and to sound the alarm, whenever he perceives the approach of mischief. But he sounds no alarm, when there is no enemy; he never terrifies his countrymen till he is terrified himself. The patriotism, therefore, may be justly doubted of him, who professes to be disturbed by incredulity.."

How aptly, Dr.Johnson summarized? Till the politician is terrified himself by a non-existent imminent and immediate danger,, he will not annoy the countrymen with fear. Though the fear of radical Islam is real, it is not at the doorstep of USA or any other country. It is like Ziika virus. We fight the virus but we do not ban all the citizens travelling to other countries. We only caution people, take measures to vaccinate them and propagate measures to protect selves from the danger. So too, Donald Trump should not have created panic with his statements. He should have stated the measures he proposed to take if elected President. So too, Hillary Clinton could have grasped the naivete of Trump and made a list of measures already taken by Democrats and her own policy. Instead she started issuing appeasing statements to Islamists. Both were appealing to emotions only.

Dr. Johnson elucidates further.

Class; Patriotism; Populism; Subversion
"A patriot is necessarily and invariably a lover of the people. But even this mark may sometimes deceive us.
The people is a very heterogeneous and confused mass of the wealthy and the poor, the wise and the foolish, the good and the bad. Before we confer on a man, who caresses the people, the title of patriot, we must examine to what part of the people he directs his notice. It is proverbially said, that he who dissembles his own character, may be known by that of his companions. If the candidate of patriotism endeavours to infuse right opinions into the higher ranks, and, by their influence, to regulate the lower; if he consorts chiefly with the wise, the temperate, the regular, and the virtuous, his love of the people may be rational and honest. But if his first or principal application be to the indigent, who are always inflammable; to the weak, who are naturally suspicious; to the ignorant, who are easily misled; and to the prfligate, who have no hope but from mischief and confusion; let his love of the people be no longer boasted. No man can reasonably be thought a lover of his country, for roasting an ox, or burning a boot, or attending the meeting at Mile-end, or registering his name in the lumber troop. He may, among the drunkards, be a hearty fellow, and, among sober handi-craftsmen, a free-spoken gentleman; but he must have some better distinction, before he is a patriot."

This needs no further elaboration. By these definitions, we can just conclude that both candidates failed the test of patriotism, Trump with far, far and far low credibility on this aspect.
J

Let us deal with the Campaign Blues of Trump Camp and the fatality of the so called "TRUMPISM" not only to the USA but to the world at large. He started his campaign with negative vibes and rumble to arouse the emotions of the rabble. It seems he ends it on the same note of acrimony, negativism and "she cant do this or that" malarkey. Let us eamine this latest tweet from @RealDonaldTrump.

"Crooked Hillary will NEVER be able to solve the problems of poverty, education and safety within the African-American & Hispanic communities"

What does it indicate? "She cant do anything" For academic interest let us think that she cant do. Is the voter interested to know that she cant perform or is he interested to know how he will able to achieve perfection in achieving the targeted goals? Voters are interested in the latter and not in the former. Taking voters for granted does not pay dividends. Sustained negative campaign in polls, especially after they are heated up, will certainly boomerang. It seems that is happening now and and possibility of the 20 odd percentage voters voting against Trump is a clear possibility. It is too late now the rectify the damage. It is difficult to bring the proverbial Chinese Pigtail to the front side.

It reminds me of the famous "Tragic Story" of the Chinese Sage by William Makepeace Thackeray, that runs like this.

There lived a sage in days of yore,
And he a handsome pigtail wore;
But wondered much and sorrowed more,
Because it hung behind him.

He mused upon this curious case,
And swore he'd change the pigtail's place,
And have it hanging at his face,
Not dangling there behind him.

Says he, "The mystery I've found -
Says he, "The mystery I've found!
I'll turn me round," - he turned him round;
But still it hung behind him.

Then round and round, and out and in,
All day the puzzled sage did spin;
In vain - it mattered not a pin -
The pigtail hung behind him.

And right and left and round about,
And up and down and in and out
He turned; but still the pigtail stout
Hung steadily behind him.

And though his efforts never slack,
And though he twist and twirl, and tack,
Alas! Still faithful to his back,
The pigtail hangs behind him.

https://allpoetry.com/A-Tragic-Story

And the many rounds Donald Trump takes, the many half hearted apologies he tenders, the many more solecisms he throws upon the opposite camp, the pigtail remains there only. It is truth!

For the Trump Campaign Camp, all is fair in war; there is no love left. The famous Tragedy of Macbeth by Shakespeare starts with the three witches singing in chorus

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Let’s fly away through the fog and filthy air."

The ill-advised Trump hovered through the filthy air of, in his own words, usage of wrong words. The foulness of his words like banning the whole lot of Muslims, constructing a wall across the border of Mexico, deporting a whole lot of undocumented immigrants, inviting Russian hackers to hack the e-mails of his rival, his call for the Second Amendment people to tackle Clinton in their own methodology are all examples of his advisers misleading him that all that is foul is fair. And his brazen defense of his wife's reported plagiarism as "fair" is another example of how ill advised he is. The photo supra appeared in the Huffington Post of 27th of August under the headline, "

TRUMP BACKS ADVISER WHO CALLED FOR HILLARY’S EXECUTION

This suggests he did not mend his method of using the wrong words. In the Tragedy of Macbeth, he is hailed as

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of Glamis!

All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, thane of Cawdor!All hail, Macbeth, the future king!

When the first two turn out to be true, ambition of Macbeth is aroused. He commits blunder after blunder believing the predictions. Ambition overtakes reason. The advisers surrounding Trump are only feeding ambition to him.

But he must realize that

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’sIn deepest consequence.

After winning the primary, those people that were advising Trump to go follow a path derided by majority of the registered but won him an honest trifle wanted him to tread the same path. But the reality of general election is different. But is it too late in the day to reverse the course? Time will tell.

Today, France is among one of the worst sufferers of the Radical Islam's terrorist tactics. But Nicolas Sarzoky, the contender for nomination of the Conservative Party for President Post has to say this.

Burkinis must be banned throughout France, ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy said at his first campaign rally for the 2017 presidential election.

Did he suggest deportation of all Muslims from France or did he propose a ban on all Muslims from entering France? that is extreme view and impracticable.

He further said,

"In my speech there is no fear, there is no hatred, there is just common sense," Sarkozy said, accusing critics of closing their eyes to ordinary voters' woes. "The French people are not fascist because they consider there are security problems".

A tough message but no extreme view. If there are rodents in our house, shall we eradicate them or burn the house? A common sense decision.

And make whatever you wish out of this leap frogging by Donald Trump. The Candidate who, just a fortnight ago mocked opinion polls and declared that crowds at meetings indicate real winner tweets

New polls - Join the #TrumpMOVEMENT today & Retweet to Share!

http://www.DonaldJTrump.com #ImWithYou

The Photo he tweeted.

To be continued in Part 3. Apology on one side and BREXIT leader by his side, the inimitable Trump.