I guess the Donald Trump phenomenom is
complicated, but to me, some of it is that some of what he says is
true. Far from all of it, and more pointing to problems that coming
up with solutions – in fact, Trump is virtually a solution-free
zone beyond “trust me, if I can't handle it personally we'll look
into it closely and I'll get the best possible to handle it.”
Another part of it is style. While he
is crass, his directness is refreshing to many. He has the aura of
someone who calls a spade a spade. His entertaining and
preposterously grandiose style might be at odds with the more
circumspect and stately persona we look for in a President, and in
the end will surely defeat him, but having a mix of entertaining
style and apparent truth-telling has been potent.
When you think of it, actually, it is
amazing how poor so many politicians are in public, when
communicating to the public is one of their most important functions.
Anyone who has taken acting 101 can see that so many of them just
blow it. What is your “action,” to be technical about it? Is it
to convince, to proclaim, to charm, to dazzle, to intimidate, to find
out, what? All these are possible. Even Obama, for all his
eloquence, and he is very eloquent, is professorial and declaiming.
Bill Clinton convinces pretty well by 'splaining, that's in his
wheelhouse. Hillary yells and is combative, and that's not being
sexist, she yells at you. Others speechify. Others try to be
charming by saying aw, shucks. George Bush was one of the worst; he
talked to someone else beside you who were listening, seemed to me.
But I digress.
Trump makes his points in an
oppositional, the-king-has-no-clothes style (“they're stupid, am I
right?”) that is designed to pull you in as a likeminded viewer who
understands that the pezzonovente have been pulling fast ones all
along. But some of them are right. When he describs a problem with
outrage, there have to be people out there saying, “Yeah!”
So I was just thinking, what would I do
with the surprising strength of his candidacy if I were on the
questioners panel at a debate – Republican or Democratic? I think
I'd use some of his points that I think are right to steer the
debate. So, here is what I might do. It might be a fun game for
you, as you follow his progress, to think how you might add to the
list.
Recommended questions for
questioners of presidential candidates
My intro: “While Mr. Trump has been
derided as a grandstanding agent of chaos without real policy
prescriptions, nonetheless, many of his pronouncement seem to
resonate with many Americans. Without getting into personalities,
could you please respond to some of the issues he has raised?”
#1. Mr. Trump has stated that our
system of financing elections makes for a broken political system.
He has stated that politicians without great personal wealth are
dependent on donations from persons and corporations who expect a
great deal in return.
Do you agree with this view? Do you
think the election financing system is broken? Are candidates
compromised by the need for large contributions? What changes are
needed and would you support?
#1a. Mr. Trump has indicated that much
of government is virtually owned by the rich. Do you agree?
#2. Mr. Trump has stated that the
United States has been repeatedly out-negotiated in trade and other
agreements. He has stated that our negotiators, both elected and
appointed officials, are not of the top rank, are soft, and indeed
are often “stupid.” He has stated that he would find “the
best” personnel in the private sector and drive agreements that
were more in the interest of the United States. Do you agree with
his assessment? What would you do about it?
#2a. Do you think our governmental
personnel are of the first rank, or do you think our first rate
people are predominantly in the private sector? Also, would you
please answer this question directly in terms of technology? And
what would you do about it if you agree that this is a problem?
#3. Mr. Trump has decried an unfair
tax system that extracts too much money from everyone. But one
important point he has not been alone in making is that it is a
scandal that certain investment institutions have been able to
benefit unfairly from “carried interest.” Do you agree that
carried interest is an unfair tax rule? If so, would you do anything
about it?
#4. Mr. Trump has stated that the Iraq
war was a terrible mistake, and would much rather have invested the
trillions invested in Iraq in domestic priorities of infrastructure,
especially roads, bridges, and airports. He has stated that the
United States should cast a much less substantial shadow in foreign
affairs, and induce other countries to shoulder more of the burden.
Do you believe the war was a mistake? If so, do you believe it was
avoidable? Do you believe that the United States should stay home
more?
#5. Mr. Trump has said that our
openness to immigration, both legal and illegal, has sold out our
working class to the interests of the wealthy. Do you agree, or do
you thin the Trans Pacific Partnership is a good idea?
In sum, Trump does have some
challenging ideas, seems to me, despite lots of the vile things he
has said, and his terrible low class demeanor. If I were a
questioner, I might capitalize on it.
Budd Shenkin
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