Reality TV Comes To Politics

Reality TV Comes To Politics
Al Ritter

I couldn’t help but to laugh this morning watching Donald trump and Karl Rove lambast each other on Fox news about the “Trump Debate.” Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have much love for either their personalities.

What I do have a problem with is how Trump wants to make it all about him and a TV show. The feeling that somehow he is the anointed one and all candidates must parade in front of him to kiss his ring for some sort of blessing makes me ill. I AM shocked and disappointed that Dr. Charles Krauthammer is participating in Trump’s little dog and pony show, I always thought he had more class than that.

Karl Rove is another thing entirely; he is merely a washed up Republican operative that will never figure into the power base of the Republican Party again. His policy recommendations caused the horrific failure of George Bush’s second term, and the subsequent rise of the Democrats into power into 2009. His late career will only involve book sales and occasional appearances on Fox News.

While I’m at this rant, let me include Fox News as my target. Recent rating claims Fox News’s popularity is waning. Personally I can see why when they parade Trump as if he was some sort of King Maker. Let’s be clear as a bell here, Donald trump is NO CONSERVATIVE, and he’s certainly no Republican, this debate is nothing more that Donald blackmailing the American public to keep him from running as a third party candidate……….give him what he wants so he will go away!

The Right’s Preoccupation with Donald Trump

The Right’s Preoccupation with Donald Trump
Al Ritter

Like a moth that is attracted to a flame, the Tea Party right has recently been drawn to Donald Trump. The issue as I see it revolves more around Trump’s single issue of Obama’s birth certificate rather than his ability to win a republican primary for the presidency.

Trump is speaking the conscience of the right because he doesn’t have the political clout to lose like many other presidential hopefuls. His popular themes on oil production, Chinese debt domination, and Obama’s birth certificate seem to be the most important ones in the public eye right now.

The question remains, “Who is Donald Trump, and what are his stands on the issues? Delving into his statements of the past is really the only way to root out his personal views. His most recent support of the Tea Party goes against his actions of the last campaign where he donated to Harry Reid’s campaign over Sharron Angle; He also supported RINO Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio. He supported Arlen Spector over Pat Toomey. He supported Rahm Emanuel in the run for Chicago Mayor’s seat. He supported the far left candidates Anthony Weiner, Chuck Schumer, and Charlie Rangel. His donations leaned 2/3 to the Democratic Party and one third to the republicans.

His stand on abortion has flip flopped from pro-choice in 2009 to pro-life in 2010, blurring the lines. His stance on guns follows more of a democratic stance than that of a republican, demanding more weapon to fall into the assault weapon ban, and increasingly tougher rules for firearm registration. His stance on healthcare is to go one step farther on healthcare than Obamacare has, to have an equivalent of a single payer system.

Trump wants to tax the “super rich” 14.25% on their net wealth, money that has already been taxed to eliminate the national debt.

Many of his supporter’s claim that what America needs is a “businessman who can run the country more like a business than a social experiment.” Nice sentiment, but less we forget that this wonderful businessman has declared bankruptcy 4 times since 1991………..not much of a statement on his wise business decisions is it?

Republicans here is your candidate if you want him!