“Donald J. Trump is a populist in the same sense that the Democratic People’s Republic of [North] Korea is democratic.”—Politico Magazine
Or as columnist Paul Krugman of the iconic and thriving New York Times put it the other day: “Message to those in the news media who keep calling Donald Trump a ‘populist:’ I do not think that word means what you think it means.”
The word has a vague general ring of “popularity” about it, although Donald’s actual popularity is around 40%—and Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by several million in the 2016 presidential election. The word, however, has been seized upon and propagated in the minds of misogynists, racial supremacists, individually greedy, bullies and other troglodytes who somehow feel they are representative of a true common American—and are one with Donald Trump. And careless journalists also have succumbed to the brain-washing propaganda to the point of turning the word illegitimate.
Donald Trump’s concern for the common people on whom he looks down from his golden tower actually is illustrated by his opinion that Blacks are lazy, of low intelligence and have no place in positions of influence, tend toward criminality. No surprise he feels about Hispanic immigrants in the same sociopathic way. He’s finding ways of “cleansing” the country of the latter. If he has his way, even those without documents who have lived peacefully and productively in this country for 20 years or so will be forcibly ejected to south of the Rio Grande.
Even white lower-class Americans don’t get the time of day from Donald. He’s cutting social assistance programs right and left. For instance, food stamps. Same for your medical coverage. You’re not sending him enough tax money. Die and go away. He seems to have the same idea for us aged ones and our Social Security. Women lower than Trump-class catch it from all directions—in addition to the aforementioned blows, such things as single-mother child care, birth control, etc.
An opportunist at all times. A fabulist, a capitalist, a misogynist, a racist, a narcissist/egoist, a propagandist, a dogmatist . . . but in no way a populist. He neither serves nor cares about commoners. (“Fabulist,” by the way, refers to “a liar, especially a person who invents elaborate, dishonest stories.”)
Writer Paul Krugman, quoted in the opening here, concluded the pertinent syndicated column with: “While he isn’t a populist, however, Trump is a pathological liar, the most dishonest man ever to hold high office in the United States. And his claim to stand with working Americans is one of his biggest lies.”
BY CONTRAST, turning to Obama—These comments from President Barack Obama’s Father's Day 2015 speech at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago were never more relevant than they are today: "When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me — how do I make my way in the world, and how do I become successful and how do I get the things that I want. But now, my life revolves around my two little girls. And what I think about is what kind of world I’m leaving them. Are they living in a county where there’s a huge gap between a few who are wealthy and a whole bunch of people who are struggling every day? Are they living in a country that is still divided by race? A country where, because they’re girls, they don’t have as much opportunity as boys do? Are they living in a country where we are hated around the world because we don’t cooperate effectively with other nations? Are they living a world that is in grave danger because of what we’ve done to its climate?"
Sorry to say, yes they are in this situation these several years later. As are my own two daughters, two granddaughters and a few great granddaughters. Is Donald Trump to blame? Of course he is.
Narcissistic personality disorder—the person has an extreme feeling of self-importance, a sense of entitlement, and a need to be admired. He is envious of others and expects them to be the same of him. He lacks empathy and readily lies and exploits others to achieve his aims. To others, he may seem self-absorbed, controlling, intolerant, selfish, or insensitive. If he feels obstructed or ridiculed, he can fly into a fit of destructive anger and revenge. Such a reaction is sometimes called "narcissistic rage" and can have disastrous consequences for all those involved.
Paranoid personality disorder—characterized by a pervasive distrust of others, including even friends, family, and partners. As a result, this person is guarded, suspicious, and constantly on the lookout for clues or suggestions to validate his fears. He also has a strong sense of personal rights: He is overly sensitive to setbacks and rebuffs . . . The principal ego defense in paranoid PD is projection, which involves attributing one’s unacceptable thoughts and feelings to other people.
Those textbook descriptions fit Donald like a pair of gloves.
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